Panchali’s POV

“You parents are outrageous.” My tiny grandmother came hobbling in.

She was really a tiny woman but she was quite healthy so she quite resembled a ball. And the way she walked could make anyone laugh. I smiled at little as I saw her approaching.

She seemed to be strict to strangers but she was the kind who would cuddle you late at night if you had a bad dream. She was the one who’d brought me up while my parents were busy with what I’d always been told were ‘business deals’. Nevertheless.

“I wonder where I went wrong raising your mother.” She sighed and patted me once on the shoulder.

“You made up for it by raising me well.” I said and grinned.

She grinned back up at me, patted my cheek and turned to leave saying “I will go back home now. Your hospital people will get mad at you. Work hard!”

“Grammy!” I whined.

“What?”

“Kishie!”

“Not in public!”

I whined again and she hobbled back towards me, gave me a quick peck on my cheek then rushed away again.

“Your grandma is so cute!” I heard Suho behind me.

“I know.” I grinned.

“But wait your parents are THE Subhadra and Hyunseung?! Boy you must be rich.” Chanyeol said gaping at me.

I frowned as he continued “Man you are SO lucky.”

Kai seemed to notice and put one hand on Chanyeol’s shoulder. I gritted my teeth and had started to curl my fists into balls again when I heard Suho say “And I’m sorry I got so late sending Dr. Miryo.” and stopped.

“You sent her?” my eyes widened and he nodded sheepishly.

Without thinking twice I gave him a massive hug and squished him.

“Thank you thank you thank you thank you SO SO SO SO SO SO SOOOOOOOOOO MUCH!”

He seemed a little awkward at first but then laughed and hugged me back.

“You can count on me.” He said and winked.

“Panchali, you really want little babies running about don’t you?” I heard Dr. Komal.

I let Suho go and whirled instantly to see her standing with her hands on her hips.

“At least get a room.” She said and sighed.

I blushed instantly. “No Dr. Komal it wasn’t like tha-“

“Yeah yeah get back to work people!”

I blinked and turned to see Suho leaving. He waved and grinned and I waved back.

Kai and Chanyeol were both looking at me and shaking their heads as if I was an alien.

“I like hugs.” I said, trying to justify myself for some reason.

Luhan was standing in a corner and he came towards me just as Kai and Chanyeol turned. And to my surprise Kai gave me a strange look.

See I haven’t had any great friends in four years, since everyone found me weird, so my social skills are pretty much nonexistent but even I could tell that the strange look Kai gave me was what is commonly known as a ‘death glare’.

“Dr. Miryo said to give you the day off. She says it must be very hard to have parents like yours. But she said to visit Dr. Diksha first.” Luhan said tapping me one on the shoulder.

God bless you Dr. Miryo. God bless you

                                                           ~~~

Kai’s POV

“So Dr. Kai what is the differential diagnosis?” I heard Dr. Komal say.

“Er, Mr. Ju Jeongwan has an interior meniscus and injures to the patella in his right knee and he is adviced to get an MRI before the surgery.” I said.

“Dr. Chanyeol explain the surgery.” Dr. Komal said to Chanyeol.

“We will insert a syringe, push his tissues to the side and take out the blood from the joint. After this we’ll seal it up with crepe bandage and give him a knee brace. He should be able to walk in about ten days time.”

She nodded at us in turn and then looked back at the patient.

“We will be sending you for an MRI now Mr. Ju. It’ll make a lot of noise but no harm will come to you. If you’re wearing any metal take it off right now. It will be VERY dangerous to have any metal in there. Dr. Chanyeol and Dr. Kai will take you to the MRI room.”

I grabbed the back of his bed to wheel him out and Chanyeol came beside me.

“Dude. Everything cool?” he asked.

“Panchali is annoying.”

“What?”

“Nothing.”

Panchali’s POV

I walked up to Dr. Diksha’s room and knocked once on the door.

“Come in!” I heard a voice from inside and as soon as I opened the door a ball of joy leaped up and wrapped itself around my neck.

“Panchali unnie!” the tiny ball said and beckoned me to pick her up. I wound my arms around her and gently plucked her off the floor, laughing all the while.

“And you’ve met Minah.” I heard Diksha say and smile.

The baby in my arms let my neck go and looked at me with one of the most delightful smiles I had ever seen. Her curly hair had been tied into two pigtails on either side of her head. Her cheeks were rosy and her skin a caramel colour.

“I’m Minah Lee and my parents are Dr. Donghae Lee and Dr. Diksha Lee and I love them!” she said and made a tiny heart.

I laughed and bounced her a little.

“Don’t go by her looks. She’s not that innocent.” Diksha said coming closer and hold one hand of hers.

The little girl hmph-ed and look back at me.

“I like you! You’re pwetty!”

“Thank you Minah! You’re VERY pretty too!”

The little girl blushed and then gave me a tiny (and the cutest ever) kishie on my cheek.

I laughed and ruffled her hair, then said to Diksha,

“Dr. Miryo told me to find you?”

“Ah yes. I had to inform you that you’ll be assisting me on the island trip with all the pregnancies and other l infections.”

I gulped and nodded.

Once had been enough for me.

                                                         ~~~

I whined as I heard my alarm ring and slammed something on it. Then I remembered that grammy had bought me a new alarm and this one would ping one of its pieces somewhere around the room and wouldn’t stop ringing until it was attached back.

I groaned and got off the bed, looking for the stupid friggin piece.

It was hiding under my bed.

I grabbed it and stuck it back, and then briefly contemplated throwing the thing out of the window but my grammy knew me too well.

It had a tiny note attached saying “This is grammy’s gift! Don’t do anything to it!”

I sighed and got off the bed, then looked at the calendar.

Waaaaah! We had to go to the island today.

I groaned and flexed my neck.

I hated the wild. I hated forests. Like not the I-hate-you-I-wish-you-weren’t-around hate but the I-never-want-to-go-near them hate.

Its not the forests that are the problem but the insects, snakes and various other animals that gave me the heebie jeebies.

I sobbed a little then decided to drag myself to the bathroom and get ready.

                                                 ~~~

“We’ll be flying to the edge of Korea first and then we’ll be taken by a ferry.” Dr. Komal said pushing up her sunglasses and guiding us towards our plane.

Chanyeol came up suddenly and put an arm around me “Waddup Panchali?”

I looked up at him and grinned, “I love planes!”

He raised his eyebrows “You do?”

“Yeah!”

We engaged in random conversation as he told me how he was on a plane during the last few months of his MBBS and a man had a panic attack and how he, Chanyeol, had to save him. He told me that it was his dream since he had learnt how to write to become an intensive care specialist. He said he found adventure and panic, at the moment decisions, and a very thin line between life and death very fascinating.

Before I knew it we were on the plane and looking for our seats.

Chanyeol was an interesting person. And a nice one too. He just talked a lot but that’s okay. I’m a good listener.

“Nice talking to you Panchali!” he said and settled into his own seat, beside Kai.

I grinned at him and went to find my own seat which turned out to be right behind his.

Speaking of Kai, he had been behaving oddly since my mum and dad came to the hospital.

I shrugged as I found my seat and settled into it. There was already someone sitting there with a blanket over their heads.

“Excuse me?” I said politely “I have the window seat.”

The man took off his blanket slowly and smiled.

My eyes widened. No way! NO FRIGGIN WAY!

I gasped and let out an audible “ no.” while he smiled calmly again and said “Panchali! Long time no see! I’ve wanted to meet you for so long!”