A few weeks later since their one day free day, everything seemed to be back to normal. Well, except for Tachibana-sensei dropping subtle hints on how could two people share the same sickness in the same day, which they brushed off to the weather, and to the facts they learned in medical school.

Hiyama and Shiraishi were in the elevator, discussing a plan to go to Mary Jane’s place tonight.

“Tsuneo-kun kept on leaving me messages asking us to come to his place.” Shiraishi showed Hiyama her phone.  At this point, Aizawa and Fujikawa entered the elevator.

“Okay, but I might not drink.” It had actually been a while since she had drunk beer other than just one can.

“Ah? Did I hear right? Hiyama, you’re not going to drink?” Fujikawa somehow invited themselves also to Mary Jane’s.

“Hey, I’m not a drunkard. Why is that so surprising to you?” Hiyama turned to look at Fujikawa. Shiraishi took her side and defended her.

“Fujikawa-sensei, Hiyama-sensei had been controlling her drinking. She barely finishes a can, now.” On another thought, that somehow sounded degrading. Aizawa took it like that as well and let out an amused huff. Wrong move as she became Hiyama’s target now.

“And what are you laughing at? You don’t even drink that much either.” They were now off the elevator and was walking through the halls.

“That’s called being responsible.” Aizawa walked at the front of the group and Tachibana-sensei almost bumped into him when they turned to a corner.

“Responsible my , let’s see how you do tonight.” Hiyama then heard Tachibana’s chuckle. That did not mean well for her.

“Oh, what’s this talk about a ‘tonight’? Something happening with Mihoko-bachan? With your boyfriend?” He smiled that smile that irritated Hiyama, Aizawa was fighting back a grin on what was happening. There’s nothing better than Hiyama being irked by Tachibana-sensei.

“Tachibana-sensei! We’re going to have drinks later tonight. Do you want to come?” Fujikawa received a glare from Hiyama but Fujikawa answered back with a, “Come on, we never got the chance to hang out with them.”

“I see. How about we invite the whole team?” Tachibana was thinking hard. “But, we still need someone to be here at least for the night shift.” Hiyama was about to present herself to the idea of not being in the same room with Tachibana, but Shiraishi was faster.

“I’m on duty tonight and I can leave early from the party. And Tsuneo-kun’s place is just near and I could come here if phoned.” It had always been the plan that whenever they go to Mary Jane Yoko, those who are in the night shift would only eat dinner then go back to the hospital as soon as the shift starts or on emergencies, they could come right away.

“I could cover for you, Shiraishi!” Hiyama was practically begging her to give her that shift.

“No way, Hiyama. You’ve been here for the past two days. At least spend the night at your house.” Fujikawa butted in. “You’ll get cranky with us tomorrow if you’re not getting proper sleep. 

“Why can’t I even remember anything?” Hiyama racked her brains and lightly pounded her head, mostly trying to think of what happened yesterday, but also relieving some traces of hangover in her. “Never would I drink that much again.”

She entered the staff area and was greeted good morning by those around her, nodding and greeting a murmur back.

“Ohayo, Hiyama-sensei!” Shiraishi happily motioned her to eat with them.

“You’re too loud, Shiraishi.” She sat down and took an onigiri from the table.

“Looks like Aizawa’s not the only one who still has a hangover.” Fujikawa laughed which earned a slight giggle from Shiraishi, a glare from Aizawa, and an eye-roll from Hiyama. But it did not stop him. “Seriously, you two were competing against each other on who could drink the most.”

Hiyama’s eyebrows rose, “Really? I don’t remember anything. Who won?”

 “See, Hiyama I told you you’d one day have a drink with me.” Tachibana snickered next to a exasperated Hiyama.

“Mitsui-sensei! Tachibana-sensei is being annoying!” Hiyama shouted across the room in Mary Jane Yoko’s restaurant/bar.

It succeeded in getting Mitsui-sensei’s attention and so did of those who were present.

“Gomenasai Hiyama, I myself don’t know what to do with that one.” Morimoto, Kaji, and Saijo laughed out loud while Fujikawa, Shiraishi, Saejima, and Todoroki stifled their giggles.

“Yeah, yeah, laugh all you want. At least I still have my game on.” He then went next to Aizawa. “See, Aizawa even agrees with me.” Tachibana then nudged him, “How about you, huh? Got some girls out there? You’re quite the popular choice among our unit, do you even know that?” Tachibana laughed and looked at the reactions of the doctors with them.

Shiraishi tried her best not blush but Hiyama saw it and laughed a little. Tachibana, seeing a bait, took it. “My, my, is our Hiyama-sensei one of them? I heard that there was one doctor in our unit who fancied our arrogant neurosurgeon, but never would I have thought that it would be you! This calls for a celebration!” Tachibana laughed and so did the other doctors since they do know that Aizawa and Hiyama could not be in a place together during their break times that they would not bicker with one another. It just too far-fetched.

Hiyama rolled her eyes, “Only way that’s going to happen is if the only other people in the world would be you and him.” Tachibana faked hurt about it and everyone continued to do what they did.

Fujikawa, Shiraishi, Saejima, Hiyama and Aizawa went together in one of the booths and started to drink and feast.

“Tachibana-sensei’s paying right? I’ll have my revenge on him.” Hiyama kept on ordering more.

Fujikawa then turned to Aizawa who had not spoken a word the whole night. “So, Aizawa, we heard that Hiyama would never see you as a man, now let’s go to you. In this room, who fits your, if I could just guess, is a very intricate list for an ideal woman?” Shiraishi and Saejima seemed interested in the brewing discussion.

“None of your business.” Aizawa then took Hiyama’s beer, the other glared at him but he drank it anyway, ordering another two.

“That’s a lame excuse, Aizawa-sensei. Mitsui-sensei and Todoroki-san is even included.” Saejima prodded on. But because of that remark, it turned to a Saejima-Fujikawa trouble.

“Saejima! Are you actually waiting for his answer?” Fujikawa was bewildered.

“Yeah, why not?” Saejima smiled sweetly at Fujikawa.

“And from what I remember you guys ended to unknowingly compete on who gets to drink the beer placed on the table.” Fujikawa finished his story. “By the way, Aizawa, you did not answer our question!”

“None of your business.” Aizawa stood up from his table and went out of the room.

“Fujikawa-sensei, you should stop pestering Aizawa-sensei.” Shiraishi was stopping her smile with the attitude of Aizawa to Fujikawa.

“No, don’t stop that. Keep on annoying him, that ought to teach him to be arrogant.” Hiyama was munching on her food while thinking about the events that happened last night.

“But, what did I miss?” Shiraishi asked the two of them.

“Huh? You weren’t there?” Hiyama looked more confused. “Did I just imagined you?”

“Hiyama was probably drunk already when you left.” Fujikawa was laughing out loud, to which Hiyama pushed him off his chair. “How did you even get home?”

Hiyama could only think back in what happened this morning. Absentmindedly she entered the emergency room, fiddling with the equipment there while waiting for some calls to be made. The thought of the phone made her cringe a little.

Hiyama groaned when she heard her alarm clock on her phone. The drinks that she had the night before definitely was breaking her head. She reached out to shut it off but rather than her phone, she slapped a body, a man, based on the muffled voice that came from it.

She let out a silent curse as she grimaced at the unrecalled memories that happened. She opened her eyes and now she made and audible curse. The man had also adjusted to the light and looked around him.

“Hiyama.”

“Aizawa.”

The alarm clock sounded and it took their attention. It was 5 AM but they were needed early today for a preparation for an operation. It was only then that Hiyama actually realized that they were sharing the couch. 

“We have to go to work.” Aizawa proceeded to the bathroom. Hiyama picked up her stuff and went to her bedroom first.

What made her stop was the thought that Aizawa and her was on the couch together. It was actually quite small and she ended up half of her body on top of his. She shook off the thought and got ready for work.

That was what just happened this morning. Yesterday was still lost in her mind. It really boggled her if something did even happen the night before. Maybe since they were too drunk they fell on the couch and passed out there.

“This is all Fujikawa’s fault. I should have stuck to not drinking at all.” Hiyama was definitely not going to any bar or the fridge for now.

She heard a scoff and turned to look at Aizawa. “And what about you? Where’s the responsible man last night, huh?” It was her turn to scoff at him. “You were no better.” Aizawa did not answer but Tachibana-sensei entered the emergency room also.

“Tsk tsk, kids you should always remember to be responsible with your actions. Especially those things that happen through a drunken night.” Tachibana smiled and sighed. “But you know, I read somewhere that actions made when a person is intoxicated are just the dormant feelings of a person. Makes them feel more courageous.” He wiggled his eyebrows at the two.

Hiyama did not even hide the disgust in her face, “Is that a line you use for those nurses you take out to drink with?”

“No, but it worked with your Mitsui-sensei right there.” He let out a sigh. “Oh, happy times the past were. Invite me for a speech in your wedding. I’ll let out all the secrets there, Mihoko-bachan, Aizawa-niisan.” He chuckled and received a glare from Hiyama. Aizawa’s eyebrows rose. Before anyone could retaliate, the phone rang.

“Saved by the bell.” He answered the call and they all went to work. 

“Traffic accident. A bus turned over on the highway. Doctor Heli is requested. Many are injured but a 10-year old kid is severely in the head. Total passengers are at 20 there are more other cars that have crashed.”

“Wakarimaa.” He hung up and looked at his complete team. “Okay. Aizawa focus first on the kid, Mitsui take care of the triage tagging. The others would follow on touch and go.” Everyone nodded and Aizawa and Mitsui ran to the helicopter.

At the scene, Aizawa was pulled to the kid with head injury. Mitsui was starting on the triage when a medical personnel called her attention of a pregnant woman who had also hit her head in the process.

She radioed the whole team. “Aizawa, how long would you need for the kid? Another head trauma patient is seen.”

“20 minutes at least. The kid had also other injuries.” Aizawa answered through the radio on his pocket.

“That can’t be helped. Hiyama get to the pregnant woman and get someone from Neurosurgery to help. Shiraishi, get on the heli with them. Get all the equipment you can. Fujikawa and Morimoto, get those who are now coming in through ambulance.” Tachibana released the orders and everyone worked.

“Neurosurgery said Shinkai-sensei is running to the pad now.” Shiraishi and Hiyama rushed to the helicopter as well.

Hiyama was looking over the ICU where the mother had now been resting. It was a tough battle as they had to choose between operating on the mother or to give birth to the child. But as per the plea of the mother, she wants the child to be safe and delivered. She had to operate a C-section and immediately after making sure that she is stable, Aizawa stepped in to treat her head trauma.

After contacting the only relative she now had, it made her think about her life. The mother was all alone, her parents had already died and she only had a grandmother. She was actually on her way to visit her grandmother when the accident happened.

She turned to the staff area. Aizawa was staring blankly at the folders that he had. It was the mother’s files. It was almost the end of the shift and both of them were not on night duty. She muttered a good job to him to which Aizawa answered back with one as well.

“I don’t really know who I would feel sad more when one of them wakes up. When the baby cries, her mother won’t be there to hold her. But at the same time, the mother can’t even her those cries of her baby.” She sighed and plopped down on her chair.

“The grandmother is on her way. But it is very unlikely that she’ll regain consciousness yet.” Aizawa’s voice had the sad and emotional tone that she only heard when he talks about her grandmother. Maybe all the talk about the grandmother being the only relative that she had, makes him think about his own.

“Heh, you better be careful or your heart might grow. Have to keep that nonchalant image.” Hiyama and that made him feel lighter at the situation.

Shiraishi and Fujikawa entered the staff area and settled on their tables.

“Ahh, my back hurts so much.” Fujikawa stretched his arms and looked at the clock. “Hiyama, Aizawa, how’s your patient?” The pregnant woman was actually the most critical case today. The kid that AIzawa treated first was passed to Fujikawa to monitor the other injuries, the others were fractures and none too severe.

“Still unconscious.” Aizawa answered and looked at the file. Fujikawa just nodded and turned to Hiyama, “The baby?”

“NICU. She’ll be transferred to the nursery soon.” It was truly cumbersome. “She does not even have a name yet.” 

“But the grandmother is coming, right?” Shiraishi asked but then another realization came, “Although it is hard to feel happy about the new great-grandchild, but her grandchild is…” Everyone just nodded, understanding the situation.

Aizawa stood up, “I’ll check if the mother.”

Hiyama also, picked up her stethoscope, “I’ll go to NICU.”

Fujikawa sighed. “To think that yesterday we were so happy. Being a doctor does have its downs.” She turned to Shiraishi, “Those two are not on night duty, right? They should go home.”

Shiraishi just smiled at him, “Hiyama-sensei and Aizawa-sensei does seem that they react the same way in these situations. They say that doctors should not feel attached to patients, but deep inside, they are still humans. They feel what it is like to be in the patient’s situation.” She sighed and smiled again, “Let’s try our best to look at the other patients.” Fujikawa nodded as well.

After checking on their patients, Hiyama and Aizawa went back to the staff area. They were told that the grandmother had arrived and was with the mother. Aizawa went first and Hiyama called the nursery if it was possible to bring the baby to the grandmother.

The grandmother had tears in her eyes but still she managed to smile when she greeted Aizawa. 

“Areh? You’re Kinue-san’s grandson, right?” Aizawa remembered her, she was his grandmother’s neighbor. He nodded and proceeded to explain the situation that her grandchild is in.

A nurse talked to him and he nodded. “We were trying to ask if the baby could be brought here for your convenience, but we were advised that the baby has to stay in the NICU for the night. If you would want, a colleague of mine would accompany you there.”

The grandmother just nodded and smiled. She turned to the mother and smiled, “Mio-chan, I’ll just visit your baby, okay? I’ll be back.” 

Hiyama entered the ICU with Shiraishi and greeted the grandmother, a realization came to Aizawa. And just as he feared.

“Oh? You were with Kinue-san’s grandson last time, right? You did mention that both of you work in this hospital.” Hiyama paled and looked at Aizawa, none of them could even think of what to say and the grandmother continued to talk. “I’m sure Kinue-san might even come here when I tell her that her grandson and his girlfriend are the one taking care of my Mio-chan.”

As if the rest only noticed Shiraishi now, Aizawa and Hiyama looked at each other before looking at the confused face of Shiraishi.

Hiyama was cursing in her head. Never did they thought that the certain play they had when they visited Aizawa’s grandmother would bite them back.