“And how are we today Mr Lee?”

“Great as ever!” The patient replied enthusiastically. “Look, I can do this.” He flailed his arms in the air and wriggled his toes, “I think I’m fine to leave now doctor!”

The other laughed, “Maybe not yet. We still need to run a few more tests, Sungmin.”

He pouted, “But I’m very healthy now!” He reasoned, “Do you want to fight me? I’m a black belt! I can kick your . Then we can get ice cream!” He attempted to negotiate, before smiling, “I haven’t had ice cream in a long time. Maybe Doctor Cho can buy me ice cream now!”

The doctor laughed, “Not now, we need to run a few more tests, maybe if the tests show that you’re healthy, we can get ice cream.”

Sungmin pouted again, “Yah, why are you treating me like a baby, I’m 2 years older than you, you know?”

“But you act like one.”

“Yah, you wanna fight me? I’ll take you down in an instant.”

“That’s alright Mr Lee.” He replied gently, with a smile.

~

“How is he, Doctor Cho?”

“Please, call me Kyuhyun, erm, Mr…”

“Call me Hangeng, and this is my partner, Heechul.”

“Ah, alrig-“

“Can I call you Kyuhyun too?” A voice peeped in from behind.

“No you can’t.” Kyuhyun teased.

“Aish, why was I stuck with the rude doctor.” Sungmin whined, crossing his arm and sinking into his bed.

Kyuhyun smiled and turned to the worried couple, “Let’s step outside and talk there.”

“So how is he, Kyuhyun-ssi?”

“Well, I must say that there has been slight improvements with his lungs.” He said steadily.

“But?” Heechul asked.

There was a short pause, “However, well, pneumothorax is a disorder that may reoccur, as you know, and considering how extreme the last attack was, we only merely saved his life with non-surgical treatments. I think it’s best if he stays here a little longer, and if it does happen again, we will have to perform surgery on him.”

Heechul let out a sigh of dismay, “We can’t hire him a nurse to take care of him at home?”

“Well, you can, however, it’ll be much more costly, especially if it’s a 24/7 nurse. Ehm, may I ask, what’s your relationship with him?”

“We’re his friends.” Hangeng replied.

“Best friends.” Heechul corrected.

“Oh, may I ask, where his direct family are?”

“Dead.” Heechul replied, once again nonchalantly.

“Yah, don’t be so disrespectful.” Hangeng whispered.

“Oh, my apologies, I-”

“Yeah, you got that right,” Heechul muttered, “You mess with him, you mess with us. You want to court him, you have to go through us first.”

“Chul, now’s not the time. He’s just a doctor.” Hangeng retorted.

“Heh, but a handsome doctor. Who knows what he would do to my little Sungminnie.”

Kyuhyun cleared his throat, “Um, I apologise for interrupting, but I have no intentions of courting your friend.”

“Better not. I have my eyes on you doctor.”

“Heechul don’t be so rude, he’s trying to help Minnie.”

Heechul blinked and let out a laugh, “Alright, let me see my favourite best friend in the world.” He said, leaving the other two men in confusion.

“Uh,” Hangeng cleared his throat, “Sorry about that, he just gets a bit overprotective sometimes.”

“Oh, no! Believe me, I’ve met people… much.. more overprotective.” Kyuhyun smiled politely, “Well, I’ll get going, visiting hours end in an hour, so I shall let you guys have your privacy.”

“Thank you so much, doctor Cho.”

“It’s my pleasure.”

~

“I don’t trust that guy.”

“He’s a doctor Chul.”

“So? I’m an unemployed guy, yet no one trusts me!”

“That’s because you’re Heechul.” Hangeng mumbled, gaining a slap across the head from his partner and a loud laugh from Sungmin. “I’m just saying!” He said in defence.

“But he isn’t that bad. I quite like him.” Sungmin smiled.

Heechul and Hangeng blinked simultaneously at the smiling man.

“Are you thinking what I am?”

“I hope I’m not.” Hangeng replied, his eyes not leaving the other.

“I think he’s in love.”

“Yup I was thinking what you were.”

“I’m not in love!” Sungmin snapped. “He’s just a good doctor.”

“Alright, whatever you say, Captain.” Heechul rolled his eyes, “We have to go now. Your lies are drowning us in this small room. Come on Geng, I need to breathe, his lies are suffocating me.” He said, pulling the said man up.

“Yah! I’m sorry! Don’t leave me here! I can’t handle it here. I’m suffocating too! Help Geng Hyung!”

“Maybe if you stopped lying you won’t suffocate.” Heechul retorted, blowing him a kiss and laughing at his rebuts. “Bye Minnie! Love you!”

“Yah! Don’t leave me here! Fight me! I’ll beat you up!” The patient yelled exasperatedly.

Heechul closed the door before sighing.

“You worried?”

“Yeah, I don’t want to lose him.”

“It’s okay, he’ll be fine.” Hangeng smiled reassuringly, although his words could not even reassure his own doubting heart.

“Visiting time is over.” Kyuhyun called, from a few metres away. He smiled at the couple who were staring at the closed door. “Don’t worry, I promise to keep him well and healthy.”

Heechul turned his head to the doctor and smiled, “Thank you. He really likes you, I hope you can be his doctor permanently.”

“I will make sure that I can.”

~

“Doctor Mister Cho Kyuhyun!”

“Oh, Mr Lee you’re awake.” Kyuhyun smiled.

“Yep! Awake and as healthy as I can ever be! Can I leave today? You promised to buy me ice cream! Maybe we can have a fighting contest too!”

“Not today, Sungmin. Maybe next time.” Kyuhyun chuckled.

“Aish, no fair.” Sungmin pouted.

“Are we having another test?”

“Yes.”

“Noo. I don’t want.”

“This one would be a short one only.”

“I don’t want.” He replied stubbornly, before having a coughing fit and soon coughing out blood.

Kyuhyun immediately began handing the other tissues and softly patting his back.

“How are you feeling?” He asked gently, after the coughing fits had simmered down, handing him a glass of water.

“I feel great.” He croaked with a small smile. “You want to buy me ice cream?”

“Maybe later.” Kyuhyun smiled. “Come on, let’s go do your tests.”

“Will you be there?”

“If you want me to.”

Sungmin nodded, “Yes please.”

“Alright. I’ll go and set it up. Press the button if something is wrong alright?”

“Pft, I’m Lee Sungmin. I’m perfectly fine.” Sungmin laughed, giving the other a lazy salute.

Kyuhyun smiled and left the room. He turned around, straight into a lanky man.

“Kyuhyunnie!”

“Oh, Siwon! You’re here?”

“Of course! It’s Tuesday you idiot.”

“Oh right.” He mumbled.

“How is everything?”

“Fine.” He replied, “Don’t you have patients too?”

“Yeah, but I want to talk.”

“I have no time. My schedule is tight today.”

“Then, lunch?”

“I plan to skip that.”

“Come on Kyuhyun, you can’t keep avoiding me.”

“If I was avoiding you, I wouldn’t have spoken to you.”

“Hm, how’s your favourite patient?”

“What?”

“Come on, we all know you have a soft spot for that Sungmin guy.”

“He’s a patient.” Kyuhyun emphasised.

“So?”

“I have to be professional.”

“But you like him?”

“I never said that.”

“You never denied it either.”

Kyuhyun sighed, “He’s just a patient and I’m just a doctor, alright? Stop butting into other people’s businesses alright, Choi Siwon? Get to work.”

“You still haven’t denied it.” Siwon muttered.

“Go away, before I fire you.”

“Aish.” Siwon grumbled, before walking away.

Kyuhyun shook his head. He was aware of the rumours that went around in the hospital. About him and the ‘patient with the unfortunate lungs’ but he never paid much attention to them. He was merely a doctor, doing his job, which was taking care of others. It was expected that he was kind and respectful to each patient no matter how much they had got on his nerves, so what was so special about Sungmin?

Once he was done preparing the tests, he walked back to the patient’s room. Knocking softly before walking in, he saw the other attempting to stand.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m trying to stand up.” He replied, “I haven’t stood up in weeks.”

Kyuhyun blinked, “Sungmin, you stood up yesterday.”

Sungmin paused, “Good point. I’m trying to escape!” He said, slowly walking towards the door.

The doctor chuckled, “You think I can’t catch you?”

“Of course you can’t. You probably spend your days playing games in a dark lit room.”

Kyuhyun blinked again, “You don’t even know how accurate that was.” He muttered. “Come on, get in the wheelchair, we’ll go to the testing room now.

“I don’t want to!” Sungmin refused, “I want to walk.”

“Do you want to walk to the testing room?”

Sungmin bit his lower lip, “Okay, but you have to stay with me.”

Kyuhyun smiled, “Sure.” Kyuhyun held out his arm, and with small shuffles, the other grabbed tightly to it and continued to shuffle to the door.

“After this, can I get ice cream?”

“Maybe.” Kyuhyun smiled. As soon as they stepped out, all staffs surrounding turned their gaze to the ‘couple.’ To his relief, Sungmin’s eyes were fixated on his feet and the floor, so he was not aware with the judging looks that were thrown at them.

“Doctor! Look at my feet, they’re moving!” Sungmin laughed happily.

“Yeah! Good job Sungmin. You’re doing well.”

“Are we nearly there?” He huffed.

“Almost. What? Are you tired already?”

“N-No.”  Sungmin replied, trying to quieten his breaths.

“Okay, if you say so.” He replied teasingly. He heard nurse whisper about them as they walked passed. About how ‘cute’ they were to how ‘disgusted’ it was that a doctor was dating a patient. He wanted, so badly, to reprimand them all. He was Doctor Cho Kyuhyun, after all, the son of the founder of the hospital. But as he saw the content smile of the patient who was clinging onto him, he could do nothing but glare at the staffs, hoping that they would get on with work.

~

Kyuhyun was sitting in his office. He had finished everything that was scheduled today, as well as a few reports that were soon due. He stared at the clock that seemed to be ticking slower than usual, and waited until his shift was over. Only 10 more minutes. He thought. He began to slowly pack his belongings, and put on his coat. 7:52 PM the clock had read. What, that only took 2 minutes? He exhaled heavily, as he thought of how comfortable his bed would be. How his beloved computer was waiting at home, ready to be played.

5 more minutes

…

4 more minutes

…

3 more minutes

…

BRIIIING

Kyuhyun jumped. His phone was ringing and vibrating loudly against the metal table.

Unknown Number

“Hello?” He answered.

“Is this Mr Cho Kyuhyun?”

“Yes, this is him.”

“Hi, my name is Doctor Kim, I’m ringing to inform you with a heavy heart, that your mother has passed away, after losing her fight with cancer.”

Kyuhyun’s heart drop. “S-She’s never had cancer? She never told me. I’m a doctor too, sir, and she hasn’t informed me with any of this.” He reasoned.

“I am sorry, sir, but I believe she did not want to disturb you with your work.”

“I’M A DOCTOR, GODDAMIT! I COULD HAVE SAVE HER.”

“Sir…”

Kyuhyun hung up and dropped the phone. He slumped onto his chair, before tears ran down his face endlessly.

How could he not known about her illness?

Why didn’t she tell him?

How could he have not realised she was suffering?

With a heavy heart, and tears that continued to blur his vision, he stood up, grabbing his dropped phone, and left the office.

His head was bent down, in case anyone had saw him and questioned him, and he walked as quickly as he could towards the exit, bumping into someone on the way.

“Ow.” The other mumbled.

“Sungmin?” Kyuhyun croaked.

“Oh! Doctor Mister Cho Kyuhyun!” He replied happily.

“What are you doing here?”

“I was learning how to walk quicker, so I could escape!” He looked up and saw the tear stained face that stared back at him.

“D-Doctor Cho?” He said quietly, “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” He replied, looking away.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“No, not really.”

“Okay…” Sungmin said, “Can you at least help me back to my room?” He asked, trying to make the other forget about whatever it was that was troubling him.

Kyuhyun let out a small chuckle, “Alright.”

The slow walk back was quiet. Sungmin wanted to say something, anything, to cheer the other up. But Kyuhyun had bet him to it.

“I’m a horrible doctor.” He mumbled absentmindedly.

“Eh? No you’re not!”

“There’s no need to lie. It’s pass my working time. You can be honest.”

“Are you sure?”

Kyuhyun was confused, he was sure that the other would have at least still lie a bit to make him feel better, but nonetheless, he nodded, “Be 100% honest.”

Sungmin nodded, they had finally reached the ward, and Sungmin laid back onto the bed. Kyuhyun had pulled a chair over and sat beside him. “100% honest.” Sungmin muttered, before taking a deep inhale. The doctor, gulped and held his breath, awaiting to hear what was on his patient’s mind.

“Truthfully, I’m scared. I’m scared that I would die. I have a collapsed lung, and if I make one wrong move, my life could be on the line. I almost died once, the next time, I would die for sure, and I’m not ready for this. Even so, I don’t want to get treated, I want to leave this hospital. To do whatever I can, and see the world in the eyes of a dying person. There are so many things I want to do, but I may never do it if I get this treatment. If I get this treatment, I’ll have to take care of myself even more. I won’t be able to be careless. I won’t be able to go snorkelling, or climb a mountain. I won’t be able to be normal. I’ve thought about this so every night.”

“Sungmin…”

“You said that you wanted the full truth, so here it is. I thought about it for so long, until a few months ago, when you became my doctor. Usually, doctors can only deal with me for a week, because of my insolence and my annoying remarks, but you stood by me through everything I threw at you. At first, it was because I hated doctors, I hated how they kept me in this prison, and treated me like there was something wrong with me. But you let me be who I was. You treated me like a friend, and even though, rumours were all going around, you ignored them and still put me first. For once, I didn’t feel like leaving this hospital, because I knew that if I left, I wouldn’t get to see you anymore. To me, you’re the best doctor anyone could have. I’m so lucky I had you as my doctor, but I’m also sorry that you were stuck with me. That’s the 100% truth.”

Kyuhyun was speechless, tears had already seeped out of his eyes once again, despite everything he tried to keep them in.

“I don’t mean to sound insensitive, but… did someone pass away recently?”

The doctor looked up, “H-How did you know?”

“Ah, so I was right.” He gave Kyuhyun a sad smile, “I was the same way, when my parents left me too. You have to keep smiling though.”

“What?”

“Keep smiling, despite everything that’s hurting you. When you smile, everyone around you smiles too. Someone once told me that even when I cry, I should still smile and be happy, because something good will be just around the corner. Just like the sky, when the rain pours heavily, if the sun is there to shine brightly, there will always be a rainbow.” He said. “When my parents passed away, I cried, of course, I cried so much, but when everyone else were mourning, I smiled, and let everyone know that my parents were looking from above, and they were also crying, as they saw how devastated we all were. We had to be happy, and remember the good memories we had with them, and when we did exactly that, the winter became warmer, and the sun shone brighter. Everyone had heavy hearts, but they did not cry. They reminisced over the good times.”

“Isn’t smiling a bit insensitive when your mother just passed away?”

“You’re not smiling over the fact that they’ve passed away, you’re smiling over the fact that the memories that you’ve shared with them will never die, and will always be in your heart.”

Kyuhyun looked down on his lap.

“You’re a good doctor, Doctor Cho. Your mother would’ve been proud.”

“How’d you know it was my mother?”

“You kinda told me just then.”

“O-Oh, did I?”

“Yeah.” He smiled, “It’s past your shift, Doctor Cho, you should go home and relax. I will go to sleep now.”

“Alright, I’ll just stay here until you fall asleep.”

~

Kyuhyun woke up by the sounds of chirping from the outside. He sat up, and stretched, His back was aching and his eyes felt heavy from the tears he shed the night before. He stared at the person who slept peacefully next to him and smiled. It turned out he had forgotten to leave and go home, but nonetheless, he felt content that the patient was the first thing he saw that day. He stood up and stretched once again, letting out a huge yawn.

“Kyuhyn!”

He jumped, “Oh, it’s just you.”

“Why so jumpy? Scared to have me find out that you spent the night with a patient?”

“What?”

“Don’t act dumb, everyone knows about it.”

“What?”

“I told you words goes around quickly.”

“What did you tell them, Siwon?”

“Oh it wasn’t me. It was one of the nurses.”

Kyuhyun ran his fingers through his hair.

“Did you actually sleep with him?”

“No! I was comforting him. He couldn’t sleep, so I was there!”

“That’s not your job, Kyuhyun!”

“He’s my patient!”

A loud coughing was heard in the room behind him. Kyuhyun turned and opened the door. “Sungmin! Are you okay?”

“Doctor… I can’t… breathe.” He struggled, clenching onto his chest.

“Wait! Kyuhyun ran over to push the emergency button. “Siwon, quick! Help me!”

Immediately, Siwon ran to grab a stretcher and pushed it into Sungmin’s room. The patient was coughing up blood, and was turning blue quickly.

“Kyuhyun…” He croaked, “Help…” Before coughing up more blood, and gasping for air. Soon enough a group of doctors ran in and grabbed the stretcher out of Kyuhyun’s hands. He tried to follow, but they pushed him away.

“YAH! THAT’S MY PATIENT.” He yelled, running after them.

“Not. Anymore.” A stern voice was heard. He turned, to see the head doctor standing a few metres away.

“Sir that is my patient.” He said exasperatedly.

“I said not anymore, Cho Kyuhyun. Do you not hear what I am saying?”

“Please, you don’t understand, he needs surgery, now.”

“Dr Cho Kyuhyun. He is no longer your patient.”

“Why?”

“Your relationship with him is not professional. It can risk his life.”

“There’s nothing going on between us! I swear, we are just doctor and patient.”

“Then why are you arguing with me?”

Kyuhyun opened his mouth to argue, but nothing came out. He was right. If they were just doctor and patient why was he so against the proposition? Because he promised him to be his doctor forever, that’s right. But he had made that promise with plenty of other patients too, why was this one any special? “Sir, if you would just give me one more chance.” He tried again.

“No.”

“Sir.”

“I said no Dr Cho, what do you not unde-”

“WHERE’S KYUHYUN? I WANT KYUHYUN!”

Both men jumped and turned to the where the scream came from. Soon enough, a nurse walked out of the surgery room and bowed respectfully at the two doctors, ‘Sir, the patient is requesting for Dr Cho to perform the surgery.”

“Inject anaesthetics. He’ll go down soon enough.”

“We cannot. He is flailing around. We might inject him in the wrong area.”

“Sir, please let me perform this surgery.”

“You perform this surgery and you’re fired, Cho.”

“Why are you so against me performing surgery on him? He’s a patient, I just want him to be safe. Do you want him to die, like Omma, father?”

“Yah, you little- Don’t you dare call me that. I gave you this job, and I can easily take it back, like how I could easily ended your mother’s life.”

Kyuhyun’s eyes widened, “What?”

“I didn’t divorce her because I loved her. She brought me pain every single day. And you only reminded me of her. You’re as good as dead as her.”

Kyuhyun clenched his fist and threw a punch at the other, hearing the scream from the nurse he had completely forgotten was there.

“KYUHYUN!” Another scream.

The said man stopped and looked at the closed doors. “Fire me if you want, I don’t give a .” He said, walking through the door.

~

“Where were you?”

“I was there.” Kyuhyun replied.

“No you weren’t.”

“Sorry, I had to deal with some… issues. I was there though.”

“Okay… are you actually fired?”

“Yeah. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.”

“But I won’t! I don’t want to stay here if you aren’t there.”

Kyuhyun smiled.

“Yah why are you smiling, I hate you. I’ll fight you.” He pouted.

He chuckled, before laughing loudly.

“Stop laughing at me and my misfortunes. I’ll beat you up. I’m a black belt.” He reminded.

“You don’t have to stay anymore.”

“What?”

Kyuhyun smiled, “According to the papers, you have to stay for 1 more day, and then you can go.”

“Really?” Sungmin asked excitedly.

“Yeah! Congratulations Sungmin.”

“I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you.” Sungmin replied, his smile dropping as he realised he would never see his doctor anymore.

“Maybe there’s a way you can thank me?” Kyuhyun suggested.

“Hm? How?”

“Ice cream date?”

Hey guys! I hope you enjoyed that little story. As I said before, it's based on a friend's life. Not mine, unfortunately, my life consists of gaming, food, sleep and school. That is legit it. Maybe something interesting will happen one day, and I'll have a fanfic worthy story -w- Anyway, till then I shall write about other people's lives xD Anyways, comments are always welcomed and cherished xDD As well as upvotes and subscribes. I wish you all safety and good health! Till next time!