[EPISODE 3 PART 1]

After directly coming from the airport Major Yoo and Sergeant Major Seo had to give a report to their Battalion Commander.

"Thank you for your hard work. And for that you are granted three days and four nights of furlough." The commander explained.

"Team Alpha is excused from all special forces missions during that period."

"Yes Sir" The two men answered in unison, 

"You are dismissed."

"Dan-gyeol."

*****

Mo Yeon was excited as she rode up the elevator to the thoracic surgery department. She was supposed to meet Manager Ji Seung Min today, the person who called her the other day about her shot at getting a promotion.

"Annyeonghaseyo Manager Ji." She greeted the old man. Nearing only 60 years of age, Manager Ji looked older; it must be because of the stress of being a doctor.

"Oh, do sit down Dr. Kang" He told her with a kind smile and she did. She also accepted the cup of tea that he offered.

"Let's get right on it shall we? I know you're very busy" Manager Ji said with a smile.

"Aniyo. Its fine Manager, please take your time."

But the manager only smiled and explained to her. "You see, I've learned of your 'encounter' with our hospital president"

Mo Yeon suddenly became nervous. What if the manager withdrew her promotion because of this matter? She was only about to defend herself when Manager Ji continued.

"The President was very wrong with what he did." He said while shaking his head slightly as if to show his dismay towards the president, "And to punish you still by making you work at the emergency department is just too much"

"Aniyo. I'm also to blame," Mo Yeon replied looking down at her hands on her lap. "I also said some terrible things to the President because he was being rude to me."

"Well, I think it's about time that we get past that" Manager Ji said. "As I've told you last time we spoke, I am asking to be transferred to the branch hospital, and so this position will be left vacant."

"Yes, Manager"

"I've already put in a good word for you, but you must prove yourself to the board." Manager Ji continued. "As a thoracic surgeon you must prove to them that you can be the manager of this department especially since you are not a Professor."

Mo Yeon frowned at that. She wanted to protest about it, but what could she do? It was true that she wasn't a Professor. That position has been stolen from her not once but three times! She closed her eyes shut, trying to get the memory out of her brain.

Manager Ji seemed to have noticed, and gave her a sad smile, and a little pat on her shoulder. "You don't have to worry, this time, I will be giving the final call for the position but you must work hard. I don't want the board thinking that I'm favouring an unskilled doctor"

"Also, let me warn you, " he continued, leaning a bit closer, "It will not be easy, especially since you have not performed any serious surgeries in the emergency department."

"Yes, Manager." Mo Yeon agreed. It was true. All complicated surgeries are forwarded to the respective departments. The ER was designated only for those who needed immediate care, and sometimes surgeons come down to the ER to perform he surgeries needed.

"I see." Manager Ji said, looking thoughtful for a moment. "Ah!" he said suddenly and lightly clapped his hands. "My transfer to the branch will happen in six months. For the time being, I will move you from the ER to the thoracic surgery department.

You have six months to prove yourself. There will be others who have their eyes on this position, but I'm betting on you."

"Ah, Kamsahamnida Manager." Mo Yeon thanked him with a big smile. She was extremely lucky to be in the good graces of the head of the department.

"Guende," Mo Yeon began curiously, "Why did you choose me Manager Ji?"

Manager Ji gave her a sad smile. "I also know of your experience with Prof. Kim Eun Ji, and that it was your third time to be offered that job. And I don't think that it is fair. And I know that you are a better doctor, I've seen you perform surgeries before from the spectator seat, even though you were only the first assistant. And I've heard about your achievements in Urk."

"I don't know what to say" Mo Yeon said, she was almost tearful. "Thank you so much Manager!"

"Gurae" Manager Ji answered with a warm smile. "Get the paperwork ready for your transfer then hand them over to me as soon as you can, I'll take it from there. The transfer will probably take a few days, so don't worry too much"

"Ne, manager. Kamsahamnida."

*****

Kang Mo Yeon walked out of the office feeling elated. She could not wait to tell Yoo Si Jin.

She fished her phone out of her pocket to call him, but she noticed a text message from Lieutenant Yoon.

Myeong Joo? I wonder what's wrong.

She opened the message which read

I need your help. Call me when you get this.

Mo Yeon immediately tapped the call button, and Myeong Joo answered after the third ring

"About time." Myeong said as a greeting from the other line.

Mo Yeon scoffed, "Hello to you too. Is that any way to greet someone, whom you asked help from?"

"Ah, that's right" Myeong Joo said, as if only remembering why she asked Mo Yeon to call in the first place. "I need your help Dr. Kang"

"What's going on?"

"First, promise not to laugh"

Huh? Mo Yeon was confused but she still agreed.

"Okay" Myeong Joo said and took a deep breath. "I need to go shopping and I want you to come with me?" she asked, almost saying it like a question than a request.

"That's it?" Mo Yeon asked. "When do you plan on going?"

"This weekend? Around 5pm, is that okay?"

"Yeah, it is. Do you need anything else?"

"You're surprisingly agreeable today." Myeong Joo teased

"Well I'm in a good mood. If you don't need anything else, hang up. I need to call somebody else"

"Yup, thanks" Myeong Joo said then quickly hung up the phone.

Myeong Joo was smiling after the call. She was so nervous that Dr. Kang would be busy with her boyfriend. They weren't really the best of friends, but aside from Mo Yeon, there wasn't really anybody that Myeong Joo was particularly close with. And besides, they've gotten along pretty well until their Min Yun Gi Oppa came into the picture.

She looked down at herself in her combat uniform and military boots. With so many social events coming up like Lee Chi Hun's son's birthday; and her own mother's birthday; and the countless dates she plans to have with Sergeant Major Seo, she couldn't afford to wear last season's clothes. She may be a soldier, but she was a girl first and foremost, and girls have their shopping needs.

Her hands went to her hair then and thought, Maybe I should go to the salon too. She mentally added it to the list of things that she had to do this weekend and proceeded to do what she was doing before the call.

*****

Myeong Joo hung up so Mo Yeon can now call Yoo Si Jin. Pressing his number on speed dial, he immediately answered.

"Hello? Who is this?" the voice said from the other line. Each word sounding a bit slurred.

"Yoo Si Jin-ssi?" Mo Yeon asked, then looking at the phone screen for a second to confirm if she dialled the correct number

"Yoo Si Jin? That's me" he answered. Now Mo Yeon could hear some other people talking loudly in the background. It was probably Team Alpha but they were being more rowdy than usual. She had already suspected it, but she had to know for sure, so she asked.

"Are you drunk?" Mo Yeon asked. "Where are you?"

Yoo Si Jin gave a vague description of where they were. Like a place that serves food and drinks over at this are.

Great, that narrows it down

She checked her watch to see if she could head out now but it looked like she couldn't. She hung up the phone and sent Myeong Joo a quick text

Is Team Alpha on furlough?

She waited only a few seconds when the reply came

3 days, 0 nights 

"Aish." Mo Yeon sighed,  "Well, I can't do anything about that. I guess I'll have to tell him later." then she send Si Jin a message. She wasn’t sure if when he’d be able to read it, but she sent it nonetheless.

I know you'll drink until you get hammered even if I tell you not to. Just please be careful. Get home safely. I love you

She smiled as she re-read her message. It wasn’t often that they told each other those three words but when they do, it just feels right.

She pocketed her phone headed to Dr. Pyo's office. She needed to tell her the news, and to work on her transfer papers. Just remembering made Mo Yeon smile. It wasn't that she hated her job at the ER, she enjoyed it actually, especially since she can work with her team. But it felt good that now, somebody has recognized her because of her skill, and she was going to do her best to prove that she is a skilled an capable doctor. Now that she was given the chance she wasn't going to let it go.

*****

"Kang-sem!" Min Ji cried out as she dashed towards the nurses' station where Mo Yeon was, signing some admission papers for a patient.

"Slow down Nurse Choi, what's wrong?" Mo Yeon asked Min Ji. The nurse took a moment to take a breath then proceeded to tell Mo Yeon the news.

"The patient from the VA that just came in (Vehicular Accident)" Min Jin began, "The one that was sent for CT scans had an MI (Myocardial infarction) just after.

Mo Yeon's eyes went wide, she knew about the patient's CHD (Coronary Heart Disease) from his records but he even walked towards the department on his own, only slightly assisted; she didn't expect that the situation has worsened already.

"They want you to operate on him" Mo Yeon looked at Min Ji confused, then her eyes darted towards Dr. Pyo who just wheeled out of her office.

"They're testing you," Dr. Pyo said, and added, "Go now! Palli! You must save a patient"

Mo Yeon didn't have time to worry. Is this how Manager Ji planned to get her transferred? She can worry about that later; for now, she had a patient to save.

She made it to the operating room and immediately began to scrub her hands and arms. When she was done she entered the operating room where she was greeted by her surgical team. She nodded towards them and she smiled when she saw a familiar set of smiling eyes from the team.

"Dr. Song, you're here?" she asked as the scrub team fastened her surgical garb and gloves.

"Manager thought it would help to have a familiar face." Dr. Song replied

Mo Yeon only smiled, and then looked at the monitor studying it. She noted the thin black lines forming in the veins.

Those have got to go. She thought to herself then regarded her scrub team.

"It's going to be a double CABG (Coronary Artery Bypass Graft) here and here" she explained pointing to two points of veins on the monitor. Everyone nodded

The anaesthesiologist had already started, and she took her place at the operating surgeon's position, opposite her first assistant, Dr. Song.

A few minutes later the anaesthesiologist gave them the cue. "Blood pressure is stable; Oxygen Saturation is 100%; you may begin"

Mo Yeon nodded as she said, "Good job," then facing the patient before her she began

"Scalpel"

*****

Seo Dae Yeong and Yoo Si Jin thought that they had gone to every possible restaurant and restobar for their 3 days and 0 night’s escapade but they thought wrong. It wasn't until they passed by a relatively not-so-good neighbourhood that a hooker placed a card in Si Jin's hand and left them to check it out, hips swinging in her tight-fitting very mini skirt

Vision still hazy from all the booze in his system, he tried hard to read what was written on the card.

"Chakaman" Yoo Si Jin said, his eyes trying still to adjust their focus

"Whaddaya got there?" Dae Yeong asked, eyes barely open.

"I think it's a hooker card" Si Jin said, with his words slurred and angling the card towards the Sergeant Major. "See?"

It was Seo Dae Yeong's turn to peer at the card. "Gurae?"

Si Jin only nodded. He started to look around at where they were. Weird lights were flashing everywhere; they didn't even notice that it had started to get dark. In one corner there were a couple of girls wearing the same skimpy outfits like the one that handed him the card. And in another there were several lines leading into a building. It wasn't until another few seconds later that they realized where they were.

They were in a strip club joint.

"YAH!" They both shouted at each other suddenly sober, and then both of them bolted towards the other direction, away from all the lights, not stopping until they were a good four blocks away.

They were both panting hard when they came around the corner.

"Yah, Sergeant Major Seo." Yoo Si Jin said, still breathing heavily.

"What?"

"Next time, pay attention to where we're going! Do you know how much trouble we're going to be in, if those two find out?" he almost shouted at the Sergeant Major pertaining to their girlfriends who would chop them limb from limb whenever they got jealous.

Seo Dae Yeong looked thoughtful for a moment then suddenly he shook his head furiously as if trying to erase an unwanted scenario from his thoughts.

"Not a word about this, do you understand me?"

"Yes, Sir"

"What?" said a voice from behind them, "Did you two finally get girlfriends?"

The two men looked at each other, as if trying to place where they heard the voice before. Then slowly, they turned around.

"Uwaaah, those two people must be crazy to date idiots like you two."

Their eyes went wide to see a girl behind them. And not just any girl, this one was the devil's spawn.

"Eun Mi?!"

The girl cocked her head to one side, and then slowly a ghost of a smile appeared on her beautiful doll-like face. Then she held up one hand

"Annyeong Oppa.”

*****

A/N: Sorry it took so long :( I have no excuse. But I still hope you enjoyed it :) Leave a comment :)))))

P.S. Eun Mi is fictional. She's a character I added, :))) I hope this clears any confusion

You can read the bonus chapters here: http://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/1125154