The sun shone sharply through the heavy clouds. There was a thick curtain of morning fog weighing down on the branches of sickly trees. The winter wind struck through the very core of any living creature and it was unclear when spring would bless its much needed warmth to the city of Seoul. Soonbok hopped off the bus with hesitation, unwilling to part ways with the suffocating heat of the overpacked vehicle. Upon facing the ruthless clutches of the freezing air, the helpless nurse shivered on the spot, regretting not wearing thermal tights.

“Righty-o,” Soonbok exhaled as she dashed forth, cutting through the condensation created by her own breath.

Soonbok stared intently at the navigation on her phone, guiding her through the quiet streets of the unfamiliar neighbourhood. Having grown accustomed to the relentless and chaotic ER, Soonbok felt almost unsettled by how muted and listless the alleyway was. The only sound echoing in her ears was that of her own footsteps splashing through the puddles in the ground — courtesy of an early morning rain.

“Nurse Gae!” An energetic and clear voice was heard from behind a gate as Soonbok emerged from the side streets. “You made it.”

Irene’s smile widened as she welcomed the nurse. Soonbok meanwhile, disgruntled by the weather, eyed Irene from head to toe, wondering how on earth the girl could look so put-together all the time.

“Courtesy of modern technology,” Soonbok deadpanned while waving her phone around. “This safehouse is definitely safe. Don’t think even the police or ambulance would make it here without some serious directions being given.”

“Still you made it,” Irene smiled encouragingly, “Which is fantastic because I don’t think I would’ve ever convinced Jungwoo to step one foot outside this place and back to the hospital even if I had police entourage to back me.”

“I think the poor boy has had enough of the police for a good while,” Soonbok sighed, following Irene into the dainty house in one of the older and almost forgotten neighbourhoods in the outskirts of Seoul.

The place was tucked away in a corner and hidden behind the recently built high-rises. It was a house that would be easily overlooked by any passerby, thus the ideal place to act as safehouse and keep the Kim siblings protected from harm for as long as possible. Nonetheless, there was undoubtedly some undercover police officer standing on guard. Soonbok bit firmly on the inside of her cheek, a pensive look masking her sleepless face.

“Jungwoo has been compliant with the medication. I’ve been supervising it myself,” Irene reassured Soonbok, easily reading what was going through her mind. “I’m not sure if the dose is quite right for him though.”

“That’s one of the things I’ll need to explore with him today,” Soonbok nodded in understanding. “He’ll need further titrating until we reach a point he is comfortable. Granted being kept here makes it easier for him since he has no access to any drugs, so there’s no risk of using on top and consequently overdosing.”

“One overdose experience was more than enough for him,” a quiet voice interrupted their conversation.

Soonbok searched for the owner of the voice and came face-to-face with Yeri. The girl wore a sheltered smile, still feeling uncertain about the visitor’s presence. Her expression softened though when she saw Irene. Suffice to say, the social worker had managed to establish a strong rapport with the young girl in question.

“We’ll make sure that’s the last overdose he’ll ever experience,” Soonbok stated with confidence.

Silence followed as the three ladies stared at each other, no one daring to disrupt the balance. Yeri crumpled the hem of her sweater, her pupils darting around the room. Seeing Soonbok’s assuaging smile though, the young girl slowly lowered her guards, finally welcoming the nurse’s appearance in their abode.

“He’s in his bedroom, first room on your right at the end of the corridor,” Yeri explained. “He’s been… vomiting and shivering first thing in the morning and his body aches, but he’s been holding on. It’s hard though because he hasn’t had his meds yet today…”

“That’s another reason why I came today,” Soonbok replied promptly. “New script and increased dose of methadone. Thanks to your impeccable notes detailing your brother’s withdrawal symptoms and how long the medication holds him, you’ve made my job a whole lot easier.”

Yeri blushed subtly at the compliment and hid her face behind her hair. Her subtle smile did