The Odd Doctor Out | A Drama | S. 2

277 🩺 #HeDeservesAName

For once, San sat alone at the bar.

Stirring his martini before him, he sighed heavily.

Having thought about Mingi and Yunho for the past couple days, he felt torn. He still had no idea how to help them both without committing a cunt act. And still suffering from his hangover from him and Min's little drinking excursion the night before, Wooyoung's words were ringing in his ears.

Could it possibly work? Telling Yunho that Mingi was moving on?

Or more importantly, could he stomach exposing Min like that? Exposing secrets that weren't his to tell in the first place?

Ding.

San glanced down at his phone, watching it light up accordingly.

5:02pm
New Message: Hwa
Heads up, just heard that the Director saw all the ER victims yesterday.
I'm assuming that includes Yunho..

San closed his eyes, rubbing his hands over his face.

'Well that's a puzzle piece if I ever was given one,' he said to himself, sighing.

'Fuck it.'

Opening his phone, he navigated through his phone to Seonghwa's message and promptly replied with thanks Hwa~, before flicking down his recent contacts a little until Yunho's name came up.

San
Yun-ah, drinks?

Yunho
Be there in 10 👍

San took a deep shaky breath, already feeling guilty. And he hadn't even said anything yet...

Just then, movement behind the bar caught his eye, and as he glanced up, he frowned as he saw the bartender suddenly duck below the counter, hitting the deck faster than someone under a bomb threat.

'Uh, are you oka-'

The guy's eyes widened as if to say don't talk to me! as he flattened against the counter out of sight.

Ridiculously confused, San glanced around inconspicuously, wondering what the hell had caused him to drop like that.

At first he didn't see anything, but after a second surveillance, he saw a guy about his age approach the bar, sitting down a couple seats away from him. He glanced around, stealing a glance out the staff door that led to the back room.

However as San forgot he was staring, the guy suddenly looked at him. 'What does one have to do to get served around here?'

San let out a fake amused exhale, glancing out the back where he could see one of the other female staff frowning after clearly spotting her colleague hiding.

San put his hand up, catching her attention, and pointed at the guy across from him. 'Can this guy get served?'

The girl glanced strangely down at the hiding tender, before nodding, tying her hair up and coming out to serve him.

'Is Hyunjin around?' the stranger asked as he tapped his card to pay for his drink.

From here, San could read her name tag, Luna, and as San glanced between her and the stranger, he saw Luna glance down behind the counter inconspicuously for a moment, before biting her lip. 'No, he's not working today...'

Seeing Luna look down again, she frowned a little, before she suddenly amended her statement. 'Actually no, he um, asked for time off!'

The guy frowned at her. 'He did?'

She nodded, perhaps a little too enthusiastically. 'Yes,' she said with intense conviction. 'He mentioned needing a break.'

San glanced down at his drink, the opposite side of his lips from the stranger smirking up as he stirred his martini.

'Well... Could you please tell him when he comes back that I dropped by?'

Luna nodded. 'And who should I say came by...?'

The stranger downed his drink somewhat aggressively, before suddenly standing and brushing off his coat. 'Just tell him it was destiny.'

She nodded in confusion, standing dead still in her spot as the stranger suddenly spun on his heels and left, just like that.

Frowning, San turned to see him leave the bar, before swivelling back and leaning over the counter a little, seeing the tender still hiding out of sight - the one who was apparently named Hyunjin. 'Uh, he's gone...?'

He turned, looking up, before hesitantly standing once more, surveying the bar before he finally relaxed. 'Thanks Luna. Sorry.'

Luna nodded, her eyes narrowed a little suspiciously. 'Ex?'

Hyunjin bit his lip uncomfortably, before rubbing his neck. 'Uh, sort of?'

Luna nodded. 'Should I tell security not to let him in next time?'

'No because then he'll know I work here. You should have told him I quit.'

Luna sighed, nodding. 'Okay. I'll tell the others in case I'm not on next time...' And with that, she disappeared back out the back, leaving them alone.

San glanced at him, feeling sympathetic. Turning around, Hyunjin poured himself a drink just in front of San, before downing it.

And San tapped his  fingernail against his glass for a moment, before speaking up. 'Stalker?'

He looked up suddenly, eyes wide. 'How'd you know?'

San shrugged, feeling bad for him. 'He gives off those vibes. Is that why you don't wear a name tag?'

He nodded, pouring another less potent drink and pulling up a stool opposite him. 'I always felt kind of rude not introducing myself...'

San shook his head, brushing it off. 'Don't worry about it. We always thought something was off. You're always working unstable hours.'

Hyunjin nodded again, sighing heavily. 'He's a persistent prick. Police don't give a shit and it doesn't matter how much I try to stay unpredictable, he always finds me.'

San felt horrible for him. 'How long has it been?'

He didn't hesitate. 'Three and a half years.'

'Thre- Fuck me. And the police really don't care?'

He nodded. 'Not a fuck to be seen... Although I did move recently, so I'm hoping the new area police station will think differently.'

San wished there was something that he could do to help. 'Shitty things always happen to good people. I'm sorry you have to deal with that shit. It's not fair.'

Hyunjin sighed, giving in as he swirled his drink. 'Eh, whatever. No point mopping over it.' He pulled his cloth from his apron and idly wiped at the counter. 'You here by yourself?'

Giving him one last concerned glance, San assumed he must have desperately just wanted to change the subject. 'Yeah. Yunho should be here soon though. I summoned him.'

Hyunjin laughed suddenly,  before trying to wipe his smirk from his face. 'Summoned. Ha. I like that. Water or whiskey?'

San rolled his eyes. 'Who knows. But I could use something potent. I'm about to break every single moral I possess.'

Hyunjin raised an eyebrow, filling a glass with straight vodka and shoving two raspberry ice blocks in it, sliding it over to him. 'How so?'

San groaned. 'Oh my god. You don't even want to know, but I have no doubt you're about to witness my inner asshole.' He closed his eyes, already feeling sick with guilt. 'I really don't want to, but I think I have to tell him...'

And suddenly, San jumped through the roof as a hand came down on his shoulder, scaring the life out of him. 'Tell who, what?'

~~~