Chapter 20 (Side Story - Zayne)

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 a 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 the 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 it up again. After some serious thinking, he finally makes a move.

"You lost." Zayne moves his rook 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 they sound quite threatening to Zack.

Zack lowers his hands and purses 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.

To Be Continued...

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