Today was going to be a good day. No rain, the sun was shining, her schedule remained unchanged. She arrived at the hospital and parked her car at the usual spot, next to Seungwan’s. She got out of the car, taking her bag and checked her watch. 7:30 am, the perfect amount of time to change and grab a coffee. She glanced over at the sector 3A of the parking, not far away from her. She frowned seeing a spot free, usually a dark blue sedan would be parked there. She checked her watch again to make sure she did not come too early, but eventually made her way to the elevator.

She entered the hospital hall, still quiet and calm, almost no sounds. She got inside her office, put on her white blouse and went to the attending’s lounge.

There, she the kettle, tapping her fingers against the wood of the shelf impatiently waiting for it to boil.

‘’Hi there. Today the new interns are coming in.’’ Seungwan announced entering the lounge, followed by another attendant, Dr. Kim Jisoo.  

‘’I’m not really excited about them. They always bring trouble on the first day, Seungwan.’’ Joohyun remarked, pouring the now hot water into her cup. ‘’Anyone wants tea?’’ She asked, but the two attendants shook their head.

‘’Jisoo already got an e-mail from an intern yesterday.’’ Seungwan snorted, getting a punch from Dr. Kim. Joohyun looked at them, arching a curious brow.

‘’Worst isn’t for me, they always want to see an ophthalmic surgery. The worst will be for Dr. Kang.’’ Jisoo said with a sigh.

‘’Is this why she is late today?’’ Seungwan asked, stirring her coffee and passing some sugar to Jisoo.

‘’I forgot about the interns. That must be why.’’ Joohyun sighed, running a hand through her hair. ‘’I think-‘’

‘’Oh, hello.’’ Jisoo said, seeing Dr. Kang entering the attending room.

‘’Hello, we were talking about the interns.’’ Seungwan said, and Dr. Kang furrowed her brows, stopping her steps as if remembering. She put her hands into her deep pockets, and after a few seconds nodded her head to signal she acknowledged the information.

‘’I… have four surgeries… today.’’ Dr. Kang finally said, going over to the coffee machine. When she was about to pour herself one, she decided not to at the last moment, going over to the teacups, all under the scrutinizing gaze of Joohyun. ‘’I won’t see interns.’’ She added looking at Joohyun, then at everyone else in the room.

‘’Lucky. They already sent e-mails to me.’’ Jisoo added, drinking her coffee. Dr. Kang looked over at her with furrowed brows shaking her head.

‘’I got to go. I’m doing the introduction with the chief of surgery. Wish me luck!’’ Seungwan suddenly exclaimed, putting a fist up in the air, going outside the attending’s lounge.

‘’Wait I’ll go with you!’’ Jisoo followed suit.

‘’Four surgeries? That’s a lot.’’ Joohyun eventually said, taking another sip of her tea. Dr. Kang nodded in acknowledgement.

‘’Late… night. You?’’ Dr. Kang asked, carefully taking a sip of her own tea.

‘’Only got two surgeries, I’m meeting interns too.’’ Joohyun smiled. ‘’See you around, Seulgi?’’ She added, seeing it was nearing 8 am.

‘’Y-yes.’’ Seulgi replied, sitting on the couch in the attending lounge.

Joohyun was walking through the hospital corridor, already in her dark green scrubs checking her pager. She had her first surgery of the day, the auditorium full of over excited interns who were eager to see a cardiothoracic surgery. She wondered if they looked younger, or if the curriculum changed making them younger. She couldn’t even imagine them interacting with a single one of her patients when doing rounds. They seemed immature and that scared her.

‘’Dr. Kang!’’ She heard from the other side of the corridor, near the surgery board. It seemed to be an intern calling for the Doctor’s attention who looked like she was in between surgeries. Joohyun rolled her eyes and asked the nurse for the file of her next patient to, who also decided to watch the scene.

‘’Dr. Kang!’’ The intern tried again, getting way too close to the doctor who backed off with wide eyes, making Joohyun wince. She heard the nurse chuckle from behind the desk and playfully glared at her.

‘’I’ve heard so many great things about you! I was very surprised when I heard you didn’t participate in the university program of the hospital. You could teach so much to the many of us!’’ The intern started her monologue, making Joohyun frown. Dr. Kang seemed to be shocked by whatever she was saying, her eyes flickering at the intern’s face and she took a step back. Joohyun decided to step in, walking towards their direction, the nurses smiling at her.

‘’You,’’ she pointed at the intern, her eyes stern and cold. ‘’What’s your name?’’

‘’Kim Sooyoung.’’ The intern bowed.

‘’If the policy of our hospital doesn’t suit you, why are you here?’’ She gritted through her teeth, towering over the small intern.

‘’It’s not- that! But wasting teaching potential-‘’

‘’You’re wasting two very renown surgeons their time they could use to think about their patient and save lives. I don’t know who your resident in charge is, but trust me I will find them and you will deal with consequences. What’s with you and not having any decency?!’’ Joohyun raised her voice, still intently looking at the intern. ‘’Go find you attending for the day. Tsshh.’’ She shook her head watching the intern run away from them. A few other interns were looking at them with wide eyes, but she didn’t care. It was a yearly event at this point. One intern always feeling too brave, thinking they could change Dr. Kang’s policy. Joohyun heard hurried steps on her right and realized that Dr. Kang was escaping the scene.

‘’Seulgi, are you alright?’’ Joohyun asked when she entered the storage room finding Seulgi sitting on the ground her fists tightly clenched. ‘’Hey your hands, be careful.’’ She said, holding Seulgi’s hands in hers, trying to unclench them.

‘’Ev-‘’ Seulgi tried to speak. ‘’Every y-year-‘’ She took a pause kicking the ground. ‘’Sam-‘’ She tried finishing her sentence but her voice disappeared at the end of the word. She looked up at Joohyun with anger in her eyes.

‘’You got a surgery, don’t get too angry now.’’ Joohyun softly said, trying to calm down the surgeon. She let out a relieved breath when she noticed Seulgi’s body relaxing. ‘’Save your voice.’’ She faintly smiled noticing Seulgi chuckle.

‘’I…’’ Seulgi started and stopped to clear . ‘’Thanks.’’

‘’It’s alright.’’ Joohyun smiled getting up from the floor followed by Seulgi.

‘’The interns are already gossiping.’’ Sooyoung rolled her eyes sitting at the attending’s table.

‘’Go away, you’re not an attending.’’ Jisoo joked, making Sooyoung stick her tongue out at her. ‘’What are the gossips this year?’’ Jisoo asked, curious to see if this year’s intern had a better imagination. Joohyun just listened to the exchange, reading a patient’s chart, trying not to get distracted.

‘’Bae and Son dating, for half of them. The other says Bae is cheating on you,’’ she said pointing with her fork at Seungwan, ‘’with Kang.’’ She finished her sentence, making the table laugh, except Joohyun who rolled her eyes. That’s why she hated when interns would come in, tons of unnecessary rumors.

‘’I have a surgery with her by the way, this afternoon.’’ Sooyoung added.

‘’What?’’ Joohyun asked with widened eyes, looking at her sister.

‘’You don’t trust your sister?’’ Seungwan nudged.

‘’She never takes fourth year residents, especially if they haven’t chosen their specialty.’’

‘’Well, she gets along with you and I’m your sister. On top of that I have incredible surgery skills.’’

‘’Don’t get too ahead of yourself, she will kill you if you do a single mistake, even if it’s just breathing the wrong way.’’

‘’She’s nice.’’ Sooyung shrugged in the end, letting the table fall into a comfortable silence, the doctors focused on finishing their lunch faster.

Joohyun couldn’t focus back on her patient’s chart, worried about the interns.

Seulgi was getting for the surgery, repeating mentally the steps of each suture she had to do and the clipping. Surgery were her favorites moment at the hospital. That’s where she was in total synchronicity with her environment, free of any doubts and stress. She had a steady team, that was with her for five years now, all of them accustomed to her rules, knowing exactly when and how to exactly react.

Today, she had decided to change things up a bit, by inviting a fourth-year resident to her OR. She usually avoided anyone who wasn’t at least into their sixth year, not trusting them. But she had seen Sooyoung working, seen her practicing sutures in the lab and most importantly her eager interest for neurosurgery. Seulgi was very well acquainted with Dr. Bae, Sooyoung's sister, who was a very known cardiothoracic surgeon in the hospital.

Seulgi rinsed her hands and entered the OR, where two nurses immediately came to help her put on her gloves and gown. She looked around noticing the resident in her place, patiently waiting for the main doctor.

‘’Asleep?’’ She asked no one in particular, taking her place, letting the nurse put on the head-gear on her.

‘’Yes, doctor.’’ A nurse replied.

Seulgi took in a deep breath, closing her eyes counting down from five and opened them again. She frowned seeing plenty of interns in the auditorium, all eyes on her.

‘’Start… the counter.’’ She said, taking in deep breath trying to relax more. ‘’Doctor Park, which blade and what incision?’’ She asked, her hands ready to take in the blade the nurse would give her. This time she did not have any troubles expressing herself. She was relaxed and in her element. That’s where she was the best.

‘’Ten blade and a centimeter incision since it is a temporal craniotomy. Linear.’’ Sooyung said, and immediately after the nurse gave Seulgi the blade. Without thinking, Seulgi proceeded to the incision.

‘’Wait- You don’t check?’’ Sooyoung panicked making everyone in the room still.

‘’Are you hesitating Dr. Park? With a patient on the table?’’ Seulgi sternly asked, holding the blade on the patient’s skull, waiting to do the incision.

‘’N-no. I’m sure. I’m sure.’’

‘’Good. You’ll be doing the clamping.’’ Seulgi said with finality. Once she finished the incision, the nurse automatically giving her the pneumatic drill to open the skull. ‘’Come here and help me hold. You won’t learn standing behind me. Look carefully at what you’re doing.’’ She said, moving a centimeter to the side, letting Sooyoung stand next to her.

‘’See, it’s her with Kang, not Bae.’’ An intern in the auditorium said, none of them realizing the microphone was still on. Seulgi felt Sooyoung flinch when she heard this, but she did not let this bother her.

‘’Don’t lose focus.’’ Seulgi reminded and started the drill, once she was sure Sooyoung was holding it well.

‘’Heard she’s Bae’s sister. Maybe the neuro is a player.’’ Someone else said.

‘’Can’t be a player, heard she’s retarted.’’

‘’You don’t say that anymore!’’

‘’That might be true, she couldn’t even speak in front of the surgical board.’’

‘’She might be a great surgeon, but apparently in all the other fields she’s a failure.’’ Another one said. Seulgi ignored all of this, used to hearing interns gossip as to why she would not approach them. Ever. She noticed everyone in her OR getting uncomfortable. Once the drill stopped, she carefully put it out, noticing Sooyoung immediately backing out.

‘’If she’s like a mental incapacity maybe it’s easier for Bae or Park to use her. You know-‘’

‘’The microphone is on you idiots!’’ Sooyoung snapped making even the nurse gasp. At this same exact time Joohyun and Seungwan entered the auditorium, looking at everyone and then down. Seeing the green light on, Joohyun understood immediately going over to turn it off. An ‘’idiots’’ could faintly be heard, before it got silent again.

‘’Do you see… it? What clip… will you… use?’’ Seulgi tried, clearing , feeling distressed for a few seconds.

‘’3.5mm. But Doctor I’ve never done th-‘’

‘’Proceed.’’ Seulgi backed off, letting Sooyoung to take her place. The nurse stood still waiting for instructions from the main doctor.

‘’She said- She said 3.5mm. Why is it not in her hands yet?’’ Seulgi asked, glaring at the main nurse, regaining her confidence.

‘’Doctor are you sure?’’ Another nurse asked.

‘’She said 3.5mm.’’

‘’3.5mm for you Dr. Park.’’ The nurse finally gave her the clip. Seulgi noticed Sooyoung’s hands twitching slightly, angering her.

‘’Dr. Park are you sure about your decision?’’ She sternly asked, coming closer to take a look at the aneurysm. She glanced at the timer which display 2:14. Forty minutes too long in the OR.

‘’Yes.’’ Sooyoung gulped, holding the clip in her tool. Seulgi glanced at the auditorium, seeing Seungwan and Joohyun observing her intently. Seulgi sighed, stepping closer to Sooyoung.

‘’Proceed.’’

‘’Yes, doctor.’’ Sooyoung said, starting to slowly move her hands. Seugi’s eyes never let Sooyoung’s hands out of her sight, carefully monitoring what she was doing. She could feel the whole room was too nervous and she understood why. She would have used a smaller clamp. But she wished the room trust her more. If she had given Sooyoung the green light, it meant that it could work.

About five minutes later, Sooyoung was about to clamp the aneurysm. The nurses were carefully monitoring the screens. When Sooyoung managed to complete the clipping, the nurses let out a relieve sigh and clapped Sooyoung.

‘’It worked.’’ The resident said in disbelief.

‘’It did.’’ Seulgi said, stepping back. ‘’Can you do the closing? After I patch it up?’’

‘’Yes, yes I can doctor.’’

‘’Good. Step aside.’’

Joohyun made her way to the attending’s lounge after a long day of surgeries. It was nearing 11pm, she needed one last coffee to last for the drive home. She was proud of Sooyoung for completing her first clamping and she wanted to congratulate her later.

‘’This has to be the worst batch of interns. The chief of admission ed up real bad.’’ Jisoo exclaimed entering the lounge, followed by Seungwan. Joohyun barely had time to reply, that Jisoo was out the door already, her pager beeping.

‘’That bad?’’ Joohyun asked Seungwan. Seungwan was her good friend and chief of cardiothoracic surgery. They got into a bit of a cold last year, when Seungwan was nominated to the position, leaving Joohyun bitter, since it was also one of her goals. But they managed to go through that, Joohyun quickly realizing this was not meant for her. Too many papers to file.

‘’Disrespectful. They think they can waltz into an OR just like that.’’

‘’I got three of them tomorrow. Kim Yeji, Kim Yerim and Choi Chaeyoung.’’ Joohyun said. She saw Seungwan trying to massage her shoulder blade and walked towards her to do it for her. ‘’Go to a chiropractor, you’re too stiff.’’ She snorted, feeling her friend’s muscles.

‘’No time.’’ Seungwan groaned. They both stopped in their movements seeing Seulgi walk in the lounge, her scrubs still on. She stopped glaring at the two doctors, before going out again.

‘’I thought she had a good day? The surgery with your sister went well.’’ Seungwan frowned.

‘’I thought so too.’’ Joohyun said, before they both decided to follow the doctor out of curiosity.

‘’-most disrespect-dis-disrespectful bunch of… interns!’’ They heard in the hallway immediately recognizing Seulgi’s voice, much higher than usual. They immediately went in that direction, wondering what was going on. ‘’Never I will a-accept you a-again in… my OR.’’ Seulgi kept on, looking visibly frustrated and tired, her hands on her hips, in her dark green scrub and mustard yellow surgical cap on her head.

‘’What?’’ Seungwan whispered to Joohyun who did not reply.

‘’Or to even- even look!’’ Seulgi exclaimed. By now, the whole floor had gathered to watch the scene, never having seen the doctor so angry. ‘’Audacious… of you to- send me e-mails beg-begging for me to-to teach you! Considering half of you- doesn’t… deserve to be here, with such low g-grades!’’ She exclaimed one last time, her voice even higher before wincing and massaging . A nurse gave her a bottle of water which she gladly took, before walking away from the scene. Some of the interns started to chuckle once Seulgi was out of earshot, but Seungwan wasn’t having any of it.

‘’I will listen to the auditorium recording. Disciplinary sanctions will follow. Just because a surgeon is part mute doesn’t mean you can be so blatantly disrespectful.  And as per request of Dr. Kang none of you will see the inside of an OR for three months. Good night.’’ She announced before leaving them in the corridor.

‘’What did they say?’’ Joohyun asked Sooyoung in the elevator.

‘’That I got in the surgery because I was… you know. They called her a failure and retarded. The usual. Also, that you ed her because she was incapable socially or something.’’ Sooyoung casually explained.

‘’God, I should have known when she walked in so angry.’’ Joohyun rubbed her temples.

‘’Is it true?’’

‘’What?’’

‘’That you and her...’’

‘’Sooyoung no!’’ Joohyun exclaimed, shaking her head.

‘’What you two are close. You’re almost the only one who she talks to outside.’’

‘’No.’’

‘’Seungwan will make them face disciplinary actions. No OR also.’’ Joohyun said, seeing Seulgi was still standing beside her car, seemingly thinking. The parking lot was now empty, no one around them. Seulgi did not acknowledge her.

‘’Are you okay?’’ Joohyun asked and Seulgi immediately turned around with fury in her eyes.

‘’Are you-’’ she started barely above a whisper, wincing and massaging .

‘’Hey you don’t have to talk-‘’ Joohyun said, taking a step towards Seulgi who immediately backed away.

‘’Dating Seungwan?’’

‘’Since when do you believe rumors?’’ Joohyun furrowed her brows. Seulgi stood there, growing more and more frustrated by the second, clenching her fists. Joohyun recognized that Seulgi was trying to say something, but that was when wouldn’t cooperate with her. ‘’Write it down, it’s okay.’’ She tried again, relaxing a bit. Seulgi shook her head, looking up at the sky.

Joohyun glanced at her watch, noticing it was already 11:30pm, thirty minutes too late for Seulgi.

‘’You should go ho-‘’ She started and was interrupted by Seulgi who hugged her tightly, holding onto her. She felt Seulgi’s hands resting on her back through the thin fabric of her shirt, the cold of her hands seeping through it.

‘’I hate interns.’’ Seulgi whispered with a shaky voice and Joohyun returned the embrace.

‘’I know, I know.’’ Joohyun said. ‘’You can come over if you want tonight. I was planning on ordering cold noodles.’’ She added and felt Seulgi nodding her head for a yes. They stayed a bit longer in an embrace, before entering their respective cars, driving to Joohyun’s place.