AN: Hello my dearies, did you wait long?  *cackles*

OK, OK, I know you did, I'm sorry I took this long to post the next chapter. So much stuff happened in my life recently, I shall not bore you with the details. All I can say is none of that was happy stuff so you can imagine the angst I have pent up within me. I feel so imbalanced writing this almost fluff while feeling like end of world is coming for me.

Anyways, enjoy!

“Can I have a minute, Kyuhyun?” Heechul summoned the moment he caught sight of the young doctor walking briskly pass his door.

Still reeling from different emotions from the supper with Siwon, Kyuhyun winced. He rather hoped for a few minutes alone to compose himself before his crazy shift starts. But he still meekly entered, feeling sick in the stomach.

“Are you looking forward to your night shift, Kyuhyun?” Heechul asks smiling like a Cheshire cat while the young doctor took a seat.

Kyuhyun nodded too quickly, the corners of his mouth trembling as he pulled them up tightly to form a rather grotesque smile. “Yes, very much.” He tried desperately to sound excited.

“Well, I’m on tonight and tomorrow. Of course, Siwon will be on call but I still prefer of you run things by me first before calling him.”

“Sure.”

“Obviously I am not referring to personal calls.” Heechul bare his teeth in a sarcastic sneer.

“I’ll speak with you before ringing Siwon.” Kyuhyun said through gritted teeth but refusing to explain himself or Siwon with Heechul.

“It looks busy out there.” Heechul continues unfazed. “I know it is awkward for Siwon to speak to you on such matters considering the past you both’d shared. Which explains why I am having a quiet word with you right now, just between us.” Heechul explains coolly.

Kyuhyun coud feel his tears hammering at the barrier at the back of his eyes to be let out as Heechul proceeded to rip him apart very politely and very nicely. He gritted his teeth even harder than before as he was told how all the staff are irritated of his meticulous note-taking, and how he should learn to assert himself in his role, and how he should stop referring every patient onto someone else instead of taking the decision himself to discharge a patient.

Heechul had a pretty long list to get through and on he went undaunted. By the time he finished, Kyuhyun felt like a thrown out dishrag and he is expected to start work proper.

“You don’t always have to do a full examination or spend 15 minutes writing up your notes. Not every case will end up in the coroner court. You don’t have to cover yourself constantly.”

“I’m not covering myself, this is the way I work. I like to be thorough.” Kyuhyun defends himseflf weakly.

“This is not the village, Kyuhyun. All I am asking of you is to pick up the pace a bit.” Heechul said.

“I will.” Kyuhyun replied woodenly and stood up to leave. “Thank you for your guidance.” He said politely.

“You’re welcomed.” Heechul smiled with satisfaction.

At this point, Kyuhyun is ready to ditch his night shift and go home to cry his eyes out but instead he made himself a coffee and went to sit amongst the same people who had complained about him.

~@~

Kyuhyun wore the glasses chain Siwon gave him. It was useful. It swayed slightly as he stood taking his patient’s vitals. He knows Siwon was called in but his heart still did a little dance when he heard Heechul apologizing to Siwon as he rushed in.

Siwon mumbled a dismissive grunt as he pulls a plastic apron over his tuxedo and a pair of rubber gloves over his large hands. Siwon nodded and added a polite smile but Kyuhyun did not see any trace of suggestiveness or a cheeky wink his ex-husband would usually give him. Kyuhyun knows for sure the door to Siwon’s heart is finally closed to him.

“Kay wasn’t impressed at me pulling you away.” Heechul adds as he joins them in the tiny enclosure.

Siwon’s and Kyuhyun’s eyes met and Siwon looked a tad uncomfortable while Kyuhyun tried to pretend he wasn’t just knifed in the gut.

“Kay’s used to it.” Siwon replied with a note of finality.

Kyuhyun dropped his gaze and concentrates on his work while Siwon did the examination and started his.

Later, Heechul found Kyuhyun writing furiously at his desk. “Mr Lee needs stitching.” Heechul informs him.

“OK.” Kyuhyun replied dully. He had fighting the pain in his chest and the images of Siwon and Kay in his nice big bed.

Kyuhyun sutured Mr Lee’s hand wound as Heechul instructed and the nurse was about to lead him out of the room when he had a dizzy turn and stumbled.

Heechul would soon learn that there was nothing wrong with Kyuhyun’s professionalism even though they do not see eye to eye. Overnight Kyuhyun became the talk of the ER again, this time for accurately spotting Mr Lee’s massive internal bleeding which had caused him to become dizzy and led to self-inflicted injuries.

But a hellish night at work or a boss out to get him could not compared to losing Siwon.

While waiting for the train, he checked his phone repeatedly for a message from Siwon but there were none. It made sense, of course, Siwon did not owe him an explanation.

His answering machine at home did not have any blinking lights either when he reached home.

A quick shower then he was pulling on his mint green pjs and Siwon’s socks which he had taken slyly, Kyuhyun climbed under his cold bedcovers.

He told himself he has to go to sleep because he has to work the night shift again tonight. He told himself that Siwon has finally moved on for the good of the both of them.

Then he curled himself tighter and buried himself further into the covers. In a split second tears were rolling off his cheeks as sobs wrecked through his thin body.

~@~

His week of nightshift hell is finally almost over. Kyuhyun is seriously considering running away and never returning. He hardly sat down since he started his shift the night before and now as he wanted to grab a quick rest in the staffroom, he found Siwon asleep in there.

Siwon was called back thrice and gave up going home altogether. He is stretched out over several chairs which made his makeshift bed. From the way his mouth is slightly open, one hand trailing on the floor lifelessly, it was clearly he is completely out.

Still wearing his scrubs, his top was lifted slightly exposing his stomach. Kyuhyun sat down with his cup of warm soup and tried to concentrate on the muted tv screen showing the morning news but soon he was turning his gaze on the sleeping person instead.

Kyuhyun’s eyes took in greedily the sight of Siwon’s feet, and thighs and that tousled fringe covering his eyes, and that steadily rising and dipping chest which he knows is warm and safe.

And those bow-shaped lips that had kissed him so many times. Kyuhyun swallowed his urge to wake the man up with a kiss of his own right now.

Kyuhyun’s eyes wondered lower and he stared at the spot he had tried avoiding to look. The advantage of threadbare hospital scrubs was that it did nothing to hinder the lovely sight.

This isn’t much of a break, Kyuhyun decides with a sigh. He got up and rinsed his cup before heading back out into the chaos.

“Do you need a hand?” Kyuhyun called out when he bumped right into Heechul dashing past.

“Carry on with your break!” Heechul barked back with a dismissive wave of his hand.

Sungmin saw the incident and approached the downcast Kyuhyun. “He’s a great doctor but he just rubs people up the wrong way.” Sungmin offers gently.

“Even you?” Kyuhyun checked in surprise.

“Even me.” Sungmin said with a soft laugh.

“I know he is a great doctor.” I’m living proof after all. He saved my life.” Kyuhyun conceded.

“He probably regrets it now.” Sungmin jested.

For the first time this whole week, Kyuhyun toyed with the idea of a light grin.

“Right! Let’s get going before our shift ends!” Sungmin cheers encouragingly. They both knocked on wood reflectively but it was too late as their phone trilled, informing them of the imminent arrival of yet another ambulance.

Paramedics raced in with a loose-limbed little blue bundle. Kyuhyun felt his breath caught in this throat, his heart raced and his vision blurred as he begin to hyperventilate.

“Where’s Hee-Heechul?” Kyuhyun is panicky and trembling.

“He’s delayed in Theater 6.” Sungmin replied calmly as the paramedics lay down the lifeless load in their arms. Both of them went to work trying to save their latest patient but it is obvious Kyuhyun is losing grip of himself.

“The pediatrician on duty is coming.” Sungmin informed the distressed doctor next to him.

“Get Siwon-“ Kyuhyun requested in a wobbly voice. How he wished Siwon would walk in right this minute on his own accord.

“He’d