"Mom... truth be told, he... treats me very very well. Like really super, super well."
Lisa used two 'super's, magnifying 'well' into the extreme...
Her mother knew Lisa very well; she didn't like to lie, so her mother believed that what she said was true.
"If that's the case, then I'm more relieved. At least he doesn't have a human face with the heart of an animal like his parents..."
"Mom... thank you for understanding."
"So what if I don't understand? The incident happened a long time ago, and Haruto was right for saying that you've grown tired over these years. I'm tired as well, we're all tired. If I don't let go, you'll always be in pain. I'm your mother, why should I put my own daughter in pain?"
"Mom... thanks." Lisa took her mother's hands in hers, shaking slightly.
She never thought that she would receive her mother's approval this soon...
"If he dares to betray you later, then Ruto and I will kill him. Just because his family is wealthy, it doesn't mean that we're scared of them. Your mother may be old, but I'm willing to do anything for you and Haruto."
Her mother was a classic soft-hearted person with an unforgiving mouth, so Lisa knew that all she said came from her heart.
"He won't, Mom... if he dares to betray me, then even I won't let him get away with it." Lisa smiled.
She ate a simple lunch with her mom. There were two dishes – a vegetable dish, a meat dish, and a soup.
Her mother poured her soup nonstop; perhaps because she saw Lisa's pale complexion.
Lisa couldn't refuse, so she drank three bowls, and after the last bowl, she couldn't drink any more...
After they ate, she chatted with her mother for a while. Then, she looked at her phone and realized that it was almost time for work.
She returned to South Side, and as soon as she arrived, she was told that Director Li of the Neurology Department was urgently looking for her.
Lisa changed into her white lab coat and immediately went up to the Neurology Department on the fifth floor...
Lisa had interacted with those at the Neurology Department many times. After several trips, she became quite familiar with the area.
Director Li of the Neurology Department very much appreciated Lisa's talents.
Lisa once publically challenged Deputy Director during a meeting Director Jung hosted and had correctly and logically analyzed neurological studies.
Back then, Director Li thought that it was a waste for Lisa to just be a head nurse.
"Director Li, you asked for me?"
Director Li was a fifty-year-old lady, and even though she wasn't very old, her hair was already as white as snow.
Her face was filled with kindness, and she was very popular at South Side since she got along with everyone else...
"Lisa, come and sit."
Lisa nodded and sat down on the chair across of Director Li in her office.
"Lisa, I used to think that you studied neurology. Do you remember that teenage boy who got close to you?"
"I do."
"He went back to school after he was released from the hospital and is recovering very well. It's all thanks to your treatment plan, it was very useful."
"Good, as long as he's doing well." Lisa was gratified that she was able to help him.
"I've asked for you today because there's something else that I need your help on."
"How can I help you, Director Li?"
Lisa still felt a bit uncomfortable when such an elderly attending personally asked for her help.
"I've taken on a new patient, and his disease is fairly complicated. I hope that you could help me come up with the best treatment plan for him, given his symptoms, and then help him recover."
"That's fine, what is he suffering from?"
"Depression..."
Lisa's expression drastically changed when she heard the word 'depression'. It was one of the most dangerous kinds of mental illness because most patients who suffer from depression had suicidal tendencies. For those with major clinical depressions, there was no point to life, and death was the only way out.
"Depression... that's a tough job. I don't have any experience with it, Director Li."
Lisa didn't dare to make any promises, because this was a matter of life and death.
"That's fine, I have faith in your abilities and competencies. Here, look at his files first, and then make your decision."
After Director Li spoke, she handed Lisa a file, and after she flipped to the first page and saw the name, her movements froze for just a second.
Soobin? That superstar was actually suffering from depression...?
"Director Li, this..." Confused, Lisa looked at Director Li.
An idol, a superstar's files should be kept top secret, so was it really okay for Director Li to show it to her, just like that?
"It's fine, I know what you want to ask. Believe me, Lisa, you've worked at South Side for a while now, and as a saying goes, 'a long journey proves the stamina of a horse, and time proves the sincerity of a person'. Over these several months, I've become very aware of who you are as a person. You're actually a very kind girl, but because you don't want to cause trouble, you don't like to intervene in things too much. However, you definitely won't let evil get away either, so you must have offended Deputy Hospital Director, and his brother-in-law quite a bit, right?"
"Director Li, I'm not as great as you say I am. I'm just someone who goes to work to get paid." Lisa smiled modestly.
"Child, as someone who's older, I've worked at the hospital for a long time, and I'm very good at telling one's character. Actually... I've already asked Hospital Director Jung once to transfer you to the Neurology Department to help me, but I heard that you've refused the opportunity to train as a doctor. I won't ask you for your reasons, because that's your own private matters, but I think it's a pity. You've got all this talent, and it's quite a waste to stay in the Orthopedic Department as a head nurse."
"Director Li... I actually..."
"Let me finish, child." Because of Director Li's old age, she called Lisa 'child' over and over again, which warmed Lisa's heart.
"Okay, please go ahead." Lisa truly thought that Director Li was an adorable old lady upon seeing how cute she looked when trying to convince Lisa.
"During one of the meeting, I saw you publically challenge Deputy Hospital Director, and you've used professional neurological theories and knowledge to shut him down. I knew back then that you didn't study this because you've had a sudden interest, but rather, you might have studied this because you liked this area. Is that correct?"
"Yes, neurology, ophthalmology, and neurosurgery are all areas that I'm very interested in. I used to teach myself back during medical school, but I don't have any clinical experience, because when I was at the Asan medical center, I interned at the OB/GYN Department." Lisa nodded and told her the truth.
"I know, so I thought that if you came to help me this time, then it would be considered clinical experience. Are you willing to?"
"Director Li, he's a big star, and if the treatment fails... it will hurt your reputation. Do you really want me to help you?" still worried, Lisa asked.
"Don't worry, I'll take responsibility for anything that might happen, and I won't drag you into it."
"I didn't mean that, I'm just worried..."
"Don't worry about anything, you'll have me." The elderly Director Li patted her chest as a promise to Lisa, touching the bottom of Lisa's heart.
She had always admired kind and sincere people. As the director of a department, Director Li's medical skills were undeniable; plus, she was truly a nice person.
So even though this had nothing to do with Lisa, she still agreed, because of Director Li's request.
"In that case, I'll try it out. Director Li, I might not succeed."
Lisa spoke pessimistically beforehand...
"I know, depression can't be magically cured with treatment. If that was the case, then you might as well be a god... currently, this is the most difficult mental illness to deal with in the whole world. Soonin's disease is severe, and it is accompanied by insomnia and anxiety. His agent came for help, because she's afraid that he won't be able to withstand it anymore, and they've chosen South Side because we are known for keeping patient files confidential. Just do your best and don't give yourself so much pressure."
"Okay." Lisa nodded.
"Then I'll take you to see the patient first and get you to chat with him?" Director Li suggested.
"Sure, but Director Li, what about the Orthopedics Department...?"
"Don't worry about that, I'll ask Director Jung to request another head nurse to take your place. You should commit fully to this patient."
"Okay, I understand."
One mind couldn't be used to do two things at the same time, and time couldn't be spared between two sides. Lisa couldn't stay in the Neurology Department and manage the Orthopedics Department simultaneously.
Luckily, Director Li has prepared everything, and when she called Hospital Director Jung to ask for approval, the director immediately agreed and showed his support for Director Li's decision to hone Lisa.
Lisa met with Soobin alone in the neurology VIP room.
He still wore that mask and looked very worn out, as he sat on a windowsill, staring outside.
"Hi, I'm the assistant physician, Lisa," Lisa introduced herself as she stepped inside, hoping to become closer with Soobin.
Soobin slanted his head to look at Lisa, but his expression remained the same...
"It's you..." Clearly, he remembered her.
"At Director Li's invitation, I will be participating in your treatment. I hope you can cooperate with me for the time being and help me come up with a treatment plan that will alleviate your symptoms."
"I'm not actually sick, I just don't like to talk."
Lisa smiled. "I know, but it's also a sickness if you're in a bad mood for a long period of time. I won't treat you like a special patient, and you shouldn't treat yourself like a patient either. Let's just talk like friends do, that's all."
Soobin seemed to have let down his guard after hearing what Lisa said, so he walked over and sat across from her.
"My assistant Ko said that you might tell those reporters about my age, but I said you wouldn't."
"Uhm... will you believe me if I told you that I didn't even look at the birth date on your identification card?" Lisa looked at him as if she had been slightly wronged.
Soobin slowly took off his mask...
He revealed that clean and delicate face of his, along with a sad smile...
"I believe you. I've always believed in the better side of this world. That's why I've fallen so hard." He smiled bitterly.
Lisa thought that Soobin had quite a heavy emotional burden, as if he had been scammed by others...
Of course, it was just an unproven hypothesis...
"The truth is... sometimes people are happy not because that they have more. Instead, it's because they care about less. We shouldn't be too sensitive about losses in our lives, and we can't care too much about others' opinions. You have to face your own heart first, and you will only acquire true happiness when you no longer doubt whether you're happy."
Soobin froze slightly and then he laughed mockingly.
"No, what I mean is if you can fully comprehend what I said, you might not be so in pain," Lisa consoled him.
"I've listened to many teachings, but I still can't live my life well..." Soobin mumbled as he lowered his head.
"You're already very successful compared to many people your age. You've got over ten million fans and the halo of a superstar. You like to sing, and you did. You wanted to release an album, and you did. You're doing what many people dream of doing, so maybe you're not happy because you've acquired too much. It must be lonely on the top of the mountain."
Soobin seemed a bit touched when he heard what she said. He raised his head and looked at Lisa. "If it's possible, then I really want to exchange lives with you. You'll be the star, and I'll be the normal person."
"You're wrong, you haven't lived my life, and just assumed that it's been peaceful. But you don't know... that every person's life comes with high winds and tides. Humans aren't supposed to live calmly and successfully. You envy me because you don't know everything about me. If you knew of my experiences, then you might be quite satisfied with the life you have now."
"My sickness... can it be cured?"
"You're finally willing to admit that you're sick?" Lisa couldn't help but smile. He just said that he wasn't sick and that he was just in a bad mood.
"Didn't you say... always being in a bad mood is also a sickness?"
After he spoke, the two looked at each other and laughed...
Lisa saw a decent opportunity, so she took the file, looked at it, and said, "Your situation is a bit complicated, and Director Li diagnosed you with depression, insomnia, and anxiety disorder, but I think that you might have other illnesses, including neurosis and trigeminal brain blood vessel pains, so I plan to treat your insomnia first. Once you're well rested, your mental state should turn for the better."
"I've been taking sleeping pills..." Soobin said with low spirits.
"I think you should stop taking them."
"Why? Aren't you going to treat my insomnia? How are you supposed to treat it if I don't take any meds?" Soobin didn't understand, and he now began to suspect Lisa's professionalism.
"Yes, I'm planning to treat it at the root, so you'll wean off pills. Sleeping pills may control your nerves... and it would cause a lot of side effects. Of course, if you don't believe that I can provide you with a well-thought-out treatment plan, then you can also choose to go on living without treatment."
Soobin didn't speak after he heard what she said; he struggled.
When Lisa stepped out of the VIP room, she had a smile on her face, because Soobin agreed in the end and chose to believe in her.
Treating depression would be a difficult and lengthy task, it wouldn't have an effect in a day or two. Since Director Li believed in her, she didn't want to let her down.
"Girl, what are you up to?" Chaeyoung sent Lisa a WeChat message when she got off the plane.
"Of course I'm busy saving lives."
"Guess who I just saw on the plane? The male star Hyun Bin, who's always on war dramas as a supporting actor. He's pretty handsome in person, but super cheap. He and his agent and assistant were in economy class, and wore a big mask that covered his face, haha."
"Uhm... can I say that I just saw Soobin?"
"What... who? You saw who?" Chaeyoung immediately blew up.
"Soobin."
"Holy... whoa... what the fuck." Chaeyoung didn't know how to express her mood at the moment.
"Why are you so surprised, is it necessary?"
"It is... you don't know how mysterious Soobin is. He's so popular, everyone loves him, but he's always so mysterious and low-key. Not only does he take first class every time he travels, he even refuses any service, not even food or snacks. Flight attendants don't even get to see him, at most we'll see his back when he boards, or just his face with a mask and sunglasses. Did you know? The media is buying any and all information about Soobin. As long as it's related to him, even if he sneezed, a picture could be sold for a hundred thousand."
"A hundred thousand?" Lisa was shocked.
Then if she unethically took a picture of Soobin's identification card and sold it, wouldn't it be worth over a million?
If she went even more overboard and took a photo of Soobin's medical files and sold them, she would probably make tens of millions,
This way of earning money really was simple... she could be rich within minutes.
However, would she do so? Of course not, protecting patients' privacy was a basic ethical standard for medical workers.
If she didn't even have that, then how could she even work in the medical field?
"Yes, a hundred thousand, so did you see Soobin at the hospital? Did you take a photo?" Chaeyoung asked persistently.
"No."
"Then why did Soobin go to your hospital?"
"Uhm... to visit a friend," Lisa randomly made something up.
It wasn't that she didn't believe Chaeyoung, but she couldn't risk news getting out at all.
She trusted Chaeyoung, but what if Chaeyoung trusted others just the same? If one person passed information to ten people, and those ten people passed it on to a hundred, then him receiving treatment at the hospital would get out, making his life harder than it already was.
"Oh... I think I heard about it. The news said that his fans were very wild and followed him everywhere he went."
"Yeah, the hospital entrance was completely blocked up when he arrived." Lisa had hands-on experience.
"Haha... hurry up and tell me, is Soobin handsome in real life? Is he as handsome as Jungkook?"
"No," Lisa decisively judged.
"You really think whoever you're dating is the best looking, Soobin was ranked as the most charismatic Asian male star by the Asian Media."
"I don't fangirl over stars, I wouldn't know," Lisa calmly replied.
"Then what about Jimin? Is he as handsome as Jimin?" Chaeyoung refused to give up.
"I guess? I really don't know how to judge these things, girl."
"I know, you can only see Jungkook. Don't torture us anymore," Chaeyoung giggled.
After speaking with Chaeyoung for a bit, Lisa returned to the Orthopedics Department to hand over some work. After all, she'll be spending some time at the Neurology Department.
Afterward, she headed towards the cafeteria but bumped into Jimin in the hallway.
Standing beside him was Bang Chan, and Taehyung was nowhere to be seen...
"Hello, Head Nurse." After Lisa taught Bang Chan a lesson, he always greeted her immediately upon seeing her.
Lisa nodded and smiled in response...
"Where are you going?" asked Bang Chan, as if begging for another beating.
"I'm going to the staff cafeteria for dinner."
"Ha, what a coincidence, we haven't eaten yet either. Why don't we eat together?" asked Bang Chan.
Jimin didn't say anything, as he only looked at Lisa...
"Uhm... the food at our cafeteria serves... is really bad," Lisa warned politely.
"That's fine, me and Jimin eat everything, we're fine as long as there's food, right Jim?"
After Bang Chan spoke, he looked at Jimin and asked him on purpose...
Then he quietly added to Jimin, "I'm being discharged from the hospital tomorrow morning. You won't have a valid reason to come to South Side anymore. I'm giving you a chance, you better treasure it."
However, after Jimin heard Bang Chan's words, he said, "Your staff meals are indeed really gross, it tastes like pig food."
Bang Chan, "-_-"
Lisa, "-_-"
"Dude, don't be so rude, okay? I can only help you so much." Bang Chan thought Jimin was crazy. He purposely gave Jimin an opportunity, and it's fine if Jimin didn't accept it, but why would he say that her cafeteria food was like pig food? He should really be more considerate of others, or else he was not going to have any friends left.
However, Jimin was just this type of guy, and only Lisa could deal with him.
Lisa looked at him and said, "You make it sound like you've had pig food before. Or else, how would you know how gross it tastes?"
Bang Chan, "-_-"
Jimin, "-_-"
"Hahaha... not bad, Lisa. You've really impressed me." Bang Chan burst out in laughter and then gave her a thumbs up.
Jimin, however, looked at her with a grim expression on his face...
"I'm going to dinner now, bye."
Lisa didn't want to waste any more time with those two wealthy heirs. The staff meals may be gross, but if she didn't eat it, then her meal plan would be wasted. It wasn't a good habit to waste money.
So she turned around and walked towards the cafeteria...
Who knew, just as she took a few steps, she heard footsteps behind her. She turned around and saw that Jimin and Bang Chan were following her.
"Huh... didn't you just say that it tasted like pig food?" humored, she asked Jimin.
"Yeah, well it just so happens that I'm in the mood for pig food today. I refuse to eat anything else," replied Jimin arrogantly.
Lisa was petrified from the shock...
"Don't mind him too much, he's this capricious at home as well," Bang Chan smiled and consoled Lisa.
– Ten minutes later –
The three of them sat inside the hospital cafeteria, and it was bustling with several hundred people.
Jimin hadn't seen such a rowdy scene ever since he was discharged from the military.
Bang Chan lowered his head as he looked at the braised meatballs, cabbage and black fungus stir-fry, and cucumber soup, and didn't know where to begin.
The truth was wealthy people were all picky eaters...
Normally, Jimin and Bang Chan would order up to ten dishes whenever the two of them went out to eat.
They would only eat a few bites of each dish, just to try them out...
This was their first time eating such a simple meal, and the problem was that it also tasted like shit...
Bang Chan took a bite of the meatball and immediately cursed, "Damn... does the chef get salt for free? I bet he put an entire carton of salt in here."
Lisa lowered her head and also took a small bite. Then, she smiled, "It's fine, it's always been like this, and I've grown used to it. If you don't like it, then you should leave. Don't take up space here and don't waste food."
To her surprise, however, Jimin took his chopsticks, picked up the meatball in Bang Chan's plate, and placed it onto his.
"What are you doing, Jimin?"
"Didn't you say it was salty? Then I'll eat it for you, oh and right, this isn't salty. Here, have all of it." jimin gave the cabbage and black fungus stir fry to Bang Chan after he spoke.
Immediately, countless llamas ran past Bang Chan's mind....
Black fungus... black fungus... this dish was repulsive to even look at, not to mention eating it.
South Side's dishes were disgusting, and they were really impressed by the fact that Lisa ate here every day.
While they ate, they didn't pay much attention to anything. So, they naturally didn't hear the sound of a camera clicking in the corner of the cafeteria...
– At JC Headquarters –
Just as Jungkook finished the meeting and prepared to head home, his mother furiously rushed into his office.
"Son, let me show you something." After Mrs. Jeon spoke; she took out her phone and handed it to Jungkook.
A\N- well, well, mother Jeon is trying to stir trouble in paradise. Let's see how Lisa and Jungkook's relationship fair. From here on, mother Jeon is gonna be more frantic.