Heechul was walking along the hallways of BBSI leisurely after a day spent doing his rounds in the hospitals where his patients are staying in. He’s famous enough and talented enough to have his choice of the top hospitals. That gave him some flexibility when it comes to his schedule which really comes in helpful when cases like Sandara’s are brought to him.

Not that he has encountered a case like Sandara’s before. He actually hopes he never will again.

He paused to chat with the some of the nurses about BBSI’s facilities. He has to admit, their medical wing is top notch. It is certified to handle emergency, trauma, ortho, psychological, physical rehabilitation cases. Only things it isn’t equipped to handle are cardio and neuro; which quite frankly, is understandable.

And that is what was keeping him busy, aside from his usual patients. He’s been checking out hospitals and submitting them to Jiyong so he could veto or approve them, after some thorough security checks of course. He wants to be ready with whenever Sandara decides to have the surgery and he knows that Jiyong just won’t let her be operated on anywhere. He suspects the man would even buy all the machines and tools for neurosurgery if it crossed his mind. It sounds awesome but it is excessive and total overkill. That was why Heechul never mentioned it and why he is so keen to find a hospital that Jiyong will approve of.

Settling behind his desk, he brought out his laptop and turned it on. He sent Jiyong a text message telling him that he has another packet ready for the CEO’s perusal.

“Knock knock.”

Heechul turned and saw Sandara smiling uncertainly at him from the doorway. “My, my, my. Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes.” He exclaimed as he welcomed her.

“Is that a good thing?” She asked him as she sat down on the couch where Heechul led her to.

“That, my dear, is a very good thing.” Heechul confirmed. “It means that you are a vision of such loveliness you can heal and erase all the bad things these tired eyes have seen.”

Sandara giggled at his flowery words and Heechul smiled at her as he leaned back. “So, did you miss me?”

“Maybe.” Sandara answered coyly. Heechul saw the spark of playfulness in her eyes and was glad for it.

“I knew it.” Heechul answered dramatically. ‘I may not have a building of my own, but I’m pretty rich too, you know?” He wagged his eyebrows, making her laugh. “So, what, other than my handsome self, brings you here?”

Sandara sobered up. “I want to do the surgery. Tomorrow if possible.”

Heechul straightened up and studied her. He could see that there was a resolve in her eyes that wasn’t there before. “What changed?” Sandara frowned in confusion. “Before you were worried about your hair.. Now, you want it done tomorrow. What happened?”

Sandara was silent for almost a minute before she spoke again. “I realized that a lot of things in life are uncertain. I just have more of those uncertains than most people. I realized that I have been putting my life on hold waiting for something that may or may not come.” She looked at him and he saw just how serious she is. “I’ve waited years to be rescued. I just sat there and let them do whatever they want with me-”

“I’m sure-”

“That’s the thing.” Sandara interrupted him. “We’re not sure of anything at this point. I was mad at Dongwook for not saving me. Mad at Jiyong for not knowing the answers. Mad at everyone else for what happened to me but I never held myself accountable..”

“You don’t know that.” Heechul told her. “I read your file. You said you were tased when you disobeyed. Locked up. Punished. I think you tried to survive as best you could.”

“But surviving isn’t living.” She countered. Shaking her head sadly. “I want to live. Really live. And I don’t think I can do that if I don’t do the surgery.”

“And if nothing happens?”

“Then I’ll know I tried. I’ll know we tried.” She answered confidently. “I’ll know we exhausted all options and I can focus on moving on with my life. Actually get my own life. Not one that was made for me or handed to me.”

“And what if you die?” Heechul asked morbidly.

“Then my suffering ends.” Sandara’s words and the emotion behind them shook Heechul to the core. He looked at the woman in front of him and felt the strength within her. She looks fragile but she has survived so much but he has one more question to ask.

“What about your brother?”

“We’re not even sure if I have a brother.” Sandara shrugged.

“You were so set on waiting to find out if you do-”

“I just.. I woke up this morning and felt like now is the time, you know?” She asked him. “It was like, something came over me while I was asleep. A sense of.. Knowing..” She frowned at the difficulty she was having in translating her thoughts into words. “I feel like it’s time.” She finally said. “Every cell in my body is screaming that I am ready for this; that I want this.”

Heechul smiled and he saw Sandara’s surprise. “Perfect timing then.”

“Hyung, I wanted to ask you what you thought about building our own neuro OR or transforming one of the ones-” Jiyong looked up from his phone and stopped, startled. “Sandara.”

Heechul saw him walking down the hallway seconds before. He was actually expecting to see him after he sent that text message earlier.

“Everything okay?” Jiyong frowned as he observed the two people seated on the couch. He approached them and stopped in front of where Sandara was seated.

“Sandara wants to have the surgery. Tomorrow.” Heechul announced.

“But-”

“And I’m inclined to do it. Providing she pass all pre-op tests, of course.”

“Hyung-”

“Really?” Sandara asked, her excitement overpowering Jiyong’s protests. “Thank you!”

“Sandara.” Jiyong called her sharply. “We need to talk about this.”

“The doctor agreed, Jiyong.” She answered patiently, still smiling. “Heechul is the best and if he says it’s fine, it’s fine.”

Jiyong’s lips tightened in a line. “You wanted to wait for your brother.”

“And now I don’t.” Sandara looked at him seriously. “I feel like all I’ve been doing is waiting. All my life. The parts I remember, at least. I waited for rescue. I waited for you to unlock my chains. I waited for Seungri to make sure I don’t get killed. I’m still waiting for you to say it’s finally okay for me to live my life.” She saw the hurt flash through Jiyong’s face and she bowed her head apologetically. “I don’t mean to sound ungrateful because that’s the last thing I am. You guys, you especially have been so amazing in all this. You helped a stranger because you pitied her and now you’re helping keep her safe and trying to get her memories back. Her being me, which I’m sure you understood.. My point is, I owe you guys my life but it’s time I took responsibility for it. So far, I’ve been dealing and following along because I can’t really do anything else but I want to be an active participant in how the rest of my life goes.”

“But your brother-”

“Jiyong, please.” She pleaded with him. “Please. I need you, more than anyone else to be on my side. Please.”

Jiyong glared at her. Full on angry glared at her. She flinched but kept her gaze on him. Begging for him to understand.

“Fine.” Jiyong finally said. “But it’s not happening tomorrow. I want those files-” Heechul held out a folder to him which he grabbed abruptly. “I’ll study these and let you know if any of these are acceptable. I’ll want a list of every single person that will be working on her case. This is not happening until I confirm that everyone of them is legit and is not some assassin just waiting for the perfect moment to pounce.”

Sandara jumped out of her seat and grabbed Jiyong’s arm. “Thank you. I agree. Thank you.”

Jiyong harrumphed and turned away, cursing under his breath.

Heechul hid a smile as he watched the younger man stomp away from the room like a two year old deep in tantrums; only because he could see that Sandara was watching Jiyong leave with a worried expression. “He’ll get around. He’s just worried.”

“I know.” Sandara sighed. “I just wish doing what I wanted doesn’t mean I’m going against what he wants.”

“You can talk to him after he cools off.” Heechul suggested. “Maybe bake him a cake or something.”

“I don’t know how.” Sandara confessed.

“Eh, how hard can it be?” Heechul asked before pulling out his phone and looking for easy cake recipes.

_____________________________

“Seungri.” Jiyong called their maknae’s attention. Seungri was looking inside the fridge of Jiyong’s office, searching for a snack.

“Hyung, you need to buy more snacks.” Seungri complained. “All you have here is water and soda.”

“Get your own.” Jiyong answered.

Seungri sighed dramatically. “Fine.” He grabbed a soda can and flopped down on the chair in front of Jiyong’s desk. “What do you want?”

“Why do you think I want anything?”

“You mean you don’t?” Seungri challenged with a devilish grin in reaction to Jiyong’s glare.

“Sandara wants the surgery.” Jiyong finally shared what was bothering him.

“She’s wanted the surgery since she first heard about it, hyung.” Seungri reminded him reasonably.

“But now she wants the surgery tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” Seungri’s eyes widened. “Is that even possible?”

“Heechul hyung wanted to do it.”

“Then it should be fine. You know Heechul hyung is the best.”

“But-”

“Hyung.. She’s asserting her independence and her ability to make choices. We should let her.”

Jiyong grunted. He knew what Seungri and everybody else was saying was right. She deserves to make this choice. He just worries. He can’t help it.

Give him all the bad guys and he’ll deal with them. But brain surgery? He has absolutely no knowledge about it and he can’t help but feel a little helpless.

He’s not used to feeling helpless.

He hates it.

He knows he can trust Heechul to do his absolute best. He is in the top of his field for a reason.

Seungri smiled as he observed Jiyong’s internal debate. Jiyong’s face was set in a stoic expression but Seungri knew him well enough to recognize the little tics and twitches that mean he’s processing and that he’s pissed.

“Hyung, as the person Sandara loves..” Jiyong’s head turned towards Seungri who was pointing to himself with a wide grin. “I advise you to be supportive. If you are maybe she’ll tell you she loves you, too. Then again, maybe not.” He shrugged. “It’s hard to compete with Lee Seungri, you know?”

“Do you have a death wish?”

“Me? Nah.” Seungri started walking away as casually as he could once the Jiyong’s dark forces have started infiltrating the air around him. “Sandara would miss me too much.”

“I bet she wouldn’t.” Jiyong grumped.

Seungri stuck his head back in the room from the doorway. “Oh, she soooo would. Because she loves me.” Seeing Jiyong reach for a paperweight, he threw one last taunting smile before making his exit in haste.

_____________________________

“Knock knock.” Jiyong looked up to find Sandara leaning against his door.

“What’s up?” He asked as she made her way inside his office.

“Nothing much. Just wanted to see you.” She said simply as she plopped down on his couch, giggling when she bounced a little at the impact.

“Really, now?” Jiyong stood up from his chair behind his desk and walked around it to sit on top of it, arms crossed so that he was somewhat closer to her. “Are you sure you aren’t looking for Seungri ‘cos he’s just so lovable?”

“Huh?” Sandara’s brows scrunched as she tried to make se