Jongin promised he wouldn’t do anything to Chanyeol after hearing Sohee’s news. And, contrasting Chanyeol’s prediction, Jongin didn’t feel like doing anything. He no longer had the urge to check up on Sohee, and she had doting parents who would take care of her, unlike Gaeul. Jongin shakes his head and tries to wipe out the thoughts of Sohee. A smile spreads across his face as he thinks about Gaeul again. Checking his schedule, he could squeeze in about half an hour to see Gaeul.

Joyfully, he stands up from his desk and walks out of his office, heading towards Gaeul’s room. The whole day, while greeting patients and looking through medical charts, even in the bathroom, Jongin had a smile planted on his face. Approaching Gaeul’s room, Jongin’s heart starts to beat faster and he feels an adrenaline rush. It was an exciting moment to just see her again.

Standing in front of Gaeul and Solbi’s room, an older man peeks into the room timidly. Dressed in a black suit, the older man seemed to be a professional. Jongin takes a step closer to the man. He deliberately clears his throat as way of introducing himself to the stranger.

The man turns around.

“Sir…” Jongin murmurs surprised while staring at the old man who turns out to be Chairman Son.

“Ah, Jongin-ah…hello.” Chairman Son greets Jongin softly as he tries to cover up his surprised voice. He didn’t expect to see Jongin here, and he didn’t exactly want to see him here either.

Jongin stares at Chairman Son with confusion. Why was he standing in front of Gaeul’s room? All along, he had avoided Gaeul perfectly, even while keeping her in this hospital, he made sure they never met. However, why was he here today?

“I was just uhm…wondering…how she was.” Chairman Son explains in his shaking voice. His plan was to see Gaeul for a second and get going. Just for a second he would check up on Gaeul, and walk away, like he did for all the years. But after he witnessed Gaeul getting slapped by Sohee, he couldn’t help but come to check up on Gaeul. So, through the small window frame, he tried to glance at her cheeks and check if she was coping fine. Unlike the other days, today he couldn’t walk away with ease.

“I don’t think Sohee would be happy if she knew you were here.” Jongin informs him.

Chairman Son nods. He knew Sohee would almost kill herself if she found out he came to see Gaeul. After all, she spent years pretending that she didn’t know Gaeul existed. He knew he was hurting both of them, Gaeul and Sohee, by keeping Gaeul in this hospital. But, he just couldn’t let Gaeul go. Even if he left her mother, Gaeul was still his daughter, and he felt responsible for her after her mother died while giving birth.

“I was relieved when Sohee asked me to assign you to Gaeul. After all, you’re the best cardiac surgeon. So I hope you can cure Gaeul. She’s a poor girl…” Chairman Son tells Jongin while glancing into the room. His eyes and words filled with worry and caution.

Through the corner of his eyes, he watched Gaeul laughing and joking with her roommate. Her laughter relieved him momentarily as they resembled her mother’s. She was very similar to her late mother…a bright and selfless girl.

Jongin shakes his head, disagreeing to Chairman Son’s statement. “No, Gaeul may not have had the happiest childhood, but she’s a strong girl, and she created her own happiness. Sohee had everything, but she created a miserable life for herself. We can’t determine one’s happiness according to one’s surroundings. Don’t worry Sir, Gaeul is doing fine. And I will get her out of here.”

Chairman Son contemplates for a while. It was true that Sohee had everything, but she seemed to be unsatisfied and miserable her whole life…just like her mother. He takes another look at Gaeul, who is still smiling.

“Sohee hasn’t been eating…and you haven’t visited for a while. Are you no longer involved with Sohee?” Chairman Son asks.

Jongin purses his lips as he wonders how to respond.

“You’re determined to get Gaeul out of this hospital, similar to all doctors who want to cure their patients. But, your determination is different. Am I right?” Chairman Son asks again as Jongin stands quiet. Jongin unable to respond again, bites his bottom lip and glances down at the floor.

“If you made a choice, never turn back. Don’t hurt my daughter.” Chairman Son warns him.

Jongin looks up at Chairman Son, who is looking at him firmly.

Which daughter are you talking about?

Chairman Son sighs and pats Jongin’s shoulder. “I’ve never been a father, and I don’t plan to. I’ll protect Sohee, please look after Gaeul.” In his words, sadness emanates and his actions show regret. However, Jongin knew Chairman Son was never going to appear in front of Gaeul as a father, unless Sohee accepted Gaeul.

“Sir…if you made a choice, don’t come back here. Come back when you can be a father to both of them.” Jongin tells Chairman Son, who has stopped walking. With his back towards Jongin, Chairman Son nods solemnly and walks away. This was the last time he would physically appear near Gaeul, but as always, he will keep an eye on her.

 Jongin sighs as he realizes that Chairman Son may never come back here again. He glances into the glass window on the door with pitiful eyes, but soon smiles as he sees Gaeul laughing. She was oblivious to the fact that her father existed. Would she be able to smile again if she knew her father was actually closer to her than she thought? And if she found out that her father abandoned her all along?

He shakes his head of the complex questions. No matter what problems arose, he didn’t have to do anything but just stand by her and support her.

Softly, Jongin taps his knuckles against the door then slides the door open.

“Hey there.” He greets Gaeul.

I’ll protect you. I’ll be everything you need. More than a friend, more than a father.

Gaeul looks up to Jongin and her smile spreads wider. “Hi there.” She returns his greeting. Her twinkle as she stares at him.

“Eck, lovebirds.” Solbi mutters grumpily. She picks herself up from the bed as she rolls her eyes. “Going to go grab something that I don’t need to give you two space. Better thank me.” Solbi announces as she pushes her feet into her slippers. Just a week ago, the man staring at Gaeul with lovey dovey eyes was her dream man. Today, he was just a stupid doctor in love with her roommate. “Psht, not good looking after all.” Solbi murmurs as she stomps out of the room.

Gaeul giggles at Solbi’s comments.

“Why are you such a happy person?” Jongin asks her, while looking into her eyes deeply. Her eyes were so pure that he felt better just by looking at them.

Gaeul shrugs. “Because I am. Why are you such a cold person?” She asks back.

Jongin shrugs too. “Because I am. So, are you hungry? Do you want anything to eat in particular?”

She frowns. “Even if I had something I wanted to eat, I can’t eat it because I’m stuck here.” She mumbles dismally.

Jongin smirks playfully. “You may be stuck here, but you may not be.”

Gaeul raises her eyebrows at Jongin’s ambiguous statement. “What are you saying?”

“Son Gaeul is staying in here, but you’re not. Change into normal clothes. Let’s escape.” He whispers secretively.

Gaeul’s eyes light up. “Is this a secret mission?” she asks excited.

Gaeul carefully peeks out of the elevator. Making sure none of the hospital staff notices her, Gaeul wraps herself with a scarf and buries her face into it. For further protection, Gaeul has prepared sunglasses, a mask and a hat too.

Noticing Jongin standing in the center of the lobby, Gaeul tip toes towards him. Lightly, she taps his shoulder.

Jongin turns around at Gaeul’s tap, to see her completely covered in various layers of clothing and accessories. Buried in her pursuit to be unnoticed, she became a statement for attention.

“Your outfit is actually screaming for attention.” Jongin clicks his tongue as he gently pulls off Gaeul’s hat, and removes her mask. “You’re not a celebrity. People aren’t seeking out for you.” Jongin chuckles as he carefully takes her sunglasses off and pulls her scarf away too.

Gaeul looks frantic as all her protection gear has been removed. “If they catch me leaving this hospital, they’ll…” Gaeul stops her sentence as she realizes no one can actually harm her. She already had a atomic bomb in her heart, that no one could treat her badly.

“They can’t do anything. Besides, I’m your doctor. If they have a problem they can talk to me.” Jongin tells her reassuringly. He throws Gaeul’s pile of protection gear onto the couch, and clasps onto Gaeul’s hand. His grip tightens and he pulls her out of the hospital.

Opening the door to his Ferrari, Jongin carefully places Gaeul into the passenger’s seat. Soon, he starts the engine and leaves the hospital behind. The walls of the hospital that Gaeul had been terrified to leave, was already long behind them, merely as a background.

“This seat is awfully uncomfortable…” Gaeul mumbles with disappointment. She had expected that expensive cars like these were supposed to be designed for comfort too.

“What do you mean? Girls love this car!” Jongin exclaims as he speeds through the highway.

Gaeul raises her left eyebrow. “Girls? May I ask how many girls love this car? Or, how many girls have been in this car?” She asks suspiciously.

Jongin bites his bottom lip and mentally slaps his head. “Just on TV…girls seemed to like Ferraris. I mean even guys love the passenger seat.” He responds with a forced calmness, just hoping Gaeul would buy his explanation.

Gaeul shakes her head, unable to accept Jongin’s pathetic excuse. “Kim Jongin-ssi, better give me a better answer.”

“Even if I give you their names, you can’t do anything, so what’s the point?” Jongin responds, digging into his grave deeper.

Gaeul claps with anger. “Watch me do something. Just give me one name!!”

Jongin smirks. “One name? Have you heard of Moon Joung Sook?” His tone playful and eyes sparkling with excitement.

“No…who is she?”

“My mother. So what are you going to do to her?” Jongin teases, as he glances at Gaeul’s expression through the corner of his eyes.