“Let me get this straight. You want to open up my chest to fix this valve or whatever?”

“That’s the plan, yes, Mr. Uhm.” The fifth year resident nodded. His face was calm even though his patient seemed nearly to swallow him whole. The other residents in the room stood still.

“Will it leave any scar?”

“Yes. Give it more or less ten centimeters.”

“This is insane!” He shouted desperately. “You want to do a tiny little fixing on my heart but you have to open it that big?!”

“We need a clear view, Mr. Uhm. We work under standard protocol. Your procedure is no different with other people who get the same surgery.”

“I want a TAVI.” He said determined. “My friend has the same disease as I do. His doctor performed this TAVI on him. He has no scar.”

“But TAVI is very risky. Do you really want to die because of stupid scar?” The resident scoffed. He had dealt with many types of patients, but this one was different and ridiculous. He didn’t want the procedure but he wanted the surgery. The one he couldn’t do because it’d affect his entire career.

“Dr. Jung will take a look more into it, right, Dr. Jung?” The attending gave him a sharp glare. He had no choice but to obey.

“Yes,” He muttered quietly.

“That’s more like it, son.” Mr. Uhm smirked victoriously. “Thank you, Doctor.” He saluted Taeyeon with the strength he had, earning a small nod from her.

The doctors made their way out to the nurse station. Taeyeon increased her brow at the guy expectantly. 

“Dr. Kim, the board is starting to stick their nose to every fifth year residents. What happen in the OR will cost my entire career. I can’t fail now.” He spoke lowly, implicitly asking for her consideration.

“Who else the fifth year resident?” She asked the residents on her service.

“Me, doctor.” A female resident hastily moved to the front.

“I’ve never seen you before.” Taeyeon folded her arms with her impassive expression. 

“I’m sorry I’m late, doctor. Dr. Ahn asked me–”

“Excuses won’t do anything good to me, Doctor – what is your name again?”

“Yoon Bora, Doctor. I’m from Dong-A University Hospital. This is my first day on your service, Doctor Kim.” She quickly bowed. She had worked as a doctor for half of her life. Her attending back in her old hospital were no less scary. She was used to the constant pressure they gave. But doctor Kim Taeyeon was very – very intimidating. Her petite figure could easily fool anyone, really.   

“Sure,” Taeyeon replied flatly. “Do you perhaps, despite the fact that you’re late, know about Mr. Uhm Joongki’s condition?”

“Yes, Doctor Kim.” Bora started telling the attending the complete anamneses, physical examination and all the workups. She was grateful she managed to read all cardio patients charts the night before. She wouldn’t be surprise if Doctor Kim threw her out of her service just because she missed a patient. She was that kind of attending.

Heartless, she meant.

“Do you have any idea about TAVI?”

“Um-”

“Read about it? Watch? I doubt you ever perform this before,” Taeyeon cut the resident.   

“Um-”

“Give me something.” Taeyeon glared at her.

“Well-”

“Oh dear god, make it quick! I don’t have all day.”

“I’ve watched, Doctor. I mean I saw my attending did it before.” She quickly answered before the volcano exploded.

“Do you think you have the skill to do it?”

“Yes, Doctor.” The moment that words slipped out from was the moment she hated herself the most. She had too much bad OR outcomes for her own good. Her free and wild personality didn’t really help the situation. She took all hardcore – almost impossible surgeries that her friends would avoid. She had got several warning regarding this.

“Then Doctor Jung, you’re off the case.” Taeyeon didn’t spare a glance at the shocked young doctors around her. “Doctor Yoon, Mr. Uhm is yours now. I want you to read everything about TAVI. We’ll talk more tomorrow.”

“O – oh okay.” She stuttered. “D – Doctor  Kim, I was wondering if I can change his mind about the procedure – I mean I will still read about TAVI, of course, but I was–”

“He’s your patient, you do whatever you need to do.”

The residents parted away when Kim Taeyeon walked passed them towards the elevator. She stepped into the iron rectangular box and about to pressed the button when she saw Dr. Jung ran after her.

“Doctor Kim, Mr. Uhm is my patient.” He was disappointed for her sudden one-sided decision.

“You clearly have no desire to treat him the way he wants you to.”

“I merely tell you my opinion about it. TAVI is not the best option and you know it,” He argued.

“You’re scared of the bad outcomes,” She stated assertively. “And the only thing that is worse than a bad surgeon is the scared one.”

-----

“You get a new name.” Yuri suddenly appeared in Taeyeon’s office. She sat on the rolling chair then casually swung it back and forth.

“Hm?”

“Hades – the god of hell.” The tan doctor laughed. “What did you do anyway?”  

Taeyeon lifted her eyes to look at her friend before casually back to type on her laptop. “I didn’t do anything.”

“Your name is changing from time to time,” The general surgeon said as a matter of fact. “Their favorite is Cruella. It lasted for a long time.”

“Well, they can stop learning from me if they want to.” She saved her work then turned off the computer, giving her dearest friend full attention. “I give them what they need.”

“What? Fury?”

“Motivation.”

“Hey, have you heard about your newest name?” Sunny and Hyoyeon walked in unannounced. The short doctor took another rolling chair while the taller one opened the mini fridge.

“Your office is so awesome. I wish I have one like this.” Hyoyeon grabbed a few snacks and made herself comfy on the leather couch.

“Have you?” Sunny demanded.

“Yul just told me about it.” Taeyeon shrugged easily. “They can call me whatever. I don’t care.”

“I know you don’t. You don’t have a heart! Ha!” Yuri and Sunny high-fived. They exploded with laughter making Taeyeon rolled her eyes.

“What are you guys doing here? My office is not a playground.”

“Oh don’t play scary with us.” Hyoyeon snorted, mocking Taeyeon. “You can flip a table and I’ll still find it funny.”

“Wait, hold a sec. My wife is calling.” Taeyeon accepted the call with a huge grin on her face. “Hello there.”

“Hey babe, I’m on my way to hospital now.”

“Okay, I’ll give Yoong a call. I’ll meet you at the lobby.”

“Sure thing. Bye! Love you!”

“You too, babe.”

“You know, I never thought you’d be this disgustingly happy.” Yuri commented after the phone call was done.

“She’s so whipped,” Sunny added. “But I guess that’s how married life is supposed to be, right? What’s the point of loving someone if it doesn’t give you the privilege to be dumb and blind?” The three burst out laughing.

“Imagine if the residents see this version of her.”

“Hades will switch to Beast instead. Scary on the outside but soft like marshmallow inside.”

“Guys, I’m right here.” Taeyeon waved her hand to remind those three brats about her presence. “And you Lee Soonkyu, you should stop talking trash, you are as whipped as Bull Demon King from The Journey To West. Don’t you remember what you did with Sooyoung?” She smirked mischievously. Sunny abruptly stopped making fun of her.

“What you did you do with her?” Hyoyeon was curious. Sunny’s mood was indeed improved a lot recently. She wasn’t as sour and bitter like before.

“Nothing!” The plastic surgeon glared at Taeyeon. “We just go for a couple of drinks, that’s all.”

“Taeyeon?”

“Yes, Kwon Yuri?”

“You know something, don’t you?” She narrowed her eyes as she walked slowly towards the big desk.

“Maybe,” Taeyeon shrugged nonchalantly. “How big will I get for this confidential matter?”

“Yah!” Yuri slapped the back of Taeyeon’s head. “Share!”

“When will you stop with physical violence?” Taeyeon grumpily soothed her head. “You’re too old for this.”

“I’ll still kick you in your grave. Stop sulking, spill the bean already!”

“She slept with Sooyoung.”

“Oh no, you didn’t!” Hyoyeon shouted. “You’re only on your second date! What are you?! What did I tell you about the dating rule?!”

“No-”

“I thought you’re too old for this?!” She continued yelled at the short-haired doctor. “I can’t believe you!”