“Nurse Shizumi!”

The sharp bark of Nurse Crystral’s voice made Hana jump. She whipped around to see the stern head nurse glaring at her disapprovingly from the nurses’ station.

The steady beeping cut through the air. With a jolt, Hana realized she’d been lost in a daydream, the nurse’s cart before her half-filled, her gloved fingers hovering over a stray bandage.

“Don’t you hear that alarm? What are you doing just standing there daydreaming?” Crystal jabbed an accusatory finger at the monitoring screen, where a patient’s room number flashed in urgent crimson.

“I...I’m so sorry!” Hana stammered, cheeks flushing hot with embarrassment. She hastily abandoned the cart and its clatter of scattered supplies.

Mortification flooded her cheeks as she scrambled for the nearest monitor.

“Took you long enough,” the Head Nurse muttered, her voice laced with disappointment.

As she hurried toward the code room, she couldn’t help but notice Dr. Ren and Dr. Rowan witnessed the scolding scene from down the hallway corridor. She met his eyes for a fleeting moment before dropping her gaze. Hana, suddenly self-conscious under their scrutiny, ducked her head and hurried past, a mumbled “Excuse me” barely audible.

Rowan leaned over to murmur in Ren’s ear as Nurse Shizumi rushed by with flushed cheeks.

“Ooh, did you see that brief eye contact just now? Our little Nurse Shizumi must be feeling extra embarrassed that we witnessed her getting chewed out like that.” He elbowed Ren conspiratorially. “Especially in front of you, Mr. Hotshot Chief.”

Ren remained silent. This wasn’t unusual for him, but Rowan couldn’t help but sense something different in his gaze as it followed Hana’s retreating figure. He arched an eyebrow at his old friend.

He studied Ren’s face, searching for any telltale sign. “You know,” Rowan continued, his voice laced with a teasing lilt, “it wouldn’t be the weirdest thing in the world. Maybe Shizumi’s got you smitten.”

Ren didn’t reply, his jaw clenching slightly. This was Rowan’s usual tactic, prodding and poking until a reaction was elicited. But this time, the playful banter felt strangely unwelcome.

“Come on, Ren,” Rowan persisted, his voice dropping a notch lower. “Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed her. Pretty eyes, kind smile... She seems like your type.”

A flicker of something crossed Ren’s features, a fleeting emotion Rowan couldn’t quite decipher.

“There’s nothing to notice,” he said, already turning away.

“Wait a minute...is there something more going on there that I should know about?”

Ren’s jaw clenched slightly, and a flicker of irritation crossed his features. “Nothing,” he said curtly, the word leaving no room for argument.

Rowan’s grin widened wickedly. “Or is our esteemed Dr. Jenkins actually harboring a secret crush on--”

Whatever teasing remark he was about to make was abruptly cut off as Ren’s hand clamped firmly over Rowan’s mouth, as a cluster of giggling nurses passed by.

Rowan, muffled but not defeated, struggled against Ren’s grip. A muffled, “Come on, man! You can’t tell me...” escaped his lips before Ren finally released him.

Ren swiftly dropped his hand once they had cleared the hallway, shooting a withering look at Rowan, his voice low and dangerous. “Not a word, Rowan.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” he said crisply, somehow managing to smoothly realign the disheveled lapels of his pristine lab coat.

“Mmhmm, if you insist,” Rowan replied lightly, making a show of zipping his lips shut but still grinning like a kid who’d caught his parents keeping secrets. As Ren turned on his heel to stride away, Rowan fell into step alongside him, humming a jaunty tune off-key.

Reaching the nurses’ station, they both dropped their patients’ charts into their designated slots.

“Dr. Jenkins,” she began, her gaze flickering to the computer screen. “Your seven o’clock surgery is all set. Consent forms secured from both the patient and family member.”

Ren grunted in acknowledgement, his gaze already scanning the next patient file. Rowan, however, couldn’t resist one last dig.

“Sounds like a busy night, Mr. Love Doctor,” he teased, leaning against the counter.

Ren shot him a withering look that would have curdled milk. “Focus, Rowan,” he muttered, his voice clipped.

Just then, both their phones chimed in unison. Ren and Rowan exchanged a knowing look.

“SOS?” Rowan asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Maybe,” Ren replied, pulling out his phone. He scrolled through the message, his face betraying no emotion. “Forward any non-critical cases to Dr. Lia’s office,” he instructed Nurse Dragenheart, his voice businesslike.

“On it, Dr. Jenkins,” she replied, already dialing Dr. Lia’s extension.

The familiar scent of freshly brewed coffee hit them as they entered Dr. Lia’s office, a stark contrast to the sterile air of the rest of the hospital. He pushed open the door further, his eyes immediately falling on Dr. Lia.

She sat at her desk, an uncharacteristically empty expression on her face. Gone was her usual warm smile, replaced by a steely glint in her eyes as she sipped from a steaming mug.

Rowan’s face drained of color. He could smell trouble brewing, a storm brewing in Dr. Lia’s usually calm demeanor.

Without a word, Rowan dropped to his knees, his theatrics reaching new heights. “Forgive me, Dr. Lia!” he exclaimed, his voice laced with mock despair. “We, your humble colleagues, have sinned greatly! If there’s any punishment to be doled out, please, let it be swift and merciless! Whatever mischief Dr. Jenkins has gotten himself into this time, I assure you, I had no part!”

Ren, ever the picture of composure, rolled his eyes so. He started to lower himself into a chair, only to be met with a withering glare from Dr. Lia that sent him springing back to his feet.

The silence stretched on, thick and suffocating. Dr. Lia continued to sip her coffee.

Finally, with a deliberate clink, she set her cup down on the desk. The sound echoed in the tense silence.

“Gentlemen,” she began, her voice low and dangerous. “I have a simple question. Are you hiding anything from me?”

A bewildered exchange of glances passed between Ren and Rowan.

“That involves,” she began, enunciating each word carefully, “a certain blind date.”

The gears in Ren’s mind began to turn. A slow realization dawned on him, followed by a flicker of annoyance. It wasn’t exactly a secret he’d actively tried to keep.

Rowan, ever the opportunist, with a theatrical sigh, he lumbered towards Lia’s desk, a hand dramatically placed on his chest.

He sidled closer to Dr. Lia, “Is that it?” he whispered, feigning outrage. “Ren, what is the meaning of this? A blind date? And you didn’t even tell your best friend?”

Lia shot him a withering glare, “Don’t try to weasel your way out of this one, Rowan,” she said, her voice laced with a dangerous calmness. “I know you were in on it too.”

“Jiro, you sly dog.” Rowan, caught red-handed, mumbled under his breath. He threw his hands up in mock surrender, a sheepish grin spreading across his face, “Guilty as charged.”

Rowan, sensing a shift in the atmosphere, cautiously lowered himself into a chair. Dr. Lia, her gaze still pinned on Rowan, sighed. “Talk,” she commanded, her voice softer now, but no less firm.

Rowan, ever the opportunist, wasted no time. “It all started with Ren’s dear old mom,” he explained, milking the dramatic tension. “Apparently, she decided her son needed a little...companionship at this upcoming family gathering. So, she took it upon herself to arrange a little blind date for him.”

Lia’s eyes flickered towards Ren, a hint of softness replacing their earlier chill. “How’d it go?” she inquired, her tone gentler.

He let out a long, weary sigh, the sound echoing in the tense silence of the office.

“That bad, huh?” Lia asked, a touch of concern creeping into her voice.

Rowan, never one to shy away from a quip, chimed in, “Not really surprising. The lady reeked of...perfection,” he quickly corrected himself under Lia’s glare. “I mean, robotic perfection”

Turning back to Ren, she inquired, “So what did you say to her?”

Ren ran a hand through his hair, a gesture that spoke volumes of his frustration. “We shouldn’t waste each other’s time.”

Lia’s lips pursed thoughtfully. “That might be a problem,” she said, her voice laced with concern. “You know your mother. If you show up alone at that gathering, she’ll have a field day.”

Ren’s jaw clenched slightly, a flicker of defiance in his eyes. “Maybe not alone,” he muttered, the words barely audible.

Both Rowan and Lia froze, their eyes widening in surprise. Rowan’s jaw nearly dropped, while Lia’s gaze darted between Ren and the door as if expecting someone to burst in.

“Maybe not alone?” Rowan echoed, his voice barely above a whisper. A mischievous glint sparked in his eyes. “Do tell, Ren. Who is this mystery companion?”

A curse almost escaped his lips.

The air crackled with anticipation, Rowan and Lia’s eyes burning into him, their initial amusement replaced by a shared curiosity.

“It’s not... sure yet,” he mumbled, the truth hanging awkwardly in the air.

Rowan’s eyes gleamed with mischief. “Not sure? Come on, Jenkins, don’t be coy! Who is it? A secret admirer? A long-lost love interest?”

Lia, ever the pragmatist, cut through Rowan’s teasing. “Do we know them?” she inquired, her tone serious.

Ren hesitated, his jaw clenched tight. The truth was, he wasn’t entirely sure himself.

The thought of Hana walking through the doors of his family mansion, facing his eccentric relatives and the scrutiny of his mother, sent a shiver down his spine.

“Someone,” he finally muttered, the word a noncommittal placeholder.

Rowan threw his hands up in mock exasperation. “Oh come on, Jenkins! We’re going to find out sooner rather than later anyway.”

Lia’s gaze narrowed. “Do they work at the hospital?” she asked, her voice laced with a hint of suspicion.

Rowan snorted. “Of course, they would. Ren doesn’t know anyone else outside the four walls of this hospital. He barely has a social life aside from us.”

Lia seemed to consider this for a moment, then nodded in agreement. “That makes sense.”

Ren opened his mouth to protest, then shut it again. Rowan wasn’t entirely wrong.

A collective gasp escaped Rowan’s lips, shattering the tense silence. “Wait a minute,” he exclaimed, a mischievous glint dancing in his eyes. “It couldn’t be...”

He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “Shizumi?”