***

6 am.

Irene found herself getting awake by the sound of the birds chirping, she rolls around for a couple more minutes before getting the ability and the energy to sit and open her eyes.

The young professor had returned home at 1 am after dealing with the previous day's accident. So to say that she was tired will be a massive understatement.

Yawning and rubbing her neck, Irene glanced around the room, slowly shaking off the remnants of her sleep.

She wanders her eyes around the room, taking in her surroundings with a sense of serenity. Soft sunlight filters through the curtains, creating a warm and vibrant glow that illuminates the previously dimly lit space. In one corner of the expansive bedroom, a desk stands, its surface adorned with a chaotic array of medical journals, notebooks, and an assortment of various items and trinkets she collected during her time at the hospital.

The disarray of the desk provides a stark contrast to the overall calmness of the room, serving as a reminder of her busy and ever-evolving professional life. Yet, despite the clutter, there is an undeniable charm to the room—a place where she finds solace and inspiration amidst the organized chaos.

She looked at the clock on her desk,

6:08 am, I still have 52 minutes before my shift start

The young professor then heads out from her bedroom to the main living space before proceeding to the kitchen to take a glass of water. Her apartment is one of the nice apartments in Gangnam, complete with an open-plan living room, a big television, and a well-equipped kitchen with marble counters. The dining table separated the living room and the kitchen.

After grabbing a glass of water from the kitchen, Irene began to prepare a simple homemade breakfast. Despite her busy schedule as a doctor, she firmly believed in cooking her own food.

However, amidst her culinary activities, a thought struck her.

Wait, why is the house so quiet? Where is that little brat?

Irene turns off her stove, then starts to wander around the house. “Yeri?” Irene starts to call her sister. “Yeri-ah, where are you?” but still, no sign of her sister.

The young professor finally arrived outside her sister’s room.

Hmm, The door is still closed so maybe she’s still asleep. But it’s already 6, it’s unusual for her to still be sleeping at this time.

Yes, Irene had a sister. Well, Yeri was not her actual sister; she was actually Irene's cousin. However, since Yeri was just 5 years old, she had been living with and cared for by Irene. The young professor was practically Yeri's older sister and mom.

Irene slowly opens the door to reveal a sleeping Yeri at her study desk, still holding her pen. Her heart softens, feeling so much adoration for the little girl.

Yeri, like any other sister, is quite the annoyance when Irene is around. She takes delight in teasing and poking fun at her unnie. But beneath that mischievous exterior, Yeri is an independent young woman who rarely asks Irene for help. One of the examples that Irene can think of is when Yeri insists on cleaning the house herself, despite the young professor's insistence that they should just call the apartment cleaning service.

Irene walks closer to her sister, playfully trying to wake her up. "Wake up, squirt! Rise and shine!" she says with a smile.

Yeri slowly opens her eyes and takes in her surroundings before meeting Irene's gaze. "Unnie, what time is it? What time did you get home yesterday?" she asks.

"It's 6:15, and I actually got home today," Irene chuckles. "I arrived at 1 in the morning."

"Another late-night shift, huh?" Yeri remarks while rubbing her eyes.

"Not exactly," Irene responds. "Park Sooyoung forgot to submit her report, so I had to wait for her to finish it. But then an emergency happened, and I had to stay to deal with it."

"Ugh, Sooyoung unnie! Maybe I should go to her apartment and create some mess," Yeri frowns. "Maybe even Kidnap Haetnim?" she continued.

Irene pauses for a moment before bursting into laughter, and Yeri joins in. "No, you won't," Irene says after her laughter subsides.

"Oh, I might, unnie! Don't test me," Yeri retorts playfully.

"Right….- " the young doctor responds in a playful tone. "Now go freshen up, squirt. I'll be cooking breakfast. Join me in the kitchen once you've finished cleaning yourself," Irene says, patting her sister's head before heading towards the kitchen.

And just like that, the breakfast in the Bae household is always eventful, just like any other day.

***

6:45 am

“Yeri-ah, unnie going to the hospital now, is there anything you need before I leave?” the young professor asks.

“I’m fine unnie, I have a class at 8 today so I’ll just stay and roll around the house” Yeri replied with a smile on her face.

“Sure squirt! Whatever float your boat! See you later, take care!” Irene said before closing the door.

Fortunately, Irene's apartment is conveniently located near the hospital, just a 10-minute drive away. This is one of the reasons why the young professor chose this particular apartment. Despite the slightly higher housing price, the advantages it offers make it worth the investment for Irene.

While on her way to the hospital, Irene notices an incoming call on the display screen of her car. It reads 'Director Im.'

The young professor furrows her brow, finding it unusual for the hospital director to contact her directly. Although Irene is familiar with Director Im, having been called in to meet privately a few times regarding her research, this unexpected call piques her curiosity.

“Hello director Im, Irene Bae speaking” The young professor answer the call

“Ah yes, hello doctor Bae” The voice on the other side of the line answers softly.

She doesn’t sound angry so I guess I’m not in trouble Irene thinks to herself.

"Dr. Bae, I have a personal favor to ask. I have already reassigned all your other patients to your fellow professors and doctors. I want you and your team to focus on a specific patient," Director Im begins.

"Your team has been assigned directly to a patient named Son Seungwan. From today onwards, you and your team will be dedicated to Ms. Son's condition and well-being. Is that clear?" the director asks.

Irene is shocked by the sudden directive from her superior. While she has seen such situations in many of those cliché dramas, it usually involves only one doctor, not an entire team. Who is this Son Seungwan that would require her and her whole team, which consists of one professor, two resident doctors and one intern to be allocated to a single patient?

"Dr. Bae? Are you okay?" Director Im's voice brings the young doctor back to reality.

"Uh, yes, Director. I understand. But may I ask why?" Irene responds.

"As I mentioned, Dr. Bae, this is a personal favor for me. You were the one who saved her yesterday, and I believe it is the right choice to assign you and your team to her, can you do it?" Director Im explains.

The young professor frown, trying to remember which patient is the director talking about.

Ms. Son? Wait, is it that Ms. Son Seungwan who had a cardiac arrest in the middle of the night yestreday?

"W