The Words
1010 Words
Days passed, and the hospital returned to its usual rhythm.
Doctors hurried from one ward to another. Nurses attended to their assigned patients, while the hallways remained as busy as ever.
Inside Eun Woo's ward, Kyunmin sat beside the twelve-year-old on his hospital bed.
"Eun Woo," Kyunmin called softly.
"Yes, Doctor?"
"Don't be scared. In a few minutes, you'll be moved to the operating room. I just need you to be the strongest twelve-year-old boy I know."
Eun Woo nodded confidently.
"Yeah, I will."
"You remember I promised to buy you the big blue dinosaur toy?"
Eun Woo's face lit up instantly.
"Yes!"
"I already have it in my office. I just need you to keep your promise too."
"I am a strong boy."
"I have more power than dinosaurs."
"I'll conquer everything!"
Eun Woo demonstrated with his tiny fists, making Kyunmin smile.
"That's my boy."
He gently patted Eun Woo's head.
Eun Woo smiled from ear to ear.
"Yes! I've been waiting for that word."
"What word?" Kyunmin asked.
"'That's my boy.'"
Kyunmin chuckled.
"You've been waiting to hear that? What if I didn't say it?"
"I know you would eventually add it to your words," Eun Woo replied confidently.
Kyunmin smiled warmly before stopping one of the nurses walking past.
"Please call my assigned nurse."
"Yes, Doctor."
A few moments later, the assigned nurse arrived with another male nurse.
After exchanging greetings, Kyunmin instructed them to prepare Eun Woo for surgery.
The nurses carefully transferred him from his bed onto the transport stretcher.
Kyunmin looked at the young boy once more.
"Don't be scared."
Eun Woo smiled.
"I am with you."
"I'm not scared."
The nurses began pushing the stretcher toward the operating room while Kyunmin watched them disappear down the hallway.
He then returned to his office.
After changing into his surgical scrubs, a sudden thought crossed his mind.
Today...
...was Chang Wook's birthday.
His eyes landed on the small refrigerator in his office.
The cake.
The ice cream.
He had bought them days ago.
But now he had surgery scheduled.
How was Chang Wook supposed to receive them?
Without wasting another second, Kyunmin picked up his phone and called Ayan.
Once.
No answer.
Twice.
Still nothing.
Knowing she was probably in a conference meeting, he sighed and decided to send her a message instead.
> Ayan, can you please help me out with something?
>
> I have a surgery to perform, and today is Chang Wook's birthday.
>
> Please come to my office after you're done with work and take the cake and ice cream to him.
>
> Go after your closing time.
>
> And one last thing...
>
> Don't fall for him.
>
> And don't start telling him the stories you've written.
>
> I know you.
>
> Thank you, sister.
>
> Love you.
After sending the message, Kyunmin placed his phone on the desk and headed toward the operating theatre.
Before entering, he sanitized his hands and stood in front of the automatic doors.
They slid open.
One of the assisting nurses helped him put on his sterile gloves.
Inside, Eun Woo had already been given anesthesia to ease the pain and put him to sleep, ensuring the surgery would go smoothly.
Everything was ready.
"The surgery begins now," Kyunmin said calmly.
Then he started operating.
---
Just as Kyunmin had expected...
Ayan was trapped in a long conference meeting.
When it finally ended, everyone returned to their respective offices.
Ayan pushed open her office door and immediately dropped onto the couch.
"As expected..."
"One topic."
"Long hours."
She sighed dramatically.
"I never knew this job would be this stressful."
After resting for a moment, she stood and walked toward her desk.
She checked the time on her phone and frowned.
"Brother called?"
She tried calling him back but noticed he had already sent her a text.
"When did he start sending texts?" she murmured, opening the message as she sat down.
After reading it, she laughed softly.
"This angel must really be precious to Brother."
"For Kyunmin to send me a text because of someone..."
She shook her head.
"And telling me not to tell him my stories."
"I would if he listened."
She pouted.
"Nobody even reads my stories anyway."
Rolling her eyes, she smiled.
"And I already told him."
"I'm not falling."
"I just love his features."
Her eyes drifted back to the time.
"Oh no..."
"It's already past closing."
She quickly packed her bag before leaving her office and heading toward Kyunmin's office.
She took the birthday cake and ice cream from the refrigerator before locking the office and stepping outside.
Standing near the nurses' reception desk was Miah, casually resting one arm against the counter.
The two women exchanged polite bows.
Neither said a word.
Ayan simply continued walking toward the elevator leading to the VVIP ward.
After Ayan left, Miah's eyes followed her until the elevator doors closed.
One of the nurses smiled.
"Those two have always been like cat and rat."
"Miss Ayan has always been the one stressing Dr. Kyunmin."
She laughed.
"Even when Dr. Kyunmin isn't in his office, somehow she's already stressing him."
The second nurse laughed as well.
"Even we nurses are used to her dramatic personality."
Miah smiled faintly.
"They've always been like that."
She looked toward the elevator before quietly adding,
"Their bond... can't be replaced."
Without waiting for a reply, she walked away.
The two nurses stared at each other.
"'Their bond can't be replaced...'"
"That sounded deep."
The other nurse frowned, trying to understand what Miah meant.
"Or..."
She slowly looked up.
"Could it be..."
The two nurses looked at each other at the same time.
Then, in almost a whisper, they spoke together.
"Miss Ayan caused Dr. Kyunmin and Dr. Miah's divorce."
"Dr. Miah couldn't take it anymore and filed for divorce."
One of the nurses lightly slapped the table.
"Yeah..."
"That has to be it."
The other nodded immediately.
Neither of them realized...
A rumor had just been born.
- Writer
