"Do you really think working with her is a great idea?" Do-yoon asked, his voice calm but laced with concern.
"Why not? Grandpa handpicked her himself," Tae-hyun replied nonchalantly, adjusting the cufflinks on his sleeves.
"Hyun, we have a business empire to run-both the legal face and the shadow beneath it. We can't afford to let just anyone step into that world," Do-yoon argued, his tone thoughtful and measured.
"Hyung!! I understand your concern, but unfortunately I'm not moved by it," Tae-hyun said, slipping on his leather gloves.
Do-yoon narrowed his eyes. "Are you attracted to her?"
Tae-hyun paused, his lips curling into a mischievous smile. "What if I am? Is that a crime now, Hyung?"
"I'd consider it one," Do-yoon shot back, his tone icy. "You might survive the fallout, but what about her? Do you want her to get hurt?"
Tae-hyun chuckled softly and looked his older brother in the eye. "Ah, so that's why you've sworn off love." With that, he smirked, waved slightly in farewell, and walked out of the room.
Left alone, Do-yoon let out a long sigh, his gaze falling to his untouched coffee. "Brace yourself, Ms. Kim. This is only the beginning." He turned toward the chef, who had been awkwardly standing in the corner the entire time. "This coffee isn't dark enough. Make it again."
---
Soo-ji hurried into the hospital, her lab coat draped over one arm as she hastily signed in. By the time she reached the staff lounge, she had a steaming cup of coffee in hand and a triumphant grin on her face.
"I made it," she whispered to herself, as if she had just conquered Mount Everest.
"Why are you smiling like that? Got yourself an imaginary boyfriend?" Seo-jun teased as he entered the lounge, his usual vibrant smile in place.
"No!" Soo-ji snapped, her cheeks flushing. "Can't you see I'm early for once? Nothing can ruin my day."
"Oh, I can think of one thing," Seo-jun replied knowingly, pulling something out from his jacket.
"What's that?" Soo-ji asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Soo-ji!!" Seo-jun said and paused "I should really be apologizing!"
Soo-ji titled her head "why?" She questioned in surprise.
"I didn't even wish you happy birthday yesterday, I felt so bad but what could I do the gifts I ordered didn't arrive on time and it would be weird to say happy birthday without gifts" Seo-jun explained.
"Seo-jun we are way past this now, having you here with me everyday is more than gift to me plus I wasn't mad" Soo-ji said smiling.
"On that note Happy birthday Soo-ji" he said handing her a beautifully designed card and plopping a party hat on her head.
Soo-ji screamed, her face lighting up as she hugged him tightly. "Thank you!"
"What's this? Romance? in my hospital?" a loud voice bellowed from the doorway.
Startled, Soo-ji and Seo-jun sprang apart like guilty teenagers.
"Professor Jung?" Soo-ji stammered.
"Seo-jun?" Professor Jung exclaimed
"It's not what it looks like!" she blurted, her words tripping over each other.
"Oh, I know that. Seo-jun has standards," Professor Jung replied with a dismissive wave.
"Excuse me?" Soo-ji's voice cracked with indignation, but she quickly bit her tongue.
"By the way, what's with all the gifts piling up outside?" Professor Jung asked, his curiosity momentarily piqued.
"Gifts?" Soo-ji echoed, glancing at Seo-jun.
"Well I told you the gifts arrived late," Seo-jun said with a wink.
"hey! Seo-jun aren't you such a show off" Soo-ji said excitedly as she rushed outside.
Professor Jung exhaled while nodding his head disappointedly "what is she, a child?" He questioned.
Seo-jun simply shrugged his shoulders.
...
Her smile froze mid-step when she spotted Tae-hyun standing amidst the gifts, his radiant smirk practically glowing. He took a slow step toward her, his eyes gleaming with amusement.
"You just can't seem to stay out of my way, can you?" he said, his voice smooth like honeyed poison.
Soo-ji's mind raced with a sharp retort, but her lips only managed a polite smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
"This is my workplace," she muttered under her breath. "If you stumble across me, it's because you're in the wrong place, dumb head." she continues silently.
Tae-hyun tilted his head, clearly amused by her strained expression. "Are you going to run away again? You do that every time we meet. Doesn't it get exhausting?"
Her fists clenched at her sides, her patience teetering on the edge of collapse. Just as she opened her mouth to snap, Seo-jun appeared behind her like a guardian angel.
"Mr. Tae-hyun! I almost didn't recognize you," Seo-jun greeted warmly.
"I'm here to see Professor Jung," Tae-hyun replied, his gaze lingering on Soo-ji for a moment longer.
"Allow me to escort you, sir," Seo-jun offered, leading him away.
Soo-ji let out a sigh of relief as they disappeared from view. "If Seo-jun hadn't come just now, I might've gotten fired from the universe," she muttered, rolling her eyes. "Don't cross paths, they say, yet they keep showing up like unpaid debts."
With that, she plastered her best smile back on her face and walked back inside, determined to reclaim her good mood.
Not long after Soo-ji stepped into the building, Seo-jun came barreling toward her as if he'd just sprinted a marathon. His chest heaved, and he bent over, gasping for air.
"Did you run across the whole hospital?" Soo-ji asked, patting his back with concern.
Seo-jun tried to speak but only managed a wheeze before finally blurting out, "It's... it's Mr. Tae-hyun!"
"What about him? You're scaring me!" Soo-ji asked, her eyes widening.
"I overheard him talking to Professor Jung... about hiring a personal doctor," Seo-jun said, his words tumbling out between breaths. "And he... he mentioned your name!"
Soo-ji froze. Her mouth fell open. "No, no, no! You must have misheard him."
"I swear I heard it clearly! He said, and I quote, 'I want Ms. Kim to work as my personal doctor.'" Seo-jun mimicked Tae-hyun's deep, authoritative voice.
Soo-ji groaned dramatically, collapsing onto a nearby couch. "Has he descended from the heavens solely to torment me?"
"Why are you making such a big deal out of this?" Seo-jun asked, perplexed. "Just say yes. He's not that bad, and he's the one reaching out to you, not the other way around."
"Oh, you think I haven't thought about it?" Soo-ji shot back, pushing her hair out of her face. "I mean, imagine! I'd be rolling in cash, buying all the ice cream I want without worrying about my bank balance."
"So, what's the issue?" Seo-jun tilted his head.
Soo-ji sat up abruptly, her eyes wide with panic. "The issue? Working for him means getting involved with him! Do you know how many enemies he has? And his last doctor ran off!"
"Okay, okay," Seo-jun said, raising his hands in surrender. "But think about it-he'd probably give you full protection. Plus... maybe he's taken an interest in you." He grinned mischievously and snapped his fingers in front of her face.
"Interest in me? That's even worse!" Soo-ji said stomping dramatically.
"Ms. Kim," came a voice from behind. It was Mr. Bae, standing at the doorway.
"Yes?" Soo-ji answered immediately, spinning around.
"The professor requests your presence in his office," Mr. Bae said curtly before walking away.
Soo-ji turned to Seo-jun, eyes wide with panic. "Seo-jun, what do I do? I can't-"
"You're overthinking this! Just be confident and reject the proposal. You're Kim Soo-ji, not someone to be pushed around," Seo-jun said, giving her an encouraging thumbs-up.
Soo-ji took a deep breath, nodding. "You're right. I'm Kim Soo-ji. I'm not some plaything for Mr. Tae-hyun or anyone else. I've got this."
She threw on her lab coat like a warrior donning armor and marched toward the office, her confidence growing with every step.
---
Inside the office, Professor Jung and Tae-hyun were already seated.
"So, Ms. Kim," Professor Jung began, gesturing toward her, "what's your decision?"
Soo-ji stood tall, her voice steady. "I won't do it. I'm honored by the acknowledgment, but I must decline."
Professor Jung arched an eyebrow. "Why not?"
"It's my choice," Soo-ji said flatly, folding her arms.
"Well, Mr. Tae-hyun," Professor Jung said with a shrug, "I told you there are better doctors available. Ms. Kim clearly isn't the right fit."
Though the professor's words were typically critical, Soo-ji found them oddly comforting this time. She even had to suppress a triumphant smile.
Soo-ji squared her shoulders. "We cannot force any doctor to accept such a position unless it's their decision. It's hospital policy." She punctuated her statement with a polite bow. "And with all due respect, I stand by my decision."
Tae-hyun regarded her with an unreadable expression before giving a slight nod. "Fair enough."
"Unless hospital policy changes," Professor Jung added, "there's nothing more to discuss."
With that, Soo-ji gave one final bow and exited the office.
---
The moment the door clicked shut, her composed facade melted away. She broke into an impromptu dance, spinning and twirling as if she'd just won the lottery.
"Wait till Seo-jun hears this!" she squealed, throwing a fist in the air. "Ahh, my day couldn't get any better!" Still grinning, she strutted into the elevator, humming her favorite song.