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“Incoming!”

That is what brings in the storm and puts in motion a domino effect: all the 34 members of staff at Samsung Medical Centre Emergency Room, doctors, nurses and support workers direct their attention towards the loading bay. We have this new system in place that the higher ups called “1+1+1”. Basically 1 patient being assessed by 1 medical specialist in the spans of 1 hour. No pressure there. Trust me, you will sometimes barely see your patient for a good 30 minutes before some other urgency takes priority. Sometimes you are stuck with a trauma call for hours and that is where the support of your team becomes essential. A secret is also in the fact that your body is so pumped up with both adrenaline and anxiety or maybe just that extra coffee you had this morning in order to power one’s body through it all.

What is for sure is that you can never know what will come through those doors.

After what it seems the longest hour in my shift my patient was now lying on the bed in a stable condition. Hooked up now to both IV, heart monitors and ECG machines, Ms Kim was now attended to by a couple of nurses, untangling the cables and cleaning the mess that her admission made. I could also see Jinah reassuring the old lady as she fluffed out the patient’s pillow making her more comfortable and earning a tired smile in return.

“Jinah, can you please get Ms Kim ready for an angiogram and page Dr. Ahn for a Cardio consult? Let’s give her something for her angina in the meantime.” As soon as the prescription was written in her chart, I could see Ms Kim’s file flying out of my hands and Jinah winking reassuring at me while her other hand was balancing the phone at her ear already.

“On it, Hana. Dr. Ahn! ER Nurse in Charge here, Song Jinah. I was wondering if we can borrow you for a consult down here…Yes. Ms Kim. 67-year-old woman. Presenting with persistent angina. One heart valve replacement…” Her words just drift away as she walks away, most probably to assist to the patient while I drown in more admission paperwork for my other patients.

“Eight damn cases of people getting stuff stuck in places they should have never gotten near to in the first place also this one ahjuma that thought she was dying because of a mole down her back. Because Google told her so!” Another patient folder was slammed on the table next to me making me chuckle as I turned into my chair. One must love the rants of the one and only Do Kyungsoo. “Ready to hit Min’s bar after, Hana? I could use a beer and I would kill for some grilled meat.”

Besides one skilled trauma surgeon and sarcastic tough exterior, Kyungsoo happens to be one of my very close friends. We met in the first year or residency and what started as a healthy rivalry in who gets to scrub in more surgeries grew into a really close friendship as both of us got to see the not so pretty sides of what being a medical worker entitles. In addition, we are also sharing not only the ER but also an apartment. Even if it is hard imagining living with such person off hospital hours, I have to say there is no one I could rely more than him. Even so, to most people in the department we must look like a married couple. Little did they knew that Soo’s boyfriend, Min, would probably have a thing or two to say about that.

“We cannot compete with the almighty Google, Soo.” I cannot help but laugh tiredly. Some people wonder how you can be on your feet and on the go for such long hours, but it is exactly the adrenaline and the continuous workout that keeps our bodies fired up. Now, sitting in this chair I might as well just use the patient folders scattered against the immaculate blue surface of the table as pillows and nap. However, my stomach seems to be keen on Soo’s idea as it let out a growling sound that made me groan in response.

“I guess I could grab a bite. Let me catch up with Jinah on the patient updates and pass on everything to Dr. Woo.” And as clockwork the Charge nurse appeared by my side, her hand placed on my shoulder reassuringly.

“Ms Kim is stable, patient in bay 3 and 4 discharged and the guy with the broken leg is heading for surgery. Clinic is still a bit busy, but Dr. Woo is on it already. Everything is taken care for so how about you go home and call it a night? Good job today, doctor.” Her pat on my shoulder seem to take away some of the tiredness and gave it some sort of scope to it. It was a good day despite Kyungsoo’s complains. All our patients got discharged or were stable. We were all on our way to get some good food and you just wait until I meet my bed. Or so we thought.

In a minute both mine and Soo’s pagers went crazy both our faces showing confusion as after all were off the clock now but, as soon as the number appeared on the small screen I could only sigh in annoyance, my eyes meeting those of my best friend that seem to somehow apologise without any words.

“I got car crash coming to trauma 1 and 2…Hana…please behave and don’t fight with him anymore. Just…do what needs to be done and let’s meet at the grill after? Remember my father is not a bad person you are both just damn stubborn!” He was totally shouting the last words as he skipped to get equipped for receiving the trauma call in the bay.

Yet here I was heading over to the VIP wing instead and getting ready to play doctor for some so called important “powerful” person that would bring lots of prestige and money to the hospital at the call of the one and only hospital director Do Sangwoo.

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“Showtime!”

With one word the whole 87 staff members continued working like tireless ants in creating the magic that ËXO shows always brings to their fans. Tens of makeup artists, photographers, camera men, technicians, lighting and sound experts, stage designers, dancers, arena staff and more work for the next few hours to make the impossible happen on the stage. This also applies to every member of the big group as after all they are the stars of the show. With each of them having at least 5 people circling around them, pulling and tugging on their clothes and hair to fix it make it perfect.

Baekhyun was exhausted by the first intermission break, his feet almost missing one of the stairs from their cut-out stage if it wasn’t for Chanyeol grabbing his arm.

“Careful Baek.” I could read the same exhaustion on