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Join the ServerDecember 15th, 6:20 AM.
Jeong Eun-gyu left Ahn Dae-young’s house early, his breath scattering in the cold. He had come down to the underground parking lot, but he couldn’t remember where that bastard Ahn Dae-young had parked his car. He had to circle around once.
“3524, 3524…”
Muttering the number, Jeong Eun-gyu scanned the identical cars. A siren sounded from the entrance. A car came in without slowing, as if forgetting this was a parking lot, and suddenly stopped. Right in front of him.
Screech.
The pavement cried out.
The passenger window rolled down, and there sat Ahn Dae-young, as if it was the most natural thing in the world, hands on the wheel.
“You’re going to work early?”
“Where did you park my car?”
He would have preferred not to see that face. It kept reminding him of yesterday’s sexual harassment. Without even looking at the man, Jeong Eun-gyu turned away coldly and surveyed the parking lot again.
The residents must be happy with such a big parking lot.
“Don’t be so disappointed. We each gave a step, right? Professor, that wasn’t a dine-and-dash.”
“Ha. Disappointed?”
Jeong Eun-gyu scoffed, incredulous. Ahn Dae-young only smirked.
“It’s not disappointment. I’m upset about the unconsented sexual harassment and assault. I asked where my car is.”
“Follow me.”
Ahn Dae-young lifted his foot off the brake, and the car rolled slowly. Jeong Eun-gyu’s leather shoes followed, step by step.
It was the opposite direction from where he had been searching.
Ah, I should have checked this side first.
In the farthest corner of Section A-1, three cars were parked side by side. Jeong Eun-gyu’s car sat quietly, fast asleep.
“Back out first. When you get out, treat me to crab.”
Ahn Dae-young changed gears and got out of the driver’s seat. There was no need to get out. As Jeong Eun-gyu squeezed between the cars parked neatly in their lines, a joking tone came.
“If your clothes brush against them even once, I’ll charge you for repairs, so be careful.”
Jeong Eun-gyu, about to unlock the door, let out a hollow laugh.
“Do you scrape like that?”
“The whole line.”
So he had a lot of cars. He’d probably bought one of each foreign brand. Not interested in his boasting, Jeong Eun-gyu ignored it and got in. He started the engine.
Just then, Ahn Dae-young leisurely walked over and stood in front of the car. That bastard said not to even brush his own cars, yet here he was, pressing both hands on someone else’s hood, causing a fuss.
Too lazy to honk, Jeong Eun-gyu only showed an annoyed expression. Ahn Dae-young tapped the hood.
Tap tap.
“When you get to work, even if you see and hear things, pretend you don’t.”
“What am I supposed to see?”
“The things you normally see and hear.”
It was like a parent sending their child to kindergarten. ‘Our Eun-gyu, even if a bad uncle offers you delicious food, don’t follow him, okay?’ That kind of advice.
“It’s not easy to pretend you don’t see or hear. Everyone has reflexes.”
“Hmm… That’s true.”
He actually backed off. Suspicious, Jeong Eun-gyu started the engine. Ahn Dae-young lightly stepped aside. Jeong Eun-gyu moved the car forward, but Ahn Dae-young stood there, not leaving. With a sigh, he rolled down the window.
“Just one question.”
“Go ahead.”
“When I touched your body, did you see anything?”
It wasn’t a probing tone. It was a plain, matter-of-fact tone—if there was, there was; if not, that was it. Did he have a special talent for that kind of tone?
Suddenly, a full moon and two mysterious men flashed through Jeong Eun-gyu’s mind. Come to think of it… it was almost like fitting pieces together, but the man in the flashy patterned clothes had a similar height to Ahn Dae-young. Was his voice similar too? Honestly, I wasn’t sure.
“Why do you ask?”
“You did see something.”
“I did. Briefly, like a dream. Should I tell you what?”
“No. Just forget whatever you saw.”
Having said his piece, he seemed done. His long legs strode back to his car.
He was an utterly inscrutable person. Ha, was he even human?
He turned the wheel and exited the parking lot. A bluish dawn spilled into view. The air was biting cold.
In the hospital lobby, a gigantic tree had already been set up. Colorful lights twinkled in the dark morning, as if installed during the break.
‘Merry Christmas!’ A large gold foil ornament at the very top caught his eye.
He stood in front of the tree for a long while. His gaze dropped. Memo papers and pens were prepared, and wish notes were stuck all over.
He lowered himself and read them one by one.
[Santa Claus, please don’t make me sick.]
[Please let our Ji-hee’s surgery succeed.]
[I’m writing this after four hours of dialysis… I hope I get a transplant call next year…]
[Merry Christmas! I want to enjoy Christmas outside next year, not in the hospital ㅠㅠ]
[Ji-hyun, let’s go eat something delicious after you’re discharged.]
[Fighting to all cancer ward patients! There is hope for us too! Merry Christmas!]
[Neurosurgery Professor Kim Hyunsoo is good-looking ♥]
This note seemed to be from Kim Hyunsoo themselves. Jeong Eun-gyu chuckled and pulled it off. It looked like it was written with the left hand to conceal the fact.
He would take it and tease them.
But his smile quickly faded. The note right below it carried a completely opposite atmosphere.
[I want to live. I don’t want to die…]
Jeong Eun-gyu stared at that note for a long time. His heart was heavy.
‘So say you want to live. I’ll save you.’
Jeong Eun-gyu hadn’t asked to be saved. He had wanted to live. He wanted to live, but he couldn’t say it out loud. He didn’t know whether he should live according to the predetermined path or be greedy and continue his life. Thinking about it felt like digging an endless tunnel, and it was painful. He didn’t want to believe it. His denial of reality had gone on longer than expected.
I want to live. Who wouldn’t? Honestly, he wanted to live.
“Aigoo. Who is this~ If it isn’t Mr. Jeong Eun-gyu. You look like a proper person after resting for a few days.”
Speak of the devil. Kim Hyunsoo, wearing a padded jacket and looking half-asleep, patted Jeong Eun-gyu. Seeing their messy bedhead, Jeong Eun-gyu burst into laughter despite having been serious moments before.
“Are you on duty?”
“Yeah. Got an ER call and woke up. Why are you here so early? It’s not even eight.”
“I wanted to preview today’s outpatient charts.”
“How many?”
“Twenty-five.”
“That’s not many. What about your new duty?”
“I’ll find out when they rearrange it. I don’t know about this week yet.”
“Bet you get a 3-shift-a-week duty.”
“You know that’s not possible. Oh, by the way, you wrote this, didn’t you?”
Kim Hyunsoo took the note and laughed heartily. The laughter echoed in the empty lobby.
“Huh? Why would I write that? You wrote it and were embarrassed, so you’re giving it to me?”
“What nonsense. I’ve never once thought you were good-looking, senior.”
“You bastard… I told you to be moderately honest. I’m keeping this as a keepsake. I’m going first.”
“Yes. Take care.”
He was that delighted? Seeing how much he liked it, it must not have been him who wrote it. Jeong Eun-gyu watched Kim Hyunsoo go down to the emergency room.
He then bought a latte from the cafeteria that had opened early and waited for the elevator. Neurosurgery was on the fourth floor. It shared the floor with Vascular Surgery. With eight professors in the former and twelve in the latter, the floor was always bustling with patients.
The double-shot latte was pleasantly bitter. The elevators were taking time because they came down from the upper floors. Jeong Eun-gyu waited patiently.
A large figure stood beside him.
“Are you Professor Jeong Eun-gyu?”
A man with a towering height, hair neatly slicked back with wax, and a voice like a deep cavern. He had never seen this person before.
A ghost? Chairman Ahn had told him to ignore what he saw and heard. But this figure was too distinct for a ghost.
Jeong Eun-gyu sized up the stranger and answered tersely.
“Yes. And you?”
“I’m Choryang, in charge of your security from today. My name is cute, right? I know.”
He thought he had misheard. It was as ridiculous as when Father Peter said he would send him to the countryside.
“……Yes?”
“Looks like you didn’t hear from Chairman Ahn? Why that reaction?”
“Yes?”
“Wow. Professor, you’re damn pretty. No wonder that bastard asked me for a favor.”
What? What is this now? Flustered by the unexpected revelation, Jeong Eun-gyu froze, unable to answer.
Choryang calmly pointed to the open elevator.
“Elevator’s here. You not getting in?”
“No, wait.”
“Don’t feel burdened~ I’m getting paid for this, you know~ And I like that you’re pretty. I’ll work faithfully.”
None of it made sense. Why were all the people around Ahn Dae-young like this? He stepped back as far as possible, but the space was cramped. Jeong Eun-gyu pressed his forehead.
“I know this question is really absurd, but…”
“Oh. Pretty professor. Are you getting interested in me?”
“Please drop the ‘pretty’.”
“Whyyy. It’s a compliment.”
“Because it’s making me nauseous.”
“Aha. Then I’ll change it to ‘pretty’ in a way befitting the 21st century?”
“Are you even human?”
Asked bluntly, Choryang shrugged confidently. Jeong Eun-gyu wanted to collapse from self-loathing. ‘Are you even human?’ Was that a question a doctor should ask? They quickly arrived at the 4th floor. As he walked down the brightened corridor, Choryang leisurely matched his pace, one step, two steps. So damn annoying.
“Whether I’m human or not isn’t the issue.”
“Mr. Choryang.”
…Ah. Saying his name reminded him of the conversation with Ahn Dae-young. ‘Who is Choryang?’ ‘A goblin.’
That figures. There was no way he would assign a normal person to me.
Jeong Eun-gyu let out a self-deprecating sigh and turned on the light in Exam Room 2. A nameplate was attached next to the sliding door. Choryang stared at the nameplate and the ID photo of Jeong Eun-gyu in his white coat, then quietly stood behind him as he hung his coat.
“Professor, this won’t do. Will you be my bride? I have a lot of money and power. Neither heaven nor hell can touch you!”
“No thanks. I don’t want to live as a goblin’s bride. Aren’t you going to leave?”
Unmoved by the cold refusal, Choryang muttered sullenly.
“I can’t leave. How can I when ghosts are swarming to eat you? Have you ever been cursed out by Chairman Ahn? My legs go numb just thinking about it.”
As he spoke, he pointed outside. Ghosts were hanging from the corridor railing, glaring this way. But they couldn’t come close. Before, there had always been a couple of them lingering inside the exam room too…
You think this chapter was thrilling? Wait until you read Jinho's Story! Click here to discover the next big twist!
Read : Jinho's Story
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