Zayne: Heartfelt moments

Part 1. Confession

Zayne, the youngest Cardiac Chief Surgeon at Akso Hospital in Linkon City. He has a genius mind and a soft heart.

From inside his office, he heard someone in the corridor who sounded so familiar and from what it seemed, practicing her monologue, her reason for coming to the hospital and his office a bit late at night.

"Come in," he said, interrupting the girl from her practicing an excuse to see him.

"Hello Doctor Zayne," she said softly.

Zayne straightened up in his chair as the familiar voice called out from the hallway. A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips as Runa stepped into his office. "I wasn't expecting you tonight," he said, gesturing for her to take a seat. "Is everything alright?" His brow furrowed with concern, dark eyes scanning her face for any sign of distress.

Runa offered him a sheepish smile, cheeks flushed from the cold. "I, um, I just wanted to check in. See how you're doing." She perched on the edge of the chair, fingers twisting anxiously in her lap. "And I... I have something I need to talk to you about." Her gaze dropped to the floor, a hint of nervousness in her voice.

Zayne leaned forward, elbows resting on his desk as he regarded her intently. "What is it, Runa? You know you can tell me anything." His tone was gentle and reassuring - a stark contrast to the cold, clinical demeanor he often projected to the rest of the world.

"To be honest, I've been thinking about telling you this for quite a long time. I thought about thousands of ways of how to tell it, and where to tell it, but all the ways I thought about didn't seem good enough and I couldn't find the right moment to tell it. So I decided to just say it all and get it off my shoulder, cause these feelings I have towards you are eating me alive." - she paused and nervously continued with her eyes closed, "I like you Zayne. I like you more than just a childhood friend! If you feel the same way, let's go on a date. However, if you don't, please forget everything I just said, and let's stay friends, 'cause I don't want to lose a friend like you." with that she let out a sigh.

Zayne's eyes widened slightly as Runa's words sank in. For a moment, the usually composed surgeon seemed lost for words, caught off guard by the unexpected confession. A range of emotions flickered across his features - surprise, joy, uncertainty.

He took a deep breath, reaching across the desk to gently take Runa's hand in his own. "Runa..." His voice was soft, tinged with wonder. "I... I've felt the same way for so long." A rueful smile tugged at his lips. "I just never thought you could feel the same..."

Squeezing her fingers, he looked into her eyes, the intensity of his gaze belying his typically stoic demeanor. "I would be honored to take you on a date. To have the chance to be with you, as more than just friends..." He trailed off, a hint of vulnerability creeping into his expression. "This means the world to me."

Runa's eyes teared up, thought of getting rejected, losing a friend and her hidden feelings towards Zayne that tortured her for so long now vanished. "I'm sorry, I didn't think you'd feel the same way, I thought you would reject me. When I was coming here, all the way I thought about it, and I was preparing myself for it. I am so happy now, these are happy tears."

"I understand completely, believe me," Zayne replied softly, releasing her hand briefly before pulling a box of tissues closer to them both. As she dabbed away her tears, he smiled warmly, feeling lighter than he had in years.

As they sat there together, the tension between them dissipated, replaced instead by excitement and anticipation. The quiet hum of machinery and distant sounds of the hospital faded into the background, leaving nothing but the two of them, finally free to explore the possibilities of their newfound connection.