Violet lay sprawled on her bed, looking at the ceiling. Her face was flushed, her heart raced in a euphoric state, and her body was still releasing endorphins from that torrid kiss. She touched her lips. His taste still lingered there.
That night, she finally learned what a real kiss should feel like.
She didn't know for how long their tongues had tangled. All she knew was how he'd kept kissing her as though he were a starved man, feasting for the first time in a long while. He'd briefly let her go just a few times to catch her breath before he continued to claim her lips again.
But the ferocity of his desire didn't suffocate her. Quite the contrary, she wanted more. She wanted to give him more of whatever it was he'd been starving for.
When he finally let go of her, his breathing was heavy. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice slightly raspy.
"More than okay..." she whispered. Kai's touch seemed to have awakened a certain craving inside her. The kind that made her eyes glazed with a need she couldn't possibly comprehend. He responded with a laugh. It rang like coarse gauze in her ears—deep and sexy.
His hands cupped her cheeks, holding her steady, stroking her skin gently with his thumb. He took a long look at her—his eyes soft, his smile captivating. Right under the milky glow of the moon, he avowed, "Violet Lee, from now on, let's see and get to know each other seriously."
Her soul then took flight to the seventh heaven and hadn't found its way back to earth since.
***
The next day...
It was Thursday morning, and Kiko had just finished her morning pre-round. She pulled out her phone and typed a message to Violet.
Hey sugar, how was dinner last night? Did you come clean to your parents about your Friday date with Mr. Superintendent Hunk? Hope they weren't too disappointed.
There were still fifteen minutes before the morning briefing. She decided to get herself some coffee from the staff lounge.
The news of Grace being arrested had reached the hospital like a dropped bomb by then. It was the only topic everyone had been talking about lately, and it didn't seem like it would die down soon. Even now, the staff lounge buzzed with the idle talks of that very topic.
Kiko overheard a group of young nurses chatting as she waited for her coffee.
"I heard she's a high-end escort, and her customers are rich old geezers."
"Tsk! And to think that she always acts so decent and reserved around us. Truly, you can't judge a book by its cover..."
"What a two-faced bitch."
"My boyfriend works for the police," another nurse chimed in. "And I heard that's not only it. She got arrested because she was trying to get her friend raped by drugging her."
All the other nurses gasped. Their faces uniformly scrunched up into a disapproving scowl.
"That's just wrong!"
"Yeah! She can whore herself around for all I care, but to do that to a fellow woman, and a friend too at that..."
"Despicable!"
Kiko's lips curled up into a smirk. Grace's reputation seemed to have sunk faster than the Titanic.
Serves her right, she mocked.
She left the staff lounge, proceeding toward the meeting room, where the morning brief was always held. On her way there, she spotted Dr. Gao talking to a familiar person.
Seeing the big grin on Dr. Gao's face, she cringed. Now, that's a first...
The person Dr. Gao was talking to, noticed her and waved. "Yo!" He walked over to her.
"Do you know this student, Dr. Wu?" Dr. Gao asked with a disbelief look as he followed Ren.
"Yeah, I came for her."
Kiko slapped her forehead as soon as she realized that she still had Ren Wu's ID card.
"Crap! I'm sorry! I'm really sorry!" she exclaimed. "I went back on Sunday morning to return it, but you weren't there. And after that, I totally forgot about it." She jiggled her foot. "It's in my car! But I have a morning briefing in a few minutes, can I return it to you la—"
"Insolent!" Dr. Gao, who had been listening in, scolded her. "Don't you know how busy Dr. Wu is? It must be a very important item for him to personally come and fetch it! How could you tell him that you'd return it later? Go and take it, Student Kano! Being late to the morning briefing is a consequence of your own thoughtlessness!"
Kiko frowned. She'd now given the ill-tempered resident another excuse to make her day miserable. She was certain he'd use her lateness to the morning briefing as an opportunity to lash at her.
But she couldn't retort. As much as she hated to admit it, she knew Dr. Gao was right. It was, indeed, discourteous of her to delay returning Dr. Wu's government-issued identity card after he'd come all the way there to fetch it. After all, she was the one that snatched it from him and promised to give it back, only to forget about it.
"I know..." she said, "I'm sorry, Dr. Wu. Please wait here, I'll go and get it."
Dr. Gao turned to Ren to say, "I apologize, Dr. Wu. This student has always been a problematic one, so—"
"Wait, wait," Ren called out to Kiko, who was already running toward the elevator. "Come back." He beckoned her over.
Kiko puzzled but still did as told. She walked back and asked, "What is it?"
"When does your shift end?"
"At five..."
"Hm, alright!" He nodded. "Then come to my hospital later. I'll be there until seven."
Kiko raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"
"Yes!" he said with a boyish grin. "Don't be late for your morning briefing."
He held up a hand in a see you later gesture as he walked past her toward the elevator.
Dr. Gao quickly followed him. "Dr. Wu! What about the proposal I made to you earlier?"
"Just mail it to me. I'll take a look at it when I have time," Ren said in a nonchalant tone as he pressed the elevator button. The elevator door opened almost immediately. Ren went inside to join the other lift passengers without waiting for Dr. Gao's reply. Dr. Gao could only see his handsome smile as the elevator door closed.
He then turned around to give Kiko a scrutinizing look, to which Kiko only responded with a slight nod before she headed in the opposite direction, where the meeting room was. It wasn't long before she heard Dr. Gao's voice from behind her. "Do you know Dr. Wu?"
Kiko almost rolled her eyes. What a stupid question. Would the guy come here for her if they hadn't known each other?
"Yes," she answered without slowing down.
"How?"
"Does it matter?"
"Excuse me, student. Your senior is asking you a question here. Shouldn't you give a proper answer?" Dr. Gao chastised.
Kiko halted her steps and slowly faced the nosey resident with a look that screamed, mind your own business.
"With all due respect, Dr. Gao, am I obliged to answer personal questions too?" she retorted, narrowing her eyes into a suspicious glare. "Besides, why do you care so much how I knew him?"
"I don't!" Dr. Gao hurled back.
"Well, okay then," Kiko replied before resuming her steps. This time, she walked faster.
"It's just..." Dr. Gao cleared his throat as he matched her pace. "You seem to know him well?"
Kiko made no attempt to answer. She just let out a faint sigh.
"I mean, if you know him well, then perhaps you could—"
"I heard you mentioned a proposal. Is that why you're asking? So I can talk to him and drop a word or two about it for you?" Kiko abruptly cut in.
Hearing no response, she scoffed. Judging from the vomit-inducing smile this moody resident had on his face when he talked to Dr. Wu before, she'd figured out how important a figure Dr. Wu was. But seeing how Dr. Gao was willing to speak to her in a tone much lower than his usual screech, she was even more confident it must be the case.
She was about to tell Dr. Gao the truth that she didn't know Dr. Wu that well, so the resident would stop pestering her. But what to do? Kiko was but a mere human, complete with flaws. After getting such harsh treatment from Dr. Gao these past few weeks, she couldn't help but wanting to gloat.
"Hmm, I suppose I could talk to him about your proposal..." she trailed her words, looking as cool as a cucumber. "I mean, didn't you see how he came here, despite his busy schedule, to fetch the supposedly important item that I forgot to return to him?"
She paused to play with the cuticles of her evenly trimmed, short nails. After doing it for what she deemed to be an adequate time for dramatic effect, she raised her head to look at Dr. Gao again. She moved closer and whispered in a theatrical manner. "But did you see him leave with said item?" It was a rhetorical question. "Oh well, I guess me not being late for the morning briefing is more important to him than his own belonging. You see, that's how well we know each other."
Seeing the anticipation on the resident's facial expression, she stifled a laugh.
"But then again..." she enunciated her words slowly. "Why should I talk to him for you?" She pointed at herself. "Tell me, Dr. Gao, why should this snot-nosed little bitch do that for you?"
Then, with a smug smile, she raised her chin and crossed her arms over her chest. "Well, guess what? I'd. Rather. Step. On. A. Lego."
Dr. Gao's face reddened, and his mouth twitched. He had to take a deep breath a few times before he could finally speak. "I knew it. Talking to you is a waste of time," he grumbled before striding off toward the meeting room.
Kiko's grin turned even wider. That little act might have been a bit too petty even for her, but damn if that didn't feel good. Relishing the small moment of glory, she made a victory sign with her fingers before cheerfully following the crushed resident into the meeting room.
***
Arai Private Hospital. 5.30 PM.
Kiko parked her car in the hospital's underground parking lot and went to the hospital's lobby. After announcing her arrival to the receptionist, telling her of her appointment with Dr. Ren Wu, she took a seat in the waiting area and looked around.
Perhaps it was because of the circumstance they were in last time, but she had only now noticed how pleasant and cozy this hospital was. There were soothing green plants, beautiful paintings, and soft music. But the best part was the glass ceiling in the middle of the lobby. It was high-arched and clear; she could see a glimpse of a roof terrace on its upper surface.
Of course, she had heard about Arai Private Hospital. It was ranked the best oncology center in the city for a few years in a row. But this was the first time she'd had the chance to appreciate its interior. Patients here wouldn't feel like they were confined at a hospital. It looked more like a retreat than a medical institution.
It would be nice if they had an open position for an internship later, she mused, smiling.
"Dr. Wu is still in a meeting, miss Kano. He said to let you wait in his office," one of the hospital's staff came to inform her.
"Oh, but I can just give this to you so that you can pass it to him later." She took out her wallet where Ren's ID card was.
The staff smiled, shaking her head no. "He specifically said not to collect anything from you. He'd like to receive it personally. Don't worry, the meeting would be over soon."
Kiko's forehead creased. He wanted to receive it personally?
Oh well, it wasn't like she was in a hurry. Besides, she still felt guilty for forgetting to return the ID. If Dr. Wu showed the slightest bit of sign that he didn't trust her, she deserved it.
So, she nodded at the staff and said, "I'll just wait here. It's okay, it's nice here."
After the staff left, she picked a magazine from the table beside her. She was mindlessly browsing through the entertainment section when she saw an interview with her father. Yuya Kano. One of Asia's most successful and internationally recognized actors. The main picture used was of her dad smiling brightly next to his new wife.
Kiko's lips curled into a wistful smile. It had been only the two of them for so many years before her father met Cecilia Mui, an actress ten years his junior. Two years ago, they'd co-starred in a movie together, fallen in love, and gotten married shortly after.
Her father deserved a wonderful companion who cared about him and understood him. He'd been living a single life after her mom died at childbirth. Yes, he had his flaws, resulting in a rocky parent-child relationship between the two of them. But as a daughter, she knew she hadn't been making it easy for her father either. Especially in the period after her sister's passing.
Mayu, her dear older sister by one year, had passed away from the same illness as Violet's at the age of twelve.
Kiko could still remember the maddening sense of grief that had mauled her following Mayu's death. The anger that she'd felt after witnessing her sister's slow but certain decline. She was enraged—at no one in particular, but also at everyone at the same time.
That was the worst period in her life. Her father, who was also mourning the loss of a child, hadn't known how to handle her hostility or help her deal with her grief. As time went by, they grew apart from each other. Her father had used his job to cope with his own bereavement, whereas she'd gotten sent to a child psychologist for grief counseling. He was seldom home, leaving Kiko under the care of a nanny.
Longing to search for love and attention that she lacked from her father, Kiko had become a troubled teenager.
She didn't doubt Cecilia's love for her father. If anything, it was largely thanks to Cecilia that her relationship with her father had quite improved in the past year.
Looking at her father's interview picture, Kiko was genuinely happy to see his happy countenance.
She was reading the first paragraph of the article when she suddenly felt a hard strike on her back that propelled her forward onto the ground.
"Bitch! Why are you here!?"
♡──── ❝ Author's Note ❞ ────♡
Uh-oh! What's happening? 😬
(And yep, as Violet's one true friend, of course, Kiko has her own storyline too. 😊)
On another note, I've gotten my first COVID vaccine dose (Moderna), and I'm due for the second one in July. After having the vaccine administered in my upper left arm, I had to wait 15 minutes in case I felt unwell, which I didn't. Although I have to admit to feeling anxious before the shot, I'm pleased to say that other than having a sore arm for a couple of days, I felt fine. A tip: Always choose your non-dominant arm to get the vaccine in. If you're right-handed, like me, choose the left arm, and vice versa.
I'm sharing this information in the hope of demystifying the side effects of the vaccine. That said, I'm no medical expert. So, please always consult your own doctor for specific guidance. To me, getting the vaccine was the first step to freedom, and I am profoundly grateful to all the scientists, epidemiologists, frontline healthcare workers, and all those who volunteered to test the vaccines in their trial stages.
It would mean a lot to me if you could share your thoughts about this chapter in the comment section. And please consider voting if you liked it.
Thank you so much for reading!
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