As usual, Seo Jin woke up late the next morning. She washed her face at supersonic speed, skipping breakfast as she had no time left. She quickly locked the apartment door and sprinted towards the elevator, just as the doors were closing. To her relief, someone inside the elevator held the door for her.
She hurried in, thanking the person inside, but froze when their eyes met. It was none other than Kim Tae Ha, of 5 Gang the K-pop group and her favorite idol. She couldn't even finish her sentence. She wanted to leave the elevator immediately but felt rooted to the spot. It felt like an eternity before the elevator finally stopped on the ground floor, where the parking lot was. Seo Jin jumped out of the lift, eager to escape the awkward moment, and walked toward her car.
Out of curiosity, she glanced back and saw him getting into his own car. "His car is also handsome", she mumbled to herself as she started her own. The University Hospital wasn't far from her place, so it took only 20 minutes to arrive. After parking, she rushed inside where a small welcome party was organized for her.
After the party, Seo Jin was given her duties for the day. She was assigned to ward number 3, and to her surprise, she was summoned to meet the director. Anxiety gripped her as she walked towards his office, dreading a possible reprimand for being late on her first day.
However, when she met the director, he seemed delighted to see her. He offered her a seat and greeted with a wide, somewhat creepy smile, revealing his gums. "I'm glad to meet you," he said, continuing without giving her a chance to reply. "You know, Ms. Kang, this hospital is the best in South Korea. You should be over the moon now that you're part of our family," he added, locking eyes with her as though waiting for her to respond.
"I… I see," she replied anxiously, unsettled by the way he looked at her.
"I've heard a lot about you," the director continued, still grinning. "I'm looking forward to working with you. Ah, I almost forgot to introduce myself. I'm Jong Tae Gyu."
His oily manner made Seo Jin feel uncomfortable, but she smiled and nodded politely.
Before she left the office, he said something that made her uneasy. "Don't meddle in things that aren't your business. Be a good girl, and you'll be fine," he warned with a simpering smile. His words felt like a threat, and Seo Jin's unease grew as she returned to her duties.
Back in the ward, Ms. Wang was already waiting for her with a patient list. Seo Jin took it and saw that she was responsible for 15 patients, including one VIP patient, Kang Mu Ha.
"Let's go check on him first," Seo Jin instructed, gesturing for Ms. Wang to follow. They made their way through the corridor, taking the stairs up to the VIP floor. After passing several VIP rooms, they finally found the correct one, marked with a name tag.
Seo Jin opened the door and entered the room, greeting the patient. However, her heart skipped a beat when she saw who was sitting next to Kang Mu Ha's bed. Kim Tae Ha was there, looking at her with recognition. Seo Jin froze for a moment, unsure how to proceed. She could feel the electricity in the air as their eyes met, but she quickly snapped out of it and focused on being professional.
"I'm Kang Seo Jin, and I'll be Mr. Kang Mu Ha's doctor-in-charge from now on," she introduced herself. Tae Ha gave a slight nod before standing up.
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Kang Mu Ha, an elderly man in his mid-60s, looked pale and fragile. Seo Jin checked his medical report, which stated that he had been admitted due to a heart attack. As she glanced up, she couldn't help but notice how tense the atmosphere had become with Tae Ha's presence.
"By any chance, are you the guardian of Mr. Kang Mu Ha?" Seo Jin asked.
Tae Ha remained silent for a moment before answering, "Yes, I am."
"Well then, I'll talk to you in person after I check on the patient," she replied, trying to keep the situation professional.
She examined Kang Mu Ha's blood pressure, making notes in his chart. "Did someone take a blood sample before I came?" she asked, noticing a plaster on his hand.
"Yes," Kang Mu Ha answered quickly.
Seo Jin narrowed her eyes. According to the report, there had been no blood test done yet. She turned to Ms. Wang. "We'll do another blood test," she said, maintaining her composure.
As Ms. Wang handed her the necessary supplies, Seo Jin noticed Kang Mu Ha's nervousness. His eyes flickered to Tae Ha, and then to her, as if trying to say something, but he remained silent. Seo Jin, ignoring his gaze, began taking the blood sample without knowing that she was about to play with something dangerous.