No Pain No Gain

"Just call me if you need anything." Kai said as he took off his lab coat and tossed it the coat rack in his office.

"Its rare for you to take leaves, Jongin ah. Want to tell me why?" The elder asked with a hint of teasing tone.

"My friend is in town for another two days." Kai said shortly not wanting his father to ask anymore.

"A lady perhaps?"

"Dad."

"Bring her to dinner with us when you had the chance, son." Mr Kim chuckled and pat his back. Kai sighed.

"If its that easy, I would."

Kai exited his department office and walked to the elevator when Elaine called him.

"What do you want? I'm not Dr Han." Kai said flatly. Elaine rolled her eyes.

"Can I talk to you for a second?"

They went into an empty room and Kai looked at his watch impatiently.

"A second has passed."

"Break Seunwo and Leira's relationship." Elaine said making Kai raise his eyebrows.

"Excuse me?"

"I saw the way you look at Kim Leira. Take her away from Seunwo."

"Did you forget that very Han Seunwo is my friend?"

"Then why do you like her knowing that she's his girlfriend, Mr best friend?"

"You don't know anything so you better shut it." Kai said as his voice gone a lot deeper. Elaine felt intimidated and took a step back.

Kai gave her a side eye and went to open the door to leave but she opened her mouth.

"You liked her first."

Kai paused turned back to her. She was looking at her nails and met his eyes.

"What?"

"I know you liked her first before she approach Seunwo."

"You-"

"It had been obvious because your eyes would always went to her during SNU. All your life you have been following what people told you to do. For once why can't you fight for what you want?" Elaine pressed knowing well what she's doing.

"Think about it." She said and went out the door first leaving Kai in the room.

He pushed his hair back in frustration as he thought about what she said.  Stepping out of the room, he walked back to the elevator with a clouded mind. His phone rang and he looked at the caller id.

"Yeah?"

"I'm getting weird looks from the nurses and oh Elaine is giving death glares, can you hurry up? As much as it give me entertainment, I'm getting bored."

"The food is not going anywhere, Lei," Kai chuckled as he went into the elevator.

"Bro, if food is calling, food is- oh hi good looking doc." Lei said smiling when she saw the doctor walking to her. Kai tighten his grip on his phone when he heard his voice.

"I'm almost there, just wait for me." Kai said meaningfully.

"Kay." Lei said and hung up.

"No pain no gain." Kai muttered lowly as he bring his phone down.

::

"What are you doing here?"

"Kai said to wait for him here since his shift has ended and I got hungry so I come here to get some snacks." Leira shrugged.

She hasn't manage to match his time ever since their last meeting so seeing him here is enough for her.

"Kai?"

"Yeah. He said he wanted to show me the new chicken restaurant in town. Have you eaten?" Leira asked as she narrowed her eyes at the last part.

"Sorry I haven't had the time to spend with you even though you're here. There's just a lot of patients in need that I couldn't refuse." Seunwo said apologetically. He didn't really hear what she said after she mentioned Kai. Leira shook her head.

"Hey, its fine. I understand so its all cool. This job is your dream job so gotta work hard." She nudged him assuringly. "And I got to see you in your lab coat though."

Seunwo chuckled softly at that but paused when he saw Kai walking to them. He clenched and unclenched his jaw.

"Oh right, can I stay over today? My house is under renovation. My dad said the house is too dark for a woman to live in so he wanted everything light coloured." Leira asked, playing with his sleeve.

Seunwo looked away from Kai and nodded at her.

"You don't have to ask. I gave you the passcode for you to use it."

"Lets go. We won't be able to secure a spot if we're late. " Kai said as soon as he got there. Leira scoffed at that.

"And whose fault do you think that is?"

"Have fun working overtime." Kai said smirking at him as he took Leira's hand and went to the door.

"See you....at home?" Leira said and felt a tug from her other hand.

Seungwoo had pulled her hand, stopping Kai from taking her away. Kai looked back at him, his face void of emotion.

"Hm?" Leira asked as she blinked at her awkward position being held by both hands. She pulled back her hand from Kai and held the boyfriend's hand.

"Ah nothing. I forgot what was I going to say." He immediately drop his hand. Leira looked at him briefly as she can't seem to read him.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I got to go." Seunwo replied short avoiding her eyes.

"Make sure to rest when you had the time, doc."

"Yeah, I will. Go on along now, you wouldn't want to be late." Seunwo said coldly and turned around, walking away. Leira looked at his retreating figure.

"You'll get old early if you frown that much."

"Shut up, Kai."

"Come on." Kai pulled her and Leira just look at Seunwo until he was gone from her eyes.

"I hate it when he do that."

::

"I forgot Leira got tired quickly."

"I don't know how she could hike up the mountain or even jungle treks."

"I can if I want to but now I just want to go lay down and die for the night." Leira rolled her eyes and got into the house.

"But the night had just started!" Taejin said jokingly and followed them in.

"I know you're tired too old man." Leira said pointedly.

"Yeah no shit." He said and Kai snorted at him because of that.

Leira laughed and went to the kitchen while the older guys went to sit at the sofa, sighing like old men.

"Do any of you dudes have some trouble sleeping? I'm making tea."

"I sleep like a log, child." 

"What is sleep?"

"For Kai it is then." Leira chuckled as she made tea for two and gave it to Kai.

He thanked her.

"Drink it before you sleep." 

"I'm sure he's like that because Kai got to spend the time with you, Lei. Don't think about it that much." Taejin said meaningfully.

Leira smiled at him assuringly and gave his hand a squeeze.

"Yeah I know. I'm going to my room first, bro. Kai, thanks for hearing me out again." She said winking meekly at Kai and went up to the room.

The door beeped and pushed open revealing the tired doctor who looked like he hadn't been sleeping for decades.

"Oh look, a zombie. Grab something and hit him in the head quick." Kai said monotonously and stood up, leaving to his room upstairs.

Seunwo sighed and toss his keys on the table loudly. Taejin smirked as he thought of something.

"What's up? Trouble in paradise?"

"The only trouble I have is you." Seunwo chuckled darkly and went to the kitchen to take something to drink. Taejin followed him with a smile.

"You sure about that?"

"If you know, you know. Leave it at that."

"Woo, she's a cool lady. Of course she could get along to everybody and Kai happened to be that person."

"Leave it." Seunwo said towering over him. 

Taejin tucked his hands in his pockets casually as he took a step back while smirking. 

"You got to stop burying yourself with work man. That's not the only way to be a recognised surgeon. See ya. Lei! Mr Popstar is leaving!" Taejin said calling out to her but no reply came from her.

"She won't hear you if she's already in bed. Make sure the door is locked when you got out." Seunwo said and pat his shoulder before walking upstairs.

"This is why in a relationship, one of them has to be sensitive." Taejin shook his head and went out.

::

The thunder grumbled making Leira jolted awake. She took off her earbuds and push herself up to lean on the head board.

"Its that time of the year huh." She thought to herself when she looked to the window. The rain poured heavily and the lightning strike from time to time, lightening the room.

Looking down to her side, Seunwo sleeps with his usual bangs hiding his eyes. Pushing the bangs aside gently, she could see his eye bags. Somehow, lately she felt something she never did before.

She felt the distance.

What exactly went wrong?

"I love you." She muttered lowly and kissed the top his head and laid back down beside him slowly, facing his back.