His 21st Century Cherry Blossom

Prologue

"I specifically asked for a male donor heart!," Dr. Irie snapped, shoving the transplant team's cooler back into the tech's hands. Storming out of the OR as he ungloved, he ran smack into Sakura.

"Dr. Irie," she said, "You look as though you're on a bit of a rampage and it's not even 8 am."

He huffed, pressing his palm against his forehead. "They gave me a fucking female donor heart. I explicitly asked for a male heart."

"Is this your young transplant patient?"

He nodded, "You know what the latest studies have indicated — that male hearts simply have better outcomes. They are associated with longevity and overall better cardiovascular health. I don't want a second-rate heart, Dr. Haruno. I know they have a male heart because I asked them to call me when they did. But that isn't what they've brought me." he turned back toward the OR, where the surgical techs were running around in a frenzy. The anesthesiologist, Dr. Robert Evans, sat calmly at the head of the operating table, seeming to be perpetually enchanted by the chaos.

"You have a decision to make, Dr. Irie. Will the patient survive if you wait for the next donor heart — or is this.....second-rate heart, as you say, his last chance?"

Irie pursed his lips. "This heart.... would be his last chance, yes." he said. He shook her head, having cooled it off a bit. "I'm sure they all think me rather a prince now that I've given them such a show."

"Go scrub back in, show a bit of humility and do what needs to be done, Dr. Irie." Sakura hushed, putting her hand reassuring on Irie's shoulder. She gave him a small smile. Turning away from him and heading back to the scrub suite, she called after her. "Dr. Irie?"

He turned back, "Yes?"

Sakura sighed, "It's been my generally experience that the female heart is not inferior. In fact, it's quite the opposite. Perhaps not on a cellular level, perhaps not in terms of biological compatibility but.....do not discount the fact that I am being powered by a heart that I know, for a fact, is not in the least second-rate."

He smiled, lowering his head slightly.

"No, go on. Save that boy." Sakura said, turning away from him and heading back down the hall. She checked her watch. 6:49 am. She had time enough for another cup of coffee

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"Room 23 needs a new bedpan," Kotetsu said, positioning himself strategically between Shiranui Genma and the exit to the nurse's station.

"Why are you telling me?" He said, pushing him aside. "You know where they're bloody kept."

"We're out."

He whirled around to face him, his badge slapping against his hip. "What do you mean we're fucking out?"

Kotetsu shrugged. "There's none in the supply cabinet. Not a one."

"God," Genma said, pressing the heel of his hands against his eyes. "Go on down to infusion and steal a few of theirs, okay? Just enough for the end of your shift. I'll get an order put in."

Kotetsu nodded and turned on his heels, heading off down the hall. Genma sighed. When he'd set out to become a nurse he never imagined that the height of his career would include seeing virtually no patients, attending stupid meetings at 7 o'clock in the bloody morning and ordering supplies. If he'd wanted to do that, he'd have taken a job in materials!

Muttering to himself, he smacked the automated door button and started through it before it had completely opened. he nearly ran into a brightly scrub-clad young man who shrieked in surprise.