Subclinical Manifestation

1

Academic system I'm using:

School years: primary (6 years), middle (3 years), high (3 years)

Medical School: pre-clinical (3,5 years), clinical (1,5 years)

Internship (as GP): 1 year

Residency: depends

Desclaimer : you know it as well as I do. I own the plotlines, not the characters.

This is a revised version (see at the end for author's note)

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sub·clin·i·cal

the early stage(s) of a disease or abnormality before symptoms and signs become apparent or detectable by clinical examination

man·i·fes·ta·tion

a symptom or sign of an ailment

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"I think a relationship is nice," Hinata voiced just above a whisper. Her words hung low in the air, waiting for any response or anything at all. He heard her just as clear and she knew it. Knowing he was just too occupied on taking notes and eyes focused on the screen too much that he squinted occasionally, she started again, facing him this time, "what do you think?"

Sasuke was sitting in one of the chairs of four, with laptop only forty centimeters away from his eyes atop the dining table. A notebook right beside the laptop as he occasionally took notes. Her question came too sudden, but he heard her the first time. He was just trying to understand why would a cyst form in the ovary and all the pathomechanisms saved in his head were popped disappearing like a bubble once she broke the silence.

He turned his head to look at her—sitting with legs crossed atop the microfiber rug before the black wooden table as her back leaned on the beige colored couch. It was supposed to be their living room but they weren't ones to watch television so there wasn't any and only the TV stand adhered to the wall in front of her. As the most spacious room in the apartment, it became the best place for them to study together with as much space needed individually. The living room was continuous with the kitchen with granite island and the dining table—of where he was sitting at the moment—separated them. Despite visibly annoyed with the sudden invasion, he answered without any interest.

"You aren't interested in relationship," he stated and waited for her with hard stare. He hoped she'd take the cue and just answer immediately to let this odd conversation end. He needed to concentrate for the damn cyst. "Or at least you weren't."

"I know and I still am," she answered immediately, noticing the urge in his eyes. He looked tired, with dark shadow under the eyes and coffee ever present—she could only know it wasn't the first three cups. She actually felt bad for bringing up this unnecessary topic in the middle of their studying session—exams are getting near and they needed to study real bad. But she was just as tired as him, it was a half past two in the morning, they have class at eight, shouldn't they just sleep already?

"But, what if?"

"Then, it is you to decide," he replied tersely, still, uninterested.

"I need your opinion, dear Sasuke, why would I ask otherwise?" She was desperate for a break and she wanted to take him with her.