“Donghae-ah, can you do me a favour?” Sungmin’s mother tiredly asked the energetic figure —who was currently busy arranging the ‘mouth-watering’ chocolate milkshake bottles on the big and spacious table he had somehow managed to get into the room.

“Sure—” he turned around and bent to pick two more of those plastic containers, “—ahjumma.” he finished.

“Can you invite someone for the party tonight?” she smiled weakly. Her body had taken the toll for the worst but she was successful in keeping it from her ‘kids’ so far.

Donghae innocently looked at her, “But we’ve already invited people. You will not be spending your birthday alone.” he smiled his crooked smile.

“No. I mean can you invite someone other than those you and Sungminnie invited?” she clarified to him.

“Oh. Okay. Your party, your wishes!” Donghae grinned.

“So, I wanted you to invite someone we both know.” she didn’t know how to say it.

“We both know Siwonnie and he is coming. And umma and appa are coming too. Who else do you mean?” he was thinking if she knew Hyukjae because if that was the case, she hadn’t need worry. He had already invited the latter after having the lunch together the gone Friday when they first met. Don’t blame him. He likes making friends at first sight—though it took more than a first sight to make the surgeon his friend.

“Sungminnie’s preceptor, Doctor Kyuhyun is his name, I assume.” she politely replied back. Donghae was taken aback at that.

“Now that was something I didn’t see coming.” Donghae remarked like that was the most preposterous thing he had heard in his life. He left everything that he was doing and went near the lady he had started liking and respecting the moment he was aware of her presence. He suspiciously touched her forehead with his right palm and did the same gesture on his own forehead with his left hand. “Slightly high temperature. I think you are hallucinating that, that conceited pharmacist named Cho Kyuhyun, is genuinely a good person.” He dramatically declared. He took a seat on the space of her bed as he repeatedly moved his head up and down while saying all that.

He was rewarded with a genuine mirth from the lady in front of him. “Aigo~ you really are unique.” she pinched his left cheek delicately. “But I know I’m not hallucinating at this one.” she continued. “He had showed his indisputably serious and professional yet considerate side to me when he came to inspect my case.” she smiled sincerely at the recall of memory she had about both the meetings she had with the pharmacist in question.

“He visited you?” Donghae cocked an eyebrow at that. Sungmin’s mom tiredly agreed to it. “Does Sungminnie know about this?” and he saw the slight shake of her head from left to right.

“He doesn’t need to know. He doesn’t like the idea of his life being exposed in front of others he is not close to. So I kept it from him. But I like that pharmacist. There was something in his persona that makes me feel like he is lonely and not really loved by many.” she paused as she looked at the shorter boy —who was busy trying to understand her words but failing. “You do understand what that means, right?”

“No. but that’s beside the point. I like to hear complicated words.” he seriously stated.

The older lady couldn't help her chuckles around this boy. He sure was a very different case. “Anyways, invite him on my behalf for I can’t go to him in this condition.” she smiled exhaustedly. Looking at the boy expectantly, she released a cheerful smile as he nodded his head hesitantly. I knew I could depend on you. Smiling at the thought, she tiredly laid her fragile body on her bed as Donghae got off it; closing her eyes to rest a little. A smile was placed on her dry lips.

………………………………………………………………….

Earlier that morning, Sungmin had entered the inpatient pharmacy with a very bright and wide smile. He was so very looking forward to experience the outpatient department from this day on for one whole month. He had remembered the chief pharmacist mentioning that his next department would be the outpatient pharmacy when he had first started training in SNU hospital. And if he had heard it right, then Donghae would be there to accompany him since the latter had finished training in the I.V. and TPN department while Sungmin was busy with the inpatient one and would be training for the outpatient department.

He saw the group of trainees standing inside the inpatient pharmacy and searched for his now supposedly ex-preceptor to say his greetings and maybe, get his new schedule. He was perplexed to see the pharmacist’s office chair in the inpatient pharmacy empty. What confused him was that it was a very rare sight to not find Doctor Cho Kyuhyun on time.

Initially, Sungmin had thought that the other was a supposed Mr. Perfectionist and an arrogant human being who would make no mistakes while at work and absolutely wouldn’t mind the business of others and despised those who minded his either. But the gone week had started to change his mind. He had started to respect the other a little more, yes, he respected him. Despite all the mental torture, he respected the tyrant—as Donghae dubbed him. He had started to feel the other trying their best to be considerate of people around the senior pharmacist.

Now that he was done with his failed search, he noticed the chief pharmacist allocating the group of interns to different —now familiar to him— pharmacists in the inpatient department. He realized again, he’d soon be one amongst the new batch of interns assisting new doctors in another pharmaceutical department not too later than now.

“Oh! I finally see you Doctor Sungmin.” the chief exclaimed with a full curved smile. Sungmin was a little puzzled, He remembers my name? he couldn't help but ask himself. Though the chief was handling his mother’s case, but Sungmin never really got a chance to talk to him since he never got a chance to come across the other due to his hectic training. Regardless of his confusion, he smiled back as genuinely as he could and neared the chief pharmacist; looking at him with expectant eyes.

“I suppose you didn’t hear about the change in your internship schedule yet.” Sungmin’s eyes got wide as the information dawned into him. “You will be training in the I.V. and TPN department starting today for one month. And just so you know, that department can take only two to three people inside due to sterility reasons. Hence you will be the only trainee assisting your doctor.” Doctor Lee Soo Man finished with the curve still intact on his lips.

“But, wasn’t I supposed to train in the outpatient department starting today?” Sungmin didn’t know how to react at the information given to him. He was so excited about transferring to the outpatient department with Donghae but the whole plan had now taken a turn on him. He would again be alone.

“Well, seems like the doctor who’ll be in-charge of training you this month will be working in the I.V. and TPN depar