Chapter Text
After the forest fire incident, Doldam Hospital gradually recovered and reopened to welcome patients. Yoon Seo Jung and Do In Beom finally finished all their work and returned. All the talented doctors are now gathered at Doldam. The trauma centre has also received its budget and is now operational. Master Kim has finally been able to lighten his burden.
As usual in the morning, Myung Sim left home to head to Doldam Hospital. On the familiar path, gentle sunlight filtered through the trees, creating sparkling patches on the road. She passed by the little shop she often visited. Remembering that the candy she usually gave Kim Sa Bu was running low, she decided to stop in and buy more.
Upon entering the shop, the owner, an elderly woman with a kind smile, greeted her warmly, "Good morning, nurse Oh!"
Myung Sim smiled, feeling the familiar and friendly atmosphere from the woman, and replied, "Good morning! I need to buy some more candy today."
The owner beamed, nodded, and quickly completed the transaction with the man beside Myung Sim. "Here you go, thank you," the owner said and then went inside to get the candy for her.
The man, preparing to leave with his items, noticed Myung Sim and politely nodded in greeting. Reflexively, she smiled and returned the gesture. Only now did she take a good look at him. He was dressed in a sharp black suit, tall, with neatly combed black hair. His handsome, angular face exuded an air of intelligence and maturity. His bright eyes reflected confidence and calm, leaving a positive impression on her. After greeting her, he quickly left the shop, walking briskly as if he had an important task awaiting him.
She watched his departing figure until she heard the owner from behind: "Here you go." Startled, she turned around and took the bag of candy from the owner.
She said with curiosity, "He seemed unusual. He must be from somewhere else."
The owner nodded, "Yes, he appears to be a lawyer from Seoul. He’s been coming here frequently lately. He must have just moved in."
Myung Sim felt a bit intrigued, "Is that so?"
The owner smiled, "Yes, he always behaves very politely whenever he comes here."
Myung Sim nodded, "Oh, Ne." She smiled, thanked the owner, and quickly left the shop to continue her journey to Doldam Hospital.
As she left the shop, she saw the man still standing by his car, talking on the phone. Myung Sim glanced at him briefly and then checked her watch, realizing she was about to be late. Deciding she couldn't afford any more delays, she quickly left.
After taking just a few steps, the screech of tyres followed by a loud crash and blaring car horns made her heart skip a beat. She immediately turned around and saw two cars in a chaotic tangle on the road. One car had lost control and crashed forcefully into that man’s vehicle, causing his car to be pushed back violently.
The man who had been standing near the car was thrown from his position by the sudden impact, his body crashing heavily onto the road. He lay motionless, his face contorted in pain, and it seemed like he was struggling with the dizziness from the collision.
The car that lost control, although not overturned, had its front end crumpled and shattered. Myung Sim immediately regained her composure. She took a deep breath and rushed back into the shop. “Mrs. Jung!” she shouted, “Call an ambulance right away!” The owner, still recovering from the shock, nodded immediately and tremblingly made the call.
Myung Sim didn't wait any longer; she went into the shop to find some first aid supplies. She quickly grabbed gloves and a medical kit, then ran back outside toward the accident scene, calling Doldam to report the situation.
“This is Oh Myung Sim. We had a serious traffic accident with two people injured. One female driver, about 30 years old, lost control, fainted, had a weak pulse, and clutched her chest, possibly due to a heart attack. She has a forehead injury…” She spoke while checking the driver’s condition. Then she ran over to where the man was, sitting down beside him. “In addition, a middle-aged man was hit by the car”.
Meanwhile, she asked the man, “Sir, where does it hurt?”
The man, eyes tightly shut and body tensed in pain, said, “My arm…”
She checked his arm and continued speaking over the phone, “There are no head injuries, but his body is heavily scraped from rolling on the road. He says his arm is very painful, and I suspect it might be fractured. I’ve called for an ambulance; they should be arriving soon. Ne, algesseumnida.” After hanging up, she continued to assess his condition.
She continues asked, “Sir, what’s your name?” Despite the pain, he struggled to respond, “Sung...Min.”
“Sung Min. Do you feel any other pain?” she asked, but this time there was no response. His eyes remained shut, and his groans grew fainter. She noticed his skin starting to pale. She checked his pulse and found no response. She immediately began performing CPR, using all her strength and skills to save him.
As she performed CPR, the sound of the ambulance siren grew closer. She continuously checked his pulse, and despite her exhaustion, she did not stop her efforts. Finally, her determination paid off, and his pulse began to beat again. When the ambulance arrived, she hurriedly stood up and quickly briefed the medical staff on the situation.
The medical team promptly took over, transferring him and the female driver onto stretchers, and she accompanied them to Doldam. Upon arriving at Doldam, the doctors and nurses were already waiting. She quickly changed into scrubs and entered the operating room to assist.
Sung Min finally woke up. Gentle sunlight streamed through the window, casting a warm glow on his face as he opened his eyes. Everything around him was still blurry. He felt an indescribable ache throughout his body.
As he struggled to regain consciousness, the door to the hospital room opened, and Myung Sim walked in. Her face was bright with a gentle smile. Seeing that he was awake, she felt a sense of relief and moved closer to him.
“How are you feeling?” she asked in a warm and gentle voice.
Sung Min tried to sit up but felt intense pain throughout his body. Seeing this, she helped him sit up. He said in a raspy voice, “I’m thirsty.”
She quickly got a glass of water and carefully handed it to him. “Here, drink slowly. Don’t rush,” she advised as he took the glass, making sure to support it so he wouldn't spill it.
“Drink slowly,” she gently reminded him as he sipped the water.
Sung Min sipped slowly, the cool water soothing his dry throat. When he put the glass down, she smiled and asked, “Do you feel better now?”
He nodded, but his eyes remained fixed on her, unable to look away from her gentle face. “You’re the one from the shop that day, right?” he tried to recall and asked.
“Yes,” she replied with a smile, her expression brightening the dim room.
“Where am I?” He looked around with a worried and confused expression, trying to understand his surroundings.
“This is the trauma centre at Doldam,” Myung Sim explained gently. “You were involved in a serious traffic accident. A car crashed into yours, and you were injured quite badly. You had a broken bone and signs of cardiac arrest, but I performed CPR, and your heartbeat has returned. We’ve done surgery on you. A doctor will come by later to check and provide more details about your condition.”
Sung Min looked at her with sincere and grateful eyes. “Thank you so much for saving me. I don’t know how to express my gratitude.”
She shook her head, her gaze warm and gentle. “It’s my job. What’s important is that you’ve passed the critical stage and are recovering. You’ve just woken up, so don’t overexert yourself. Please rest.” She smiled, gently helped him lie back down on the bed, and pulled the blanket up to ensure he was as comfortable as possible.
“I don’t know your name yet,” he asked, his face showing curiosity.
“I’m Oh Myung Sim, the head nurse here,” she introduced herself with a friendly smile.
Myung Sim smiled at him once more before leaving the room. “If you need anything, press this button,” she pointed to the call button by the bed, “and one of our nurses will come right away.”
Even after she had left the room, Sung Min continued to watch her departing figure. He recalled her voice when he was half-conscious, a gentle and warm voice like that of an angel.
“Oh... Myung... Sim...” He unconsciously murmured her name again, committing it to memory. At that moment, he knew she was the woman he had been searching for, and his heart began to flutter.
After a long day at work, Myung Sim decided to stop by Kim Sa's office. She walked through the quiet hospital hallway, the dim lights casting a gentle glow that created a serene and familiar atmosphere. Her footsteps echoed softly on the floor, and the nighttime air of the hospital brought a rare sense of tranquillity.
When she reached the door of his office, she looked through the glass and saw Kim Sa Bu sitting at his desk. The light from the desk lamp illuminated the medical files, casting a soft glow on his face. He was deeply engrossed in reading, his eyes reflecting determination and focus.
She smiled and gently knocked on the door to announce her presence. At the sound of the knock, Kim Sa Bu looked up. His eyes lit up when he saw Myung Sim and a warm smile immediately spread across his face. He quickly stood up and went to open the door for her.
“Coffee?” Myung Sim asked with a bright smile.
Kim Sa Bu nodded, stepping aside to let her in. She sat down on the soft sofa in the office, while he sat across from her and began grinding the coffee. The aroma of coffee filled the room, creating a cosy atmosphere. He poured coffee into two cups, and the fragrance of the coffee mingled with the quiet surroundings, creating a sense of relaxation.
“Here’s your coffee,” Kim Sa Bu said as he handed the cup to Myung Sim. His gaze was gentle as he looked at her. “This morning, when I received the call from the emergency room, I was really worried about you. I was afraid you might be in danger.”
Myung Sim took the cup of coffee, taking a moment to savour the aroma. “Thank you, Kim Sa Bu,” she replied with a playful smile. “Now you understand how I felt when you called to say you were in an accident on that bus, right?”
He laughed as he remembered that time. He recalled how she looked when he was brought into the emergency room. “Arasseoyo. Mian”
Myung Sim took a handful of candies from her pocket, clenched her fist, and when she handed them to Kim Sa Bu, she opened her hand to reveal the familiar candies, making him laugh.
She smiled gently, her eyes sparkling with concern. “Our talented doctors are back. You should delegate some of your work to them and not overexert yourself. Take better care of your health. After all, I can’t do much to help you. Eat these if you have a drop in blood sugar.”
Kim Sa Bu felt warmed by her concern. “Thank you, Sussaem,” he said, taking the candies from her. He unwrapped one and popped it into his mouth, savouring the sweet taste as a simple yet meaningful gift.
Since the forest fire incident, having coffee together has become a more frequent habit. Although she had previously declared she would no longer drink coffee, she eventually found herself sitting in Kim Sa Bu’s office, enjoying coffee after a long day at work.
The topic of their conversations was usually centred around the hospital, patients, events from that day, or reminiscing about old memories. Sometimes, they sat in silence, without the need for conversation; he would read medical records, while she would sit on the sofa reading a book. Occasionally, they would steal glances at each other, and if their eyes happened to meet, they would share a smile before returning to their tasks.
There was no need for elaborate words, just sharing the peaceful moments at Doldam. Simply being in each other's presence was enough to bring them joy, peace, and warmth. If someone were to say they were like a long-married couple, no one would argue with that.