They were on their break (finally), spending some time in the cafeteria, the five new staff nurses huddling together in one corner. The sister in charge of his area had sat on the table beside theirs, cold sweat running down his back as he just finished his first half day as an official nurse at a hospital affiliated with his school. It had been a wild first day, given how the patients he was in charge of were either insufferable or just plain annoying. But he couldn't complain—how could he, really—he was new and this was the challenge given to him and he had to face it head on.

His joints were cracking with every move, his muscles weary and his eyelids heavy, his entire being wanting a just amount of rest. That want (read: need) left his body when his sister nurse all but squealed at the entrance of a group of GS doctors entering the cafeteria. At that very moment, it seemed as though their tables had merged, the three sister nurses gathered together suddenly squealing about one of the GS surgeons in the group.

"That," his sister points out, her finger laying flat on the table as to not be noticed, "that is Hwang Minhyun, a new resident. He's by far the best one there is. He's not only smart and capable of doing anything, but also just look at him," she adds, a small sigh escaping her lips in admiration. "He's perfect. I mean I heard he's married but the person he's married to should be just as perfect as him, right?"

Now, this wouldn't be news to Jonghyun. How could it be when he's been, in fact, married to the said perfect resident since they both decided to pursue medicine? Though, they only properly registered their marriage after Minhyun had completed his internship, they've been together since med school (he'd say university, but his bachelor's degree mattered more than pursuing his crush on the campus hottie) and it's been five years since (and two years since they've registered). However, Minhyun's overwhelming popularity among the nurses, doctors, and patients made his confidence thin out, managing a half-hearted chuckle as he opted to seal his lips and ensure that he'd have smoother sailing in his new hospital and role without the others knowing he's the husband of Mr. Perfect Resident. 

He manages to end the conversation after a while, though Minhyun noticing him and giving him a small wave made the topic harder to avoid. "We went to the same university and med school," he reasoned, the 'ha's in his laughter forced. 

It'll be a rough few years if he wants to be a charge nurse any time soon. Or rather, would he even make it till the end of the year, covering up this lie?

--

It became harder to cover up the lie as Minhyun repeatedly called out to him when they happened to be in the cafeteria (or in any general area) together, all smiles as he approached him, asking about his day. It made the nurses doubt their relationship, prompting more people to think they could ask him for their Perfect Doctor's number. He continued to state that there was nothing more to their relationship besides the normal hi-hello-how are you type given they've been associates the past decade or so, but others will try anything and everything to just be able to talk to him, it seems.

At home, Minhyun's brought up his cold attitude a few times, a sigh escaping his lips whenever he mentions how they rarely can spend any time together given their schedules and the small moments they do get to do so, Jonghyun acts up.

"I'm sorry, babe," he hums, playing with his husband's hair as they lied down on the sofa together, watching a re-run episode of Mob Psycho 100. "I'm still trying to adapt to the new environment and schedule."

"It's fine," Minhyun replies, humming contentedly and leaning into the touch, wrapping his arms around Jonghyun's tiny waist. "But god can we get more day offs like this, please? We're old and don't need to constantly