The fluorescent lights in the hospital corridor cast a sterile glow, the faint smell of antiseptic lingering in the air as Kurai sat in the waiting room. His knee was still throbbing, even after the game had ended. He hadn't been able to stand on it without wincing. Now, his mind churned with thoughts of what could come next. The defeat, the pain, the uncertainty — it all weighed heavily on him.
"Kurai Vlast?" a nurse called out from the doorway. Kurai glanced up, nodding. He pushed himself up, gritting his teeth against the jolt of pain in his knee, and hobbled toward the door. He'd been to this hospital more times than he could count.
"This, Mr. Vlast" The nurse led him down the hall to a familiar office. The plaque on the door read Dr. Yuki Nakamura. Kurai's personal physician had been with him since his early years in volleyball. She knew his body better than anyone else, and in many ways, she had become like family over the years.
As he entered the room, Dr. Nakamura was already seated behind her desk, her expression a careful mix of professionalism and concern. She stood, offering him a small smile, gesturing for him to take a seat.
"Kurai, good to see you, though I wish it were under better circumstances… How're your burns?" she said warmly, her tone steady but kind.
"Yeah, me too, my burns aren't why I'm here today" Kurai replied, settling into the chair with a grimace as he carefully adjusted his leg. Dr. Nakamura's eyes flicked down to his knee, her brows furrowing slightly.
"Still hurting, I see... Let's take a closer look." She got up and gently began examining his knee, her fingers pressing against the tender areas as she asked questions.
"How bad is the pain right now?" Kurai winced as her fingers found the most sensitive spot.
"Still sharp… I haven't been able to put weight on it without feeling like it'll buckle." She nodded, her face unreadable as she continued her examination. After a few moments, she pulled back and sat down at her desk, typing notes into her computer. The silence between them was heavy, the tension of unspoken fears thickening the air.
"Look, Doc," Kurai began, his voice tight.
"I need you to be straight with me. How bad is it? I can't be out for too long… and I—" Dr. Nakamura held up a hand, cutting him off gently.
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves. I've scheduled you for an MRI so we can get a clear picture of what's going on in that knee. Right now, I don't want to make any assumptions until we see the scans." Kurai's chest tightened, the uncertainty gnawing at him.
"But… worst-case scenario?" Dr. Nakamura sighed softly, her eyes softening as she met his gaze.
"Worst-case? There could be ligament damage or a tear, which would require surgery and months of rehab. But like I said, we won't know for sure until we see the MRI results… only makes it worse with that burn on your left leg being so close to your knee…" Her words hit Kurai like a punch to the gut. Months of rehab? Surgery? The very thought made him clench his fists, his jaw tightening as he struggled to process it.
"Kurai," Dr. Nakamura's voice softened as she leaned forward, resting her hands on her desk.
"I know this isn't what you want to hear right now, but you've got to let your body heal… Pushing through an injury like this without proper recovery will only make things worse. You're young, and you have a long career ahead of you. But only if you're smart about it."
"I don't have time," Kurai muttered, frustration bubbling to the surface.
"This was supposed to be my moment. I was supposed to bring my team to the finals of nationals" Dr. Nakamura's expression remained calm, though her eyes reflected understanding.
"I get it. I really do. But if you rush back before you're fully healed, you risk making it permanent. This isn't just about the next game, Kurai. This is about your entire career." Kurai sat back in the chair, staring at the ceiling, his mind swirling with doubts. How did it come to this? One moment he was at the top of his game, and now he was staring down the possibility of surgery. The reality felt surreal, almost too heavy to bear.
"Look, let's take this one step at a time," Dr. Nakamura continued.
"You'll get the MRI, and we'll have more information. From there, we'll make the best decision for your health and your career. I promise you, we'll get you through this, but we've got to be careful." He nodded, though the fear still gnawed at him.
"How long until we can do the MRI?"
"I've already put in the request. You'll be in tomorrow morning," Dr. Nakamura replied.
"In the meantime, keep icing it, stay off it as much as possible, and we'll see where things stand after the scan." Kurai rubbed his face, trying to keep his emotions in check.
"Thanks, Doc. I just… I don't know what I'll do if it's serious." Dr. Nakamura gave him a reassuring smile.
"Whatever happens, you're not alone in this. We'll handle it, together. And remember—being smart now means you'll have more years to dominate on the court. Don't lose sight of that." As Kurai stood to leave, wincing at the dull ache still pulsing through his knee, Dr. Nakamura added one final piece of advice.
"Trust the process, Kurai. You're strong. And no matter how this goes, we'll make sure you come back even stronger."