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Chapter 21 - balcony Blindspots and Corporate Cover-Ups

The bright morning sun broke beautifully through the thick mountain mist, casting a brilliant golden light over the dark timber of the estate. Inside the traditional shared master quarters, Dr. Choi Hyun-woo woke up groggily, immediately feeling a strange, incredibly suffocating, and heavy physical weight pressing down hard against his chest and stomach. He forced his heavy eyelids open, blinked against the glare, and froze completely like an absolute statue.During the dark hours of the night, Dr. Min-jae and Dr. Sung Jin-woo had completely and relentlessly taken over the boundaries of the mattress. Both of his colleagues had thrown their legs entirely and carelessly right over Hyun-woo's trapped body, pinning his frame flat to the rug like a heavy human blanket."Ugh... get your weight off my build!" Hyun-woo whispered furiously, aggressively slapping their heavy legs off his torso with deep irritation. "This is absolutely, mentally unbelievable."Thoroughly disgusted, sleep-deprived, and exhausted, Dr. Hyun-woo dragged his aching body out of the tangled bedding. He stepped straight out through the sliding shoji panels onto the traditional wooden balcony, stretching his long arms high into the crisp mountain air as he let out a massive, tired yawn to clear his lungs. Hearing the heavy timber creak, Dr. Min-jae stumbled out onto the deck right behind his heels, rubbing his blurry eyes as he hunched his shoulders."Huh... Hyun-woo?" Min-jae yawned widely, scratching his neck. "You're already up and standing at the railing? Why on earth does your handsome face look like a literal zombie first thing in the morning?""Because of you two idiots!" Hyun-woo snapped, glaring at his friend with dark, prominent circles shadowing his eyes. "I completely couldn't sleep a single wink on that mattress last night because you guys kept aggressively tossing your limbs all over my system!"[EXT. VILLAGE COURTYARD / BOTH BALCONIES – CONTINUOUS]At that exact same milestone second, the heavy wooden door of the traditional house directly across the narrow dirt path creaked open with a low hum. Kim Seo-ah stepped slowly out onto her own balcony deck. She had literally, just a single fraction of a minute ago, rolled straight out of her bed sheets. Her dark eyes were half-closed, her expression was completely groggy, and her long hair was a wildly messy, tangled bird's nest that completely, entirely covered her face, cheeks, and eyes from view.Hearing her soft footsteps vibrating across the path, Dr. Min-jae casually glanced down across the open courtyard space. His eyes instantly widened to the size of saucers, and he pointed a stunned, shaking finger directly at the opposite balcony railing."Hey, Hyun-woo..." Min-jae nudged his shoulder violently, dropping his voice into an excited, loud whisper. "Look right over there, bro. Who on earth is that strange ghost with the crazy, messy hair standing across the road?"Dr. Hyun-woo stopped mid-stretch, turning his head slowly toward the coordinate point. Right then, Kim Seo-ah took a deep, invigorating breath of the fresh morning mountain air. With a sudden, dramatic, and sharp flick of her neck, she tossed her thick, messy dark hair completely back over her shoulders, clearing her vision and opening her eyes wide to look straight ahead across the path.Time completely, utterly froze between their two builds. Dr. Hyun-woo's intense gaze locked instantly onto her beautiful face. Kim Seo-ah's jaw completely dropped to the timber boards in a fraction of a second, her hands freezing mid-air as she stared right back into his eyes. The entire historic village courtyard fell into a dead, suffocating silence."Kim... Kim Seo-ah?!" Hyun-woo gasped in pure, breathless shock, his deep voice cracking with raw emotion."Dr... Dr. Hyun-woo?!!" Seo-ah screamed out loud in total, paralyzing disbelief, her voice echoing across the stone pathway. "What on earth are you doing here inside this village?!"Seo-ah blinked her eyes rapidly, aggressively rubbing her face in utter disbelief. She tightly pinched the bridge of her nose, thoroughly convinced that the heavy traditional wine she had drunk with her roommates last night was playing incredibly cruel, hallucinating tricks on her waking mind."No, no... this is a total mental hallucination," Seo-ah muttered frantically to her own self, her heart hammering wildly against her ribs. "I definitely drank way too much wine last night before bed. There is absolutely, mandatory no way he is physically standing right there across the path."She opened her eyes wide and stared across the courtyard lane a second time. Dr. Choi Hyun-woo was still standing right there, frozen like a literal stone statue, staring directly and deeply back into her eyes. Right next to her shoulder, Ma Ha-rin finally forced her heavy, hungover eyelids open, stepping onto the deck. She looked straight ahead across the path, and a sudden gasp escaped her lips as her jaw dropped completely to the floorboards."Kim... Kim Seo-ah, look!" Ha-rin stammered, pointing a trembling finger toward the opposite railing. "Isn't that... Dr. Hyun-woo... standing right there?!"Realizing this was real life and not a dream loop, absolute, frantic panic hit Kim Seo-ah's chest. Before Ma Ha-rin could even finish articulating his full medical name, Seo-ah reached her hand out aggressively, grabbed the collar of Ha-rin's winter jacket, and forcefully, aggressively yanked her build downward. Both girls dropped like heavy stones, ducking completely, defensively below the wooden balcony railing layout to hide their frames from his sight.Across the dirt path, Dr. Hyun-woo watched the two beautiful girls suddenly, chaotically vanish behind the wooden railing panels in a total flurry of limbs. He stood there completely, utterly bewildered, his hand still frozen on the rail. Dr. Min-jae violently nudged Hyun-woo's shoulder again, completely invested in the drama."Hey, Hyun-woo!" Min-jae whispered loudly, his eyes sparkling with pure gossip. "Why on earth did those two girls just drop flat like they saw a terrifying ghost? Wait a single minute... who on earth is that girl with the bird's nest anyway? Do you actually know her name?""She... she is the one, Min-jae," Hyun-woo breathed heavily, his dark eyes still glued firmly to their empty balcony boards, his deep voice filled with a wave of intense emotion. "She is the exact girl I've been completely, helplessly losing my mind over for weeks. The one I deeply love.""WHAT?!" Min-jae jumped back a step on the wooden deck, his eyes nearly popping entirely out of his head in pure shock. "Are you seriously telling my face the truth?! The mystery hospital girl?! What on earth is her build doing right here in the middle of a remote, hidden mountain village complex?!""I have absolutely, completely zero idea..." Hyun-woo whispered, running his fingers frantically through his hair, thoroughly and deeply confused by the layout.[Scene: INT. KIM SEO'S ROOM – CONTINUOUS]Crouched down flat on the dusty wooden floor of their outdoor balcony, Kim Seo-ah and Ma Ha-rin were pressed tightly, defensively against the wooden railing panels, breathing heavily as their chests heaved. Still ducking exceptionally low and crawling forward like secret agents on a black-ops mission, Seo-ah aggressively dragged a complaining, heavily hungover Ma Ha-rin by the arm back inside the bedroom threshold, closing the glass doors with a swift, soft click to lock out the world."How on earth is his build here?!" Seo-ah gasped for air, her face burning like fire as she whispered back furiously through her teeth. "This makes absolutely, mandatory zero logical sense! Did he... did he seriously follow my steps all the way to this Gangwon-do village from Seoul?! But wait a minute, how could his panicky brain possibly know about this exact half-finished temple location?!"She snapped her head around sharply, narrowing her dark manager eyes into a sharp, terrifying glare as she pointed an accusing, angry finger straight at her roommate's face."MA HA-RIN!" Seo-ah hissed through her teeth. "Did your loud mouth explicitly text-message him our project coordinates last night?!""No! I swear on my luxury purse, Kim!" Ha-rin waved her hands frantically through the air in total, pure innocence, looking utterly bewildered herself. "I am completely, entirely blameless in this situation. I had absolutely, completely zero clue that his medical bus was coming to this district today!""Ugh, whatever!" Seo-ah grabbed Ha-rin's sleeve, staying dangerously low to the floorboards. "We absolutely cannot let his eyes see our uncombed faces like this. Move, move your frame!"They scrambled completely inside the room, locking the panels tight. Right then, the heavy, commanding voice of Chief Senior Doctor Park boomed loudly from the opposite hallway corridor outside, calling all senior doctors to get dressed and step outside onto the pavement immediately."Look, Hyun-woo," Min-jae said, tapping his shoulder as the shouting echoed across the path. "We will successfully figure out this entire village mystery later during the shift. For now, let's just get dressed into our professional clothes and go outside. The Senior Doctor is screaming for our blood.""Yeah... alright," Dr. Hyun-woo sighed, casting a long, lingering look at the empty balcony across the path before stepping inside. "Let's go move."Meanwhile, inside the locked design room, Kim Seo-ah sat heavily on the edge of the plush bed mattress, burying her face completely in her hands as her thoughts raced at a million miles an hour.'Huh... I still completely cannot believe he is actually physically here,' Seo-ah thought to herself, a hidden, sweet wave of pure happiness secretly brushing against her anxious heart. 'I am honestly so happy that we ran into each other's frequencies again so soon... Wait a minute! So the out-of-town medical camp Dr. Sung Jin-woo explicitly mentioned at the treatment desk yesterday was this exact same village layout?! Oh my god... But why on earth did my body react in such a chaotic way outside?!'Frustrated with her own panicky, embarrassing behavior, Seo-ah aggressively grabbed her own hair, messing up the tangled strands even more as she let out a loud, frustrated groan. "Ughhhhh!!""What on earth is wrong with your brain today?" Ha-rin asked, massaging her hungover temples. "Why are you screaming like a lunatic, Kim? So what if Dr. Hyun-woo is staying across the path?"Min slowly woke up under her heavy duvet blanket, letting out a massive, lazy yawn as she stretched her arms. "Huh... who exactly is here in our courtyard?""Dr. Hyun-woo!" Ha-rin answered completely without thinking, folding her clothes.Seo-ah frantically, violently waved her hands through the air, gesturing wildly to Ma Ha-rin to shut her mouth, but the secret data had already permanently leaked into the cubicle space."Wait, what?!" Min's eyes snapped wide open, and she sat up on the bed, gasping dramatically as she clapped her hands. "Manager Kim's handsome doctor boyfriend?! How on earth is he standing here inside this village?! Did he seriously travel all the way from Seoul just to see your face and surprise you?! Oh my god, Kim Seo-ah, you are so incredibly, profoundly lucky! First, his handsome build showed up at the club party, then he sent that massive, gorgeous bouquet to your office desk, and now he followed your steps to the mountains?! Ohhhhh, how romantic!"'Oh no... I totally, completely forgot!' Seo-ah thought to herself, a wave of pure corporate horror hitting her chest as her face turned pale white. 'Every single employee in our creative department floor actually thinks he is my secret, hidden boyfriend! What on earth am I going to do now? We are absolutely, mandatory not dating in real life! And this massive rumor mess is all because of your blackmails, Ma Ha-rin!'Seo-ah snapped her head around sharply, pointing an angry, accusing finger directly at Ha-rin's face."Okay, okay, fine! I messed up!" Ha-rin raised her hands in surrender, pouting. "But look, absolutely nothing is going to happen today, Kim. No one on the office staff will even remember that he was the exact same guy from the club layout.""Um, excuse my voice?" Min interrupted with a mischievous grin, leaning over the mattress. "I remember his handsome face perfectly! He is unforgettable!""Min, please!" Seo-ah begged on the verge of tears from the sheer mortification, clutching her folders. "Just shut your mouth and solemnly promise my face right now that you won't say a single word of this to the other department colleagues, okay? I am going straight to the bathroom to get ready into my manager clothes. We have heavy blueprint work to do today!"Kim Seo-ah stormed straight into the bathroom stall, slamming the panel shut."Where did you guys even see his build early this morning?" Min whispered excitedly, leaning closer to Ha-rin the second the bathroom lock clicked."On the balcony across the path," Ha-rin whispered back, throwing her clothes into her bag."Wow..." Min squealed softly, her eyes sparkling. "That must have been such an incredibly intense, romantic morning starlight moment between them!""Yeah, right... just drop the subject completely, Min," Ha-rin warned, looking nervous. "Kim Seo-ah is already heavily stressed out over the data files. Please, do not remind a single colleague about his name today.""Alright, fine, I won't tell the other employees," Min agreed, nodding her head as she slid out of bed. "But you do realize that he is definitely, absolutely going to remember her face the second they cross paths in this valley, right?""Well... that is highly true," Ha-rin sighed, grabbing her purse handles. "Come on, let's just get ready fast. My stomach is completely empty and I'm starving to death. Let's go down to the main pavilion for breakfast quickly."[EXT. CORPORATE ESTATE COURTYARD – LATER]A short while later, Mr. Choi Sun-woo stepped out majestically into the crisp, sunlit central courtyard of the traditional residence, his tailored woolen coat immaculate. He clapped his hands loudly twice, his booming executive authority echoing across the wooden walls as he called out to the department."Team! Gather outside immediately for briefing!" Sun-woo commanded.The architecture employees filed out of their respective rooms, holding their clipboards and notebooks as they assembled on the stone pathway. Right then, the elderly village homeowner, Shin Won, stepped forward gracefully alongside his wife, ready to layout the daily tasks under the beautiful autumn sky..

"Good morning, city guests!" the elderly village homeowner, Shin Won, announced cheerfully, stepping forward with his hands clasped together as the morning dew evaporated into the crisp mountain air. "I have arranged a truly wonderful, traditional breakfast for your entire architecture team. It is served right next door, under the beautiful, cool shade of the ancient trees where it is exceptionally peaceful and serene. Everything is fully ready for your appetites."The corporate design employees let out a collective, energetic cheer, their spirits instantly lifted by the morning hospitality [Scene 9, Scene 6]."Oh, thank goodness!" Ma Ha-rin gasped, patting her stomach dramatically as she stepped down the stone pathway. "I was so incredibly, profoundly hungry. Let's go eat right now, because I know for a fact that once our manager forces us to start drafting the village work, we won't get a single casual chance to eat a bite!"Jeon smirked playfully from the back of the line, nudging her shoulder with his rolled-up layout maps. "Yeah, right. Look at your build, you absolute, unmitigated glutton.""Excuse my voice?!" Ha-rin snapped back, spinning around on her heel to glare at him with wide, mock-furious eyes. "Are you daring to say your system isn't hungry? If your stomach is so full of rest-stop snacks, then don't touch a single plate! Just stay right here idle in the courtyard, do you understand me?!"Mr. Choi Sun-woo watched them bicker from the steps, a soft, highly amused, and rare affectionate laugh escaping his lips. He adjusted the lapels of his immaculate coat. "Alright, alright, stop the playground fighting. Let's go move to the pavilion, everyone."[EXT. MEDICAL CAMP HOUSE – CONTINUOUS]Across the narrow dirt path, the heavy wooden main door of the opposite house creaked wide open, and Chief Senior Doctor Park stepped out firmly onto the stone threshold [Scene 6]. Dr. Sung Jin-woo was the very first clinician to walk out onto the floor, his civilian clothes perfectly neat and his hair impeccably styled."Good morning, Senior Doctor!" Dr. Jin-woo greeted politely, bowing his head with absolute good manners."Good morning, Dr. Sung," Chief Dr. Park replied, adjusting his medical clipboard registry as his sharp eyes scanned the empty veranda. "You're the only professional out here on the boards? Where on earth are those other two slackers?""They are right on their way out to the deck right now, Senior," Dr. Jin-woo replied with a warm, calm smile.Right on cue, Dr. Choi Hyun-woo and Dr. Min-jae stepped out through the shoji frames. Hyun-woo looked completely, utterly deflated. His shoulders were slumped, his eyes were bloodshot from the human-blanket torture of the night, and his entire demeanor was hollow."Let's go move," Hyun-woo muttered in a low, gravelly voice, dragging his boots. "Senior Doctor... where exactly are we professionally supposed to head for our camp rounds today?"Chief Dr. Park frowned heavily, locking his demanding gaze onto his star surgeon. "What on earth is completely wrong with your system today, Dr. Hyun-woo? Why on earth do you look so incredibly miserable, pale, and exhausted?""It's absolutely nothing, Senior," Hyun-woo lied weakly, rubbing his stiff neck."Then why on earth are your vocal cords speaking so weakly, like a deflated balloon with absolutely no air left inside?!" Chief Dr. Park scolded sternly, before a wide, booming grin broke across his terrifying features. "Come on, move your steps! Let me fill all your systems up with some high-octane morning energy right now."The doctors blinked, thoroughly confused. "Wait... what exactly do you mean by that layout, Senior?""We are heading out straight to the pavilion to have a massive, hot breakfast!" Chief Dr. Park cheered, waving his clipboard.The row of junior doctors and nurses instantly erupted. "Yes, Senior Doctor! Let's go move!"The hospital medical team began walking down the stone pathway in a unified group, heading straight toward the exact same beautiful, shaded dining area where the corporate architecture team was currently walking.[SCENE 16: EXT. SHADED DINING AREA - MORNING]The shaded dining area nestled beneath the thick, ancient pine trees was absolutely beautiful, hidden, and serene under the golden morning canopy. The corporate design team members were already laughing, talking, and settling their bodies around a massive, long wooden table layout.At that exact same milestone microsecond, the university hospital medical team walked smoothly into the clearing from the opposite dirt pathway. As both large groups stepped underneath the cool timber shade simultaneously, Mr. Choi Sun-woo and Dr. Choi Hyun-woo locked eyes across the clearing.Time completely, utterly froze in a single fraction of a second. The twin brothers let out a sharp, synchronized gasp of absolute, paralyzing shock, their faces turning completely, pale white as they recognized each other's frames in the middle of nowhere. Before a single brotherly word could fully escape their lips, the elderly village homeowner, Shin Won, stepped right between the two frozen groups, smiling warmly with deep hospitality."Ah, excellent!" Shin Won announced proudly, gesturing to the seats. "Both of our wonderful city guest teams are here at the exact same milestone time today. Come, let me formally introduce your branches! This group is the corporate architecture design department from Seoul, and this group is the Red Cross welfare medical camp team from Daehan University Hospital.""Hello! Nice to meet your builds today," everyone from both sides announced in a polite, synchronized murmur, bowing smoothly as they greeted each other across the aisle.Both teams moved toward the long, traditional wooden benches and sat down directly across from each other to start their morning meal. Dr. Hyun-woo immediately looked up from his ceramic bowl, his dark eyes locking straight onto Kim Seo-ah, who happened to be sitting directly across the path from his seat layout. A deep, overwhelming wave of pure, unfiltered happiness and intense relief washed entirely over his handsome features. His chest heaved—after three days of pure psychological torture, he was finally, truly sitting right in front of her face again.[SCENE 17: EXT. DINING TABLE - CONTINUOUS]While the surrounding staff members reached their chopsticks out for the hot food plates, the corporate employees suddenly leaned their bodies in closer, their eyes staring intently at Dr. Hyun-woo's sharp, strikingly handsome facial features. They started whispering and murmuring rapidly among themselves, their gossip files expanding by the second."Hey... look at that extraordinarily handsome surgeon sitting right over there," Min whispered furiously to Jeon, leaning across the bench. "Doesn't his face look incredibly, glaringly familiar? I swear on my laptop I have definitely seen his build somewhere before!"Meanwhile, beneath the thick traditional tablecloth, Mr. Choi Sun-woo and Dr. Choi Hyun-woo frantically, aggressively whipped out their mobile smartphones, secretly typing and firing text messages to each other at lightning speed.[TEXT MESSAGE] SUN-WOO TO HYUN-WOO:'What on earth are you doing here inside this village property?! Why on earth did your medical camp come to this exact same mountain coordinate?!'[TEXT MESSAGE] HYUN-WOO TO SUN-WOO:'I should ask your office the exact same question, bro! I had absolutely, completely zero idea your design project was happening here. But I don't care about the logistics—Kim Seo-ah is sitting right here across from my plate! I finally found her!'Suddenly, a female corporate employee's eyes snapped wide open in total, frantic realization as the data cleared her brain. She bolted straight up from her wooden bench, pointing a dramatic, shaking finger straight at Dr. Choi Hyun-woo across the table line, shouting at the very top of her lungs."OH MY GOD!" the employee screamed, her voice echoing across the pavilion. "I remember everything now! You are Manager Kim Seo-ah's secret boyfriend! You're the incredibly intense, romantic guy who crashed our company lounge party and sent that massive, gorgeous bouquet of roses to our office desk floor first thing in the morning! Look, everyone, it's her boyfriend!"The entire university hospital medical team dropped their ceramic spoons simultaneously, freezing in absolute, paralyzing clinical shock.Nurse Han Ga-on, who was happily, sweetly chewing her breakfast food right next to his seat, turned completely pale white. The rice literally flew out of her mouth as she choked dramatically, coughing wildly in pure, unadulterated disbelief as her world shattered."W-What?!" Nurse Ga-on choked out, her voice hitting a high-pitched, panicked frequency as she clutched her uniform pocket. "Boyfriend?!! Dr. Hyun-woo... you actually have a hidden girlfriend in this city?!"The entire row of junior residential doctors and nurses instantly narrowed their eyes, turning their heads in absolute unison to glare suspiciously, aggressively at Dr. Hyun-woo's flustered face. Chief Senior Doctor Park dropped his traditional teacup onto the wood panel, crossing his arms tightly over his chest as he leaned his heavy frame forward to begin a strict, aggressive professional interrogation."Well, well, well, Dr. Hyun-woo..." Chief Dr. Park barked sternly, his brow furrowing. "What on earth is the real meaning of this layout? A company party crash? A massive morning bouquet delivery? You've been keeping a secret, unauthorized relationship right under my nose while pretending to be single on the boards?!"Dr. Sung Jin-woo and Dr. Min-jae broke into massive, delighted, and wide grins, thoroughly and deeply enjoying the spicy department drama unfolding before their eyes, while Nurse Ga-on looked like her entire universe had officially ended.Hyun-woo's cheeks burned a bright, violent crimson in total, crushing embarrassment. He stood up from the bench, nervously running his long fingers through his hair as he cleared his throat frantically to speak. "Uh... huh... wait, no! Everyone on this table, please listen to my voice, that is completely, entirely—"Before Dr. Hyun-woo could even finish his legal sentence, Kim Seo-ah suddenly slammed both of her hands flat against the wooden table surface with a loud, resounding thud. She stood up tall, her beautiful face burning with intense embarrassment and sheer manager rage as she addressed the entire staring crowd."Everyone on this floor, please stop this nonsense right now!" Seo-ah shouted clearly, her voice authoritative as she tried her absolute best to control the damage to her dignity. "You are all completely, entirely mistaken. There is a massive, transparent misunderstanding here! Dr. Choi Hyun-woo is absolutely NOT my boyfriend. Our builds are not dating at all in real life. Please stop spreading these false, ridiculous corporate rumors immediately!"Hearing her clear, absolute public disclaimer, Nurse Han Ga-on let out a massive, highly audible sigh of pure relief, clutching her heart frantically as if she had just been given a second lease on life by a medical board.Seo-ah quickly grabbed her blueprint notebook and leather bag from the bench, her face completely flustered. "My breakfast is officially finished for the morning. I am heading straight out to the half-finished village temple site to start the project work immediately. Excuse my presence."Kim Seo-ah turned firmly on her heel, her long strides carrying her swiftly away from the dining tables toward the path. Seeing the awkward, suffocating tension left behind her steps, the corporate architecture employees quickly turned to Dr. Hyun-woo and Chief Dr. Park, bowing their heads repeatedly in deep, flustered embarrassment to clear the air."Oh, we are so incredibly, profoundly sorry, Doctors!" Min and Jeon stammered, gathering their folders. "Our team truly, completely misunderstood the party situation. Please forgive our mouths for this chaotic morning scene!"The corporate team members quickly finished their remaining food, laughing awkwardly through their teeth, and stood up in a hurry to head toward their design project zone. The university hospital medical team also finished up their tea, grabbing their emergency first-aid crates and surgical supply boxes to march firmly toward their camp pavilion. Both teams dived straight into their heavy, high-density work for the opening day, leaving the dramatic, chaotic morning confrontation behind them under the autumn sun.

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