Chapter 15
HER POV
"Xia…"
"Josh…"
"Well your intern brought you here he found you unconscious right after the elevator opened, he was about to bring you your phone…"
"I see… glad he found me…"
"Xia… you think I won't know?"
"What?"
"That he left you…"
"Well... I'm fine though…"
"Really?!? Huh!!! Then why are you here? Why are you sick?!?"
"I'm not!! It's just I got rained last night, that's all…"
"You get sick so easily because you don't eat! You also don't sleep well! When I ask your interns, they'll always tell me you're on an operation!"
"What's wrong with that?!? It's my job!!"
"This behavior of yours is wrong!"
"What?!"
"Xia… If you'll only give me another chance I…"
"Josh… we ended our relationship way back when we were teens… do you remember when I wanted to fix our relationship? You were the one who closed the doors, and now? We can't bring everything back Josh… can't we just be happy as friends??"
"I won't stop Xia… I regretted losing you, I want to bring you back… and I'll do everything…"
"I don't know… you even got yourself a fiancé so how would you…"
"I told you it was over between her and I…"
"Josh can you not stress me out?? Can you leave me for a while?? I feel so tired I want to rest…"
"I- I'm sorry…"
I closed my eyes as soon as he left…
I heard the door opening again but I didn't bother to open my eyes, maybe he must've just checked after he left my room...
The next day I got released from the hospital and I went home…
"Xia let me at least assist you home" Josh offered
"Thanks, I need a company too"
"If you're still weak then why would you go home?"
"I feel like resting at home, it's ummm… more comfortable there…"
Josh went with me and I saw Brix at the hallway to my unit…
"Xia…"
I put my earphones and volume the music up and walked pass by him…
"Xia" he grabbed my arm
"Ummm dude you shouldn't be doing that" Josh warned
"It's fine Josh" I said
"You haven't been home… Are you okay?"
"Why'd you care? Let go…" I entered my password hurriedly
"Thanks for dropping me off Josh"
"No problem" Then I closed the door
I stayed all day on my unit playing with Snow… But I suddenly got hungry so I came out of my unit to have dinner, well, though it's already late.
"11 pm is still not bad to have a dinner…"
"Ahhhh!! Oppa!! Why'd you drink too much if you can't handle it?!"
I saw Younhui assisting Brix as he was so drunk…
"Oh… Hi Xia… Brix got drunk too much… can you tell me where his unit is?"
"Oh!! J-jagiya…you don't know where my unit is?! That's impossible!! You've been there a lot though?!" the drunk Brix talked…
And the girl whispered something enough for me not to hear what it was…
WHAT?!? Jagiya!!?? That's what we used to call each other and now they're using it?! I really don't trust him at all!!
"Find it your own!" I said
But the two of them wasn't contented of hurting me yet. I saw them kiss when I turned my back to look at Brix one more time…
*ting!
I entered the elevator as soon as it opened and closed it…
I ran on the street crying until I reached our hospital and used the stairs to go to the rooftop…
"Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!"
I screamed on the top of my lungs….
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!"
*cough* *cough* *cough*
And I cried to my heart's content…
I went home though when I stopped crying to get some of my clothes and snow, I decided to stay at my hospital's office for a while, since it had a resting room for me to stay at when I can't go home… I asked for permission to bring my cat, I promised that he won't be coming out from the room, and the director approved...
"Sunbae, Snow's really cute!"
"Well… thank you… can I see the lab result of Mr. Rodriguez's mom?"
"yes, sunbae I'll get it for you…"
"thanks"
"Sunbae!! There's a child that was hit by a car she had her rib dislocated and it punctured lightly on her heart… the emergency's calling for our assistance"
"let's go…"
"Snow you need to stay in this room for a while okay?" I put him down…
I entered the emergency room and it was a mess!!
"Why are there so many patients?"
"The car thought he could avoid the child so he tried to divert and it caused a chain of car accident, the child was swept by the car's back as it tried to turn…"
"This is a disaster, call the orthopedics team! Where's the child?"
"Here doc!"
"Vitals?!"
The intern answered my questions
"Can I see the Ct scan and x-ray??"
"Here doc"
"What's her blood type?"
"AB+ doc…"
"Prepare 3 bags for her"
"We have a problem doc all of our AB positives here were used earlier this morning for 3 operations"
"Then request from the blood bank tell them it's urgent!"
"We already called the Blood Bank they said it'll take 1 hour because of the traffic…"
"But this child needs to be moved to the operating room NOW!!! Wait… Donghyun Call Mr. Rodriguez ASAP!! Tell him to go to my office…"
"Yes Sunbae!"
"Have this child's blood tested again we'll do a compatibility test, bring me a collection kit on my office too… I'll be back!!"
I ran to my office
"Mr. Rodriguez! As far as I remember your blood type is AB+ we're currently in a situation and we are hoping for your help can we do a blood compatibility test? A child's life is at stake."
"It's fine with me…"
"good…"
We performed the test and fortunately they were a match…
"Order the team to move the child to the OR"
"Please assist Mr. Rodriguez to the OR too"
"Let's take care of the blood first please insert the needle first, the Assigned MedTech will do it…"
But the MedTech kept on looking for his vein and kept on missing it…
"We can't afford a delay may I take his blood? I'm an internationally licensed MedTech so I'll take it…"
"Yes Doc"
With one try I found his vein and began the bleeding.
"Wow!! Doc! You're amazing!!"
"hush! Let's focus!
We started the operation as soon as the donation was over.
An hour passed and there are 3 more bags from the Blood Bank that were added from the 500ml of blood that was donated earlier…
"That's a relief…"
3 more hours passed and we successfully finished the operation with the help from the orthopedics department.
"Quite a tough one huh!"
"Oh… Thanks…" as he handed me a warm Choco drink and sat beside me
"Shouldn't you be resting? It's 3 am…"
"I'll rest later… Anyways… Thank you Josh… for helping us" I gave him a hug to show my gratitude.
"Nah… it was nice to save someone's life, now I understand why you wanted to become a doctor… so it was this feeling huh?"
"yeah…"
"Why are you here anyway? Your operation ended 2 hours ago…"
"Well I was just thinking…"
"About?"
"I heard the child I saved today was around the child's age I could've saved the day I got into an accident"
"I see…"
"Like today I could've also saved that child if it only weren't…hmmm… just like today that child could've have been breathing and happy…"
"It wasn't your fault…"
"hmmm…" really?
"You know you should take a rest you sound tired…"
"Yeah I guess so… I'll get going then…"
But instead of going to my office I went to the rooftop I feel more at peace there… I sat and laid on the ground and looked at the stars…
My eyes hurt I guess its morning? Oh? Maybe not? I opened my eyes and saw a hand covering the sunlight for me…
"Why would a surgeon sleep here?"
"Brix?"
I sprung up immediately…
"You didn't come home…"
"I am the master of my life, whether I come home or not it's up to me…"
"So, you're back with your Ex? I saw you earlier at the observatory you gave him a hug… What was that for? Did you and that guy get back together?!"
"Wow!! Just wow!! Are you questioning me now?!! First of all! Between us, who left and got back with his Ex??!!! And between us who went home drunk and used our endearment with his ex?!?! And who!!?? Between us kissed with his Ex in front of me?!?!"
"What?!!"
"Oh! Please!! don't give me that look! Don't act as if you're innocent!!"
"Xia you got the wrong idea…"
"Please!! Enough!!" I covered my ears but he held my hand so I could listen to him…
"I've grown tired of your lies… I've got some work to do so if you'd excuse me!!" I threw his hands and went inside the building."
I went to my office and took a bath and got changed… I did some rounds of my patients… lunch… rounds… dinner… this routine went for 2 weeks except for emergency surgeries and scheduled ones…
"Sunbae!!!"
"Sunbae!!!"
"Oh! Wae?!"
"I don't know how to say this but… Brix's… Younhui… ummm went in to the Gynecology department and found to be a week pregnant…"
It was like a hole that punched into my chest… I-I didn't know what to do…
"Sunbae…"
"Oh?
"Are you okay?"
"Here's the tissue…"
"C-can I u-ummm l-leave for the day??"
"sunbae…"
"I-I ummm ahhh… c-can you take care of Snow while I'm gone D-Donghyun-ah??"
"Yes sunbae…"
I went out immediately and ran out to my unit and got my car keys… I just wanted to get away from all these things!!!
I drove to wherever the GPS took me…
After the 4 hours-drive I found myself in a sea without even anyone around… There I shouted and let it all out, I cried and screamed until I lost my voice… I slumped in the sand while crying…
"Why did the Heavens let me meet you when all you would ever bring is pain?"
"I'm not going to believe anyone anymore!!!"
The wave touched my feet… I stood up and went in to the sea… not thinking clearly, I wanted to drown myself…
"SARANGHAE!!! KEURIGO MIANHAE!!!"
This woke me up from a trance… A guy shouted while crying from a far… far enough that only his voice is what I can hear, far enough that I don't know where is the guy standing from… The water level's already on my neck and there was a huge wave coming which I didn't expect… Good thing I was quite a swimmer and was able to swim back to the shore…
*cough* *cough*
"Aaaaaaaghhhhh!!!" I shouted again out of frustration…
*cough*
*cough*
*cough*
*cough*
I decided to stand before I could think of doing any stupid things again…
I walked around the area to think and to dry myself… when I got dry, I quickly drove, to go back to Seoul before it darkens… 6 pm; well quite tolerable so I still drove…
*beep* *beep* *beep*
"Oh no! No! No!!! The gas!! I ran out of gas…" the car stopped out of nowhere
I looked for my phone but it's nowhere to be found and I realized that I left it at the office…
"My wallet, I'm sure my wallet's here… I----- shoot!! I didn't bring it with me too…"
"Why of all days!!!"
"Well, it is my fault though… well maybe it isn't bad to spend out the night here in the car…"
I securely locked my car and spent the night…
*knock* *knock*
I brought my window down…
"Don't you know how worried I am?!"
"Josh? How'd you know I was here?"
"I didn't… If it weren't for your intern, he tried to locate your car using your phone good thing your phone and your car was synced…"
"You brought my phone?"
"Yeah… and a gallon of gasoline…"
"Well..."
"Don't ask me how I knew you ran out of gas, well, this is how much I know you… can you open the tank?"
"Sure"
"So how did you get here?" I went out of my car to watch him fill the tank…
"By bus, and then I walked here…"
"wow… hahaha! Ummm good thing you didn't get lost…"
"Thanks to your phone's GPS"
"I see… Ummm Josh…"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks…"
"For what?"
"For coming here to save me…"
"It's nothing… okay! We can leave now… but the case is I can't drive for you… got no international license… hahahaha!"
"Oh! Ummm… Its fine I can drive…"
So, we drove back to Seoul we had a conversation on the car and it was nice talking to someone who you knew for a long time… not as lovers but at least as friends…
I parked the car on my apartment's building…
"Do you want to have something to eat upstairs before we go back to the hospital?"
"If you don't mind…well"
"Of course not! I should thank you at least…"
We went up… while walking on the corridor I saw Brix with Younhui…
"Oh hi! Xia" Younhui stopped from walking
"I bet you heard… that I'm pregnant with Brix's child…"
I just ignored them
"Can you at least congratulate us?"
"C-congratulations…" coldly
"Younhui stop…" Brix said
"No… I mean, she should at least know right? Oh! And why don't you move your house?"
"It's not that easy…" I said…
"Why? Do you still want to cling on to your memories here with Brix?"
This time I quite had my temper…
"Ha! Ha! Ha!" I laughed absurdly
"Why are you laughing? Do I sound funny?"
"Well, yes… You know I'm quite tired because I got stranded from a place that I don't know and slept inside my car on the street 'cause it ran out of gasoline, and here you are, telling me to move my house and you think I have energy for me to do that? Why? Would you carry my things for me? Well if you can't at least don't try to make suggestions unless you'll do it for me…" then I smiled teasingly
She pulled the tip of my hair as I was about to walk out on her…
"Ya!! No one dares to walk out from me!!!"
"Well I do!! Let go!!"
"Be careful not to hurt her Xia, she's pregnant!!!"
"I KNOW!!! And I'm not at your girlfriend's level to have a cat fight, I'm a surgeon not an MMA fighter well I do the sport but not as an athlete and I'm EDUCATED… only people with empty minds fight with their fists, but educated people fight with their minds. Now if you'd please just leave quietly!!"
"Xia…"
"Go! Leave with your girlfriend!!!"
"Xia are you okay?" asked Josh who just came in from buying the groceries as I've asked him…
"I'm fine…"
"Why's he here?" Brix asked
"Well! He saved me! Josh let's go inside…"
"Okay…"
As soon as I went inside tears went down my eyes…
"I'll just take a bath upstairs you can stay in the living room"
"Are you okay Xia?"
"I'm not… I'll take a bath…"
"Ok…"
After taking a bath and dressing up for work I smelled something from the kitchen…
"Xia!! Come down I already cooked something come and eat"
Brix's used to call me just like that… I went down the stairs…
"So, you learned how to cook?" I asked
"Basically yes… hahaha!"
We ate and left to the hospital, he went to his mom and I came to have rounds on my patients…
"Code Pink! Code Pink! Calling for Dr. Xia"
"Shoot!" I ran as fast as I could… This is what I'm good at… And this what keeps me alive, being busy to think of something else…
"Where's the child?"
"They're still coming doc"
"What's the situation?"
"It's a month-old infant doc, the baby was crying and his skin turned blue after a while and he lost consciousness"
"How long has the baby lost consciousness?"
"Not a while doc…"
"Ok they're here…"
"Vitals?"
"No heartbeat 30 seconds ago doc… temperature is still viable doc"
I climbed to the stretcher to give CPR to the baby…
"What are you waiting?!? Move!!"
They move the stretcher to the emergency Room, as I try to do CPR to the baby… the baby's body was too small, I was using my thumb to give CPR…
We reached the emergency room and the baby hasn't regained consciousness yet…
I kept doing CPR
"Please live! Your mom's waiting…"
After that I heard the heart monitor beeped! Everyone in the emergency room let out a sigh of relief… and so did I...
"I-I need his X-ray and CT-scan, request for lab test and give it to me ASAP" I said as I catch my breath…
"I'll be at my office… call some people under Cardio-pediatrics after the lab results come out…"
"Yes sunbae" Donghyun responded
I went out from the emergency room…
"Did the baby make it?" I was shocked by the voice that came from nowhere and asked me.
"Yes, he did"
"He was fortunate you were his doctor…" Brix said
I continued to walk but he still follows…
"You did great… are you okay, aren't you tired?"
I stopped walking and so did he…
"Yes!! I'm tired! I'm tired of you!! So, can you please leave me alone?!? Before your girlfriend sees us…"
"Look!! Xia!! I'm not yet sure if it was really my baby…"
"How come you're not sure?!? Is that even a joke!! You know Brix!! Just leave me alone and be a good boyfriend and a father… I have no time to waste…"
I walked out from him and went to my office. After the results of the tests came in, I had a meeting with the Cardio-Pediatrics team and diagnosed the baby with a Congenital Heart Disease and he needs an urgent operation.
After 2 hours the operation was prepared…
"Lee Moonsoo, 1 month old diagnosed of Congenital Heart Disease…" I brief them with the operation flow and started the operation…
Since a baby's body is too fragile and small, extra carefulness is needed which took longer than the estimated time… I looked up to stretch my neck… I saw Brix watching the operation… looks like he's been watching for a while…
We continued and finished the operation after 6 hours…
I went out to the garden still wearing the scrub suit to have some fresh air…
I sat on the bench and closed my eyes while tilting my head as if looking the sky…
I smell a hot choco…
"Josh?"
"No…"
"Oh…"
"Should I get disappointed now? Seems like you hang out with each other a lot…" he sat beside me.
"Brix please… not now I just had a rough day... I don't have the energy to fight…"
I was about to leave but he grabbed my hand…
"Hey don't leave… Fine, I won't talk, I'll just sit here so just stay…"
I sat again but on the other bench as I was so tired… later I laid down on the bench to take a nap…
I could still feel his presence across the next bench…
I eventually fell asleep and I didn't notice the time…
When I woke up, he was still there, I checked my watch it's 11 pm
"Brix, don't you think Younhui's looking for you?" I told him and left immediately…
I checked the baby's condition in the neonate's ICU
"He's doing fine sunbae…"
"Oh… Donghyun-ah…"
"Sunbae, can I ask you something?
"Sure, go ahead…"
"Well, I'm just wondering what if it wasn't Brix's baby Younhui's carrying, what would you do?"
"Well what else can I do? He already made a choice in the first place… And I know it wasn't me he chose… well I guess it has never been me… so…"
"But…"
"Donghyun-ah let's not push it… I'll stay here and watch the baby you can go and rest."
"Aren't you gonna rest sunbae?"
"Guess not… well I wasn't able to sleep soundly these past few days so… I��ll just work it out instead of pushing myself to sleep."
"Ok sunbae but don't strain yourself to much…"
"Yeah…"
Morning came and I watched the baby until then… I went out of the NICU and went to my office to feed Snow and fixed myself. Went out again to the cafeteria to get some coffee…
"I knew you'd come here"
"Josh…"
"Hot choco?"
"Thanks"
"There was quite an action yesterday. I heard you resuscitated a baby?"
"Action? Hmmm…" I let out an absurd sigh
"You seemed down…"
"Nah… maybe I just need a rest, anyway your mother seems to be recovering fast, in a time she'll be able to leave the hospital, but you are aware right? That she still has to continue a few sessions of chemo therapy to completely eliminate the cancer cells."
"Yeah, actually I'm very thankful that I came to you, it was a right decision to come here and have you here…"
I looked at him with a questioned look
"a-ah uhmmm to treat my mom…"
I smiled at him…
"She does really get herself checked here??" he looked on the entrance of the hospital…
And I followed his gaze and there I saw Younhui with Brix on her back…
"She's coming this direction? You guys close?"
"What? You're kidding me… no!"
"She must've seen you… She's coming here… Don't worry I've got your back…"
"Stop the nonsense…"
"Oh! Hi Xia!! Well I don't know which way is the OB department so I'd like to ask, Brix and I are going to have a check-up for OUR B-a-b-y…"
"Well… We have a huge directory right when you enter the hospital, but I guess being pregnant got you blind, so… fine… see that hallway? Go straight and then right, pass the first door and look to the left that's the Ob department… You get it? If you don't, I could bring you there…"
"No… No! Thanks!"
"Well if you'll excuse me, I have A LOT of things to do…"
I walked away from them with Josh…
"Wow!! Nice Shot!"
"Well…"
"Oh, just a second… I have to take this call…"
"Okay…"
Josh took the call and I waited for him on a seat at the hallway…
"Xia, I got to leave…"
"Something came up?"
"Well sort of, you see I just got a project here in Korea…"
"Wow!! That's great what kind of project a building?"
"Well, it's a villa I heard the owner's really rich and famous here… So, he decided to have his house built like a villa"
"I see, go! Before you'll get late…"
He waved at me and I waved back at him…
I was about to go back to my office to rest…
"Code Blue! Code Blue! Calling Dr. Xia please proceed to the ER…"
"Code Blue?!"
I ran to the ER as fast as I could
"Doc… here's her vitals…"
"She just came in?"
"Yes, doc"
"She's pregnant? It's not just the usual heart disease… PPCM…Her lab results show Peripartum cardiomyopathy, this occurs mostly months before giving birth or 5 months after giving birth…" I said while checking her heart beat…
"She's on labor, but it seems like her heart will give up even before she delivers her baby"
"Did the OB department take a look at her?"
"Not yet---"
*beep *beep *beep
"Kindly call my team hurry!!!"
"They're on their way Doc…"
"Tell them to move the patient on the OR ASAP, I'll be calling some people from the OB department…"
"Yes Doc…"
I ran to the OB department, and unfortunately, I saw Brix and Younhui waiting in front of the OB department… I saw Younhui stood up I didn't think she would use her feet to block me… right before I can avoid it… I fell down…
"Ahh!!"
"Awww!!"
"Xia!! Are you okay?"
"Brix let go of her!!!"
"Heard her? Let go…"
I said… I stood up and went inside the OB department…
"Professor Shin! I need your help ASAP please follow me to the OR."
"Team! Hurry!" she commanded
We came to the OR with the OB deparment, my team were also there… I briefed them with her condition and decided to have the baby first via CS and then save the patient afterwards…
"This is really complicated…" said Professor Shin
"Yes! But I believe we can save her. Let's start?"
The Ob team began to perform the CS while we were observing and waiting for them to finish… After 2 hours they've concluded their operation…
"The baby's really pretty!" me and my team was awed by the baby
"Thank you, Professor… Team please prepare…" I said
"Scalpel please…"
"Scalpel"
As I try to place the blade, I felt a pain in my wrist…
"Ahh!"
"Sunbae are you okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine"
I'll try to handle this I have to save the baby's mother…
I already opened the patient's chest and as I work on the operation, the more I feel the pain in my wrist… I rotated it to exercise a bit…
"Sunbae are you sure you're fine?"
"Yes! Yes… Gauze please…"
"Gauze…"
After 4 hours… we've finished the operation…
"Please wrap up… sugohaesseo yeorobeun!!" (You've all worked hard)
I went out of the OR and after washing my hand I went to the garden and sat on a bench…
"Ahh!! Maybe I'll have this checked by the ortho--"
"Ahh!!"
"Sorry…"
"Brix?"
"I can do this myself…"
"No… please let me…" he put an ice bag on my wrist and massaged it…
"You really don't have---"
"Shhhh…"
"Brix you know ---"
"Xia…"