The heart.

Beep.

One of the most vital organs in the human body.

Beep.

If you only knew the things that small, yet amazing, organ is capable of doing you may be surprised.

Beep.

It’s only 3/4ths the size of a fist and yet it contains enough force to pump 4.7 - 5.7 liters of blood throughout the body per minute.

Beep. Beep.

A heart is held carefully and delicately in the surgeon's hands. Passing it to their assistant as the new heart arrived in the OR.

“Careful. You are holding someone’s new life right there.”

Beep.

Beating approximately 72 times while doing so. If the average lifespan of a human being is 66 years, then their heart would have beaten over an astounding 2.5 billion times. In addition it works independently - or rather, the cardiac muscle is stimulated through electrical conduction, out of voluntary control of the mind… that is to say, it’s completely involuntary and works by itself.

“Hff… come on.” The surgeon mumbles, waiting for the new heart to beat on its own.

What’s strange is that this small organ has also gotten itself involved with this story of love.

—-----------------------

The sound of running water and the slight hum of the air conditioner fill the small room as the world renowned surgeon washes her hands after a successful heart transplant. She stares at them for a second, watching as the water ran through them, the same hands that just held a heart a few minutes ago.

She releases a self assured hum, happy with her work.

She dries her hands with a paper towel and throws it away, afterward she reaches up to remove her cap and lets her hair down.

“Um… excuse me, Doctor Bae.”

The woman turns towards the voice, her assistant coming in to remove her surgery wash up after closing the patient.

“Yes?”

“The department meeting is scheduled for this afternoon.”

The raven pauses for a second on her way out. “Oh, alright. Thank you.”

The building of the Northshore Medical Center is like any other building. It is beautifully built. It has a large number of doors, windows and ventilators. The surroundings of the hospital are quite neat and clean. Each ward has a garden in front of it. It adds to the beauty of the hospital.

The inside of it though was instantly familiar. Somehow all hospitals looked the same, no? , The endlessly branching corridors and circular nurses’ stations all look identical, like some infinite labyrinth. If you were a patient it would take a day or two to memorize the route from the lobby to your room.

For Irene, the place was familiar, it was a place she liked to be, it was neat, clean. The sounds and smell provided her some comfort. Yes there were always surprises if you worked at a hospital and yet there was a procedure for it all.

Her gaze swiveled over the waiting room, looking for the family member of her patient. A TV played quietly in one corner, a distraction that might help keep their mind off whatever the reason is for them being here. The seats closest to it stood empty, next between two sweating and shivering men, who instantly started coughing. Irene now knows why it wasn't a prime location.

She doesn’t look for long as thankfully the family members spot her first and so she makes her way over to them, ignoring the looks and murmurs coming for the nurses station as she walks by.

“She’s so cool.” One of the nurses whispers to her friend.

“Huh?”

“She’s cool no matter how you look at her…” The nurse explains. “I’m so jealous of the guys that get to help her out in the OR. I hope to get to date her someday.” She said dreamily.

Her friend follows her gaze to Doctor Bae, noticing her shape features, the way the light seemed to hit her just right.

“I hear that the flash of determination she gets in her eyes while she’s operating is super dreamy…” The nurse sighs. “Look at her, that piercing gaze. If she ever looked straight at me with those eyes, I think I’d probably melt…”

“You know she’s a player right?” Nurse Lee said. “She isn’t into serious relationships and isn’t afraid to break some hearts here and there you know.” He looked at the woman in question. “If you ever cross whatever invisible line she’s drawn, then you’ll just wind up hurting yourself needlessly.”

Nurse Jeon, looked up at him. “Speaking from experience Lee?”

The man sighed and shook his head. “You’d be better off not turning into one of her playthings, is all I’m saying.” The nurse took a couple of patients' charts in his hand ready for his rounds. “But then again, even with her sleeping around, she probably has some standards still.”

Nurse Jeon gasped as the man walked away with a smirk. “It’s not that I’m that ugly or anything…” She mumbled.

—-------------------------

The one thing Irene didn’t particularly like about the hospital was the food, it wasn’t bad, in fact it was pretty good but every once in a while it got tiring, sometimes her longing for home made food was too much.

And today was one of those days.

She sat in the cafeteria, a table in the corner where no one could bother her, she sat with her legs crossed, as she ate nothing but an apple as if she read a new research paper on cancer treatments.

She’s halfway into her apple when someone places their tray besides her, making the raven turn to them in question.

“You wouldn’t mind if I took this seat would you, doctor?” The nurse says with a flirty smile.

Irene smirks. “Be my guest.” She nods towards the chair. “Who could turn down a pretty lady such as yourself?” She said, knowing full well dessert has come to her.

“My, my… a sweet talker as always, doctor.”

“Is that all you are having for lunch?” The doctor asked, “Does that give you enough energy to last the day?”

The nurse looks at her salad. “Oh, I’ve gotten used to eating just this much. I don’t particularly enjoy feeling stuffed., but sweets..” The nurse says, biting her lips. “I really love sweets, how about you doctor?” The nurse leans closer. “Do you like sweets?”

Irene chuckled. “I enjoy them every once in a while.”

The nurse takes this as her cue and leans closely to the doctor's ear. “Would you care for a little sweet break after lunch together?”

Irene takes one last of her apple, looking at the nurse as she did so once done she leaves the apple on the table and leans towards the nurse ear. “With pleasure.”

—----------------

“Ah.. mmph…”

“You like that huh?”

“Ah… I can’t…” The woman shudders. “I’m close.”

“Hm…what do you want me to do then?” The raven slows her fingers much to the dismay of the woman. “Come on, beg for me.”

“… p…please!”

Loving with her heart? No, that’s nonsense to Irene. That throbbing pain she gets in her chest when things don’t go well… heartbreak? That’s nothing but your body releasing a bunch of chemicals in response to rejection. This specific kind of pain, merely comes from understanding that and preventing the body from releasing endorphins that give you happiness and phenethylamine. The love drug chemical.

Once the body stops releasing those chemicals into her system, your mind will be able to accept and tolerate the pain… because there’s nothing left to hold it back.

If you don’t want to fall prey to your own emotions, all you have to do is stay above them and take them by the horns. It’s always favorable to become the hunter than to end up as the hunted.

A vibration interrupts her slumber and she groans and tirelessly reaches for her phone.

“It’s too early for calls…” She grumbles, she rubs one of her eyes as she reads the text message. “Damn… …” She sits up. “You’ve gotta be kidding me… an emergency at this hour?”

She looks back briefly before standing up and putting on her clothes, once done she takes a post it from the desk, writes a quick note and leaves it on the pillow.”

‘Thanks, really had fun last night.’

Afterwards she rushes through traffic and enters the hospital in a rush.

“Doctor Irene!”

The raven keeps walking straight leaving her jacket, purse and motorcycle helmet on the hands of an intern, while another one passes her her coat.

“Explain.” She orders to her interns.

“Tour bus crashed at the interseccion, several injured with most needing immediate surgery.”

The raven ties her hair into a ponytail. “Patient.”

“Paul, age 59, male, fractured skull.” Another intern speaks up. “He sustained several laceration across his body and other injuries in the crash. He’s barely breathing.”

“Okay get him to an OR stat.”

Beep. Beep.

“Suction.”

“Bp’s dropping.”

Beep. Beep. Beep.

“, where the is that leak.”

“Doctor…”

“God damn it! Come on Paul… stay with me! Don’t be a coward!”

“Charge!”

“Clear!”

This isn’t the first time she’s ended up in this sort of situation, and even then the most trying time for her is still times like this. No matter how much experience it’s always hard.

“Family of Mr. Wright?”

“Here!” A couple stands up and rushes towards the raven. “I’m her daughter and he’s.--”

“My sincerest condolences.” Irene intervenes, quick and to the point, like a band aid, she prefers it that way. “We did everything to the best of our ability.” She continues, ignoring the anguish and heartbroken look on the woman. “He was already in critical condition when he arrived, the blood loss was too much.”

The woman turns to the man and falls into his arms, calling out for her dad. All while Irene gives them a nod and a quick ‘I’m sorry for your loss’ Before walking away, this time not feeling the pair of eyes on her as she did so.

A heartless woman, burdened as the bringer of bad news… stone-faced with cold eyes, completely devoid of emotions.

“How interesting…”

“Wendy! There you are!”

The short woman takes her eyes off the doctor and turns to look at her best friend. “You found it?”

The tall woman nods. “Yep, come on.” She takes a hold of her hand. “Cardio consults are this way.”