And It All Starts

A girl clad in an all-white ensemble walked down the black Mercedes benz and took off her black Rayban who fitted her perfectly shaped face.

She walked inside the Café just beside Seoul National University Hospital and got herself a table after ordering. She watched as busy people walk past her; oh how she missed Seoul and its busy people.

She got her phone from her pouch and dialed Mark’s number.

“Hello.” She looked at the number again to check if she keyed in the correct digits.

“Is this Mark Tuan’s phone?” She icily asked

“Yes, I’m his secretary. Dr. Tuan is currently in a surgery, you can just leave your message to me.” The lady answered

“No need. Thank you anyways.” And hung up.

Her latte came after minutes and she sipped on it before dialing another number.

“What?” the voice on the other line asked

She scoffed, “Wow oppa, I’ve been gone and you greet me like that.”

Jr. paused on the other line, “Oh Ali, sorry I didn’t see who the caller was.”

“You’re in a lecture?”

“Oh, in a minute. I’ll talk to you later; just really need to finish this. I pushed this back a  month ago just to send you off to the airport remember?” She rolled her eyes. “I know no need to make me guilty.”

Jr. chuckled, “Talk to you later, just call Mark.”

“I did but he’s having a surgery.” She grunted, “Hang up already, I don’t want you to blame me again for another pushed back seminar.”

She frowned and set her phone on the table and sipped on her latte again. “This is too much for having such busy buddies.”

Nurses giggled as they walked past the ever dashing Doctor Tuan from the Surgical Department. The doctor had just finished another crucial surgery and they were very happy to have assisted him. They saw how he does wonders with his skilled hands.

“Thank you for the good work.” Mark bowed to his colleagues and left.

He walked in to his office and saw his pal Jinyoung. He walked to him and made their usual fist bump.

“Congrats! I heard from your fans you did another wonder eh?” Jr. teased

“Shut up.” Mark rolled his eyes. “What made you come?”

Jinyoung chuckled, “I just wanted to congratulate my pal.” Mark threw him a balled paper.

“You and Ali really loves throwing things eh?”

“Okay, remember Minji? The one with Hirschsprung's disease? I want you to perform her surgery.” He straightforwardly said and handed him the documents.

Mark scanned it and saw that the little girl’s condition was bad. He was kind of hesitant and bit his lip.

“Mark, I need you to do this.”

He sighed hard after contemplating and nodded, “When is the surgery?”

“It’ll be in a month.” Jr stated. He was hesitating whether to ask such favor but Mark right now is the doctor he really trusted to save the kid.

“Oh, and just so you know. Our princess I back.” He informed and walked away. Mark let out a genuine smile and got his phone to call someone.

Haneul has just finished her shift and was rushing back to her locker room to get changed. She just got a call from another hospital, her mother was rushed there but she cannot go because of her shift.

She was running hard when she bumped into someone. She was now slumped in the floor and the guy tried helping her up but it was a burden when she realized she got herself injured. “Ah.” She winced when she placed pressure on her right foot.

“Are you okay?” There was worry on his voice and just then did she realize that she just bumped into Dr. Mark Tuan. She tried wiggling away from him but the latter was still holding her.

“I-I’m fine.” She said and tried once again to shove away his hands on her.

Mark frowned, “Well you don’t look fine to me.” He muttered and placed her hand on his shoulders. She was struck and tried pulling away.

“I-I said I’m fine.” She protested. Mark didn’t say anymore and went to the nearest nurse’s station.

The nurses were shocked at the scene and bowed to the doctor before helping him with Haneul.

“You sprained your ankle from the collision. You’ll need to wear crutches so the swelling and pain wouldn’t become worse. You just need a few rest and take the painkillers.” Dr. Kim informed me. I nodded and bowed before leaving. Mark, I know, was still behind me.

“I’m better now. I’m sorry for being clumsy.” I faced him, “Thank you.” I said and went away.

She got her phone from her pocket and saw the caller ID. “Auntie.”

“Haneul-ah, where are you already?”

She suddenly remembered why she was rushing. “A-auntie, is mom alright?”

“Oh, she had an attack but fortunately it was only mild and we rushed at the hospital before anything got worse.”  She sighed in relief and walked to the loading area to hail a cab.

“I’m on my way. Thank you Auntie.”

“Okay. Take care Haneul.”

She limped while walking and was still adjusting from the crutches. She was about to hail a cab when a black Maserati stopped in front of her.

The window of the passenger seat opened and she saw Mark inside. “Get in, I’ll take you home.”

“No need.” She stubbornly rejected.

Mark sighed, he got enough of the girl’s stubbornness. “It’s either you get in or I’ll drag you in.”

She sighed, “I’m not going home yet.” She revealed.

“I don’t care. You’re my responsibility for now.” Mark said and now went outside to help her get in.

“Where are you going?” Mark asked

“Samsung Medical Center.” She revealed

Mark frowned, “What do you need there?”

“My mom’s confined there this morning.”

He nodded and chose to stay quiet after he heard the worry in her voice. They arrived at the hospital and he helped Haneul as she walked with her crutches. He greeted the fellow doctors he knew until they reached the room.

“I’ll just stay here.” He said

“You can go, I’ll stay here for the night. Thank you.”

He nodded, “Okay. Just remember to take your painkillers and don’t overwork.”

Mark was walking in the aisle when he felt his phone vibrated. There he saw multiple call and texts.

“Oh .” He muttered. He forgot about Alison.

He dialed her number and after three rings picked up but it was Jinyoung.

“Mark where are you?”

“Alison’s in the hospital.”

He heard only that and rushed to his car again to go back to SNUH.