02 

 

T h e  S e c o n d  S t e p

 

The next few days were even busier for Chae Kyung as she was the only doctor assigned to Choi Seung Hyun of the famous and successful Choi Corporations Company that was only a few blocks away from the hospital. Since he was a VIP patient and the hospital's first priority, he was moved to the bigger VIP suites located on the 20th floor of the hospital. Unfortunately for Chae Kyung, she constantly ran back and forth between floors attending to her many patients all the while monitoring Seung Hyun's vitals in case something went wrong with his health. Other nurses and doctors weren't allowed to help Chae Kyung since she was the first doctor to tend to the young man's health when he was first brought into the hospital. In the past, there had been many cases of confidential information of many companies and projects leaking out of the hospital due to many doctors and nurses being assigned to VIP patients. Most of the employees caught in the act were all fired without any exceptions — even if they were one of the best staff in the hospital. 

 

 

The higher-ups weren't the only ones who didn't like it, Chae Kyung also hated it. She hated dealing with many lawsuits claiming false interactions with the staff of the hospital. In her eyes, it was annoying and always causing trouble at the 24/7 busy hospital. She didn't understand why these VIP patients needed to be treated at a very busy hospital for minor injuries when going to a clinic would be the same and cause less trouble and money for the hospital. Even though the VIP had higher power than any staff in the hospital, they abuse it to the max.

 

 

In the past, only the VIP patients who were treated for minor injuries would claim that doctors and nurses did this or/and that to them. A case would be filed and an investigation would be lead by the police and just in a blink of an eye, the hospital would lose billions of dollars from a lie told by a VIP patient of the hospital. Since most of the cases had died down, Chae Kyung and other doctors of the hospital still preferred for the higher-ups to not be admitted into the hospital unless it was a real serious injury that the person could possibly die if not treated as soon as possible!

 

 

It was already past 7 pm by the time Chae Kyung reached Seung Hyun's suite up on the 20th floor of the hospital after finishing up with her last patient for the day. She quietly opened the door and walked into the room, shutting it quietly behind her as well. The room was large, much bigger than regular economy patients' room, with large windows for the sunlight to come into the room and decorated with flowers. There was more furniture to sit on in the VIP suites rather than two chairs in a regular and more space to put things away in so they weren't laying around in the room. Seung Hyun's room was dimmed by the two lamps connected to the walls behind his bed. 

 

 

Breathing out a sigh, she made her way over to his bed, inspecting his room as she did to only find a new fresh dozen of roses in a beautiful jeweled vase on the guest coffee table. Pouting at the awfully common flowers, she turned to focus on the young man in front of her who was resting away. The only sound in the room was the large room was the monitor that keeps track of his heartbeats and the soft quiet whirring sound of the air purifier on his bedside table. The noises were actually quite relaxing and Chae Kyung couldn't help but yawn, feeling the tiredness finally get to her body after working and running back and forth between the floors to tend to her many patients all day long.

 

 

Glancing down at the watch on her wrist, it was already 7:12 pm. She didn't have to see anyone else tonight besides Seung Hyun, who she needed to keep a constant eye on. Looking at the IV fluid bag on his stand, she smiled at the sight of the new bag of electrolytes hanging on the stand. Even though she wasn't allowed to have anyone work with her, she was still able to have one of her very best nurses come in and check his IV fluid bag often for a change. 

 

 

"Alright, how about a little nap?" She yawned again. "I could use a little recharging."

 

 

Stretching her arms above her heads, the doctor turned and made her way over to the guest sofas and kicked off her sneakers before laying down. To her surprise, the cushions were very quite comfy to her liking only to make her fall asleep even faster. Soon the sound of her light snoring could be heard throughout the whole room, joining in with the harmonies of the beeping monitor and the air purifier. 

 

 

—

 

 

The young female doctor was slowly awakened to the sound of the beeping machine and the morning sunlight seeping in through window shades. Chae Kyung slowly cracked her eyes opened only to shut them again from the blinding sunlight and let out a groan. Rubbing her eyes, she groggily sat up on the couch and felt something fall off her shoulders and onto her laps. She looked down to see a blue blanket on her laps and furrowed her brows, wondering how the blanket got there in the first place. 

 

 

"I put the blanket on you last night when I came in to check up on the patient."

 

 

The sudden voice behind her from the bed surprised her causing her to gasp out loud and turned to look in the direction that the voice came from only to bring a frown to her face. It was Doctor Kang Daesung, fully dressed in his scrubs and was reading the numbers on the monitor. He had a playful smile on his face from seeing her startled reaction. 

 

 

"Really, sunbae?" She grumbled, feeling ten years shaved off of her life. "You should know to not scare a lady so early in the morning. Plus, you know how jumpy I am when it comes to scares."

 

 

Doctor Kang was there chuckling at her appearance, taking in everything before she changed. 

 

 

"How was your sleep?" He asked, walking over to the opposite sofa across from her and sat down. "Did you dream of me at all?"

 

 

"That's a secret." Chae Kyung stuck out her tongue at him, causing Daesung to playfully frown. "Anyways, what are you doing here so early? I thought that I was the only doctor who is supposed to watch him."

 

 

"Ah, yes, that is true but..." He lifts his right pointer finger to his lips and she breathed out a smile. "Believe it or not, this man is actually one of my best friends. Actually, there was a total of five of us in our group, we started a band together, became successful, and went on many tours around the world."

 

 

"What happened next?" she asked, finally fixing her messy bun into a neater one. "Why are you working as a doctor when your group is already so successful?"

 

 

Doctor Kang breathed out a small smile at her curious questions. He dropped his gaze down onto the roses in the vase on the table and let out another sigh. Chae Kyung watched his reaction to her words and bit her lips. She knew that she had hit the nail right on the head and quickly regretted it. 

 

 

"Well.."

 

 

"Sunbae, you don't have to answer it if you don't want to."

 

 

He shook his head. "No, you asked so I will give you an answer."

 

 

Chae Kyung nodded and gathered her hands onto her lap, waiting patiently for his next words. In all her years that she worked at the hospital and by Daesung's side, she had never seen him this troubled before and it concerned her. The room was filled in silence as Doctor Kang tried to find the words to start. 

 

 

"It happened about two years ago when we were getting ready for a tour in the United States," he began. "I guess you could say that there was just constant fighting about such childish things that soon it became very physical and we were all hurting each other to the extreme. That's when we all just decided that it was going to be our last tour together. They're going to go on their own ways and I'm going to go on mine." He stopped and glanced over at Seung Hyun. "I guess this guy choose to be a workaholic for his father's company. Before we all split, I remember Seung Hyun telling me about his musical dreams of becoming a successful solo artist and I wished him good luck all the while, still thinking about what my next steps would be. It's just a big shocking surprise to see this guy here in my father's hospital...I've never seen him in this kind of state before."

 

 

Chae Kyung nodded her head as she listens without interrupting at all. The words he spoke made it clear to her that these events were part of something big in his life that has soon died down and become nothing. She could barely find the words to say anything or comfort him at all. She never would've imagined Daesung to go through this kind of problem at all in his life but hearing it made her felt sorry for him. In an attempt to lighten the mood, Chae Kyung breathed out a smile at Daesung who ree back and decided to share something about her life since he shared something of his already. 

 

 

"I'll share something of my life with you, Sunbae. My parents and I live on Jeju Island," she began with a bright smile. "I'm the only child in my family so it always been quiet unless I'm causing trouble, which was most of the time."

 

 

"Mmm, like always."

 

 

The female doctor shot a look at the male doctor who chuckled at her reaction. 

 

 

"Anyways, there wasn't much to do on Jeju besides fishing or shopping so my parents and I started a little small garden in our backyard, where most of our fruits and vegetables came from," she said with a smile. "Since I was a naughty kid I would always run up and down the lanes, play with the plants and bugs in the little big garden. My parents would always yell at me to stop but I wouldn't listen! I would get into trouble all the time and..."

 

 

As she went on talking about her family and childhood, Daesung watched her with a content smile on his face. He loves the way how she smiled whenever she talked about something she was very passionate about and the way she expresses it on her face. Even though they have been working side-by-side with each other, he still wanted to learn more about her. He has seen her crying, angry, and happy from all those years, and yet, he still wanted to see more sides of her. 

 

 

"When will you be visiting your parents?" He suddenly asked.

 

 

At the sudden question, Chae Kyung stopped talking and stared at him, quite flustered. 

 

 

"Uh....um..."

 

 

Realizing what he had done to the female doctor, Daesung quickly let out a small cough, recollecting himself from taking it too far. The words just slipped out on their own although it was what he had wanted to ask so he was quite happy. 

 

 

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ask that.."

 

 

There was an awkward silence between the doctors as both try to find the words to break the silence.

 

 

"It's alright." She smiled at him and answered his question. "I will be visiting my parents in a couple of weeks. Would you like to visit with me?"

 

 

Now it was Daesung's turn to be flustered. He broke eye contact with her and leaned back on the couch, trying to remain cool while his cheeks began to turn a bright red. The female doctor chuckled at his reaction, waiting for his answer. 

 

 

"W-Why?" he studdered. "D-Does your parents k-know me?"

 

 

"Yes, of course, they know you! I tell them all about you in our younger years at school!" She laughed. "Ever since med school, I've told them all about you so now, they've been waiting to meet you."

 

 

"Really?" The still-flustered male doctor asked and Chae Kyung nodded with a smile. 

 

 

"Really."

 

 

Before Daesung could ask her anything else, the pager in his pocket beeped and he let out a groan knowing that it was time to get back to work. It was always like this – being interrupted in the middle of their conversation. The two doctors rarely had time to sit down and speak to one another and reminisce about their childish past together. Even though they knew each other for the longest time, Daesung is still trying to learn more about Chae Kyung and vice versa. Being a doctor was already hard enough but going through a day without seeing each other was like hell for both of them because they are each other's support when their parents aren't there. Every step along the way to their success has been hand-in-hand with a lot to cherish in between – from the little moments to the big moments, the two never forget a single memory. 

 

 

"I should really get going then.." Daesung said. 

 

 

"Yeah, you should." Chae Kyung nodded. "How about I take you to your favorite pastry shop during lunchtime?"

 

 

"Okay, deal." He smiled. "Your treat?"

 

 

"Deal." She grinned. 

 

 

The two doctors stood up from their seats on the couches and waved each other goodbye, looking forward to lunchtime which was in about four hours from now. After Daesung left, Chae Kyung let out a small chuckle at their little conversation. It was going to be her first time bringing a grown man to visit her parents and obviously, they are going to tell both of them to get married. Even though she knew that she had to get married someday, right now just isn't the time. There are so many things to be done with so little time and having a wedding in the midst of all this is just absurd! It is every girl's dream to get marry and have a huge wedding but when you don't have the money, moreover the time, then it is pointless. 

 

 

Chae Kyung walked over to the sleeping CEO and thoroughly checked his vitals. 

 

 

"You're in a much worst position than me," she sighed loudly. "I kind of feel bad for you now, but you know what —"

 

 

Before she could finish her sentence, her cellphone rang in her pocket and she quickly fished it out. 

 

 

"Hello?" She answered. 

 

 

"Doctor Lee! Please get down to the main lobby of the ER!" The lady told her through the phone. "There's a group of gangsters here causing a lot of commotion!"

 

 

"Alright, I'll be there!" She responded hearing shouting in the background. "Just hang on!"

 

 

The doctor ended the call and quickly dashed out the door muttering curse words under her breath. 

 

 

—

 

 

When Chae Kyung got to the main lobby of the ER, there was a group of men in suits demanding for someone to treat a man who was sitting on one of the waiting benches with a bloody cut on the side of his head. There was already a group of doctors trying to calm down the group of men but they ignored them and threw the doctors aside. 

 

 

"What the hell is going on here?!" Chae Kyung yelled, walking into the disturbance. "This is a hospital, not a playground for you men to be pushing doctors around!"

 

 

"We're just asking for an actual doctor to treat our boss with his injury," the fat man argued, tired of repeating the same sentence over and over again. "Hurry the hell up and bring me a doctor who can treat my boss!" The man yelled into her face. Chae Kyung sighed and placed her hands on her hips. 

 

 

"I am a doctor here and I can treat your boss," the female doctor told him. "Now let me tend to him."

 

 

She took a step to the right but the man followed her with his left, blocking her.

 

 

"Who the hell do you think you are?!" The man narrowed his eyes at her. "I said bring me an actual doctor, not a kid!"

 

 

Fed up with the lousy attitude and disrespect she exhaled a deep breath. Around her and the men, there was already a large crowd gathering of her fellow doctors, nurses, patients, and visitors to see what the commotion was. 

 

 

"This is a hospital, sir," Chae Kyung stated while trying to remain calm. "All the doctors here at this busy hospital are legit doctors that know how to treat a single damn wound! Now, will you let me treat your stupid boss or let him get infected!?" She angrily yelled, not caring about her image anymore.

 

 

"What the hell kind of doctor are you to be yelling at a patient?" The man sitting on the bench said with the obvious blood trickling down the side of his head. "I don't trust this stupid woman! Go bring me another doctor  — a male doctor!"

 

 

Before anyone else could say a word, the stubborn female doctor pushed the fat man aside and walked towards the bleeding man and bent down so they were both at eye level. She opened and spoke in a low tone with a cold glare in her eyes. 

 

 

"First of all, you are not a patient in this hospital since you're not admitted yet, also if you're asking for treatment be sure to ask for it nicely since we doctors have the right to treat a patient or not," she bellowed. "Second of all, if you do not want to be treated by any of our doctors here, feel free to get the out of here and find another hospital or clinic that will kindly treat you."

 

 

"Who–"

 

 

Chae Kyung stood up before hearing his excuse and let out a sigh, turning to face the group of men.

 

 

"Don't disrupt the treatment of other patients and leave please," she told them as she pointed at each man. "This person, this person, this person, that person, that person, and that person."

 

 

"This woman..." The bloody man cursed under his breath. "Yah, take her away and bring me a male doctor."

 

 

"Yes, boss."

 

 

The men began pushing Chae Kyung away from the man but she let out an annoyed sigh and turned around to proceed back to the bloody man only to be forcefully pulled back and turned around to have one of the men put his arm around her shoulders. She could smell the pungent smell of sweat off this man. 

 

 

"Doctor, you wouldn't like us reporting this to the head director, eh?"

 

 

Instead of saying anything, Chae Kyung reached for the man's left hand with her right arm and pushed him away while twisting his arm. He let out a cry of pain as she kicked him towards a cart full of hospital supplies, which he ran into and knocked the whole thing down. The rest of the men saw what she had done and began charging at her. 

 

 

"Yah, we don't go easy on girls." One of the men told her.

 

 

"Does that make it less embarrassing to be hit by a girl?" She provoked them and rolled her eyes.

 

 

Chae Kyung dodged the incoming assaults and was able to throw her own kicks. She was able to push a man into the waiting bench, which flipped over while evading another attack. Shouts and screams could be heard the and as Chae Kyung tried to calm everyone down, she was grabbed by an arm around her neck from behind but she kicked off an incoming gangster and used him to kick off and escape the arm. Just as she landed, she pulled the man's arm over her shoulder causing his whole body to flip and land on the cold hard floor. As the last two men charged towards Chae Kyung, she dodged both of their attacks and grabbed ahold two of the incoming men by the hand, and twisted both of their arms only to hear a yelp of pain from their mouths. She powerfully pushed both of the men towards a group of doctors who pinned both of the men down. 

 

 

The mighty female doctor heaved out a sigh and dusted herself off just as the bloody man finally fainted from the loss of blood, or so it seems.

 

 

"Someone round these men up," she ordered, tucking her hands into her white coat pockets, hiding her throbbing left wrist. "Also, bring his bastard to a room, I'll treat him."

 

 

 

End