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It was the most ridiculous favour her junior could ask of her. She let out a sigh as she started unpacking her things, only to be told there’s no need for it. The trip from Doldam to xxx province was already exhausting enough, and soon as they got there, they had to quickly prepare and start for the medical mission. She just got out of the shower, taking her time to let her muscles relax in the tub available in their hotel room. She made a mental note to thank Dr. Park for choosing a nice accommodation for the medical staff.
She eyed her junior intently, unsure if she could say yes to her unusual proposal. Ah Reum was asking her to switch rooms for the night, so she and Nurse Park could spend some time alone after a tiring day. She didn’t mind at all. She couldn’t care less if Ah Reum told her all her dalliance and romantic escapades, rather, she appreciated that she found a little sister in her junior who shared just about anything and everything under the sun with her.
The only thing that bothered her is that Nurse Park was sharing his room with Woo Jin, and that switching places would mean she had to share the room with him instead.
The awkward atmosphere between them has been unbearable. It has been days since she told him she’s been called back at Geodae, and still, they weren’t on their “usual” speaking terms. He didn’t even say he doesn’t want her to go, or let alone hint about it. What will change anyway? It’s not like if he asked her to stay, she won’t go. Maybe. She didn’t know.
Dr. Bae and Dr. Jung were in another room, of course, Ah Reum didn’t care about that. She already mentioned to her sunbae that it was Nurse Park who thought of it at first, but the stoic male was shy enough to ask Eun Jae directly about it. So there Eun Jae stood, listening to Ah Reum convincing her to say yes.
“I could ask Nurse Joo instead, don’t you think?” Ah Reum rested her thumb on her chin, thinking deeply of other ways she could sneak her boyfriend in her room. There was a light thud as she stumbled on the bed.
“No!” Eun Jae quickly said, her tone solid and definite. Her junior’s eyebrows perked up at her remark, feeling a little victorious she used her radar well. It’s no news her sunbaes are deeply in love with each other. In the bus earlier, she noticed Woo Jin stealing glances at Eun Jae, as her sunbae looked outside through the window. His gazes were so deep as if he wanted to get rid of everything and everyone who sat between them. She almost wanted to ask him if he’s up to switch seats with her—he was sitting beside Nurse Park anyway.
Ah Reum kept her eyebrows up, her lips turning into a teasing smile. “Is that a yes, sunbae?”
And that’s how she found herself in his room, eyeing the king size bed they would have to share for the rest of the night.
“What the...” she heard herself say as she scanned his lying form on the bed. She thought there would be two single beds inside the room at least.
“Just... sleep.” he said definitively.
“It’s alright, I don’t need to sleep much anyway.” she replied. He observed her, as if waiting for her to do something.
Later that night, she tried to close her eyes multiple times but couldn’t manage to sleep, let alone force it. There was huge pillow that divided their spaces but still, his presence she could completely feel.
She was afraid to turn to his side. She might not be able to keep her hands to herself then. She wanted to touch him, to hug him, now more than ever since her days with him are possibly numbered.
Thoughts kept running in her mind. What will she do now? Should she go back to Geodae? What about Woo Jin?
With a resigned sigh, she sat up quietly and tiptoed towards the door, careful not to wake him up.
***
“What are you doing out here?” he said, casually draping a blanket over her shivering body and sat beside her. She didn’t notice it was too cold already, her mind was lost in thoughts to even think about it.
Since the hotel was situated in the beachfront, she decided to go outside to get some needed air. Every second she was in their supposedly shared room, she felt her feelings consuming her. The sound of the waves and the pristine sky were a good combination for a distraction.
“You didn’t answer my question.” he told her.
“I’ll answer your question if you answer mine.” she replied.
“Go ahead.”
“You...” she paused a bit, trying to find the right words. “Why didn’t you ask me to stay?”
He was dumbfounded for a moment, he never expected her to ask him this question. He never expected she would talk about her feelings. Whatever that was.
He found the courage to speak, looking her straight in the eye, mincing his words carefully. “I was just scared... if I got greedy and crossed the line, that I’ll lose you.”
He saw her expression change before his eyes landed on his knees, suddenly shy that he admitted what he truly felt. There was a bittersweet smile drawn on his face. He looked back at her again, searching for a reply.
“It’s now your turn to answer my—“
He was cut off mid-sentence when she suddenly claimed his lips. He didn’t have any second to think as she glued her lips to his. It felt so soft and fleeting that he wanted more. All his life, this is the moment he has been waiting for.
Realising what she’d done, she pulled away, blinking her eyes out of embarrassment.
“I’m sorry, that was... I wanted to do that thing you taught me... I’m sorry...”
She kept blabbering and now that he knew she felt the same too, all he wanted to do was kiss her and so he snaked his hand on her neck to pull her close to him.
He slammed his lips onto hers, sucking her lower lip, taking the life out of her.
When they broke away to breathe, he traced her lips with his thumb, touching base with reality. He wanted to do it again. To touch her. To feel her.
“Woo Jin...” she whispered, her hazel eyes looking deep into him.
He realised it was the first time she ever called him by his name. No last name. No walls, and lines have been finally crossed.
She called his name again and her hazel eyes burned a fiery light, so desirable and seductive.
She sounded so divine. So soft. So affectionate.
He had hoped he could be the lucky guy that held her heart, and now that he could see she wanted more, her mesmerising eyes and her parted lips the proof of it, he closed the gap between them again in a hungry kiss.
This time the kiss became more passionate as he slid his tongue inside of her mouth. She wanted more and deepened the kiss too, opening her mouth, her hands tightening its grip on his shirt. He could feel the intensity burning up inside of him and his heart exploding, as he relished her lips he has been dying to experience again since the kiss in the operating room. His hand still on her neck, his forearm touching her breast, he was leading the kiss and she was following him, not letting any moment pass without their lips touching each other.
He kissed her already many times before. But this time, this one, was the most special. The sweet taste of her mouth and the plumpness of her lips intoxicated him, and it didn’t help as well that she was equally pouring out all her feelings in that kiss.
Eun Jae felt dazed. And unstoppable.
She could kiss him all day.
She knew just one word from her he’d abandon all the self-control he has been nursing for weeks. For years.
“Let’s go back to our room.” she softly whispered.
***
She didn’t expect she would sleep peacefully that night.
She felt his arms wrapped around her as she rested her head on his chest, she propped her chin on his skin, waiting for him to wake up.
She felt her heart fluttering as she watched him sleep, he looked so handsome, so easy on the eyes, and his lips, oh she could kiss forever.
And most of all she felt...
Home.
He was close to opening his eyes but knowing she was in his arms, he wanted to relish that moment.
The first morning they found each other on the bed. Naked. Arms in each other’s bodies, legs tangled.
He planted a soft kiss on her hair, his hand caressing her skin.
When he opened his eyes, he heard her say
“Good morning, my love.”
He could kiss her just for saying that and so he did, bridging the distance between them in a searing kiss. He heard her soft moans and he knew they both didn’t want to stop.
Her phone rang and she had to pull away, breaking the kiss.
“Sorry, I have to check this.” she said and sat upright, tugging the blanket on her small frame.
“Why do you still have that blanket on? I’ve seen everything last night.” he whispered softly, kissing her bare shoulder. “You even said you love me.” he continued, teasing her.
Her focus was gone in an instant and she rolled her eyes at him.
“Shut up!” she said defensively, looking back at him smirking. “You said it first!” her lips became pouty just then and Woo Jin controlled all of him not to kiss her again.
“And you said it back.” his lips travelled on her shoulder blade and the skin on the nape of her neck, feeling every bit of her. He saw her close her eyes, basking on the pleasure, his hands wandering on the blanket wanting to take it off her when her phone rang again.
Woo Jin grunted in disappointment.
“Alright, time for me to go back to my real room.” Eun Jae said, taking the blanket with her as she stood up and grabbed her things to the bathroom.
“Hey! Tell Dr. Yoon I don’t want to switch rooms anymore! Let’s keep it this way!” he shouted.
He was surprised to see her come out of the shower in her bathrobe. She looked gloriously beautiful as her wavy hair fell to her shoulders and her milky legs exposed her skin.
She walked towards him and planted a soft kiss on his lips. “I didn’t know you could be this clingy.” she commented.
“Be used to it then.” he smiled.
“Let’s be discreet and tell the whole family when we get back, hmm?”
He did the opposite of that.
At breakfast, all eyes were on the pair as the whole staff ate.
Woo Jin got a handful of food on his plate, only to slice the bacon and put it on Eun Jae’s plate. He poured water on her glass too, and got her a saucer with fruits she could eat. He did all of it slowly, which the whole staff saw, and Dr. Bae couldn’t help but smile at his actions.
Eun Jae ate wordlessly, trying not to mind how he casually rested his arm over hers when they finished, with Dr. Jung raising his eyebrow. Woo Jin was playing with the strands of her hair, something she found endearing, but her blushed expression didn’t escape the watchful eyes of Nurse Park.
A waiter suddenly approached their table, with a glass of smoothie on his tray.
“Dr. Cha, the doctor over there wanted to give you this banana smoothie.”
“What?” Eun Jae turned her head to where the waiter pointed, and there she saw a guy in her age, wearing a doctor’s gown and a pair of glasses. He looked decent, nothing like her Woo Jin, but sure he looked good too. He must be from Kukmin Hospital, one of the institutions who gladly lent their doctors for the medical mission.
The doctor gave her a curt nod and a somewhat flirty smile.
“Wow, looks like you got yourself an admirer here, Dr. Cha.” Dr. Jung said, sipping his own glass of orange juice. It was entertaining for him already to see Woo Jin’s facial expression change in a quick flash.
“Well, my sunbae is a famous beauty even in Geodae.” Ah Reum chided.
The whole group turned into teasing, but before the noises took over the whole table, Woo Jin silenced everyone with what he said.
“Dr. Cha won’t have that.”
Eun Jae faced him ”What—“
“She’s allergic to milk.” Woo Jin stated.
“What? When?” Dr. Jung asked, thinking back on the many times the whole team went out to buy carton milk in the convenience store.
“I’m not...”
“Yes, you are. Since yesterday.” Woo Jin confirmed nonchalantly.
“You’re really allergic to milk sunbae?” Ah Reum asked again.
“Yeah...” Eun Jae reached for Woo Jin’s hand under the table, giving it a tender squeeze, smiling at him. “I guess I am.”
***
She was admiring the view that loomed in front of her eyes. City lights and buildings that clouded her vision, people and cars taking up the streets, the sound of the bustling city. Everyone has somewhere else to go.
The earlier day’s medical mission gave her an excuse to not think about the Geodae offer. She was focused on the task at hand, checking on her patients, and when time would allow, she would steal glances at him only to catch him looking at her too. She would smile and try to hide how he made her heart pound like crazy just like that.
“What are you doing out here?” his arms enveloped her thin frame as he hugged her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder, noticing her shivering from the could. Who wouldn’t? She was only wearing a silk nightdress.
“Just thinking...” she replied softly.
He tightened his hold on her, swaying both of them to the rhythm of the music they could only hear.
“Woo Jin...”
“Hmm...”
“Professor Oh called again.” Eun Jae confessed. They both stopped the quiet dancing they were doing a while ago as she turned to face him.
“He really wants me to go back.” she continued. “I can help him with his surgeries for a while, but that’s it.”
“So you’re going back to Seoul?” he asked, turning her to face him, as a deep sigh escaped his lips.
“Can I go, hmm?” she asked, her lips curled into a thin smile. How could he say no to her?
“How many days?”
“Two to three days, I think.”
“Two days.” he said.
“Hmm, two days. Can I go?”
He smiled at her, his heart swelling at the thought that they will be doing things together from now on.
When he thought he as alone in the world, he didn’t realise she has always been there for him.
He nodded and said “hmm, you can go.”
She kissed him softly on the lips and led the both of them to their bed.
***
He was extra clingy on the way back to Doldam, partly because he knew she would be on the road as soon as they get back to the hospital, and hugely because he waited ten years to be able to do all this with her.
When the senior hospital staff finished with the last minute checks and got inside the next bus for them, Woo Jin nudged Nurse Park in the elbow.
“Mind switching seats with Dr. Cha now?”
The male nurse nodded and threw a glance at Eun Jae, in a few seconds, she was already beside Woo Jin, and their hands were already glued to each other.
They waited for the rest of the staff to fall asleep before Eun Jae fully rested beside him, his arms automatically embracing her thin frame.
Since everyone was tired of the three day medical mission, they spoke in whispers and murmurs and these made their conversation more intimate. Like they were the only ones who could understand each other in silence.
“Eun Jae...”
“Hmm?” she looked up at him, a little drowsy with her own fatigue.
“Two days.”
“Okay, two days.” she managed to give him a smile because how could one look so cute when he’s being possessive like this?
“I’ll come and get you if you don’t return.” he said, succumbing to the tenderness of her touches as her hand caressed his stomach.
“The person I care for the most is with me right now. How could I go on if he’s not with me?” she teased, pinching his left cheek.
He kissed her hair, and her nose, and tilted her chin to meet her lips in a soft kiss, so quick for anyone to even witness.
“I’ll come back, I promise, my love.” she said.
Her words echoed in his head just as when he was changing into his casual clothes after his last operation for the day. He heaved a deep, tired sigh and looked at the picture hanging on his locker.
Her picture.
Oh how he missed her terribly.
It’s been ten days and every night that passes without her, his heart aches a little more and he swore he’ll lose it if he just lets her go like that.
He promised he’ll go to her if it happens.
He remembered that and stuffed his things in his duffel, determined to get her back and prove to her he meant everything he said.
***
She just emerged from her car, looking like a supermodel with her white coat and boots. She looked calm and happy, finally able to do something for herself.
As she locked her car and got her stuff, while walking towards the hospital entrance, she saw him. The man she dearly missed. Their eyes met and she knew at that time all she wanted to do was rush into his arms and be melted by his embrace. Instead, it was him who rushed to her and suffocated her in a warm, big hug. Oh god how she missed him so much.
“What are you... where are you going?” she asked.
“To Seoul. To pick you up. I told you I’ll come and get you if you don’t return.”
“And I told you the person I care for the most is right here, didn’t I?” she tightened her hug on him, gripping his clothes, never wanting to let go of him ever.
“I missed you. So much.” he said as he cradled her head and swayed the both of them into the hug.
“I missed you too. I’m so glad to be home.”
“Yeah, you’re home. Doldam is your home.”
“Hmm, no it isn’t.”
“What?” he pulled away, resting his hands on her sides.
She looked fondly at him, the kind that made his heart leap a thousand somersaults.
“You, you are my home, Woo Jin. I belong with you.” she whispered. “And no matter where I go, I’ll always come back to my home. I’ll always come back to you, my love.”
Her sincere words made their way to his heart and he could not find the reason why he loved her more as each day passed, even though the past few days he spent without her. She’s the first and last person he thinks of every day and night. When he’s on break, she’s all he could think of. Now that she’s here, back in his arms again, he won’t let go of her. Ever.
She looked at his lips, waiting for him to close in, and when they finally kissed, all the sulking, all the doubts he had on his mind while she was away were thrown right out the window. She’s his and he’s hers, that’s all he knew.
They kissed for god knows how long and they both knew it’s just the first kiss they will share for the rest of the night.
~fin