The soft clinking of cutlery and quiet morning chatter filled the restaurant as Harley and I finished our breakfast.
Sunlight streamed through the large windows beside our table, casting a warm glow across the plates that were now mostly empty.
For the first time since last night, things between us felt almost normal again… though the memory of what nearly happened still lingered quietly in the back of my mind.
Harley was unusually quiet this morning. He barely said a word to me.
"Is everything okay?" I asked, reaching across the table to touch his hand. "You've been awfully quiet."
Harley looked at me. "Just have a lot on my mind this morning. Are you ready to go?"
I nodded.
After Harley paid for our meal, we exited the restaurant and made our way toward his black Mercedes-Benz.
We climbed into the vehicle and drove off toward Seojin General Hospital.
The internal medicine floor was extremely quiet, yet everyone seemed tense.
Nurses gathered around the station, whispering to each other while occasionally glancing down the hallway.
As soon as Sasha and I stepped out of the elevator, I knew something was wrong.
"What's going on?" Sasha asked quietly.
Before I could answer, a loud voice echoed from one of the patient rooms.
"This is unacceptable!"
Sasha blinked. "Well… that explains the tension."
A nurse hurried toward us, relief washing over her face when she saw me.
"Dr. Huo," she said quickly. "Mrs. Park in room twelve is refusing to cooperate. She's been shouting at everyone."
Sasha leaned closer to me and whispered, "Do we need protective gear?"
I suppressed a smile. "I'll handle it."
The nurse exhaled in relief. "Thank you."
Another voice shouted from inside the room. "Is anyone going to help me or not?!"
Sasha tilted her head toward the door.
"Charming."
I knocked lightly before opening the door.
An elderly woman sat upright in the hospital bed, her arms crossed tightly as she glared at the doorway.
The moment she saw us, she scoffed.
"Finally."
I walked into the room calmly.
"Good afternoon, Mrs. Park. I'm Dr. Huo."
She looked me up and down with clear skepticism.
"You're the doctor?"
"Yes."
She huffed loudly.
"You look like you just graduated yesterday."
Sasha coughed behind me, clearly trying not to laugh.
I smiled politely.
"I assure you I'm qualified."
Mrs. Park waved her hand impatiently.
"Well then maybe you can explain why I've been waiting here like this for thirty minutes."
"What seems to be the problem?" I asked.
"My chest hurts."
My expression immediately grew serious. "When did the pain start?"
"This morning."
"Can you describe the pain?"
She frowned. "It hurts. Isn't that enough description?"
Sasha leaned against the wall, watching the exchange with interest.
I kept my tone calm.
"I need a little more detail so I can help you properly."
Mrs. Park sighed dramatically. "It's tight… right here."
She pressed her hand against the center of her chest.
"On a scale from one to ten?" I asked.
"Seven."
I nodded and reached for my stethoscope. "Let's take a look."
Mrs. Park grumbled under her breath as I checked her heartbeat and listened to her breathing.
Everything sounded relatively stable.
"Have you experienced this before?" I asked.
"Once," she muttered.
Sasha stepped forward slightly. "Have you been under any stress lately?" she asked gently.
Mrs. Park gave her a suspicious look. "Who are you?"
"Sasha," she replied with a polite smile. "Another doctor."
Mrs. Park sighed again.
"My grandson is getting married next week and nobody listens to anything I say."
Sasha nodded thoughtfully. "That sounds stressful."
Mrs. Park pointed at her immediately.
"Exactly!"
I glanced at Sasha briefly before turning back to Mrs. Park.
"We'll run an ECG and some blood work to make sure everything is okay."
Mrs. Park narrowed her eyes. "And if it isn't?"
"Then we'll treat it," I said calmly.
She looked at me for a moment before finally relaxing slightly against the pillows. "Well… someone here finally sounds competent."
Sasha leaned closer to me and whispered, "I think she likes you."
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.
Some days at the hospital were calm. Today clearly wasn't going to be one of them.
The rest of my shift flew by in a blur. For some reason I ended up with all the difficult patients while Sasha got the understanding ones.
"Would you like to grab supper and talk?" Sasha asked as we walked out of the building.
I quickly pressed my hands together, bowing my head in apology. "Sorry Sasha, but I have plans tonight. Maybe next time."
"Okay," she said. "I am holding you to it."
We exchanged goodbyes before I climbed into the backseat of Mr. Lu**'s BMW**. He drove across the city toward Daisy's house.
"Thank you Mr. Lu," I said, climbing out of the vehicle. "Enjoy the rest of your evening."
"You too Miss Huo," he said before driving off.
I stood before Daisy's family home in awe. Her home was big and majestic, sitting on a large piece of land. I pushed the intercom on the right side of the gates.
"Hello," came a voice.
"Hi, I am Sophie and I am here to see Daisy."
"One moment please."
The gate opened shortly after, revealing a paved pathway that led toward the mansion entrance.
As I walked down the path, I noticed how groomed and lush the grass looked. Small flowers lined the pathway, carefully placed in metal planters.
When I reached the mansion, the door opened and Daisy leaped into my arms, hugging me tightly.
"How are you feeling?" she asked as she let go of me.
I cleared my throat. "Honestly, I was so busy at work my thoughts didn't have a chance to wander."
Daisy smiled warmly at me. She grabbed my hand and led me into her mansion. "Come on, Amy is already here."
I nodded and let her guide me through the mansion toward her bedroom.
"Your home is beautiful," I said as I took in the intricate design of the Hu mansion.