Chapter 9

HEART BEATS
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Yuri Can't Choose

"I can't believe I fell into your trap." Yuri yanks her surgery mask off and throws it into the bin, gawking at Shim Changmin. "I can't believe you're that low."

"What? Dr. Briggs was suddenly needed somewhere else. I was the only substitute available. Not everything in this hospital revolves around you."

"No. You planned this." Her gloves and surgical garb come off next, Yuri kicks the bin close in anger. "You came in right when the surgery was started so I couldn't run away."

"Which brings us to the next question." Also throwing away his mask, Changmin corners Yuri against the supply closet. "Why do you need to run away from me?"

"You kissed me!"

"Whoa, there. You kissed me first."

"You made me kiss you. You made everything complicated."

Changmin laughs, folding his hands on his chest. "I took you to wind up at a bar after one hard surgery. We talked. We danced. We kissed. We did what normal people do. There was nothing complicated about that. Why do you act like I am a monster who needs to be avoided at all costs?"

Yuri gapes.

"Is it because of Jessica? Did she tell you to stay away from me?"

Shaking her head slowly, Yuri tries to focus on anything else but the shape of Changmin's attractive jaw. The man looks so good upset like this. His whole appearance makes Yuri want to jump him then and there.

"If you want to forget that we kissed, fine. If you don't want that kind of interaction to happen again between us, tell me. You are the one who makes everything complicated by turning your schedule upside down just to run away from me."

"I'm sorry."

"It's partly my fault. I should have stayed away the moment I know Jessica is into you too." Stepping closer, Changmin puts one hand on the wall now. Eyes bore a hole into Yuri's soul. "What done is done, though. I'm already falling."

"What do you mean?"

"It means as long as there's no declaration of love between you and Jessica, I'll move forward with this feeling."

"Dr. Shim, please."

"Say it."

"What?"

"Say you choose Jessica over me."

"I'm not... She is..." The air suddenly feels thicker to Yuri. Breathing is getting difficult. "Let me go, Dr. Shim."

"Say you like Jessica better than me and I'll let you go." One hand goes up to touch Yuri on the cheek, Changmin uses his thumb to rub her skin gently.

This is the exact move he did on the bar. The simple gesture that made Yuri kiss him.

Yuri has been in the drought for nearly ten months now. She wants this touch. She craves that feeling. Jessica's image lingers in her mind but Changmin's brashness creates amber of fire in the pit of her stomach. Her fingers are itching to make contact with the muscles under his scrub. Her lips want to devour his lips once more.

She gulps, chastising herself. This isn't the right time to feel this .

"You don't want me to stop, do you?" He leans so close their noses almost touch. "You want me to kiss you once more."

"Whoa, Yuri!" Taeyeon shrieks as she steps into the scrubbing room. Halting her step on the door, the girl covers with one hand.

"Hi there, Taeyeon." Keeping his closeness with Yuri, Shim Changmin turns his head to smile at Taeyeon. "Anything we can do to help?"

"Ummmm. Never mind, Dr. Shim. I'm sorry. I don't mean to interrupt."

"No." Yuri quickly walks away from Changmin and grabs Taeyeon's arm. "You need me to help you prep a patient. Right, Taeyeon?"

"Well...."

"Let's go!" Yuri doesn't let Taeyeon shows doubt a second longer. She practically drags her best friend away from the scrubbing room.

"What were you doing?" She glares at Taeyeon as soon as they reach the distance she deems safe. "What did you mean you don't want to interrupt? You had to interrupt, Kim Taeyeon! I can't afford to get that close to Shim Changmin."

Taeyeon grins. "I thought you'd like to be kissed by him once more."

"You!" Yuri slaps Taeyeon's arm. "He told me to choose between him and Jessica. How can I?"

Taeyeon laughs now.

"Don't you dare to laugh." Squatting on the floor, Yuri grabs her head with both hands. "I'm going crazy."

"Why don't you enjoy both of them at the same time? See which one is best." Taeyeon squats too, staring at Yuri with an amused expression.

"Are you crazy?"

"You used to be so good at juggling a dozen casual relationships at once. Why change?"

"I don't know, Taeyeon. I miss my old me too. I miss casual . I miss jumping into a decision easily. This job drives me crazy. This hospital drives me crazy!"

"I have a perfect solution for you."

"Yeah?" Yuri lets go of her head and stare hopefully at Taeyeon.

"This." Taeyeon shoves a shoebox toward Yuri.

"What's this?" Staring at the Adidas logo on top of the box, Yuri asks in confusion.

"Jessica's sneakers. She's waiting for them on the ninth floor." Taeyeon stands up, walking away.

"What? No. Taeyeon! Are you kidding me?"

"Go! She wants them ASAP."

"No way!" Yuri stands up and dashes to catch up. "You do it."

"Nope." Taeyeon pushes away the box Yuri tries to shove her way. "You said you miss her. Go see her. See if fierce Jung stirs your heart better than Dr. Shim."

"No, Taeyeon. She wants you. She hates me now."

"I have to prep a patient for craniotomy."

"Dropping this to the ninth floor won't take fifteen minutes."

"Exactly. Do it now." Taeyeon starts to walk faster for the elevator.

"Kim Taeyeon!" Still trying to dodge the bullet, Yuri grabs Taeyeon's arms but Taeyeon shrugs her away.

"Don't wait any longer, Yuri. Rip this band-aid quickly so you can move on."

"No! The band-aid stays. I can't choose."

"Intern exam is coming closer, you need all the focus you can get. Choose

Gaping, Yuri looks at the box then stares at Taeyeon.

"Good luck." Taeyeon grins, jumping into the elevator as it dings open and swiftly presses the close button.

"Taeyeon!"

As the elevator goes up without her, Yuri can hear Taeyeon giggling inside.

"That open door to the right." The nurse behind the desk points at the corridor when Yuri asks for Jessica.

Hesitantly, Yuri follows the direction. A door is open to a huge room that has turned into a studio. One side of the wall is completely covered in a green screen with a complete set up of the hospital room in the front.

There are about ten other people inside, including the man who lays on the bed clearly pretending to be sick. Jessica Jung is the only one who can grab Yuri's attention at once. The ice princess wearing the same attire that baffled Yuri a few weeks ago, complete with the killer heels. Her hair shines like it's been polished by God himself. Her make up flawless. Her dress? Yuri can swear to God that the red cloth is a number too small on Jessica. It hugs the resident's hot body so tight, Yuri can't look away.

"Finally." Jessica walks fast toward Yuri, grabbing the box. "What took you so long? Where's Taeyeon?"

"Ummm. She has to prep a patient ASAP."

"Tsk. Where's the scrub?"

"Sorry?"

"I asked for my scrub and my shoes. These are only shoes."

"I don't..."

"Get me a scrub from this floor then. Hurry. I have surgery in an hour."

"Yes, Dr. Jung."

"Make sure it's a clean new scrub!"

Yuri dashes outside, begging the nurse for a new scrub. The nurse has none, telling Yuri to get them in the supply room one floor below. Yuri dashes for the stairs, nearly scream in panic.

Ten minutes later, drawing a heavy breath, she hands Jessica a fresh pair of doctor scrub.

"Can you be any slower?" The Ice Princess gives Yuri her signature icy glare. "Cover me."

"What?"

"Use your coat to cover me. I have to change."

"You can use the other room to change, Miss Jung." A female staff offers.

"No time." She sends icy glare to the entire room. "Anyone looking and I'll cancel the shoot. Come on, Yuri."

Following Jessica to one corner, Yuri takes off her coat and spread it in front of Jessica as the smoking beauty also takes off her coat.

"Help me ."

Yuri gulps, touching the zipper of the merlot dress. Almost trembling, she pulls the metal zip down. Her eyes inevitably catch a glimpse of Jessica's lingeries.

"What are you doing?" Jessica turns her head to glare at Yuri.

"Uh..."

"Turn around, !"

"Right. Sorry." Yuri turns around and holds her coat up once more, still feeling like a heart attack is coming near. It's hard not to be a when the image of Jessica's perfect lacy bra and matching thong lingers in her mind. It's hard not to imagine touching that smooth expanse of skin on Jessica's back.

Shaking her head, Yuri chooses to observe the room once more. Slowly, she realizes that this is a set up for a photoshoot and Jung Jessica is the stars.

"Done. Let's go." Jessica walks from behind Yuri looking a little more like the doctor Yuri sees every day. "Kyle, wrap this up as fast as possible, please."

"Sure, Jess. Let's get you a little touch up first."

Two staffs come to fix Jessica's hair and make-up before she steps close to the hospital bed. A photographer comes up with a state-of-the-art camera in hands. Suddenly the room is filled with flashing lights.

Yuri freezes, completely mesmerized by the way Jessica moves about. The single flicks of hair. The smile. The way she touches the stethoscope. The little tilt of her head as she pretends to check on the fake patient. All of those fake moves come out so naturally as if Jessica has been modeling since a baby. For a moment, Yuri wishes to switch place with the fake patient and witness Jessica's perfection from the closest distance.

"Wonderful, Jess. As always." The blonde man called Kyle claps his hands enthusiastically. "Let's go with the close up now. Hair and make up, please."

Yuri is about to leave when a man suddenly comes through the door and pushes Yuri aside as if she's nothing but a trash can.

"The CEO is here." The lanky man announces while fixing his neon pink tie, side-eyeing Yuri.

"So what, Key? You want us to bow down for him?" Jessica cranes her neck from in front of the hair and makeup team.

"No, Miss Jung. I'm just announcing his presence."

"No need to announce it to the public every time I do stuff, Key." Jiyong steps into the room, bowing his head slightly at everyone. "This is not Joesoen era and I'm not a king."

"You sure act like one." Jessica swats the hand who tries to fix her lipstick and comes to face Jiyong. "We have wrapped up the whole shoot last weeks. You can just ask for a reshoot on a whim."

"I have my reason, Miss. Jung."

"Yeah? What's that? Testing your power as the new CEO."

"Trust me, as a CEO, I'm nothing but an errand-boy whose power is controlled by the board members. The board, which by the way has our dear grandma in it, wants a new direction in this hospital promotion so I simply make sure we're heading that way."

"Besides, don't you think this whole new look matches the hospital better? A real doctor doesn't walk around in heels and designer dresses. The patient shouldn't look like Brad Pitt either."

"Tsk." Jessica frowns, turning around and let the make-up team fix her lipstick.

"When will the video reshoot scheduled, Kyle?" Jiyong turns to Kyle. "The promotion team wants all its material by next Friday."

"You will not bother my schedule any further." Jessica has her hands on her hips now. "The video reshoot will happen when I'm ready."

"When will that be?" Jiyong turns to face Jessica again.

"I don't know. I've been missing surgeries this whole month for the shoots you've kicked down the drain. I don't want to miss more."

"Kyle, let's find someone to replace Miss Jung." Staring at Jessica, Jiyong seems not to care about the blazing fire in her eyes at all.

"You want to replace me?"

"Didn't you say that you don't want us to bother your surgery schedule anymore?"

"It doesn't mean you can replace me just like that."

"She's been the face of this hospital for so long, Mr. Kwon." Kyle supplies cautiously. "It's your grandma herself who chose her."

"Well. The face of this hospital can change. I'm sure there are many other pretty faces in this hospital. We can even hire a model. Nobody said it has to be a real doctor, right?"

Just like everybody else in the room, Yuri gasps. This is totally different than the Jiyong she knows. Glancing at Jessica, Yuri can tell that the Ice Princess is about to explode.

"Let's not delay the promotion any longer. More than half the budget is already out so the board needs to see some result soon." Jiyong turns around, winking at Yuri. "Shoot the video on Thursday, Kyle. If Miss Jung is not available use someone else. Use Kwon Yuri here if you must. She's one of the prettiest doctors I have ever seen in this hospital."

Yuri can't even let out a protest, simply choking on words. Jessica will hate her even more now. Nice work, Kwon Jiyong.

"Thank you for your hard work, everyone. See you later." With a slight bow of his head, Jiyong leaves with Key following in a hurry.

"That ." Jessica mumbles. "Yuri!"

"Yes, Dr. Jung."

"Go tell Dr. Webber I can't joint his Partial Colectomy today. Get all my today's schedule from Taeyeon and cancel them all too. Kyle, we're reshooting the video material today."

"But, Jess, we're not ready."

"Then get ready! Yuri, what are you waiting for? Go!"

"Yes. Sorry." Yuri dashes for the door.

"Go get me some coffee and cake when you get back. This is gonna be a long day."

"Ummm, what kind of coffee and cake?" Yuri pauses on the door, not expecting to come back at Jessica when she's in such a bad mood at all.

"Tsk. Ask Suho or Taeyeon, they know."

It's so odd how the moment turns. Nearly 40 hours ago, Jessica is all fume and fire, getting angry at everything and everyone. Now, barely a few minutes after the video shoot ended, the Ice Princess heaves over the sink with smeared make up on her face. Yuri steps closer, staring at Jessica's reflection in the mirror. She looks weak and helpless, gazing up at Yuri with tired eyes.

"Here." Yuri offers some tissue. When Jessica doesn't even try to reach, Yuri carefully dab the tissue on her temple

"I'm fine."

"No. You're not." Yuri takes another fresh sheet, offering it to Jessica who then uses it to wipe . Digging into her coat pocket, Yuri finds her spare of crunchies and uses it to tie Jessica's hair into a ponytail. "Now you can throw up without spoiling your perfect hair."

"Thank you for taking care of me but the worst is over now. You should go home." Jessica lets go of her hold on the counter, losing her footing immediately.

"Whoa, be careful." Catching Jessica before falling, Yuri wraps a hand around her. "Are you feeling dizzy? Can you even walk? You need to get checked."

"I'm fine. This happens often. I just need to rest."

"You need some food too. You haven't eaten anything." Still has her arms around Jessica's waist, Yuri helps her step out of the bathroom.

"It's your fault. You brought the wrong cake. I hate pistachio."

"Suho gave the wrong info."

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windflower01
#1
Chapter 29: This story is truly a gem.
soshifiedpixie #2
Chapter 29: reread parts of this today. you did so well authornim!
forgotme #3
Chapter 29: Request for a sequel??😁 or another yulsic.. You did great..
starfl
#4
Chapter 29: It’s been what? Five months I think! I’m so sorry. I got stuck at chapter 27 I guess… :( I have a trip and also continue with my studies! I’m so sorry but finally I finished this…

…and it was soooo awesome! The best! THE BEST! I loved so much. Thank you for writing an awesomely piece like this. :’) I’m sad because this is the end!!! I got emotional
langsircoklat #5
This story is so exciting to read..please make another yulsic story..😍
kun90ero
#6
Chapter 29: wii happy ending, makasi penulis terbaik deh kamu
SoneBuddy
11 streak #7
Chapter 29: Happy ending for everyone. Thank you author 😊
soshifiedpixie #8
Chapter 29: taeyeon and jiyong's having a baby and yuri and sica's getting married🥺💖 thank you so much for this great story!
kimtaeny1110 #9
Chapter 29: Gosh i love this gang..., so sad that it ends here
Keichan13 #10
Chapter 29: Five years of dating before meeting Yuri’s mother ahahaha far out! How did they do that for so long! Absolutely happy with the ending and also praying for your next story to be yulsic!