Minseok should have seen this coming. The previous patient wobbled weakly out his door. Another failed attempt, well, technically they are improving. He did seem more filled out than the last time he saw him, who was reduced to nothing but bones and a hollow heart. His wide eyes sunken into the sockets with eyebags that even Gucci will be ashamed of. Type 2 eating disorder with excessive anxiety, a robotic voice echoed in his head. The small boy wanted to be a nurse, and that was the first time he saw a silver of hope in the young boy's eyes. But it quickly vanished when the boy said with a hollow chuckle, "How am I supposed to help other people when I'm this wrecked?" Minseok does not believe that. He thinks that he will be well again, yes, he will be well with Minseok's help. Minseok will hire him as his assistant, hopefully soon.

 

What did not prepare Minseok for was the slam of his door revealing his incredibly annoying colleague, now all his inspirational and deep thoughts from earlier shoved to back of his mind. Byun Baekhyun, oh, Dr Byun Baekhyun now stood before him with all his glory, every inch of his puppy corgi glory, with a constipated face (Minseok thinks its exactly like that.) Sighing as he kept the other boy's records in his rows of files, "What do you want now, Baekhyun?"

 

Laying his perfectly-manicured hand on the guest chair, lightly appreciating this plush and velvety smooth exterior, Baekhyun finally took a seat facing Minseok. The body-image therapist had half a mind to tell the plastic surgeon to just take the chair back to his office, because if the chair was a person, he would have called him out for ual harassment and put a restraining order on him.

 

"Have you heard about the news?" Baekhyun asked, the therapist nodded while fiddling with the ornaments on his desk. "I knew it since last week, where were you? Taeyeon-land?" Minseok sneered, it always felt good to poke fun at Baekhyun's love for the singer.

 

Admiration, said Baekhyun. Obsession, testified Minseok. The fanboy broke out a whine, "How come I'm always the last to know about this?"

 

 

"Maybe you should have paid more attention, I still wonder how haven't you left a scalpel in your patient's body yet." said the therapist.

 

 

"Ouch, how rude," barked the surgeon, "My skills are top-notch! By the way, you're obsessed with Changmin. Don't think you're any different, Cassie-nim." The therapist kept his mouth shut.

 

 

"He's coming in later in the afternoon."

 

 

"Who?"

 

 

"The man in your bed last night," Minseok deadpanned, "Dip, our boss!"

 

 

Something told Minseok he should really kept his mouth shut, especially with the glint in Baekhyun's eyes. "Are you serious?" Minseok screeched, "Get out, you impure bastard!"

 

 

"And you're just a prude," the surgeon sing-songed as he ducked behind the door.

 

---

 

 

"We're here," Kim Jongdae looked out to the building before him. This is the grandest they ever had, the other branches fell in comparison. The best in the area, or so he heard from his older brother. "Hyung, do you think I can do well enough?" Junmyeon smiled while struggling to pat his younger brother's head. The Kim Family gave the brothers everything – wealth, education, fame, looks but just missing out height.

 

 

"Of course you will do well, Jongdae. Dad gave you this branch for a reason, a challenge, actually." The younger whiplashed, "Huh?"

 

 

"The employees, are no doubt the best of the bunch since it took us a while to secure them," the older explained, "but to put it nicely,  I would say they're eccentric? Anyways, you're late! Quickly, go in!"

 

 

With a shove, Kim Jongdae, the new (and hopefully improved) Hospital Director is in Eun Hospital.

 

 

"And you're just a prude!" was the first thing the director heard as he stood face to face with one of the most "eccentric" males he has ever had the pleasure of meeting.

 

 

Said guy has silver hair mused up and oh my god is he wearing eyeliner?! Doctor's gown and scrubs, check. He is a doctor.

 

 

"Can surgeons actually wear eyeliner?" The director commented dumbly.

 

 

"Oh honey, of course!" the doctor said, "it helps with my 20-20 eyesight, darling." He stepped forward, gently touching the collar of the other man's immaculate suit. Leaning forward, he whispered "I could very well see under your clothes as well." To hell with eccentric, this doctor was more of a seductress than a doctor.

 

 

"What are you doing?" Both men look towards the source of the voice. Another man, Jongdae mused, isn't this a sausage fest? Doctor's gown but no scrubs. Must be a therapist.

 

 

"Oh, Director!" Minseok called out. Did Baek just–?

 

 

The therapist quickly stepped between the two, not forgetting to shove the doctor at least an arm's length away, "Let me introduce all our staff here to you,"

 

 

"This is our residential plastic surgeon, Dr Byun Baekhyun," in which said doctor winked obnoxiously at them, as if Jongdae was not uncomfortable already.

 

 

"I'm Dr Kim Minseok, in charge of body image therapy," Minseok proceeded to usher him out of the hallway.

 

 

"This is Dr Do Kyungsoo, our other residential plastic surgeon," Jongdae thinks the other is either mad at him or is actually the most normal around here, "This is Park Chanyeol, our nurse assistant but mostly a receptionist." Minseok laughed while said male barked out an indignant whine.

 

 

"There's only four of you here?" The director asked as they walked into the director's office, a door down from Minseok and opposite of Baekhyun's at the end of the hallway.

 

 

"Mostly yes? 2 surgeons and 1 therapist are enough most of the year, since this branch is exclusive and all," answered the therapist as he sat down on the guest chair, "Baekhyun and Kyungsoo are capable surgeons afterall. And I can handle the therapist job. But during the peak tourist season, we sometimes have Yixing and Shixun from the China branch as backup." Jongdae nodded, maybe Minseok was normal afterall.

 

---

 

 

"Are you ing kidding me?" the voice resonated pass his office, causing Jongdae to look up to the sound. He spoke too soon, for a therapist Minseok sure has a pouty mouth.

 

 

"Are you ing serious?" hissed Minseok now that he thinks he was probably too loud (the walls are bloody thin in Baekhyun's office, since privacy is not an issue.), "Did you try to ing seduce our director?"

 

 

"Well I didn't know!" the surgeon chewed obscenely on his burger, "I thought he was the assistant or something, don't directors have that?"

 

 

Minseok clutched his temples, one day he thinks he might just explode and die here in this same exact office with this bug of a human. "He's a very capable leader, mind you, he doesn't need any assistants."

 

 

"There's like 5 of us anyway, why the heck do we need a goddamn director?" said Baekhyun. Minseok just sighed, "You realise that this is not the only Eun Hospital we have right?"

 

 

"What, really?"

 

 

"Seriously which nutcase hired you to work here?" the therapist continued, "There's over 50 branches around the world, and he manages all of them. This is the last branch on his list."

 

 

“But he doesn’t have god-like hands like mine that perform miracles!”

 

 

“Funny, because he was a plastic surgeon like 2 years ago.”

 

 

"But he's so –"

 

 

"Young right?" Minseok smiled, "By the way, he's the same age as you. I think he was in your graduating class as well, SNU Class of 2012 right?"

 

 

Baekhyun's lips pursed into a thin line, which was weird since Baekhyun never does that, unless it was inside the operating theatre.

 

 

"What's wrong?" asked Minseok.

 

 

"I don't know?" replied the surgeon, "Maybe I was fine and dandy without a direct boss until 30 minutes ago and I only knew about the existence of said boss like an hour ago?"

 

 

"Ugh, whatever just leave me alone. I need to go mope for my freedom. I'm a free bird! I don’t deserve to be caged!" screamed Baekhyun. That was the cue for Minseok to go.

 

---

 

 

The next few months went by uneventfully. The residents of the hospital slowly got used to the new inhabitant, although he was only behind the door down the hallway 4 out of 7 days a week.

 

 

Kyungsoo walked down the halls after lunch, finally relieved that the annoying Park Chanyeol was off his back because one more “Kyungsoo-yah” he would seriously run to the nearest lawyer (2 floors down) to get his name changed to something the tall, lanky nurse would not be able to pronounce. Maybe Alejandro, the smaller male thought, Chanyeol won’t be able to pronounce that.

 

 

“What are you doing?” AnnoyingBug#2 (known as Byun Baekhyun) crouched in front of the director’s office. Today was a Thursday, which meant that said director was not around, probably out in China eating soup dumplings or meeting with other important executives like himself.

 

 

The relationship between the director and the surgeon was sure peculiar. On the surface, or at the very least in front of Jongdae, Baekhyun is nothing but snide remarks and sassy comebacks. Sometimes, the surgeon would talk behind their boss's back. (“Have you seen how he ate that cookie? How obnoxious!” “Baekhyun, he’s just eating a ing cookie like a ing normal person. Please,”) Kyungsoo thinks that Jongdae must have the patience of Saint Mother Theresa herself to not fire such a rude (albeit capable) worker. But when Jongdae was not around, like this moment in particular, Baekhyun becomes a ball of anxiety, like a puppy, literally waiting in front of the door for his owner to come back.

 

 

Said puppy whipped his head to face Kyungsoo, his demeanor completed with droopy puppy eyes, and oh, he did not even bother to rim his eyes with kohl. “What’s wrong with you?” the wide-eyed surgeon started, “Don’t you have work to do? Patients to attend to? Paperwork to file?” Did Chanyeol purposely file all the patients under his name to keep him in the office till far beyond closing hours? He even had to finish lunch in record time while his eyeliner-obsessed counterpart was free enough to paw at his owner’s, no, director’s door?

 

 

“I don’t know, it feels empty without him here,” the personified corgi lamented, “I don’t have anyone to argue with...” Kyungsoo felt the temptation creeping in him to take the nearest object (perhaps his shoe) and aim straight for the other surgeon’s face. Then something clicked in his brain.

 

 

“Are you love-sick right now?” He asked. Baekhyun’s expression changed so fast that Kyungsoo had half a mind to tell him to pursue acting instead. “Pfft, no?” said the surgeon, now shooting up and wincing since his legs were numb from all the squatting, “Why will I fall for him? He’s my boss aka my enemy. Is it even possible to fall for the enemy?”

 

 

As Baekhyun pushed pass the younger surgeon, still blabbering about not succumbing to oligarchy, Kyungsoo did not miss how red the tip of the older surgeon’s ears were.

 

 

Isn’t that some juicy stuff that he couldn’t wait to tell Minseok and (reluctantly) Chanyeol about?

 

As the yellow trees slowly turned into white, Jongdae found himself staying in Seoul more than travelling around like he did. He currently sits in his office, reviewing a proposal by his older brother about expanding Eun Hospital.

 

 

“Oh my god, did Junmyeon use Comic Sans?” muttered Jongdae as his eyes trailed to the 56th line of the document. Junmyeon probably figured that this was a private document between the brothers and had free reign to use whatever cancerous fonts he could get away with it. Then, another document caught his eye, and he knew who exactly it belongs to. Comic Sans glaring obscenely at him, “How does he know....”

 

 

“Hey Chanyeol, can you get Byun Baekhyun to my office?” The director instructed over the telecom. "On it, Director." replied the deep voice. 

 

 

Five Mississippi’s worth of silence after, his glass door slammed loudly revealing the doctor with his sorry excuse of a bedhead, “Yes, Jongdae?” Baekhyun started, purposely using a sweet nasally voice that he knew the other hated.

 

 

A sigh, “First of all, Baekhyun, I’m your boss,” Jongdae could feel the headache coming through, “address me the correct way. And also, re-do this document, did college not teach you formal writing etiquette?”

 

 

Baekhyun pouted, “But I’m older than you Jongdae,”

 

 

“I don’t care,” says the director and threw the document right at his face. “Hey, that could ruin this beautiful face!”

 

 

“All the better,” commented Jongdae, eyes down on his work.

 

 

“By the way, pack your bags for next week, you’re coming with me to Busan for the conference.”

 

 

A chuckle, “Ayy, are you asking me out on a date?” Jongdae suddenly felt the room got 5 degrees celsius higher (Is the air-conditioner broken?), “No? It’s for work! Geez, stop being so obsessed with me.”

 

 

“Who’s obsessed with your scrawny ?”

 

 

“So you’ve been eyeing my ?” Jongdae raised an eyebrow, finally looking up to the surgeon.

 

 

“B-Bull,” stuttered the surgeon, and he grabbed the document and high-tailed out of his office, Jongdae’s laughter echoing down the hallway.

 

---

 

 

“We’re taking the train to Busan?” Baekhyun screeched loudly and Jongdae had to wince for the impact, “Yes, why not? It’ll be like the movie ‘Train to Busan’ right?”

 

“That movie is a tragedy, Jong–” A glare from the other, “Director,” clarified Baekhyun.

 

 

As they loaded their luggages in the designated compartments, both males sat opposite each other. “You know, I always liked taking trains,” started the director, Baekhyun raised a quizzable brow, “Yes, you think since I’m rich, famous and handsome,” the surgeon scoffed but the flick of his wrist prompted the director to go on, “that I’ll prefer private jets and yachts,”

 

 

“But I really like trains, my grandfather always brought me and my brother on train trips,” a small smile played on his thin lips. His usual alert eyes soften at the memory and Baekhyun fought the urge to coo at the younger. “It’s okay, I love trains actually, I’m not as spoilt as you think?”

 

 

“Bull,” scoffed Jongdae, “I may be the rich brat but you’re just a brat,”

 

 

“Call bull all you want,” Baekhyun gasped, “this face sculpted by the gods from above deserves the best treatment.”

 

 

The rest of the ride fell into a comfortable silence while Jongdae carried on with his never-ending pile of documents, Baekhyun opted for a nap, his lips fell into a small ‘o’. Soft snores resonated in the small cabin. The cue for Busan played a few hours later and Jongdae shook the knots out of his neck. Baekhyun was still asleep, his face pressed disgustingly on the window. It’s endearing for some, maybe even to Jongdae. Wait no, that’s disgusting, Jongdae snotted and grabbed his paperwork, slamming it against the other’s head.

 

 

“W-what?” Baekhyun startled awake, his voice drowsy with sleep, “Are we going to die? I told you we shouldn’t take the train! We are going to die like in the movie!” His voice got progressively louder and louder that Jongdae had to slump over the table to clasp his hand over the blabbering surgeon’s mouth.

 

 

 

“Shut the up!” hissed the director, “We are reaching Busan that’s all! Oh my god, you’re stupid! Why did I even think it’s okay to bring you here? You’re such an embarrassment to Eun!”

 

 

Baekhyun’s eye glint into crescents and Jongdae felt a wet muscle lapping on his palm.

 

 

 

Jongdae’s screech rivaled Baekhyun’s usual whining, “You disgusting little !” And the director jumped off him quicker than ever.

 

 

“Nah, you adore me,” the older dragged out the whine. “Shut up, we are going to be late,” snapped the boss, but there was no bite in his words.

 

---

 

 

The conference was a success. Despite the plastic surgeon’s aloof demeanor, he carried himself that charmed investors and other executives alike. The duo worked pretty well, noted the hospital director, and the deal was signed. Eun Hospital was set to expand to Busan early next year.

 

 

Jongdae and Baekhyun set out to celebrate at a nearby restaurant. Jongdae knew he should not be ingesting this much alcohol, but the glib tongue of Baekhyun’s was hard to resist. As if you could resist him in normal circumstances, his brain reminded.

 

 

“Jongdae,” Baekhyun exclaimed, hands struggling to pour himself another glass of Soju, “Do you know why I hated you?”

 

 

“Don’t you still hate me?” asked the director.

 

 

“Nope,” Baekhyun popped the ‘p’, “I don’t hate you anymore, honestly.”

 

 

“I hated you because you’re my boss,” a hiccup, hands fumbling for another shot, “and I hate bosses.” Jongdae felt a little light-headed, he felt the alcohol affecting him more than it should, “Why?”

 

 

Baekhyun pouted darkly, “I hated control, ya’know,” he chuckled, “I even left home because of that.”

 

 

“My mother was diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder,” the surgeon hiccuped, “She wanted to control every part of my life, where I go, what I eat, who I’m with,”

 

 

“And one day I just snapped,” he let out a weak chuckle, “I-I probably shouldn’t have done that. S-She just collapsed and gone, just like that,” Jongdae’s memories flashed to a much younger zombie-like Baekhyun, sans his obnoxious laughter around campus. They did not know each other but then who was Jongdae kidding? Everyone knew Baekhyun in the Cosmetic Wing of Seoul National. 

 

 

The surgeon collapsed on the table, his head in his arms, letting out strings of loud sobs. Jongdae never expected Baekhyun will be a crier drunk. He moved himself next to the older male, his hands rubbing smooth circles on his back. The sobbing male raised his head slowly and turned towards the director. They were way too close, noted Jongdae. He could see the other’s cheek dusted light pink and his tears glistened with the street lights. Their eyes met. The surgeon edged forward. It was a tense veil of silence between the two males.

 

 

Closer, I’m closer, I’m closer, I’m closer.

 

 

The speakers blared in the background, but both males could only hear heartbeats.

 

 

Can you hear my cry?

 

 

Baekhyun’s eyes fell to the feline lips in front of him.

 

I am having a long dream on a late night, oh.

 

 

A brief thought wandered over him, wondering how soft would it be to be just pressed against that.

 

Closer, I’m closer, I’m closer, I’m closer.

 

 

Jongdae suddenly felt a heavy weight, the weight being Baekhyun slumped on top of him. He unknowingly let out a breath he held. He called for the bill and then the cab.

 

 

Was he hoping? Hoping for something to happen? He shook his head to clear his thought in the clear Busan night. The body in the other room opposite him, how dare he do things to his heart?

 

---

 

 

The sunlight blared into Baekhyun’s eyes, rousing him awake. A strong beating of his head attacked him as he shot up way too quickly.

 

 

, I drank too much and I feel like . What happened? His memories served him nothing, but glimpses of Jongdae and him laughing and eating up a feast to celebrate the deal.

 

 

Wearily, he rolled himself off the bed and greeted his morning with a hot shower. An insistent knocking on the door was heard as he walked out of the shower in his fluffy white bathrobe. He opened the door, revealing his boss with a stern face.

 

 

“Baekhyun, what the heck are you doing?” said the director. It was 2pm and his surgeon just woke up. He looked down at his employee, wearing nothing but a bathrobe. Tantalizing, yes. Scandalous, hell yes.

 

 

“What the , go put some clothes on! I’ll meet you in 15,” before Baekhyun could respond, Jongdae was already down the hall at the lift lobby, with his luggage in tow.

 

 

They arrived at the train terminal yet again. “Wow, what a short trip,” exclaimed Baekhyun as he sat in his seat. “Then come again on your own,” snapped his boss.

 

 

He’s being weird today, Baekhyun thought but paid no mind to it. The trip back was uneventful to say the very least, as Baekhyun ate and drank while Jongdae kept his eyes trained at his computer.

 

 

---

 

Minseok was pleased for the peace and quiet since the bickering duo was gone for Busan. He just saw three patients for the day, leaning back and closing his eyes for a short rest. Short rest begone, because his door slammed open to reveal his boss and now close friend, Kim Jongdae. He closed the door gently, however, and then body slammed himself on the couch of the therapist.

 

 

“What do I do....” whined Jongdae, Minseok rolled his eyes and scoffed, “What do you want, Director-nim.” in a sweet voice he knew Jongdae hated because Baekhyun did it way too much.

 

 

“Byun Baekhyun is way too unhealthy for me,” Jongdae whined further, his face smooched  into one of the pillows. “I figured,” said Minseok nonchalantly, “I knew him much earlier than you by the way,”

 

 

“Wrong!” blared Jongdae childishly, “I was his coursemate in SNU, so I knew him way earlier than you!”

 

 

“So you want to talk about feelings right now?” commented the therapist, and Jongdae nodded slightly, “how about no?” Because Minseok was suddenly overwhelmed with work, and he must get the boy Jongin to become a nurse, and as the internet would say ‘Ain’t nobody got time for that.’

 

 

“But you’re a therapist! You’re supposed to help me!” Minseok thanked the lords above that his room was sound-proof because Jongdae’s voice was way too loud for someone who was indecisive about whether he likes his employee or not.

 

 

“I console people who hate themselves but not people who happen to be a director who loves his surgeon so much that he doesn’t know what to do with himself,” snapped Minseok as he pushed his boss and friend out of the door, “I still have paperwork to fill and got to make Jongin a nurse in this place, Ciao~”

 

 

Jongdae found himself left outside Minseok’s door and sighed.

 

 

---

 

“Now what do you want?” asked Kyungsoo, Chanyeol was also in his room for some reason, as he pulled Baekhyun with him as well. “How was the trip?” Chanyeol asked excitedly, the surgeon was flustered.

 

 

“Eh? Why aren’t you speaking?” piped Kyungsoo from his desk, eyes still staring at his paperwork, “Are you overcome with rage for your boss so much that you can’t sp–”

 

 

“–eak?” Baekhyun’s eyes were unreadable, Chanyeol probably thought he was constipated from all the good food in Busan.

 

 

Kyungsoo smirked, his pea-brain is finally working! The shorter surgeon exclaimed internally, “Have you realised your undying love for your boss or is there something crazy in my eye?”

 

 

Baekhyun opened his mouth to protest, “N–Nugh,” he sighed and dramatically leaned against Chanyeol, “I don’t know!”

 

 

“Figure it out yourself, buddy.” Kyungsoo patted his colleague’s shoulder, then pushed him out of his door, “We can’t deal with that,”

 

---

 

 

“Ooo, you were totally onboard with this BaekDae ship,” said the nurse, “Shut up, Park.” the surgeon sighed, “I just don’t want to see 2 idiots skirting around each other.”

 

 

“Great minds think alike, can you be my boyfriend?”

 

 

“Park, I think we got over that like a few weeks ago,” he still did not know what made him agree to this doofu’s request. Chanyeol grinned widely akin to a scary Ronald MacDonalds, especially with his newly-dyed bright red hair, but the smaller male found it oddly endearing. He’s ed, he thought, but since it’s with Chanyeol, he thought that it's perhaps okay this time.

 

 

The two males stood outside at the hallway, each in front of a door. Jongdae awkwardly cleared his throat and motioned for the surgeon to come into his room. Baekhyun nodded dumbly and followed.

 

 

“Look,” the two males sat on the couch in his office. “I think I might just realised something–”

 

 

“That you like me?” the Director suggested, making sure his tone light, and braced himself for the impact that maybe it was just him and eccentric Baekhyun probably wanted to quit and leave him forever.

 

 

“Well, uh, maybe?” the surgeon muttered, “Like yes, maybe? I know this is too fast right now and seriously it’s scaring me too and I only had like 2 boyfriends before and–” His stupid hard body slammed into another, a pair of arms wrapping around his frame.

 

 

Jongdae laughed into the other male’s shoulder, pulling away far enough to peck him on the cheek. “Did you just?” The surgeon screeched, and the director let out another string of laughter.

 

 

Now Baekhyun was the one to pull away, “Hey, you gotta do it properly man,” and clutched the other male’s face to properly relish in the softness of the other’s lips, “I’ve been wanting to do this since Busan man,” He mummer against his lips.

 

 

“Wait you remembered?” the director asked with his eyes wide. The surgeon nodded, “I got a brain at least, why do you think I’m in SNU’s Class of 2012?”

 

 

“Well, you didn’t wait very long,” Jongdae pecked his boyfriend’s lips again and smiled.

 

 

“Okay seriously what the , get a room ya’two!” Minseok went back into his room to retrieve two pillows, and threw one at each stupid male. “I had to deal with Chanyeol and Kyungsoo last week, and now I have to deal with you two?” The therapist slumped against the wall dramatically, arms flailing wildly.

 

 

“Then go get a mate!” echoed Kyungsoo’s voice from his room.

 

 

Minseok clutched the third cushion close to his chest and let out a loud whine.