The hospital corridor felt colder than before.
Kira sat on the long metal bench outside the operating room, her knees pressed together, her hands clasped tight.
The white walls, the smell of antiseptic, and the faint beeping of machines in the distance made the air heavy.
The red "Ongoing Surgery" light above the double doors glowed like a warning sign.
Every time she looked at it, her chest tightened.
She leaned forward, elbows on her knees, and stared at the floor.
The pattern of the white tiles blurred in her vision and she tried not to think about what was happening inside that room, but her mind kept going back to Rachel — the pale face, the blood, the way her body had felt limp on her back.
A nurse in green scrubs walked past, carrying a tray of instruments. Kira's eyes followed her, as if hoping the nurse might bring some news, but the woman disappeared into another room without a word.
Minutes turned into an hour and every time someone walked by, Kira's head lifted in hope, only for it to sink again when they didn't stop.
Her legs felt stiff and her throat was dry.
Finally, Nurse Sukie appeared, holding a small tray of surgical gloves.
She stopped when she saw Kira.
"How are you holding up?" Sukie asked softly.
Kira gave a weak smile. "Just waiting… and hoping."
Sukie nodded, her expression kind as she said, "She's in good hands. Doctor Tim and the surgical team attending to her are one of the best we have here in Shen Hospital."
She gave Kira's shoulder a reassuring squeeze before disappearing back into the operating room.
Kira let out a slow breath.
She leaned back against the bench and looked at the clock on the wall.
The hands seemed to move painfully slow.
Two hours passed.
Her stomach growled, reminding her she hadn't eaten since morning, but she ignored it because she was afraid that if she left, she might miss important news.
The double doors opened slightly, and a man in a green surgical cap stepped out.
It was one of the assistant surgeons and his mask was pulled down around his neck making Kira to jump up to her feet.
"How is she?!" Kira asked quickly.
"She's still in surgery," he said, his voice calm. "We've stopped the bleeding, but she lost a lot of blood. We're giving her a transfusion now."
"Will she make it?" Kira's voice trembled.
The man didn't give a direct answer. "Doctor Tim will update you after the surgery," he said, then slipped back inside.
Kira bit her lower lip in frustration because she hated being in the dark and not knowing anything.
She sat back down and tried to distract herself by scrolling on her phone, but every time she looked up, the red light above the doors still burned.
Another hour passed and her back ached from sitting, but she refused to lie down.
Finally, after what felt like forever, the red light turned off.
The double doors opened wide, and Doctor Tim stepped out, still in his green gown and cap, his face looking tired but calm.
Kira rushed toward him. "Doctor! How is she?"
Doctor Tim pulled off his gloves and gave her a faint smile. "The surgery was successful. We removed the damaged tissue, stopped the internal bleeding, and stabilized her."
Kira's knees almost gave way as she let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding.
"Thank God…" she whispered.
"She's still unconscious," Doctor Tim continued, "and she'll need close monitoring in the ICU for the next 48 hours. We'll also keep her on a ventilator until she can breathe fully on her own."
"Can I see her?" Kira asked quickly.
"Yes," Doctor Tim said. "But only for a short while because she needs rest."
Then he motioned for her to follow him into the ICU.
Kira trailed behind him down a quieter hallway, where the air was colder and the lights dimmer.
They reached the ICU, and a nurse at the desk nodded before unlocking a glass door.
Inside, the room was silent except for the steady beep of a heart monitor.
Rachel lay on the bed, her skin pale against the white sheets, her hair was spread across the pillow, and a tube was in her mouth, connected to the ventilator.
Kira stepped closer, her chest tightening at the sight.
She placed a hand gently on Rachel's arm.
"You're safe now," she whispered.
Doctor Tim stood at the foot of the bed, watching quietly.
After a moment, he said, "We'll do everything we can for her. But her body is still weak. The next two days are important so we will see how she fares."
Kira nodded slowly.
"I'll be here for her," she said firmly.
"Good," he replied. "You should go home and rest. You've done a lot today."
But Kira shook her head and said, "I'm not leaving her."
Doctor Tim didn't argue, he simply gave her a small smile, then turned to speak with the ICU nurse.
Kira pulled a chair close to the bed and sat down.
She stayed like that, watching the slow rise and fall of Rachel's chest, feeling the faint warmth of her skin under her hand.
Outside the ICU, the hospital carried on with its busy rhythm — footsteps in the hallway, distant voices, the sound of rolling trolleys.
But in that small room, everything was still.
Kira didn't know who Rachel really was or why no one had answered the phone calls but she knew one thing — she wasn't going to let her be alone.
And so, she decided it was best if she stayed with Rachel.