Anew • Lee Mark

3.

"Yeon? Yeon...? Seoyeon!"

The voice and sudden shaking jolts the said girl to reality. She looks around and Hendery, Xiaojun and Yangyang are staring at her with perplexed expressions. Hendery's hands are on her shoulders.

"You back to earth?"

"What?"

Xiaojun exhales. "You zoned out for a while there. We got scared."

"Oh did I?"

"Yeah, it was scary cause you know..."

Xiaojun smacks Hendery's arms who just shrugs. "What? Just because she refuses to talk about it doesn't mean we ignore it. Yeon do you have any idea how much we-."

Xiaojun forcefully clamps a hand over Hendery's mouth. "Shut up."

Ignoring the other two, Yangyang gently places a hand on Seoyeon's head. "Yeon." The girl had been smiling at Xiaojun and Hendery and she turns towards him with the same smile. "Is something bothering you?"

Seoyeon's smile falls a little but she masks it with a laugh. "Of course not. I guess the lack of sleep must've been getting to me."

Gathering up bedsheet and blanket in her hand, she continues. "You should head to the kitchen, it's going to be dinner time soon. And take those two idiots with you. I'll go check up on Mrs. Ri."

Yangyang watches Yeon walk past him, his heart unconvinced. "Why do I keep feeling you are sad..."

~~~

 "How we doing Mrs Ri?" Seoyeon asks as she lays down the fresh bedsheet and blanket on the older woman's bed.

"Obviously how an old woman would feel." Mrs Ri grumbles and Seoyeon hums, already used to her snarky replies.

"Who's the young man again?" Mrs Ri asks making a face at the boy with light brown hair, standing next to her bed with a clipboard in hand.

"He's Ju-" Seoyeon's hands stop for a second then resume arranging the bedside table. "Dr. Renjun from Seoul Metropolitan Hospital. He's here to make sure you are doing fine."

"Another damn doctor?" Mrs Ri scowls. "You. What are you going to say this time? That this old lady has gone crazy? Go on, say it already. I know you doctors. All of you are the same anyways."

Renjun holds himself back from saying anything that would upset the lady further. Sure, he is feeling offended by her words, but he knows better than to make her angrier. He instead tightens his hold around the clipboard. His eyes narrow at Seoyeon kneeling in front of Mrs Ri. 'She's going to provoke her further against me.' He thinks.

"Actually Mrs Ri, he's one of the most competent doctors in all of Seoul. You can trust him. He really is the best at his work."

Renjun's lips part a little hearing Seoyeon praise him. 'Why is she... taking my side?' He thinks. 'Because she is not a bad person you fool.' His heart screams at him but his mind replays a different memory. Renjun shakes his head at the thoughts, failing to notice Seoyeon calling his name. 

"Dr. Renjun!" Seoyeon says tapping on his clipboard, bringing him out of his daze. 

"Huh?"

"I said, please go ahead with whatever you want to ask her. I'll give you two some privacy." She points towards the switch on the bedside table. "Please call me when you are done."

Renjun just nods as she makes her way out of Mrs Ri's room and closes the door behind her. He keeps staring at the closed door for a minute. Then suddenly he hurries to the door and runs after her.

"Wait!"

Seoyeon stops in her tracks and hesitantly turns around.

"Do you need anything Doctor?"

"Why did you do it?"

"I'm sorry I don't understand."

"Why did you defend me?"

Seoyeon tilts her head. "You are a doctor. And you are here to give free treatment. You are our guest. Why would I say anything otherwise?"

"You tell me, you have backstabbed people before."

Seoyeon blinks, her eyes becoming watery. Her hands clench into fists. Taking a breath, she swallows. "I believe you have a patient waiting for you, Doctor... Huang Renjun." With difficulty, she keeps her voice from shaking. "Mrs Ri doesn't like to be kept waiting."

She turns around to keep walking but seeing the person in front of her she is unable to move even a single muscle. Standing in front of her was the one person she missed the most yet never wanted to see again. 

"Seoyeon?" The person calls out her name. To her it wasn't just any voice... it was his voice. The voice she had been wanting to hear again.

She takes in his appearance. His raven black hair had grown and was falling over his eyes. He had gained more muscles and the plain white shirt and baggy black pants he was wearing perfectly complimented his physique and features. Seeing Mark up close like this again... she had never imagined she would get another chance. So, she takes in the moment, marking it in her heart.

'Mark.' A whisper leaves her lips as a single tear trails down her cheek.