While he was waiting for his card he wrote a note for her and handed it to the store manager. ‘’Please give it to her if ever she comes by.’’ Then he left.

----------

Almost three months have passed since the day Kris’ left to serve and study at the air force. Seohyun had made her daily schedule double the tedious as it was before she could’ve barely joined her few friends for a meal or have an evening stroll along the Han River during weekends. Luhan was able to accompany her for a few times going to church every Sunday morning but then they usually spend a little time together since she directly heads to back to the hospital to assist in operations of her senior doctors in the late morning which will usually last until the evening worse is there are times that the operation lasts until dawn. Because of this, instead of getting closer with her, the deer-eyed gentleman became friends with Jessica instead.

It was the last day of her duty and finally Christmas break has started and Dr. Seo was one of those fortunate clerks who were given a ten-day vacation from duty. She deserves it since she’s one of those very few extra enthusiastic and workaholic clerks who performed outstandingly for the whole semester.

Luhan was excited for this day to come; finally he could decently spend a longer time with Seohyun. He was at the lobby of the hospital waiting for her to come when Jessica came as well. It has been more than a month since both of them became friends with each other, he often opens up his feelings to the blonde since he still likes Seohyun more than just a friend it’s just that he knows that he’s not the one that the young female doctor likes but Kris.

Jessica warmly greeted him with a playful knock on the forehead, ‘’Lulu! What’s up?’’

‘’The ceiling.’’ He sarcastically answered. His friendship with the blonde is really in a harsh manner.

The blonde rolled her eyes crossing her arms, ‘’Whatever, Lulu…so is she coming already?’’

‘’She says she’ll be here in ten minutes.’’

‘’I’m glad that her senior gave her a break. Have you seen how small her face has become?’’ the blonde uttered in an obvious anxious tone.

‘’Yes, I keep on telling her to never skip a meal, we’ve been to church together last two weeks ago and I can tell she barely sleeps and skips her meals by just looking at her complexion.’’ The deer-eyed gentleman seconded.

‘’I think it’s because of Kris that she became a workaholic.’’

The deer-eyed gentleman looked down; its still pains him that whatever he does for the latter will never matter like how Kris does things for her. He chuckled bitterly, ‘’If only that jerk became true to his self this will not happen to Hyun even if he went there.’’

‘’I smell jealousy here.’’ Jessica playfully sniffed the latter’s head.

‘’I’m not.’’ He denied protesting. ‘’I know my place and I’m good being good friends with Hyun.’’

‘’Are you sure with that?’’ she raised an eyebrow. ‘’…you’re the worse person in hiding stuff Lulu. Your eyes keep on moving.’’ She laughed.

‘’If I can replace Kris on the first spot in her heart, that’d be perfect. But she have never gave me a chance.’’

‘’Hyun is an honest kid Luhan.’’ the blonde started cheering up the latter. ‘’…and you’re never wrong to like such a girl. I bet Kris have seen the same thing you seen in her, but the only difference between you two is that you’ve always been honest…you know, it’s just that being honest isn’t a qualification all the time to get a girl’s heart.’’

‘’Why? What’s so attractive with Kris?’’ he asked the blonde since he is aware that she too likes the young male doctor as well.

‘’Kris is a good guy, he looks cold and scary but he is a warm kid inside. And you too have different approach. In his case, Seohyun is too precious for him that he chose to stay quiet about what he really feels, the only wrong move he made there is that he never admit it until the end.’’ The blonde defended Kris.

Their conversation went on until they saw Seohyun came by walking in the dim hallway going to their direction. It has only been two weeks since she and Luhan have seen together but the deer-eyed gentleman came to her all worried seeing how she lost a lot of weight for such a short period of time. Her faces was even thinner that her usual chubby cheeks have gone, her usually pale yet fine skin tone has gotten paler and the small dark circles around her eyes were too evident it was obvious that she haven’t had a decent slumber for a couple of days.

He took her back pack and stroller beg from her and started scolding her, ‘’Hey, Seohyun-ah…have you really gone out of your mind? We’re just talking about you, I was expecting for Seohyun to come, not a zombie.’’

‘’I’m fine Lulu, it’s just that I wasn’t able to sleep for that long. I’ve just finished assisting on Dr. Choi’s Colorectal Surgery this afternoon.’’

‘’Have you eaten lunch? I guess not.’’ The deer-eyed gentleman cackled.

‘’I was able to drink a cup of milk before taking a nap this afternoon.’’ The young female doctor meekly smiled wanting to reduce the latter’s anxiety towards her. She thinks that the deer-eyed gentleman was a little over reacting. ‘’Don’t worry about me that much Lulu.’’

‘’You call that a meal honey?’’ the older blonde resident enveloped her arm around the younger female doctor. ‘’Let’s grab something to eat, where do you want to go? My treat.’’

  ‘’I’m not really hungry Sica-unnie.’’ she gave the older girl a reassuring smile. ‘’But I haven’t had my favorite for a while. Bubble tea?’’

‘’Bubble tea?’’ the blonde narrowed her eyebrows while looking directly at the younger girl’s face, ‘’Okay bubble tea, but I think I need to feed you with meat after having that.’’

‘’W-what kind of meat unnie?’’ Seohyun knows that the older girl has an eye for American food, and is kind of fond of hamburgers and she dislikes it.

‘’Hamburger.’’ Jessica suggested what’s expected.

‘’Ah, thanks but no thanks unnie.’’ she removed the latter’s arm from her shoulders showing an obvious dislike for the latter’s suggestion.

‘’Oh I’my sorry I forgot!’’ the blonde apologized. ‘’Kris told me you dislike hamburgers because it’s unhealthy and it accumulates and eventually you will die.’’ She tried to mimic the exact statement that Kris told her.

The younger doctor responded with an obvious awkward smile that even the littlest things which make her smile like her favorite bubble tea can still be related to Kris.

‘’Uh, sorry.’’ The blonde immediately apologized making the latter feel awkward by mentioning her nam (male) dongsaeng’s name.

The deer-eyed gentleman joined in and put his arms on both doctor’s shoulders. ‘’Bubble tea? I’m game! My treat!’’

‘’Sure?’’ Dr. Jessica Jung jokingly asked. ‘’…I thought you haven’t received you thirteenth month bonus?’’

He gave the blonde as stern look expressing that he’s making it feel less stressing on Seohyun’s part.

‘’Okay, I get you!’’ Jessica beckoned him an okay sign and then turned to Seohyun. ‘’Hey kiddo, you better eat well after we drink your bubble tea.’’

Seohyun warmly smiled this time appreciating how Jessica started looking over her for the past few months. She might not be hanging a lot around her, nor they have the same set of companions but the blonde takes time to visit her whenever. ‘’Kamsahaeyo Sica-unnie.’’

So they went into the bubble tea shop which was two blocks away from the hospital. The place still looks the same, only a little brighter since it’s already December. The ambience of the bubble tea shop never changed, it’s still cozy as it is.

‘’Good evening Dr. Seo, it’s been a while since you came by.’’ The store keeper warmly welcomed them as she and Luhan went directly towards the counter while Jessica went to a couch near the window wall facing the serene evening street.

‘’Good evening keeper-ssi.’’ Seohyun warmly greeted.

‘’May I take your order, Doc?’’ the store keeper took her order in a friendly manner since she’s a regular customer who are also friends with the shop’s staffs.

‘’One oolong bubble tea without sugar but with dark lemon grass...’’ She ordered, and started finding her wallet in her handbag. ‘’…And 2 yoghurt bubble teas with fifty percent sugar for my friends store keeper-ssi.’’

‘’Coming right up Doc Seo!’’ the store keeper zealously relayed their order to his other crew members and faced them again.

Seohyun gave him her credit card but the store keeper did not accept her card, ‘’Doc Seo, doctor Wu paid for your bubble tea consumption for two years.’’

‘’Huh, Kris-oppa?’’ she and Luhan were both surprised by this.

‘’You mean everyday for two years? For that long?’’ Luhan expressed in disbelief, ‘’…Kris is really something!’’

‘’Yes sir.’’ The store keeper affirmed. ‘’Our manager told us, he paid for doctor Seo’s bubble tea for two years the day he left to study somewhere else.’’ the store keeper face suddenly flustered with evident giddiness.’’…Doc Seo is indeed a fortunate girl. it seems that doctor Wu really likes you.’’

‘’That wouldn’t do…please swipe my card.’’ Seohyun insisted.

‘’No, I said I’m going to treat you girls.’’ Luhan stick to his promise to her and to the blonde and got her credit card from her hand instead.

‘’Since doctor Seo did not visit the shop for almost three months I will just charge it to doctor Wu since it’s already paid. It’s just going to be a waste if you guys won’t use it.’’ the store keeper insisted widely smiling at the both of them. Then their order was served a swift as the usual.

She doesn’t really know whether to thank the store keeper or not for making her feel awkward even in the littlest pleasure she wanted to have by having bubble tea together with her friends by involving Kris again.  She smiled but obviously feeling awkward to the store keeper, ‘’Thanks, Sir.’’

‘’My pleasure to serve you Dr. Seo.’’

Seohyun sat beside Jessica and Luhan sat across them. The blonde noticed the younger doctor’s down expression.

‘’What’s up Hyunnie?’’ Jessica asked, cupping the younger girl’s face.

‘’Nothing Sica-unnie.’’

‘’Come on, you wouldn’t sulk like this especially we’re here to have your favorite bubble tea.’’ The older girl insisted. ‘’Why?’’

The deer-eyed gentleman joined their conversation and answered her instead. ‘’Kris paid for her bubble tea.’’

‘’What? Kris?’’ the blonde got bewildered. ‘’How can a person who’s not here pay for her bills?’’

‘’Kris went here and paid for her bubble teas beforehand. And take note for two years.’’

‘’What? Two years as in he’s expecting that Hyun will consume bubble teas everyday for two years and paid for her?’’ the blonde still cannot believe what she heard from the deer-eyed gentleman and rephrase what she heard.

‘’Yes, you heard me right…like you can believe to what I said.’’ The deer-eyed gentleman answered sarcastically.

The blonde was still amazed sipping her yoghurt milk tea first, ‘’Kris is really…’’

‘’Sweet?’’ Luhan scorned her again.

‘’Sweet but ….if only he can be a little brave for our Hyun.’’ Jessica took another sip of her bubble tea again and hugged the younger girl who was sitting beside her.

‘’Unnie…’’ Seohyun protested not wanting to talk about that particular matter any longer.

‘’Still upset to my nam-dongsaeng?’’ the blonde made the younger girl face her.

The younger doctor cannot look at the latter directly, ‘’No.’’

‘’Are you sure? It doesn’t look so…’’

Seohyun’s action is too readable not to be read, she’s too honest to lie that even her littlest actions speaks up what’s really inside her heart. She briefly nodded and the blonde hugged her tight.

‘’I apologize in his part Hyun…for hurting you. and I’m sorry for not telling you that I know it all along it’s just that I think it’s his own issue that I shouldn’t be meddling along.’’

‘’It’s okay unnie…nothing really happened.’’

‘’That’s the thing Hyun, he did not do anything that’s why nothing happened.’’ Jessica reasoned out.

‘’If he’s just a little honest to you…you’ll be happy. But he’s too scared for his height.’’ The deer-eyed gentleman spoke. ‘’I too was a little upset, we’ve met and talked that he should confess a few days before he left., but he still…didn’t.’’

The younger doctor bitterly smiled at them and said, ‘’It’s okay, it’s his decision.’’

Few minutes later, the store manager came out from his room and saw doctor Seo with her friends chatting with each other. He was glad that finally, after almost three months of not visiting the shop she finally came. So he grabbed the chance to come to them and handed her the note which Kris has given to him the moment he paid for her bubble teas and left for the air force.

‘’I’m really glad you came here tonight doctor Seo. I’ve been waiting for you to come by since I wanted to give you this.’’ He handed a yellow half folded paper to her. ‘’…here.’’

‘’What’s this manager-nim?’’ Seohyun open the note.

‘’It’s from doctor Wu, Dr. Seo. He told me to give you that then he left.’’ Then he excused himself to them.

‘’Thanks, manager-nim.’’ Then she started reading the note, and the two went near her so that they could read the note as well.

‘I love you, and I’m sorry if I only appear brave in this paper. It's okay for me to be your 'oppa' if that also means that I can stay by your side. It’s the very first time in my life I was scared to lose grip onto someone. Please take care of yourself Seohyun, let’s see each other as successful doctors in the future.

Kris’

A tear started escaping her brown orbs; she felt the burden of hiding Kris was holding in all along. She thought of those times when she just openly told him that she’s not ready for such kind of romantic relationship to anyone, hiding her real feelings towards him until the end like what he did just made the two of them hurt. It never crossed her that the person closest to her felt for her deeply that he would hide his true self in order to stay by her side, she never knew that she made him feel scared of her rejection all along that’s why he hid it all along. And now that they have completely drifted apart is the only time she only knew about his love, too late.

‘’is he a real man confessing like this into a note?’’ Luhan banged the table furiously; he still does not want to see Seohyun cry because of Kris even though he knows that her heart is always with that other person all along.

She wiped her tears that were starting to fall, ‘’This isn’t his entire fault Luhan-oppa, I never knew how I made him feel scared every time I talk to him that I still don’t want to love someone. I did not even dare myself to tell him even once how much he means to me so I can’t complain.’’

‘’But you’re a girl and it’s our job to take the risk after confessing!’’ the deer-eyed gentleman started arguing with the latter. ‘’He never once take courage to tell you that he loves you, so I was still wondering why would you like someone like that?’’

‘’’I don’t know Luhan-oppa but right now I miss how Kris-oppa takes care of me.’’ She started crying like a child that the blonde took her to cry on her shoulder, ‘’Sorry.’’ She muttered.

‘’Just don’t say you’re sorry Hyun…I knew it all along. I just…hate it whenever he makes you cry like that because he’s the only one who could make you feel bad like that…and I’m envious.’’ The deer-eyed gentleman confessed.

Jessica just let Seohyun cry on her shoulders until she sober, then she spoke, ‘’ You know Hyun, I’m also jealous of you.’’

The blonde became like a real older sister to her that she almost forgot that she was Kris’ first girl friend. ‘’Why unnie?’’

‘’Because Kris kept you like that…he considered you first before his feelings. I can tell that he changed a lot.’’ the blonde spoke, her voice conveyed that she has some resentment since she was Kris’ first girlfriend despite the fact that it was pre-arranged by their parents.

The younger doctor was left wordless, and the more she misses Kris because of what Jessica just told her. Her guilt of suppressing her own feelings and the guilt of suppressing him grew even more inside her that made her feel like suffocating.

She grabbed onto her chest, making herself stop crying but the tears keeps even falling harder. ‘’If I chose the easier path for us then things will not turn out to be like this.’’

‘’Don’t blame yourself for it.’’ Jessica spoke.

‘’But if I did not make the situation complicated then things will not – ‘’ Luhan did not let Seohyun to blame herself any longer. ‘’There’s time for everything Hyun. If he’s really the person for you even if it takes him ten years to finish his studies in the air force he will be for you. What’s so irritating is that you’re pushing yourself too hard that I cannot rest myself from worrying about you.’’

Luhan’s words were seen so sincere through his eyes. It pains him to see how Seohyun neglects herself by working too hard inside the hospital in order to make herself busy to avoid thinking of Kris which never even happened in the past few months. He cannot contain himself for not worrying about her even if he knows himself that the latter doesn’t feel the same way towards him.

‘’I’m sorry Luhan-oppa.’’ The young doctor reached the deer-eyed gentleman’s hand and gently squeezed it.

‘’Just…don’t neglect yourself okay?’’ the deer-eyed gentleman looked away at her. ‘’I cannot worry about you like this in the future…when I’m not even your boyfriend Hyun.’’

The three of them continued to bond with each other the whole night. Luhan and Jessica made it sure that they made their dear dongsaeng Seohyun feel better as they talk things out and made things clear.

Two years must be really long for someone who got separated from the other piece that makes them whole, but it’s sure not too long for a heart that sincerely waits.

----------

Shades of gray filled the sky, as the heavens are about to shed rain. The hospital had became a little too busy compared to the succeeding months since it was June – the start of the rainy season. It’s been almost five months since Dr. Seo finished her residency and became the youngest member of the general surgery department at Seoul National University Hospital.

Like her usual morning routine she was doing her patient rounds together with few young residents but it was a little too populous that morning since patients keeps on increasing every hour in the wards. South Korea’s sewage is one of the best sewage systems but still, dengue and Leptospirosis are inevitable illnesses whenever the rainy season comes by.

It was her thirty sixth patient to visit and all she could do was to sigh her exhaustion and her hunger since she only took a cup of yoghurt as her breakfast which was also seemingly like a wrong choice of food because she ate it with an empty stomach.

‘’Dr. Soo Jung how’s patient Woo Bin’s CT this early morning?’’ Seohyun asked one of her juniors’ about one of her patients’ status.

‘’ His CT shows that the crack from his cranium has gotten smaller by .3 centimeters since the last surgery Dr. Seo.’’ Resident Jung answered plainly as she stood stiffly on her place knowing that doctor Seo’s calm exterior is kind of different from how she is as their mentor.

‘’Good, then keep monitoring him until he regains his consciousness. We’re expecting him to wake up two days from now, right?’’

‘’Yes Doctor Seo.’’

Then they went to another bed to visit another patient when her hand phone inside her laboratory coat suddenly rings. She then, got it when the call was about to end and saw that it was a stranger’s number again for the nth time. As usually she canceled it.

Her juniors have seen it and started teasing her.

‘’Dr. Seo, when will you give your thousand admirers a chance?’’ a junior resident started teasing.

‘’Neh, you’re not getting younger Dr. Seo songsaengnim, even if you’re really pretty.’’ another resident who is a fan boy of her seconded.

‘’If by chance I’m not a stranger to you Dr. Seo, it’s just that I’m five years younger than you, will you accept me once I become a doctor songsaengnim?’’ Jeno the youngest amongst the resident she handles asked her as he self proclaims that he’s her number one admirer despite the fact that he’s really young for her.

‘’Jeno, stop that.’’ she bluntly scold the youngest resident since the patients from the ward were already all eyes on them.

The youngest resident cringed and didn’t talk anymore.

Indeed, Dr. Seo has gotten tough through time. The extremely witty yet innocent little girl has grown up to become a lady.

It was almost lunch since she had an opportunity to have a free time and grab her breakfast and probably lunch at the same time. She went out of the hospital and went to her favorite bubble tea restaurant like she usually does. It has been five months since her ‘’free’’ bubble tea ended still; there’s no signs of Kris.

She stretched her arms and shrugged her shoulders that have become stiff and tired from doing her seemingly endless warding visits. The path she chose has always been difficult and will never be easy. Sometimes, she wonder why she chose to become a doctor when she already knows that despite the higher wage it will cause her whole self to be paid like that but it’s not the high salary which called her to become one. Hence, it’s her calling to become a physician.

‘’Thanks.’’ She said to the waitress that served her bubble tea. A minute later her phone began to ring again – the same anonymous number who called her earlier.

She have a plentiful of admirers, some are her colleagues, some are her patients, and some are just like Luhan who came from nowhere and have noticed her exceptional pretty face somewhere. But this stranger seems persistent calling her twice in a row with only an hour of interval. She cancelled the call again.

But few minutes later, the same number calls her again. This time, the strange caller has gotten into her nerves already, so she sent a message to the unknown number. ‘Please, stop calling me. I’m busy.’

It has not been a minutes when the strange caller replied to her saying, ‘No you’re not. You’re drinking bubble tea. Keke xp’

Reading the stranger’s message, she suddenly felt nervous. The sender was like watching her from a short distance, her every move.

‘Stop! Or else I’ll call the police.’ She warned.

The sender did not reply to her message anymore but after a few minutes called her again. This time she answered the call.

‘’Yobosaeyo? Who are you?’’ she nervously asked as she started looking around the bubble tea shop’s vicinity.

She was looked on the second floor’s view of the shop then to the cashier and to the other customers who would most likely pull a prank to her but here wasn’t.

Then the strange caller finally spoke. ‘’Turn around.’’

The voice belonged to someone really familiar.

She turned around to the glass wall as the familiar voice told her to do so, then she saw that so familiar figure of a tall man wear a long laboratory coat which looks perfectly for him.

She has taken a step backward seeing the handsome familiar man smiling at her. ‘’Oppa…’’

Kris then knocks on the glass wall, and beckoned the latter to come closer. He still wasn’t ending the call yet.

Seohyun then went near the glass wall until it’s the thing which thwarts them. She cannot say a word; now make a sound as her heart suddenly flutters the way it was before after almost losing hope for waiting for more than two years.

Like what Kris had wished to happen, she grew up strong and they became both successful. Both of them are whole and need not to fill in each other to be together but rather make each other happy because they can share what they already have in had to each other.

Kris spoke again, ‘’How have you been Hyun?’’

Seohyun touched the glass wall fitting her hand with his that was leaning on the glass wall as well. A tear started to jerk out of her eyes. ‘’I’m doing well oppa.’’

‘’Did you miss me?’’ he asked once more.

She nodded.

‘’I’m glad to see you Dr. Seo songsaengnim.’’ He mimicked how the junior residents call her.

‘’Have you been watching me?’’

‘’Neh, Dr. Seo songsaengnim, I’ve been watching you the whole morning until now.’’ He answered teasingly trying to make the atmosphere between them a little lighter.

‘’How have you been, oppa?’’ she spoke over hand phone again. She cannot control her tears from flowing any longer.

‘’I’m well but I’m not happy because I kept on missing you Hyun.’’

‘’Let’s not separate again, shall we?’’

Seohyun ended the call and rushed out of the tea shop hugging Kris.

True love waits...