Work Text:
Huening Kai is trying to be positive.
9:21 AM— the clock reads as he sips his second strawberry smoothies of today. After a whole day of working, dozens of coffee, and a flock of people yelling at him last night, he starts to wonder what he is doing in the building across from his workplace first thing in the morning.
He smells like hospital, Kai scrunched in distaste. The strong antiseptic scent that stuck with him even after he used Soobin’s expensive bodywash really screams to everyone that he just came from the hospital. Plus the eyebags of not sleeping for two whole days prove his point better.
Secretly he thanks the strong coffee smell in this small cafe because he can cover up the smell that broods his body even by a little bit.
He isn't supposed to be here. He should be in his bed, tucked in warmly underneath the sheets, untangle his sore limbs as he dreams how wonderful his life will be if Hogwarts does actually exist and he is part of it.
But no.
The harsh reality of the world is actually so unfair. Instead of getting the rest he deserves after tending dozens of people due to the bus accident last night, he is here, unwillingly against his will, sitting in the cafe as he waits for his blind date to appear.
You heard it right.
A blind date.
Huening Kai, a successful general surgery doctor at 29 years old. There's a lot of praise coming from different sorts of people when they know his profession and age. Not to mention an enormous amount of magazines he had starred in just because of that fact alone. A genius they said.
Well now this genius is going on a silly date with someone he never even knew in his life just because his beloved father doesn't stop pestering him for these past weeks.
At first he managed to avoid his father with his packed surgery schedule after he had mentioned about the blind date.
He could've done it forever, be it tiring and the outcome has him looking like dead bodies at the mortuary. But when his father begins to show up occasionally at his department, that's when he caves in to his father's request. After all, no one feels uncomfortable working directly under the Director’s eyes.
Kai would never waste his time on something that doesn't bring him any benefit. He has other things to do than to worry about his nonexistent love life. Like over analysing Harry Potter movies so he will not miss any little details they put in or cooking strawberry shortcake for Soobin and him to eat in their free time. Maybe spend time sleeping all day without moving a muscle.
Anything is better than going on a date.
Thing is, it's not like he is against it completely. Look, he even showers and puts on a decent outfit for this date. He takes his time to look at least presentable so he can give a nice first impression.
But now, two strawberry smoothies later, Kai’s patience is running out. His date, Kang Taehyun as his father has told him earlier is nowhere to be found. Maybe that guy mixed him up with someone else in the café? Kai scans around the café, trying to be positive but logic just cancels that thought immediately.
This café isn't that big for him to mistake Kai for someone else and go on a date with an entirely different person. With only a couple people beside him, that being two high school students and an old man, Kai doubts the event he thought earlier happened.
If he really wants to be petty, he would've walk away from this café and go straight to his apartment, diving into he soft bed. The only thing that keeps him from doing that is because he has both his and his father's reputation to hold.
His father has clearly told him that his date is one of his close friends’ son and specifically said that he shouldn't let him down. If he turns out to be a pretentious bastard, Kai’s face and background will be everywhere on the internet and once again he needs to deal with the netizen's comments acting like they have known him even before he is born.
Kai sips the last bit of his smoothie as a notification from Soobin makes him glance at his phone. Pushing his glasses on the bridge of his nose, Kai is about to check the context of the text when a pair of military boots enters his line of vision.
Distracted by that, Kai looks up only to see a man panting as if he just runs for one hundred miles from Namsan Tower to this cafe.
Dressed in a military green shirt and camouflage pants, Kai instantly recognises him. So this is Kang Taehyun .
Kai would say he looks handsome. Highlight the word would . He would say that if he doesn't show up in a freaking military outfit.
“I’m sorr—”
“One hour and twenty six minutes.” Kai cuts him off, giving no room for him to finish his sentence.
“Sorry what?” Seemingly taken aback by his words, Taehyun looks at him with confused eyes.
“I’ve waited for you for one hour and twenty six minutes.” He repeats as he stands up, looking deadpanned at his own words.
There's something bubbling inside Kai. He doesn't mind the man coming here one hour late. Maybe he has something urgent to do, Kai thinks so he waits. But showing up with his military outfit just telling him that the man in front of him doesn't even put the same effort as he did.
Even with his busy schedule and five surgeries, Kai still finds time to take a shower and wear decent clothes for this date alone. While this man here dares to meet him in this condition. That really struck something inside him.
“Next time, if you want to meet me, properly wear your clothes first.”
He struts out of the café, knocking the man’s shoulder in motion as he leaves dumbfounded Taehyun alone.
“Doctor Kai, I heard you went on a blind date,” One of the nurses, Yeonjun, says the moment Kai arrives at the emergency room’s nurse station. He crosses her hand on the counter as if Kai doesn't see him trying hard to hide her grin.
“How is he?” He hears Yeonjun ask as he puts down one of his patients’ files on the counter and starts writing down the basic information, ignoring the nurse. He doubts the nurse doesn't know when he is notorious in the hospital for his gossiping talent.
After leaving Taehyun just like that last week, he hasn't received any nagging from his father which is weird because he is sure if the news of him leaving his blind date behind, his father will not let go of him.
Maybe Taehyun doesn't tell his father because he doesn't want Kai to get in trouble. His face heats up at the thought of that.
Realising what he's thinking, Kai quickly shakes his head. It can be he doesn't tell anyone because he doesn't want anyone to know his ass got dumped first thing on a date.
Then he feels another presence standing beside him. A sound of file being put down on the counter makes him take a glance to the person only to find out it was Soobin.
“He wears green but he's a total red flag.” Soobin informs the Yeonjun to which he nods in understanding.
Now he knows where the rumour starts. Mentally he curses Soobin, regretting that he told him everything that happened that day. Somehow he forgets that Soobin loves to gossip around too, especially with Yeonjun. What a match made in heaven.
“Really, then he's bad news. Thank god it didn't go well. Wouldn't want our doctor here to be heartbroken.” Yeonjun winks flirtatiously at Kai which he terribly fails to do so.
Soobin chuckles at his friend’s behaviour, ignoring the pink colour of Yeonjun’s ears, “Bet everyone will be heartbroken along with him,”
“Of course he's our beloved doctor after all,” He cooes, smiling brightly at Soobin until to a point Kai wants to gag.
Clearing his throat, Kai reminds both of the lovebirds of his presence. Yeonjun smiles sheepishly at Kai’s scowl because rather than intimidating, he found him as a cute little brother.
He is about to comment something when the telephone rings, breaking Yeonjun’s grin.
Kai and Soobin watch Yeonjun talks in the phone seriously. That means new patients are coming in and no more playing time for them.
“Two gunshot patients, both are men in their late twenties. Arriving any minute now.” Yeonjun says as soon as he hangs up the phone.
Both of them nod, no more smile on anyone’s face as they immediately rush outside, waiting for the ambulance to arrive. Two pairs of doctors join them too at the door just right after they arrive.
“Tough today today huh?” One of them tries to start a conversation but Kai ignores him, not in the mood of talking.
Being a doctor, Kai dreads this part the most. Waiting.
He doesn't know the patients’ condition in the ambulance. What if their condition suddenly get worse? What if there is heavy traffic and the ambulance can't arrive in time?
There are many worse possibilities to happen in this period of time and Kai can't do anything about it. He hates it. Being helpless.
Not even five minutes pass and sirens blare loudly through his ears. Years of being here make him immune to the loud siren. For him, the siren signals hope. That there's still a chance for the person inside the ambulance to survive.
He quickly takes his stand and as the ambulance stops, Kai waits at the back, waiting for the paramedics to open the patient's compartment.
The two paramedics jump out of their seats, as they reach the door and with years of experience, they swiftly open the door.
Then Kai sees it.
Taehyun .
Kai stays rooted at his place when he sees the man on his blind date last week now is on the stretcher, half conscious, with a gunshot piercing his body, completely soaked in his own blood.
Multiple thoughts run in his head. Why is he here? How did he become like this? Who hurts him?
"Doctor Kai, he's bleeding!"
Soobin’s shout snaps him back to reality. Quickly he moves forward, taking the flashlight out from his pocket. Using one hand, he opens Taehyun’s eyes, examining his pupil.
The pupil constricts.
“His vital?” He shoves his flashlight back into his pocket and brings his head close to Taehyun’s chest, checking for his sounds of breath.
“BP 95/60, P 54, RR 30/min”
Kai nods as he holds the stretcher, helping the paramedics get the man down as he pushes Taehyun into the hospital.
He looks at Taehyun and his wound at the left upper chest back and forth. Taehyun’s mouth twitches, as if he wants to says something. Kai brings his head to Taehyun’s mouth to hear what he's saying.
“Kai…” Taehyun weakly says, his voice is shaky, probably holding so much pain just to say these simple words to him. “I’m s-sorry…”
Guilt rushes into Kai’s body when he knows what Taehyun is talking about. His heart rate picks up but he steadies himself rather quickly. Reaching for Taehyun's hand, Kai gives it a small squeeze, reassuring him that he will be okay.
Kai will make sure that he will be okay.
“How do you feel?” Kai asks the man now sitting down as he leans against a stack of pillows.
Kai is standing near the bed with only a file containing his chart separating his view from the half naked man.
He thought the nurse had already dressed him in hospital clothes but why is the shirt nowhere to be found?
Kai feels his cheeks heats up at the sight of the man’s bare skin. God, he feels like Victorian men seeing ankles for the first time.
“Hurts a bit,” Taehyun touches his bandaged chest and he hears squeals coming for the residents behind him.
He turns his head a bit and gives a warning glare. Immediately they all bite their lips and look at everywhere else beside his face.
“Other than that?” Kai shifts back his focus to Taehyun. Once again the sight of Taehyun's ripped body come into sight when he shakes his head.
Stay professional. Kai repeats in his head.
“Any discomfort?”
“There's none,” Kai nods, scribbling his condition.
“The pain will kick in after the anesthesia wears off so rest here for a few days.”
“Kai—” Taehyun suddenly calls but instead earns a glare from him. “ Doctor , I’m used to this kind of injury. Can I go back today?”
All the giddy feelings he experiences in this short time instantly vanish. His mood turns sour and there's no more faking seriousness.
As if they all can sense Kai’s mood, everyone turns quiet. The light hearted mood earlier is gone and now silence befell them.
“Sorry doc, he's a bit stubborn,” Beomgyu, Taehyun’s friend as he introduces himself before breaks the heavy silence.
He turns to Taehyun and lightly slaps his arm. “Yah, just rest for a few days here. Your squad won't die if you aren't there.”
But Taehyun doesn't break eyes contact with Kai and continuously stares at him.
“Taehyun-ssi.” Kai uses his cold voice on Taehyun which he always uses on stubborn people that doesn't listen to him and now Taehyun perfectly fits that description.
“Listen to your doctor. I said rest for a few days then I will decide if you get to discharge or not. Understand?”
Sensing that the man in front of him is angry, Taehyun lowers his head and reluctantly nods, refusing to look at him
“Good,” Kai says, satisfied by Taehyun's reaction.
He jots down more thing on the chart and a couple of questions later, he finishes examining Taehyun. He turns his heels, thinking which room he needs to go after this when a warm sensation on his hand stops his tracks.
Turning back, he sees Taehyun's hands wrapped around his. His eyes flicker at Taehyun and the man looks like he still have something to say.
Weak to the man’s eyes, Kai dismisses the residents away which Soobin gives him the look he dreads the most before closing the door. While Taehyun's friend, Beomgyu voluntarily walks out of the room, giving them the privacy they deserve.
They stay in that position for a while as Kai waits for Taehyun to say something but Taehyun seems like picking his words a little too slow for his liking.
“So—”
“I’m sorry,” Taehyun cuts him off.
Kai blinks, “For what?”
Ever since he met Taehyun, the man couldn't stop apologising to him.
“For today, and last week.”
“Don't mind, I already get over it,” He says hastily but his words seem to make the man look sadder.
“No!” He tugs Kai’s hand a little too hard. A blush creeps up his face when he realises what he just did. “ I mean, Please get don't over it,”
Kai arches his eyebrows, telling him to go on.
“That day, one of my comrades got hurt so I needed to go to the hospital. When all of that was over I just realised it was already too late to change my clothes. That's why I just went with my military clothes.” Taehyun starts to ramble.
Oh .
That explains everything.
“Can we start over? Let me take you on another date. A proper one,” He stiffens, waiting for Kai to answer.
“That still doesn't excuse you for that act,”
“I know,” Taehyun lowers down his head, looking just like a kicked puppy.
How cute.
A smile wrapped around Kai’s face, showing his pearly white teeth.
“But—” Kai continues. “If you stay here for a couple of days maybe I’ll think about it,”
“How's that sound?” He carefully suggests.
He knows if Taehyun stays here for a few more days, there will be countless teasing coming from the whole department. The gossip about him will spread like wildfire. Heck it'll be even worse than that. He can see it coming already from Soobin’s look earlier.
“Okay, I’ll stay here for a few days.”
Taehyun smiles and suddenly everything doesn't matter anymore. For Taehyun, maybe he can handle a little bit of teasing for another few months.
Maybe giving Taehyun a chance isn't a bad idea after all.