chapter 43

                               1The more Zaini was thinking, the more she was feeling anxious. She again called Kim Min Ho."Sorry, I got a call from my...", said Zaini."Boyfriend?""Ah... Yes""You sound off. I hope everything is alright?" asked Kim Jae feeling concerned."Yes... Nothing much. What were you saying about Kim Jae?" said Zaini to divert her mind. "All fake rumors. Not everything that is published on the internet is true. He has not been dating anyone for two years", said Kim Jae."Ohh! Okay then. See you later on", said Zaini. She tried to think about something else but her mind was going back to Prague and Huma. She was about to disconnect the call when she heard Kim Min Ho was saying something."Sorry, what were you saying?" asked Zaini."I was saying, what will you do now?", asked Kim Jae."Oh... Nothing much. I will take a rest. My mind is occupied right now", said Zaini."Hmm... You seem tired. Let's talk later on. You can call me if you need an ear to listen to you. I am a good listener", said Kim Jae."Thanks... I appreciate how kind you are to me. I miss my friend Huma with whom I used to talk about everything. Somehow you give me that kind of comfort. I will call you if I feel like sharing something with you", said Zaini."Great! See you", Kim Jae felt happy as he could make it, being a good friend at least. "See you!!", said Zaini and finally disconnected the call.Kim Jae kept the cell phone on the table and looked at Leo who was hanging on the sofa talking to Nazma unaware of his surroundings."I don't know if I will be successful in my love story but I am sure he will", thought Kim Jae feeling jealous of Leo.                                2Zaini went into the hall and saw Nazma talking to Leo and she was laughing, smiling, and giggling. She had already sensed that Leo was into Nazma. She recalled her past when she was newly in love. Prague used to call her now and then. She was reluctant to fall in love but he caught her attention somehow.Her mind was racing. The time she spent with Prague was playing in her mind like a movie. She was feeling uncomfortable, unable to talk to anyone.Suddenly she was all alone. Her best friend and her boyfriend were not feeling like her own. And, others whom she met in a foreign land were new to her. How could she trust anyone to share such a sensitive issue!? Zaini came back to her room. She was feeling restlessness. She went through her cell phone to search for a single person with whom she could talk. But there was no one as Zaini never befriended anyone else. It was time for dinner but Zaini was not feeling hungry at all. Nazma came to talk to her but she denied saying she had a huge lunch at the hospital and she wanted to take a rest only. Nazma went into her room thinking Zaini was too tired to talk.Unable to fall asleep, Zaini opened her laptop and played Kim Jae's most romantic drama. Soon, she was swayed by Kim Jae's killer smile and looks in the drama. Forgetting her pain, sadness, and perplexity she smiled and fell asleep while watching the drama.The next day, she woke up a little late in the morning. She looked at her cell phone. There was no call from anyone which made her heart sink even more. She got ready and rushed to the hospital without having her breakfast.                               3Kim Jae parked his car and entered the hospital building just after Zaini. He recognized her and ran towards her. "Hello", whispered Kim Jae in Zaini's ear who was walking towards her department.Zaini was startled by a sudden whisper and screamed. Kim Jae started laughing hard.Zaini looked at him, recognized the face behind the mask, and said, "You scared me!"Kim Jae was still laughing looking at her scared pale face. Zaini smiled after a while and her eyes caught the attention of the stares from each around her. She hinted at Kim Jae to look around. He looked around and found hospital staff glaring at him for causing a ruckus. He stopped laughing immediately and grinned."Look at them, how they are glaring!! Only if they had known who was behind the mask I wonder if their reactions would have been the same!" whispered Kim Jae. Zaini pulled Kim Jae's white coat from chest height and started walking. "Let's go! Don't make a scene here if you want to continue to come here."Kim Jae looked at Zaini with amusement. She was behaving like a close friend who was worried about him and wanted to protect him. Kim Jae could not take off his eyes from her. They entered the department as such and everyone glared at Zaini. There was pin-drop silence in the room. Everyone glared at Zaini and then at the white coat from where Zaini was holding it, then at Kim Jae who was wearing that white coat. Kim Jae removed his mask and Zaini was about to leave his coat but one girl came forward with furious eyes, drew off Zaini's hand from the white coat, and pushed back Zaini with force. Kim Jae could not believe what just happened and reacted immediately. He bent back to hold Zaini in his hand. But she was pushed a little hard which made her stumble back. Kim Jae's hand could not hold her and both of them fell. Kim Jae fell over Zaini with his one hand below Zaini's head which protected Zaini from hitting her head on the ground. When they hit the ground, Kim Jae's lips rested on Zaini's lips. Zaini's eyes widened. As soon as they came out of the trauma Kim Jae realized they were glued. He immediately moved his head up. Zaini was still zoned out looking at the roof with her wide eyes.