What happened three days ago felt so unreal that Areum still couldn’t believe that she really told Jongin that he has a chance. For the past days, Jongin’s been in a good mood. He’s been greeting her everytime he sees her and Areum would be lying if she would say that she hasn’t noticed that the hospital staffs are talking about the two of them. Areum couldn’t help but think of the possibility that Bogum must’ve heard about what the people in the hospital are talking about.

She hasn’t talked to Bogum face to face after that day; she just texted that she’s sorry about what happened. Bogum, in return, replied that he understands after a short phone call.

Flashback

“You have a chance of making my heart beat for you, Kim Jongin.”

Areum stared back at Jongin, waiting for a word from him. He looked pretty surprised with what she said. A small smile broke on his face before he moved closer, reaching for her cheek once again. But without a word, he suddenly fell unconscious in her arms. She couldn’t believe what just happened. Did he just faint because of her sudden confession?

“Kim Jongin,” she called out, shaking his shoulders but he was not budging. She finally called for someone to help her carry him. After some minutes, he was laid on one of the beds in the emergency room.

“He’s just exhausted. I heard that he helped rescuing some people from the movie theater,” the nurse stated while looking at Areum. The latter introduced herself as a doctor and the nurse immediately recognized her. Despite working for a different hospital, she had once joined an inter-hospital conference where she spoke as the youngest doctor among the panel.

Areum turned to Jongin who’s deep asleep. Never has she imagined herself opening her heart to someone younger than her. Her solid preference has been shattered. She looked at her hands. If she never saw the news, would she be by Jongin’s side? Or would she be with Bogum? She felt scared and worried but not just as doctor and a colleague. She knew that deep inside, she was worried because she’s already fond of him.

She lifted her face and stared at Jongin once again. Her eyes went to his arm and hand which were bandaged. He was injured and there were also some scratches on his face. Leaning forward, she carefully touched his hair. His blond hair’s so soft. In her eyes, he’s a man. He’s not some kid anymore. She couldn’t just dismiss his presence. When he’s around, she couldn’t help but be conscious about everything that she does.

The corners of her lips tugged upwards as she pulled her hand. He suddenly moved, cocking his head to the side before making a soft grunting sound. Areum held her breath. He looked so cute.

The sound of her phone ringing broke her musing. The smile on her face faded when she saw who was calling her. Park Bogum.

She accepted the call and she slowly pressed her phone on her ear. “Hello?”

“Areum? Where are you? I went to your house and Taeyong told me that you just ran out without saying anything. Are you okay?”

She felt her heart being pricked. Bogum sounded so worried. Biting her lips, she looked at Jongin. “I’m at a hospital,” she replied.

“H-Hospital? Why? Are you hurt? What hospital?”

“I’m okay. I’m not hurt or anything. It’s just that,” she paused, internally sighing. “Doctor Kim’s injured from a fire. We’re at Sekang Hospital.”

“Doctor Kim? You mean Kim Jongin?”

“Yes.”

There was a pause. It was awkward and suffocating.

“I see. Is he okay now?” Bogum finally asked. His tone changed. Areum held her phone tightly.

“Yes.”

“That’s a relief.”

“Director Park- I mean, Bogum, sorry.”

That took her all the courage to say. “It’s okay. It’s just a dinner anyway. Get home safely, the two of you,” he replied, sounding all positive.

“Okay.”

“Bye.”

Areum stared at her phone when the line died. That was the most awkward conversation that she had with Bogum. She couldn’t help it. Clutching her head, she looked down before sighing. It’s just so hard for her to ignore Bogum. Despite ending everything years ago, there’s still a spot for him in her heart that couldn’t erase all the times that they had together. It’s just a normal thing, right?

You couldn’t just bury everything behind. Areum was hurt a lot but knowing his reason made her understand. She couldn’t figure out if she’s really just a masochist or a martyr. Although she has a sharp tongue, she couldn’t bear the thought of really hurting people. Bogum gave her so much pain in the past but hurting him would never be in her plans.

Pat.

Areum lifted her head and looked at Jongin. He just regained consciousness and he’s patting her head softly.

“Are you okay now?” she worriedly asked and Jongin smiled before pushing himself up to sit.

“How could I not be okay when you’re here?”

There he goes again. Areum rolled her eyes. Jongin winced when he moved his bandaged arm.

“You’re not feeling dizzy? You must’ve inhaled a lot of carbon dioxide when you were in that building.”

“Are you that worried?”

“Yes, I’m that worried.”

It was Jongin’s turn to be flustered by her bluntness. He regained his ground and smiled.

“Lee Areum, thank you.”

She raised a brow.

“For what?”

“For opening your heart for me.”

There’s something with how he said that and the way his eyes twinkled that set the fireworks in her head. She felt her cheeks heating up like a teenager.

How could I not open it when you’re on the other side pounding it hard?

End of Flashback

“Check the condition of the patient in room 1446. I checked on him yesterday. If his condition’s as usual, increase the dosage of his medicine.”

The nurse nodded right away as Areum made her instructions. She’s already aware of her stomach grumbling. She hasn’t had her lunch yet.

Checking her phone for any call from her mother, she headed to her own room but as she walked through the lobby, she saw some nurses flocking the room of the male doctors. Her brows bristled before walking towards the crowd.

“What’s wrong? Why are you all here?”

The nurses looked at her and gasped in surprise. They all slowly walked away while whispering things to each other.

“Ah! Slowly!”

“Don’t move. It will really hurt if you move.”

Areum moved closer to the door. She’s hearing Wonwoo and Jongin’s voices.

“Put it in faster,” Jongin stated.

“I can’t put it in because you’re moving too much. Just stay still.”

Areum clamped with her hand. Her mind just came up with a picture of what’s happening inside the room and it sure is green and just so wrong in so many ways.

“Turn around,” Wonwoo instructed.

“Ah! That hurts!”

Areum stood there, frozen.

“Buttons. Down.” It was Jongin’s voice this time. Areum’s in the middle of a mental breakdown. “Have you been working out? Your body’s no joke,” Wonwoo suddenly commented.

“Stop admiring me and do it faster. Someone might come. Zipper. Quick”

Wonwoo suddenly coughed up after some time, making Areum raise a brow. What the hell are these two doing?!

She was about to open the door when it came open. Jongin stared at her in surprise. He was tucking his shirt with his left hand. “Doctor Lee, what are you doing here?” he asked. Wonwoo also came out and Areum just stared at them weirdly.

Wonwoo’s dressed up nicely while Jongin’s the opposite. His tie’s a little crooked and his shirt’s not tucked neatly. Wonwoo nodded at her in greeting before leaving the two.

“What were you two doing in there?” she asked, not holding back.

“Us? Nothing much. Why?”

Areum’s still in the state of mental breakdown. She shook her head, telling herself that what she’s thinking is impossible.

“You were yelping and making some weird noises.”

“Ah. Wonwoo’s just helping me get dressed up. I haven’t changed my clothes since yesterday. My arm and hand are still bandaged so I can’t really do it alone.”

Ah.

Lee Areum, you really have a dirty mind.

“I see.”

Jongin narrowed his eyes when he heard her weird reply. He grinned and leaned closer to her.

“Why? Are you jealous? I don’t really mind if you help me dress up.”

That playful tone and that smile are so lethal that Areum felt like she’s already turning red. She kept quiet and Jongin stood straight. “I’m just joking. You said that we should take this slowly. I’m not really in a rush.”

That’s right; she said that after he got discharged from Sekang.

“Since we’re going to take this slowly, having lunch together with be okay, right?”

“Huh?”

“Let’s go have lunch. I’m already starving,” he stated before grabbing her hand and pulling her.

She looked at their hands. Taking it slowly, huh?

Fall.

Spill.

Areum’s eyes went from Jongin to his left hand. He’s awkwardly holding his chopsticks and he’s been spilling his food since a while ago. She’s not sure how Jongin managed to do his rounds with his right arm bandaged. He managed to pick some bean sprout but when he was about to put them inside his mouth, they dropped. The expression on his face was priceless. He looked so pissed off but he just looked so cute.

Areum bit her inner cheeks to stop herself from giggling. Spending time with Jongin makes her feel and act like a teenager.

“I give up,” he suddenly blurted, putting his chopsticks down before grabbing his glass of water. “I should buy sandwich instead. But I really want to eat rice right now.” He pouted reached for the spoon lying beside his chopsticks. He awkwardly scooped some rice and viand from his plate.

How the hell did he survive these days with his bandaged arm and hand?

“Doctor Lee.”

“Huh? Why?”

He grinned sheepishly before cutely batting his lashes. There’s no way this guy just turned 28. Areum could already feel that something out of her comfort zone will happen. He opened his mouth and pointed at his food. See? There’s really no way he’s 28.

He’s asking her to feed him.

Areum blinked and stared at him blankly. “Just once. I really want to eat but my arm and hand are not helping me at all. Just this time. I will not ask you again.”

He’s acting like a kid. He’s whining and pouting like a kid. He’s looking at her like a kid.

Areum did not move an inch and he spoke louder.

“Are you really going to see me starve like this? I’ve been eating sandwich and burger these past days because of this,” he whined, lifting his bandaged arm and hand. “I even asked Wonwoo to help me dress up because I couldn’t do it on my own. I’m just asking you to feed me once. Please.”

Areum could feel the stares from the people around them. She wanted to punch Jongin right on the face. She really couldn’t believe that she’s starting to fall for him when he’s childish like that.

“Doctor Lee, please~ Just this-”

I can’t believe I’m doing this. Areum sighed as she clamped Jongin’s mouth with a piece of egg roll. He was munching his food happily.

“Radish.”

She picked a piece and gave it to him. He nodded in satisfaction.

“Happy?” she asked, sounding pissed off.

He grinned, nodding. That smile’s really unnerving.

“If you’re going to treat me like this everyday, I’d get my arms broken voluntarily.”

Lee Areum, good luck. This guy’s going to kill you with his pick-up lines.

The witches are back.

“We visited the unit last week and the building owner said that we can move this week,” Minhee stated before reaching for the bean sprout. Aunt Kyunghee and aunt Minseo were also enjoying their meal. Taeyong’s already out of the house and he said that they’re having this dance competition. Kihyun’s playing at the living room. Areum was just keeping quiet.

She’s already thinking that her day-off will not be that enjoyable because her relatives are there. Why, of all days, are they here anyway?

“You know Minhwan right?” aunt Minseo suddenly asked and Areum looked at her.

“Minhwan?” she blankly muttered.

“He was in your class when you were in middle school. The one who sang during Minhee’s wedding.”

Minhwan? Ah. That Minhwan?

Areum nodded. “I remember him. He was also a member of a band back then. Why?”

“He just got married last week.”

Oh. I know where this is going.

Areum’s already sighing internally by just thinking of the coming topics from her aunts. “Don’t even start with that topic,” Areum’s mom told her sister.

“We’re just really worried about your daughter. If she does not get married now, it will be really hard for her to have a child. Don’t you want to see your future grandchildren soon? Taeyong’s just in high school so it’s going to take him more time to get married,” aunt Kyunghee explained and Areum just bit her tongue, stopping herself from making a statement.

If she gets married and have a child, will they help her financially? She can manage on her own because she has a steady job and she had saved enough money for her future but why are they really pushing the idea of getting married and having a child? She also wants to settle down but with whom? With Kim Jongin? They’re still in the process of knowing each other well. With Park Bogum? Their relationship’s so complicated.

Getting married is not everything but Areum sure does want to walk down the aisle to meet her groom. But with what’s happening now, she’s still processing what her heart is saying.

“Unnie, do you want me to introduce you to someone I know?” Minhee suddenly asked. Areum looked at her cousin. When did she start being nice?

“Now that I think about it, how about that doctor who likes you? The one Taeyong talked about?” aunt Kyunghee questioned and Areum almost coughed up what she was chewing. Minhee was looking at her intently and so were her two aunts.

Areum laughed nervously and looked at her mother. She looked like she was also anticipating for an answer.

“Ah, him? Well…” she trailed off, looking at her own plate.

“Why?”

“Nothing. He’s nice and-”

Ding Dong.

They all looked at the door’s direction. Areum sighed in relief. She’s not really sure if she’s ready to tell them that she’s still in the process of knowing him better. Knowing her aunts, they might push her to make their relationship official. There’s no relationship to start with. They’re still in the first step and they’re going to take it slowly. She said that he has a chance in making her heart beat for him but there’s still no guarantee about that. Everything might change in the future. Maybe their hearts will not connect. Maybe Jongin will give up. Maybe…there are many maybes.

Minhee stood and went to open the door.

“Uhmm…who are you?” Minhee asked with a soft voice and Areum heard that.

“My name’s Kim Jongin. Is Doctor Lee still in?”

Areum stood up and rushed to the door. Halfway there, she halted. Kim Jongin’s standing in front of Minhee with a casual attire – jeans with white shirt under a bla