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The bell by the door chimes, and Lee Ikjun looks up from his table.
Four young people walk into the restaurant, and a familiar face stands out among the group. Ikjun doesn’t react immediately, merely observing the group sitting down two tables from them. If the person he is looking at had met his eyes, he would have waved at him and given him a welcoming smile — after all, the young man is a new friend he has made recently in his frequent visits to Jongno Yulje.
“Yah, what are you looking at? The meat is burning.”
His attention snaps back at the person sitting opposite him, and Ikjun immediately lifts his chopsticks into the air. He grimaces at the clearly charred samgyupsal before promptly discarding it to the side.
“You just wasted a piece of good meat!” Songhwa remarks in obvious disapproval, already reaching forward to grab the discarded burnt meat with her chopsticks when her action is stopped immediately by Ikjun.
“Yah, yah,” He tells her with stern eyes but a soft tone. “There’s plenty of meat left. Leave that, Songhwa-ya. You know it's not good for your health.”
Songhwa is about to protest when all the words on her lips disappear with just a look given to her by Ikjun. She understands the look all too well, and accepts defeat easily.
“Arraseo…” She sulks.
Ikjun happily places another meat—this time grilled to perfection—on her plate. “Here. You can eat to your heart's content. No one is going to take this from you.”
“I know, aren’t I the luckiest?” Songhwa teases before asking again, “You haven't answered me. Did you see someone you know?”
“Eo, I think so.” Ikjun says nonchalantly. “Do you remember the Jongno Yulje resident I was telling you about the other day?”
“Hmm?” Songhwa doesn't remember. “Who?”
“That OBGYN resident who was a former Kpop Idol. I showed you his song the other day, remember?”
“Ah,” She says in slight remembrance, “The one you randomly bumped into twice at the pasta restaurant across the hospital?”
Ikjun nods eagerly. “Yes, him. I think I saw him walk in with his friends. I'm guessing they're his fellow residents. He’s a really nice kid.”
Songhwa cranes her neck, hoping to catch a glimpse of the group of residents. She spots them easily, noting their dishevelled and tired appearances. “You seem to have a lot of fate with him recently. What did you say his name was again?”
“Um Jay. He told me that's his stage name.”
“He's a first year resident right? I’ve met him before at the hospital.”
“Mmhmm.”
“Also, the girl with the jacket,” Songhwa nudges her chin towards the residents’ direction. “She's Jeongmin’s resident.”
“Oh, yes.” Ikjun turns around to look at the group who had ordered their servings of meat. “I remember her. I think her name was…hmm, what was it again…”
“Oh Yiyoung .” Songhwa finishes his sentence for him. “Minha told me she met her before in Songdo, too.”
Ikjun just smiles, continuing to pile the last few meats onto her plate. “We should say hi later.”
Just then, Songhwa's eyes meet with one of the residents — the young man, to be exact. His reaction is enough to tell her that he recognises them, and he wastes no second to react.
“I guess the ‘later’ is now.” Songhwa tells Ikjun quietly as she spots the resident standing up from his seat. “He’s coming over.”
Ikjun puts down his chopsticks the same time he hears his name being called.
“Lee Ikjun gyosunim? ” The young resident's face seems to have lighted up in excitement. “Do you remember me? It's Um Jaeil, or—”
“Um Jay seonsaeng!” Ikjun stands to greet him properly. “Of course I remember you.”
“We keep seeing each other a lot these days, gyosunim.” Jaeil tips his head slightly at both of them before looking at Songhwa. “Ah, I don’t think we have met before but it's nice to finally meet you, Chae Songhwa gyosunim. ”
Songhwa smiles at Jaeil, shaking her head slightly. “Really? I think I’ve met you before though.”
“Eh?” Jaeil is surprised, “Where…”
“In the elevator at the hospital.” She tells him pointblank, “You probably don’t remember.”
Before Jaeil could process the information, a voice interrupts him from behind.
“Chae Songhwa gyosunim,”
Songhwa doesn't even realise that Jaeil's resident buddies had trailed behind him. One of the female residents had gasped loudly, having recognised Songhwa almost immediately. “our country's tenth female Neurosurgeon. Gyosunim, I have read your papers on fetal neurosurgery for myelomeningocele, it is an absolute honour to meet you!”
Impressed, Songhwa exchanges a quick look with Ikjun before directing her attention to the young and clearly eager resident now standing in front of her. “Hello,” She greets her bashfully, “You are…?”
“My name is Kim Sabi, gyosunim ! I am a first year resident in the OBGYN department!” Sabi’s face flushes with excitement.
“You are only a first year resident, but you know who I am? You even read the paper I wrote a few years ago?” Songhwa asks, her tone genuine and curious.
Sabi nods, her face beams with pride when she tells her, “I came across your paper in medical school and I have remembered it ever since.”
Songhwa smiles, touched by Sabi's enthusiasm. From the corner of her eyes, she watches Jaeil gesturing at the two quiet female residents to introduce themselves.
“Annyeonghaseyo, gyosunim,” The resident with an obviously good sense of fashion tips her head politely. “My name is Pyo Namkyung.”
The other resident continues slowly, “I am Oh Yiyoung, I believe we met during your previous appointment, gyosunim.”
“Eo, Yiyoung seonsaeng, how have you been?” Ikjun asks.
“It’s been the same. Surviving, gyosunim.” Yiyoung replies curtly, but politely.
Just then, Sabi asks in curiosity, “Appointment?”
“Yes,” Yiyoung answers without missing a beat, “Professor Chae is Professor Seo’s patient.”
Songhwa observes Namkyung and Sabi catching on to the implication quickly, while Jaeil’s smile grows even further, already knowing this information from his few conversations with Ikjun. “How did the appointment go today, gyosunim ?”
“Wonderful!” Ikjun says, and instinctively curls his arm around Songhwa’s shoulder. “All’s good so far.”
“That’s good to hear,” Namkyung smiles. “Congratulations, gyosunim.”
Songhwa smiles, blushing slightly. She couldn’t believe how short lived their secret is. When she and Ikjun decided to consult their long term colleague and friend, Professor Seo Jeongmin, to be their attending physician, never would she have expected someone to recognise them even in a different branch of Yulje. After all, it’s only been a short few weeks since they found out they were expecting.
So much for being discreet. She sighs inwardly, knowing that she only has her husband’s inssa personality to blame.
Then again , Songhwa regards Ikjun fondly, eyes never quite leaving his side as she listens to his conversation with the young residents, she wouldn’t change a thing about him.
Jaeil continues. “Anyway, we only wanted to come over to say hi. We shouldn’t disturb you any further.”
“Oh, you're not disturbing. We are almost done anyway.” Ikjun notes the time on his wrist watch — it’s almost 9.30 in the evening, “It's quite late and you guys haven’t eaten yet?”
“Yes, gyosunim.” Jaeil pouts, “We just got off not long ago, which honestly is already a miracle because we have been getting off at 11 or not getting off at all these days.”
Songhwa regards the first year residents with slightly pitiful eyes before she meets Ikjun’s gaze. Immediately, she catches the underlying concern in his eyes and even before he looks at her, as if to ask her permission, she already knows what is going on his mind.
Smiling, she gives him a slight nod of encouragement.
Ikjun grins at her and turns back to the residents. “If that’s the case, this meal is on me. You need to eat to get back the energy you’ve lost, you know! Go on, order as much as you like.”
“Oh no, we wouldn't want to impose,” Namkyung starts to shake her hands.
Yiyoung pipes up, “That’s right, gyosunim. Jaeil already ordered a lot of meat servings earlier, you really shouldn't—”
Jaeil flushes in embarrassment, clearing his throat. “It’s because I skipped lunch today…”
Ikjun laughs merrily. “It doesn't matter! Just order as much as you want and don't worry about the bill!”
“Yes, kids.” Songhwa encourages. “Don’t overthink this. We are happy to treat you tonight.”
The four residents exchange a look with each other, and finally, the glimmer in their eyes return.
“If that’s the case, thank you very much, gyosunim!” Yiyoung says brightly and immediately turns to the kitchen. “Imo! Can we please add two more servings of meat for our table?”
“Make that four more servings please!” Namkyung calls out too before regarding the two professors again sheepishly, “sorry, gyosunim. I haven't eaten anything since last night…”
“Tsk,” Ikjun gives them a disapproving gaze. “work is important but you shouldn't be skipping your meals! Are the professors working you guys too hard? Should I speak to Professor Seo about this?”
“Oh no, no,” Namkyung shakes her head, “there's just too much work to do.”
“I don’t even have time to do my revisions now…” Sabi pouts. “When I think I’ve completed my to-do list, more work just keeps getting added into it! It’s endless!”
Yiyoung sighs. “I don’t think the work ever stops.”
“Just remember that you guys are doing great so far, and it does get better eventually.” Songhwa says assuringly just as Ikjun points towards their table. “Your meat has been served. You guys should eat now, hurry! Don't starve yourself any longer!”
Sabi bows respectfully, “Gyosunim, thank you once again. If we ever meet again, I would love to discuss more of your papers with you.”
“You’re most welcome,” Songhwa nods. “and I will keep that in mind, Kim Sabi seonsaeng.”
“I’ll see you soon, gyosunim .” Yiyoung says too, bowing her head once more.
As the three female residents start to slowly walk away, only Um Jaeil remains rooted in his position.
“Aren’t you going to eat?” Ikjun asks in genuine concern.
The resident musters his courage, drawing a long breath. “Gyosunim, I have a very important question to ask you.”
“Eo, what is it?”
Songhwa watches with curious eyes as she sees Jaeil pausing for a few long seconds.
“It’s just that, something has been bothering me for weeks…I can’t seem to shake it out of my head…” Jaeil says sheepishly, rubbing his hand on the nape of his neck. “It’s just that, you have a really similar voice and I feel like my suspicions might be correct…”
Ikjun exchanges a look of confusion with Songhwa.
“Hoksshi, gyosunim…”
Ikjun raises his eyebrow. “Yeah?”
“Are you the famous Youtuber, Cheonggyesan-nim?”
—