The scrutinizing gazes of numerous people in the hospital were very effective when it came to Sungmin. A new day and a new start; that was how the intern had thought his day would be like after he had skipped the previous day with his preceptor in hopes of letting the bad feelings go; that had followed through all the commotion of him and Kyuhyun being an item.

But the gazes from people were anything but a new start.

His heart ached at the judging looks he was receiving from most of the people he was coming across throughout the day.

Wondering where Kyuhyun was when Sungmin was experiencing such bad feelings?

Good question.

A meeting against one of the senior staff who was caught in the act of kissing an intern of the same gender in the mirrored confinements of the hospital with the news being publicized in top news papers and channels stating the name of the hospital that that said culprit was employed in, that much was a must to take place, wasn’t it?

So no, nothing and no one could brighten his mood up.

Or bring it further down.

Or so he thought.

“You know, I’m always willing to kiss you to make you feel better.” the mocking tone of someone very familiar echoed in his ears as he got back on his feet from grabbing a medication from the bottom-most shelf in the outpatient pharmacy. He looked up at the person speaking to him and came face to face with the lanky pharmacist who was smirking down at him audaciously.

Zhoumi…

He decided to politely ignore the senior.

“I am being serious; I really don’t mind pleasing you. I can entertain you until the authorities get done with whatever decision they will be coming up with for our Qui xian.” And he didn’t even bother being subtle about whatever he was proposing to the intern. He was boldly talking in a loud and mocking tone for everyone to hear.

Ignore. You can ignore him Sungmin.

“I bet you, most of the staff here must be thinking the same way as I am. Of course, Qui xian might have had the most fun with you. But we admire your beauty too, you know?”

No, don’t let his words affect you. It doesn’t matter what others think. It doesn’t matter…

“So, are you into anything ? Or do you have of those in white coats only? Because if the second option is actually the case, you have many fishes you can catch from this sea.”

Sungmin was trying his best to ignore everything the Chinese senior was speaking to him despite the words attracting completely unnecessary attention from every single human being the outpatient pharmacy was occupying within it at that very moment.

He timidly passed the prepared prescription tray to the female pharmacist he was assisting. Thankfully, the pharmacist he was assisting wasn’t being mean to him at all. She and her friend were instead sympathizing with him and were also secretly scowling at the commotion the Chinese male was creating unnecessarily.

The female took the prepared tray with a sad smile and started dispensing the medications to the patient through the microphone.

One of the many advantages of working in SNU hospital’s outpatient pharmacy was the sound-proof glass the dispensing counter was shielded with. Thanks to it, the people outside couldn’t hear what was being talked about inside.

Sungmin couldn’t imagine handling the hatred from the patients too.

Zhoumi was lurking behind him like a wiggling tail of a dog already and Sungmin didn’t want to deal with anything unpleasant anymore while trying his best to concentrate on his training.

He was sadly standing on the left side of the female pharmacist, watching her dispense the medications to the patient; trying his best to block Zhoumi’s taunts out; when he felt a paper poking the side of his right hand that he had unconsciously placed on the counter. Inquiringly looking at the source to who the paper belonged to; he saw his temporary in-charge smile at him; gesturing him to open up the small piece of paper and read.

‘Barking dogs seldom bite.’

He felt an honest smile stretch on his face.

Another piece of paper poked the side of his left hand and he saw his temporary in-charge’s friend giving him a true smile; also gesturing the intern to go through the little chit—it was the spare label she had used to write on.

‘I don’t mind you being gay. You brought smile on the face of our most arrogant and moody pharmacist. You deserve to smile. So as Sunmi made you smile, smile now too.

P.S.: Don’t you dare show this label to Dr. Kyuhyun. He’ll kill me if he sees what praises I gave him. *Zips your lips*’

Another honest smile made way on the intern’s lips.

The previous female closed up a bit on his side; all three ignoring the annoying presence of the lanky Chinese behind them; and managed to whisper loud enough for the intern to hear her. “In honesty, you really are cute. I can see why doctor Kyuhyun changed so much in these three months.” And she giggled.

Why do I still call myself manly when I easily blush on such comments? Sungmin had started to wonder.

Nevertheless, he gave out a genuine smile to the two females and got ready to prepare another prescription he was handed over by a scowling Hana— yes, it was her all along; the friend of the temporary in-charge, Sunmi; as she met eyes with Zhoumi.

“You know, you talk too much Korean for your good.” she not-so-subtly commented to the Chinese.

Zhoumi was just about to counter back when Sungmin too turned around and slipped away from between the side of the front medication cabinet and the lanky male, to go to the medication cabinets situated behind; with a dark blue medication tray in his hands.

“You can’t ignore me forever.” Zhoumi sharply got hold of Sungmin’s right arm; causing the boy to halt with a gasp.

Sungmin somehow braced up some courage within himself, “I’ll try my best to do just that.” And despite his heart beating frantically for standing up for himself against a foreign senior pharmacist, he gave his best to put up a confident front in front of Zhoumi.

After all, he was still jealous of the Chinese for being Kyuhyun’s first gay kiss.

And the fact that Zhoumi had hurt his Kyu so heartlessly had also effectively provided Sungmin the much needed courage to stand up against the lanky male.

The majority of the staff inside the outpatient pharmacy was curious about the deal between the intern and the Chinese pharmacist; yes, but they also knew that they wouldn’t earn over gossips hence they grudgingly got back to work instead of getting the dose of a supposed entertainment for a change in their usually hectic yet boring working life.

But not every staff in the outpatient pharmacy was like that. Someone did find Zhoumi’s attitude a bit more than annoying hence a call to the Chief pharmacist resulted in the appearance of Doctor Lee Soo Man; halting any and all gossips and taunts whatsoever.

A smirk was lacing on Zhoumi’s face as he released Sungmin’s arm upon the Chief’s arrival. “I think your internship ends here.” he whispered as his smirk decided to stay on his face throughout.

“Doctor Zhoumi, I assume you need to mind your words in my pharmacy.” were the words out of the Chief’s mouth instead.

“Huh?” Zhoumi frowned.

The Chief just cocked his right eyebrow and didn’t budge from his position; giving the tall pharmacist a stern gaze.

The pharmacist was a bit aghast at the sentence as he finally caught on to it. “Wh-what? I think you meant to use this intern’s name instead of mine.”

“I meant what I said. And I clearly didn’t take Doctor Sungmin’s name. Being asked for your services from China doesn’t mean we will consider you over our own staff. Kindly mind your own business instead of wasting time lurking behind an intern who is eager to concentrate on his work.” his tone was so clam yet so authoritative that for once, even Zhoumi got chills crawl up the back of his spine. “I hope we wouldn’t need to hold an urgent meeting about discussing your services in our hospital instead. Installing some st