“I love you so much Kwon. You’re the best boyfriend, the best person that I’ve ever known. And I want you to make me a promise.”

“Anything”

“I want you to promise that if anything ever does happen you’ll let me go.”

“Wait. What are you talking about?”

“It wouldn’t be fair to you to put your life on hold. I don’t want you to suffer but I also don’t want you to ever be bitter about anything we shared. I know it’s sad but it’s also inevitable, and that’s the reason why I’m asking, for you to let me go because I love all of you so much.”

“Yeah…”

“No, not like that. I want you to promise me.”

“I promise to do exactly what you want. I swear it.”

“No matter how hard it is?”

“No matter how hard.”

“Because you love me.”

“Because I love you.”

“Yes. And because I love you, too.”

The clock display winks over from 06:30 to 07:40. Doctor’s and nurse’s has been running at max for over an hour now, and I can only conclude that this will still going on for 2 more hours since there has been a big train accident and most of the victims are sent here. It will take all of the personnel to occupy the patients. I shouldn’t be here. I’ve got to get going. I have an appointment and I’m running late. I'm just hoping that this person that I'm meeting brought a long patience with her. Since I don't know her number and I can't get in touch with the only person I know she's in touch with. I don't have any choice but to let her wait for me without informing her about my sudden change of program. I can't leave everything behind especially now that they need me here. I dedicated my whole life in this work and I will continue to do it while I can. Work since then took the first place in my heart. I've made my decision and nothing’s going to change it.

“Hey, Hyung. Sorry I can’t talk right now. I’m busy.”

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t you have an appointment today?”

“Yeah, at 7. I was calling you but you’re out of reached” I check the white wall clock while fixing my scrub cap.

“And where the hell are you? You’re 40 minutes late?” I can perfectly say that he’s mad at me right now.

“I know but I’m lock here in the hospital. Emergency came up suddenly and I can’t run away from it.”

“I thought you said you weren’t working today… I thought we both agreed… Pact, you know? We made a pact. It’s not that you’re giving an excuse once again.” He’s right this was the justification I always say in order to avoid everything that I didn’t want to do.

“This time it’s true. I know that I’m late,” I say in a calm voice, “but the hospital and the patients, they need me here. I’ve got a sudden surgery right now and I’m the only one available. So I haven’t got a choice.”

“Okay, Okay.” He said. “I understand.” Finally letting his anger goes.

“Hyung, can you do me a favor. Since I don’t know her number and I can’t get out of here till I finish this operation, can you inform her about it and say that if she can start alone for the mean time or maybe if she can still wait for me for another hour. I’ll get there as fast as I could as soon as I finish here. I promise.”

“Okay. I get that, but not more than one hour. Okay! It’s been enough for her to wait for you for that long. You have to make it up for her.”

“Got that…Thanks hyung…Got to hang up.” I didn’t wait for his answer and close the conversation right away. I’m just hoping that I can wrap this up for just an hour since in an operation unpredictable things might occur.

A voice inside me is saying. So what if she’s waiting for me to arrive for another hour? She’s not someone I know for a long time and she might not understand me. We’ve only just met. We aren’t going out. It’s just an agreement that I made just to help Seulong hyung in his wedding preparation.

I relax myself trying to concentrate and keep my head focus on what I should do for now. A person’s life is in my hands and I don’t want to lose my mind for something I don’t usually care of. As I turn around a bunch of operating room personnel welcome me. I focus my attention to the patient. She’s awake and I can see from her eyes the shocked, pain and fear she has at this moment.

“Everything will be fine.” I said while giving her a comforting smile. I instruct the anesthesiologist to start to administer anesthesia to the patient and soon she can’t feel pain anymore.

Surprisingly the operation didn’t last long. I wash my hands carefully and head out. The operation ended but my task isn’t over. I have to notify her guardian first about the result. I believe this is the hardest part of this job; to communicate either the bad news or the good news to them. Honestly, I’m completely used to this part. I learned from the past that the secret for you not to be affected by it, is that you always have to distance yourself. Just keep in mind that it’s just your job, don’t take it personally, and don’t try to be emotionally involved to it. Yet sometimes even though it’s just a part of your career you just wish that at least for once in a day you can deliver a good one for them.

I feel a wave of satisfaction wash over me. This is my favorite kind of situation here inside the hospital, surrounded by the sound of shared laughter and relief right after the moment where I pronounce the good one to them. This is one of those moments where I am proud to be a doctor and that I’m glad I made the right decision.

“Excuse me, Doctor Jo. I need your sign here.”

“So, I’ll take my leave now.”

“Thank you for saving our child,” I just smile warmly then leave both of them on their own happiness.

I turn around and as a cue, Gain’s standing there. I see her holding one steaming cup of coffee in her hand. I lift an eyebrow surprise by her sudden appearance.

“Hi, Kwon.”

“When did you… I mean, why did you…?” She extended both of her hands and handed the coffee to me, smiling.

“Thank you. How long have you been here?”

“Long enough,” she said.

“Sorry…” She holds up her hands to stop me, I think she’s impatient to get this over with.

“No need to say sorry, I understand. I know they needed you. If I had known your situation earlier, I wouldn’t curse you or get angry with you for not showing up on time. I would have done these things all alone and tried not to disturb you.”

The way she answers made me realize that this isn’t the sort of confrontation I’m looking for. Then I find myself focusing up at her. And as she tilts her head upward, I notice her cheek bones and clean skin. Up close, she’s pretty and attractive with a wonderful eye smile. Lost in thought, I open my mouth to say something, then close it again, realizing I forgot what I wanted to say.

“Like I said, I’m really sorry. Look, I just have to finish signing this papers then I’m done here. Can you wait for me then?”

“Sure.”

For an awkward moment, we eyed each other without speaking. Finally she motion over her shoulder with her thumb. “I’ll be waiting here.”

I nod then start staring at her profile as she walks back towards the place where she was waiting before.

What on earth was that about? I look and take a sip at the cup of coffee in my hand. She’s weird. I’m still standing, feeling slightly shocked. For a second there, I thought she was going to punch me and then she looked like she’s happy for something. I rub my forehead, still processing the whole scene. Shaking my head, I continue what I was doing before the whole thing happen and decide to not allow myself to wonder what will happen next. I return the papers then approach the changing room door of the hospital.

“By the way, just how on earth do you think the two of us will be able to arrange all of these things into place?”

“We’ll figure it out. Just think how well we’ve done so far. We’re almost halfway there.” I frown to her statement. I’m full and I think I can’t take anything anymore. Gain and I look at each other for a few seconds then we both laugh. She takes another bite of the foods we’re trying for the upcoming wedding. It’s weird how I can spend a night with someone I’m not familiar with. As the night wound down, I find myself confessing my occasional frustration to her. The words sometimes spilling out in a way I didn’t quite intend and occasionally she will smile to me that suggest she know exactly what I’m talking about.

“This is yours?” I ask.

“Yeah, but it used to be ours,” I try to digest what she said. Don’t tell me she was...

“No. I mean, Miryo and me.” She immediately clarifies. I nod in acknowledgment but said nothing. Then, there’s nothing she could say. I took a deep breath and plunge on.

“I guess I should end this night by apologizing…again.”

“What for?”

“You know it already.”

“Oh, right,” she smiles. “It’s okay. It’s not a big deal, anyway.”

“So… See you in the wedding day then.”

“Yes. Thanks for giving me a ride.”

“You’re welcome. Good night”

“Night,” she said and then turns her back on me, opens the door and goes inside and shuts it firmly behind her.

Back inside my car, I find myself thinking about her again. I have a strange feeling but I’m not sure why, and as I start the engine I try to dismiss the idea, doing my best to convince myself it didn’t matter. Except for the fact that, somehow something compels me to get to know her more, this lady named Gain.

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Author's note: