SinB doesn’t get drunk until almost two weeks after her coffee date with Eunha. Most nights when she got off work, SinB was exhausted, opting to force food down before showering and going straight to sleep. This resulted in limited chances to go drinking. Finally, SinB got to out tonight.

Yuju’s bar was pretty crowded for a Wednesday night, but SinB and Umji had safely secured two bar seats. While Umji nursed a single beer as designated driver, SinB was knocking back shots like there was no tomorrow.

If she’d needed a drink the day of the coffee date, she needed about twenty drinks now. SinB had run into Yerin a few times after that day, but nothing significant had happened. They exchanged greetings and pleasantries, and that was about it. It often felt like they were both holding back, but SinB was too scared to break away from there routine. Not to mention, rumors about Yerin still swam about in her mind like hunting sharks.

SinB sipped at her shot this time, grimacing at the burn. Beside her, Umji watched her with narrowed eyes. It was only a matter of time before SinB told Umji what was on her mind, but she wanted to be a little more drunk before that.

“This has something to do with a pretty hospital director’s daughter, doesn’t it?” Umji asked after SinB finished her shot with barely a glance in her direction.

“Maybe,” SinB replied with a sheepish grin as she signalled for another shot. Her words were already slurring, but her mind was finally getting fuzzy enough not to focus on Yerin. “S’fine. I’m trying not to think about her.”

“We both know that’s not going to turn out well,” Umji told her flatly but let SinB take the full shot glass anyways. She did place her hand on SinB’s wrist before SinB could toss back the shot though. Umji smiled, amused yet unsettled. “Want to tell me what’s wrong now?”

SinB frowned and slowly put the shot down. She furrowed her brows before looking to Umji with wide eyes. She was definitely drunk now, and her thoughts felt muddled as she spoke. “I don’t know her.”

“You just met her,” Umji rolled her eyes.

SinB shook her head before quickly stopping, squeezing her eyes against the sudden nausea that hit her. She gulped and took a deep breath before opening her eyes again. She blinked owlishly at Umji before explaining, “I mean, do I know the real her? I’ve heard all these rumors about her, like pretty terrible rumors. Rumors that could possibly end my career if they’re true.”

“And what if they’re just rumors?” Umji countered. “Listen, I don’t know her, but I do know you, and it’s obvious you like her. Get to know her and see if this worth all the hassle. You can prove the rumors wrong. Besides, these rumors, I’m assuming they’re romantic, so it doesn’t hurt to just be friends, does it?”

The logic took far too long to process, but Sinb’s alcohol-addled mind needed the time to piece it together. After a pause, SinB nodded and repeated, “Friends.”

“You are capable of being friends, right?” Umji teased.

Sober SinB would’ve taken offense, but drunk SinB just grinned and nodded too enthusiastically. “I can do that,” SinB told her earnestly.

Their time at the bar only lasted about two more shots before SinB was stumbling off her bar stool for the bathroom. After Umji so kindly held back her hair, she helped SinB back to their apartment and tucked her into bed after making her drink almost three full glasses of water.

Despite the fluids, SinB woke up with a hangover that had her nearly crying at the sound of her alarm. She shut the annoying beeping off and crawled out of bed for a much needed shower. The unfortunate part was that SinB knew a hot shower would only serve to make her sleepier, so she forced herself to take a fifteen minute shower with ice cold water to fight off the hangover. It helped more than she thought it would, so by the time SinB stumbled into the kitchen, she could open her eyes without squinting.

Umji had left already for work, but she’d left a note saying there was a smoothie in the refrigerator for SinB. Attached to the note was also five bucks for a cup of hangover stew from a vendor that’s about two blocks from the hospital.

Sipping on the smoothie filled with fruits and veggies, SinB made her way out to the bus, stopped by the vendor for her stew, and got to the hospital with enough time to leisurely eat her food. Since it was still early, the interns’ locker room was empty except for two other interns who were both playing on their phones.

SinB huddled in her corner with her smoothie and stew, enjoying both with the vigor of someone desperate to get rid of a hangover. By the time everyone else started showing up, SinB just has a headache. It was still a pretty awful headache, but it was a blessing in comparison to the death SinB experienced that morning.

“Looks like someone had a rough night,” Kyulkyung remarked with a sly grin as they followed their resident on rounds.

“Shots are not your friends,” SinB muttered, making Kyulkyung smother her giggles into her white coat.

It was the day of some dumb bike race, so SinB and Kyulkyung were both sent to the ER to help with the inevitable flood of idiotic patients. It was already mass chaos when they stepped off the elevator, too many dirty men being patched up then running off to go finish the bike race. Apparently the grand prize was free drinks for a year. As SinB walked by a man with his leg practically snapped in half with her hangover headache still prominent, she can’t think of a stupider reason to enter the race.

SinB spent her morning hunched over doing stitches for who knows how many men. All men, because apparently they were the only ones lacking enough brain cells to think the race was a good idea. Even worse, the men took it upon themselves to flirt very badly with her as she stitched them up, as if SinB would go out with anyone in their position.

“So, do you, like, play doctor at home too?”

This man was barely eighteen, still pimply and gangly and awkward. He looked at SinB with hopeful eyes like he actually thought he had a chance with her. On a good day, SinB might’ve rolled her eyes and politely told him she wasn’t interested. Today was not a good day.

“If you don’t shut up, I’ll pull this needle through your eye,” SinB growled, not feeling the slightest bit guilty when the guy shrank back with fear in his eyes.

As SinB finished his stitches and waited for him to fill out his paperwork, she noticed a bit of a commotion happening towarding the entrance of the ER. SinB stood up and looked to see, her curiosity getting the better of her. It took a moment to see, but soon a crowd of doctors dispersed to reveal Yerin with a little cart of coffee and a bright smile on her face. SinB quickly sat back down when she saw who it was.

SinB thought of her conversation with Umji last night, about giving Yerin a chance and trying it out as friends. She took the patient’s paperwork and shooed him off. She was still thinking about Yerin when she felt a tap on her shoulder. Jumping, she looked over her shoulder to find the woman she’d just been thinking about.

Yerin held out a cup of coffee, fresh, hot, and exactly what SinB needed to get rid of the remnants of her headache.

“Hi, thank you,” SinB said, smiling softly as she took the coffee. She took a small sip and closed her eyes at the taste of decent coffee. This wasn’t just caffeine squirreled away from the break room. This was the good stuff. Opening her eyes as a real smile took over her face, SinB repeated, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Yerin replied with a similarly warm smile on her own face.

Deciding to risk it, SinB said quickly, “We should get coffee some time.”

“Really?” Yerin asked in surprise, a pleased smile brightening her entire expression. When SinB nodded, Yerin’s smile grew impossibly wider, and the sight made SinB’s stomach feel far too fluttery for someone who was supposed to be a mature doctor. “Okay,” Yerin nodded slowly, still smiling.

“I’ll see you around then?” SinB asked as a nurse called her over to help with another patient.

Yerin winked and replied, “You bet.”

A/N: I honestly don't know how I feel about this chapter, but I figured you all have waited long enough. This is very much a transition chapter, but this also means that there will finally be more SinRin interactions. I'm sorry the story has been progressing so slowly, and I'm sorry for such a late update. I've been so busy lately that there hasn't been much time to write. Hopefully, I'll be able to update more regularly now. Also, thank you so much for all the support you have shown this story!! I hope you're enjoying it :)