Chapter 17
Things were falling back again in to place… I do see Brix often when he comes with Younhui for check-ups it still hurts to see them together but I've got to learn to let go…
Just like today his eyes and mine met again when he entered the entrance and as I took a walk to the ER…
"Sunbae your cup of coffee…" Donghyun handed me a cup of coffee…
"Gomawo" (thank you)
"Ahhh… Sunbae you didn't forget right? Mrs. Rodirguez will be released today"
"I do remember…"
"Speaking of… Ah sunbae I'll go ahead…"
"Okay…"
"Xia!!"
"Josh!! You came to see your mother?"
"Yeah… Well I was going to pay for the bills and take her home today…"
"So, you got a home here?"
"Well sort of, it's actually just a unit like yours, just temporarily until I finish constructing the villa…"
"I see…"
"Well, umm can you come with us for dinner later, we'll be with my mom anyway…"
"Oh, sure! If nothing came up here in the hospital, why not??"
"Great! Umm… pick you up later??"
"Pick me up? We're just gonna walk anyway, you don't have a license…"
"Ah no! wait…" he scribbled something from his wallet
"Got my International Driver's license just today!!" he waved at me…
"Ooooh!!! Hahaha!! So, you got yourself a car too??"
"Yes!"
"Fine… hahaha!!"
"Well, Xia I've got to deal with the bills first… see you later?"
"Yeah sure"
Well we're not dating, but we became close as friends again… I'm really not ready for a relationship after Brix…
Afternoon came and I cleared out my schedule, I decided to go home with Snow... Yes! I'm going to go sleep, take a bath, and eat here regularly again…
I remembered I have somewhere to go to today…
My phone rang…
"Josh!"
"Xia I'm on the lobby of your building…"
"Really? Okay I'm coming out…"
"Okay…"
I hurriedly went down
"Xia…here!" I found him sitting on the lounge
"You look pretty"
"Ummm this is how I usually dress Josh"
"Well, is it because I always saw you with a doctor's coat? Hahaha!!"
"Errrrr!!"
"Hahaha!! Don't make that face… Let's go now Xia?"
"Sure…"
"Okay I'll go pick up the car, wait for me in front…"
"Okay…"
After a moment…
"Xia!"
As soon as I went out, I saw Brix entering the building… Our eyes met… I entered the car but I still looked at him and so did he… Even when our car was leaving I saw him from the rearview still looking towards us…
"I can't really take your mind off from him, can I?"
"Oh??"
"It's obvious Xia…I can see you really love him…"
"Josh… let's not talk over that… let's not spoil the night…"
"Right… Okay! HA! HA! Ummm… let's just talk about something else…"
"Do you have any plans to go back in the Philppines??"
"Well, I've already established my career here, well I will still pay visits there to my family…"
We talked random things until we reached his house…
"Xia!!"
"Hello tita…"
"Come in!" She gave me a hug
"Wow!! You've got a nice view of Seoul here!!" I said as I enter the unit and saw a beautiful night view of Seoul from the 15th floor
"I knew you'd love the view, pretty nice huh?!" Josh asked
"Yeah, pretty nice!!"
"Come dear" Tita let me sat on the table
"Tita you know you shouldn't be straining yourself too much right? Josh! you shouldn't let tita work!"
"I'm not!! She just won't listen when I say so…"
"Tita…."
"I'd really would love to have a daughter that's so caring…"
"Ahhh… hmmm…" that made me quite uncomfortable…
The dinner went well and Josh decided to drop me off my unit…
"Thanks for tonight Xia! My mom said you should come and visit often"
"Well, tell her, I'll make time…"
��Okay, Goodnight…" he said as he says goodbye from his car's window
"Goodnight" I waved…
I went up to my unit and saw a familiar figure waiting outside my unit asleep sitting on the ground…
"Brix?!"
"Ah… Xia…"
"What are you doing on the ground???"
"Ummm I waited for you to come home… Well umm… yeah… go inside…" he said
"Oh…"
I didn't mind him and just went inside…
The next morning, I went early to the hospital to do some rounds with my team and my interns…
"Calling Dr. Xia to please proceed to the director's office…"
"Ommo! Sunbae! You'll get scolded by the director…"
"You want to go instead Minki?" I said teasing him…
"Ani! Sunbae kaseyo…" (No! senior go ahead…)
"hahaha!! I'll be back guys…"
I head out and went up to the director's office…
"Director?"
"Yes Xia, come in!"
"You called out for me director?"
"Well yes, I got a call from the KIA company's President he's asking for our assessment regarding this"
The director laid out a brown envelope…
I opened it and saw some lab results and medical history of a patient…
"You see, he's an important patient he's the son of the major sponsor of this hospital, his son will be arriving at the hospital today…"
"If he's arriving today, we can study his situation well…"
"Study? He needs a quick operation Xia…"
"I'm sorry director but I'm not confident with the diagnosis here, there's more to his condition and we need to know that first in order to really save the patient, I need to discuss this with my team and the General surgery department…"
Suddenly the director's phone rang…
"Hello? What?!? We'll be right outside…"
"Xia, he had difficulty in breathing while coming here… Let's head out…"
"Yes director…"
We went outside and waited for the patient…
"Vitals?" I asked…
"100/60, oxygen saturation level 85%"
"Minki! Donghyun!! Get an ABG test and tell the cardio department to check on the echo"
(ABG- Arterial Blood Gas Test)
"Yes sunbae!"
"Bona, call a perfusionist… If his condition isn't well… we'll have to push through with surgery…"
"Yes sunbae"
After the results came in…
"The cardiac output is around 30, but strangely, around the LAD the extensor muscle is not moving as well, let's administer dopamine and diuretic first and let's see the progress…"
"Noted sunbae…"
"Team please gather at the office…"
"Call the Chief surgeon of the General surgery department, we'll have a meeting…" I told Donghyun
As we all gathered in our office, I have to brief and consult the chief of the General surgery department…
"Patient's name; Kim Yunho, 28 years old, Male, came in to our hospital due to severe aortic regurgitation… Well, pulmonary edema got a little better and passed the critical stage, but cardiac insufficiency is still very severe"
"Sunbae… here's the endocardiograph…"
"Over here is the aortic valve usually in a normal valve, the blood does not flow backwards, but in his case the blood is being regurgitated towards the heart, it's because the aortic valves functions are impaired…"
"The regurgitation at the aortic valve seems serious…" said Professor Junho the chief of the general surgery…
"I do agree"
"Dr. Xia I think we need to have him do a sonogram and cardiac CT"
"Yes, I already requested for that so as CAG, I'm also waiting for his medical records from the other hospital… We need to study his case so we can do the correct surgery for him…" I said…
"I agree…"
"Let's conclude this meeting for now…"
We ended the meeting and I asked my interns to watch the patient while I go to the library of the hospital…
I borrowed some books and went to the café in front of our hospital… Yes, where Brix and I used to have breakfast well I can't avoid this place forever right??? Hours passed…
"Xia?"
I didn't notice I fell asleep while reading the books…
"Brix…"
"Can I sit here for a while? The café's full and I'm waiting for my order…"
"Fine…"
I cleared a little space on the table for him
"Working late??"
"Yeah…"
"You became a student again?"
"No, we've got a special case patient…"
"Special case?"
"Well I don't trust the diagnosis made by the hospital which he came in before us, it doesn't make sense so I would like to give the patient a correct diagnosis first so we can do the appropriate treatment for him…"
I shall admit it to myself I miss having a conversation like this with him…
"You're indeed a good doctor…"
"Hmmm… just doing my job…"
I started to read again the books I had on the desk and wrote some notes… I can feel Brix's looking at me which makes me a little uncomfortable…
"Ahhh Brix can you stop staring, it's quite uncomfortable…"
"Oh I'm sorry I just miss staring at you like this"
I stared at him… I also missed these things… I miss you… If only we can turn back time Brix… I would… I said in mind…
*Phone vibrates*
An Email came in…
Patient: Kim Yun Ho
Age: 28 y.o
Gender: Male
(What caught me the most was…)
The Patient has exhibited canker sores 4 times a year and had a dermatological treatment he also suffered from severe uveitis>
At that moment my phone rang again…
"Ne?" (yes?) I answered the call
"Sunbae the results came in"
"Send them to me"
"Yes sunbae"
I hung up the phone
Not even a minute I received all the results, as I study the results something in my mind came in, I dialed Minki's number right away…
"Okay, call the team and the GenSurg. Tell them to come to the AVR right away…"
Since he's a VVIP patient the hospital is really tensed and pressured to save him… I called the director immediately and informed her that I finally found his real condition...
I left hurriedly and ran to the hospital…
In the AVR at 9:00 pm the GenSurg. and my team gathered…
"Good evening everyone! Let me do a briefing about Mr. Kim's condition, first, His sonogram shows the root of the aorta has gotten wider, The Cardiac CT shows extension of the root of the aorta as well as the ascending aorta, well I think this is because of the aortic regurgitation. The diameter of this patient's aortic root is 5 cm. and thrombus are also found on the CT"
"Even if the root is a bit extended it's not fitting in the diagnostic criteria for Marfan's syndrome, since there's no family history either and he doesn't have any medical record of syphilis, so I think he needs AVR" (Aortic Valve replacement) said professor Junho…
"Well, there's more to it sir… I dug into his old medical records, he had a canker sores 4 times a year and a severe uveitis, I'm thinking of Behcet's disease. I'm aware that it's not yet a diagnostic-criteria for Behcet's so please take a look at this…"
I pointed on a picture on the projector
"He has aphthous stomatitis, the inflammation looks severe, another thing is… In the echocardiography image, I can see a mass in the left atrium, looks like a thrombus. If among the signs accompanied by the aphthous stomatitis, there are erythema nodosum on the skin and uveitis it's possible that he does have Behcet's disease, even without manifesting genital ulcers. We'll be having LIMA, also there is LAD stenosis we will also be implementing Coronary Artery Bypass Graft surgery"
(LIMA-Left Internal Mammary artery)
"I do agree" the chief agreed with me
"Sunbae!! Wait!! The new CAG result came in…"
"Please put it on…"
Everyone in the room observed the CAG result…
"haaaaaa." I let out a deep sigh…
"This has become more complicated" the chief of the GenSurg said
"I agree, the subclavian artery got narrower, instead of the LIMA, we have to use the Vein graft"
(Vein Graft- Vein collected to transplant in to the coronary arteries)
"But isn't it a bit complicated to do?" an assistant surgeon from the GenSurg asked
"Yes, it is but we need to trust the surgeons around, we'll have to perform the surgery on the leg and open up the chest and do CABG right after… Please prepare the patient and prepare yourselves for a long operation tonight, we'll do it at exactly 10:30 pm dismiss!"
Everyone on the AVR went out to prepare for the surgery…
"Xia!!"
"Josh!! It's late, what are you doing here?"
"Well you didn't answer my call I just got worried…" He's walking with me to my office as we have our conversation.
"I was very busy the whole day, I'm sorry…"
"It's fine… Ummm… I bought this thought you might need it…"
"Oh, just right in time! energy drinks…"
"So… Something up? So many people went out of that room…"
"Well we have a VVIP and we're teaming up with the GenSurg to operate on him…"
"I see, and that operation is tonight?"
"Yes, 10:30 pm… you've got an hour left…"
"Yes…"
"So, no sleeping for you all tonight?"
"Accurate…"
"Tough battle huh?!"
"Very!"
"Umm Josh I need to prepare so…"
"Ahh... Yeah! Yeah! Of course… I'll get going now…"
"Okay, bye, oh and thanks for this…"
"Sure, no problem…"
I went to my office and changed into a scrub suit and went to the OR…
HIS POV
I walked out to get some coffee and I thought of going to the café Xia and I used to hangout…
"Oh?"
I went inside and ordered something… The café's full there's no place to sit…
"Xia?"
"Brix…"
"Can I sit here for a while? The café's full and I'm waiting for my order…" I said, It's actually a good excuse to be with her
"Fine…"
She cleared out some space on the table…
I tried to talk to her, but she seems very busy so I stopped asking her questions, she began reading and writing notes just like a student. I found it very cute…
I stared at her, how come she's this beautiful? Hurting this girl was the biggest regret of my life… She deserves more…
"Ahhh Brix can you stop staring, it's quite uncomfortable…" Oh she noticed…
"Oh, I'm sorry I just miss staring at you like this" I blurted it out from nowhere…
She stared at me and so did I… I really wanted to turn back time, those times when we were happy hanging out here, talking nonsense for hours, and laughing…
Our moment was broken when an Email seems to have come in, she looked busy again and then a call got her going… She even forgot to say goodbye…
I was going to leave the café when I saw she left a book…
I tried to catch onto her to give the book but I guess she went on a meeting immediately… I waited on the porch near the room where they had I meeting…
After 30 minutes it ended… I was supposed to come and talk to her but when I peeked from the wall it hurt me when I saw her smiling while talking with her Ex… They're heading my way, but I couldn't face her, I hid myself on the wall and saw her happily walking with him…
The guy left… but still I couldn't face her… That's why I went to the observatory room to watch her surgery… I'm glad the doctors didn't mind me being there watching with them I had the director on my side since she's a family friend.
"Brix, you really love that smart young surgeon over there huh?"
"I do…"
"Then what's keeping you? Is it because you had a baby with another girl?"
"She said she doesn't want the baby to grow up with a broken family… She said I should be a good father…"
"She indeed has a good heart…Let's watch the operation?"
"Ah… yes…"
"I hope this will be a success, this will be a very difficult operation… the last time we did this operation was 5 years ago… It'll be very difficult for Xia…"
With that… I got nervous for her…
HER POV
The anesthesia was administered
"Doc we can start" said the GeSurg team's anesthesiologist
"Okay, Kim Yunho, 28 years old, the patient has an aortic regurgitation and a deformity in the coronary arteries. The operation will be Bental's operation with CABG after professor and I removed the aortic valve, well replace the aortic valves, aortic proximal. We will perform Coronary Artery Bypass graft"
"I will perform a vein harvest at the left leg and work my way up towards the heart" said the chief…
"Is that correct everyone?" I asked to clear out
"Yes Doc!"
"Let's start"
I begin with the incision in the chest and Prof. Junho took on the left leg
"ACC please" (ACC- Aortic Cross Clamp)
After a while…
"The vein has been harvested" said professor
"Please inject the Cardioplegia, gauze!"
"Inserting"
"Doc! The cardioplegia is not injecting! The pressure is too high"
"Let's increase the speed of the pump"
"The pressure is still high"
"Can I get a direct infusion?" I asked
"Blade"
"What if the cardioplegia won't get injected?" an intern from the other team asked
"If the cardioplegia is not well dispersed throughout the body it'll be bad for the heart…" one of my interns answered
"The heart might stop after the surgery because the heart can't be sealed" I added
"Oh?! What shall we do then?" the intern exclaimed
"Let's not panic" I said
I stopped for a while…
"Ah!! The vein!!" I said
"We can use the vein removed for vein harvest!" the professor agreed with me
"Let's inject the cardioplegia by connecting the vein from the leg to the dorsal side" he added
"Since the opening is narrower due to coronary artery stenosis that will be sufficient" I said…
"While I connect this please prepare a cold gauze" I said to my scrub nurse
"Yes doc…"
"Blade"
"metzenbaum"
"IV line please"
We connected the vein on the dorsal side
"Cardioplegia agent again please"
"How's the pressure of the cardioplegia agent?"
"It's going in doc!!"
"Haaaa…" I let out a sigh
"Shall we restart the heart now?" Prof. Junho said
"Ne! I will unfasten the ACC"
After unfastening the ACC, we waited for the heart to beat again
"Beat!" I whispered
"Beat…"
No response yet
"Please beat!"
"The heart is beating again" Bora my first assistant said
"Let's remove the pump" Prof. Junho said
"Wait…" I said
"The patient's tissue isn't looking good, there is a bleeding at the connection point of the aorta, I think we need to put another suture here."
"I can't really see because it's on the dorsal side, it might rupture while stitching because the tissues are in a bad shape. Let's put pressure on it first" Prof said.
"Gauze please" he continued
"He's continuing to hemorrhage…" my intern said
"No matter how much volume I put in the heart, it won't inflate to its maximum… Is that all blood that's filling?" the anesthesiologist said
"Please press here… Increase the pump please" Prof. said
"Increase the pump to 2000!" the anesthesiologist commanded to her assistant
"As it is, we should use the ACC again, we should stop the heart again…"
"That's too dangerous…" I said
"If you hold the heart up from that side, I think I can see the origin of the building. Then I'll try to suture it up…" I added
"No! That's way too dangerous. Prepare the surgical glue!" the prof commanded
"He's continuing to bleed! I think we should do as I suggested…"
"You know that the heart can stop if anything goes wrong right?" he asked me
"Yes, I'm very well aware"
"It's up to you…"
"Okay" I said
"Dr. please increase the volume on my order" he told his anesthesiologist
"Prepare ACC for we might have to hold onto the aorta" I commanded to my first assistant
"Gauze"
"On 3 I'm going to lift it up" prof said
"Okay…"
"1, 2, 3!!"
"Can you see it" he asked
"Not yet please lift the heart a little more…"
"I see it!!! Suture"
I sutured the area…
"Cut!"
Then professor stopped lifting the heart
"How is it now?" I asked while catching my breath
"The heart is beating strongly now…"
"Oh, thank goodness!!" I said
We sutured and finished the operation after so much hardships…
HIS POV
The operations starting and the doctors with me watching is so tensed so as the director and same goes for me…
We can hear Xia do a briefing since the observatory have monitors and a communication system to the actual operating room…
��Can we watch with you director?"
"Of course, take a sit"
"Aunt! Who are they?" I became curious
"If Xia wasn't around, they would've taken this operation they're from cardiologic surgery department, but since their team hasn't done this Xia has to do it, anyway she has a broader spectrum than them she's a thoracic surgeon it involves everything concerned on the chest…"
"I see…What's happening?? seems like they're tensed…"
"They're having a hard time inserting the cardioplegia if this won't be inserted the heart might stop after surgery…"
"She has to succeed then…"
"This is impossible the body's already rejecting the cardioplegia agent" a doctor said who entered earlier…
I saw the operation stopped… I became more nervous…
"Ah!! The vein!!" I heard her say
"What's with the vein?" I asked the director
"Well, through the harvested vein they can infuse the cardioplegia agent… It was a very intelligent move… even I couldn't think of that, she's indeed very exceptional…" the doctor said
"He's right" the director added
Wow! It makes me really proud of her…
The operation went well until another obstacle came up…
"What's happening now?"
"There is too much bleeding at the connection point of the aorta, they need to fix that quickly"
"Oh! Oh! The heart tissue could be teared if they lift it up more!!!" said the director
I got nervous again… But after a while she managed to fix the problem and concluded the operation…
I went out of the observatory to buy some food, I'm worried that she might be hungry after all that…
I went back to the hospital and looked for her then I remembered that she stays at the garden after he finishes an operation
HER POV
"Ahhh! Na pigeunhae!" (I'm tired) I said as I sat on the bench
"Xia…"
"What are you doing here?"
"Well you left this on the café earlier, I'm here to return it to you…"
"Its 4 am you waited until I finished my operation?!?"
"Well yeah… I actually watched it, together with the director…"
"I see"
"You're indeed good at fixing broken hearts… but it almost gave me a heart attack watching you do the operation…"
He laughed slightly
"Ahh... I bought this thinking you might be hungry…"
"Thanks…" I said…
I was thinking, instead of always avoiding him, we could still be friends, right? That way healing could be much easier, as the saying goes the one who hurt you could be the only person who can heal you.
"You don't have to wait for me to finish this… you could go home"
"Well… If that's what you want… I'll go ahead"
I nodded…
Actually, I wanted him to stay longer… I just can't tell him… who am I to tell him?
Morning came and I went early with my team to the ICU where the VVIP was recovering and checked his vitals…
"Have you guys monitored his vitals after the surgery?" I asked while I take a look at the vitals…
'Yes, we have sunbae"
It's time to teach my interns something…
"Well, so what's your evaluation? Answer me one by one"
And they did as I commanded them, they answered one by one and I corrected some of their mistakes…
We walked out from the ICU and I continued on evaluating my interns.
"There was an intern who asked for the cons. Of having the possibility of the cardioplegia not inserted last night, who answered that?"
"It was me sunbae…" Donghyun claimed
"Oh, besides of it being bad for the heart what could be another complication that might occur again?"
"The heart might stop after the surgery"
"Good…"
"Woah! Seems like you guys are having difficult time because of Xia, can I steal her for a while?"
"Sure sir" an intern of mine said
"Guys…"
"Ooops sorry sunbae…"
"I'll still be asking questions later on the office, you guys can go ahead…"
My interns and the other residents under my team left…
"Josh! Aren't you too early?" I said
"Well, I've got you some breakfast…"
"Oh great! Thanks!"
"Ummm I'm here to ask you something…"
"Sure, go ahead…"
"Do you have time tonight? We'll just be really quick… Just a dinner outside…"
"That'll be fine…"
"Okay… so I'll pick you up at 7 tonight?"
"Sure!" I said…
"I got to go for now, I need to be at the site… See you later…"
"Yeah… bye…" He left right away
"So, you're going out with him tonight?"
"Ah! You startled me…"
"Is it a date?"
"Well---"
"I guess there's nothing wrong if she'll go out with him Brix…" Younhui appeared out of nowhere
"Besides she's single…"
"Ummm I need to go…"
"Okay, Bye Xia!" Younhui said…
Yes, I'm trying to avoid things so it won't get complicated…
I went back to my office and as promised I kept asking questions to my interns…
"Ah! Sunbae… Your questions are getting complicated!!"
"Well you guys need to learn the hardest way, so things will get easier…"
I said
"Oh wait… Let me take this call…" I said when my phone suddenly rang…
"Yes director?"
"Xia, as the attending physician you have to attend to a press conference of the KIA company regarding their Heir's condition…"
"When would that be director?"
"That'll be this afternoon"
"What?! Ummm… But it's too soon…"
"You can do it Xia you're smart…"
"Well… you've left me no choice…. Ha! Ha! Ha!" I laughed absurdly
Later in the afternoon I went to KIA's Company building…
"Doctor Xia we'll be starting, please come outside"
"Ah… O-okay…"
I went out and there are a lot of camera… Is this really how Heirs get attention from the public? Wow! Just wow!
"Good afternoon everyone I am Dr. Xia Alizondo from SS medical center I am here to give an official statement regarding KIA's heir Mr. Kim Yunho… Yesterday morning Mr. Kim was brought to our hospital due to aortic regurgitation he had 100/60 and an oxygen saturation level of 85%. His cardiac output is around 30, but strangely, around the LAD the extensor muscle is not moving as well… With further testing we found that the patient was suffering from Behcet's disease… The type of operation conducted was Bental's operation with CABG or the Coronary Artery Bypass graft… The patient's been recovering well, and there's no need to worry about his condition. That's all…"
Whew!!! That went smoothly…
I went back to the hospital then I remembered Josh will pick me up at 7… I looked on my watch…
"Oh shoot!!!"
"Something wrong sunbae?"
"Bona asked"
"Well I'll be going out with Josh at 7 pm and I haven't fixed myself yet"
"Your make up's already good but your outfit doesn't look like you're going on a date���"
"Well technically it's not a date just a dinner… so maybe this would be just fine…"
"No!! You need to wear a dress at least!!!"
"Well I don't have any…"
"Oh, I have some in my locker, it might fit you…"
She went to her locker and took out a dress and told me to try it on…
"Isn't this dress too short?"
"Come on!! Sunbae dresses are supposed to be like that!! Come out already"
Well it's a black fitting dress which showed my curves but it's still conservative though because of its long fitting sleeves up to my wrists it's around 4 inches above the knee…
"Fine…"
I went out and…
*Knock *Knock
"Xia? Wow! I mean *Clears throat* you look very pretty…"
"Well, thanks…"
"Shall we leave now?"
"Yeah sure…"
We left for dinner and went to a five-star hotel just around Seoul… We ordered and waited for our food, we talked until we arrived into a certain topic…
"Ummm… Xia…"
"Yes?"
"Can you give me another chance?"
"What chance?"
"I mean to prove to you that I want you back into my life, I love you…"
"Josh you already know right that I'm not over with Brix yet?"
"Yes, but all I'm asking is a chance… I want to openly court you… Give you flowers, have meals with you, and I want to protect you… Let me help you forget about him…"
"Let's settle this… Fine do whatever you like but I can't promise you anything…"
"It's fine, because all I'm asking is for a chance…"
We continued to have our dinner, talked for a while and then he dropped me off on my unit…
"Goodnight Xia…"
"Goodnight… And… Ummm take care on your way home…" I said
"Thanks…" He smiled as if he won a lottery
I waited there to see him off and turned around…
"Ahh!!"
I hit on something… I looked up and I guess it was "Someone" and not something…
"I'm sorry…" he held my arm
"I'm fine…" I said as I shrug off his grip
"So, it was really a date?"
I looked at him and walked away but he followed
"Xia… If you're doing this to get back to what I did to you--"
"Ah… Brix! My world doesn't evolve only around you, Fine! It was a date, something wrong with that?!" I pressed the button to bring down the elevator…
"Are you planning to get back with him?"
"That's none of your business"
"Yes, it is!!!"
"Brix!!! Let me have a life!!! Don't be so unfair!!! You're not the only one who deserves to be happy!! I do too!!! So, stop butting in!!!"
"I am not!!!"
"Then why are you doing this to me?!?!"
"Because I don't want to let you go!!! You get it?!? I don't want to let you go!!!" he held my shoulders…
"Brix let me go…" I said calmly but still he won't let me go…
"I said let me go!!!" I shrugged him off and I was just so glad that the elevator came, I went inside and closed the door…
I went inside my unit immediately…
I'm off to work early today… I opened my door to head out…
"Xia!! I brought some breakfast made by my mother!!!"
It's 7 am but Josh's already here…
"Really!? Wow!! Let's go inside…" I said
"Let me prepare this… Have a sit first"
I took out some plates and spoons, and prepared the food he brought…
"Let's eat?"
"Isn't it great to eat a home cooked food again Xia??" he asked while we continue to eat…
Then I remembered something… Brix used to cook for me and have a meal together… I missed those times…
"Ahhh… Xia??"
"Oh? Hmmm??"
"Did you not get enough sleep last night? You seemed to be spacing out…"
"Ummmm… Sorry I was just thinking of something…"
"Work?"
"Ah… Yeah! Yeah! Let's eat…"
We finished everything and then went out…
"Don't work yourself to much you kept on losing weight… Let me take your bag… I'll walk you off to work…"
"Thanks…"
He took my bag and held it for me, the moment I looked in front I saw Brix just came out from the elevator he looked like he came outside to jog…
I avoided his gaze because I remembered what happened last night…
"Xia, let's go?" Josh put his hands around my shoulder to lead me to the elevator…
I could feel that Brix's staring at us that's why I kept looking on the floor…
Josh walked with me to the hospital…
"Have a nice day Xia… don't work yourself too much…"
"Yeah…you too have a nice day…"
He waved at me and smiled back at him…
"Sunbae… The director's looking for you earlier…" Donghyun said
"You know the reason why?"
"No, I don't…"
"Okay, I'll go to her…"
I went up to the director's office
"Xia! I've been waiting for you…sit!"
"Ummm director is there something wrong?"
"No… no… Xia I've received a call from several stations they want you as a health councilor panel on their shows together with different specialized doctors… So, I'm thinking to send you out to be as a representative of our hospital as well…"
"But why would it be me?"
"Well you see… Operating KIA's heir was really something big… besides you've appeared as health representative of, well, if you don't mind Brix and just recently Mr. Yunho…"
"But director…"
"Okay, okay, I'll tell them that you'll only be coming out for a month…"
"A month?"
"Xia… they actually want to have you for the whole season of their show… So, we're settled?!"
"Do I have more choices?"
"I'm afraid none my dear…" she laughed…
"You'll be just fine"
"Director how about my work here?"
"You'll only be going once a week anyway, and you'll be starting tomorrow…"
"Okay…" I said lifelessly… It's just that I'm worried I'm not a 'celeb type' person…
I went back to my office and they kept on asking about why the director called me out to her office and I told them the truth…
"Sunbae!! Can you greet me when you're on TV?"
"Sunbae!! Me too!!"
"Guys… Guys!!!" Bona calmed the interns…
"Ahyuuu!! That's a lot of pressure you guys are putting on our chief…"
"Ahhhhh…" they expressed their disappointment…
"Hahaha!" I laughed at their expressions… I stood up and went out to have rounds for my patients…
"Annyeonghaseyo…" (hello)
I said as I greeted the KIA's heir…
"Mr. Kim Yunho?" I said to check his name, while I hover on his records near his bed…
"Nah… Just call me Yunho…"
"How could I possibly do that you're a VVIP… I'll get scolded by the bosses…" I said and smiled while still looking at his records…
"Don't mind them…You were the one who saved my life?"
"Well, more like… I just operated on you…"
"Hmmm…" he smirked
"Hmmmm" I took a deep breath…
"So how are you feeling today?"
"Fine, but my wound's still hurting a bit…"
"That would be normal since it hasn't been 3 days yet since you got operated… May I check your pulse?"
"Sure…" he said as he voluntarily reached out his wrist…
"86 beats per minute… I'll check your temperature and your blood pressure…"
"36.8 degrees Celsius, 120/90… You're doing well sir…"
"I told you to just call me Yunho, don't be stubborn, you're just my age, right? Drop the formalities and I'll drop mine too… Let's be friends…"
"Okay… I get it…" I smiled…
"You're actually my type…" oh my God is he trying to hit on me?!?!
"Eh?"
"But I can't… because you're my cousin's Ex-girlfriend..."
"Who? Me?"
"Yes… you… KIM…"
He's kinda giving me a hint…
"Huh?"
"Oh, speaking of…"
Someone entered his room which made me shocked I guess the same goes for him…
"What are you doing here?" I blurted out
"I was here to pay a visit---"
"Oh!! Hyung!! Yeah! meet my attending physician Dr. Xia Alizondo, Yes Xia! He's my cousin Brix Kim"
"You were cousins?" I asked Yunho…
"And how did you know that he was my Ex?" I added
"Well, it's because my cousin's famous and we're very close…" he smirked again… ugh!! Annoying so he knew all along? These guys are such players!
"Why didn't you tell me he's your cousin?" I looked at Brix, so that's why he was also watching the operation, not just because he wants to give me back the book.
"Anyway… I have to leave now I have some other patients to attend to… If you need something please call for the nurse's station by pushing this button here…" I pointed the 'call' button on his head board.
"Okay… Thanks!"
I bowed and went out... Well, yeah! I was quite annoyed back there because he knew it all along… And that's why he made me drop my honorifics…
Evening came and there was nothing much to do that's why I went home early… I slept to get ready for tomorrow…
"Oh? My phone… it's ringing Ahhh… it's too early"
"Hello??" I answered
"Xia…" ommo!! Her voice sounded familiar I looked at my phone to check who's calling...
"Director?! Oh! Goodmorning…"
"Mind if you open your door?? I'm right in front of your unit?"
"Ye?!?" (what?)
I ran immediately downstairs to open the door…
"Ommo!! Director!!"
"Did you just wake up?"
"Ne…" (yes)
"You're pretty but they'll make you prettier…"
And a group of girls with makeup kits and clothes barged into my house…
"They'll be taking care of you every time you go for the program…"
"Eh?"
"You're our representative you should be really pretty!"
"Ahh… ne…"
"Doc? Can you please sit here? we'll do your hair and makeup…"
"O-okay…"
They did my makeup and hair and also coordinated my clothes…
"We're ready to go!"
"Xia… let's go…" The director commanded…
"Yes…"
We went to a broadcasting company and a director briefed me about what's going to happen he told me that this will be a live broadcast and that I should not be too nervous and cautious with the camera…
"There'll be a free talk later on the show the MCs will be throwing out questions freely, don't worry and just answer confidently…"
"Yes… thank you…"
I waited for the show to start…
"We'll be starting in 5 minutes!!"
"hooooooo…" I released my nervousness by breathing in and out…
The show started!! Oh My gosh!! I'm so nervous…
"Relax" I whispered
"Ne! Annyeonghaseyo! I'm Xia Alizondo from SS medical Center's thoracic surgery department…"
The show went on by discussing few medical conditions and asking experts about treatment and the possible complications if it wasn't treated, well it wasn't bad for a first timer like me…
The director of the show wrote something on a sketch pad
>Please start the 10 minutes free talk before the ending<
"Now!! It's time for our free talk!!" the first MC said
"Well, I have a question that I really want to ask among our experts today… Well It's not related to our discussion earlier, but Dr. Xia?"
"Oh? Yes?"
"You were the one who operated on KIA's heir right?"
"Yes, I was…"
"You were also the one who operated on Brix and his mother?"
"Yes…"
"You were involved with Brix's family a lot… And I heard you were his fan… You had a relationship with Brix, right? Weren't those incidents a written fate that you belong to each other? Well I could ask this right since everyone knows and his fans supported you guys…"
I really don't know what to say I became quiet as I was taken aback by the question… The director wrote on the sketch pad…
>Tell them anything that's on your heart…<
I was actually touched by that…
"Well… we had a relationship, but it has been complicated for us these past few months…"
"So, does that mean you're back from being single now?"
"Technically yes…"
"Oh!! Technically!! For guys out there this pretty and smart doctor is very available!! Hahahah!! Anyway, thank you for answering…"
Whew!! I don't know if what I said was the right thing though…
The show ended and the MCs and other medical experts greeted and thanked each other for a good show…