- 01 Dr. Zayne yang Legendaris -
Kantor itu tampak besar di depan John. Mengatakan bahwa dia gugup itu masih kurang.
Sejak pertama magang di Akso Hospital, dia sudah mendengar rumor tentang kepala bedah, Dr. Zayne. Kata mereka, dia orang yang super dingin. Dia tidak pernah mengobrol dengan anak magang kecuali tentang kerja. Jika dia tau kau membuat kesalahan, habislah kau.
Selain itu, dia tidak pernah bergaul dengan rekan-rekannya di luar kerja. Dia hidup di kantornya dan tidak punya teman. Yang dia lakukan hanyalah kerja, seperti mesin bedah tanpa sedikit pun sisi kemanusiaan.
Katanya Zayne juga tau cara terbaik untuk mendapatkan hatimu. Serius. Dia itu ahli bedah jantung terbaik di Kota Linkon, bahkan di bidang medis. Itulah mengapa, meskipun takut dengan dia, anak-anak magang juga berharap bisa belajar dari dia.
John salah satunya. Waktu dia sadar ditempatkan di divisi bedah jantung minggu ini, dia sangat antusias dan gugup hingga tidak bisa tidur selama dua hari.
Sekarang dia tengah berdiri di depan pintu kantor dengan dua mata pandanya.
Saat membuka pintu, John disapa oleh pemandangan kantor yang luas dan rapi. Zayne sedang makan siang di mejanya, terllihat santai. Selain makan, dia sesekali membenarkan kacamata bingkai emasnya.
Zayne menoleh saat John maju yang otomatis membuat John tambah gugup.
"H-halo, Dr. Zayne! Saya anak magang di divisi bedah jantung minggu ini! Nama saya John..."
Saat dia terbata-bata di beberapa kalimat pertama, dia sadar Zayne malah fokus ke komputernya, bukan kepadanya.
John menjelaskan lebih cepat mulai dari nama, sekolah, jurusan, dan berapa lama dia di divisi sebelumnya. Dr. Zayne pasti ingin mendengarnya meringkas semua itu dalam satu menit.
Zayne tidak mengatakan apa pun. Begitu John selesai, dia juga sudah selesai makan.
Semua yang dia lakukan terencana dan cepat. Zayne menaruh sumpitnya di kotak dan menutupnya lalu membuang semuanya ke tempat sampah. Setelah itu dia mengelap tangannya menggunakan lap dan handsanitizer.
Mengambil kartu aksesnya lalu meninggalkan kantor, Zayne akhirnya bicara ke John. "Operasi selanjutnya akan melibatkan bypass kardiopulmoner. Amati. Bilang saja jika ada pertanyaan."
- 02 Ahli Bedah -
Ruang operasi sepi. Di bawah lampu, rongga dada pasien sudah terbuka.
"Intubasi. Aorta, vena cava superior dan inverior."
Zayne mengawasi prosesnya, membimbing asisten bedah pertama dan kedua untuk tugas selanjutnya.
"Bypass kardiopulmoner."
"Berikan kardiopulmoner."
Darah mengalir lancar lewat mesin bypass kardiopulmoner. Dalam sekejap, jantung itu berhenti berdetak.
"Baiklah. Saya akan ambil alih." Zayne mengambil alih kerja asisten pertama begitu semuanya stabil.
John berdiri jauh di belakang. Dia berusaha melihat apa yang Zayne lakukan, tapi dia tidak bisa liat apa-apa.
John sedikit kesal. Dia membayangkan serunya jika dia bisa jadi asisten bedah Zayne. Tidak hanya bisa melihat proses operasi dari dekat, tapi dia juga bisa dapat bimbingan dari Zayne. Namun jika dia tidak cukup baik, dia pasti kena marah. John pucat membayangkan jika dirinya dimarahi oleh dokter.
Operasinya berlangsung sangat lama. Berdiri di keheningan cukup melelahkan untuk semua orang, kecuali Zayne dan asisten pertamanya, Greyson.
Greyson memecah keheningan. "Sebelumnya apa yang kau lakukan di ruang operasi, John?"
Terkejut, John tau momen paling stress untuk semua anak magang adalah saat ditanya oleh orang yang lebih tinggi kedudukannya di rumah sakit.
"S-saya pernah bekerja dengan Dr. Lewis. Hepatobilier dan, eh, menarik kait (hook) saat operasi."
Greyson tersenyum. "Dr. Lewis, ya? Dia guru yang baik. Dia pernah mengundang kami ke rumahnya untuk makan hot pot kotoran sapi habis operasi."
Salah satu perawat bergidik. "Makanan setengah dicerna? Empedu?! Itu bisa dimakan? Bukankah empedu pahit?"
Saat Greyson buka mulut, kata-kata langsung keluar dari mulutnya. "Hanya pahit sedikit. Enak sekali jika dimakan panas. Dr. Lewis tidak makan karena dipanggil untuk kembali ke rumah sakit. Katanya ada mahasiswa yang kehilangan sesuatu di lab."
Ketika obrolannya mulai seru, tiba-tiba Zayne bicara.
"Mungkin mereka kehilangan kantong empedu."
"..."
Greyson tersenyum kaku. Semua orang langsung tegak, ekspresi mereka lebih serius daripada saat dimarahi.
John bingung apakah Zayne ikut bercanda atau hanya ingin mengingatkan semua orang jika mereka sedang kerja. Yang dia tau hanya perutnya keroncongan dan dia tidak bisa berhenti berpikir... Ahli bedah jantung ini benar-benar menakutkan.
- 03 Lebih Menakutkan daripada Iblis -
Pagi harinya, dua langkah kaki berbeda bergema di lorong. Satu cepat dan berat sementara yang lain mengikuti dengan terburu-buru.
"Kau tidak banyak bicara kemarin, aku tidak mengira kau akan seenerjik ini." Begitu mereka naik ke lantai atas, Greyson langsung dibombardir dengan pertanyaan John tentang Zayne. Itu bikin dia pusing.
"Ya, Dr. Zayne tidak disini dan memeriksa pasien itu relatif mudah. Aku tidak segugup itu."
"Itu mudah hanya karena kau belum bertemu dengan pasien yang sikapnya jelek."
"Yang menolak dirawat atau minum obat?"
Greyson menggeleng sok dewasa. "Kamu tidak tau apa-apa."
Sambil berbincang, mereka sampai di pintu Ruang Rawat 3.
Begitu John sadar mereka ada di mana, dia ingat informasi penting: Zack, pasien di Ranjang 12 Ruang Rawat 3, baru saja menjalani operasi penggantian katup jantung minggu lalu. Dia harus dirawat di rumah sakit selama tiga minggu untuk observasi dan dijadwalkan pulang minggu ini.
"Lalu aku harus apa jika bertemu..."
Suara aneh terdengar dari balik pintu sebelum John selesai bertanya.
"Cepat!"
"Pelan-pelan!"
"Pak, hati-hati dengan gigi Anda!"
"Sial! Dia pasti membuat masalah lagi!" kata Greyson sambil buka pintu. "Bantu kami!"
John menurut. Di dalam, dua perawat sedang menahan Zack, mencoba mengikatnya. Begitu Greyson mendekat, perawat sudah mengencangkan ikatan terakhir.
Perawat lain berusaha mengambil sesuatu yang sedang digigit Zack. Dia melawan, menggeliat, dan berteriak.
"Apa yang terjadi dengan perawatan khusus yang seharusnya kita berikan?" tanya Greyson.
"Apa yang ada di mulutnya?"
"Kartu akses..." Perawat itu berkeringat karena mengikat Zack, atau mungkin marah.
"Dia mengambilnya saat aku tidak lihat."
John melihat Zack, yang tidak bisa bergerak tapi masih gelisah. "Apakah perlu obat penenang?"
"Dia punya riwayat Infark Cerebral, jadi sebaiknya hindari itu jika bisa. Biarkan aku yang tangani." Greyson bergerak di belakang perawat di sebelah kiri dan mencoba mengambil kartu akses yang terjepit di gigi Zack.
Zack bergumam sesuatu yang tidak jelas, tapi dari nada suaranya, jelas dia bilang bakal menelan kartu itu jika ada yang mencoba mengambilnya.
Kartu akses itu kecil. Jika dia benar-benar mau, maka dia bisa melakukannya.
Greyson tidak mau memaksa, jadi dia mundur.
Sesaat setelahnya ada yang membuka pintu.
Semua orang diam. Hanya Zack yang matanya tertutup masih berteriak.
Zayne mendekati ranjang dan mengetuk meja di sampingnya. "Di mana sakitnya?"
Begitu dia bicara, Zack berhenti bergerak. Zack membuka mata dan meliat Zayne sekilas. Pria tua itu menelan tangisnya, dan satu-satunya yang terdengar hanya napasnya yang tidak teratur.
Beberapa saat setelahnya, Zack menunduk dan membuang muka. Dalam sekejap berubah, dari pria tua keras kepala menjadi bocah yang merasa bersalah.
Zayne menunjuk mulutnya.
Zack mengendurkan rahangnya, tapi masih menggigit kartu akses.
"Keluarkan." Suara Zayne lembut, tapi semua orang di sekitarnya merinding karena kata-katanya.
"Zack akhirnya mengeluarkan kartu itu. Dia langsung bicara. "Aku bosan. Tidak ada yang mau berbicara kepadaku, jadi aku pikir..."
Zayne menatap pria tua itu tanpa bicara, matanya tidak menunjukkan emosi.
"Aku akan menemanimu."
Zack menelan ludah, menarik selimut, dan kembali tidur di ranjangnya tanpa berbicara.
Zayne menoleh dan membisikkan sesuatu ke perawat. Lalu dia pergi.
Ruang rawat kembali menjadi sepi, seolah keributan tadi tidak pernah terjadi.
John mencoba menenangkan jantungnya yang berdebar dan rasa dingin yang merayapi seluruh tubuhnya.
Dr. Zayne itu menakutkan, bahkan bisa membuat seorang pria tua takut.
- 04 Di Bawah Sinar Matahari -
John belajar dari perawat jika pria tua dari Ruang Rawat 3 bukanlah satu-satunya yang mendengarkan Zayne. Semua pasiennya, entah seberapa temperamental atau merepotkannya jadi patuh dan lemah lembut di depannya.
Seperti yang diharapkan dari Zayne, orang yang katanya bisa "menakut-nakuti" siapa pun.
Di depan gedung, saat Greyson mendengar "Zayne si Menakutkan." dia terbahak sampai hampir dibawa ke psikiater.
John langsung menyesal mengatakannya, khawatir jika kata-kata itu sampai ke Zayne. Dia terus berusaha meminta Greyson untuk diam.
Greyson perlahan berhenti ketawa. "Ketika aku bertemu Zayne pertama kali, aku juga merasa begitu. Dia punya vibe 'jangan mendekat'".
John ngangguk. Iya, vibe "jangan mendekat" itu kuat sekali!
"Tapi Zayne tidak sesulit itu untuk dikenali..." kata Greyson sambil tersenyum, menepuk-nepuk pundak John.
Matahari bersinar di taman. Kebanyakan orang yang duduk di rumput menggunakan baju rumah sakit atau mencari spot nyaman untuk duduk di bawah sinar matahari.
John mencari Zack di keramaian. Dia dengar dari pasien lain di Ruang Rawat 3 jika pria tua itu dapat izin dari perawat untuk meregangkan kakinya.
Setelah berputar setengah lap di taman, akhirnya John melihat sekelompok orang tua yang dikenalnya.
Dia melihat Zack duduk di meja batu, tangannya terangkat dan turun sesekali. Dia sedang main catur.
Pandangan John tentang lawannya terhalang semak-semak. Dia pindah ke sisi lain, menjauhi semak-semak.
Ternyata yang sedang bermain catur dengan Zack itu Zayne yang sedang memakai baju biasa. John langsung tercengang.
Menurut jadwal di rumah sakit, hari ini Zayne cuti. Zayne hanya mengambil satu atau dua hari cuti saja setiap bulan, tapi dia malah menghabiskan waktu berharganya dengan bermain catur bersama Zack.
John tidak menghampirinya dan cuma memantau saja.
Zack memegang bidak di tangannya, meletakkan dan mengangkatnya lagi. Setelah berpikir serius, dia akhirnya bergerak.
"Kau kalah." Zayne meletakkan pionnya di atas raja Zack.
"Aku kalah lagi!" Zack menggaruk kepala, lalu memukulnya dua kali. "Dr. Zayne, kau harus lebih sabar dengan orang tua sepertiku! Ayo main lagi!"
"Kita sudah setuju ini ronde terakhir." Zayne mengemas bidak-bidaknya dengan pelan. "Kau harus menepati janjimu sekarang setelah kalah. Silakan melakukan pemeriksaan besok."
Dahi Zack berkerut. Dia bersandar dan melambaikan tangannya. "Tidak! Aku tidak mau!"
"Jika tidak, dokter lain akan melihatmu." Suara Zayne datar, tapi terdengar agak mengancam buat Zack.
Zack menurunkan tangannya dan mencubit bibirnya. Dia terlihat ragu dan mungkin sedikit kesal.
John bisa dengar Zack bergumam. "Bahkan kau tidak peduli denganku, ya, Dr. Zayne?"
Zayne menutup papan catur sambil mendesah pelan.
"Jangan khawatir, aku akan menemanimu." katanya, suaranya terdengar lebih ramah dari sebelumnya.
Zack memandang rumput sejenak. "Baiklah kalau begitu," katanya pelan.
"Tapi Zayne tidak sesulit itu untuk dikenali..." suara Greyson berdengung di telinga John. "Pernah ke radiologi? Kebanyakan pasien didampingi keluarganya, tapi banyak juga lansia kesepian seperti Zack. Anggota keluarga mereka hanya muncul sebelum operasi. Mereka tanda tangan beberapa dokumen, konfirmasi operasi sukses, lalu pergi. Lansia selalu sendirian selama observasi. Mereka pasti sedih melihat pasien lain bersama keluarga mereka. Itu sebabnya perhatian dari perawat dan dokter penting untuk mereka. Merawat mereka sampai seperti yang Zayne lakukan... itu langka."
John sadar dari pikirannya melihat pria tua itu dengan Zayne mengobrol dan tertawa. Untuk pertama kalinya, John merasa jika Zayne tidak sedingin itu. Seolah-olah kedinginan itu meleleh bak sinar matahari yang sama seperti menyelimuti rumput di bawah mereka.
- 05 Ketika Es Mencair -
Siang hari, John berdiri di depan kantor Zayne dengan membawa laporan Zack.
Setelah mengetuk beberapa kali dan tidak ada respon, dengan hati-hati dia mendorong pintunya hingga terbuka setengah.
Di dalam, Zayne bersandar di kursinya. Matanya terpejam, seperti sedang tidur.
John mengendap-endap masuk ke kantor dan menaruh laporan di atas meja.
Zayne tidak bergerak, dan matanya tetap terpejam. "Apa operasi siang ini sudah mulai?"
"Belum! Masih satu jam lagi. Anda masih punya waktu untuk istirahat," kata John dengan cepat.
Zayne cuma "hmm" saja lalu duduk.
"Jangan lupa periksa Ranjang 32," katanya sambil mengelap keringat di keningnya.
"Baik." John sudah menghapal semua pasien di rumah sakit. Ranjang 32 itu Jeanne, dan mereka sudah mengeceknya kemarin.
Tapi Zayne melanjutkan, "Panggil keluarganya dan bicara pada mereka jika mereka harus datang dengannya untuk pemeriksaan besok pagi."
"Baik!" John tau pemeriksaan Jeanne besok termasuk CT scan yang lebih detail dan butuh agen kontras.
"Jika mereka tidak bisa datang, kau yang ikut dengannya."
"...benar," kata John setelah diam sebentar.
Zayne melihat keraguan John.
"Ada masalah?" tanya Zayne melirik dia.
John, yang sekarang tidak terlalu takut dengan Zayne seperti sebelumnya, mulai bicara, meski masih sedikit ragu.
"Jeanne sepertinya tidak terlalu percaya dengan saya... Bukankah itu sedikit..."
Zayne berpikir sebentar. "Waktu aku mulai dulu, aku banyak berusaha untuk mendapatkan kepercayaan pasienku. Mereka tau siapa yang benar-benar peduli dengan mereka."
Setelah hening beberapa detik, John bilang, "Saya paham!"
Setiap anak magang rentan dipengaruhi oleh guru yang kuat. Makanya, saat ini, John merasa ajaran Zayne sudah terpatri dalam dirinya.
- 06 Dokter Terbaik -
Pagi harinya, ketika John sedang mengantar Jeanne kembali ke ruangannya, tiba-tiba hp-nya berdering. Ternyata dari perawat Divisi Bedah Jantung.
Perawat itu berbicara singkat melalui telepon. Asisten kedua Zayne sedang tidak enak badan. John harus menggantikannya sekarang juga.
Hal itu membuat John sangat terkejut. Dia berusaha untuk mencerna perkataan perawat itu dan tercengang sebentar. Saat berganti baju lab, baru dia sadar jika dia punya kesempatan untuk jadi asisten Zayne.
Setelah memastikan dia sudah memakai masker, topi, dan sepatu yang benar di cermin, John membersihkan tangannya, lalu menatap pintu ruang operasi yang pelan-pelan terbuka.
Di bawah lampu, Zayne berdiri di samping meja operasi. Di sampingnya, ada tempat kosong yang sebenarnya untuk asisten kedua.
Ini adalah operasi transplantasi jantung yang susahnya seperti jalan di atas tali di tebing. Satu kesalahan kecil bisa bikin pasien berdarah parah. John dengan hati-hati memperhatikan dan mengerjakan tugasnya, dan saat momen krusial tiba, dia bahkan tidak berani berkedip.
Dia mengamati tangan Zayne yang terampil mengatur alat bedah, pasang jantung buatan, erta merapikan alat-alat lainnya.
Semua sudah siap dan pompa sudah dimatikan. Sekarang hanya perlu menunggu detak jantung...
Satu... Dua...
Tiga...
John menahan napas dan fokus, menghitung detik dalam hati. Rasanya seperti seabad.
Lalu datanya muncul. Jantung pasien kembali berdetak.
Jantung buatan itu berfungsi. Seorang yang dianggap "sekarat" di dunia medis kini hidup lagi.
Walaupun John sudah mengerti teknik ini dari sekolah kedokteran, sekarang dia sadar jika teori itu tidak ada apa-apanya dibanding praktik. Pengalaman ini membuat dia takjub.
Dia tidak tahan ingin melihat Zayne, berusaha menemukan kegembiraan yang sama di mata sang dokter, tapi Zayne hanya mengumumkan keberhasilan operasi dengan tenang. Lalu dia kembali dan pergi dari meja operasi.
...Iya, Dr. Zayne pasti sudah biasa dengan operasi seperti ini.
Setelah keluar dari ruang operasi, John masih ingin ngobrol dengan Dr. Zayne.
Sebelum Zayne pergi, John bertanya ragu-ragu, "Dr. Zayne, kenapa tadi saya dipanggil?"
Zayne masih cuci tangan tanpa menoleh. "Kau perlu menulis laporan tentang ini."
John kaget, rasa syukurnya bikin dia tidak bisa ngomong banyak. Dia cuma bilang, "Terimakasih, Dr. Zayne!"
Ketika waktunya di Divisi Bedah Jantung akan habis, John merasa berat untuk pergi. Rasa takutnya pada Zayne pelan-pelan mulai mencair di bawah sinar matahari sejak hari itu di taman, sampai akhirnya hilang di ruang operasi.
Hari sebelum dijadwalkan pergi, ada mahasiswa yang ingin rotasi mendekat dan bertanya, "Bagaimana bekerja dengan Dr. Zayne? Dengar-dengar dia seram, tapi dokter yang hebat. Aku bingung..."
Mendengar orang lain menyebut Zayne "seram" bikin John ingin membelanya.
"Jangan dengarkan kata mereka! Dr. Zayne sama sekali tidak seram..."
John kehabisan kata-kata, dan meskipun sudah keras berpikir setengah hari, yang bisa dia katakan hanya ini: "Dia dokter terbaik yang pernah kutemui."
(***)
Original :
- 01 The Legendary Dr. Zayne -
The office looms in front of John. To say he's nervous is an understatement.
Since the beginning of his internship at Akso Hospital, he has heard rumors about the chief of surgery, Dr. Zayne.
They say he's an extremely cold person. He never talks to interns unless it's about work. If he finds out you made a mistake, he rips you a new one.
On top of that, he never socializes with his colleagues outside of work. He lives at his office, and he doesn't have any friends. All he does is work, functioning like a surgical machine without a sliver of humanity.
They also say Zayne knows the best ways to get to your heart. Literally. He's the best cardiac surgeon in Linkon City, and even more so in the medical field. That's why despite being terrified of him, interns all hope to learn from him.
John is one such intern. The moment he realized he was assigned to the Division of Cardiac Surgery this week, he was so excited and nervous that he couldn't sleep for the past two days.
He stands now, with two dark circles under his eyes, outside the office door.
Opening the door, John is greeted by the sight of a spacious, neat office. Zayne is eating his lunch at his desk, completely unperturbed. Other than eating, he occasionally pushes up his gold-rimmed glasses.
Zayne turns his head when John walks over. The mere movement fills John with excitement.
"H-hello, Dr. Zayne! I'm an intern at the Division of Cardiac Surgery this week! I'm John..."
As he stumbles through the first few sentences, he realizes Zayne looked at his computer, not him.
John speaks faster. His name, school, major, and how long he had been at the previous division. Dr. Zayne would want him to condense everything within one minute.
Zayne says nothing. By the time John is done, he finished his meal.
Everything he does is calculated, quick. Zayne puts the chopsticks in the box, closes the lid, and puts everything in the trash after cleaning his desk. Then, he wipes down his hands with a wipe and uses a hand sanitizer.
Picking up his access card and leaving his office, Zayne finally speaks to John. "The next surgery will involve cardiopulmonary bypass. Observe. Speak up if you have any questions."
- 02 Expert Surgeon -
The operating room is quiet. Under the light, the patient's chest cavity is already open.
"Intubate. Aorta, superior and inferior vena cava."
Zayne oversees the progress, guiding the first and second surgeon's assistants for the upcoming tasks.
"Cardiopulmonary bypass."
"Administer cardioplegia."
The bloods pumps steadily through the heart-lung machine. Within moments, the exposed heart stops beating.
"All right. Let me do it." Zayne takes over the first assistant's work once everything is stable.
John stands the furthers away. He strains to see what Zayne is doing, but he can't see anything.
John is a little annoyed. He imagines it would be great if he could be Zayne's surgical assisstant. Not only could he witness the operation process up close, but he could also get Zayne's guidance. But if he isn't good enough, he'll be reprimanded. John pales at the thought of being scolded by the doctor.
The surgery is extraordinarily long. Standing in silence for a while is tiring for everyone except Zayne and the first assistant, Greyson.
It's Greyson who breaks the silence. "What did you do in the operating room before, John?"
Startled, John knows the most stressful moment for all interns in upon him being asked a question by someone higher in the hospital hierarchy.
"I-I worked with Dr. Lewis. Hepatobiliary and, uh, pulled the hooks during surgery."
Greyson smiles. "Dr. Lewis, huh? He's a great teacher. He invited us to his place for cow dung hot pot after an operation once."
The nurse shudders. "Half-digested food? Bile?! Is that edible? And isn't bile bitter?"
The moment Greyson open his mouth, words just stream out like a fountain. "It's only a little bitter. It's quite nice when you eat it hot. Dr. Lewis didn't have any though because he was called back to the hospital. Something about a student losing something in the lab."
When the conversation becomes more and more lively, Zayne suddenly speaks.
"Maybe they lost a gallbladder."
"..."
Greyson's smile stiffens. Everyone straightens their posture, their expressions more serious than the ones they'd have if they were yelled at.
John can't decide if Zayne is joining in on the fun reminding everyone that they're working. All he knows is that his stomach is churning, and he can't help but think... This expert heart surgeon is trully terrifying.
- 03 Scarier Than a Demon -
The next morning, two sets of mismatched footsteps echo down the hall. One is quick and heavy while the other follows hurriedly.
"You didn't say much yesterday, I didn't expect you'd be so lively." The moment they go upstairs, Greyson is bombarded with John's questions about Zayne. It gives him a headache.
"Well Dr. Zayne isn't here, and checking patients is relatively easy. I'm not as nervous."
"It's only easy because you haven't met any with particularly nasty attitudes."
"The kind that refuse to be treated or take their medicine?"
Greyson shakes his head with pretense of maturity. "You know nothing."
As they speak, they arrive at the door of Ward 3.
When John notices where they are, he recalls relevant information: Zack, the patient in Ward 3's Bed 12, underwent a heart valve replacement surgery last week. He has to stay in the hospital for three weeks for observation and is expected to be discharged this week.
"Then what should I do if I encounter even..."
An unusual noise come through the door before John finish his question.
"Hurry!"
"Careful now!"
"Sir, you're going to hurt your teeth!"
"Damn it! He's definitely causing trouble again!" Greyson says as he pushes open the door. "Help us!"
John follows. Inside, two nurses are holding down Zack, trying him down. By the time Greyson approaches them, the nurses have tightened the last strap.
Another nurse reaches for whatever he's biting down on. He resists, twisting and turning as he cries out.
"What happened to the special care we were supposed to give?" Greyson asks.
"What is in his mouth?"
"An access card..." The nurse is sweating from tying up Zack, or maybe from anger.
"He took it when I wasn't looking."
John looks at Zack, who is unable to move but still restless. "Do we need sedatives?"
"He has a history of cerebral infraction, so let's avoid that if possible. Leave it to me." Greyson maneuvers behind the nurse on the left and reaches for the access card tightly clenched between Zack's teeth.
Zack mumbles something incoherent, but from his tone, it's clear that he's saying he'll swallow the card if anyone tries to take it from him.
The access card is small. If he really wants to, he could definitely do it.
Greyson doesn't want to force it, so he backs off.
Just then, someone opens the door.
Everyone is quiet. Only Zack, who has his eyes closed, is still crying out.
Zayne nears the bed and knocks on the bedside table. "Where does it hurt?"
The moment he speaks, Zack stop moving. Opening his eyes, Zack catches a glimpse of Zayne. The old man swallows his cry, and the only thing that can be heard is his unsteady breathing.
After a while, Zack tucks his chin in and looks away. Within moments, he goes from a stubborn old man to a guilty child.
Zayne points at his mouth.
Zack loosens his jaw, but he still holds on to the access card.
"Spit it out." Zayne sounds calm, but everyone around him shudders at his words.
Zack finally spits out the card. He quickly begins to talk. "I'm so bored... No one would talk to me, so I thought..."
Zayne look at the old man and says nothing, his eyes revealing nothing.
"I'll stay with you."
Zack gulps, wraps himself in his duvet, and lies back down on the bed without a word.
Zayne looks away from the old man and mutters something to the nurse. Then, he leaves.
The ward falls quiet, as if the commotion earlier didn't happen at all.
John tries to calm his racing heart, and a chill racks his entire body.
Dr. Zayne is scary by being able to frighten even an old man.
- 04 Under The Sunlight -
John learns from the nurses that the old man from Ward 3 is not the only one who listens to Zayne. All of his patients, no matter how temperamental or troublesome, become obedient and meek in front of him.
As expected of Zayne, the man said to be able to "terrify" anyone.
In front of the building, the moment Greyson hears "Zayne the Terrifying." he laughs so hard he's almost sent to psychiatrics.
John instantly regrets saying those words, worried it'll make its way to Zayne. He repeatedly shushes Greyson.
Greyson slowly stops laughing. "When I first met Zayne, I felt the same way. He had this 'stay away' vibe."
John nods. Yes, the "stay away" vibe is strong!
"But Zayne isn't that hard to get to know..." Greyson says with smile, patting John's shoulder.
The sun shines on the garden. Most people sitting on the grass are wearing hospital gowns or trying to find a good spot to sit in the sun.
John looks for Zack in the crowd. He heard from the other patients in Ward 3 that the old man got permission from nurses to stretch his legs.
After doing half a lap around the garden, John finally sees a familiar group of elderly people.
He spots Zack sitting at a stone table, his hand lifting and lowering from time to time. He's playing chess.
John's view of his opponent is obscured by the bushes. He moves to the other side, away from the bushes.
The person playing chess with Zack is Zayne who wears normal, regular clothes. John's jaw drops.
According to the schedule at the hospital, it's Zayne's day off today. Zayne only takes a day or two off every month, but here he is spending his precious downtime playing chess with Zack.
John doesn't approach and watches.
Zack squeezes the piece in his hand, putting it down and picking up again. After some serious thinking, he finally makes a move.
"You lost." Zayne moves his took on top of Zack's king.
"I lost again!" Zack scratches his head, then pats it twice. "Dr. Zayne, you should go easy on an old man like me! Let's play again!"
"We already agreed this was the last round." Zayne packs away the pieces in a slow manner. "You must keep your promise now that you lost. Go get a checkup tomorrow."
Zack's peppered brow furrows. He leans back and waves his hands. "No! I'm not going!"
"If you don't, another doctor will see you." Zayne's words are lukewarm, but the sound quite threatening to Zack.
Zack lowers his hands and pursues his lips. He looks reluctant and maybe a little disgruntled.
John can hear Zack mumble under his breath. "Even you don't care about me, huh, Dr. Zayne?"
Zayne closes the chessboard with a soft sigh.
"Don't worry, I'll accompany you," he says, sounding more friendly than before.
Zack stares at the grass for a while. "Okay, then," he says quietly.
"But Zayne isn't that hard to get to know..." Greyson's voice rings in John's ears. "Ever been to the radiology? Most patients are accompanied by their families, but there are a lot of lonely elders like Zack. Their family members only show up before the surgery. They sign some papers, confirm the surgery is successful, and then leave. The elderly are always alone during observation. They must feel sad seeing other patients with their families. That's why the care of nurses and doctors is important to them. Caring for them to the extent Zayne does, though... it's rare."
He's drawn back from his thoughts at the sight of the old man and Zayne talking and laughing. For the first time, John doesn't feel Zayne's coldness. It's almost as if it's been melted by the same sunlight that blankets the grass beneath them.
- 05 Once Ice Melts -
At noon, John stands in front of Zayne's office with Zack's report in hand.
After knocking a few times and getting no response, he carefully pushes the half-closed door.
Inside, Zayne is leaning back against his chair. His eyes are closed, appearing to be asleep.
John tiptoes into the office and places the report on the table.
Zayne doesn't move, nor does he open his eyes. "Has this afternoon's surgery started?"
"Not yet! It's an hour away. You still have time to rest," John says quickly.
Zayne lets out a soft hmm and sits up.
"Remember to check on Bed 32," he says, as he wipes his brow.
"Okay." John has already memorized every patient in hospital. Bed 32 is Jeanne, and they checked on her yesterday.
But Zayne continues, "Call her family and tell them they must come with her to her examination tomorrow morning."
"Understood!" John knows Jeanne's examination tomorrow includes an enhanced CT scan than requires a contrast agent.
"If they can't make it, you go with her."
"...Right," John says after a pause.
Zayne notices John's brief hesitation.
"Is there a problem?" he asks, glancing at him.
John, no longer as scared of Zayne as before, speaks, albeit still a little wearily.
"Jeanne doesn't seem to trust me that much... Wouldn't it be a bit..."
Zayne thinks for a bit. "When I first started, I did a lot to earn the trust of my patients. They know who actually care about them."
After a few beats of silence, John says, "I understand!"
Every intern is prone to be influenced by powerful teachers. That's why, at this moment, John feel Zayne's teachings have been ingrained into him.
- 06 The Best Doctor -
The next morning, as John is taking Jeanne back to the ward, his phone starts ringing. The caller ID shows it's a nurse from the Division of Cardiac Surgery.
The nurse speaks concisely through the phone. Zayne's second assistant is unwell. John is to replace him immediately.
The info takes John by surprise. He struggles to process it and is a little stunned. It isn't until he's change into his lab coat does he truly realizes he has the opportunity to be Zayne's assistant.
After confirming that he has properly put on his mask, cap, and shoes in the mirror, John sanitizes his hands and watches as the door to the operating room slowly opens before him.
Under the light, Zayne stands by the operating table. Beside him, there is an empty spot where the second assistant actually allowed to stand there.
It's a heart transplant surgery with a difficulty akin to walking on tightrope on a cliff. Any small mistake could result in severe bleeding for the patient. John carefully observes and performs his assigned tasks, and when it comes to thr crucial moment, he doesn't even dare to blink.
He watches Zayne's hands skillfully manipulate the surgical tools, implanting the artifical heart, and completing the positioning of the other devices.
Everything is ready, and the pump has been turned off. Now, all that's left is to wait for the heartbeat...
One... Two...
Three...
John holds his breath and focuses, silently counting the seconds in his mind. It feels like a century.
Then, the data appears. The patient's heart beats once more.
The artifical heart is working. A man deemed to be "dying" in the medical field is alive again.
Although John had a thorough understanding of this technique back in med school, he now realizes that theory is no match for practice. This experience is surreal, leaving him in awe.
He can't help but look at Zayne, trying to find a similar excitement in the surgeon's eyes, but Zayne simply announces the success of the surgery calmly. Then, he turns walks away from the operating table.
...That's right. Dr. Zayne should be used to this type of surgery by now.
After leaving the operatin room, John still can't help but want to talk to Zayne.
Before Zayne can leave, John asks hesitantly, "Dr. Zayne, why did you call for me today?"
Zayne continues washing his hands without even looking up. "You needed to write a paper about this subject."
John is taken aback, his graritude preventing him from fully expressing himself. He settles for a simple "Thank you, Dr. Zayne!"
As his time at the Division of Cardiac Surgery approaches its end, John is reluctant to leave. His fear of Zayne has, little by little, begun melt in the warm sun since that day in the garden, completely disappearing in the operating room.
The day before he's scheduled to leave, a student who is about to be rotated in approaches him and asks, "How was it to work with Dr. Zayne? I heard he's scary, but he's a really good surgeon. I'm conflicted..."
Now hearing others describe Zayne as "scary" makes John want to defend him.
"Don't listen to them! Dr. Zayne isn't scary at all..."
John is at a loss of words, and despite rattling his brain for half a day, all he can say is this: "He's the best doctor I've ever had the pleasure to meet."
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