Chapter 9

"Eommonim!! You'll finally be discharged…" I said while smiling, Yes! a week went by so easily without emergency operations, I was able to go home at nights too…

"Thank goodness! Thank you for always visiting me here and talking with me Xia after your rounds."

"no problem eommonim…"

We were talking and laughing in the room when Brix came back from settling the bills

"Omma…You two seemed to be having a lot of fun"

"Xia's such a good talker! I enjoy her company! And she's like my daughter…"

"Omma!!"

"Why?!? I wanted a daughter before, but the heaven has given me two sons and nothing followed…"

"tcccchhh! Looks like you regret having us" he said while gathering their things

"eyyy… don't be a baby…"

"Brix, you still have to bring her here for regular check-ups, maybe at least once a month"

"I will… Omma! Are you ready to go home??"

"Of course"

I sent them outside just like I do with my other patients when they get discharged

"Eommonim, I'll see you again for your regular check-ups, don't stress yourself too much…" I said when she lowered the car window

"You too! Don't skip meals! Bye Xia!" she waved and I waved back and they left.

Almost a month after, the situation in the hospital has come lighter; well, there are some nights that I still stay here because of emergencies but it's totally manageable… Plus! We got some new residents under our department, the new youngsters of our team… Me and Bora as the Senior Surgeon of the team has finally been able to take our day offs on Sundays, well Saturdays are included on our day offs now too, but if there are emergencies, of course we report right away, It's also been a month since I didn't saw Brix, but I know he's settling the controversy regarding his Ex. his mom told me when she went to have a regular check-up.

It's a Saturday night… Have no work!! Well, I'll just probably be slouching off at the couch and watch shows, which is kinda my thing for a month now.

*tit! *tiit! *tii

W-wait… tell me it's not my front door opening right?!? Someone's entering a password on my door!!!

I took my Arnis stick an MMA apparatus, yes! I did a little of MMA when I'm younger… I went near my door to get ready in case he could open my door, and he really did open it… but… hey!! he's removing his shoes… what's this!! Wait!! I couldn't see his face but I smell alcohol… he's probably drunk…

He was about to really enter my apartment and I already raised my one arm to hit him when…

"Oh!!! I know you…" he pointed at me and faint…

"Brix!! What the hell!! How'd you know this place?!?" I said while helping him but he's totally passed out!!!

I helped him lie on the couch… man he's burning with fever!!! I went to my kitchen to get some lukewarm water and some medicines…

"ya!!! Where'd you go!!" then I heard the door of my room closed…

"ooooh!!! Not there!!! Ya!!"

I went to my room and guess what!? He's really like at his own house huh!!! Even using my bed comfortably!!!

"ugh!!! So irritating!! I thought I could rest today!!"

I just let him lie on my bed 'cause I saw he was shivering…

"What in the world were you thinking and you drank at this hour!!!?" I said while helping him lower his temperature as I put a wet towel on his forehead…

I just let him sleep on my room and I slept outside at my couch…

"ummm…. Miss…" someone's tapping my back lightly

"miss…"

Oh!! I just remembered Brix was sick last night!! I faced him

"Xia!! What are you doing here?!?"

"uhhh… shouldn't I be asking you that?? This is my house!"

"oh… I… ummm…"

"Well… You were drunk last night and you opened my door, you were totally shivering to death because of your fever, I helped you to lie on the couch…" I grabbed a ramen on the cabinet and he followed around

"Hey! Aren��t you so at home? You went to my room as if it were yours last night!" I said while I rummage in my kitchen cooking a ramen

"may I sit here??" he said and I nodded in reply

"Hey! Wait you said I opened your door?!! But how??" he asked as he sat on a chair like those you can find at bars on the counter table in my kitchen

"I don't know! I was wondering about that too…"

"possibly…." He said

"Your password's 6910?!!?!" we asked in unison

"yes!!" and… answered in chorus

"but why?!" he asked

"that's your debut date… remember I'm a fan of your 'GROUP' " I quoted the word group while using my hands gesturing a quotation to say clearly that I'm not only his fan but of the whole group.

"ahhh… right!"

"here's a ramen, eat so you'll feel better… sorry I only have that…"

"Thank you…"

Waaaa!! We feel so casual like best friends already…

"Why were you here in this place?"

"I just moved last Friday, unit 1509"

"I now see why you opened my door… this is unit 1508, next to yours… you might have mistaken the numbers when you were drunk…"

"Wow!! We're now neighbors!! But, I'm really sorry… I didn't mean to come in here, besides I didn't know we had the same password and that you were also living here…"

"It's fine I know it was just a mistake… but please don't open my door just like that again… why were you drunk anyway?"

He stopped eating and was thinking deeply which made him silent, ah! It must be something personal that he couldn't tell me…

"I shouldn't have asked right? Well if you don't want to talk about it, let's just forget it…" I said and smiled at him

In just a moment he spoke

"I saw her last night…"

"Who??"

"My ex…"

"oh…" that's the only thing that came out…

"She was with another man…" I saw his expression changed and his grip to the chopstick he was holding hardened…

"I didn't know that it would still affect m-me" his voice broke… He's not going to cry, isn't he?

Well what I guessed was right, he cried… I stared at him and stood like a stone for about a minute… I didn't know how to comfort him so I just handed out the tissue box. But he didn't grab any tissue, instead he pulled my arm and hugged me. He was still sitting while crying and I was standing there being hugged like a teddy bear…

I tapped his back lightly so I could comfort him… Maybe he realized something and pulled me out… Oh!! Thank goodness!! So awkward!!

"I'm sorry, I just felt lonely…" I think he finally pulled himself together

"yeah… I mean, that happens! Right?"

And an awkward silence…

That's why I tried to open up a topic

"You said you just moved in? Was your unit already furnished like mine?"

"You got this already furnished?!?"

"ummm yes! Why?? Isn't yours??"

"Yes! it's still very empty until now!! Waaaa!! Maybe you're really a precious surgeon of SSMC seeing that they're taking care of you like this!"

"I thought units like this we're already furnished from the beginning… so it wasn't!!! Waaa! I think I should really thank my boss about this…"

"hahahaha!!" he laughed with the last thing I said

"Hey! Why not help me buy things for my unit? Only if you're free and would like to come…"

"Well… It's a Sunday so I guess it's fine… yeah I'll go help you!" I said

"But don't you think we should look at my place yet to see what's lacking and what we can put?"

"Actually, we should… you can't just buy anything right? It might not fit your place…"

We went to his unit and indeed 6910 was his password!

"ahhh…. I see…. It's really empty!!!" I said and laugh

"Hey! Don't laugh!!"

"I had an interest with interior designing when I was at senior school, I guess I can help you with a lot of things"

"really?!"

"yeah… you still like black, right?"

"yeah! How did--"

"I WAS a fan"

"oh right… is that why your unit's in a shade of black too???"

"No… remember? it was already furnished when I came here and I originally liked black way when I was a kid"

"I see…okay meet me at the basement after 30 minutes…"

"30 minutes!? Wait can't you make it an hour?? I'm a girl I don't act as fast as you do…"

"oh right! Okay I'll meet you an hour later" he said while going out from my unit.

After an hour I went down to the basement, it's not that I wanted to look pretty or something, actually I'm just wearing something casual and the usual make up I put on, a foundation, a lipstick, and a very thin eyeliner.

"hey were you waiting long?" I found him right after I went out of the elevator

"ummm... well… you're really fast in the hospital, especially at the operating room… what happened?! You were too slow taking care of yourself! Hahahah!!"

"Hey!! That's totally a different story, plus you can't be slow when saving lives!" I said while we were walking on the basement

"There's my car!"

"Hey wait! you own that?!?"

"Yeah why?!?"

"That's my car!" I pointed on the next 3 spots before his car

"Really?!? Ohhh!! 2, black, Lamborghini Venenos!!!" he said and raised his hand to have a high five and I accepted quickly

We entered his car, ooooh! It's pretty neat and smells good..

"I didn't know you'd be driving a sports car…" he said

"why? Because I don't look like one??"

"honestly yes!"

"Ha! Ha! Ha! Oh!! I remembered something!! We're you here last January? Maybe that was January 12?" I asked…

"Yeah! I bought my unit that day…"

"Really?!?"

"Yes! Is there something wrong?"

"Yeah! I think you should apologize to me..."

"Why?!?"

"I went out that day to buy a phone sim card, when I was going home you almost hit me with your car! If it weren't for my fast reflexes… oh no…"

"oh!! I remember!!! I was really going to apologize that day but I had a schedule right after I sign the deed of sale so I need to hurry so I won't be late… That was you?!!?"

"Yeah!! Wait… you were rushed into the hospital because of a car accident, right? Wasn't this the car?

"No… I wasn't driving this car. I had a schedule that day so I was driving another one… I only use this car on trips and personal use… actually you're the first person to ride this…"

"oh really?! Should I get off now??"

"What?!!" he must've been startled with what I said 'cause he was running the car

"Just kidding!"

Our conversation just kept on going until we reached our destination…

"Okay!!" he was about to go out of the car…

"hey!! Aren't you gonna disguise yourself?!?"

"why??"

"People might see you and I don't want you to be misunderstood especially you're with a girl!! Duh!!"

"They won't… trust me! Let's get out!"

"Fine!! Ugh!!"

I don't want to be misunderstood by people but this guy's not caring at all!!! Grrrr!!!

"What?! Hey! Come down its fine!!"

"yeah!! Yeah!!"

So we went inside a big building and it's all for interior designing…

"so what should we look first?"

"Well, actually all you need are furniture and some decorations…"

"I agree... Let's take a look for my kitchen first…"

"ok…"

We were roaming around and he kept pointing at things…

"oh!! this looks fine as your dining set…" I suggested

"I agree! I like the seats that comes with this table…"

"Miss I'll get this!" he informed the lady who was following us

"Miss where's your living room section?" I asked

"It's on the second floor, ma'am"

"Brix let's take a look for your living room she says it's upstairs."

We went upstairs and he took a look at everything and in one corner he chose a set of chick black leather sofa…

"Let's go upstairs…"

"We're not done yet?!?"

"Oh! right you didn't saw my room, I don't have a bed yet…"

"really?! So where did you sleep last time?"

"I just only moved my things, I slept on a blanket last-last night"

"oh…"

We went upstairs, wow!! he's kinda picky with his bed he was like, trying all Queen-sized bed!!!

"Oh! there's a black one!!"

"The design looks like my bed!!" he didn't listen to me and tried to lie down on the bed

"Oh boy this bed's really comfortable! Miss I'll get this one!!"

He got off the bed and looked at it one more time

"hey, this looks familiar…"

"yeah, it's like the version 2.0 of my bed…" I said -_-

"oh right!! But what can I do it's comfortable!!"

"I know… you were comfortable with my bed too…" -_- I left him there

"hey!! Let's shop some curtains and other stuff!!"

"You're not serious, aren't you?"

"I'm dead serious! Plus! you'll help me arrange my unit later…"

"I shouldn't have said I'll help him" I whispered to my self

"Were you saying something?"

"oh!? nothing!! I said you should pay now so we could leave…"

He paid and we went to another store to buy some curtains, glassware, eating and cleaning utensils, more pillows, towels, and everything he thought he needed on his new house even some appliances. We also went to the grocery.

"waaaa!! I'm so tired!!"

The doorbell on his unit suddenly rang

"Oh! this might be the furniture and appliances"

I stood up and get out of the way because they were indeed the items we bought.

"Please just put them in here… thank you"

And the delivery guys left

"Shall we start arranging my house?"

"Now!!??"

"Why? Something's wrong?"

"Nothing!"

"Wait my phone's ringing… shhh!" I gestured him to keep quiet

"Eonni!! Was it true!??!?" Yona asked with a high-pitched tone

"What?"

"Are you and Brix Kim dating?!?!!" and behind Brix also picked up his phone to receive a call

"No!! we're just friends!!"

"But there are a lot of photos taken with the both of you shopping together…"

"What?!?!?"

"The articles and photos are all around!!"

"You're joking me, right??!"

"No! You should search on the net…"

"Okay! okay! bye…"

I searched on the net and saw my face on an article

"Oh… shoot!!!"

I read the comments below

"She's that smart doctor from SSMC!!"

"She saved our oppa and his mother, right?!? She was also a fan from way back their starting point, right?? Maybe Brix fell in love with her at first sight, she's quite a beauty too!! That's why their dating!! It's actually great!!"

"Our idol has finally gotten over with his stupid Ex! And he's dating a proper girl!!! She was a fan just like me and now she's dating her idol, waaah!! She's lucky!! Take care of Brix!!"

"Oh gosh she's smart and pretty! I am no match!! she's lucky!! "

They were all positive comments but….

"No!!! it's all wrong!!"

"Xia!!"

"Brix!! Didn't I told you to cover your face?!! Maybe I should have just covered mine!! But that still wouldn't work!! It'll become weirder instead!"

"So, you know!"

"Of course! I'd know a resident from my team read an article!!!"

"I already told my company to release an official statement right away, I recorded my voice when I was talking on the phone so the fans would believe it… they'll release it after 10 minutes… We should wait… I'm sorry…"

"Well the comments weren't bad at all right? In fact! my fan's reaction was too great unlike other idol's dating scandal… do you think we should just date?" he added jokingly

I punched him on his arm in response…

"But the fact is we're just friends!!" I said

"yeah I know…"

We waited for the official statement of his company…

"Oh! it's out!!" he said and he made me listen to voice he recorded

"Hello everyone this is Brix Kim… the article you saw earlier wasn't true at all, we're not dating but we're really close as friends… She saved my life and my mother as well, when I was at the hospital and quite miserable with, I think you already know the reason, I also gave her a hard time, but she helped me mentally and physically and I saw that she's very kind and we eventually became friends. I recently moved into a new house, right? I didn't know she would be my neighbor, I asked her to help me pick some furniture and things. These were the photos that came out. Please don't mind the article and let the both of us be good friends, I would like to grab this opportunity to thank my fans for always supporting me despite the last controversy regarding my ex"

"See I defended you well! look at their comments!!"

I took a look at the comments

"oh they were just friends??"

"kinda pity though they matched well actually"

"They're friends it's not impossible to develop it into something higher right?"

"I hope to see the both of them hangout more often right guys??" and this comment had a lot of positive replies

"See they are actually supporting us if we date!! This is a good thing… I won't be in a bind if I date you"

"Ya!!!!"

"Chill!! Just kidding!!" he said with a sly smile

"How could they just accept it?!" I said

"Well I guess they really like you! Plus! they know you saved my life! And hey they know that I'm at the right age to date anyone"

"But I know it was a huge stir when they found out about your Ex"

"Well, remember when you told me fans knows best sometimes? I guess that's why they didn't approved her because they know she'd hurt me like this…"

He became silent and I didn't know what to say too…

I tried to break the cold silence

"Fine, since the issue was settled let's just finished fixing your house" I stood and started to work

We started working around 3 pm, took things out of the box, place it here and there, and talked whether where these things should be put.

"Hey where do you want me to put this lamp?"

"Wouldn't that be great around here?" he pointed on the desk near his couch

"It's actually great you bought this couch it fits the ambience of your house…"

"Right!?"

"I'll put on the new curtains we bought!!" I shouted so he could hear because he was in the kitchen

Just like my house it also has a huge window, it's all glass from the 1st floor up to the second floor. Actually, the orientation of his and my unit are the same…

I used a very tall ladder to climb up so I could place the old curtains with the new one, I was struggling to remove it since these curtains are moved by a remote and the curtain hooks have a lock to secure the curtains won't fall when moved.

"ugh!! Just one hook left…" I tried to reach but I couldn't and the curtain is actually heavy since its 2 floors high…

"Shooot!!! Xia what were you doing there!?!?" I was startled and lost my balance

What happened next is that I was caught by Brix on his arm, he looked me in the eye, as expected his eyes were still beautiful…

"That could have been worse if I wasn't able to catch you…"

"yeah… thank you"

"What were you doing up anyway?"

"I changed the curtain…I only have one hook left"

"I'll do it hold this…"

"okay"

"You should've just called me to do this…"

"It was fine actually, if I hadn't been greedy trying to reach the last look I should have come down and moved the ladder first so I could comfortably reach it"

"There it's done!!"

He went down of the ladder…

"I already arranged the kitchen… I bet you're hungry let me cook for you"

"That would be nice…" I said

I followed him to the kitchen and saw how it totally transformed!

"Wow! There goes, your amazing organizing skills!"

He smiled, his kitchen is totally organized and I'm surprised! I thought he was only organized with his clothes like when I watched his arranged closet on a reality show years ago…

"you're cooking kimchi jiggae and bibimbap??" I asked while I sat near the counter table to watch him cook

He kept talking while he cooked

"here, taste it…" as he handed me out a bowl of bibimbap and placed the kimchi jiggae at the center…

"ohh… haha!!"

"Why it didn't taste good??"

"No!! I knew you could cook but I didn't know it would be this good…" I said

It was totally good!! He's way better of a cook than I am! To think he's a guy… all I know was to fry foods and cook ramen.

"I'm glad you like it"

I smiled at him in return

"It's really great cooking for someone who eats well" he smiled

"Do you mean other things by that?" I stared coldly

"No! no! it's just… Younhui has always been conscious about her weight and she doesn't appreciate when I cook for her…"

"Your Ex?? Ahhh… I see…" well he compared his ex with me I don't know what to feel but we're friends so maybe I should be sympathizing with his feelings??

"I'm sorry, I let the mood down"

"No! No! it's fine" I said

We're done eating and I volunteered to wash the dishes as a courtesy since he cooked for me…

"We're finally done fixing your house!" I said as I put a vase of arranged flowers in his living room

"Yeah! it's totally different from earlier and it's beautiful, thank you for helping out… You're indeed good at interior designing, what else do you have a talent to???"

"You're kidding me!"

"No! I'm dead serious! Look! Your flower arrangement's pretty too!!"

"Okay… Enough lying! I got to go I'm going to the hospital early tomorrow" I said as I head to his door

"I wasn't lying though…�� I heard him whisper to himself

I went out and said goodnight

"Goodnight thank you for helping out…" he said

I entered my unit, and saw the clock it's 11:30 pm. I went to wash before I sleep.

----

"Good morning Doc!" Bona greeted with a huge grin on her face as soon as I entered our office

"I really thought you were dating him!! Glad it turned out that he cleared your name right away, but you were neighbors!!?? Since when?!?!"

"He just moved in last Friday, I didn't know we'd become neighbors too…"

"But doc you know the fans were actually supporting you… so it wasn't bad at all if you two ended up dating… Look! People in the hospital didn't care at all right??? And when you were at the street going here, nothing changed right??"

"How did you know nothing changed?"

"Well you've got no scratches… like you know… In case his fans attacked you so that means if ever you two date in the future it won't be a problem anymore"

"Sly girl!! Still!! we're just friends!!"

"We'll see if who falls first…"

"Ya!!"

The interns suddenly entered our office

"Good morning Sunbae!!"

"Good morning!" I replied

"Sunbae, are you going to date Brix hyung?" Donghyun asked (hyung: older brother/male)

"No! We're just friends"

"ohh…" he said and bowed and went to his desk

"Oh! What's wrong with that kid? He seemed lifeless…" Bona asked

"Kid? He's just a year and a half younger than you! So, should I call you a kid too??"

"Eyyy… doc!"

I thought it would be an easy day today but I operated on 3 patients and at 8 pm there was an emergency patient from a construction accident. It took 4 hours to operate him and he's still in a critical condition so I couldn't leave the hospital today. The usual, we took shifts to watch the patient.

At 4 am he had an arrest, so it was a stir, good thing we were able to revive him… from that hour I took the shift to watch him.

"Sunbae…"

"Oh Jihye!

"it's my turn now"

"Ok! I'll be at my office"

"okay sunbae…"

I left and went to my office…

"Ommo!!!" it startled me

"Who would send flowers early in the morning?!?"

I saw a card and took it

"Xia! Good morning! Thank you for helping me out with my house, you didn't go home last night so I sent it on your office -Brix"

I went to my bathroom first to take a shower, I took my phone and sent him a message while I blow dry my hair.