Chapter 16: Still (into) you - pt 1

***

SNU Hospital

Doctor lounge

“We will have a transfer patient from Vienna Hospital. Have you checked her file?”

Joohyun nodded absentmindedly while flipping through her documents “Heart failure stage D, Son Minjeong, 8 years old. She needs to go under surgery as soon as possible”

“My heart is heavy every time we get such young patients” Jisoo sighed “You want more croissants?”

Joohyun gave her a small smile “No, thanks Soo”

Jisoo took a big bite, all the crumbs were falling on her lap, such a messy eater “I heard from Dr Kwon, her parents are pretty famous in Vienna so I checked their profile on the net”

“Mmm”

Unlike her friend, the young doctor wasn’t interested to search about her patient family background, that wasn’t her job to find out whether the family could afford hospital bill or not, her job was to treat the patient

“Weird that I can’t find their family pictures or something. So I had to search for their pictures separately, but wow both of her parents are really pretty. It’s just sad that...”

“Maybe they want to keep their privacy” Dr. Kwon stood at the door with a file in her hand “You really need to stop doing unnecessary things, Dr. Kim”

“Dr. Kwon” Jisoo gulped upon seeing the pediatric department head

“And wipe your mouth please” Dr. Kwon said before turning her attention to Joohyun “Dr. Bae, why are you still here?”

“Am I not needed here?” the young doctor said, half joking

“No. Go home and have a rest”

“But unn..Dr. Kwon I still need to read…”

“You can do it tomorrow. I don’t want my subordinate to faint due to fatigue. Stop overworking yourself Bae Joohyun”

“I told that to her everyday but she’s so stubborn” Jisoo added the fuel but instantly cowered in fear after receiving a glare from her workmate

“Dr. Bae, If I see you wandering around in the hospital, I'll ban you from joining my next surgery”

“Not the surgery please. I’ll go home, okay?” Joohyun surrendered while lifting both of her hands “After I finished this croissant”

The head department nodded at her “Dr. Kim please read this file, you’re in charge of the new interns”

Jisoo forced a smile as she received the file

But as soon as Dr Kwon left the lounge, she immediately complained to her friend

“Just when I thought I’ll finally get to rest but no, I have to handle interns again this year”

“You’re good at that”

“O-oh you think so?”

“No, Dr. Kwon thinks so”

Jisoo pouted “Really Joohyun? After all the croissants that I feed you?”

“I think you’re a good sunbae too” Joohyun smiled “Thank you for the croissant but please stop if you keep buying this just to impress me”

“Yeah I bought them for you at first but now I like them as well” Jisoo admitted embarrassedly “Don’t worry”

“Okay then” Joohyun took a small bite so she could stay longer at the hospital, nobody was at home right now and she didn’t want to hang out at Moonshot

...

“Are you going to get married soon?”

“No”

“But he wants to, right?”

“Yes”

Despite having a crush on her, Jisoo was a good friend, they were friends even before she met her fiance. She knew all her exes, all her love escapades but she only made a move when they were doing their internship.

Sadly, at that time, Joohyun already had her eyes on someone else, her fiance whom she met during a blind date set up by her other friend. It was a fine dine and wine, and Joohyun was swayed by how the man sweet talked to her or maybe, maybe she was swayed by how the man resembles someone...someone that she wanted to forget.

He was sweet during their early stage of relationship, every month he would fly back from Japan to visit her but after Joohyun put the ring on her finger, he became unbearable. They kept getting into arguments and countless couple fights because Joohyun wanted to put the marriage plan for another 2-3 years while he wanted to marry her right away. His attitude was no longer sweet and most of the time she felt like she was his employee, having to report her whereabouts all the time.

“Ok, let’s not talk about it since it’ll only make me depressed” Jisoo decided, half jokingly. She too didn’t like the man, he was so arrogant and rude. He didn’t take Jisoo’s hand when she introduced herself as Joohyun’s workmate. Of all Joohyun’s exes, she disliked him the most.

“Anyway let me continue on what I found out about Son Minjeong’s parents”

“Jisoo…” Her friend warned her

“Come on. Aren’t you curious?”

“No, I’m not curious about her famous parents”

“But...one of her parents, she...she is gorgeous. Like the type that you would date..back in our college days” Jisoo added sourly, maybe she should really stop doing this to herself

“What type? I don’t have a type”

“If you don’t have a type then you would date me” Jisoo snickered bitterly “Short and looks fluffy like a cuddly hamster...and older than you. Obviously, that’s your type. You never dated someone younger than you or the same age as you”

“...”

“So maybe if we’re nice to her, we’ll get an autograph? Or free tickets to one of her concerts? I always want to attend a romantic piano concert”

Joohyun sighed, fully knowing her friend's intention “I’m going home”

“You’re no fun but sure, go home. I’ll bother you again tomorrow”

“Fine. Show me but don’t bother me again tomorrow”

Her friend nodded excitedly as she scrolled on her phone “I saved a few pictures so when we finally meet I can immediately notice her”

Jisoo showed one of the pictures to her friend

“Tadaaa. Gorgeous ri…”

But much to Jisoo’s dismay, her friend abruptly stood up as her face drained of its color “I...I have to go”

“What…”

Jisoo could only look at Joohyun's retreating figure with wonder “Why does she look so...shocked and sad?”

**

Women's comfort room (1st floor)

Joohyun tried to control her erratic breathing

Her chest rose up and down, she was feeling suffocated so suddenly

The memories, the feelings, everything rushing back once her brain recognized at the picture

That face...

That smile...

Son Wendy = Son Seungwan??

***FLASHBACK***

Eight years ago

Seungwan stepped out of the plane and breathed in the fresh air of Vienna for the first time.

I’m really here, she thought.

With a small smile she went to retrieve her bags and then queued at the immigration line. Yoona and someone from the academy would pick her up.

As soon as she connected her phone with the airport wifi, her kakao inbox instantly flooded with chats from Seulgi, Sooyoung and Joohyun. Yes, they promised to keep contact through the Kakao app.

After sending a reply to Seulgi and Sooyoung, Seungwan finally opened her chat box with Joohyun. She didn’t expect that the younger girl would respond quickly as it was 12:00 AM in Korea right now.

Blue: seungwan, pink: joohyun (series of chats)

((autumn))

Hi, I've safely arrived in Vienna

Finally! I thought you forgot to text me. 😫

I promised to keep in contact, didn't I?

You should sleep, Joohyun.

It’s midnight there.

I’m going to sleep now.

Will you text me again tomorrow?

Depends

Depends on what?

my mood

Oh 🥺

I was kidding

I’ll text you again tomorrow

I’ll be waiting then😊

Seungwan kept her promise.

They exchanged texts with each other everyday, sometimes Joohyun would update her about her school, her plans for college and Seungwan would respond and give her thoughts about it. Other days, Seungwan would let her know about the music academy that she attended in Vienna. Through texts and sometimes calls, they were slowly getting closer to each other.

((winter))

I think I’m going to take a gap year after graduation

Why?

I thought you’re preparing for this year's college entrance?

I am but the college fee…I’m only qualified for half scholarship

I want to take a part time job and save money 😔

You can ask Seulgi to raise your salary at Moonshot

You’ll be of legal age in a few months right?

So be a full time staff there

Thank you! But I still need to take another job, like tutoring

It’ll be good practice for me

since I’m going to take a math education program in college

Are you sure you’re going to do this, Hyun?

Seulgi won’t approve

I know

So can you talk to her, please? 🥺

I should’ve known 🙄

You’re my only hope, Wannie

Please?

Fine

I’ll call her later

Thank you...umm are you going to sleep?

Yeah, a