11:30 am of Tuesday morning was very nerve wrecking for Kyuhyun. He had let his intern have an early break like he had been doing since the past two weeks ever since he had that outburst of anger in front of his intern.

But this time, it was different. This time, he practically shoved Sungmin outside the pharmacy with the words, “Come back before eleven-thirty am.” which surprisingly was a longer break for the younger one since he took the break at 10:00 am along with the other interns and pharmacists.

Kyuhyun had taken a sigh of relief when he saw the intern returning back at around 11:18. He gave a wide, blinding, beaming smile to the intern without realizing it and quickly scampered out of the pharmacy.

Sungmin was getting more and more perplexed by the sudden change in his preceptor’s personality.

Did he just smile at me? He thought. He however shrugged the thought away just as quick as it had made way into his mind and started helping out random pharmacists with their prescriptions.

Who would have had the slightest idea that the bigheaded, self-important Doctor Kyuhyun would nervously head towards the elevators, get into the confinements of the silver and steel, mirrored box and finally arrive at the fifth floor; moving towards a ward so apprehensively where he had ultimately found out the truth about his intern’s emotional state and red, puffy eyes.

He vigilantly reached for the door and lightly knocked at it. Upon hearing no response from inside, he slightly knit his brow and decided to help himself in. He then saw how the fragile lady took hold of her infusion stand with her left hand and made a run to the attached washroom; all while covering with her right hand as some red liquid seeped from between the space of her thin fingers.

Blood…

It wasn’t a new sight for him. He had seen myriad patients vomiting out blood for various reasons. But none of those patients were the mother of a certain someone going by the name of Lee Sungmin.

And that fact alone made the sensation of guilt stronger in his heart.

He then remembered what Sungmin’s mother had whispered to herself when he first met her, “…I wonder why he got intimidated by you.” And he no more was fond of the idea as much as he had liked it initially.

He could hear the sound of water going off followed by a click, signalling the unlocking of the washroom door from inside. The lady showed herself as she got off the washroom; dragging her infusion stand with her right hand this time all the while looking timidly at the main door.

“I’m so glad it is not Sungminnie.” he heard her sigh to herself.

“Umm… Anneyong Ahjumma.” Kyuhyun nervously opened his mouth as he stood or rather, froze on the spot he had stepped upon after seeing the lady exit the washroom.

Why am I acting so unlike myself? I should be showing my cool self to her! He couldn’t avoid that thought.

“Hello doctor. Do you have another inspection to do today?” her polite voice broke him from his reverie as she rested her lower body on the white bed with the pained expression.

Kyuhyun was feeling way beyond awkward. He had not planned this. His instinct had made him decide about this whole meet up just a while before the break and had brought him here. It was like as soon as he set his foot into the room, he lost his skill of speech and rationality as he stayed rooted on his spot.

“Umm…”And why the hell am I stuttering!? he screamed at himself…in his thoughts obviously.

“Is it about Sungminnie?” the sudden and unforeseen question made him widen his eyes.

How did she know? was all that he thought. This guy seriously loved thinking… when not needed.

“Is he being clumsy and inattentive during his training?” she continued.

“No! On the contrary, he’s very active.” Kyuhyun finally started feeling his body relax. He mentally congratulated himself for finally getting free from his nervousness. He had no rational idea of why this unexpected nervousness was showing up.

“Can you come here?” Sungmin’s mom calmly asked the young pharmacist who was still standing far away. She pat at the chair near the bed with a smile but Kyuhyun could notice the pain she was trying to conceal behind her smile. He was, after all, an observant person.

Moving towards the chair at a snail’s speed, he took a seat as he slightly bowed his head towards Sungmin’s mom. That, according to him, was a respectful gesture enough for an elder.

“You do know I’m dying, right?” she asked him as a sad smile laced at her dry lips. He stayed silent, letting the lady in front of him continue. He wasn’t sure where the whole conversation was heading to.

“Can you pass me a glass of water please? These medications have caused mouth sores and dehydration as well.” she dryly chuckled. Kyuhyun soon poured a good amount of water in a glass from the jug that was kept on the table near the chair he had been sitting on and handed her the glass with two hands. He could swear he had never showed so much respect to an elder other than his mentor and he was quite surprised at his own gestures.

“Thank you. Kyuhyun, right?” she confirmed to which Kyuhyun vaguely nodded. “I’ve heard about you from Sungminnie.” Kyuhyun felt his heart race without any warning.

Sungmin really talks about me to his mother? He didn’t know how to feel at this piece of information.

“And his talks indicate that he’s quite overawed by you.” She added with a genuine chuckle. “That boy really amuses me. How can he get intimidated by someone so young and ha