Maybe This Time | Saida

Chapter 11: Igniting Flames

2:46 P.M.

A frown etched on Sana's face as there were still no signs of Dahyun. She's supposed to come back for her last post-treatment checkup today after rescheduling it twice due to her packed schedule, but it's been more than five hours since her booked appointment.

Sighing, the dentist snatched her phone from her desk. Her frown only deepened when the line just kept ringing.

"Hello?"

The muscles on Sana's face jumped faster than she could blink. Her ears, however, immediately picked up the quiet sound of tiredness in Dahyun's voice.

"Hey Dahyun, it's Sana. Are you busy at the moment?" She kept her voice calm and professional yet there was also a tinge of gentleness that's a little too exclusive to be intended for a patient.

There was some fumbling on the other line then a good ten seconds of silence. Sana had to check her screen if the call was still on but Dahyun spoke up again, sounding more awake and a little out of breath. "Sorry, I had to get out of the library. I can talk now though, what's up?"

"Oh, I hope I'm not interrupting something. We were just wondering if you'd like to have your appointment for today cancelled. We can rebook it some other day again if you're busy right now." Sana informed her and silently gestured Yuna, who came into the office to probably inform her about the next patient, to wait for a while.

"Appointment? Wait, that's today?" Dahyun asked it with her cute confused voice that made Sana hum with a light giggle. "I'm sorry, it went over my head. Can I still head over there or do I have to reschedule?"

"Hmmm, seeing that this is your first time being tardy, I'll let it go as long as you can come here before we start closing up." Sana quipped with a teasing tone and Dahyun chuckled.

"Alright. I'll pack up and head there afterwards. See you, Doc unnie."

Sana had been practicing her profession for more than a year now. With the help of her parents, she opened her first clinic in her hometown a little after passing her licensure exam in Japan. And a little over a month ago, she transferred her small clinic from Osaka to Seoul just as she initially planned years ago. That then meant that she also already handled a great number of clients—Japanese, Korean, teens, adults, the aged, strangers, friends, and even family members. Each too different and too customary to make her stray away from her usual conduct.

However, in the multitude of patients that she'd treated and attended to, Sana had never waited like this, never counted down the remaining clients to get to the one she's somehow looking forward to see.

Still, she did her best to remain professional, even when she wanted nothing more than to engulf Dahyun in a hug the moment she walked in with tired eyes and visible bags under them.

"Why are you walking like a zombie?" Sana tried to joke but it backfired to her when Dahyun pouted her bottom lip oh-so adorably.

"I feel like one," the younger woman whined, handing a cup to Sana. "Here, I passed by the coffee shop that we went to the other day and got you a drink as well. I hope you haven't had your dose of caffeine yet."

Sana's pulse skipped a beat when she realized that it was the same drink that she ordered after their Han River rendezvous. Vanilla sweet cream cold brew, Dahyun remembered.

"Thank you. I indeed have not had my afternoon dose of caffeine yet," she masked her blush with a giggle and placed the drink on her desk after taking a sip. Dahyun also set her backpack down before trudging her way to the dental chair. Curious, Sana raised her brows for an explanation while putting on her gloves. "Anyway, why do you feel like a zombie?"