6:39 PM – Im Hospital, Seoul, Korea
"Dr. Kang? Dr. Im's ready for you." Iseul looked up from her seat, just outside Im Nayeon office. Im Hospital was the last place she'd thought of running to as her last resort, but here she is. About to seek help to her rival.
Johnny asked her if she needed him to be with her when she talks to Nayeon about housing in Daniel for his treatment, but she declined and said she'd rather talk to her alone.
Though, Johnny was downstairs at the hospital cafeteria, waiting for her. He didn't want to make the same mistake of letting Iseul do everything on her own. He wanted to be there for her when things got rough, and when things would be okay.
That's what a relationship should be, after all.
Nervous, Iseul walked in Nayeon's office, hands clutched together. Like any other hospital rooms, it was minimalistic, although there was a ferocious painting of a tiger hanging on her wall.
Nayeon was sitting behind her desk, eyes glued to her laptop screen, and Iseul almost felt guilty of interrupting her busy day.
But she was doing this for Daniel, so she mustered up the courage to greet her rival.
"Nayeon," she called, taking a step towards her desk. "I'm glad you made time for this meeting. I'm grateful."
Iseul's voice broke Nayeon out of her concentration. Reading patient's x-rays and CT scans started to give her a headache. "Welcome," she greets. "It's not every day that the brilliant Dr. Kang Iseul is asking me for help. Take a seat."
Accepting her offer, Iseul timidly took a spot on one of the chairs in front of the desk. Leaning her hands on her knees. She hesitated to speak, trying to form words to explain Nayeon her situation.
"Nayeon, I know we'd have our differences but if there's one thing we shared in common, is that our will to treat our patients, right?" she starts off.
"Of course. That's why we became doctors in the first place," Nayeon claims.
"Right. So, the thing is, I have patient. He's terminally ill and I—I've tried every treatment I can to help him recover—get better—" Iseul explained, her tearful gaze meeting Nayeon's curious ones. "I'm desperate. And, I know Im Hospitals have the same technology as Kang Medical Center. I was thinking that—"
"You want a join team to deal with this illness?" Nayeon finishes for her. What Iseul says next was surprising.
"I was thinking Im Hospitals would take them in," Iseul corrects, earning a shocked expression from Nayeon.
"You're—You're asking me to take in a patient? From your hospital?" Nayeon repeats it again to make sure she heard it right. "I don't understand. Kang Medical Center has always been ahead of medicinal technology. Surely, you have your own diagnostics and research team for this—I—"
"If I'm being honest, our hospital has been going down really bad ever since my father passed away. A lot of doctors have requested transfers, and I know some of them even applied here." Iseul shot her a painful smile. "Even if I'm the assigned doctor for the case, I can't—I don't think I'm able to—"
"Your mom's asking you to step down from your job?"
Iseul kinda hates the fact that Nayeon can easily read her. Well, everyone can. She's not really good at hiding her emotions. Plus, the fact that everyone around Iseul knows how insane her mother is.
"I've seen your engagement news," Nayeon mentions the one thing Iseul dreaded for the past few months. "I just... I can't believe you're giving up your job as a doctor for that."
"It's not like that," Iseul defends. You don't know, Nayeon. "I'm not—I'm not gonna let that happen. I just. I'm just ensuring my patients are looked after. I—"
Nayeon doesn't buy it. Instead, she gives Iseul a hard stare, crossing her arms. "What are you really planning, Iseul? I know for a fact that you're not just gonna give up your job easily," she stated.
"I—" Iseul is taken aback. She didn't think of sharing her plans to Nayeon of all people. "I'm gonna take the company from Mother. And I just want to make sure my brother isn't gonna be in the middle of that."
"Your brother is the patient," Nayeon realizes. "And you're taking him out of the hospital because of the war you're planning with your Mom?"
"The hospital will thrive once I take it out of my mother's hands," Iseul says. "She plans on selling it Lee Industries after the marriage. I don't want any of that."
"You're gonna marry Lee Taeyong?" Nayeon questions.
"I'm not," Iseul declares. "As soon as I go back to Busan, I'm gonna talk to the hospital board and ask them to make me the chairwoman of the hospital."
Nayeon gave Iseul a long, calculating stare. Something she always did whenever Iseul would do something that exceeds one's expectations. She was always the gifted and favorite on in medical school.
Iseul looked back, hope in her eyes. What she was about to do was difficult, and it will be taxing, so she has to make sure Daniel's isn't going to be in between any of this. That's why she needed Nayeon's help.
Im Hospitals is the only one she knew that rivaled Kang Medical Center's technology and research when it comes to terminal cases. Daniel would be in good hands with them.
"So, let's say I'll help you with this. What do I get out of it?" Nayeon questions with a hum.
"You get a seat at the board," Iseul answers quickly.
"What? I—You do realize I'm your rival, right?" Nayeon had to do a doubletake. She didn't know if Iseul was serious about giving her a powerful position in her hospital, but the look on her rival's face says she isn't joking at all.
Iseul shot her a small smile. "Like I said, we'll do anything for our patients." And she meant that. If there's anyone that shared her passion for medicine, it's none other than her rival.
"Alright. I'll make a few phone calls and I'll see what I can do."
"Thank you, Nayeon."
The two doctors exchanged more pleasantries before Nayeon excused herself to return back to work. Iseul thanked her again, and couldn't help and pull her into a tight hug. After that, they parted ways, and Iseul went to find Johnny downstairs.
As soon as Johnny saw Iseul stroll through the cafeteria doors, he shot up from his seat and walked over to her. She was startled when she felt his strong hands held onto her arms, pulling her to a hug.
"How was the meeting?" Johnny couldn't hide his apprehension. A smile crept on Iseul's face.
"Nayeon agreed to take him in," she informed him, the tension on her shoulders finally easing up. "He's going to be safe, Johnny."
"That's great." Johnny cupped her face into his hand, tilting it upward. He plants a soft kiss on her lips as a reward. "What are you going to do now?"
Iseul's face turned solemn as her hand reached up to hold his hand. "I'm gonna fight for the hospital. I'm gonna fight my mom," she declared.
"Wow, that is a sentence I never thought I'd hear from you," Johnny admitted, blinking owlishly. He can't believe how far she's come from her actions being controlled by her mother to go against her wishes.
"So, now that's over. Wanna go grab dinner?" Iseul shifted subject, her hand easily slipping into Johnny's as they walked towards the hospital's exit.
"Actually, I was thinking of cooking tonight. If you're up to it." Johnny received an intrigued look from his girlfriend. "I mean—We are celebrating something tonight, right? And you love my cooking."
"Do I?" Iseul hummed teasingly. Johnny tickled her side in retaliation as chuckled amongst themselves.
They decided to pass by the supermarket to buy some food and ingredients. Johnny was always iffy about the ingredients he uses when cooking. Goes on full Gordon Ramsey too.
Iseul had disappeared off to the wine isle to fetch them some drinks while Johnny checked out the cold cuts. While pondering over which meat to buy, he got a call from his sister, Bora.
Eyes glued on the cuts, he answered it with a distracted hum.
"I can't believe you're ditching a family dinner for Dr. Kang," was the first thing Bora said.
Being the usual recipient of her sneers, Johnny easily retorts. "Please, you'd ditch too if given a chance. Or is Jaehyun not available tonight?"
"Shut up, I had lunch with him. I'm not gonna have meal with him twice a day."
Johnny could imagine the disgust on Bora's face right now. He laughed to himself, thinking how the two were getting along quite well.
"You have breakfast with him every day despite not fucking the night prior. Might as well buy matching couple shirts," Johnny joked, and he knew Bora would've hit his head if he was there.
"Are you out of your mind? Dating, really?" Bora sounded horrified over the idea. "I don't want to turn into a dumb sappy idiot like you and Taeil."
"What's wrong with being in a happy and loving relationship?"
"Happy, really? Can you really call yourself happy with the situation you're in?"
"I am."
"Don't be a fool, Johnny. We all know she's just using you."
"Bora—" Johnny was too much in a good mood to let Bora continue. However, she was quick to rant to him about her displeasure towards Kang Iseul.
"Her life's falling apart with a controlling mom and a deranged fiancé. She's just keeping you around to keep her sane before ditching you once she and Lee Taeyong get married."
As Bora continued on with her ramblings, Johnny found it harder to control his emotions. He's heard all of this before. Iseul's empty promises yada yada yada. As if people didn't make any stupid mistakes before. As if he's not allowed to make mistakes as well!
"God, Bora. Do you really think so little of me that you think it's crazy that someone actually loves me?" Johnny finally snapped, having enough of Bora's ramblings. "Look, I get it I'm not as good as the oil tycoon heir Lee Taeyong, and I don't have the best background or the best parents to even think that I'm at the same level as Iseul and her family—
"But, shit, Bora—Iseul doesn't care about that! She didn't care about my bloodline or what I was like—She loved me despite of that. You have no fucking idea what the two of us went through. What Iseul did for me and how she treated me kindly despite how other people did or said about me."
"What, you're holding onto your history to do be stupid and stay with her?!" Bora retorted. "I wouldn't be saying all these things if I didn't see how much she hurt you in the past, and even now she keeps on leading you on. And your relationship has, what, went back to square one? You're not moving anywhere, which I know kills you because I know you want to move forward with her."
"How do you know what I want? What's it to you if I'm being fucking stupid? You enjoy shit like that, don't you? So, you can prove that your smarter and better than everybody?
"Talking shit about my girlfriend not knowing what she's going through in her family? You're talking as if you know what's it feels to be in her shoes.
"Do you know the feeling of having a control freak mom? A dying brother? It's so easy for you to say that about Iseul because you've never to be in her situation. You just run your mouth thinking you're always right.
"And maybe you're gonna be right about this. But you're also not helping the situation at all. You're not. You're just running your mouth, and you know what? You're making me feel worse. You also made her feel worse, which I'm sure you did on purpose.
"So, thanks for the concern, Bora. But I guess I'm too stupid to take in your advice and leave my girlfriend. So, I'd rather be stupid than leave her alone just when she needed me the most.
"I know Iseul has other priorities right now. And I told her I'd wait. And I am waiting. I'm willing to. That's what you do when you love someone.
"Maybe you don't understand yet, but once you fall for someone, maybe you'd be willing to be stupid on your own accord."
Johnny felt a little lighter after letting it all out just now. Why can't Bora let him be stupid? He didn't say anything when she and Lee Minhyung were being dumb kids! He didn't realize his hand was shaking and he was breathing heavy.
When he felt someone touch his back, he calmed himself down. He turned around to see Iseul staring at him curiously. Instantly, he hung up on Bora and faced towards her.
"Everything alright?" Iseul asked him. She showed him a bottle of wine. "Got your favorite."
Looking at her, all his grievances washed away. Johnny hung up on Bora, focusing on Iseul instead. "You hate red wine," he reminded, taking the bottle out of her hands.
"But you like it so." Iseul shrugged, taking a step towards him. "Think of it as a thank you for always being there for me."
Johnny stared at her lovingly as she slipped her hands against his. They swayed their hands side bye side, chuckling at their own antics.
"So... what do you plan on cooking for us, Mr. Suh?" Iseul hummed, resting her chin against his shoulder.
"Well, to help you bear with red wine's taste, I thought steak would be proper," Johnny replied.
"Wow, from making me cup noodles to steak? You improved your repertoire."
"Well, I gotta step up my game. You cooked for me all the time so I thought I'd return the favor this time."
Iseul recalled their university years when she would just barge in Taeil, Yuta, and Johnny's penthouse near their campus. She always brought them food, snacks, and even some movies to watch for an impromptu sleepover.
After meeting Yuta and Johnny through Taeil, she basically stuck to them like a chewing gum. She did have other friends in her own program, but it wasn't like the bond she had with the three Moons.
Maybe because she empathized with them living in rich, privileged families that are kinda fucked up.
"Ah, we should buy lots of butter then," Iseul recalled, while in the middle of introspecting their past.
She excused herself again and went through aisles of ingredients. While browsing, she received a call from her secretary, Jihyo.
"Dr. Kang, I pulled the records you asked for last time. The funding given to the hospital by our sponsors? I checked the numbers and there's definitely something odd about it." Jihyo reported.
"Weird? Weird, how?" Iseul questioned.
"It seems the remaining balance from Moon Corp.'s donation is being transferred to a private account. It's neither the hospital's or Moon Corp.'s."
I knew it. Iseul clicked her tongue. "I see. Thank you, Jihyo. I'll look into it with you once I get back," she said.
With that, she hang up, pocketing her phone back. She stared blankly at the floor, contemplating. If her hunch is right, then someone is embezzling hospital funds into their own pockets.
And she hated that she has an feeling on who it is.
/
As soon as Johnny hung up on her, Bora threw her phone at the bed. Jaehyun, who just got up from their nap, gave her a curious glance.
Bora can't believe she had a fight with Johnny over stupid Dr. Kang. She had a valid reason not to like her cousin's girlfriend. She barely knew her! Johnny didn't even bother introducing Dr. Kang to her during their college years, and all the times they've been together.
And what, she's supposed to accept this stranger to her family?
"You alright?" he checked on her, peering at her upset face. He gave her phone a glance, wondering what did the two cousins fight about.
"I'm fine." Bora brushed off, combing her hair back into a ponytail. Jaehyun's gaze instantly lands on her neck. "Just dreading this dinner. It always ends up in a truffle whenever me and my family try to have a normal meal together."
"Well, can't argue with that." Jaehyun shrugged, fetching her phone for her. "You need some backup? I got a nice new suit that'll go with your strap bless navy blue dress."
Bora furrowed her eyebrows at him. "That's new, how do you know about that?" she questioned suspiciously.
Jaehyun opened his mouth before pursing his lips together. He recalled seeing it for the first time, thinking how sexy it'll look on the woman wrapped around him at that time. "I kinda... caught a glimpse of it while we were, you know, doing it in your enormous walk-in closet." He admitted with a sly smirk. "It's cute."
"Thank you, but that dress is too nice to wear at a meal I'm sure someone will throw bread at," Bora responded. "Which goes the same for your suit so I'm gonna have to decline your offer. Having dinner with the Moons isn't exactly fun."
"Alright. If you say so. I'm just saying if you need a plus one, I'm there." Jaehyun raised his arms. He walked over to the other side of the bed, handing Bora her phone. "Do you need a hug? I heard Johnny screaming at you over the phone."
Bora's lips almost wobbled but she chose to keep a strong face in front of Jaehyun. She couldn't count the number of times she cried in front of him. It's getting embarrassing at this point.
"I told you I don't do cuddle," she rejected. "And I'm fine. Johnny and I yell each other all the time. It's called family bonding for us; in case you haven't noticed my family is different from normal ones."
Jaehyun doesn't buy it one bit, hearing how choked up she sounded. He listened to her and didn't give a hug, but he did kiss her on the lips. It wasn't like the ones he gave her during their hookups. It was soft and tender. Almost comforting.
Bora returned the kiss more eagerly, fisting his hair from behind and tugging him close. She bit on his bottom lip, attempting to slip her tongue in his mouth.
Hastily, Jaehyun pushed Bora back on the bed, climbing on top of her. He littered kisses on her neck, hands wandering under her shirt.
Bora let out a delicious moan under Jaehyun's touch. He loved the sound of it. He loved how he made her feel. How she reacted to all his ministrations. All of these because of Jaehyun.
"I'm gonna be late for dinner." Bora breathed out for a second she and Jaehyun separated.
"I'll explain why you're late to your dad," Jaehyun gasped out, taking off his shirt. He climbed back on Bora, nipping on her lips as he hovered on her body.
"We're not in that type of relationship."
"I'll meet him eventually. What's wrong with it being pushed early?"
Bora grunted in response, raking her fingers through his soft hair. She had to laugh. Just how long did Jaehyun think this thing between them would last for him to meet her dad eventually?
Author's Note:
BACK FROM THE SHORT HIATUSSSS. This story is no longer on hold YAYYYYYY
So, what do you guys think of this chapter? Tell me what you think in the comments! :D
Thank you for reading! Have a nice day/night ~