Chapter 3 - Unexpected Reunions and Rising Desires

The sterile white light of the hospital ward felt instantly trapped in a heavy, paralyzing silence as the door swung open. Dr. Choi Hyun-woo froze completely by the edge of the mattress, his dark eyes widening in total, breathless shock as they locked onto Kim Seo-ah's face. Seo-ah stood equally paralyzed at the threshold, her hand gripping the handles of her shopping bags as her heart skipped a violent beat. They simply stood there, an unyielding circle of tension snapping between them as they stared at each other.'Why on earth did she come all the way back here to meet Junu?' Hyun-woo's mind raced frantically, a sudden, burning knot of dark jealousy tightening inside his chest. 'Is he... is this patient actually her boyfriend?'The heavy silence was abruptly punctured by Kim Do-jung, who shifted against his pillows and raised a thoroughly confused brow. "What exactly are you two doing back here right now?"Before Seo-ah could even clear her dry throat to answer, Ma Ha-rin pushed right past her shoulder. Her eyes locked straight onto Hyun-woo's striking features, and her jaw dropped in pure admiration."Quiet, Junu!" Ha-rin hissed, waving her hand dismissively at him before spinning around to face the white-coated doctor, her cheeks glowing. "Oh, wow! You are so incredibly handsome! How on earth did you end up becoming a medical doctor? Honestly, with a face like that, you really should have been a professional model!"Junu let out a miserable groan, running a hand through his messy hair. "She's gone completely crazy again. Dr. Hyun, please don't pay any attention to a single word she says; her brain short-circuits like this whenever she sees a handsome guy. Trust me, I don't pay any attention to her nonsense either."Hyun-woo quickly forced a polite, formal composure back onto his features, flashing a soft smile. "It's quite alright, really."Ha-rin stepped a fraction closer, narrowing her eyes with playful curiosity. "Are you single, Doctor?"Hyun-woo didn't look at Ha-rin. Instead, his intense gaze drifted directly toward Kim Seo-ah, his voice turning steady and deeply meaningful. "Yes—I am completely single, right now."Seo-ah's face turned a violent shade of bright pink. Feeling completely mortified, she grabbed Ha-rin's sleeve tightly and pulled her forcefully into the shadows near the corner cabinets, lowering her voice into a harsh, frantic whisper. "Have you completely lost your mind?!""What's the big deal?" Ha-rin whined, pouting as she crossed her arms. "Do you actually like him or something?""Absolutely not!" Seo-ah hissed back, her eyes wide with panic. "He is the exact same guy I just told you about at the apartment—the completely crazy doctor who ran into me and told me he loved me this morning!"Ha-rin's face instantly fell into a look of absolute, crestfallen disappointment. She peeked over her shoulder at the handsome doctor. "What?! Oh no... so that means I'm already entirely out of the running?"From the center of the room, Junu banged his hand lightly against the sheets, thoroughly annoyed. "Hey! What on earth are you two whispering about over there in the corner? Didn't you two come to this hospital ward to actually meet me?"Ha-rin quickly cleared her throat, stepping back into the light with a sheepish grin. "Oh! We—I mean, Kim Seo-ah—brought some special gifts for both of you today."Hearing the word 'gifts,' Hyun-woo's internal panic flared up all over again. 'So... is he really her boyfriend? Did she buy him a special present?'"Really?" Junu's eyes lit up instantly as he reached out his hands. "Alright then—hand over the gifts right now. But give Dr. Hyun his gift first, since he's been taking such good care of my cast.""Yes, yes, of course," Ha-rin nodded rapidly, nudging her friend's shoulder. "Come on, Kim. Give Dr. Hyun his gift right now.""Yes, yes, alright," Seo-ah murmured, her heart pounding against her ribs.She slowly stepped forward across the polished floor tiles. Keeping her eyes low, she realized that managing Hyun-woo's reaction was her top priority. Watching his stern expression with a subtle look of genuine concern, she reached into her shopping bag and handed him a beautifully wrapped package. "This is specifically for you, Doctor."Hyun-woo's fingers brushed hers as he accepted the gift, a warm wave of relief washing over his entire build. "Thank you, Ms. Kim.""Yeah... you're welcome," Seo-ah nodded shyly, stepping back.Junu immediately pouted, waving his arms dramatically from the mattress. "Hey! So where on earth is my gift?"Seo-ah spun around quickly toward her brother, glad to break the intense eye contact with the doctor. "Here it is, you brat! You were getting completely bored resting in this bed, weren't you? Here is your absolute favorite new video game console!"She handed him the sleek box, which Junu took with an excited shout. "Oh, wow, thanks! You are seriously the absolute best sister ever!"In a burst of sibling affection, Junu reached out his hand to playfully touch and pinch her cheek. But the second his fingers moved near Seo-ah's face, Dr. Hyun-woo's protective instincts flared up violently. His expression turned completely sharp, and he suddenly raised his commanding voice, cutting through the room."Wait!"Ha-rin blinked in surprise, looking between them. "Oh? What happened, Doctor? Is something wrong?"Hyun-woo instantly realized he had reacted too aggressively. He cleared his throat loudly, running a hand over his collar as he cooked up a professional medical excuse on the spot. "Oh, well... what I meant is, he is a recovering patient who needs absolute, undisturbed rest. His bone alignment shouldn't be moved around or agitated too much right now, or else he'll experience a sharp wave of severe pain."Ha-rin let out a soft, knowing chuckle, laughing inwardly as she read right through the doctor's intense jealousy. "Yes, yes, you are absolutely, perfectly right, Doctor. I completely understand your medical concern, Dr. Hyun."Seo-ah felt the temperature in the room rising rapidly, her nerves completely shattered by the heavy atmosphere. She adjusted her shoulder bag handles, backing away toward the heavy door. "I'm heading out now; I have to get to the architecture office incredibly early tomorrow morning to handle the new project templates. Take care of yourself, Junu."Hyun-woo's eyes widened slightly, a look of sudden disappointment crossing his handsome face. "You're leaving already?"Junu frowned, looking at the doctor's strange reaction. "Why? Is there something particular that you need from her, Doctor?""No, noway," Hyun-woo quickly corrected himself, looking away down at his chart tablet. "I was just asking a normal casual question."Junu's eyes narrowed as a sharp streak of suspicion hit his mind. He looked back and forth between his sister's red face and the doctor's flustered expression. "Hey... have you two actually met before today?""Yes," Dr. Hyun-woo answered firmly, looking straight at her."No!" Kim Seo-ah blurted out at the exact same microsecond, shaking her head violently.Hyun-woo's jaw tightened, and he shot her a strict, intensely heavy glare from across the bed, thoroughly offended by her denial.Ha-rin crossed her arms, smirking playfully at her roommate. "Kim Seo-ah, why on earth are you lying to your own brother?"Junu sat up straighter, pointing an accusing finger at them. "So, does that mean you two actually know each other in real life?!"Realizing she was completely cornered by everyone in the room, Seo-ah covered her face with her hands, her cheeks burning like fire. "Yes... fine! We have met briefly before today."Hyun-woo's strict expression instantly melted. He ran a relaxed hand through his dark hair, a brilliant, incredibly handsome smile breaking across his lips as he watched her flustered reaction."I'm leaving right now!" Seo-ah shouted in a panic.She turned on her heel and frantically rushed out of the ward door, shutting it behind her with a loud click. She sprinted down the quiet hospital corridor, muttering aggressively to herself as her boots snapped against the floor. "Yeah... why on earth am I starting to feel this strange, fluttering way inside my chest? Get a grip, Kim Seo-ah!"At that very microsecond, completely blinded by her own chaotic thoughts and not looking where she was going, Seo-ah rounded the hallway corner at full speed and bumped straight into the broad chest of Dr. Sung Jin-woo.The impact sent her files sliding, but Jin-woo moving with perfect reflex, reached out and securely caught her by the arm, stabilizing her balance on the slippery tiles."I'm so incredibly sorry!" Seo-ah gasped frantically, stepping back and bowing in deep apology. "I completely didn't see you coming around the bend. Sorry!"Dr. Sung Jin-woo looked down at her flushed, beautiful face, a warm, gentle smile spreading across his features. "It's quite alright, really. Don't worry about it. You didn't get hurt anywhere, did you?""No, no, I'm completely fine," Seo-ah shook her head, smoothing down her jacket.Jin-woo leaned against the corridor railing, his eyes full of polite charm. "Could you perhaps tell me your name?""Yes, I'm Kim Seo-ah," she replied, forcing a polite smile. "And you?""I'm Dr. Sung Jin-woo, from the senior medical wing," he introduced himself smoothly, offering a warm nod.Back inside the quiet hospital ward, Junu stared at the closed door in absolute bewilderment. "What on earth just happened? Why did she escape so suddenly like a mad person?""I honestly don't know," Ha-rin sighed, picking up her shopping bags. "I'll go check on her outside before she runs completely out of the building complex. Bye, Junu, and goodbye, Dr. Hyun-woo—I'm off!""Yeah, bye," Hyun-woo nodded casually, his mind completely focused on the fact that Seo-ah had left.Ma Ha-rin walked out of the ward doors, scanning the long corridor. A few meters down the hall, she spotted Kim Seo-ah standing near the large glass windows, chatting politely with Dr. Sung Jin-woo. Ha-rin smirked, walking slowly toward them.As she approached the pair, Dr. Jin-woo checked his wristwatch and smiled warmly at Seo-ah. "Alright, I'll be going now. I have a critical patient waiting for an executive checkup in the adjacent wing. Take care.""Yes, of course, Doctor," Seo-ah nodded politely. "Goodbye.""Yes, goodbye," Jin-woo replied, turning around and walking away down the bright corridor.Ha-rin immediately rushed up to her side, nudging her ribs with a massive, teasing grin. "Who on earth was that handsome doctor?""That was Dr. Sung Jin-woo," Seo-ah groaned, running her hands over her face in utter exhaustion. "I accidentally bumped straight into his chest because I wasn't looking where I was going."Ha-rin burst into a loud laugh, rolling her eyes. "Yeah, sure—honestly, Seu, just how many handsome people do you plan on bumping into in a single morning?!""I have absolutely no clue," Seo-ah sighed miserably, leaning her weight against her roommate's shoulder. "It feels like I'm just having a massive run of terrible bad luck today. Come on, let's get out of this hospital right now; I am really, thoroughly tired.""Yeah, let's go back home," Ha-rin agreed softly, wrapping her arm around her friend's waist as they turned toward the elevator lobby.Unbeknownst to them, standing at the far end of the upper mezzanine executive corridor, looking down through the grand glass panels, was CEO Choi Sun-woo. He had just completed a corporate review meeting with the hospital board. His sharp eyes locked onto Ma Ha-rin's expressive face as she laughed and walked away toward the exit gates.A rare, intensely warm, and genuine smile broke across Sun-woo's strict face. He watched her retreating figure vanish past the sliding doors, a soft murmur escaping his lips."She is just so incredibly cute..."Back inside the quiet ward, Dr. Hyun-woo turned off his tablet device, adjusting his medical coat as he looked down at the patient. "Alright, Junu, you get some rest properly now; I'm heading out to handle my evening rounds.""Okay, Doctor, goodnight," Junu nodded, settling down under the sheets.Hyun-woo walked out of the room, closing the door softly behind him. As he marched down the quiet corridor toward his private office, his mind was completely filled with the image of Kim Seo-ah's blushing cheeks. A profound sense of absolute determination and fiery hope settled into his chest. He realized that she wasn't dating Junu—she was completely single, and she clearly remembered his face.He ran a hand through his dark hair, a confident smile breaking across his lips under the dim hallway lights as the golden evening faded away, preparing his heart for the massive corporate event the next day...