Haejin drove her way back to The Safe House from meeting two of her regular patients at Seoul National University Hospital. She had been their doctor for the last 2 years. After parking on her usual spot in the basement, she headed to the main house while checking her next agenda on her smartphone. It showed her a reminder she made a few days ago, and it made her froze.

2^nd: Remove Jaejoong’s stitches.

She held her breath. Since yesterday’s incident, Jaejoong seemed to be more… expressive. Like when he pulled the chair for her at last evening’s dinner, and he did it again this morning. Or when he would appear suddenly and helped her carrying heavy things. Or when he came only to feed her something he cooked. He didn’t tag along all day, but he would show up every hour or two. It wasn’t irritating, in fact, it was… rather enjoyable. And that worried her.

Haejin sighed. She put her smartphone in her pocket and walked to the Medical Unit. She opened her box and checked the tools, making sure everything was set. Feeling slightly reluctant, she exited the Medical Unit and made her way to their mansion.

Being not sure on whether she walked too fast or their mansion was just too close, Haejin found herself already standing in front of their door. She shrugged the gloomy mood off and wore her smile, just as usual. She reached out her hand to press the bell.

And it just had to be Jaejoong opening the door. “Oh, Haejin-ah!”

Her eyes widened at the name he called her. She just realized that he hadn’t called her by name since yesterday, and neither had she to him. But being Park Haejin, she shrugged it off and entered while replying his greeting, “Hey, Jaejoong-ssi.”

His slightly creased eyebrows didn’t go unnoticed by Haejin, but she let it look like it did. She walked straight to the living room and put her box on the table.

“Is your wound better? I’m here to remove the stitches,” she said while washing her hands in the kitchen.

She only heard a brief hum from the living room. When she got back, she found him already sitting on the couch, observing his stitched part of arm. Sitting across him, she stretched her hand, asking for his arm. Jaejoong looked up. His eyes fell on her opened palm in front of him. Suddenly his lips formed a playful smile. Instead of giving his arm, he held her hand. Startled by the contact, she pulled it out from his grab and reached it out again, still asking for his arm. His smile grew wider as he held it again tighter.

Haejin chuckled as she repeated her reaction. “Your arm, please. Your wounded arm,” she emphasized the last two words while reaching out her hand again.

Still wanting to , he once again grabbed her hand and interlocked their fingers. His eyebrows raised mischievously as he grinned from ear to ear. Haejin palmed her face, earning a giggle from him.

“Jaejoong-ssi…” she almost whined, not trying to release her hand this time.

“What happen to Jae?” he asked with a twitch on his forehead, looking obviously bothered.

She wasn’t surprised as she already expected the question. “I lost my temper yesterday. I wasn’t thinking much and just called you like that. Sorry for being rude,” she uttered her excuse.

“Is that so?” He raised his eyebrows once again. “Then what about our little scene in the kitchen? You also called me Jae, and I didn’t remember you losing your temper that time,” he leaned forward, still not releasing her hand.

That one took her aback and it wasn’t missed by his sight. He smirked. Feeling uncomfortable at the thought of their intense physical contact that day, Haejin chose not to respond to his question. She yanked her hand out, breaking their interlaced fingers. Jaejoong was startled by her abrupt force.

Without asking anymore, she took his wounded arm and placed it on the armrest beside her. She proceeded with removing the stitches silently. Jaejoong sighed in frustration as he wanted to make her facing him, but he helplessly couldn’t move since she was tending his arm. He impatiently waited until all stitches were removed despite it actually didn’t take long since he only had three of them.

Haejin finally put on an adhesive strip, in which Jaejoong knew as the last step. He was just about to do exactly like his original intention, but Haejin beat him to it. “You have to keep the adhesive strip for 5 days, these are the other four,” she put them in front of him. He glanced at the strips but quickly looked back at her.

His lips were only parted when Haejin once again stole his chance to speak, “You have to soak the strip to remove it, don’t peel it off. And since your skin hasn’t fully recovered yet, protect it from any injuries and sunlight for a month. Sunscreen will help,” she thoroughly instructed while tidying her things back in to the box. She paused and looked at a bottle of pills in her hand, which was actually only an optional treat. Yet she prepared it for him.

She hesitated, but quickly blurted when she saw Jaejoong was going to talk. “And here… It’s vitamin E. You may consume it when the skin edges are closed, it helps to heal the damage,” she put it next to the strips.

Even though Haejin didn’t say anything after that—which meant a perfect timing for him to speak—no words came out from his mouth. After seconds of the dead-silence, Haejin was the first to break it by asking to leave.

“I’ll be going, then. See you at dinner, Jaejoong-ssi,” she managed to smile before standing up. Without waiting for reply, she headed out. Left on the couch, Jaejoong clenched his fists. He turned his head, looking at her back walking casually to the door.

“Haejin-ah.” Her steps stopped in an instance. His tone was unusually low. She could sense anger in it. She turned around, mentally prepared. And it didn’t go for waste, as she met his piercing glare.

“Is there anything you need, Jaejoong-ssi?” Haejin still asked calmly despite the daggers from his eyes.

“Cut the crap,” he snapped, but immediately regretted when he saw her taken aback. He sounded harsher than he wanted.

“Look, Haejin-ah…” he anxiously rubbed the back of his neck, feeling bad.

“I can see you’re not in a good mood, Jaejoong-ssi. And my presence doesn’t seem to be any help at all, I apologize. I’ll have Siyoung or Jaeyeon to assist any of your needs starting tomorrow,” she stated while trying to keep her voice steady.

Haejin bowed her head and turned around, in need of air. She felt her body seething, making it hard to breathe. Just then a strong grip caught her wrist and turned her body around forcefully.

“Could you please just listen to me!” he shouted in frustration.

She froze in shock. Her lips parted from gasping and turned pale as her body stiffened. Her widened eyes were locked in his burning ones. He trapped her by firmly holding her shoulders with both hands.

“Why are you avoiding it?” he pierced through her eyes.

She felt her teeth clenched. “What are you talking about?” she tried not to raise her voice.

But he already had raised his. “You don’t know? Then let me change it. Why are you pushing me away?”

She flinched at the question. His grip on her shoulder got stronger it started to hurt. But he was too boiled up to notice, and she didn’t bother to say as she could barely keep her emotion controlled.

Jaejoong lowered his tone, without loosening the grip. “I admit that I still don’t understand why you never wavered around me. I thought you weren’t interested in me, but that was before I realized something that you thought I wouldn’t. I didn’t notice it by then, but I remember it now.”

She felt something just clutched her lungs.

“That day in the kitchen, you were burning too. You were in the very same fire as I was. Your lips trembled. Desire filled your eyes. I know the heavy panting was part of your plan, but your breath was shivering. And your heartbeat was wild. You’re the doctor, you tell me what those meant,” he demanded.

Her eyes faltered as she unconsciously bit her lower lip. He felt her shoulder limped, though it got slightly fidgety. His gaze softened at the sight. He raised his hands from her shoulders and cupped her face. He lifted it up, locking her anxious eyes with his.

“Stop ignoring it, Park Haejin. You know you feel it in you. I don’t know why you avoid feelings, but I’d really love to solve it together with you. I can’t do that if you keep pushing me away,” he pointed out the obvious fact, less demandingly.

Jaejoong encircled his arms around her, pulling her closer. But instead of leaning his head on her shoulder, he rested it on her forehead. He let his lips gently pressed against it and stayed that way. Though she didn’t return the embrace, she didn’t resist it either. In their silence, he heard a vague sound of her shivering breath. He smiled on her forehead.

“You don’t have to accept me immediately. I’m not going to force you. Just don’t push me away. When I come closer, let me in,” he whispered.

She knew he wasn’t asking, so there was no point replying. Jaejoong briefly inhaled her scent before pulling away, but his arms were still around her. She looked up and found the playful look in his eyes was back.

“Besides, I need you to tend my injury, doc. You can’t let me put on those strips and remove them all by myself. What if I do it wrong?” he pouted.

An internal debate was happening pretty loudly in her head, but she decided he didn’t have to know it. She only fixedly looked in to his eyes.

“You big baby,” were the words came out of when she finally made a sound.

He burst in to laughter.

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