The ringing of the phone was resonating in the nurses’ station as Sooyoung was trying to fill out her chart. She was intently focused, blocking out every sound except for her pager. She bought two coffees this morning, hoping to give on to Yerim to apologize. After reflecting, she thought it was a bit rude to say these things to her.

She kept on filling her chart, trying to remember the dose she gave to her patient.

2mg of morphine.

Patient in pain in a scale of 7.

Backpain still present 8 hours after surgery.

Pupils slightly distorted but nothing abnormal.

87 heartbeats per minute. Pulse normal.

She carefully reread the last information she wrote before giving the file to the nurse. She looked around and noticed Yerim arriving at the hospital for her morning shift. She grabbed her coffee and walked towards her.

‘’Hi.’’

‘’Good Morning, Doctor Park.’’ Yerim replied checking her pager.

‘’Got you coffee. Almond milk vanilla flavored coffee.’’ Sooyoung smiled extending her hand towards Yerim. Yerim sighed, putting her hands in her pockets.

‘’Your sister was clear about one thing to me, if I keep on dating you she will make my life hell. Can you just stay away from me?’’

‘’She won’t care about us anymore. We talked. I also want to apologize for what I said last time. You flirting with me to get surgeries.’’ Sooyoung followed Yerim, not wanting to give up.

‘’Sooyoung…’’

‘’Let’s start over. Please, I don’t want us to part this way.’’ Sooyoung said, halting in her steps.

‘’I thought this was a no strings attached situation?’’ Yerim tilted her head to the side with a smirk.

‘’Well, you attached your strings to me.’’ Sooyoung huffed, getting frustrated. ‘’Yerim, please. That’s the best I can do with words.’’

‘’Fine. I’ll take the coffee. But if your sisters kills me, that will be your fault.’’ Yerim said, taking the coffee out of Sooyoung’s hands. ‘’I have to go, Kang is giving a class.’’

‘’She is?’’ Sooyoung asked surprised.

‘’Apparently.’’

Joohyun was in her office, checking the attending’s timetable for the day. She had just done tea for herself, and was waiting for it to get cold to drink it before clocking in at work. She did not have time to see Seulgi the past two days, which even before they started what resembles a relationship was odd. She was worried about her, considering they did not do phone calls, and Seulgi was not a good texter. Her frown deepened when she noticed KANG SG scheduled in to give a course to the interns. She tapped her fingers against her glass desk, before closing the page and going back to her e-mails. She sighed, seeing this week was still cramped with work on top of medical reviews and essays she had to turn in.

Before she could even finish reading her mails, her phone rang.

‘’Can I transfer a patient to you? I’m on administration duty today and I can’t take care of her.’’ Seungwan said into the phone, an impatient tone escaping her lips. Joohyun knew this was not a request but more of an order.

‘’Sure, what’s her diagnosis?’’

‘’Arrythmia problems. Her doctor thinks she needs surgery for it, but I’m thinking more about an enlarged heart walls seeing her blood works and basic analysis. So can you do full examination? She’s well insured, paperwork is up to date you can do it right away, thanks!’’ Seungwan said and immediately hung up.

Joohyun sighed, rubbing her hands all over her face. She hated when Seungwan changed the priority list of her patient, to put up someone she cannot take in at the top. But, she could not refuse.

Seeing her name on the courses planning, made Seulgi angrier than she should have been. She was walking with determined steps towards Sunmi’s office, to do what she was thinking about for a few days now.

Sure, she could not talk for herself in stressful situation like these, something that Sunmi seemed to take advantage off right now. But she was determined to voice her anger with actions, since Sunmi did not care about her specific contract, nor about Seulgi’s particular need. She entered the office without knocking, surprising both Sunmi and Seungwan.

‘’Kang, you should be having your class right now.’’ Sunmi said, finishing signing her paper. Seungwan gave her an apologetic look, before going out of the room.

Seulgi took in a deep breath, putting a few documents on Sunmi’s desk. Sunmi looked at it, raising her brows at Seulgi, waiting for an explanation.

‘’I…’’ Seulgi tried, swallowing her saliva when she felt herself stutter. ‘’Quit.’’ She whispered, looking at Sunmi.

‘’You can’t terminate your contract early. Doesn’t your lawyer know how to read?’’

‘’You’re…’’ Seulgi started again, ‘’not res-respecting my in-in-valid- invalidity clause.’’ She choked on the last word, always the hardest one to say out loud.

‘’Seulgi. You can’t quit. What will happen to all of your patients?’’ Sunmi further asked, worry creeping up to her at the prospect of losing one neurosurgeon. Seulgi did not reply but just shrugged her shoulders. She took off her white coat and left it on Sunmi’s desk, before leaving the office, Sunmi storming after her.

‘’Kang! You cannot do this!’’ She almost yelled into the corridor, but when Seulgi did not react, she went back into her office, not wanting to cause a scene since she’d rather keep this conflict on the low.

Joohyun started her rounds with the new patient to send her as early as possible to the tests. She was followed by three interns, who were doing their turn in her service now.

‘’Miss Kang, 57 years old is here because her main doctor thinks she has an arrythmia.’’ Joohyun started before entering the room.

‘’Good Morning Miss Kang, I hope you had a nice night of sleep. Did you stay the night here?’’ She started going next to the patient, holding her hand. With older and younger patient, she usually did that, since they needed more reassurance about their status of health.

‘’Yes, yes, thank you dear. You can now proceed to your round. The youngsters look impatient to get a more interesting case.’’ The older lady laughed, and Joohyun snapped her head towards the interns, glaring at them.

‘’Choi, start the round.’’ Joohyun said, waiting for the intern to speak up. While he was resuming the case, Joohyun noticed Seulgi stopping at the doorstep, with her casual clothes, outside of her white coat. She gave a questioning look to Seulgi but only saw her smile.

‘’Oh dear, that’s a lot of medical terms.’’ The patient spoke up after the intern was done and Joohyun softly smiled at her.

‘’Okay, you can go and send in the request for the necessary exams, I’ll join you with the next patient.’’ Joohyun said, rereading the file correctly, one of her habits.

When the interns left, that’s when Seulgi entered the room with a bright smile.

‘’I was wondering when you’d show up. Seungwan told me you were busy today.’’ The patient said, rendering Joohyun confused.

‘’Huh?’’ She said, and turned around noticing Seulgi coming inside the room. ‘’You two know each other?’’ She asked confused and Seulgi chuckled, crossing her arms.

‘’That’s my daughter. Neurosurgeon Kang Seulgi.’’ The older lady said with a bright smile. ‘’And you must be Joohyun, Seulgi’s told me about you.’’ She added, making both girls blush. Seulgi hugged her mom, and Joohyun stood awkwardly, a hand in her pocket the other holding the file.

‘’Um, I have to go, the interns must be waiting for me.’’ She said, and left the room, followed by Seulgi.

‘’Why didn’t you tell me she was your mom first?!’’ Joohyun harshly whispered when she felt Seulgi’s hand grabbing her forearm. Seulgi did not reply but sheepishly smiled.

‘’You knew she was coming.’’ Joohyun pouted, making Seulgi smile even wider. Seulgi then pointed to the file Joohyun was holding. Sighing, Joohyun gave it to her.

‘’Aren’t you supposed to be working right now? Did you take a day off?’’ She asked, curiously eyeing her outfit. Seulgi nodded, her eyes focused on reading her mother’s chart. Seeing Seulgi’s worry, Joohyun tried to reassure her.

‘’It’s not a biggie. Even if she goes through surgery it’s nothing serious. You know what I mean.’’ She said and Seulgi looked at her. Then, she pointed with her chin towards Joohyun, as if asking if she would be the one operating.

‘’Yes. Unless you don’t want me to.’’ Joohyun said and Seulgi shook her head. Joohyun noticed Seulgi fidgeting with her fingers, recognizing that she was stressed.

‘’Want to come over tonight?’’ She asked and Seulgi nodded her head for a yes. ‘’Okay, just text me, I have to go I have a few more rounds.’’

At lunch, Joohyun joined their usual table and was surprised to see Seulgi there. She guessed it was because she wanted to spend the day with her mother, instead of working on new papers. She smiled inside, loving the sight of Seulgi with normal clothes, black slacks, black sweater, a white collared shirt coming from underneath the sweater, her hair tied and her bangs that had grown a bit too much covering her eyes.

‘’Your mom’s results should be in soon.’’ Joohyun said as she sat down. She noticed how no one replied, and Seungwan fixing Seulgi’s silhouette. Jennie and Jisoo were in front of each other, avoiding each other’s eyes.

‘’Did I miss something?’’ Joohyun asked eyeing everyone at the table. Only Seulgi shrugged nonchalantly. Seungwan kept on glaring at her, until she let her fork down and finally spoke up.

‘’She quit. She ing quit the hospital.’’

‘’What?’’ Everyone at the table asked, and Seulgi kept on eating as if nothing important had been said.

‘’She gave in her letter of resignation to Sunmi this morning. And threatened to sue the hospital if she didn’t accept it.’’ Seungwan kept on explaining.

‘’You told me you just took a day off. Why didn’t you tell me?’’ Joohyun asked with a weak voice, laced with disappointment.

‘’We all knew this was coming. I’m sorry but Sunmi’s been a with management. She should give the task to someone else.’’ Jisoo added, making Jennie roll her eyes.

‘’You didn’t seem to mind when she gave you all these hours.’’ Jennie said.

‘’Seulgi, why’d you quit?’’ Joohyun asked again, ignoring everyone else. For an answer, Joohyun only got a shrug of the shoulders.

‘’I can’t believe you quit.’’ Joohyun said and left the table without warning, everyone looking at her.

‘’Yup, she’s mad.’’ Jennie said, eyes trailing on Joohyun. Hearing this, without thinking, Seulgi got up and trailed behind Joohyun.

‘’I don’t want to talk to you.’’ Joohyun said when she noticed Seulgi walking behind her. She turned to her right, to an emptier aisle of the hospital. She felt Seulgi grabbing her by the hand, and she tried getting out of it, but Seulgi’s hold was too strong.

‘’How could you not tell me about such an important thing?’’ Joohyun asked with tears in her eyes, her voice strained. Seulgi’s eyes widened, frantically moving side to side, trying to analyze Joohyun’s face.

‘’Am I not important to you?’’ Joohyun raised her voice and Seulgi’s hold went lax on her. ‘’Just a nice , that you only care about when you’re ?’’ She added, and Seulgi’s eyes widened, being at a loss of word. Joohyun looked at Seulgi, scoffing, sniffled, wiping her nose with the back of her hand and went back to the main corridor. Before she could go back, Seulgi grabbed her by the shoulders, cupping Joohyun’s face to kiss her on the lips. She entangled her hand in Joohyun’s hair trying to convey all her emotions to Joohyun, tears streaming down her face. She wanted to give it all, say everything that she couldn’t. When they parted, Seulgi rested her forehead on Joohyun’s, who stayed in her arms. The sound of a pager resonated, parting them.

‘’It’s your mother’s results.’’ Joohyun sniffled. ‘’They c-‘’

‘’What the ?’’ Seungwan’s voice resonated in the corridor making the both of them turn their heads to the left. Joohyun opened to speak but nothing came out of it. She decided to leave the scene, running to check the results, her eyes still teary.

‘’What the actual is going on today?’’ Seungwan’s voice resonated again, seeing Seulgi crying.