When the Clock Strikes|Pi Han Ul x Reader|

(S02) Chapter 19

A dull ache pounds in my head as I rest against the break room couch, eyes fluttering shut. The past few hours have been a blur of scalpels, monitors, and the relentless beeping of machines. Surgeries back to back, each one more exhausting than the last.

Just a ten-minute nap. That's all I need.

But the moment Dr. Yeri told me someone was waiting for me, I knew rest was no longer an option.

I straighten my coat and push the exhaustion aside as I step into the consultation room.

And then I see them.

Han Wool and his grandmother.

She turns her head at my arrival, her sharp eyes scanning me from head to toe.

I immediately straighten my posture.

"Why are you here?" My voice comes out more bluntly than intended.

Han Wool glances at me, his lips pressing together, but before he can answer, the attending physician-Dr. Choi-clears his throat.

"She was transferred here for surgery," he explains, looking between me and Han Wool's grandmother. "She has a perforated gastric ulcer. Her previous doctors suggested immediate surgical intervention, and given her condition, we scheduled the procedure within the next hour."

My stomach tightens. A perforated ulcer. That's not something to take lightly. If left untreated, it could lead to peritonitis or sepsis.

I glance at his grandmother, who watches me with a calm but assessing expression, as if she's waiting to see how I'll react.

"You'll be assisting?" I ask, turning to Dr. Choi.

He nods. "Yes. And as the anesthesiologist, I'd like you to be present in the OR."

"Oh." The word slips out before I can stop it.

I glance at Han Wool, whose gaze is locked onto me, unreadable.

And then I turn back to his grandmother.

"How are you feeling right now?" I ask, shifting into doctor mode.

"Like a woman who needs surgery," she replies dryly.

I fight back a smile. Even now, she doesn't lose her sharpness.

"I mean, are you in pain?" I clarify.

She exhales, looking away briefly. "It's manageable."

Which, in other words, means yes, it hurts, but I won't admit it outright.

I sigh. "You should've come in sooner."

Han Wool's grandmother tilts her head slightly. "I wasn't aware I had to report my medical decisions to you."

My lips twitch. "You don't. But as your anesthesiologist, I'd appreciate it if you didn't wait until your condition worsened."

She watches me carefully before letting out a soft huff. "I'll keep that in mind."

That's the closest thing to an I'll listen to you that I'll ever get from her.

Han Wool shifts slightly, and for the first time since I walked in, he speaks.

"She's in good hands, right?"

I glance at him. He's still standing with that expression.

"I wouldn't be here if she wasn't," I reply simply.

His lips part slightly, as if he wants to say something else, but his grandmother cuts in.

"I have no doubt she knows what she's doing," she says.