Joohyun feels like she's cursed. By some dumb luck, this is the worst day of her life; after the whole fiasco with Seungwan, she'd had one foot in Seulgi's apartment before the hospital called her. She was already in a bad mood and definitely didn't want to go in but she is their best cardio surgeon and if her skills were required, well, who is she to deny that? To deny a person who needs her help and her specialities to save their life?

She'd answered the call, prepared to be asked to come in for some emergency surgery only to hear that Son Seungwan had arrived at the hospital for a head trauma after passing out and hitting her head.

Hearing this, she completely forgot the vitriol she held for the Canadian and naturally rushed to the hospital.

Seulgi met her in the lobby, arms crossed, chewing the bottom of her lips i'm worried thought. Joohyun noticed the lack of sleep evident in the darkness beneath the other's eyes and briefly wondered how hard she was working for this research of hers.

Joohyun didn't get to voice her concerns when Seulgi's voice reminded her of the reason she came to the hospital in the first place.

"She's unconscious right now, a minor concussion. Sooyoung's with her. Do you want to see her, unnie?" She'd asked her as Joohyun caught her breath--both from the heavy sprint she broke out into the moment she parked her car recklessly outside as well as from the pure panic of Seungwan's health--with a hand gripping Seulgi's shoulders as if to stop her from passing out herself.

Joohyun had refused, shaking her head, although there was that small part of her that desperately wanted to see the younger woman. But the other side of herself--the one that thought rationally, though it seemed to overthink a lot--took over her motor functions then. 

That part of her wondered if this was some sort of scheme Wendy had orchestrated, with the help of Park Sooyoung to trick her into coming back and forgiving her. Did she wrap Seulgi in this too?

But then, Seulgi had lead her down the hallway to her own office and sat her down on her couch with a bottle of water in hand and Joohyun felt a flash of guilt at her own thoughts; how could she think that? Seulgi would never do that to her. Seungwan wouldn't either.

But then again, the Seungwan she knew wasn't there anymore.

At least, that's what she'd told Seungwan.

In a moment of white hot anger, Joohyun refused to believe this Seungwan was the same one she fell for so many years ago.

Joohyun decided with the help of Seulgi that she'd distract herself by clocking in early (Seulgi wanted to get home herself, having spent the past couple weeks almost totally at the hospital, going from her research, to patients, to shifts in the emergency room).

So now, here Joohyun is, adorning her familar white coat and pulling her hair to a low ponytail. She stares at the image in the mirror; there's eyebags not concealed at all by the makeup she'd put on this morning, had she been crying? Joohyun can't seem to remember. 

A knock sounds and her eyes shift to the corner of the mirror, making eye contact with Seulgi.

"Hi, unnie," the younger greets, now in regular civilian clothing. Her hair is wet, tied back in a clumsy half-bun. It looks like the first shower she's had in a while but Joohyun doesn't tell her that. "I'm about to go home now."

Joohyun nods, fixing her stethescope around her neck and turns around, seeing her face-to-face. In this different perspective, Joohyun sees Seulgi's eyebags clearer. They're a hundred times worse than Joohyun's. Though she just took a shower, Joohyun knows the hospital's ones are nothing compared to the comfort of your own home. The other woman is in dire need of a rest in the warmth of her own abode, far from any worries. "Did you call a taxi? You're in no state to drive home."

Seulgi shakes her head reassuringly. "Joy's driving me..." She nervously wrings her hands, tapping the side of the door in a stalling matter, as if the little thumping sounds beneath her fingers will tell her how to say her next words, "Wendy woke up." 

Joohyun tries her best to steel her expressions. She holds tightly on that stoic shield on her face. 

She doesn't let it slip.

Seulgi sees cracks through it. Like glass, little splinters almost invisible to the eye.

Even the smallest fragments of glass can cut deep, Seulgi thinks, Joohyun unnie's got a million of them threatening to cut with just the slightest bit more pressure. 

Wow, that was kind of philosophical, Seulgi thinks almost proudly, I should tell Seungwan--

Oh wait.

Nevermind.

Nope, not today. Seulgi needs to sleep. 

(Seulgi often thinks to herself in the third person.)

Uh oh--

Joohyun looks like she might kill you.

Does she know you're thinking about Wendy?

Surely she doesn't want me to pick sides right?

Seulgi swallows thickly.

She chokes. She's not sure how she messed up something as simple as swallowing her own saliva but it hurts like hell and Joohyun's by her side slapping her back worriedly.

"Are you okay? What did you choke on, air?" Joohyun chuckles a little in half-amusement, half-worry and begins rubbing comforting circles on her back.