Disclaimer: I'm not a medical student, so what information I include is from some limited internet research. I've attempted to research the process in Korea, but that information was more difficult to find, and I may be a little off on some things. I also attempted to be detailed on procedures here without being too disgusting…

Jan Di and Ji Hoo had just completed an extremely long lab involving a human cadaver. Jan Di had been nervous about it, but she felt reassured with Ji Hoo by her side and having heard his explanation of what she could expect prior to. It hadn't been too bad. They began with a respectful bow and prayer, as well as a statement from Professor Kim about the importance of this procedure and balancing respecting the individual with remaining detached. Initially, the male students were told to move the cadaver into position. This had looked awkward and unpleasant to Jan Di, but it was quickly over. Their professor had quizzed them on various organs and parts of the body. It had been an entirely different thing to actually see the organs that she'd been memorizing for weeks.

The students were given gloves and scalpels. She couldn't believe she was about to cut into an actual person. She recalled dissecting a frog once, which had been bad enough. Professor Kim had warned that this procedure would likely weed out some students who were less than serious about the profession. She wasn't going to be easily scared off. Regardless, when she received her scalpel, Jan Di's hand was trembling. Ji Hoo noticed this beside her and looked over his shoulder to give her a comforting smile. If he hadn't been wearing gloves that needed to remain sterile, he would have reached out to give her hand a reassuring squeeze.

Professor Kim called on Jan Di to make an incision. Her hand continued to shake as she stepped up. She mentally prepared herself. Professor Kim talked her through step-by-step how to hold the scalpel and how deep to cut. Ji Hoo looked on. She breathed a sigh of relief after making the cut. Ji Hoo smiled, glad for this small success for her.

Each student took turns participating in the cadaver exam. They peeled away the layers and revealed the inner workings of the human body. It was such a strange feeling to be inside as she was. Jan Di found it simultaneously gross and amazing. She was particularly fascinated by the spinal cord and learning about all the connecting nerves fanning out. Jan di was amazed by how much she learned about the individual and their life from the body.

After a physically and mentally draining evening, they finished and cleaned up. Their homework assignment was to practice the physical exam, which they had been learning about. They had studied the body through lecture, books, and pictures. They'd observed the anatomy on a dead body, and now they were to experience these features on the living. They'd been partnered up to practice the components of the physical exam. Jan Di and Ji Hoo had been partnered together. Professor Kim had attempted to partner the same genders together, but the groups had been uneven. He informed them that they could skip any parts that were uncomfortable due to the gender difference. They left together and made a plan to work on the assignment the next evening.

Joon Pyo and Alex were equally pleased that their meeting with the Gyoh Group had went well. Monsieur Bernier was highly impressed with Joon Pyo and Shinwha's ideas and dazzled by Alex Lee's flawless French and positive, confident attitude. The Gyoh Group had been putty in the hands of the two. As expected the Gyoh Group had invited them out for dinner and drinks that night to further discuss the logistics of the merger. It seemed to be in the bag. Joon Pyo and Alex smiled satisfactorily at each other.

They shared a cab back to the hotel. Joon Pyo remained aggravated that they'd been given adjoining rooms. By contrast, Alex had been highly amused by this. She reassured him that he could simply lock the adjoining door if he was truly worried that she'd decide to just walk into his room unannounced. She couldn't deny that it would be entertaining to do so, just to see his expression.

Upon return to the hotel, Alex was able to take a closer look around. She sincerely marveled at how well Shinwha kept up their hotels. She gave him a five star rating.

The two parted ways to their respective rooms to relax and prepare for dinner and drinks at 7PM with the Gyoh Group. Joon Pyo decided to check in on Jan Di. She'd texted him and wished him good luck and asked him to let her know how the meeting went. Joon Pyo smiled. He was now 8 hours behind her, so he knew that she would be going to bed soon.

Jan Di lay in her bed wearing a hoodie with the hood up and wrapped in a blanket. She studied her physical exam manual as she drifted. She heard her phone ring and fumbled for it.

"Joon Pyo!" She excitedly answered.

"Jan Di! Good evening." He smiled.

"How did your meeting go?" She asked right away, with pure interest.

"Very well. I think the merger will go through without a hitch. We're having dinner and drinks with the Gyoh Group to finalize details tonight."

"That's so great!" Jan Di yawned.

"What about you? How are things going?"

She rubbed her eyes sleepily with one hand and held the phone with the other. "Oh, going great here, too. You won't believe what I did tonight…" She continued.

"What?"

"I cut open a dead body…" She whispered.

Joon Pyo made a face. "You what?"

"It was for anatomy, we had to study a cadaver. It was so gross, but so incredible! I actually cut into it with a scalpel."

"That does sound disgusting," he commented.

"I was really dreading it, but it was actually a good learning experience. One person in our class almost got sick, though." She recalled.

"Hmm, did you feel sick?"

"A little bit at first, but I just tried not to think about it and focused on what I was doing."

"I'm glad, Geum Jan Di."

"It was terrifying, but exciting…I can't explain it…"

He nodded on the other end, unsure of how to respond to that.

"I'm glad things are going well for you in school."

"Thanks. I was so afraid I was going to mess up, but Professor Kim just reassured us that the patient wasn't going to complain if we made a mistake." Jan Di laughed awkwardly.

Joon Pyo shook his head at Jan Di's borderline morbid comment. He cleared his throat.

"So, is it nice there in Paris?" Jan Di asked.

"Yes, it's nice, but I've been here before, so nothing new."

"The hotel must be incredible."

"Mm. Well, it's Shinwha's, so.."

"So, yes, incredible." She recalled the last time she was in one of Joon Pyo's hotels.

"I wish you were here." Joon Pyo commented.

"Me too." Jan Di had been so busy, but hearing his voice made Jan Di miss Joon Pyo more. It was easier when she kept occupied. She didn't think about him as much. Hearing his voice reminded her of how far away they really were. She felt herself begin to tear up. "I miss fighting with you!" She exclaimed vibrantly, attempting to suppress further emotion.

Joon Pyo laughed. "I miss fighting with you, too. Soon…"

"Really?" She asked hopefully.

"Yes. I hope to make a trip out soon. Things are hectic now with the merger, but when it settles down, I'll come."

Jan Di smiled contentedly. "I hope so. Things are hectic here, too, so I understand."

"But…it's going well for you?" He asked, unable to hide the concern in his voice.

"Mm." She mumbled. She'd decided not to tell him about the club for the time being… Her eyes began to close.

"We should skype sometime, so we can see each other." Joon Pyo continued.

No response.

"Jan Di?"

No response.

"Jan Di!"

"Hm?" Jan Di stirred from her cat nap and shifted herself.

"Did you just fall asleep on the phone with me?" Joon Pyo questioned, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I guess I did…"

"Am I that boring?" He asked.

Jan Di laughed nervously. "Of course not! I'm just really tired."

Joon Pyo's mouth tightened. "I guess I can understand that. Well, I guess I should let you get some sleep."

"Ok, Joon Pyo, good night!"

"Good night, I love you." He said.

"You, too…." She mumbled sleepily, and she was gone. Joon Pyo grew pensive for a moment. He tried to shake off the paranoid feeling that she wasn't missing him as much as he'd hoped. He tried to rationalize that she was very busy and preoccupied. Then again, so was he. She'd said she missed him, but why did he have the nagging feeling that she wasn't telling him everything. He felt so disconnected.

Joon Pyo washed up and dressed for dinner. He wore yet another designer suit, dark blue. He rang Alex's room. She bid him to enter and informed him that she was almost ready. She quickly stepped back into the bathroom. He rolled his eyes at being kept waiting.

"Joon Pyo," she called.

"Ne?"

"Could you zip me up?"

"Ne?" Joon Pyo gaped. "Do it youself!" He shouted to her from the next room.

"I can't reach, or I would." She exited the bathroom, dressed in a sparkling gold evening dress. She walked over to him and turned around. "Just start it for me, and then I can get the rest." She ordered.

Joon Pyo felt himself redden a bit. He stared at the zipper that rested just above her hip, the small of her back exposed. He remained frozen.

"Aren't you going to zip it?" Alex asked, impatiently.

Joon Pyo sighed. "Aish, fine…" He cautiously took hold of the zipper and pulled it upward. "There, happy now?"

Alex smiled to herself. "Ecstatic. Now that wasn't so bad, was it?"

He crossed his arms. She chuckled. "Thank you, Joon Pyo. I'll be ready in a minute." She sat down at the mirror and put a pair of gold chandelier earrings in. "Ok, shall we go?"

"You mean you're finally ready?"

Joon Pyo and Alex took a cab to a French bistro in the heart of the city. The darkness was offset by the brilliantly lit up city. Joon Pyo and Alex entered the restaurant and gave Monsieur Bernier's name. The restaurant was loud with the sound of traditional French music and people talking in the background. The two were escorted to Monsier Bernier and his associates' table. Monsieur Bernier and his associates each kissed Alex on both cheeks, as was customary in France. Joon Pyo was thankful that the businessmen chose to bow and shake hands with him instead. He was not a fan of the French custom of kissing cheeks.

A waitress brought a bottle of Bordeaux to the table. The businessmen had apparently already begun having before dinner drinks.

"So glad the two of you could join us, please have a drink!" Monsieur Bernier exuberantly invited.

Joon Pyo and Alex held their glasses out, as the waitress poured a half glass for each of them.

"Merci beaucoup, Monsieur Bernier." Alex gave her thanks in French. Joon Pyo nodded politely.

"We were so impressed with the presentation that you both gave this morning," Monsieur Bernier exclaimed. His associates nodded in agreement.

"Thank you," Joon Pyo replied.

The French businessmen were in high spirits. Their business discussed was short-lived, as it seemed the Gyoh Group had made up their minds about working with Shinwha and were now more interested in celebrating the merger. The boisterous businessman chatted casually and continued to drink wine and offer more to Joon Pyo and Alex. Joon Pyo and Alex looked at each other after being offered a third glass of wine. It wasn't easy to turn down the jovial men who clearly enjoyed their festivities. The French were known, after all, for enjoying life.

Alex was beginning to feel the effects of the alcohol. She shot Joon Pyo a helpless glance. She considered turning down the next glass but felt the need to keep up with the men, so she took another. The businessman seemed very enthusiastic that she and Joon Pyo continued to drink with them. The group had their dinner. Bernier recommended some type of duck dish to Joon Pyo and Alex, which they had agreed to. The dinner was brought out. Alex and Joon Pyo were equally pleased to see food rather than simply drink on the table now.

The group had their dinner and chatted over the sound of an accordion in the background. After dinner, the men insisted upon further drinking and another bottle was brought over. Alex's head was beginning to spin, so she slowly drank with them, chasing with water. The meeting went well into the later portion of the evening. Joon Pyo and Alex were able to extract themselves shortly after each of the associates took a turn whisking Alex around the dance floor, at about 11PM.

Joon Pyo and Alex left the restaurant, both a bit tipsy, Alex more so than Joon Pyo. Alex did her utmost to walk as straight as possible but struggled a bit in her high heels.

"Oh, that was a long evening, wasn't it?" She mumbled while they walked down the sidewalk.

"Yes, it was." Joon Pyo agreed.

"But we succeeded!" Alex smiled at Joon Pyo.

"Mm." He nodded and cracked a smile back.

Alex continued to stumble along next to Joon Pyo. He grinned at the difficulty she seemed to be having maintaining her usual composure. "Oh, I can't believe I let them talk me into 4 glasses of wine." Her speech was slurred a bit.

Joon Pyo grinned. "Well, I went along with it, too."

"Yes, but you're better off than I am right now…" She mumbled.

They continued to walk and Joon Pyo hailed a taxi. Alex continued to struggle. She stumbled and Joon Pyo instinctively reached for her. He was able to catch her by the arm and waist and prevent her from falling. He supported her, and she looked up at him dazedly. "Komawo," she muttered in Korean.

He cleared his throat and gave a short "you're welcome" before helping her into the cab. He slid in beside her. Joon Pyo gave the hotel address to the cab driver. Alex closed her eyes and leaned against the seat of the cab. Alex mumbled something drowsily. Her head bobbed and she fell lightly onto his shoulder. Joon Pyo turned toward her, startled. She appeared to be peacefully sleeping. He allowed her to stay there for a moment, and then he gently took her face and moved her to the headrest. Joon Pyo checked to see that she was upright and then looked out his window. He sighed heavily.

Upon arrival she still appeared to be sleeping. He nudged her. "Hey, you, wake up!"

She stirred slightly and mumbled pleasurably in her sleep. "Hey!" He nudged her again. Her eyes fluttered open. "We're here." He stated simply. She looked around briefly to orient herself and nodded.

Joon Pyo paid the cab driver and beckoned Alex out of the car. She was able to stumble out. He remained close out of chivalry to ensure she didn't fall again. What a night…

"I don't feel well," Alex muttered next to him. Joon Pyo rolled his eyes. "Can you make it to your room before you get sick?" He asked.

She nodded. "I think…so…" She clutched .

It wasn't a surprise what was to come. Alex quickly made her way to some nearby bushes outside of the hotel and heaved. He hadn't expected to see Ms. Perfect stooped over vomiting in the bushes. He shook his head. Feeling burdened, he held her hair back.

After she'd finished he helped her to her room. He opened the door for her and placed her on the bed. "Thank you, Joon Pyo." She mumbled sleepily and closed her eyes.

"You're such a pain," he replied. She smiled, and he exited the room. He felt sure she'd be mortified by her behavior in the morning, if she even remembered. He shook his head, amused, and headed back to his room.

Jan Di headed to Ji Hoo's with her bag of medical supplies. They'd been partnered up to practice performing a physical exam for class. Ji Hoo greeted her warmly upon arrival. She relieved her burden of books and medical supplies. "Well, where should we work?" She asked.

He led her into the living room. "Tea?" He asked.

Jan Di nodded. She fumbled through her manual. "Hm, looks like there's the general observation, the vitals, cardiovascular…oh, and maybe we should practice the first aid, as well."

He nodded, as he made the tea. He glanced over at Jan Di, who smiled as she played with her medical supplies. She looked like a kid in a candy shop. He smiled.

"I feel like a real doctor," she beamed, as she tried on a stethoscope.

He smiled. "You will be one day soon."

She smiled back. "Where's Grandfather?"

"He went out for a bit."

"Oh." She continued to look through her bag.

Ji Hoo brought the tea and sat next to her on the couch. "Thank you, Sunbae." She put down her supplies and took a sip.

"So…would you like to go first, or me?" He asked.

"I'll do it," she excitedly volunteered. "But you might need to walk me through a bit."

"I'm still learning, too, don't forget."

"I guess that's what this is for." She held up the manual.

Jan Di took out her checklist and practice form. She began to jot down first impressions of her "patient." "Ok, I need to take your blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and temperature." She pulled out a thermometer. "Open up." He smirked and opened his mouth. She stuck the thermometer in. He held it in his mouth, as she timed. "Ok, let's see if you have a temperature…normal, good."

"Hmm, now…." She pulled out the blood pressure cuff and checked her manual. Ji Hoo rolled up the sleeve of his white button-up shirt.

"Here?" she asked.

"A little higher." He moved her hand to the correct position on his arm. "There."

"Thanks." She wrapped the cuff around his toned arm and began to pump the sphygmomanometer. He watched her as she checked the meter and referred to her book. "Ok, looks good."

"Ok, pulse…how are you doing today, sir?" She asked pleasantly, practicing her bedside manner. He smiled affectionately at her. "Very well, thank you." She ran two fingers lightly against his arm, as she fumbled for the radial artery. He felt goosebumps begin to form.

"Found it!" She exclaimed after a moment. She focused intently upon measuring the beats, as she pressed her fingers against his arm. They both remained silent. Ji Hoo was becoming more and more aware of her closeness.

"Hm, your heart was beating rather fast," Jan Di mused, looking up at him.

He cleared his throat and rubbed his neck. "Oh, it usually is a little fast."

"Hm, ok respiratory rate now?"

He nodded. "Ok, sir, just breathe normally." She said, smiling.

He shifted into position and she told him to begin. Ji Hoo began taking breaths, as Jan Di counted. She was studying his chest attentively, as that was what the book instructed. He felt very self-conscious having Jan Di as his doctor. The time felt long for only being a minute.

She jotted down the results. "Respiratory rate-good."

She fumbled through the bag. "Shall I check your reflexes?" She pulled out the mallet.

"Ok, go for it." He grinned.

She positioned the mallet and whacked.

"A little too hard…"

"Ohhh, sorry…."

He chuckled. "Ok, try it again." He mock braced himself.

"Ok, now how about I check your heart." She placed the stethoscope in her ears.

"Ummm…back first…" He turned around. Jan Di hesitated, suddenly realizing she would have to go under the shirt. Ji Hoo hadn't thought of this before either. He took a deep breath as he faced away from her.

She continued to hesitate, unsure why she felt so nervous. This was common procedure that she'd be doing frequently, and Ji Hoo was her friend. She was comfortable with him. Surely she should be able to listen to his heart, even though it meant touching his bare skin.

"Do you want to skip this part?" He asked, sensing her hesitation from behind him.

"No, it's OK. I have to learn. Are you ready?"

"Yes."

He braced himself physically and mentally. She took her stethoscope and very slowly reached underneath his shirt and slid it up his back. He shifted. "Too cold?"

"No, it's OK."

She felt around for the spot. This was suddenly feeling very awkward, Ji Hoo thought.

"I'm sorry you wound up with a male partner," he said, deciding to make idle conversation.

She took out the stethoscope and looked at him. "It's OK, I'm just relieved it was you, Sunbae." She smiled.

He wasn't sure how to take that. Was she so comfortable with him that she saw him only as her close friend and not also as a man? No, surely she just meant to say that she felt comfortable with him, and that was a good thing, wasn't it?

She took a breath. "Ok, the front now."

He looked at her for a moment. "I'm going to my shirt a little to give you better access, OK?"

She blinked and looked down. She nodded in agreement. He exhaled and slowly began to . She swallowed hard, suddenly feeling increasingly apprehensive. For some reason, this felt…wrong… She hesitated before placing the stethoscope onto his smooth, well-muscled chest. He instructed her on finding the five anatomical points in as steady a voice as he could muster. She fumbled with the stethoscope. Ji Hoo noticed that her hand was shaking lightly. He paused before steadying her hand with his own. She looked down and pulled back.

"I'm sorry," he said, buttoning up his shirt. He examined her.

"No, it's OK. You didn't do anything." She continued to look downward.

He swallowed. "That's enough for tonight, I suppose." He looked at her. She rose and began to put away her supplies, avoiding eye contact. Ji Hoo sighed and stood, as well. He put his hands in his pockets, watching her collect her belongings.

"Thank you for all your help tonight." She said solemnly, finally looking at him.

He nodded. "Jan Di?"

She looked at him. He took her in his arms and held her there, wrapping his arms around her. She allowed him to hold her for a moment. He felt her begin to pull away. He held her shoulders as he brought her to arm's length from him.

"Gwaenchan-ha?"

She nodded, unsure why she felt tears begin to form. He looked into her eyes. She met his eyes briefly and turned away. "I have to go."

He nodded and slowly released her.

"Good night." He said.

"Good night." She bowed and took her leave.