(A/N: Belated Merry Christmas and Advanced Happy New Year, Yeorobun! I'm so sorry for being inactive for so long. I'm undergoing so many changes in my life right now. I moved abroad recently so the preparation and adjustment process is a stressful time for me that I couldn't write anything worth posting. Despite that I wanted to write an update before the year ends even if its just a short one. As I am still adjusting to my new job I still do not know when I could add another update. I am so sorry for making you guys wait. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday and a fruitful year ahead of you. Saranghae!)

Jiyong woke to the soft touch of the on duty nurse who was checking on his IV line. The nurse apologized for disturbing him. He just smiled sleepily and nodded to say that it was no problem. The nurse then adjusted his wrist splint and quietly left after making sure that the drip rate was correct.

He still felt sleepy so he just turned to his side and closed his eyes. Just as soon as he did the door once again opened and he could hear Dara’s soft but somewhat excited tones joined intermittently by male chuckles. He had an inkling it was the annoying pretty boy who was talking to Dara so he kept his eyes closed and evened out his breathing. He wasn’t up to exchanging niceties with a wannabe rival. “Thank you for touring me around the hospital. I liked everything that I’ve seen so far.”

“It was my pleasure, Dara. Remember what I told you. You would make a really great addition to the A&E team here. The director was impressed on how well you handled the incident earlier. He wouldn’t have offered you a position otherwise. Just think about it.” Jaejoong softly answered back. 

He noticed the slight stiffening of the supposedly sleeping figure on the bed and smirked. He continued in a slightly louder voice, “And it would be great to work with you again. We made a good duty team before. Those were memorable times.” 

He smiled half in remembrance and half in triumph noting the telltale twitch in Jiyong’s hand. The hand strapped to the IV was now gripping tightly to the edges of the wrist split. Jiyong cursed the other guy vehemently inside his head. If duels were legal he swore to himself he would challenge the arrogant guy the moment Dara wasn’t around. 

Dara was standing on the side facing Jiyong’s back oblivious to the murderous aura coming from the supposedly sleeping sick man. She was busy checking his meds on the bedside stand that she didn’t notice Jiyong’s reactions to their conversation. As she was about to move to Jiyong’s other side Jaejoong interrupted her. “Let’s exchange numbers before I go.”

That he wouldn’t allow. Jeoldae andwaeyo! He started coughing as if he was choking on his own saliva and weakly tried to sit up with his free hand gripping on to his hospital gown’s front. He looked as if he was gasping for air. He should win a Best Male Actor award for this. Jaejoong looked at him with a suspicious glint in his eye his hand holding on to his phone.

“Aigoo. You’re choking in your sleep again?” Dara clucked at him while quickly helping him to sit up in his bed. He once had a bad case of reflux he would wake up in the middle of the night coughing and choking. Phone numbers were delegated to the background as she worried like a mother hen for Jiyong. 

She distractedly told Jaejoong, “Just leave me your call card and I’ll contact you when I’ve decided Jae. Thank you so much. I know you’re tired but you stayed beyond your duty hours.