Day 3 (12 Days of Trauma Center)

3. Some characters decorating the hospital


Alyssa is almost asleep, but she feels awake as soon as she hears Naomi’s footsteps in the hallway. She always knows that it’s her and not someone else. She keeps her eyes closed this time, though, and hears doctor Tomoe stand up from her chair.

The door opens and closes quietly. Naomi said she doesn’t like loud noises.

“Evening, doctor Tachibana.” Alyssa can never remember that surname. “…Asleep, is she?”

Tomoe replies something, in Japanese.

“I know.” Naomi sighs. “Could we… English, please?”

“Of course.”

Alyssa opens one eye a little and watches as Naomi takes her coat off and brushes off some snow before hanging it up.

“If I may…” Tomoe seems to pause. “You haven’t been to Japan for a while, have you?”

“Three and a half years.”

“Ah. I see.”

Alyssa closes her eyes again. She hears Naomi walk around the bed and feels her sit down on the edge of the mattress.

“It’s fairly late to visit, I know. Couldn’t make it any earlier.”

“Did something come up at CIFM?”

“Worse. Some paperwork needed to be submitted, and preferably yesterday. Thank you for staying with ‘Lys.” Naomi’s voice softens a little: “I see you’ve been busy, as well.”

“It’s nothing.” Tomoe sits down, too. Her chair scrapes the floor a little. “…You’ve noticed?”

“Of course I did. The ward looks very nice.”

Alyssa tries not to smile out loud. They spent a lot of time on it.

The hospital was going to decorate the wards a little, for the holidays, so she participated. Naomi brought her some paper; she made snowflakes like she was taught to in school, and some paper garlands, too. Then, when Tomoe stopped by her ward, she helped hang them up where Alyssa couldn’t reach. Naomi was planning to come help, too, but couldn’t. Alyssa wished she would, but work was work. Or something worse than work. Although Naomi often said that she liked her job. Didn’t seem like all adults did.

“You should say that to the decorator, Miss Kimishima.” Tomoe’s voice is joking, and Naomi laughs softly.

“I will. Definitely.”

She hears the paper rustle a little. There were a few more snowflakes left on her bedside table. Naomi’s probably looking at them.

“Was the paperwork…?”

“Yes. Yes, it was.” Naomi raises her voice a little there. “I understand perfectly there are hoops to jump through. And yet…”

“It’s not easy on you. Have patience.”

“I will. Anything it takes… well, let’s not talk in here. I ought to go, anyway.”

Alyssa decides to pretend to wake up, then, but doesn’t have to. She feels Naomi reach and pet her hair gently, and can’t help smiling at that.

“…really? Oh come on.”

She opens her eyes, smiling widely, and Naomi lifts her into a hug. Her skin feels cold from the outside; she smells of her perfume, of coffee, and a little of frost.