2 Minus 1 | joshua✓ ( School Series )

P R O L O G U E

"We have a patient, Doc." said the nurse to me.

"Where is the patient?" I ask.

"He is already in the operating room, Dr. Hong." she answered.

"Okay, I'll be right there. I just have to take care of something, I'll be quick." I said then she nodded.

She went to the Operating Room first and I went to my office, I also have patients but I will prioritize this. It's really urgent so now I have to focus there first, I left my office and went to the Operating Room.

I also changed my clothes and washed my hands, when I entered I was surprised to see Naomi. I ignored her first because I didn't want to be distracted.

My operation was successful, so we left the operating room and got dressed. I didn't know that Naomi would be one of the doctors here at the hospital where I work, when I got to the office I immediately went inside. I still can't forget why she's here, all the hospitals that she can work but she chose to work here.

"Dr. Hong, someone is looking for you." My secretary says.

"Let him in." I said.

"Actually, it's a girl, is she your girlfriend?" My secretary asks.

"Who is she?" I'm the one who's asking right now.

But I was surprised when Naomi came into my office with a smile, I told my secretary that she could go out and go to her mini-office. Naomi sat down in front of my table, I had nothing to say.

The pain I had when I still loved her is still here, I don't know what's her purpose will be again.

"Joshua-yah." She called.

I kindly miss that voice.

I looked at her, trying to show her my emotionless eyes. But I don't know if she noticed or not, I sighed.

"What do you want." I said.

"I miss you." She said and I scoffed.

"After you hurt me so badly, do you still have the courage to see me?" I ask.

"Its not my fault, Joshua. He just really wants to ruin our relationship." She answered.

"Don't make a fool of me, Naomi. You hurt me because you became desperate for Cheol, you hurt me again because you cheated on me. Then what, you say it's not your fault?" I said.

"It's not my fault, Joshua. I'm being honest right now." She response.

I saw in her eyes how much she was hurting now, I wanted to believe but I saw that they were sticking together in a bed.

"If I get desperate again, I'll do it for you." She said.

"Because I still love you." She added.

I can't get what she said out of my mind, she will be desperate again. But what if I hurt her? What if I'm the one fooling around again? My thoughts were stopped when my secretary entered the office.

"Doc, you have a patient." My secretary said.

I nodded to signal that she would let the patient in, when the patient entered I saw an old woman who was having a hard time walking with his son.

"Good afternoon, Doc." Her son greeted at me.

"Good afternoon too, what's wrong with your mother?" I ask him.

"She always complained that her chest hurt, and then I could hear her coughing every night." He answered.

I looked at what was in her mother, she had asthma so I prescribed medicine for her to drink every day.

"Ma'am, you need to drink this every day. If you do not drink it, your cough will not go away." I said to his mother.

"Yes Doc, I'll take this medicine that you prescribe me." She said then bow.

I bowed to the both of them before they leave, when my shift was over I left my office. I also told my secretary that she could go home, when I got out of the hospital I went to the parking lot.

I stopped when I saw Naomi in front of my car, had she been waiting for me since earlier?

"Oh Joshua, you're here." She said while smiling.

I nodded and went to my car ignoring her, I was about to get in the car when she suddenly grabbed my hand. This again, this is again the tickling sensation I have felt over the years.

"Can we hang out?" She ask.

She is getting desperate again.

"I'm still early tomorrow Naomi." I answered.

"But tomorrow is Saturday." She said.

"Even on Saturdays I still have work." I response.

"Even now Joshua, just give me a chance." She said desperately.

Whatever I do I know I will still give when she is, I just agreed so she got in my car. I don't know why this woman had such a strong effect on me, all she can do is to hurt me.

We went to an expensive restaurant, she refused because it was too expensive but I said I would pay. She sighed and looked at me, I immediately avoided her gaze because what I feared would happen again.

"I just want to make up for it, Shua. But you do it again." She said.

"All right, here we are eating at an expensive restaurant, and I will pay." She insist.

She got out of my car and she got in to the restaurant first, I could do nothing when she said she would pay she would do it. I just followed her, like a child following my mother.

When I saw that she had found a seat, she sat down, I sat down and looked at the menu in front of us.

"What will you order Shua?" She asks.

"Steak and Carbonara." I answered.

"Okay then, waiter!"

She had already told the waiter our order, I don't eat much at expensive restaurants but why did I bring her here. When she finished saying our order the waiter left in front of us, no-one spoke to us. It's like we children are afraid to speak because the mother will scold us.

"Shua." She called me by my nickname.

"What is it?" I ask.

"Can we be friends?" She ask.

"Friends?" I repeat what she said.

She nodded while smiling, I think she had changed because she's smiling now, unlike before.

"That's where it all starts Naomi, friends up to lovers." I answered.

The smile disappeared from her lips, I wish I hadn't said that. I'd rather she smile than not, but nothing, it's like my heart turned to stone when she hurt me.

"I guess you're not interested anymore." She said with pain on her voice.

"I didn't mean to..."

"It's okay, I understand because I hurt you twice." She said.

When our order arrived she ate right away, I could see she was in tears. I just ate, we ate peacefully. But my conscience would not allow me to say so, I will apologize.

"I'm sorry, Naomi." I apologize.

"It's okay, Shua." She said.

"Let's be friends, somehow we used to be with each other." I said and she looked at me.

"Let's forget the past, let's focus on ourselves now." I added.