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Ikjun kissed his darling Wooju soundly and tickled his wriggling little body until he was shuddering in helpless laughter.
“Wooju, Appa has to go now. I’ll be back for dinner.” Ikjun promised his son. It would take him four hours at most and he’d be back to spend quality time with Wooju.
“Go safely, Appa. I will be waiting for you.” The little angel formally bowed while still giggling irrepressibly.
---
Ikjun checked the patient in the ER. Her condition was largely stable. He recommended a few tests and modified the prescription. He would leave once he confirmed everything was fine with the reports that came out within the next hour.
“I’m so sorry, Professor. Her condition stabilized while you were already on your way,” Dr. Bae apologized.
“Oh, it’s good you called me in. Perils of the job, you know? Failed emergencies are the riskiest of them all.” Ikjun joked to wave off her apology.
He noticed she looked a bit listless and distracted. “Is everything alright though?” He queried.
She looked away and sighed. “Yes, Professor. Just a very eventful day. We had a child abuse case just a few hours back. It was all so nerve wracking.”
“Nerve wracking is right.” Gwanghyun’s voice came from behind them. “Today’s events were straight out of a movie. A high tension action thriller movie.” He paused dramatically. “Starring our very own Dr. Jang Gyeoul.”
Ikjun’s curiosity was piqued and Gwanghyun looked ready to milk it. “What is it? What happened? Just tell me already!” Ikjun implored.
His eyes widened as he heard Bae Joon Hee and Gwanghyun narrate the tale. That was really brave of Gyeoul. The police might have had a tough time catching the abuser given his experience with the wrong side of the law if she hadn’t intervened. He would have to talk to her about toning down her recklessness and caring more about her own safety though.
“Where is Gyeoul now? Did she get hurt? Is she fine?” He asked them both.
“She said she was okay. She’s in the OR with Professor Ahn Jeongwon now. They’re operating on the kid. He had extensive injuries. Enough to pass off as a TA patient,” Dr. Bae replied.
“Jang Gyeoul is really something. Heroic enough to catch the bastard and then diligent enough to rush to scrub in without even pausing.” Gwanghyun commented.
“Though it’s not like Jeongwon-ah gave her time to breathe. He just whisked her away into the OR. That guy – he too is really something. I’ve never seen a more passionate doctor.” He continued.
Ikjun really wanted to pry and find out more about Jeongwon’s reaction during the entire incident but that would be suspicious. Everyone’s focus was rightfully on Gyeoul and her actions. He would get his information directly from her.
“Well then, Dr. Bae, can you send up the results to the GS lounge once they’re ready? And also ping me once!” Ikjun requested. He asked Gwanghyun, “How long has it been since Jeongwon and Gyeoul went to the OR?”
“Oh! It’s been well over four hours already!” Gwanghyun was surprised as he glanced at his watch. “Shouldn’t they have finished up? Poor child, to be beaten up so badly by his own father that he needs a surgery that takes over four hours.”
“There are all sorts of people in this world. At least, the child is safe now,” Ikjun said. “I’m off now. Dr. Bae, reports to the GS lounge, please!”
---
Ikjun made a detour to the convenience store and bought two BTS themed coffees to reward his resident once she got out of the OR. He entered the GS lounge to hear Professor Lee Jihoon narrating the incident he had just heard from Gwanghyun to the rapt audience of the GS professors.
“She chased down the guy barefoot! She was practically an action heroine!”
Ikjun joined in. “We really need to do something to reward Gyeoul for her courageous actions today!”
“Oh, everyone! Pitch in your ideas!” Professor Lee Jihoon exclaimed.
“Shouldn’t we make sure Dr. Jang is alright first?” Professor Kwon’s calm voice cut in.
Immediately, a cacophony of voices chimed in at the same time.
“Oh, no! What if she got hurt?”
“Where is she now?”
“We should let her go home early today so that she can rest. It must have been a scary experience for her!”
Ikjun interjected. “Let’s do this! We’ll make sure she’s alright. Those who are free tonight can treat her to an early dinner and then we will let her take the next day or two off!”
A chorus of agreements rang through.
“How about the new French place that opened up two streets away?” Dr. Hwang asked.
“Bird food!” Professor Baek scoffed. “We should go to a good meat place on a day like this.”
“We always go for meat though.” Professor Myung said.
“Let’s go to a steakhouse. I know of one where they also serve the best pastas. So we’ll have a variety to choose from!” Professor Lee Jihoon enthused.
Just then Jang Gyeoul entered and the room burst into a flurry of concern and praises.
Jang Gyeoul blushed to the roots and tried to brush it all off.
“Ah, no. It was nothing.”
“I used to run track in school.”
“Thank you for concern professor.”
“I am fine. I didn’t get hurt.”
“No, no. I really am fine.”
Ikjun decided to rescue her. “All of you – decide on where to treat our dear Gyeoul. I’ll be back with her in no time after getting her checked. Better be safe than sorry and all that.”
---
“Ta da!” Ikjun presented Gyeoul with the coffee.
She smiled. “Thank you, professor.”
“Are you really alright though?” Ikjun asked. “You didn’t get hurt at all? Not even your feet?”
“Ah.” She avoided his gaze.
“You better spill it right away, Gyeoul-ah. You know I will find out at the end of the day.”
She ducked down and confessed. “I got kicked in the chest – but not that hard! It’s actually my elbow that’s hurting more. I hit it hard when I tried to get the man to fall down.”
“And you spent five hours in the OR without getting checked!” Ikjun tutted. “Ice your elbow with the coffee. Then let’s get you examined. You’re lucky it sounds like a topical ointment is all you need.”
---
He sat next to her after determining she really was alright. She was looking down at her hands with a crest-fallen expression. He knew it had to be about Jeongwon.
“What happened, Gyeoul-ah? Why are you looking like a tragic heroine instead of the brave action heroine you are?”
“Professor, what I did today was the right thing to do, right?”
“Of course! It was a very brave thing to do. And you were quick in acting too. The bastard could have gotten away if not for you. You should be very proud of yourself.”
Ikjun paused and wondered how to put it delicately without coming across as critical.
“But it was also very risky for you, Gyeoul-ah. Next time, if the situation allows for it, just try and see if there’s a safer option available. And even if, say the bastard gets away, know that it is not your fault for putting your safety first. All said and done, do what leaves you with the least regrets.”
Jang Gyeoul nodded solemnly before she hesitantly started. “I sometimes think Professor Ahn only considers me a pair of hands to assist him. And not even a good pair of hands at that. He kept snapping at me in the OR today though I didn’t know what I was doing wrong.”
Ikjun held his silence since he knew she would tell him everything in her own time.
She paused and looked all the more subdued. “He didn’t say anything at all after the man got caught. I got a feeling that he was angry in the OR but very realistically, I don’t think he even notices me enough to care to be angry.”
She swallowed and continued. “Sometimes, I think he really dislikes me. Other times, I think I’m invisible to him. He is always kind and appreciative towards everyone but me.”
She sighed and looked up at Ikjun. “It doesn’t really matter. I am grateful that at least he has started giving me the opportunity to assist in his surgeries and follow him on rounds. I can experience pediatric surgery now and it’s kind of him to allow that.”
Ikjun was at a loss as he always was when it came to comforting her. Jeongwon didn’t make it any easier as there were never any excuses for his behavior.
“Gyeoul-ah. You know you have the makings of a brilliant surgeon. I’m sure Jeongwon doesn’t consider you a bad assistant – no sensible surgeon can. The prick always has a million odd things running through his head, so don’t take his behavior to heart. Ignore him – today is your day. Rejoice in the fact that you rid the world of evil and made it all the safer!”
Jang Gyeoul looked unconvinced. “Thank you for listening, Professor. I’m sorry for always unloading everything on you.”
---
Ikjun dropped Gyeoul back in the GS lounge in the hopes that the dinner treat would lift her spirits. He made his way to Songhwa’s room. He was all fired up and ready to berate Jeongwon for his pathetic behavior and lack of concern towards Gyeoul.
He burst into the room with a misleadingly cheery “Songhwa-ya! Jeongwonieee!”
“Ikjun-ah! How come you’re here? Have you left Wooju alone at home?” Songhwa asked.
“An emergency. I’m heading back in an hour. Just killing time until the test results come. Why are you here?”
“Same, an emergency. But I won’t be able to head back until the tomorrow morning. You look excited. What’s up?”
He turned up the false cheeriness by several notches and watched Jeongwon out of the corner of his eye, ready to rip one into him for his reactions towards Gyeoul earlier in the day.
“Ah! You know my resident, my dear Gyeoul. She made her debut as an action heroine today! Chased down a child abuser halfway across the hospital and knocked him out! She should be casted in the Avengers! Waah, I should introduce her to Iksun and they can both go about saving the world together!”
He paused at his friend’s broken expression. He had never seen such despair on Jeongwon’s face before.
Surprisingly, Songhwa responded. “I saw that! It was really brave of her. She just dived at his legs to bring him down. She didn’t let go despite taking a few kicks to the face and chest. Is she okay by the way?”
He watched as Jeongwon’s face flitted through several emotions with the despair writ large on it becoming worse by the second. Maybe it was not the right moment to push Jeongwon – not when he looked so close to breaking. Jeongwon was clearly not as unaffected as he had appeared to Gyeoul – far from it. He saw Jeongwon’s concern and guilt stricken face and decided to save him from the conversation.
“She’s all fine. We GS professors got her all checked and okayed. They’ve left to treat her to dinner to celebrate. I’d have gone too but I promised Wooju that I’d have dinner with him.”
Jeongwon didn't look any better though he was clearly trying hard to hide from them. Ikjun dedicated himself to monopolizing Songhwa’s attention away from Jeongwon. He would give his friend the time he needed to come to terms with what he was going through. If his divorce had taught him anything, it was that he couldn’t fix everything. He had learned that there were times he had to take a step back and let go. Sometimes, people had to be allowed the space to work through their own problems. It seemed like this was another one of those times.
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