ALL BARK NO BITE | SADISTIC BEAUTY SPINOFF

Chapter 81

(Spoiler and trigger warning in comment:-)

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

Minhyuk searched for Dr Namjoon Doh on the fourth floor asking nurses if they happened to have seen him. They gave him an odd look "Shouldn't you know better? You're like his arm candy" one remarked, concealing a smile and Minhyuk frowned at her, rolling his eyes and leaving. Where the hell was he? he hadn't seen him for a day and a half... which might not be much but he couldn't help but feel odd... he thought he might run into him during duty or a random errand but it never happened.

He had even asked at the front office if he had come in at all and... he had but managed to be away from office at all times... If only he could track him down or spend more than 15 minutes at a time to actually wait in one place to come across him... Minhyuk nervously scratched the back of his ear, questioning his own feelings. Why was he so worried about him? It's not like they spent that much time together in the first place for him to run rounds like this trying to see where he was. He didn't hand out duties, or regulate their timetable, or give them breaks.

The nurses did most of the work with the patients so he wasn't even needed unless there was any rare complication which had been off the books for the time being at least.

But the coffee...

He made his way to Doh's office, knowing he won't be there but he needed his caffeine fix and he wasn't going to give that up just because the doctor disappeared. Minhyuk felt angry, walking up to the floor. His heart did the same old flutter when he neared it like he would find him absorbed in or the other thing as he inhabited the space. Reading a case on his computer or sorting his white coats or enjoying a coffee himself. His hair was loosely tied up at the crown of his head, the rest falling on his neck and draping his forehead.

Looking like warm... sweet coffee...

A funny little remark, a look... or a smile... just a glimpse of him handling his patients. That would keep him going for the rest of the day. Dr Doh felt like comfort... his attachment to the hospital itself wasn't as much to his work as it was to him... Minhyuk entered his office, finding it empty and his heart sank despite the anger. It really did appear more and more like he was avoiding him. Why else would he be nowhere? Especially on working days. The only thing was he didn't know why. Minhyuk stormed over to the coffee machine, pulling out a mug.

He filtered the machine and added the coffee. He tried to remind himself how the doctor was before he ever got to know him... angry, rude and entitled. How he refused to work with a rookie like him only to backtrack within a couple days. It did beg the question... why him? He recalled the nurse labelling him arm candy and how it didn't feel offensive because he saw it as the doctor finding him worthy of company. Seeing him as different... more special. But how he felt about his actions didn't mean that that's what he really felt.

He needed to know... did Namjoon Doh see him as special? Why else would he get upset over Cha Hyung visiting hi- A sudden noise startled Minhyuk and he jerked back, the cup filled with hot coffee leaping out of the brim of the cup and onto his hand. "Ouch!!" he yelped as Dr Doh came into view, his eyes startled "Oh god" he swore and rushed over, dropping the files in his hand on the floor and taking the cup from him. "Quick" he shouted, taking his arm and pulling him to the sink in the corner and pushing his hand under cold water.

Minhyuk winced as the pressure of the water hit his tender skin, "Ahh" he exclaimed and Doh looked at him with worry, covering his hand with his own so the water wouldn't hit it directly but trickled down over his burn. After some moments, he twisted the tap off, gently touching the corner area of his reddened skin "Does it hurt?" he asked, his face masked with concern and Minhyuk shook his head, fine aside from the residual tenderness "Nothing much" he assured him but the Doctor guided him to his refrigerator from where he brought out a box of gel and a tube.