“One thing I don’t get it, though.” Tiffany said as she cut the meat to smaller piece. “You know exactly the procedure and…” she hesitated to say this but chose to ask anyway. “If you do the resuscitation, she wouldn’t even know. You’re safe. None of this would happen.”   

“I am a soldier.” There was a proud yet dejected emotion visible in the tone she was using. “I served in the army for six – seven months. I take promise very seriously. It doesn’t matter if it’s only a verbal one. Once I break it, I am no longer a soldier. I mean I don’t serve the army anymore but I am still a soldier.”

“Did it cross your mind that what you did could endanger your career?” Tiffany looked at Taeyeon intently. “For a woman you didn’t even know.”

“Have you ever wished to live for sixty years?” The surgeon asked back.

Tiffany tilted her head in wonder but didn’t respond.

“Will you choose to keep living in a foreign place for who knows how long alone without someone you love the most? You’ve got a great chance to die, to finally be free from the torture of loneliness. Would you take it for granted?”

“She had family, those people love her, Doctor Kim. That should be enough reason to live.”

Taeyeon smiled bitterly. “You forget the fact that human is selfish creature. She didn’t ask me to let her die because she was afraid of it or worried about what she was about to leave behind. She wanted it.” She took a deep calming breath. “It is selfish to ask someone to stay when all she wanted to do is leaving… too… to be with someone she loved.” Her voice became lower and lower.

There were a million questions running in Tiffany’s head. Was Taeyeon still talking about the woman? It felt like it was more than that. Taeyeon got too sentimental.

The curiosity got the best of her. Acting casually, Tiffany proceeded to go on with this topic. “She told you this?”

The surgeon sipped her water from the straw but didn’t say anything to confirm.

“I don’t get it.” Tiffany uttered honestly. “Let’s say the reason is because she wanted to be with this person…” Tiffany furrowed her brows. “The price is leaving her children in grief.” She stated as a matter of fact.

“You don’t know the whole story. If you do, you’d understand.”

“Make me understand, Doctor Kim.”

Taeyeon leaned on the backrest somewhat tensely. She bit her thumb, lips tugging slightly upward. “That’d be mean I break my promise. I am a soldier, Ms. Hwang.”

-----

With a glass of wine in her hand, Tiffany Hwang couldn’t concentrate on the conversation. She was blank most of the time but not because of alcohol. She merely had two sips since Sooyoung handed the good old wine to her an hour ago. 

She had re-read Doctor Kim’s file that afternoon. She knew that Doctor Kim worked for the army when she was a resident. Her file contained that information. The file also addressed a certain period of probation time shortly after she came back from the army. PTSD, it was written.

“Hey Tiff.” Sooyoung nudged her friend’s knee. “Is everything alright? You’ve been spacing out.”

“Did you even hear a word we say?” Jessica added. “This is very uncharacteristic of you.”

“Uh… yes, I’m fine. We were talking about…?”

“We,” she pointed herself and Jessica. “Were talking about. Not you. You’re not included. You make yourself out of convo.”

“I’m sorry.” Tiffany rolled her eyes as she stood up from the couch and went to the kitchen to get some snack. She took an apple, brought it and a knife to the living room. She sat on the floor then began to peel it. “I bet you guys were talking about that new boss’ secretary. It’s been three days. Enough already. She’s hot so what?”

“Want me to set you two up?” Sooyoung said cheerfully.

The dark brown haired woman snorted. “No.”

“No?” Sooyoung faked a surprise. “Why not? She’s nice.”

“Not interested to date. I’m busy.”

“Oh, okay. Then just hook up.”

The other two narrowed their eyes to the tallest woman with flat expression.

“What?” Sooyoung shrugged. “ is healthy. Not having enough is unhealthy.”

“Unsafe is unhealthy.” Jessica corrected. “Better to stick with one person.”

“Tiffany has no one.” Sooyoung stated as a matter of fact. “I mean she has the two of us but I don’t want to have with her and neither do you. What left is option number two: hook up.”

Tiffany quickly put down what were in her hands and punched Sooyoung with a pillow mercilessly. “Stop with the joke! It’s not funny anymore!”

The woman laughed like a maniac. “I’m just stating fact! Yah! Stop hitting me!”

“Stop it, you two.” Jessica sighed. “Sooyoung-ah, your phone is ringing.”

Sooyoung quickly ran from Tiffany’s punch and grabbed her phone on the table. “Hey, dad.” She greeted the older man breathlessly. “What’s up?”

“What’s up with you? Why are you sounding so out of breath?”

“Nothing. Can I help you with something?”

“Is your boyfriend there?” He asked in horror.

“No! It’s Tiffany and Jessica. Why do you call?”

“Ah, thank you heaven.” He heaved a breath in relieved. “Have you called the hospital and scheduled me?”

“Yes, I have. But Docto