Sitting on the hospital bed with her leg stretched out, Sohyun straightened her back, while lending her ears to Seungho. A smiled visited the corner of his lips on noticing her hands rumpling the sheets which expressed her anxiousness while waiting for his reply.

“Every pharmaceutical outlet reaches out to your hospital first upon launching a new medicine…”, his monotonous tone sounded, but a disappointment ridden bitterness lingered in his voice.

Sohyun listened with the downcast eyes. She knew that a new technology or a new drug doesn’t mean it is effective or advanced, it means, it is not proven yet.

He took his seat beside her, “But, your hospital topped the list in a span of few months… Do you perhaps know if… there are any changes or relaxation in norms for buying the drugs from the outlet?”, he and rested his arms on his knee giving her his full attention.

“Unlike other hospitals, in here… only few doctors have the authority to welcome new drugs. And, our hospital has stringent rules for recommending a new medicine. Only if both doctors and R&D department agrees, a new drug can be found in prescription”, Sohyun explained.

Seungho smiled who was amused by her explanation. He masked his smile and raised his brows asking, “How did an intern got to know such things?”

“I have my direct source!”, she said crossing her arms.

He looked into her eyes sharply and narrowed his brows trying to elicit further information.

Sohyun stared him in return not batting her eyes, but soon her words gave in, “Fine!”, she said raising her hands in the air.

His lips curved into a wide smile on winning the battle of stares and silence. His wide grin gave her butterflies in addition to annoyance.

“When Mrs. Kang was prescribed a new drug… when I asked for the reasons for changing the medicine… when I got reprimanded for questioning...”, her eyes fell low and her hands fiddled with sheets upon recollecting her bitter days when she had to listen to the long lectures from her superiors for raising those questions. When Seungho’s hands gripped hers, she looked up to see him who presented his concern in every curve of his smile.

“It’s not working...”, she said having her eyes on his hands which were holding hers.

After throwing a smirk, he got up and sat beside her on the bed. One of his hands reached out to her face while the other wrapped her in his arms. He pulled in her closer, resting her head on his chest and enveloping her in his embrace, “How about now?”, he asked her while bearing a sheepish smile.

“Mmm”, she hummed and closed her eyes soothed by his warmth.

He paused for a moment expecting her to get back on the conversation but, she was trying to get back to her sleep. “SOHYUN-ah!”, he screamed in her ears startling her.

She immediately withdrew from his embrace, grabbed the pillow behind her and threw it at him. He blocked the pillow with his forearm. The pillow landed beside the foot of Sohyun’s out stretched leg on the bed but, within Seungho’s grasp. After giving her a sly smile, he reached out to the pillow to counterattack. Before he could reach it, she kicked it away from the bed. Comically furious, his mischievous side resurfaced. He grabbed her ankles and pulled her towards him. Her back landed on the bed and she slid against the bed and towards him. He jumped over her and supported his hands on the bed closely beside her figure and a little below her shoulders. His hands fell between her body and her arms making her difficult to move from that position.

When he leaned in closer leaving just an inch of air between their faces, he noticed the pink tinge on her cheeks. When she swallowed the hesitation in , expectations made her blush. “Go ahead!”, his husky voice sounded which flustered Sohyun. “Who reprimanded you?”, his question threw cold water on her. But, she didn’t want to lose out to him again. She maintained the proximity and her composure, and answered him back in soft voice, “The doctor in charge of Mrs. Kang, Dr. Oh preached me about my inexperience in medical field and drugs. That’s when I probed about the reliability of new drugs in the prescription.”

“Did he bully you?”, he closed in further such that his breath could give her the warmth. He smirked on seeing her blushing.

Hanging on, she bit her lips and answered him, “Jaeha got my back. Since, he was a board member, Dr. Oh didn’t dare to lecture me again. But, Dr. Oh tried his best in giving me workloads and helping me to get occupied with work when we fought” and she rose to fill in the gap between them with a peck on his lips.

His ears turned red as his eyes rested on her lips, taking his eyes off her lips, he gazed at her face, “Sleep Sohyun-ah, sleep all you want. Because back home, you aren’t gonna get any!” He immediately withdrew from the proximity after uttering those words and fled the room.

With the victorious smile and contended heart, she fell into sleep.

The sun and moon visited them taking their turns. So are their parents. On the day of Sohyun’s discharge from hospital, Seungho left home early in the morning to clean up the house and came back to hospital around noon.

He entered the room, exclaiming, “Sohyun-ah! Finally, we’re...”, he stopped when he saw Dr. Oh taking his leave from her room. Seungho’s eyes immediately fell on Sohyun checking up on her. Though she smiled, her hands fiddled with the sheets again. He shifted his eyes back to Dr. Oh with piercing stare. But, soon he averted his eyes away realizing that any wrong move now, will reflect on Sohyun’s work later. So, he bowed to greet him without words. Dr. Oh replied with a short bow before leaving. As soon as Dr. Oh, took his leave, he urged his steps towards Sohyun and asked, “Are you alright baby?”

“Mmm?”, she raised her brows questioning his sudden sweet suffix in the words.

“What did my wife’s senior say?”, he asked cupping her cheeks.

“He told me not to fall for sweet words and concentrate on my work!”

“Did he give you the night shifts again?”, Seungho enquired.

A voice exclaimed, “So, it was true!”.  Sohyun and Seungho turned their head towards the door where Jaeha made his entry, “So, Dr. Oh really did give you a hard time?”

Sohyun nudged Seungho hands away from her face and answered Jaeha, “Not really! More the shifts, more I got to learn and more experience I gain!”

Pissed off by Jaeha’s timing, Seungho remarked, “Knock before you enter and don’t substitute your voice for the knock!”, he paused before he continued, “And, why do you always have something to say in everything we speak?”

“What’s the use of knocking? Be it a knock or voice, it will disturb you anyway!”, Jaeha’s reply made them speechless. “I don’t wanna brag about myself, but I know everything. So, I can speak on anything!”, he commented with holding a straight face.

“No one can brag more obviously that that!”, Seungho remarked, “By the way, why are you dropping by often? I heard you’re busy with project...”

“As a researcher, maintaining a balance between work and leisure is also a learning...”, before Jaeha could finish his sentence, he was cut in by Seungho’s remark, “Seeing that your leisure is over weighing your work, I guess you are still learning”.

Jaeha smirked at his comment while Seungho threw his nonchalant smile.

Sohyun was trapped in the silent stare between them which lasted for seconds. She interrupted them, “You two will fall in love if you continue to stare like that!”

Seungho and Jaeha immediately averted their gaze and chorused, “HE IS NOT MY TYPE!”

Sohyun chuckled on seeing them taken aback by each other’s reply.

While Seungho packed their things, Jaeha completed the formalities for the discharge and arranged a taxi for them.

After crossing three intersections and passing two subway stations, they reached home. When the car halted in front of the house, Mr. and Mrs. Kang rushed out of their house to welcome them.

Mrs. Kang held Sohyun’s hands and spoke softly, “When you fight with him again, come and stay over at my place! Don’t go to your friend’s and stay for longer days!”, and shifted her attention to Seungho and advised, “You should follow her when she leaves the house in anger…”

Mr. Kang revealed, “Dear, she didn’t leave because of the fight. She was met with an accident… We even visited her in the hospital yesterday!” Mrs. Kang listened to him like she was hearing it for the first time.

After Mr. Kang helped them with the luggage, everyone enjoyed Mrs. Kang’s homemade lunch. On seeing Seungho’s hands all over the table in the name helping Sohyun with fetching the side dishes, Mr. Kang commented, “This too shall pass!”, making Sohyun to chortle and Seungho responded with embarrassed smile.

When Mrs. Kang’s eyes fell on Seungho’s hands, she asked, “Wedding ring?”. At the mention of the ring, both Sohyun and Seungho placed their hands over their necklace to trace their ring and breathed out in relief on finding them intact.

“Still wearing the ring on the necklace?”, Mr. Kang asked wondering.

A quick smile escaped their lips and soon, they went silent in thoughts. ‘When there is smile on their parent’s face, there will be the ring on their finger’, became their unsaid vow.

After the lunch, Sohyun and Seungho climbed the stairs to their house. Seungho opened the door for her and followed her in. Sohyun looked around impressed by the mess-free tidy house that she missed for almost a month. He closed the door and took his ninja steps approaching Sohyun from behind.

 He sneakily took his stop behind her who was standing in the balcony. Oblivious of his presence, she was consumed by the sky full of fluffy clouds. A pleasant thought crossed her mind, ‘There is no blue, even in the skies…’ She came to senses when she felt his right hand wrapping her waist and the other enveloping her shoulders from behind. He kissed her cheek gently and pressed his puckered lips against her jawline passionately. Sohyun was a little taken aback by the kiss but it made her realize how much she missed him. “I can’t get enough of you!”, he whispered in her ears. He the hair away from her neck and buried his face in the crook of her neck inhaling her scent deeply. His breath sent the tingles down her spine making her to nudge him with her elbow. He tightened his grip on her and pressed his lips in the crook of her neck. A little nip expressed his intention. When he her neck, Sohyun almost lost herself in the moment. When felt the cold breeze against her warm body, she became self-conscious and shrieked, “We’re in the balcony!” and she let herself free from his hold. When he grabbed her hand and turned her around to face her, she felt his deep and passionate eyes. But the words that left are, “Somebody may see us!” He hugged her saying, “So what? After all, I am yours and you are mine!” and broke the hug but held her shoulders securing her position in front of him. He leaned in to meet her line of sight and asked staring into her eyes, “Isn’t that so?” and raised his brows questioning her. “Confine that to our room”, she uttered and rushed inside the house.

Her blushing face and words that left her lips out of embarrassment made him smile. He ran inside and stood blocking her way. “Can we confine that to our living room-”, before he could finish his sentence, her lips landed on his. Tiptoeing, she slowly kissed him nibbling over his lower lip. His hands ran around her waist and pulled her body closer, supporting against his’. He leaned in reciprocating her kiss. Supporting her head, he slowly deepened their kiss. The sensual slow kiss helped them savor their lips, making their body warmer and breathes faster. Her hands quickly enveloped his neck pulling him in while his hands pulled in her waist pressing their body against each other. He let his tongue to lightly run over her lower lip waiting for her to answer. When her lower lip pressing for the reply, he felt her tongue in. She gently caressed his tongue and he kissed her harder with his fervent urgent needs. The soft moans and sound breaths were their cues to go further. His hand ran under her shirt and traced her curves. When his hands caressed her warm body, the doorbell rang startling them.

Sohyun quickly withdrew and averted her eyes away. Unable to tear his eyes away from her, Seungho gazed at her blushing face. His smoldering gaze didn’t bother the door bell, never invested even a speckle of interest on other things, he just blocked everything else waiting for her to just blink her eyes as a sign. Her eyes wandered on the floor in embarrassment, “I’ll attend the door”, she said and rushed towards the door.

Extremely pissed off at the interference, he took off to the room while yelling, “Don’t let me find the one behind that doorbell!” He went inside the room and slammed the door masking his embarrassment by displaying his annoyance.

Sohyun chuckled at his behavior and opened the door. It wasn’t just a person but two. Her eyes widened, and she stood there with agape. Her eyes teared up and her hands covered . As her emotions choked, she leaned on the door frame crying. After gathering her senses and without uttering any word to the guests, she ran towards the room. Her shivering hands turned the door knob opening it and her quivering eyes met with Seungho’s who was inside. “Sohyu-”, before his puzzled voice could sound, she held his hand and dragged him out to meet the guests.

Feeling apprehensive he stretched his hand protecting her and took the lead in approaching the door. The instant his eyes fell on the guests he was taken aback. “Appa… Aboenim…”, his voice faintly sounded. Seeing their dads together flustered them because they attract problems whenever they are together.

Mr. Yoo and Mr. Kim’s eyes fell on their clasped hand before it met with Seungho and Sohyun’s eyes. Bearing a dismayed expression Mr. Yoo spoke, “I didn’t want to bring it up in the hospital but…”, he paused. His pause tied a knock of anxiousness in Seungho’s throat. Mr. Yoo continued, “Apart from bringing you into this world, how’ve we wronged you?” While Seungho and Sohyun’s mind went directionless unable to comprehend his words, Mr. Kim joined, “Shouldn’t we know whether you’re ok or not? Why do we have to hear about the accident from your mom and not from your own mouth?” Sohyun answered, “You were angry a-”, she was interrupted by Mr. Yoo, “We’re your fathers. Our anger might’ve spoken to you!”, Mr. Kim continued, “I might’ve even said I disowned my daughter. I accept and regret that we abused our right to get angry.” Mr. Kim’s voice softened as his eyes welled with tears, “That doesn’t mean you have to stay aloof!” Mr. Yoo nodded agreeing with him for the first time.

While holding Sohyun’s hand firmly, Seungho’s tender tone sounded, “Please come in. Why are you standing outside?” His politeness welcomed them. Mr. Kim retorted, “I didn’t come here to enact a melodrama…”, Mr. Yoo continued, “I came her to see if my daughter-in-law is doing well and whether my son is taking good care of her!”

“Dad…”, Seungho called out humbled.

“I can’t face another loss before I die… So, I came!”, Mr. Kim’s voice quivered.

“Aboenim… Why do you…. What-”, Seungho was struck with guilt.

Mr. Kim held Seungho’s shoulders and spoke as his tears rolled down, “I was so frightened!”

Wiping the tears that trickled down her cheek, Sohyun hugged her father. Hugging her back, Mr. Kim pulled Seungho into their embrace. Mr. Yoo looked at them with gentle eyes while fighting back his tears.

Taking their seat on the couch, the dads surveyed the house with their eyes, while their son-in-law and daughter-in-law were busy in the kitchen preparing refreshments. When Seungho arranged the plates on the coffee table, Sohyun was winding up her preparation in kitchen.

Mr. Kim’s eyes which were observing Sohyun all along working in the kitchen, said, “So, this is how Yoo Sohyun looks like…”

“She is still Kim Sohyun”, Seungho replied which puzzled them.

Mr. Yoo’s eyes fell on Seungho’s ring finger which shows no trace of wearing any wedding band, “Aren’t you two married?”

His question shook up Mr. Kim.

Seungho adjusted his necklace letting his wedding ring to display over his shirt and Sohyun replied while bringing the snacks from the kitchen, “We’re married”

Seungho continued, “And, she didn’t change her last name… the only inconvenience we faced was in receiving our marriage certificate… it got delayed because of that…”

As the guilt piled over him, Mr. Kim listened to him calmly. His reply was nothing but a tearful smile.

After a heartful talk, they took their leave. Sohyun and Seungho went downstairs to see them off. With a wave of goodbye, a contented smile and a ‘see you’, they left in their respective car. Sohyun’s eyes didn’t leave the car till it vanished from her sight by taking the turn at the end of their street. Seungho waited for her till she gets satisfied with seeing them off. Suddenly, Sohyun’s eyes widened and her nervous hands grasped Seungho’s arm.

“Sohyun-ah?”, Seungho asked perplexed.

“It’s them!”, Sohyun said having her eyes laid still at something at the end of their street. Seungho turned his head to take a look at her view and found two men where one of them was arguing over the phone.

“They… at the subway…”, Sohyun uttered.

AUTHOR'S THOUGHTS:

Hello readers! Long time no update right? Sorry for the late updates! Got caught up with my thesis! I couldn't give it my best in the last few chapters > <  Please, forgive the typos ;) But, I will be back on track soon. A ray of hope told me that the updates will be regular from now on (fingers crossed)

Just few chapters more, so hang on! Thank you so much for reading:) Thank you for spending your precious time for reading this story:) 

Have a lovely week chingus!!