ALL BARK NO BITE | SADISTIC BEAUTY SPINOFF

Chapter 63

~ Inje University Hospital, 9 Mareunnae-ro, Euljiro-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul

Minhyuk held his face over his styrofoam cup, catching some steam from the coffee on his tired eyes, hoping that the caffeine would seep into his skin and re-energize him for the ride back home that he was dreading already. The evening was dragging on he had half an hour more before his shift ended and he could wrap up. It was strange, some hours, he'd be so busy, in a blink, it would be dark outside, the halls lit with glaring, fluorescent lights, reflecting off the window panels. And sometimes it felt like nothing.

Like time had fallen still, and every tick of the clock came after a heavy pause. Thankfully, he didn't experience that many breaks like this one. As a new nursing assistant, he barely got time to breathe but he'd rather have this than be alone with his thoughts. Regardless, it was such a wretched place, no one wanted to be here. A congregation of people in the midst of death and ailment, imagining a better life than before. Tired, overworked, sick. So it is such a statement to think that he'd rather stay here than go home.

Their house wasn't any better...

Minhyuk stepped away from the coffee counter, turning around and facing the staff lounge, sparsely populated at the moment. It was too early to make friends, so he just observed them. He had seen people sleeping here for 15 minutes before they had to run to work again, many forgot to eat, some forgot to call home to say they'll be late. A certain bitterness came about with this job which he didn't like but understood. He recalled he had to do something as well. He pulled his phone out, dialling Minho Hyung's number.

The screen glowed with his caller id, the ring going... going... going... going... The person you're calling is not answer- Minhyuk cut the call, going through the ones he had made earlier to Minho Hyung... all unanswered. Click. This was the last time he was going to contact him. After they last met at the cafe and Hyung slapped him, it was obvious that he was avoiding him. He knew he was going to be mad at him for speaking to Cha Hyung behind his back but acting like this... especially when they needed his support.

He was putting in hours too... his nursing pay was decent but his student loans were frightening and he had only started working. All the money disappeared as it came to him each month. He had stopped contacting Cha Wookyung as well, in fear that Minho Hyung might get upset again but how else were they going to carry on. Because if nothing worked... they'd have to turn to lenders who'll hang over their necks like demons for God knows how long... He reclined on the stiff plastic two-seater, taking a sip of his coffee. He needed to do something...

"EUGHH"

Suddenly, his system retched and he spat the coffee back in the cup, seeing dead ants floating in the unholy concoction... "Ugh!" he lamented. It looked like someone had left the sugar jar open again. He once asked if they could switch to packets instead and got a stern look "Pay for those mad expensive sugar sachets yourself, you son of a gun" the senior nurse had fired at him. He sighed and let the damned cup of coffee hang limply in his hand as he rested his head back against the wall, of course, there being no headrest. Two nurses walked by.

They were 3 or 4 years his senior so he felt closer to them than his more senior colleagues. They were cute as well... "Hi," he said softly as one of them continued going through the bag, looking for something as the other stood and gossiped with her. She rolled her eyes at him and went back to talking "But that's my plan, make a buck, find a good doctor to marry... then it's bliss" she said and the other responded as she searched her bag, looking slightly panicked "That's what I'm trying too, I need to bear with this one right now, else I won't find unmarried ones..."

The other nurse gasped in shock "Oh my god... you don't mean- Dr Dose??" she fumbled "You mean that hot vagabond?? He sure looks miserable but I think that all he needs is a good woman to sort his life out..." she squealed as the other nurse put her bag down in defeat "Those papers... he's going to get so mad" she lamented. "Did you check the filing cabinet?" the other nurse asked and Minhyuk saw this as his chance "Hi..." he repeated, "I can help-". The nurse threw her hands up "Look, I'm here to work, not chitchat! And if you're that free, go help Dr Doh instead!!" she hissed at him and Minhyuk raised his brows in shock.