Page 74 of Mercy Written in Blood

Aoi glanced between them.

"I value my employment."

"You see?" Renji said.

"That was not agreement."

Aoi continued down the corridor before either could involve her further. Akiko leaned against the counter.

"He likes you."

"He is heavily medicated."

"He liked you before the medication."

"He was in haemorrhagic shock."

"You have a medical explanation for everything."

"I am a doctor."

"He asked whether you were married."

"Head injury."

"Partner?"

"Blood loss."

"He told you he would see you again."

"Poor judgement."

Akiko smiled.

"And you told him you hoped not."

"That is the preferred outcome after successful trauma surgery."

"You could have said goodbye."

"I did."

"No. You rejected him clinically."

Renji picked up Haruki's laboratory report. Haemoglobin low but stable. Liver function deranged, as expected. Lactate improving. Nothing alarming. Nothing requiring him to continue standing there.

"He was not proposing anything," Renji said.

Akiko's expression turned almost compassionate.

"Oh, Renji."

He looked at her.

"What?"

"You genuinely didn't know."