BETTERSWEET

Ch.1

Maybe you should just end things.

Right now.

It's strange. You were just heading out to find some coffee. You hate the drink, but God knows you desperately need one after the eight hours surgery you just went through.

Where you lost your patient. Again.

You could just step out right now, when cars are still zipping past in a mad rush, and the light is red on the crossing.

You wait for the bus you could see on the far horizon. You could probably survive a car crashing into you. But a bus? Maybe not. It's a solid choice, you think. It would be a bit messy, and you kind of pity the people who would clean up the bits and pieces of your brain and meat, but it would be really easy for you, it would be an instant death.

(hopefully)

The bus is closer now, you can hear it approaching fast. You look up, and the light is still red.

You step off the pavement.

You barely make it to the paved road, when you feel your body being held back. You are spun, and suddenly the bus zips past you, and you're not in front of it to be run over. You let out a low sigh and stare at the moving bus past a broad shoulder.

You're still being held protectively, with arms wound up around your back and a bigger body pressed on you.

You strangely feel safe.

"Are you okay?"

You look up, meeting the eyes of your unwelcomed savior.

Sharp eyes glimmer with genuine worry in return to your icy glare, and you feel like you have not seen that kind of shade of deep brown and warmth ever in your now longer life. You have not had someone look so concerned over your well-being, not after you lost your mother so many years ago.

You shove the woman away with a huff, and she lets you go, her hands still hovering up though, looking to keep you safe.

You're about to turn and head to the hospital, but the woman holds you back with a vice grip on your wrist. You glare at her, but she seems unperturbed.

"It's not worth it, miss," she starts, surprising you a little. She takes you in, her eyes lingering at your long white coat and hospital staff id the longest. "Your life is so important. You're a doctor, right? Ending lives isn't a part of your job now, isn't it?"

She's wrong, you think. These days you get to end lives much more than you could save them.

You yank you hand away from her, then turn to the hospital, putting more effort to your steps to get away from this woman as fast as you could.

Before you could get much further, she yells. "I'll keep an eye on you! I'll keep you alive!"

You speed up just a little more.

-----

You see her again, on the same pedestrian crossing a week later. You glare at her as a greeting while she is all smiles, her wide toothed grin irking you just a tiny bit.

"Oh, good, you're still alive." she says as she falls into steps beside you, crossing the road at the same speed you're going.

For the first time, you give her a good look. Her dark brown hair, only a shade darker than her eyes, falls a little over her shoulders, with neat bangs covering her forehead. It bellows in the soft wind as the two of you made it to the other side of the road, and you find yourself a bit entranced. She's dressed in an all-black outfit - a well-tailored suit with a slim tie and sharp dress shoes.