"You see it, don't you?"
Jonas started squinting, but no. He couldn't see it. Was this what distinguished residents from genius surgeons like Dr. Collington?
Kazeyuki clapped a hand over the younger man's back. "Yes, you can take the day off tomorrow. Consider that a thank you for doing a good job."
Jonas could only gape as Dr. Collington walked away. How was that possible? How did he know Jonas had been angling for time off? Dr. Collington truly was a genius.
Kazeyuki dropped his phone back into his coat pocket and waited patiently as he watched Katherine walk up to him, and...ah.
Classic Katherine.
She pretended to stumble. He pretended not to expect it. She laughed awkwardly. He waited for it to come to an equally awkward end.
It was rather relaxing, he mused, this routine of theirs.
"Um, sorry about that, Dr. Collington."
"It's fine," he said gravely.
"I don't know why I'm such a klutz."
"No, not at all."
"Maybe it's the floor."
"Should I inform maintenance—"
Her eyes widened in horror. "No, actually, it's not the floor!"
"Are you sure?"
"Totally, like a thousand percent sure, please forget that I ever said—" Her phone buzzed, cutting her off.
"You should get that," he advised.
"I, no—" He saw her lips part as she glanced at the screen.
"Everything alright?"
"It's the university, I...I think I should take this, after all. Would you excuse me, Dr. Collington?"
"Of course."
She stepped away, pressing the phone to her ear, and Kazeyuki remained where he was. He could not hear what was being said. He didn't need to.
Thirty seconds later, she came back to him looking like someone had told her she'd won the lottery.
"I'm sorry, I should go."
"I hope it's nothing serious?"
"It's..." Her eyes started to brighten with tears. "It's the opposite. I don't know why, but my thesis professor, he changed his mind! He's going to let me defend my thesis, and I'm sorry, I should go."
"Of course." He answered all the same even though she had already rushed back to the elevator, her red hair catching behind her as she half-walked, half-ran, and the corridor felt oddly still once she was gone.
When he walked back to his consultation room, Emily was smiling.
"I know what you did—"
