Autumn ended faster than everyone was anticipating. It wasn’t snowing yet, but the bite in the cold air and harsh winds made the season’s advent evident. The last leaf from the oak tree that grew at the center of the hospital grounds has shed its last leaf, leaving a massive wooden skeleton that rose high, almost half the height of the building before it.

However, the weather condition and the rapid shedding of the trees weren’t the telltale signs which told Yuan that winter has come again, but the number of people coming into the hospital complaining of cough and colds. Even her landlady, Mrs. Kim, was in the outpatient department waiting for her turn to be checked by the doctor in charge.

It’s that season again, the same one she loved and hated at the same time. She felt lethargic, but her hands are full with the number of people coming into the hospital. A lot of old people, the populace which made a huge percentage of the residents of Block Seven, have been admitted. Most of them contracted pneumonia. It was manageable for most cases, but in just a month, two of their patients passed away due to the same sickness. Winter wouldn’t be all too pleasant at Park Medical, she thought sadly.

To make matters worse, the hospital was understaffed at this time of the year. She heard that winters could be extreme in the province, but then so was summer. Apparently, not all of the people who worked at the institution wished to stay during the cold season, made convenient by the fact that they were only loaned by other hospitals from the city to work at Park Medical. Yuan heard that doctors willingly come to Park Medical due to the influence that Jinyoung’s family had in the medical field. It’s convenient, but he couldn’t help it if his personnel suddenly decide to leave for their hometowns during winter.

Because of that, even the Dietary Department, which is supposed to be only in charge of consultations with regard to the diet of the admitted patients and occasionally, outpatients, needed to lend staff to other departments in order to make up for the shortage of hands. Only a handful of Yuan’s colleagues in the department were left, including herself. Even Dr. Nam had been appointed to another department, leaving the administrative job in the department under Rina.

Yuan came to work earlier than usual despite having gone home very late in the evening after being assigned temporarily to Pediatrics. It wasn’t just the number of people getting common cold which increased. Kids at Oncology are getting worse as if cancer wasn’t already doing the job. She had to assist in the monitoring of some of the patients, and the doctors asked her to stay longer than her usual shift. On top of that, she had to finish the meal plans for each of the patients staying in the hospital, covering for several departments since nobody would do them considering the relocation that has happened as of late.

She was almost done with the meal plans for the patients admitted for the past twenty four hours when Nara entered the office, knocking despite of the open door. “You’re wanted at the head’s office.”

Yuan eyed her quizzically as she filed the papers in a folder. “What for?” she asked, feeling a bit nervous. She was suddenly forced to rummage through her already cluttered mind if she made some slip-ups. She stared wide-eyed at Nara, who laughed at her and told her not to worry. “The interns are coming. You’re being assigned to supervise for our department.”

“Oh.” She sighed in relief and also chuckled. “Silly me.” Yuan stood up from her seat and followed Nara out. “I thought I made a mistake. My brain’s about to explode, I think.”

Nara smirked. “It’s gonna get even worse, mind you. It’s only the beginning of the season.”

Yuan made a face. “That’s really helpful.” She shrugged. “Wish me luck?”

They stopped in front of Dr. Nam’s office. Nara patted her on the shoulder. “You’ll need more than luck. Ice King is handling the interns himself.” She walked away leaving Yuan flustered.

Park Jinyoung again. She almost stomped her feet on the floor in protest when she heard what Nara said. Her shoulders sank and she couldn’t help by sigh heavily. Winter and Ice King. It was perfect. She was already able to avoid him because he had been too busy going out of town, and there weren’t really cases she needed to be involved in with him, and yet it was inevitable how she repeatedly crosses paths with the hospital owner.

Rina gave her several files and instructed her to report to the conference room where the orientation would be held after lunch. The files contained that of the students she will be handling as well as the tasks she should give them, their itinerary and patients they could be handling in the future.

“Did he really have to get interns at a time like this?” she sulkily asked Nara who also didn’t have the answer to query. For once, she agreed to come to the café across the street, thinking that she needed a stronger dose of caffeine which the hospital cafeteria could not provide. Health issues.

She looked up from her cup and regarded Nara in puzzlement when the latter did not answer her. Heck, she wasn’t even looking at Yuan, craning her neck as she looked behind her as if in search for something. Yuan followed the line of Nara’s vision and saw that she was looking at the direction of the door which led to the pantry of the café just behind the counter. It had a bright orange and black sign above it which said Restricted Area.

What’s so interesting there? Yuan was wondering what her colleague was looking for, and she did not have to wait long for the answer. The simple brown curtain which kept what was on the other side of the wall concealed from the patrons of the café was suddenly drawn to the sides and out came a tall man, quite on the slim side, dressed impeccably in a simple, white oxford shirt and dark, fitted trousers.

Yuan only understood Nara’s stiff-neck inducing position and why she endured it upon taking a glimpse at the man’s face. He was gorgeous with that milky complexion and young countenance that screamed elegance, dark, sharp eyes that were a stark opposite of his skin and overall angelic features, framed with light brown hair that was combed backwards. The man behind the bar was gorgeous. He was almost in the same respect as Jinyoung in terms of looks and bearing. She shot that idea down, cringing at the thought of thinking of her boss in that way. Then again, she’s rather ogle her boss than the man behind the counter who looked too refined for her taste.

Stop thinking that way!

“Are you even listening to me?” she demanded, rolling her eyes at Nara who faced her, all giggly. Yuan narrowed her eyes at the woman before her. “Now I know why you frequent this place.”

Nara flushed and looked down at her coffee cup which she clasped with both of her hands. “It’s not just me, you know.” Sh