Chapter Text
3:01pm - Yulje Medical Center, Rm. 431, OB Ward
“Oppa, I’ll just go to the doctors who’s handling Unnie, okay? I’ll come back.” Ha-seul told Yun-ho.
“Okay.” He said as he put his beloved sister in a one-arm hug, as his other hand is holding his wife’s hand, “Thank you so much.”
Ha-seul patted his arm and said a farewell to Gyu-ri, as she also checked what are the stats for her and her baby, which is thankfully holding steady.
Gyu-ri has been moved into her own delivery suite, with Yun-ho at her side, never leaving her since she got transferred. Ha-seul looks at them and thank the gods for giving them strength. She leaves the room and heads to the conference room where Dr. Chu, Professor Yang, Dr. Jang, and Professor Ahn are discussing her sister-in-law’s case.
She remembers how Dr. Jang and Professor Ahn was called to the ER for consult on Gyu-ri’s case.
2:43pm - Yulje Medical Center, Emergency Room
Ha-seul sees Dr. Jang and Professor Ahn come in the ER, they went straight to Dr. Chu, and she realizes a delivery is happening today. Whether they want to or not.
“Oppo, I’ll just check on Gyu-ri unni, okay? She’s gonna be moved in a bit, so wait here.” She tells her brother, when her brother nodded she went to where her senior doctors are discussing.
“...still contacting Dr. Ryu from Dongkyung.” She caught the tail-end of what Dr. Chu was saying. They see her as she approaches and they stop what they are talking about.
“They are ready to move her Dr. Chu.” Ha-seul tells them.
“Okay. I’ll be there.” She tells her as she turns back on Dr. Jang. “Dr. Jo is the patient’s sister-in-law.”
Ha-seul remembers she forgot to tell Dr. Jang she left her office.
“I’ll just situate the patient in her room and I’ll see you guys in the conference room. I’ll call Seok-hyung too.” Dr. Chu says.
As Dr. Chu left, Ha-seul turns to Dr. Jang and bows in forgiveness. “Dr. Jang, I’m sorry! I forgot to tell you I’m going here.”
Ha-seul didn’t see the surprise in Gyeo-ul’s face. She wondered why is she apologizing to her. Her face turning into that confused expression Jeong-won secretly loves.
“Why are you apologizing, Dr. Jo?” Gyeo-ul asked as Jeong-won stepped away to give the pair a moment. He believes this is an opportunity for the two to get closer. He knows how great it would be to have a mentor that is for friend, and a student that became a friend.
Ha-seul straightened up, both embarassed and confused at her senior’s question. “Um... because... I left the work you made me do unfinished to be here...” she ended her statement quietly, and hanged her head.
Realization dawned on Gyeo-ul. That explanation did not cross her mind. “Oh.” She took a breath and said, “An apology isn’t needed, Dr. Jo.” Ha-seul’s head shot up. She saw Dr. Jang is saying this earnestly and not just for show.
“A patient’s emergency always comes first before any paperwork. Assessing what the patient needed is trumps any other work as you do your job as a doctor. All those files can be done any other day, but saving a person’s life cannot be postponed.” Dr. Jang ended her statement with a small smile.
“So never apologize for putting those paperwork on the back burner, you can always come back and do those. And this is your family, I would rush in too if I were in your place.” She patted Ha-seul’s shoulder.
“Yes, Dr. Jang.” Ha-seul swallowed the tears trying to get out. “Thank you.”
“Come to the conference when you’re done checking your family, okay?”
3:06pm - Yulje Medical Center, OB Conference Room A
Ha-seul knocked and opened the door to the conference room. She entered when she saw Dr. Jang gestured her to come in. She sat down beside her as she listens to Dr. Chu, who is presenting her sister-in-law’s case.
“Han Gyu-ri, 31, thirty-two weeks pregnant, and presenting symptoms for preterm delivery. I called her OB, Dr. Ryu, to forward her records and birthplan as she is currently in Ulsan for a seminar.” She changed the slide on the projected screen. “Medical history shows this is her fourth pregnancy with the last three ended in miscarriage.” Dr. Chu breathes and continued outlining Gyu-ri’s case.
“Dr. Ryu was hopeful this will enter at least thirty-seven weeks but today, baby wants to get out. Ultrasound shows baby is already in position for delivery, and dilated is at 4 inches.” Dr. Chu finishes.
“What’s the current stats for the mother and baby?” Professor Yang asked.
“Mother holding steady. Baby a little bit lower than I wanted to but still okay.” Dr. Chu answered.
“Contractions?” He asked.
“12 minutes last I checked.” Dr. Chu says.
Ha-seul raised her hand, as it changed when she left. “It was at 10 minutes apart when I left five minutes ago.”
“Already?” Dr. Chu exclaimed.
“The baby wants to get out today.” Professor Yang muses. “What’s her birthplan?”
“Dr. Ryu said they would have to induce at thirty-seven weeks and deliver via CS because of her history.” Dr. Chu said.
“Oh well. We’ll do the CS and peds will takeover.” Professor Yang glances at Professor Ahn and Dr. Jang.
“Her ultrasound show the baby is doing well, no signs of distress. However, with her history this can go sideways anytime.” Dr. Chu said.
“We’ll be there. I already ordered the works to be in the OR.” Dr. Jang said.
“Okay. Meeting done. See you guys in the OR in thirty.” Dr. Chu said.
Everyone helped in packing up the conference room, notably Ha-seul seemed to be listless. She seems to just go through the motions bit her mind isn’t in it.
I keep saying to Yun-ho oppa and Gyu-ri unni that everything is gonna be okay... but what it the worst will happen... how can I handle that?
Ha-seul thought.
Unbeknownst to Ha-seul, all of what she is thinking is reflected onto her face. Gyeo-ul then realizes why she felt so at ease at her junior, her face is so transparent. It is easy to spot her emotions, and she says whatever that face presents.
As they go out the conference room, Gyeo-ul stops Ha-seul to talk, letting everyone else leave.
“Are you okay?” Dr. Jang asks.
Ha-seul stopped. Her breathing stalled, as tears starts to fill her eyes. Surprise colored her features, as she realizes she is scared. Scared of what may happen, scared of the aftermath in case of the worst case scenario.
Gyeo-ul grasps Ha-seul’s shoulders, forcing the young doctor to look at her. “Look at me, Dr. Jo.” She says.
But Ha-seul was past listening, the fear of what might come eclipsing her level-headedness. The only thing in her head, is that no one in her brother’s family will survive... if the little one doesn’t.
“Dr. Jo.”
“Dr. Jo.”
“Dr. Jo.”
“Jo Ha-seul!”
At hearing her full name, Ha-seul snapped out of the spiral she was in. Her eyes going straight to her senior doctor’s eyes, which is full of concern.
“Are you okay?” Dr. Jang gently asked. Gyeo-ul recognized the sheer terror that passed through the young doctor as she held Ha-seul in her arms. That fear when you know what the worst that could happen and the possible aftermath you have to deal with.
Gyeo-ul remembered how frightened she was when her own father was rushed to the ER that night a year ago. Where Jeong-won steadied her back up as she broke down when the news reached her.
“Tell it to me straight.” Gyeo-ul gulps as she stands in front of Joon-wan in the family lounge at the ER. “No sugarcoating.”
She felt Jeong-won’s hand squeeze hers. Giving her the support she badly needed. Her father was rushed in the ER as she was clocking out. She received her mother’s call as she finished changing out of her scrubs. Her mother, the ever calm and seemed to have never ending patience, wailing in the phone... just saying “Your dad... your dad... your dad...”
Her brother picking up the call and told her that their father lost consciousness suddenly and is currently being wheeled in the hospital you work at.
She barely remembers what happened next, she only knew she called Jeong-won. The next thing she knew is her father being revived at the ER bed she was just consulting hours ago.
Thank god they managed to bring him back. Now, the friend she developed from being with Jeong-won is treating her father. She feels herself cracking under the intense fear of what will happen. Her mind whirring with all of the what ifs. She glances at her mom, sitting beside her brother, seeming out of it... she knew her mother would not survive if her father doesn’t make it.
She doesn’t know it but Jeong-won clearly sees the fear in her face, he knows she’s
Gyeo-ul took a deep breath, squeezed Jeong-won’s hand and steeled herself for what Joon-wan will say.
“Your father suffered from a heart attack due to a blockage in the left side of his heart. CT showed his left artery is about 70% blocked which is the cause of the attack.” Joon-wan exhaled. “Thankfully, that’s the only blockage we see.” Gyeo-ul exhaled in relief as Jeong-won grasped her shoulder.
“Since there is only one blockage, I propose to put a stent in rather than doing a bypass.” Joon-wan touched her shoulder in sympathy. “I’ll do the best I can to treat your father Gyeo-ul. Sign the forms and I’ll do the procedure tonight.”
Joon-wan looked at Jeong-won as the latter said “Thank you.”
“No problem. I’ll meet you at the OR.” Joon-wan said as he left the couple.
Gyeo-ul turned around and hugged Jeong-won, as tears come to her eyes. He enveloped her in his arms and rubbed her back, knowing the tears are coming from the heart of a daughter sobbing in relief... that her father is going to be okay.
“ He’s going to be okay, Gyeo-ul ah.” Jeong-won murmurs to her, as she wills her heart to calm down.
Hours later, as they wait for her father to come out of the recovery room, Gyeo-ul realizes how powerful Jeong-won’s sentiment was. Of course, over the years, they have said numerous statements of love, of trust, and of friendship to each other. But this five words, minus her name, made her feel like she can handle anything that can happen. That words from someone you trust on the time you really need it can make you feel braver and stronger tenfold.
She and Jeong-won have talked at length about her confession to him that fateful Christmas night. That apparently he was going to ask her out after Christmas, she was just much faster. She remembers what he said when she confessed: that he felt like he can fight everything and everyone after. That he felt reborn, renewed, and overall a new person. She remembers further back, when Jeong-won reprimanded her about how she spoke to that patient’s mother who has in a TA. Words can hurt, but we must make sure we use our words to comfort.
“I’m scared, Dr. Jang.” Her young colleague tells her. “I’m scared we will lose the little one.”
“Your sister-in-law has the best doctors in this hospital, and frankly in all of Seoul, handling her case.” Gyeo-ul starts. “We will do the best that we can for her.” She hesitates to tell this but she knows Ha-seul needed to hear it.
“And I know I shouldn’t be promising you this as we were taught, but they will be okay Ha-seul.”
Ha-seul’s head snapped up at how confident her senior is. How sure Dr. Jang is in saying that the little family will be okay. She felt her heart calm down, her breathe slow down, as she believes the words that came out of her senior doctor’s mouth. Ha-seul felt the last tinges of terror running through her frame dissipate at the sureness Dr. Jang emanate.
Dr. Jang wipes the tears left on Ha-seul’s cheeks as she says, “You can wait with your brother in the family lounge, or you can join us in the OR. It’s your choice.”
Ha-seul sniffles and wipes her nose with her sleeve. “I’ll join you in the OR, Dr. Jang.”
Gyeo-ul gave a small smile thinking, Atta girl. “ Come on, we’ll tell your brother and sister-in-law what’s gonna happen. ”
As they walk the hallway going to Gyu-ri’s suite, Ha-seul can’t help thinking how the fates allowed her to be in contact with such an amazing person. A kind, warm, and compassionate person such as Dr. Jang. Her name might suggest coldness in a long winter, but she is rather the firelight in a long winter.