As if his brain had shut down on him, he asked stupidly if Dr. Kim could repeat her statement. With each word that formulated, Ji Hoo felt numb and alienated by the simple words. This was not what he was expecting to hear from Dr. Kim. Even if So Min wasn’t pregnant, he wouldn’t have been so disappointed as long as he knows that she’s healthy, but this new takes the cake for the bad news contest. 

“Take your wife and put her in isolation treatment immediately.”

“Isolation treatment… there could be so many different illnesses that requires isolation treatment,” Ji Hoo went down a list of illnesses in his head.

As if reading his mind, “Your wife has pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacteria where-”

“I am perfectly aware of what that is,” Ji Hoo gritted out. His mind racked out all the information of pseudomonas that he can remember: Bacteria found commonly in moist areas and also hospital equipments if not cleaned and sanitized properly, very antibiotic resistant, infections can be fatal if not treated, symptoms depends on where the infection is, includes fevers, coughs, swimmer’s ears, etc. 

“Your wife needs immediate attention because she has let the infection spread. Her lungs could collapse if it spreads there, and… I am sure you know that already.” She sipped her coffee and sighed. So Min was a good doctor and a good wife; she had a whole life ahead of her. “Do you want me to call her in with you and I’ll explain her condition or would you like to privately?”

Ji Hoo blankly answered her that he would tell So Min himself before he got up and bowed slightly to Dr. Kim and exiting the canteen to look for his wife. He walked down the hospital in confusion as he attempts to make sense the predicament he suddenly found himself in. Illness and death was something that Ji Hoo has been exposed to plenty of times; as a doctor, he knew very well that death was only a natural part of life. After his parents’ death, Ji Hoo had grown a stronger immune system to sadness that centered on illnesses and death; he accepted it as a part of life that one cannot escape. How naïve of him to miss the notion that maybe someone he loves and cherishes could possibly be sick and die; maybe he hasn’t cherished his life as much as he has given himself credit for.

So Min was tending to her children patients when Ji Hoo was able to track her down. She looked so fragile to him suddenly; she has always been cheerful and sociable with her patients. He stood still leaning against the door way as he continued to stare at his wife. It was her assistant nurse that nudge her and informed her of his presence. She looked up and grinned at Ji Hoo. She was feeling much better after she took some antibiotics, and she wanted to go visit her little patients.

“What are you doing here?” So Min asked in surprised as Ji Hoo walked in with a firm line on his lips.

“We need to talk.”

“...Okay? One sec, I just have to get to little John, and we can chat,” So Min replied and made her way toward the small sleeping boy, but she was stopped by Ji Hoo’s grip.

“Now,” he said lowly. His voice wasn’t angry; it was firm. “Could you please take over for her for now or ask another doctor to come by and take over her shift. She’s not coming back for the rest of the day,” Ji Hoo commanded.

“Ji Hoo! What’s the rush?!” So Min giggled as she continued to let Ji Hoo drag her down the hallways to his office.

He sat her down on the couch and started pacing in front of her while rubbing his face in distress. “Ji Hoo! Would you like to tell me what’s going on here?”

Ji Hoo abruptly stopped pacing and faced her, “Do you even realize how sick you are?”

“Sick?” So Min appalled. “I know I am weird, but I am far from being a sick psycho!”

“No! I mean literally sick!” 

“Oh... well I took some antibiotics, and I feel much better now so...”

“No. So Min you have something called pseudomonas infection.”

“... I...”

“Dr. Kim talked to me; she thought it would be better if I told you first.”

“...”

“You’re going into isolation treatment.”

“...”

“... I wished she had talked to me first. What ever happened to patients’ confidentiality?”

“Well, I’m glad she didn’t follow the protocol. I am going to go out on a limb and say you’re the type of patient that would like to hide her illness from her family and friends.”

“... Well... not to that extent.”

“Either way, we’re going to put you in isolation treatment now,” he emphasized on ‘now.’

“...Ji Hoo, don’t you feel like you’re a little too calm about this?” So Min asked in disbelief. Her brain hasn’t completely processed the fact that she is ill, and Ji Hoo acting all professional like is beginning to make her feel angry. His aloofness makes her feel as if he is a robot; he has no feelings. Sure, he has always been calm and composed, but for God’s sake, she’s his wife. She’s sick. She could die. Despite her illness, he still acts calm and compose, not letting any emotions escape him. She can’t tell whether she is glad that he is calm or disappointed that he doesn’t seem to care or see her new found illness as a big deal.

Ji Hoo looked at her for a second before embracing her. Swallowing the forming lump in his throat, he croaked out, “You’re going to be okay.” He tighten his hug as if he was afraid that if he loosen his grip, he would lose her forever. They haven’t been married for long; there was no way he’s losing her this way. As there embrace continued, Ji Hoo felt her shoulders shake.

“I’m scared,” she whispered in between her silent sobs. “I don’t want to be alone.”

“Shh,” Ji Hoo gently soothed her. “You’re not going to be alone. I’ll be here for you, along with all of our friends. First, let’s go talk to Dr. Kim hmm? You’ll be fine.”

Sitting on the chair in front of Dr. Kim’s desk was a new feeling for So Min. Being a doctor, she is usually the person to sit on the chair in front of her; she’s the one that gives the bad news. Her grip on Ji Hoo’s hand tighten and loosen as her thought ran wild at the possibility of death. 

“Alright Dr. Yoon, looking at your infection, it is better if we place you in isolation treatment as soon as possible. I want to kill off the infection using phage treatment. Because pseudomonas aeruginosa are antibiotic baterias-”

So Min interrupted Dr. Kim, “Ma’am, I know what it is and what I am required to do. I just want a percentage. What are the chanced I survive this?”

“Very much like your husband I see, both smart alecks. Right now, I am not sure. I need to see how respond to the treatment first. When will you be ready to receive treatment?”

“Now-”

“In a few weeks-”

So Min and Ji Hoo said at the same time. “I’m guessing you two need more time to figure out what you guys want.”

“No. She’s going through it tonight. We will go home and pack.”

“No. I want to do some other things first. Ga Eul's and Yi Jeong's wedding, I want to go to it first.”

“Absolutely not; that’s final.”

“I-”

“No.” Ji Hoo said looking at So Min. “She’s going to go through it now,” he said firmly and looked at Dr. Kim for her approval.

“Why would you say that?! Can’t you listen to me for once! I want to attend their wedding ceremony first!”

“No, you cannot. You’re going to get treatment now!” Ji Hoo and So Min has been arguing about this since the ride from the hospital home to the ride from home back to the hospital. “Enough! You’re going through treatment first. I rather have you miss their wedding then die from attending! I’m not going to risk losing you... I can’t live without you,” Ji Hoo whispered quietly as he rested his head on her shoulder. 

So Min hugged him, “I know, but what if the chances are slim and-”

“No.”

“But what if-”

“If you don’t respond well the treatment and the chances are in deed slim... I’ll immediately discharge you, and I promise I will fulfill everything on your bucket list with you.”

At this point, she knew very well it was useless to argue with Ji Hoo. Her only options are to agree with him or let him drag her in kicking and screaming. “Fine...”

The hospital was buzzing with the news that So Min was sick and is going to undergo isolation treatment. Dr. Kim wasn’t the one that told everyone, it was one of her younger nurse who happened to overheard her conversation with Ji Hoo that spread the news. 

“God, this is sickening,” So Min whispered angrily as she put on her patient attire.

“You’re sick,” Dr. Kim said dryly as she continued to look over So Min’s medical charts. “After changing, I give you five minutes with your husband before you’re completely sealed out of the outside world.”

“Well, aren’t you just the most compassionate doctor around here?” So Min asked sarcastically.

The older woman gave a little stank face before saying, “Fine, ten minutes. That’s all I’m giving you.”

So Min grunted as she tied the loose dress together.

“You’re not getting any special treatment from me. You’re going to live through this,” Dr. Kim stated simply as if it was a fact.

So Min stared at the older woman in awe. The confidence and determination of Dr. Kim gave her the feeling as if this illness was nothing more than a mere season changing cold. 

Dr. Kim gave her a slight grin before allowing Ji Hoo to come in. “You got ten minutes. After that, get out.”

Ji Hoo nodded and closed the door when Dr. Kim walked out. “Nervous?”

So Min nodded, “But with Dr. Kim, I am more reassured. It seems to me there is no way she’s going to let me die.”

“You’re not going to die. You’re going to go in there and all the bacteria will be killed,” Ji Hoo whispered as he pecked her lips in between words. 

The couple spent the next seven minutes kissing to their hearts content until Dr. Kim opened the door and ushered Ji Hoo out. Ji Hoo watched as So Min entered the isolated room and gave a reassuring smile that he’ll always be here for her. While So Min began her treatment, the hospital had turned into a chaotic war zone. All single and available female are on the prow for Ji Hoo’s attention.

“These women have no shame,” Ga Eul said as she, Jan Di, and Jae Kyung strutted down the hospital to track down Ji Hoo.