北風

“What? Are you sure?” Nurse Lia then catches her volume too loud so she turns her head around but she didn’t quite check if there was no one else around. She whispers, “Did you figure out who?”

“I knew it!” The two turn their heads to the side to where the supply closet was. There, to their surprise, stood the old janitor who had his arms crossed with the mop placed precariously in its bucket. 

“Mr. Kelly…” Nurse Lia says carefully but Greyson only laughs. The janitor shakes his head. 

“After being here for years, you get some joy observing how you all change. And I’ve had that assumption for months now.”

“Well, well, it looks like we’re not the only ones noticing some change.”

“Or making a bet,” in steps one of the older residents, Dr. Roland, “my money’s still on that girl from the cafe.” Greyson pats his shoulder as he passes by. 

“I think you’re going to lose then—I think it’s his designated hunter.”

“What about that young lady he takes walks with every Thursday.”

“Wow, you really have been on observation duty.”

“Well, whoever it is,” Nurse Lia starts, “we’re not even sure if he has a lover. Those three could just all be friends.” She turns to Greyson, “What did you even see in there that makes you say so.”

Greyson thinks back to what exactly made him so shocked, and he was certain that it wasn’t just the smile. 

When he had walked in to bring a file he needed to look over with Zayne, the surgeon was standing near his window looking far off across the buildings. It wasn’t unusual to catch him doing so but what was, was the fact that he hadn’t even heard Greyson come it. His assistant had cleared his throat and he swore that Zayne flinched a little before asking for what he was doing there. 

The next action took him by the most surprise. When Greyson begins to leave, Zayne’s phone buzzes on the table and never in his life did Greyson see a man flip it over at the speed of light. And that wasn’t all. 

Greyson was already walking towards the door but with one last look over his shoulder to say his goodbyes for the night: there was that smile. A full blown not-a-small-grin smile. 

He tells this to Nurse Lia, Janitor Kelly, and Dr. Ronald. They exchange knowing looks.

“Ah,” Mr. Kelly says, “this old man’s seen too much.”

—

Word seems to get around quickly so that the cafeteria is full of going over reports, eating, and talking. And the topic? 

Dr. Zayne’s love life.

John the intern sits at one of the tables trying to go over his notes but he can’t help but eavesdrop on the other interns beside him. He wasn’t one to indulge in gossip, since he wasn’t much of a social person, but after being around Dr. Greyson, he kind of rubbed off on him. 

“Apparently he’s had a girlfriend all this time?”

“I mean, any one with any personality can, but I can’t see Dr. Zayne of all people being in a relationship with anyone.”

“To be fair, we’ve known him for like four months now.”

Being assigned to the Division of Cardiac Surgery ensures that John sees Dr. Zayne at least once a week whether that be to shadow him during surgeries, nearly feel him watching over his shoulder as he does his own surgeries, and going over cases and file’s in the doctor’s office. 

He doesn’t notice anything unusual, though, John chalks it up to the fact that he’s more nervous about making mistakes during work and can barely think about anything but his notes. But his peers seem to be the same amount of stressed and still had time to think about this stuff. 

Maybe it was their mental break or something. He could try to join in.

“John,” he freezes at the call of his name. They were all familiar with each other already so in break rooms they just referred to one another with their first names. The one who called on him was another cardiac intern. “Have you noticed anything strange about Dr. Zayne?”

John really thinks about it, but again, his notes. So he shakes his head.

“It would be interesting if there was someone.”

“Why?”

“It’d make him seem less… mean? That’s not really the right word to describe him.” The intern to his left muses. “Human, maybe?”

If you really think about it, Zayne wasn’t a mean person. Sure, he was stoic and calculated, but his actions showed more warmth than one could guess. You just had to get to know him past the rumors. John thinks about that old man.

By coincidence, Dr. Zayne walks in to get some lunch and everyone is suddenly quieter. They watch with hawk-like eyes as he quickly grabs his food. When he turns, there’s a glint of a key that hangs over his white coat pocket. 

It’s covered by the face of a cute penguin.

“He definitely has a girlfriend.” An intern says and John can’t help but agree.

—

Doris finds herself exhausted from the recent surgery. She’s been a surgeon for a good chunk of years but one can never say that it doesn’t get tiring. And with a doctor like Zayne, she knew that the patient was in good hands. 

The surgery was to place an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator in a man who was at high risk for a cardiac arrest. He had a history of heart problems already and had joked around with everyone that his wife was the main cause for his heart palpitations. The man was a delight to be around and told jokes when he could. Doris thinks back to one particular one that it has her chuckling to herself.

“What’s so funny?” Dr. Greyson walks over to where she’s sitting and she shakes her head. She sees that Dr. Zayne was walking with him as well.

“Thinking about what Mr. Wen told us before his surgery. ‘If you steal someone’s heart, do you get cardiac arrested?’” Doris laughs again despite herself and Greyson, ever the cheerful guy, does the same. 

Though, neither would have expected a reaction from the other. Zayne lets out a small chuckle (there was a twinkle in his eyes, Doris could attest) and when the two doctors whip their heads to face him, he turns his own and mutters about needing to finish work in his office. 

—

You didn’t think it was too much to wait for him, despite what he says. Two hours wasn’t too bad and if anything, you were able to browse the hospital giftshop to pass the time. Greyson had greeted you out in the waiting room before your appointment and you knew him as Zayne’s assistant. He was a nice guy who held pleasant conversation, but there was a certain tone in his voice that had some ulterior motive. It felt like he was trying to analyze you.

You simply shrugged it off and went about the rest of your wait at that gift shop then.

outside to enjoy the rest of the day before the sun set. Waiting for Zayne wasn’t uncommon, but today was a good day to try the special dinner menu at that cafe you both frequented. 

The two hours pass by quickly when you see him exit the hospital doors and his eyes light up upon seeing you sitting down on the stone. 

“I told you to wait inside. It’s cold out.”

“It’s 68 degrees.”

“There’s wind.” You smile and shake your head, allowing him to lead the two of you to the parking spaces for his car.

—

The cafe looks like a different type of cozy in the night time with the fairy lights being the only things illuminating the entire building. The dinner menu isn’t too different but it was still new and worth a try. 

“Did you like it?” Zayne asks as the bell rings behind him, signaling that another customer has arrived. You nod happily and he reaches over the table to place his right hand over your left. He feels a spread of warmth through his chest at the feeling of metal under his finger. 

—

Ronald has the same look on his face Greyson had weeks ago. And all he wanted was to try the new menu.

“Dr. Ronald?” Lia and Greyson were there with him. Mr. Kelly is not too far away. “What—“

He pauses and looks right at them.