When the Clock Strikes|Pi Han Ul x Reader|

(S02) Chapter 3

The morning air in the hospital was as sterile as ever, yet something in my chest felt heavy as I walked down the long corridors.

I was exhausted.

Every day felt like I was running on an endless track, barely catching my breath. Seven years of relentless studying, pushing myself beyond limits, sacrificing my youth, my sleep, my emotions—only to stand here, still treated as if I wasn’t good enough.

Still, I straightened my coat and walked into the office.

Doctor Jang Min-seok sat behind his desk, flipping through a file. His presence always carried a sense of authority, but there was something else about him—something unsettling.

The moment he looked up at me, I knew this wasn’t going to be a normal scolding.

“Dr. Ye Na,” he said, voice clipped. “Do you think this is a playground?”

I stiffened. “No, sir.”

He slammed the file shut. “Then why the hell were you late yesterday?”

I clenched my fists. It was the first time…

But I didn’t say it. I knew better.

“Do you think you’re special because you’re good at what you do?” he continued, standing up. His voice was controlled, but the anger simmered just beneath it.

“I don’t—”

“You’re reckless.” He stepped around the desk, now standing in front of me. “You may be competent, but you lack obedience.”

I swallowed. I had worked myself to the bone for years. And still, I wasn’t enough.

He circled around me. “You’re young. You have so much ahead of you. But that won’t happen if you keep stepping out of line.”

I nodded, willing myself to stay composed.

And then—his hand.

It landed lightly on my shoulder. A slow, deliberate touch.

I froze.

“You’re very talented, Dr. Ye Na,” he murmured. “And very beautiful.”

My stomach turned. My breath felt trapped in my throat.

“Sir…” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

His fingers brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. “You don’t need to make things so difficult for yourself.”

I took a step back, my body stiff. “I should go back to work.”

His smile darkened. “I don’t think you understand how things work here.”

I turned to leave, but he grabbed my wrist.

Panic shot through me like ice.

“I can make things easy for you,” he said softly. “Or I can make them very, very hard.”

I tried to pull away, but his grip only tightened. His other hand found my waist, pulling me back against him. I could feel the hard line of his body pressed against mine, and it made my skin crawl. No. No. This isn’t happening.

“Sir, please—” I started, but he cut me off.

“You don’t get it, do you?” His voice was low, almost a growl. “I decide what happens here. I decide everything.”

His hand slid up my arm, his fingers trailing over my skin in a way that made me want to scream. I could feel his breath on my neck, hot and heavy, and I knew what was coming next.