Chapter 8

It was Kazuha's second week at the hospital and she was starting to get the hang of things. German was still a problem but she felt the words coming to her faster now that everywhere she went she heard just German. It was good too that many at the hospital knew English and she could easily communicate with them. As for her day to day work, she had assisted thus far in three surgeries and there had been no problems. She wanted to be a paediatric surgeon but she knew she still had a long way to go. Fresh out of university, she would need at least another 4-5 years before she could be a surgeon in her own right. The fact that she could learn from the best in Germany was giving her hope and being so far away from home, although not comfortable, was making it easier for her not to think of a certain detective who had not even bothered to answer her message let alone see her off. They would most likely not see each other for one year and the last thing she had to hold onto was the fight at Sonoko's wedding. So the new and the crazy life in Europe made her think less of that Aho and more on what she wanted for her life and her future and it gave her confidence.

'Hey Kazuha.' A fellow surgeon, his name was Aaron Kipper called after her.

'Oh hey Aaron.' The fact that same age people here called each other informally was also refreshing. Back home you needed to be very close to a person to call them only by their given name.

'The boys and I were going to grab a beer and a schnitzel at the pub. What to come?'

'Sure, let me just finish this chart and get my coat.'

'Great, we'll wait for you in the lobby.' The man smiled at her. He was a typical German guy, tall, 1,90 or more, blond hair, blue eyes.

Surgery was still male dominated and almost all her peers were men. There was but one other girl and she was on the other shift. But the doctor she worked under was a woman and she was a brilliant surgeon.

The pub was almost packed full but the guys knew a waiter there and he quickly found them a table where the 5 men and Kazuha squeezed and ordered their beers and huge schnitzels with spätzle or potatoes.

'You need to try the Jaeger sauce.' Said Christian

'Drop the Jaeger sauce, try the Viennese one.' Aaron interjected

'Only you can like that sauce Aaron. It's disgusting.'

'No it isn't.'

'I'll try the Jaeger first and then next time the other one.' Kazuha said diplomatically.

'You are way nicer than the German girls. You always know how to stop a fight and keep everyone happy.' Aaron laughed

Kazuha blushed but no one noticed since the light in the pub was not bright enough. She did try to be as polite and diplomatic as she could be.

'That's because you don't know me all that well.' She said.

'I can't picture you fighting or yelling at anyone. You even made that horrible nurse do what she was supposed to do without raising your voice.' Added Christian

She switched the subject to nurses and the subject caught on fast. The doctors were always complaining about the nurses, it was the best subject for gossip. She wandered what Heiji would have said if she heard them talking about her like that. He always called her loud and they always fought each other. Still the topic of conversation was entertaining enough and Heiji was pushed at the back of her thoughts.

It was after 12 in the night when she finally reached her dorm. She had her own one room apartment in the Hospital campus. She was tired and she had to start work the next day at 7 so all she really thought of was taking a shower and going to bed. But she couldn't there was a guy leaning on her door, his face obscured by shadow, she really needed to speak with the building administrator to fix the neon light above her door.

'Entschuldigen Sie, das ist meine Tür Sie stützte sich auf.' she spoke german. (Translation: I'm sorry but that is my door you're leaning on.)

‚So you forgot to speak Japanese in little over one month?' the man came out in the open and her eyes grew wide at seeing Heiji standing there in a winter coat looking dead tired on his feet.

'Heiji, what are you doing here?'

'I could ask you the same thing. You knew you were coming to Germany since forever and you didn't bother to tell me until it was too late.'

Kazuha felt anger boiling inside her. She tried to tell him, but he was never there when she wanted to. She said nothing but pushed past him and unlocked her door.

'I am tired and I have the early shift tomorrow so excuse me if I can't chat with you now. Good night.' She wanted to close the door after her but his foot stopped her.

'Heiji I am not in the mood to quarrel with you right now.'

'No, clearly, you have no time for your childhood friend. Since when do you come home so late when you have to be at work in the morning?'

'Well I am allowed to go out with friends every once in a while. And what is it to you if I come home late?'

'It's not safe to be out so late.'

'I do have a black belt in Aikido you idiot. I think I can defend myself just fine.' She took off her shoes and put her coat on the hanger before going past the open kitchen into her living/bedroom. He followed her after taking off his shoes.

'Kazuha, why didn't you tell me you were moving to Germany?' he asked again but this time a bit more calmly.

Kazuha was too tired for this, and she had one beer too many tonight.

'Heiji, let's talk about this some other time. I really am tired and I have to be at work at 7 tomorrow morning.'

'Fine, we'll talk tomorrow then.' And he started to open his small suitcase to take out some of things.

'What are you doing?' she asked looking dumbfound at him.

'Well I waited so long for you and I don't have a hotel booked or anything so I will stay here tonight.'

She wanted to protest, she really did, but she just wanted to take a shower and just sleep.

'Do whatever you want.' She heard herself saying before she grabbed her towel and headed to the bathroom.

Kazuha slept like a log until the alarm clock woke her up at 6 in the morning. She had wanted to take the shower last night but she was too beat for it so she zombied (not a real word I know) her way into the bathroom and half sleeping managed to shower and make her hair look presentable while still dozing on her feet.

Heiji heard her alarm clock go off from where he slept on the couch and managed to get himself up by the time Kazuha still half sleeping got out of the bathroom wearing just a towel. He froze looking at her almost naked. She seemed oblivious to his presence as she opened the closet door that obscured her from him and proceeded to get dressed. He turned wanting to give her some privacy. Two minutes later Kazuha closed the closet door and she was fully dressed when her eyes met his. She blinked rapidly and he could see the realization hit her.

'W-what are you doing here?'

'Don't you remember I came here last night?'

'That was not a dream?' she blurted out.

He chuckled 'No.'

'Oh God, and you saw-'

'I turned away.'

'Oh, OK. I need coffee.' She went into the kitchen and proceeded to make coffee her hands working fast. She poured herself a huge cup of coffee after pouring him a normal one.

'Are you sure it's wise to drink so much coffee?'

'This is nothing, I'll have two more before I finish my rounds.' She snorted and then yawned.

'So how is work here?'

'Pretty nice actually. I usually come home beat but compared to Japan people here find the time to go out and grab a bite to eat. The pubs are a bit rowdier and they show respect differently than back home, but I find their way more relaxed and more natural.'

'Is that why you chose to come here?'

'No, I came for the surgeon. There is a really good heart surgeon here and I wanted to learn from her.' She spotted the clock on the table and jumped.

'Shit, I am going to be late.' And she gulped down the rest of the coffee before pulling her bag from under the chair and the coat from the rack.

'When do you get off work?'

'Um, I have a long shift today. I won't be home until late tonight. You can stay here and wake up properly or whatever. I only have one key though so if you leave could you please drop by the hospital and bring it to me.'

'Sure.'

'Ok, good, just ask for me at the front desk and if I can't come just leave the key there with Gerda.'

'OK, sure. But don't you have a lunch break? Maybe I can come and take you to lunch.'

'There is a surgery I am assisting on and it starts around 11. I don't know when it will end so. I don't know.'

'Ok. I'll drop by and maybe get lucky.'

'Yeah. Ok, have a nice day.' And she was off.

Heiji looked around. The place was not exactly tidy and seeing as how Kazuha dashed out for work, he didn't need to be a detective to figure out why. There were clothes on the back of an armchair and huge books on medicine with coloured markers sticking out here and there. He opened the fridge, he was hungry since he had skipped dinner. The fridge was almost empty too. There was some yogurt and some cheese that was starting to harden. He sighed, he needed to go out to eat and maybe get some food for the fridge. Kazuha was not living a healthy life. He wondered if it was the same in Osaka, she had moved out of her parent's house one year ago. He just realized he had never visited her apartment in Osaka before. In his defence, his year had been crazy with flying almost every month out to America. Still he should have found time for her.

It was 12 when he arrived at the hospital. He found Gerda at the reception desk.

'Hello, my name is Hattori Heiji. I am here for Toyama Kazuha.'

'Oh, yes, Miss Toyama said you might come to drop off some keys.'

'Could you tell her I am here?'

'She went in surgery one hour ago and it seems there were some complications. It will take a while before she is out. You can leave the keys with me if you want.'

'I'll wait.'

'She might be stuck in there for a few hours.'

'It's OK, I'll wait.'

Gerda smiled and pointed to the waiting room. Sure enough one hour passed, then another, and another. Heiji had read most of the magazines in the waiting room and had even gone around the hospital grounds twice. It was 6 PM when Kazuha came to the reception desk looking tired but thoroughly exiting chatting fast in German/ English with a tall blond guy.

'Kazuha.' He called. She turned surprised to see him.

'Heiji! What are you doing here?'

'Waited for you to come out of surgery.'

'Didn't Gerda tell you it was going to take a while?'

'She did, but I thought we might go eat something since you didn't eat lunch yet and well it's dinner time.'

'Oh, sorry Heiji, but I can't leave now. I'll just grab an energy bar. My shift doesn't end until 10.'

'Who is your friend?' Aaron asked in English

'Oh, right, this is Hattori Heiji, a friend of mine from Japan. Heiji, this is a fellow doctor Aaron Kipper.'

'Nice to meet you. Are you here on holidays visiting Kazuha?' Aaron asked extending a hand. Heiji grabbed the hand and almost wanted to cut it off when he heard the guy call Kazuha so casually.

'Sort of.' And since when was he just a friend from Japan? He glared daggers at Aaron and Kazuha who had been called by Gerda about a patient and was no longer paying attention to the two men.

'Ok, I have to leave, a patient of mine asked to see me. See you later.' And she dashed off.

'She is full of energy she is.' Smiled Aaron

'After the amount of coffee she drinks no wonder.' Murmured Heiji.

Heiji decided it was no use waiting for her another 4 hours but decided to go back to her place and surprise her with cooking.

He timed it so that at 10:30 the food would be ready and then he waited and waited until it was clear that Kazuha was probably caught in another surgery or something at work.

He packed the food and put it in the fridge and waited. It was 2 AM when Kazuha stumbled home.

'What happened?' he asked making her jump.

'Damn it. You scared me. You didn't leave the key with Gerda.'

'No, I came back and waited for you.'

'Why did you do that?'

'Because we need to talk.'

'Heiji, now is not the time.'

'Clearly, are you drunk?'

'I went out to the pub after work.'

'What about your shift tomorrow?'

'I have tomorrow free. And I am not drunk, I just grabbed two beer with my colleagues after work. It hardly qualifies as over drinking.'

'With this Aaron guy.'

'Yes, him too. Now I am going to go shower and hit the bed.'

'Did you eat anything at all today?'

'What? Of course I did.' Kazuha dismissed him and before he could say anything else she was in the shower.

Heiji wanted to break something. Here he was cooking for her and she went out with another man. But there was no reasoning with her when she was dead on her feet and drunk to boot. He decided to let her have the night and reason with her tomorrow.

Kazuha came out of the shower already wearing her night clothes and without another glance at Heiji she fell on the bed and was asleep in seconds. Heiji sighed seeing as she hadn't even bothered pulling the covers over her. He did it for her before going to the couch and trying to sleep, key word: trying, because his mind was working overtime. She seemed unaffected by his presence in Germany, she even called him A friend, since when was he just A friend? He was her childhood friend. They had shouted their feelings for each other, granted he then proceeded to ignore her for the most part of one year, but still, had her feelings been so weak that they stopped being what they were after just one year? What troubled him most was that she left for Germany not a thought spared to what he thought of this move. He knew she cared about her job and he knew she was going to be great at it, but somehow he always saw her as a family doctor in Osaka and not a hot shot surgeon travelling the world. She was supposed to support him while he became a world renowned detective, how could she do that when she was in a different country? As he thought this he realized how selfish it was to think of her like that. Kazuha was smart and she was kind, but she was also driven. Why would she settle for being his sidekick when she could be the lead lady? And then he realized something else, as comfortable as her being by his side always was, that was not her. She was headstrong and stubborn and a bit of a daredevil in her own right. How could he even think of holding her back? She had done the right think choosing to come to Germany, after all, to be the best, she had to learn from the best. He smiled remembering her excited face coming out of the surgery. Could he reproach her something that brought her joy? No. But the problem remained. She was so absorbed in her work that she was clearly neglecting her health. He had to do something about that.

Kazuha woke up the following day with such a huge headache that she wanted to hit the person that had turned on the light. Of course she couldn't hit anyone since the light came through the window and it had nothing to do with turning on or off but more with the fact that it was not morning but noon already. She turned around when she heard the sound of boiling water. She blinked the sleep awake and focused on Heiji in the isle kitchen preparing coffee.

'Good morning.' She said sitting up.

'Did I wake you? I didn't mean to I wanted to make some coffee.'

'Coffee sounds good.' She smiled at him.

He smiled back. 'Coming right up.' He handed her the huge coffee mug. 'This will be the only one you get today.'

'But I only function properly after my third cup.' She protested taking the cup and enjoying the aroma it gave off.

'Not today you don't. Besides, you don't need to be fully awake on your day off.'

'I still have to read on the procedure I assisted on yesterday.' She pointed at a huge book by her bedside.

'That can come later.'

'Yes, it can.'

'Now, you will have a huge breakfast or do you want to go past breakfast and do lunch? It's almost 12.'

'Lunch sounds better since I don't have breakfast food.'

'You didn't, but I went shopping yesterday.'

'You did what?'

'I filled your fridge with food. Honestly you're a doctor, you're supposed to know that not eating well will get you sick.'

Kazuha rolled her eyes 'I am a doctor and I know what my body needs. That is why I take supplements.'

'So replacing real food with pills now?'

'They are all natural, like vitamins and stuff.'

'Kazuha!'

'Fine, fine, I'll eat breakfast.'

'Good.'

They ate breakfast and then went out for a walk/ hike all the way to Konigstuhl. It was February so there were not so many people on the trail.

'I like the view from up here.' She said as they drank a cup of hot tea at the restaurant.

'It's a nice town.'

'It is, and the people are nice too. Though it takes a bit to get to know everyone.'

'Kazuha, why didn't you tell me about this?'

Kazuha looked away from him trying to find the right way to say this. 'I wanted to, but then every time I got up the courage to tell you, you were not there. And when you were there, I don't know, I was afraid you might talk me out of it I guess.'

'What?'

'Well, it's confusing really. I mean, are we friends anymore? The past year seemed like we just drifted apart.'

'I was busy with a case, I can explain that.'

'I have no doubt that you can.' She smiled sadly at him 'And therein lies the problem. I was sure that if you didn't want me to go, one word from you and I would have said no to this exchange. You see, I loved you, hell I still love you even though from what you said at Sonoko's wedding I am pretty sure you don't love me anymore.'

'No! You got it wrong. I love you, I always loved you.'

Kazuha blinked rapidly at this outburst. 'Then why?'

'I was jealous. You danced with another guy, and you were looking so beautiful and I was angry and I acted like a fool. I wanted to tell you that you looked like a goddess that night at the wedding but all I managed to do was make you think I disapproved of you.'

'I see, well I guess neither of us is very good at expressing feelings.'

'No, and this past year, I am sorry for not being there for you more often. I was involved in a case with Kudo and it was very dangerous.'

'Wait, Shinichi is alive?'

'Yes, he had to go into hiding and make everyone believe he was dead so that the organization he was hunting down wouldn't hurt the ones he loved. I distanced myself from you this year thinking that I had drawn their attention too. I didn't want you to become a target because of me.'

'Does Ran know this?'

'Shinichi probably told her everything by now.'

'Did you two solve the case?'

'We did, there are still the legal matters but they will be finished by the end of the year with some competent lawyers in charge.'

'I see. So there is no more danger.'

'No.'

'Good.'

There was a long silence before Heiji spoke again.

'Kazuha, where does this leave us? You said you still love me.'

'I did, or I do but I honestly don't know. I don't want to give up my place here just yet, so please don't ask it of me. Maybe one year apart will put things into perspective.'

'You want to take a break from our relationship.'

'Were we really in a relationship from which we can take a break from?'

'No. That is why I don't want us to be apart for a year.' He said his voice growing stronger.

'You're asking me to come back to Japan.' Her face was sad.

'No.'

'What?'

'I am saying I am moving to Germany for a year.'

'WHAT?' she jumped out of her seat and the people around them looked at her confused.

'Sorry.' She said and sat back down 'You want to move here?'

'Yes, I gave it a lot of thought.' He grinned at her still dumbfound expression.

'But your cases.'

'I can work on them from here too. Besides, the way you are living is not good for you. You barely sleep, barely eat and drink way too much coffee and beer. With me here at least I know you will have breakfast every morning and a warm lunch every day.'

'Heiji you are serious about this?'

'Of course I am, idiot. I already submitted the documents for a visa this morning.'

'You're crazy.'

'About you? Definitely.'

Kazuha found herself blushing before shaking herself out of it.

'Where will you stay?'

'With you, how else will I be able to take care of you?'

'That apartment is way too small for two people.'

'But not for a couple.'

This made her blush again.

'Does it bother you?'

'I just can't wrap my head around it all yet.' She smiled at him. 'I thought you would be angrier than this. I definitely didn't expect you to want to move to Germany for me.'

'What can I say, I am a man full of surprises. Besides, you have been chasing me around on case after case ever since we were kids, it's time I chased you around. Though, you could have picked a country where I already know the language.'

Kazuha laughed 'German is a bitch. I am glad the doctors at the hospital know English.'

'This Aaron guy too.'

'Are you jealous?'

'Why would I be jealous of a 7 foot blond giant?'

Kazuha chuckled 'Well, if I had known a 7 foot blond giant was what it took for you to chase after me-

'I would have chased after you even if you had a midget as a work partner.' He squeezed her hand and they both smiled.

A/N: That's Heiji and Kazuha. Don't worry, they will return to fighting each other soon enough, but I always thought these two only fought when there were silly things they disagreed on. When it was serious they would always sort things out with understanding.