Station Seventeen

~ calm before the storm~

Sungmin glanced again at Ryeowook’s empty table. He is late again for the second time this week. He wondered what the reason it is for now. It is not raining like the other day and it’s not traffic like usual.

“In five minutes, if doesn’t come i’ll take over his job today,” Sungmin talked out loud.

“No you wouldn’t,” a panting voice said. Ryeowook entered the office and went straight to his desk. He obviously run his way, sweat was evident on his forehead. “I missed my alarm,” he explained.

“You must be so tired yesterday,”

“I’m always tired. It’s because of the bed,” Ryeowook blamed the poor thing. “The bed is so comfy that I don’t want to get up. Plus, the weather’s so cold.” He checks the diet lists placed on his table. “Is it already updated?”

“U-huh. You should reward me. I did ¼ of your job today,” he teased his friend.

“Thanks chingu. I will when we have time,” he promised. He put his coat and fixed his hair and face. “I have to go upstairs now.”

“You really should,” Sungmin urged. “Finish it early so you can rest,”

“I just arrived...you’re thinking about resting now,” Ryeowook commented before he left to do his work.

“Oh I would just love to rest on a Sunday morning like this. What am I thinking when I was choosing a profession?” Sungmin sighed and slumped on his desk.

“Good morning Nurse Yoon!” Ryeowook greeted as he went to the Neuro-ICU. “How’s your day?”

The nurse smiled looking up from the computer where she types something. “Morning,” she yawned. “I feel lethargic... I’m ending my shift in an hour.”

“Are you sick?”

Nurse Yoon shrugged. “Just lack of sleep. Have I told you that I’m taking my master’s degree now?” Ryeowook was about to reply when the phone rings. She answered the call and instead Ryeowook went over the medical charts. He looked for the patients in his list and wrote the OF formulas he prepared the other day. He was busy that he didn’t notice his surroundings.

A lady doctor went to his side and grabbed one chart on the shelf. She looked at him and recognized him.

“Oh, it’s you, Kyuhyun’s friend” she commented.

At the mention of his boyfriend’s name Ryeowook stopped writing and turned to see her. Ah, that former schoolmate. He wanted to roll his eyes and correct her for the use of ‘friend’ in her sentence but he decided to be professional.

“Did you forget my name?” he asked with a slight sarcasm.

“Nope, but I always remember you as his friend,” she answered sweetly.

Ryeowook turned away and rolled his eyes. One more mention of the word friend I will talk back, he thought.

An awkward silence fell on them as Ryeowook went back to his writing. He doesn’t feel friendly right now. He isn’t rude. It’s just at certain times he meets a person who doesn’t fit his taste. If there’s love at first sight then for him there’s hate – no that’s a strong word – irritating at first sight.

“Kyuhyunnie’s gotten handsome isn’t it? It’s really nice that we meet again,” she started talking again.

Ryeowook’s eyebrow almost rose at that Kyuhyunnie. Is she close enough to call his boyfriend that nickname? In all Kyuhyun’s stories about his college life, she was never mentioned so she figured out she isn’t that important to him. He knows Kyuhyun well since they’re also best of friends since childhood.

“He’s always handsome. Even when we were kids,” he replied.

“I would love to see some pictures! Do you have some?” she asked.

Ryeowook hid a smirk. He found the formula now. “Oh, I think I don’t have at home... you know they move a lot of my stuffs to our other house after college,” he lied. There’s no way he will satisfy her with what she wants to see.

She thought for a while before replying. “You must be so sad when he moved away right?”

Ryeowook stared at her again. Who is she to remind me of those sad times? She’s so nosy. “That is long ago. We’ve reunited again and I think it’s easier now to keep in contact.”

“Yup that’s right! It’s easier now to keep in contact,” she agreed. Ryeowook gives her a blank stare.

He placed the medical charts back to the shelf and stood up holding his clipboard. “Excuse me for now, I have some patient to visit,” he faked a smile and walked away. It’s either Hana is oblivious to Ryeowook’s behaviour towards her or she’s really trying to annoy her as she said “Bye,” without being heard by the other.

Ryeowook went back to the office after lunch. He massaged his neck as he sat on his chair. After his patient visitation he remembered to check his phone. He put it in silent mode before so he forgot about it for a while. He opened it to see a couple of messages from Kyuhyun, his mother and a missed call from their chief dietitian. He read his mother’s first and typed a reply before checking Kyuhyun’s.

Are you still working? – 11:14am

I’m having a break at 12. Message me if you’re free. – 11:26am

Should I call you later? – 11:40am

But I’m afraid you’re in the middle of diet instructing. – 11:41am

I’m hungryyyyyy >< – 11:59am

I went to see you but not yet back according to Sungmin.... can I go eat now? – 12