CHAPTER 1: FOCUS

Minho had only been working in the hospital for a few months now.

It was a hectic week. There were patients that were being dosed with new medications to reduce their symptoms and as much as it was a long shot, it was worth a try. The hospital was quiet that day, so you could hear the groans of the patients as they were given the medication through the IV drip, struggling to remain still in their beds while the medicine spread through their bloodstream. The doctors watched the patients, trying to remain passive and attentive so as not give off too much concern and stress the patients. The ECG machines whirred in the background and monitored the patients heart arrhythmia, beeping the almost musical rhythms of the heart. Minho watched the ECG machines sullenly.

The door banged open and a nurse briskly walked up to Minho and whispered in his ear about a patient who was having an adverse reaction because of the medication. It was not looking well for the patient. According to the nurse he was writhing in bed with severe stomach pain, his blood pressure reading was dropping out of range and temperature was way too high.

Minho calmly looked at the nurse, “What is the patient’s name? Be sure to record the event in the daily log and I will be there to check on him quickly.”

“Kim Kibum. His name is Kim Kibum.” Minho’s eyes widened at the eerily familiar name, but shook it off as the name was very common in Korea. He focused his attention on the nurse again who had just asked him a question. She repeated her question, concern clouding her eyes. “Do you want me to alert the staff and gather a team of nurses?”

“ Yes, gather them.” He his heel and headed towards the patient’s room. As he walked he began to hear the screams of anguish and quick intakes of air coming from inside the room at the end of the hall as the person within searched for oxygen. With every step he became more anxious. What if it really was his friend? How would he be able to handle this uncalled for situation? What would he tell his friend?