Mission J

I couldn’t help the sour expression on my face as I stared back at the mirror in the examination room. I shoved my arms into my coat sleeve as the medical assistant shuffled around the room, putting all the equipment back into their rightful places in the room.
“I’m telling you, I don’t know how you’re still moving around and all, but you need to take a break.” he was saying, not stopping to talk to me. It was as if he didn’t want to look at me directly so he kept himself busy around the place.
I didn’t answer; I just straightened the coat and started fastening it.

“Seriously, I’m telling you! You need to rest!” he said.

“And I’m telling you, no can do.” I sighed.
The last forty-five minutes was a waste of my time, in my personal opinion. I didn’t really get anything out of it, outside of the fact that I have discovered this nervous looking staff was actually talkative once you set him off. The word seriously was his favorite vocabulary and the phrase I’m telling you was a verbal habit of his.

Silence met my reply for once, making me stop what I was doing and turn around. The assistant was standing there staring at me, his face twisted into an odd grimace. I frowned, alarmed at this sudden change.
“Hey, are you alright?” I asked.

The assistant blinked and let out an odd snickering sound.
“Kekeke, you rhymed.” he snorted.

I couldn’t help the slight twitch that escaped me. Was he really cleared to work in the medical field?
I just turned back around and slid off of the examination table, just as a sound of knocking broke into the room.
“Hey, I’m back; could I come in?” I heard Jun ask from the other side.

The assistant practically lunged for the door and swung it open. I saw Jun raise an eyebrow at the guy as he slowly stepped in.
“Was I interrupting something?” he asked.

I glared at him, and the assistant guy immediately replied.
“No, no. Not at all. I was just cleaning.” he told him, looking around the room almost frantically. “Huh, I lost my pen. Where did I put my pen? I’m telling you, I just had it on me…”

The guy quickly patted himself down before starting to rummage through the counters and desk of the room. Jun gave me a look, before clearing his throat. The guy popped his head up from behind the desk, where he was looking for his pen.
“What?!” he nearly yelped.

Jun beckoned him over, looking slightly amused. The assistant’s expression became one of confusion as he stood back up. Slowly, and cautiously, he inched over to where Jun was standing by the door.
“What?” he repeated, sounding suspicious.
He flinched as Jun reached over to the side of his head and pulled the pen he had wedged behind his ear.

“Is this your pen?” Jun asked, his tone amused.

The guy blinked at him, and then at the pen he was being offered.
“Oh.” he said, and snatching it from Jun’s hand before scurrying back to the desk.

“So, uh…sorry, I never caught your name.” Jun said.

“Leo.” the assistant replied immediately. He then looked up. “I know; weird name, huh?”

“Not at all,” Jun replied politely. “So Leo, what is the verdict on this one?”
He nodded towards me with a directed look, which I returned with an unappreciative glare.

I continued to watch as Leo came back around with a clipboard and a small notepad in his hand.
“Yes, well…she’s pretty well banged up.” he said. “There are no broken bones, but she has some intramuscular and periosteal contusions, mainly in her rib cage, back and her right shoulder. She also has a fat lump on her head.”
He motioned at the notes he had taken onto his clipboard, going through the list and showing Jun. Jun just nodded along, his eyes skimming through the list.
“Her jaw is a bit bruised, and her throat is beat up. I’m telling you, she looks like she got mauled by a bear.” he went on. “Seriously, she needs to take a break; make her rest.”
Jun studied the list a while longer before lifting his gaze back up at the young assistant.
“I’ll make sure she is resting whenever she can.” he promised her. “She’s going to need it. Anything else?”

Leo mumbled a bit, looking through his notes again.
“Hmmm, her blood pressure maybe on the lower side, but I think that’s normal for her. She seems to be the athletic type.” he said. “And outside of the contusions and minor abrasions, she’s in good condition. Seriously, her body is very lean---”

“Thanks, Leo.” I said, my voice coming out flat. “Thanks for noticing.”

“Is that it?” Jun asked, getting back onto topic.
Leo went on to scribble something onto the little notepad before he ripped the first page off.
“Here; I’m prescribing her some pain meds. They should help her with the soreness.” he said, shoving the paper into Jun’s waiting hand. “I’m telling you, she better take it easy, or else she might fall apart.”

“You try telling her that,” Jun told him, sounding exasperated.

I ignored his comment and went on to approach the door. As I passed, I snatched the prescription order from Jun’s hand.
“Well, thanks for all that; I do appreciate it.” I said, and started to drag my handler away. “But we really have to get going; so much to do, so little time…”

“Thanks again, Leo.” Jun called over his shoulder as we stepped out of the examination room.

I closed the door behind me and let out a tired breath. I was more than glad to come out of that room and be done with the examination.
It was a few moments of silently walking through the halls before I brought myself to start talking again.
“Well, that was a perfect waste of time, if I may say.” I muttered, looking down at the prescription order. I frowned.
“Oxycodone?” I said, reading the scribbled handwriting. “Are you kidding me?”

Jun frowned too, but it seemed to be directed towards me.
“They’re painkillers, K. Don’t even try telling me you’re not in pain.” he said.

“I’m a bit black and blue, of course there’s pain.” I returned. “But oxycodone is for moderate to severe pain with a whole lengthy list of side effects, some of which is lethargy and possible dependency.”
I crinkled the small paper into a ball and pressed it back into Jun’s hand.
“I can’t take something like that, especially if I’m on a job.”

I started to walk away, picking up my speed when he replied.
“He’s not telling you to take them until you become addicted.” Jun argued, easily keeping up with my hurried pace down the hall. “You won’t be able to work efficiently if pain is on your mind.”
He cut in front of me with one wide stride, bringing me to a halt.
“I’m going to get the pills. Whether you take them or not is up to you.” he said, his tone stern. “You can take them as prescribed if the pain becomes intolerable at any time. Promise me you will if you need them.”

I was going to retort back, but thought better of it. Jun didn’t have to get the pills, he wasn’t going to benefit from them. He was doing this to help me.
I inhaled slowly and let out a defeated sigh.
“Fine.” I sighed, glancing away.

I couldn’t say ‘I promise’ though…I had no plans on taking those pills any time soon.
I think Jun knew what I was thinking, but he didn’t pursue this matter any longer.
“Alright, that’s all I wanted to hear.” he said. “You have until tomorrow evening to rest, and I want you to take advantage of that. Got it?”

“Yea, I got it.”

“Ice where you can, the jaw, the rib, the lump on your head.”

“Jun, I got it.” I said. “Plenty of rest. I’ll do that tomorrow.”

Jun studied my face a bit before he seemed to relax.
“That settles it then.” he said. “Come on, let’s go get something to eat. I’m starving.”

Jun offered me his elbow, like a kind gentleman would. A gesture I saw from him time to time, when he wanted some time away from work.
I rolled my eyes, but placed my hand on his arm, my fingers curling around the crook of his arm.
“Fine, but you’re paying.” I said.

Jun grinned at me as he led the way.
“Sure thing, my dear fiancée.” he joked.