That Female Physician

The Brothers Kim
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From the sick bay, Namjoon emerged into the foyer, where he spotted Gyuri pressing her ear against his office door. With nimble steps, he tiptoed over to her and whispered, "Have they reconciled?"

"Oh, bloody hell!" Gyuri exclaimed in shock as she jumped out of her skin. Alarmed, she covered as she glanced at the door. When a few moments had passed with no sign of movement, she sighed in relief, relieved that she had not been caught eavesdropping.

"Geez, Master Namjoon, you scared me!" she hissed with a hint of annoyance.

Namjoon chuckled apologetically. "So, how did it go? Have they reconciled?"

Gyuri gestured for the pair of them to move further away from the door. "I think they have" Gyuri answered. "I heard Chun Chun crying a little and the Young Master comforting her."

"That is good."

Gyuri smiled in agreement. "Thank you again, Master Namjoon, for letting me use your office. I would have used the soup kitchen but there wouldn't have been any privacy." She curled her lip in thought. "And Chun Chun was so reluctant in meeting the Young Master. Thankfully, you were able to convince her to come."

"The orphans needed a check-up anyway" Namjoon replied. "And from what I have seen, Taehyung cares deeply about them."

Gyuri silently agreed. "But there is one thing I don't understand."

"Oh? What is that?"

"I don't understand why the orphans were so afraid of the Young Master when they found out he's a noble."

Gyuri watched the light in Namjoon's eyes dim. "They were afraid?"

"Yes," she responded, "but I don't know why."

Namjoon's voice was low. "Gyuri, do you know anything about Chun Chun and Gulnar's past?"

For a moment, Gyuri was silent. She cast her memory back to when Taehyung had nearly drowned and how she had visited the orphans by herself while Taehyung stayed at home and recovered. During that time, the orphans had opened themselves up to her, telling her tales of their life right before they became vagabonds.

They were the children of farmhands.

"Chun Chun may have mentioned that their parents used to be farmers" she replied. "But she never mentioned much after that."

Namjoon nodded solemnly. "I see..." He looked away momentarily before asking further, "Did she mention what house she was from?"

"Huh?"

"Like, who owned the land that their parents served—their lord?"

"No, I don't think so." Gyuri shook her head. "She never mentioned it." She gaped at Namjoon and tried to decipher the troubled look that ruined his princely features. "But Chun Chun and Gulnar served a lord? Like you, Master Namjoon?"

At this, Namjoon shifted his gaze back to her. "Yes" he eventually replied, but Gyuri couldn't help noticing the hesitance in his voice. "Like me." He let out a long sigh as he averted his gaze, clearly showing signs of discomfort. "They have reason to fear us and... I do not blame them."

Gyuri gaped at him questioningly.

"Often, serfs that work as farmhands, butchers, servants," he glanced at her briefly, "are bound to the land. Along with the land, they..." he paused as he spoke warily, "are also property of the lord."

Gyuri blinked. "...Property?"

Namjoon nodded. "And like property, they can be sold, traded and even..." he paused as he gaped at her ashamedly, "disposed of."

Gyuri's eyes rounded in shock.

"But you should not be alarmed" Namjoon quickly added. "That is a last resort." Namjoon watched Gyuri's reaction closely and noticed how she was subtly backing away, fear evidently etched on her face.

"Oh... erm, I see" she murmured.

"It is just how society is" Namjoon uttered bitterly. "Our society is divided into classes that govern how we live for the rest of our lives. Some are fortunate to be born part of the bourgeois while others are cursed with misfortunate to be born as part of the proletariat." He glanced around him warily as he dropped his voice even lower as he closed the gap between himself and Gyuri. "And just between you and me," he whispered, his breath tickling Gyuri's ear, "I think that Saim is in dire need of much reform."

Namjoon pulled away soon afterwards and Gyuri hurriedly hid her rose-tinted cheeks. She stammered, "So-so I take it you are not- are not like the other nobility, Master Namjoon."

Namjoon tossed her a lopsided smile. "I guess you can say that." He proudly grinned, "I never really was one for societal conventions."

"Really?" Gyuri was astonished. "I always pictured you to be a sensible law-abiding citizen."

At this, Namjoon tilted his head, puzzled.

"Like, I would expect you to continue living at the Kim household; continue working here, in the sanatorium and then eventually settle down with a noble lady."

"I guess I do give that sort of impression." He shrugged as he admitted, "And you are probably right. I will most likely end up staying at the household and it is very likely that I will continue my work as a physician." He paused as he thoughtfully spoke, "But as for my future wife, she does not necessarily need to be someone of noble birth."

Gyuri regarded him with a quizzical stare. "Oh?"

With a soft smile, he quietly muttered, "I guess I am like my father in that regard."

Gyuri peered at him curiously. What did he mean by that? But before she could ask him to elaborate further, Yujin, the young, grubby-looking lad, appeared from the sick bay.

"Physician Kim" he called. Namjoon glanced up and he proceeded, "It's time for the patients' check-up."

"Thank you, Yujin." The boy nodded curtly before disappearing again. Namjoon turned back to Gyuri, "I guess I will speak to you again after." He turned to leave.

"Wait!"

Namjoon halted on his steps. He glanced over his shoulder.

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

~*~

Namjoon frowned slightly as the elderly man in front of him swerved his head to look at Gyuri again. "Face straight please, Mr Feng" he instructed him. "I cannot check how your eye wound is healing if you keep turning the other way."

The elderly man apologised half-heartedly but continued to glance at Gyuri. "Do my eyes deceive me, Physician Kim?" he enquired. "Correct me if I am mistaken but I believe I see a young miss over there with the face of an angel."

"No, you are not mistaken" Namjoon replied while gently trying to examine his eye. He peered up at Gyuri and saw that she was currently serving noodles to the patients that he had already examined. "That young miss you are seeing is Gyuri. She is my helper for the day."

"Oh," Mr Feng said with fondness. He glanced at her again. "She is a pretty one. Much better than that stubborn lad of yours."

Namjoon chuckled. "Mr Feng, the only stubborn one is you."

"I most certainly am not" the elder huffed. But then his earlier poutiness ebbed away when he saw Gyuri again. With a coy smile, he pried, "Is she a mistress of yours?"

Namjoon quickly corrected him, "No, of course not." He observed his array of vials and bandages as if he was searching for something. "She is a maid in our household."

"Ahh," Mr Feng let out a sound of acknowledgement. "I see. Then, she must be your personal maid."

My personal maid? Namjoon froze and before he knew it, he started thinking, if only she was. With rapid movements, Namjoon shook his head violently to straighten his muddled thoughts. What? W-why did I suddenly think that?

"She's- she's not my personal maid" he mumbled.

Mr Feng eyed him curiously. "Oh? Really? That is a shame."

Namjoon forced a smile.

"Are you already attached to someone?"

At this Namjoon was taken aback. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I have a granddaughter..."

"Mr Feng," Namjoon quickly interrupted, "I am not looking for a wife."

Mr Feng pouted

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LaurelEvermore
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Comments

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PaigePaige #1
Chapter 60: Wahhhhh
leetaehee #2
Chapter 60: Thank you so much author nim. Hope you come back soon. I'll be waiting for your great writing.
leetaehee #3
Chapter 59: Yeay. I'm really excited for what's in store. Please update soon. Your story is great!
kookie11 #4
Chapter 59: the way that my heart broke in this chapter :') </3
leetaehee #5
Chapter 58: An update. Finally!! Hope you have pleasant time, but please don't stop updating for too long.
maizaux #6
Chapter 58: Finally, an update! I've been waiting for this. Thank you. Hopefully your hiatus won't be long. Can't wait for things to progress.
nancynuggets
#7
Chapter 58: Hope all is well!! Will be waiting patiently!!! <3<3<3<3<3
leetaehee #8
Hope you are in good health. Please update soon author-nim. I'm rereading your story again. Can't wait to know what will happen ?
TofuMafia
#9
Chapter 57: I love this story... But I'm going to cry TT_TT Please don't let this be a tragedy!
leetaehee #10
Chapter 57: You update! I've been waiting for your story since you posted the date on your Instagram. It's really an interesting chapter. Hope you have wonderful time Author-nim. I really can't wait what will happen to Gyuri. Just so you know I really stan Gyuri and Chim. Hope they end up together.