“So what do you say?” a voice next to me said cockily.

I turned to look at the person with a raised eyebrow and a haughty tone, “Dr. Kim. I don’t even know what it is you said.”

“Dinner sometime?” Jongin said with an expectant tone.

I closed my eyes in exasperation then opened my eyes and answered with a cold smile, “No. I’m busy.” I felt like I know men like Kim Jongin. They were dangerous for ones’ emotional health.

“Uhm Nari, please? Won’t you consider it?” a hint of genuine emotion in his voice.

I swallowed doubting my previous evaluation of him, I always took him as the type to joke around and never mean anything he said. I gently shook my head and replied in a firm voice, “Dr. Kim I don’t have time for games and I don’t know why you think you can ‘play’ on my emotion or something.”

I walked off. As I entered the emergency room an onslaught of rushing paramedics were rushing to bring patients in. Chaos was threatening to occur, patients were being pushed in and moved to different sections.

I found a nurse asked urgently, “What’s going on? Has there been a bombing or raid? Why are there so many people all of a sudden?”

“I don’t know. Everything was fine until about 5 minutes ago, when there were just multiple calls asking if we had bed space because there were just too many patients for Clinic #1 and #2 to take.”

“I see, thank you.”

I hurried to the closest paramedic, “Do you know how many patients are in critically condition”

“Doctor, they are all around the same condition, all critical and varying ages but with very similar symptoms,” the young male paramedic replied.

I breathed out and nodded to myself. This wasn’t the first time that there was an overcrowding of the Clinic but it was extremely unusual that nothing seemed to precipitate it and that they were all in similar conditions. There was always some form of warning or at least anticipation of a rush of patients.

“Dr. Uhm what is the situation here?” Professor Jin-hee questioned urgently.

“Patients have been diverted to our clinic due to an overflow of patients in the clinics,” I replied.

“I have heard from the hospitals and they are also swamped with emergency patients with no known cause. There has been no news of attacks of any kind from either side.”

As I was about to ask for more information, someone called out, “Please, please save my sister.” The person had run into the ER with the girl in his arms. The girl appeared to be unconscious but no visible wounds.  

I ran towards them and instructed that a bed should be prepared for the patient. I looked at her for signs of consciousness and started to go through the ABCs. Taking note of all the abnormalities that I could fine.

“How long has she been like this?” I asked with a quick glance to the man.

He swallowed, “It’s been a few days. I hoped that she would awaken. We don’t have the money to pay for medical care.”

I looked at him again. There was something aristocratic about his features despite his general gaunt appearance and worn clothing. I looked at the girl again. “She’ll need an IV and a complete work up,” I said to the nurse standing beside me.

I saw that Dr. Kim on the other side of the ward checking and working with the various patients. I looked away, hurried to the next patient hoping to stablise the patients quickly. We would have to try to find a cause or some indication of what would wake or help the patients. Soon I think too, there’s only so much space and resources we could use before we were forced to turn away patients.