It was a typical Wednesday afternoon when Luhan visited Seohyun in Seoul National University Hospital. She just finished assisting a Trauma surgeon performing Thoracotomy (incision into the pleural spaces of the chest ) to a middle aged-man involved in a hit –and – run in a main road of Gangnam-gu. She was thrilled and fulfilled performing the procedure since it was her first time and it was successful.

"How was the operation?" Luhan leaned relax at the entrance of the clerks' locker area.

She wiped those sweat that formed on her forehead. It was obviously arduous and full of action since the usual neat-looking Dr. Seo had sweat, and the tension of the Thoracotomy procedure was evident on her face. She removed her surgical mask and those bloody surgical gloves she wore, "It's scary, but I enjoyed it. I'm really happy that we saved a life Luhan-oppa!"

Her smile was widely plastered on her face that it cannot be denied the she just did her passion.

He walked his way to her and ruffled her hair, "It's obvious that you like to become a Trauma Surgeon,Seohyun. I'm really glad for you."

Then someone suddenly knocked at the open door of the quarters, it was Jessica. She purposely scoffed to get their attention, "Excuse me!"She entered the room and joined them. She extended her hand to tyounger physician, "Congratulations for you first E.R. surgery. Those O.R. and E.R. nurse staffs outside keeps talking about you!"

She blushed to the blonde's appraisal, her smile cannot be hidden as she shook the older physician's hand, and she timidly answered, "Thanks Sica-unnie."

"But you told me last time that you are scared in the operating room." the blonde looked at her intently as she started questioning her, "...it's still early to accept such assistance to think that the procedure was Thoracotomy...kind of contradictory?"

Seohyun remembered their last conversation. What she told Jessica was one of her lame excuses in order to save herself from the blonde's confrontation. "Ah...that, Sica-unnie." she sheepishly smiled as she rubbed her nape. "Adrenaline rush, I guess. And it's Dr. Cho who requested me to assist him; you know that I cannot decline our youngest chief resident's request."

"Ah, it's Dr. Cho's request..." the blonde was obviously unconvinced.

Seohyun bit her lip; she couldn't look directly at Jessica realizing that her excuse was that really stupid.

"Anyway, have you talked to Kris already? I heard you sprained your ankle." Jessica opened up another topic.

"Y...yes, I've talked to him already." Seohyun meekly answered.

"Did he tell you already? How's your ankle?"

Jessica's really good in reminding her about Kris, she just got her mind pre-occupied with her first successful surgery and there's relationship topic again, Kris. She started to feel bad for the umpteenth time.

"About what?"

The blonde raised an eyebrow. "Didn't he tell you that he got accepted in Korean National Air force?"

Just please, not about the air force again. Don't remind me that Kris-oppa is about to leave. She attempted to look at the older physician directly, as firm as she can. "Y...yes, we talked about it." Her lips were trembling. Hence, her manner of talking unveiled what she truly feels.

"Wait? Kris is leaving?" Luhan joined their conversation.

"Yes. Aren't you happy?" the blonde straightforwardly asked him.

"How would I?" He looked at Seohyun, "Hyun surely feels bad about it."

Seohyun just had her attention fixed on the tiled floor, she balled her fists, annoyed of such kind of conversation she's been struggling to avoid for some time. "I don't feel bad. Let's just be happy for him."

She walked out.

Before the young physician completely fade away from their sight, Jessica shouted, "You still have a week to stop him, I bet you sense that he's also doing it to avoid you!"

Luhan held Jessica's shoulder to face him, "Hey, why so harsh with Hyun?"

"It's because she's stubborn and she's hurting my dongsaeng Kris."

"Let's just let them with their own lives shall we?" he suggestively asked.

"Look, I know how bad being busted like that feels." the blonde's mouth doesn't really know flowery words after all. "Don't tell me you're not hurting, you like her but it's obvious that she likes Kris but she's setting boundaries. Kris feels the same way, he hides his true self in order to maintain their friendship, but now it's giving him a hard time since he's afraid of the sure turn down he will get from her."

He heaved a sigh of defeat from the blonde, "I know, and I am slowly accepting defeat from Kris. I understand why he can't just let her know, he considers her...A LOT! You know how dedicated that girl is, she's willing to give up her own feelings just to become the doctor she wants her to be someday."

The blonde smiled, "I admire that girl for that, but you can see how she also suffers from her own passive play, right? Kris is willing to play with her all along but I can't bear to see him sad like that."

"You still love Kris don't you?"

She narrowed her eyebrows, and purposely stepped on his foot with her killer heels, "Yes, I wouldn't lie about it."

"Ouch! Jessica Jung!" he literally jumped in pain. "...is that the reason why you are protective with his feelings?"

"Before I became his fiancée, Kris was my adorable dongsaeng. I guess the responsibility of being his noona is inevitable already."

"Friendship is really a strong foundation." Luhan agreed. Raising his hands up in the air, "I guess Dr. Wu owned me ever since."

Jessica started laughing, putting her hands on her waist, "When we started loving another person again, let's make sure that they're not complicated people."

"Deal!" Luhan held his pinky finger up as he started laughing.

Jessica glared at him pouting.

"What's with that face, Jessica?"

"Too childish!" she remarked.

He was definitely embarrassed but defended himself, "Well...at least I'm keeping your word."

Jessica interlaced her pinky finger with his, "I'm just kidding. I'm just not so used to cute things Lulu."

Kris was jogging around the hospital; it was almost a month since he began physical training which is a requirement for joining the Air force. He trained himself day and night to improve his agility and stamina which is a mainstream Oriental medicine physician does not require doing. His thoughts were full of it, almost when he sped up and bumped into a certain person again.

It doesn’t really matter whether it’s coincidence or fate – it’s Seohyun.

But unlike their previous encounter, he was able to catch her. ‘’Hyun, what’s up this time?’’ he firmly held one of her arm as he supported her back.

She kept facing down; her fists were still balled as if she wanted to punch someone.

Kris perceived that something if not bad, not-so-nice happened to her again. ‘’What’s wrong?’

‘’Nothing.’’ She answered bluntly retrieving herself away from him.

‘’Hyun.’’ He reached her shoulder and made her pun in order to face him. ‘’…you tell, Oppa.’’

It was Jessica’s entire fault of course. She doesn’t want to talk about Kris leaving anymore, she’s avoiding him. But it seems that providence was unfriendly, they kept bumping with each other. The more that she stays away, the nearer she gets to him.

‘’Nothing.’’ She sternly repeated the same word shrugging off his hand away from her shoulder.

He put his hand on his waist; it has never been easy and is really frustrating to deal with Seohyun’s tantrums. Then he sprinted before her.

‘’Is it another fight with Luhan again?’’ he asked presumably.

‘’No.’’

‘’Then what’s the matter, Hyun?’’

He received a glare from her.

Knowing how stubborn she could be when mad, he had no choice but to completely block her way. ‘’If it’s not Luhan again, then what’s the matter this time?’’

‘’Why do you think that it’s always Luhan-oppa who makes me upset, huh?’’ she attempted to clear her way by jostling him, but Kris was too sturdy for her.

His frustration just grew with her reply, ‘’Then what’s making you upset now? Is Kris-oppa not allowed to know it anymore?’’

She tried to look at him straight into the eyes, but her knees suddenly feel trembling. She avoided him after he mended her sprained ankle. She started to hate him when he told her that she’s going to pursue joining the air force no matter what as if she did not hear his reason why he would still choose to leave if he will know that the girl he likes also likes him. For some reason, she’s becoming selfish but the bottom line is; deep down she never wanted to lose Kris in the first place.

‘’Yes, you’re not allowed anymore to know why am I being upset now.’’ She started walking, but was blocked again.

He would usually perceive her source of annoyance but it was really different that time, or he already perceived why she’s enrage with him but didn’t want to admit it. ‘’Why?’’

‘’Don’t ask me why, you made me like this.’’ She was finally able to shove him out of her way.

He chased her again and held her arm firmly. ‘’Is it because I decided to join the air force?’’

She cursed the word air force the moment she heard it from him. It was as if a word synonymous to separation enough for her to get agitated by just hearing it.

‘’It came from you.’’ She tried to retract her hand away from him but found herself being hugged by him.

‘’Two years isn’t that long, Hyun.’’ He tightened his embrace.

‘’Who says that? I’m done with my residency by that time!’’ she reasoned out pushing him away.

To no avail she cannot free herself from his hug. ‘’Two and a half years is still longer, Hyun. You should always remember that.’’

Two and a half years of friendship and unrequited love he chose to keep in order maintaining their Friendship. No one says it’s easy to love such passive type of girl but for believing that she’s worth the wait he chose this difficult path.

‘’So what? You will continue letting me get used to Luhan-oppa? You’ve found the best way to stay away from me?’’

‘’It’s not that, Hyun!’’ he defended himself. ‘’I just want to pursue my dreams this time.’’

‘’But I thought we’re going to make it together. Here.’’

What she said was right; he could really practice in that hospital. But if she would only knew his real intention of entering the same school with her was plainly just to be around her, he might have scared her away earlier.

‘’You’d hate me if you will know why I chose Dongguk Med.’’ He faintly uttered.

‘’I’d hate you more if you will leave.’’ She buried her face on his chest. Why would I get mad at you? You want to reach your dreams with me, I am too.

He felt her warm tears as she started to weep. He gently ran his hand to her slightly wavy long hair, ‘’Ah…you will miss oppa that much?’’

She began to cry loud, tugging on his sweat shirt burying her face of his chest even more. Though Seohyun’s straightforward, she’s never good throwing her bad feelings towards Kris probably because whenever he’s present, he automatically make her feel better and now that he’s leaving she’s worried that no one can mend her the way Kris does.

‘’No one’s going to save drinks for me if you’ll leave.’’ She blabbered, of course she will miss him a lot, but she can’t admit it directly.

‘’Then I’ll pay for your milk teas in your favorite tea-bar for two years.’’

‘’No one’s going to stroll with me whenever I want.’’

‘’There’s Lu -…’’ he cut himself perceiving that they might argue again if brings up Luhan.

‘’No one’s going to review with me anymore when there are exams, no one’s going to accompany me during Sundays if mom’s not around.’’ She released her sentiments grabbing onto his sweatshirt even tighter.

‘’Seohyun, I think it’s my mistake to spoil you. Kris-oppa needs to grow, you need to grow too.’’ His voice trailed off, ‘’…with or without me.’’

‘’Without you it’d be boring.’’ She finally faced him. ‘’As I walk my road here in med school, there was never a time that you left me alone, except for this latter few months because you’re too stupid for believing that I am really dating Luhan-oppa when I’m not!’’

It has always been a trend to confirm issues of them, unless it came out from the other one’s mouth, the other one wouldn’t easily jump into a conclusion, which Kris mistakenly did. Originally, it is Seohyun’s way that Kris came to adapt ever since they became close to each other. It is not that she doesn’t know how to read between the lines, and it’s not that she doesn’t really contain a thought at the back of her mind but it’s because for her, entertaining vagueness is such a waste of time. It would only lead into vain arguments since its human beings’ nature to defend themselves by covering up regardless of whether they would speak the truth or lie.  Everybody lies.

‘’Sorry, Hyun.’’ I’ve tried my best to restrain myself from admiring you; I intentionally did it hoping that distance would make me forget. I was wrong.

‘’…As if your apology would turn back time.’’ She scoffed, facing him and eventually knocked his forehead.

‘’ Since when did you get fond of hitting people?’’ he irked.

‘’I just felt like hitting you, you keep doing things which I hate.’’ She relentlessly shot back.

‘’Like?’’

‘’Leaving me behind, do you think I’m not noticing it?’’ Will you admit that you like me now, Kris-oppa?

‘’Sorry.’’ Realizing that he is about to leave her again, it’s the only word he could muster to say.

As if she was reading his mind, she started questioning him, ‘’…Is that a sorry because you’ve make a stance between me and you for Luhan-oppa or is it because you have already made up your mind to join the air force?’’

‘’Both.’’ He pulled her into a hug again and started crying. ‘’Walk with your own feet, Hyun and when the time comes I promise to come back.’’

‘’Can I not shake your decision anymore?’’ she asked, hugging him back.

‘’ I’ve decided, Hyun.’’ He crushed his own heart with his own words, leaving her behind won’t be easy. ‘’We can’t reach our own dreams in the same place since mine isn’t really here in the first place. But once I’ve become the Oriental Doctor in Air force that I want to be, I will surely go back…don’t worry, you’re the first person I will see.’’

She’s aware of how firm Kris is with his decision, she has perceived that kind of answer coming but at least she tried. ‘’I hate it once you let me know your decisions, you don’t really care about others’ feelings, even me.’’

‘’Aren’t we the same?’’ he asked the legit.

With his question she recalled what Jessica told her, ‘…Kris considers you above anything else’ she asked the one last question she wanted to ask him. ‘’Kris-oppa, what’s the name of the girl you like?’’

‘’Have I not confessed in Han River? I’ve even shouted It.’’ he suddenly felt scared facing her, one more wrong word then he’s dead.  Please Hyun, don’t make me drop your name, I wouldn’t want the next thing to happen.

‘’Tell me her name.’’ she softly spoke. As usual, clear-cut.

He released himself from her grip, and ran began to escape from her sight with his full speed.

He knew it was his last chance but he chose not to declare. He was about to leave but he kept his mouth zipped. Perhaps there’s that one person you would secretly love for a life time but in order to keep them, you’ll suppress the love that you feel no matter how sincere it is. In his case, it’s Seohyun.

‘Did I just fall with a coward?’ she asked herself as he watched him fade away from her sight.

She was walking on the hallway going to the hospital’s Operating Room with her head down for her second surgery assisting – a Mastectomy (removal of one or both s) procedure under Dr. Choi’s supervision. Their patient has a stage three cancer and her chance of survival was of going to slim which means the procedure must be done accurately by the surgeons who are going to perform it. Seohyun has no right to be pre-occupied with her own personal matters and have to give her all assisting Dr. Choi performing the surgical procedure.

She was in front of the entrance door of the Operating Room, standing and was staring blankly on the Operating Room signage; her mind was a mile away from where she is something that wasn’t good for her at that very moment,

‘’Dr. Seo...’’ a tall, well-built good-looking young physician in his early-thirties held her shoulder, ‘’…let’s go?’’

She briefly nodded. ‘’Yes, Dr. Choi-sunbaenim.’’

Both of them entered the Operating Room and headed to the small physician’s quarters inside the operating room to change in their scrub suits. The surgeon noticed that the young clerk wears a cheerless facial expression so he approached her, ‘’Is there anything wrong Dr. Seo? Feeling nervous?’’

She faced him with a small smiled as she shook her head, ‘’Not at all Dr. Choi-sunbaenim.’’

He wore his surgical mask on his chin and walked to her, ‘’Just call me Dr. Siwon, our maknae Dr. Seo.’’ He ruffled her hair. It’s the usual gesture she receives from her seniors since she’s the youngest clerk in the hospital; append the fact that she’s one of the hospital’s competitive medical clerks.  Then he started teasing her, ‘’Are you upset that your puppy love Dr. Wu will join the air force?’’

She projected a disgusted face, ‘’Not really funny Dr. Choi-sunbaenim.’’

He playfully ruffled her hair again, ‘’ A senior like me is ought to monitor you clerks, we’re here to guide you and I’m glad I’m one of those senior residents assigned to monitor you and Dr. Wu. It’s not that I neglect your other fellow clerks but I find the two of you interesting.’’

‘’What’s so interesting about us?’’

He laughed before he answered, ‘’Most doctors marries in their late age, it’s because we tend to neglect other in our lives and prioritize those thick books we need to memorize.  We act like we are the most caring people in front of our patients but in reality when it comes to our personal issues we are the most neglectful. I know I’m off the topic.’’ He laughed again as he saw the deranged expression written all over her face. ‘’What’s interesting about Dr. Wu is that he manage to do great in here when it’s already obvious in the beginning that his dreams aren’t really here.’’

‘’And what about me?’’ she pointed to herself.

‘’That you are the definition of oblivious for not to noticing him all along.’’  He playfully knocked her head. ‘’…I know what he feels, I’ve once liked someone like you.’’

‘’What?’’

‘’I used to like someone during university days, I see myself in Dr. Wu. She’s my best friend, we planned to go to the same med school but she backed out when she was offered to model in Paris.’’

‘’Did you grab the chance to confess to her?’’

‘’I wasn’t’’ Dr. Choi flatly answered. ‘’I was afraid that that Hwang Mi Young would certainly push me away if I did.’’

‘’You’re thirty-four already right Dr. Choi?’’ she began counting his age with her fingers, ‘’It’s been eleven years since you finished pre-med, aren’t you planning to tell her today? It’s been long enough.’’

‘’What’s the use of telling her now?’’ he chuckled, ‘’I’m already the god-father of her two kids.’’ The regret was so evident in his tone.

Dr. Choi was smiling but the bitterness was marked in his dark orbs, his unrequited love remained hidden for such a long time, his long waiting tired heart wanted to give up but his love for his best friend was still lingering.

‘’I’m sorry.’’

He patted her head, ‘’I hope Dr. Wu wouldn’t do like what I did.’’

And I shouldn’t allow Kris-oppa to become like that. She bit her lip in guilt. ‘’Kris-oppa…will never be like you Dr. Choi.’’

The surgeon was glad hearing her respond, ‘’ Let’s reserve some topics later.’’

Luhan was walking on his way to the parking lot when he saw Kris sulking beside a large concrete boulder abandoned in the grassy empty lot near the motorcycle parking area.

‘’Dr. Kris.’’ He called his attention.

Kris looked up to him and bitterly smiled.

‘’What’s up with you man?’’ Luhan extended his arm and helped Dr. Wu to stand up.

‘’Exhausted, I just finished exercising.’’ He spoke, still gasping between his words.

‘’You’re really going to join Korean National Air force.’’ The deer-eyed gentleman concluded.

Kris nodded.

Luhan crossed his arms and looked at him from head-to-toe. ‘’No wonder, Hyun’s really upset now you’re the only one who could make her feel like that.’’

‘’Luhan, please don’t let her feel bad.’’

‘’I won’t give her a reason to feel bad about me,’’

‘’When she’s upset, never fail to be around her. She’s stubborn, she may appear strong but it doesn’t mean that she loves to be alone. When there is a submission of requirements, always remind her of the due dates, she’s sometimes fprgetful. And when it’s Sundays and her mom’s not around to go with her to church please accomp –‘’ Kris was cut middle way.

‘’Do you think Seohyun would like it if another person would do it for her?’’ the deer-eyed gentleman grabbed Kris’ jacket collar. ‘’I don’t think so Kris, it’s you who do those stuffs with her. I can’t replace you if that’s what you think.’’

‘’I will be gone for long, I won’t be able to bear if no one’s going to take care of Hyun in my place.’’

‘’’That’s it, you’re going to leave her. Let her grow, alone! I think she will wait, she will manage, she has to because even if she’s not vocal about it’s obvious that she has chosen someone already.’’

‘’But I thought you love – ‘’ Kris was cut again, this time he received Luhan’s merciless fist on his face.

‘’You’re annoying! I was the one who is always expressive but she chose a coward like you!’’ the deer-eyed gentleman raised his hands in the air. ‘’I’m giving up, it’s not because I don’t love Hyun anymore but I’m seeing that you are the only person who could truly make her happy.’’

A/N: Sorry if the main characters are annoying in this story. If it is getting boring, tell me. A mainstream medicine student usually face this kind of situation. Complicated eh? Yeah, it is. :) Thank you for reading my beloved Reader-nims.