A is for Ara
Clues

It is surprising how the top brass at the hospital sent critical doctors to a seminar on the same date as the department's drug budget meeting. I had guessed they would try to keep my mouth shut once I moved back to the central hospital. But I didn't think they would show any resistance at all.

"Ara, it's like I've seen a pharmacist fill this seminar," Naira said, making me turn my face away from the phone on my lap to catch a glimpse of someone she pointed at.

The middle-aged woman with a simple appearance was seriously listening to the material that the other presenter was delivering. The non-obtrusive appearance, made it difficult to recognize if only met once. If it wasn't for me having a good memory, I certainly wouldn't have remembered it.

That woman, or should I call Apothecary Liyanah, she was a senior apothecary who had worked at the central hospital. He stopped or was dismissed just as my force was starting the koas. The reason for his departure from the central hospital was covered, no hospital staff except the higher-ups knew exactly why. Many rumors circulating say he embezzled funds but for someone with high morality it seems impossible to do such a lowly thing, especially because he was already rich from birth.

"Ra?" call Naira after I just silently looked at Apothecary Liyanah.

"I don't know," I said, not wanting to make him more curious.

If I had not mistakenly seen and remembered the documents I had brought home about the dismissal of Apothecary Liyanah 8 years ago, he should have held an important card regarding the hospital's pharmaceutical finances. I did not expect abi to cover up the truth and continue to let the embezzlement of drug procurement money continue. One more thing, Apothecary Liyana's father is a prosecutor and her mother is a doctor, someone with power and wealth from birth is very easy to put up with is impossible. Very enticing.

Both eyes met by accident. He gave me a smile which I replied with a nod. Naira immediately turned her head towards me, it seems that she is still curious about Apothecary Liyana.

"I was curious" I said before Naira opened her mouth.

I refocused my attention on the phone on my lap. From the beginning of the seminar in the beginning, my focus was not on the content of the material presented but on the meeting of the determination of the drug budget of each department. It never occurred to me, cameras secretly installed by my people would be useful at a time like this.

"Seeing from the ever-increasing number of internal medicine patients, is it not natural that our department requests an increase in the budget? Not only the drug procurement budget, the operating equipment budget, we also need it" said Dr. Mecca, Head of the Department of Internal Medicine.

I'm sick of hearing the same excuses repeatedly uttered by the internal medicine department. Patients are increasing and budgets should be increased. I also know that patients with degenerative diseases are increasing every year but this reason is not a rational reason to ask for a budget increase of up to 3 times the previous year. The reasonable thing is to ask for a budget increase in accordance with the patient's predicted increase for this year.

Several doctors were seen whispering to each other, as if they were forming an alliance. The thing that bothered me was the head of the pharmaceutical installation who sided with the department of specialists in. I can guess what words will come out of his mouth.

"If the internal medicine department budget is increased then there should be a reduced budget from other departments. Looking at patient data last year, the mental illness department had the third-lowest patients. What if it compresses the budget for the mental illness department?"

It is very irrational how the third from the bottom of the budget should be reduced. Apothecary Wita's statement and question were followed by another nod. One two doctors began to voice his opinion, agreeing with what Apothecary Wita had said. I don't know what's on Doctor Maharani's mind, the head of my department, who's been quiet until now.

I still vividly remember how the hospital staff thought Doctor Maharani was just a puppet. The Empress always accepted everything that was given to her, there was no rejection even if what she received was unfair. Until now I still do not understand the reason why other senior doctors in my department still retain him as our leader.

"What did you hear?" azhar's question made me instantly switch my phone screen to the music app. I showed my phone screen to Azzhar, making him just nod and get back busy with scribbles in his book.

Just as I was about to return to listening to the conversation at the meeting, I only realized one thing. Things I should have realized from the beginning. How can Naira attend a seminar devoted to the medical staff of the central hospital?

I immediately opened the file, looking back at the mutation list of the doctors that Aisya had sent me one week ago. I kept scrolling until I found Naira's name. I'm kecolongan.

"It is true that our departmental patients are few compared to other departments of internal medicine, gynecology, or other departments. However, our department last year saw a 50% increase in patients%. The increase cost the hospital a lot of money for letting patients make up for the drugs outside and then our department was blamed for it. Now, if our budget is cut, can everything here guarantee it won't blame our department at the year-end meeting?"

The words that managed to stop my hand movements. I'm sure it took a lot of courage for Doctor Maharani to say that. Without having to look, I'm sure now the higher-ups are in shock. Even I'm sure someone already showed anger on his face.

"How can you speak of such a thing?!"

One person started to raise his tone. I immediately returned to look at Doctor Maharani's facial expression. He is a person who is very easily afraid, when his interlocutor raises the tone, he will immediately give up because he does not want to make the problem longer. I want to know what kind of courage he will show.

"From last year's data, patients from the department..." Maharani's doctor was silent, he looked around doubtfully. Will he come forward and use the data I anonymously gave him? Or did he give up?

"From the data of several departments last year, there is an over budget either from drug procurement or from other things. Wouldn't it be more effective to condense the budget so that there is no excess? And, there are also some drugs that can meet the needs for 2 months, from which we can include the 2-month budget for the budget that Doctor Mecca wants," continued Dr Maharani carefully.

"What are you talking about? Where's the data from?" reply Doctor Ahmad, head of the nervous department with a tone full of interrogation.

"This is the data I got from the calculation of the number of prescriptions per department and the prediction analysis for this year" replied Dr Maharani as he placed a stack of paper into the middle of the table.

Like zombies finding their food, the people in the meeting room scramble to retrieve the documents. Now, they're going to attack Doctor Maharani for illegally taking data. They must have thought that Maharani had accessed the electronic prescription system to look at the prescriptions they had written. I wonder how far Doctor Maharani can go.

"You're accessing every department's electronic prescriptions?" doctor Mecca shouted, making the meeting room quiet. Just looking at the phone screen, I could already feel the fear that Doctor Maharani felt.

Was it wrong to give the documents to him?

"No.." once again pause, making people know how scared the Empress Doctor is right now. I trusted my own department head too much without seeing how timid he was.

"Down question and answer session, right? I went to the toilet. Vice me to fill out the questionnaire sheet," I told Ara, leaving her confused but nodding immediately.

I walked out. My goal is not the toilet. I have to find Aisya. I can't just let the increase happen.

"Miss?" call Aisya as soon as I get out of the room.

"Doctor Dian, is he still unable to enter the meeting room?"

"No, Miss. The guard outside the meeting room was very strict. We're trying to find a loophole but all the excuses are rejected."

"With reason?"

"Doctor Dian has no authority in the boardroom. The guards said only those in authority could enter."

"There's no department of meaning, is there?"

"I just looked at the medical records of my patients who also happened to be in another department. I'm just accessing the total number of patients who are treating each department and then multiplying that by the maximum number of treatments each patient gets to the data that's now in your hands," said Doctor Maharani after various kinds of questions were directed at him, making me ignore the words that Aisya gave. If he is a typical person who can think rationally at such times, why has he held back all this time?

"Miss?" call Aisya, make sure I listen to what she says.

"It's over," I said.

People started to come out of the seminar room. Some were in a hurry to get out of this hotel and some were still chatting with the source. I'm trying to find Naira and Azhar that I still haven't found. I found someone I really wanted to meet.

"3 minutes to go to the toilet" I told Aisya as she walked to the bathroom.

Inside the toilet I found Apothecary Liyanah who was picking up a tissue then hurriedly entered the bathroom. He left his bag outside. I think he's used to life in Japan so he's not afraid his stuff will be stolen. I looked at his shabby bag, one that didn't describe his wealth. A keychain is visible, I'm trying to figure out the shape of that keychain. Abstract, it doesn't form anything, it's just a name on the back of that keychain.

The sound of the door opening sounded. I immediately pretended to tidy up my hood. Apothecary Liyanah stood beside me while giving a smile.

"Is this your first schedule after returning from Japan?" I try to open up the conversation.

"Rubber. It feels very different to go back to Indonesia. If I don't remember wrongly, we had a chance to exchange views inside, right?" reply him.

"Right, I'm quite interested in the topic you're covering."

"really? Looks like you were busy with your cell phone during the seminar."

Of course, he is an honest person in expressing what he has in mind. I gave a smile in return. My first impression in his eyes was already bad. I can't continue anymore.

"I did focus on mobile phones but I also heard material that you delivered especially about the Hospital and Special Research Institute of Down Syndrome," he said, making me look back at me.

"Are you going to resettle in Indonesia?" I asked later, wanting to end our conversation.

"No, I still have a lot of business in Japan."

"May you immediately complete your affairs and be able to realize what you want to achieve in Indonesia. Excuse me first, my friends are waiting" I said as I walked out of the toilet.

Outside the toilet, Aisya was walking towards me. She already wears her special glasses, telling me if she already knows what she should do. Just as we passed each other, we looked at each other and I nodded my head.

"Fuck!!! Right here!!!" naira shouted as soon as she saw me, making the people near me look straight at me.

"Why is it so long?" whining while pulling my hand towards the cafe in this hotel.

"You're still very spoiled with him" said Ali made me instantly aware of Naira's move.

"Where are you going?" my question while turning towards Ali, made Ali immediately stop.

"Follow you to the cafe together with Azhar."

"Ara, I know what's on your mind but it's wrong" Naira said as soon as my mouth was about to issue a reply to Ali.

"Oh? It's like I've seen that man" Ali said, trying to distract me.

"Sir Ara," Azhar called out to make me look at her straight away who now had a worried expression.

"Y!!! I recall. That's your future brother-in-law and his secretary. And that's Aiba with your ummi."

I turned back, making me look directly at Aiden who was enjoying his drink at the cafe. He kept looking at me, making Naira take turns looking at me and at him. Ali and Azhar did the same thing but Azhar immediately resuscitated me.

Aiden called his secretary. Seeing how her secretary directly looked at me, I could guess what she wanted. I don't want to meet him, especially with Aiba and ummi.

"We went to the outside cafe" I said, pulling Naira's body, followed by Ali's confused steps.

"Miss Ara!!!!"

"Someone called you" said Ali, continuing to follow me as it went faster.

"Miss Ara, long time no see" said the secretary with a smile.

How could he not pant after running after me?

"One week, is it a long time?" azhar's reply left Ali and Naira confused to understand the current situation.

"Can I help you?" ali's question made me and Azhar look straight at him.

"I would be very happy and helped if Mr and Miss are willing to return to continue walking to the cafe at this hotel."

The reply made Ali aware of half of the problems. He walked in front of me, face to face with Aiden's secretary. Slowly, he extended his hand. I can't believe he asked for a card to pay for the drinks we were going to order.

"Miss Aiba and Ummi You already know if you are here" the secretary said, giving Ali a black card, making Ali a little surprised.

"Ra, I'm tired, nauseous, and dizzy" Naira said, making me want to not have to walk back to the cafe.

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