The One He Tried To Forget | 18+ |

26

Jung Kook grumbled under his breath as he scrubbed up before surgery. He could not believe the nerve of his cousin -- to call him in to perform surgery on his night off. Tonight was supposed to be the start of his long overdue one week break. Seven days and seven nights away from the hospital. Away from everything, and away from anything that reminded him of Jin.

After the shambles that he had made with Jin this afternoon, coupled with the horrible unforgivable things that he had said to him, Jung Kook realised that any future he had hoped to have with Jin was irretrievably gone. As long as Mr Sweet remained in Jin's life, Jung Kook will never be the person whom Jin placed first in his heart, the way Jin has always been for Jung Kook. Jin was such an important presence in Jung Kook's life that he left no room for anyone else in Jung Kook's inner being.

Perhaps it was time for him to move on. Jin obviously had. The baby that he carried in his belly, the baby that he created with Mr Sweet, was proof of that. This knowledge tore at Jung Kook, and as he sat in his beautiful condo earlier in the evening -- a place that never truly felt like home to him -- Jung Kook had decided that the only way left for him was to go abroad again and never return to South Korea.

Yes, that would be best for his peace of mind, so in the morning, he will contact his former colleagues and begin making inquiries about the possibility of returning to the prestigious medical centre where he had worked. But this night, he was going to immerse himself in his memories of his Jin once more so he can finally let go and purge the man for good from his heart and mind.

When Yoon Gi had called him on his phone, he had ignored the ringing, but his cousin was persistent. When it became clear that Jung Kook was not going to answer, Yoon Gi had sent his husband Ji Min from their unit next door to knock on Jung Kook's door and lay his finger on the doorbell. It had been a brilliant, albeit annoying, strategy because when Jung Kook refused to open the door, the crafty psychiatrist had howled long and loud until Jung Kook caved.

So now here he was at the hospital -- when he should be at home in front of his big screen TV and watching old recordings that he had made of Jin while he slowly polished off a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon to dull the pain -- about to perform surgery on someone whom according to Yoon Gi was "important and dear to me." He had barely even taken a sip from his full glass when the unholy howling began outside his condo, so he was not in a mood to humour anyone.

Talk about preferential treatment. Pfft! Jung Kook muttered crossly once more.

He turned to slip his arms into the surgical gown that one of the nurses held ready for him and inserted his fingers into the first of the double surgical gloves that he would be wearing. When he turned back around so the nurse could fasten the gown behind him, another man walked in and began to scrub up. His eyes widened in recognition of the stranger.

What the hell?! Why is Mr Sweet here?! Is he a doctor?! Shit! Is he going to oversee my surgery?!

Anger burned in Jung Kook's gut as he made his way into the operating theatre. When he saw his team was already assembled around the operating table, he breathed a soft sigh of relief and felt the rage dissipate in his belly. So Mr Sweet was not part of the procedure he was about to perform. Perhaps he was scrubbing up to assist in the other room.

Jung Kook allowed a small smile to grace his face behind his mask. He then took his spot next to the table and began to recite what he was going to be doing. He scrutinised the name written on the front of each person's head covering so he would know who to call upon during crucial moments before turning his attention to the patient lying on the table.

Jung Kook frowned when he noticed a bump under the surgical drape covering the patient's lower half. He realised that this was not going to be a run-of-the-mill routine procedure because he would be operating on a pregnant patient. He will need all his wits and skills about him to make sure that both patient and baby make it through.

Knowing now that he was literally going to hold two lives in his hands once he makes his first incision, Jung Kook was grateful for the drape hanging over the patient from the neck up and covering their face from view. Usually, he did not care what his patients looked like, but since finding out about Jin's pregnancy, every pregnant person he encountered reminded him of the one he loved and who ultimately broke him.

Just then, the doors opened quietly, and everyone turned to look at the newcomer. Jung Kook's eyes widened when Mr Sweet walked in wearing proper surgical attire and came to a stop on the other side of the operating table. He could hardly believe his ears when the deep voice boomed and froze everyone in their place.

"Good evening, everyone. My name is Kim Tae Hyung. I am a neonatologist. I am here, at the request of Mr Min, to assist should any complications arise and we have to deliver the baby. Shall we begin?"

Jung Kook gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes at Tae Hyung. How dare this impostor GQ model try to assert his dominance and presume to take control of MY operating theatre! Jin must be deaf, dumb, and blind to fall for this arsehole!

Without acknowledging Tae Hyung, Jung Kook turned to the resident assisting him and nodded. The young man immediately lifted the cloth covering the patient's chest where the first incision would be made, and Jungkook poised his scalpel over the patch of skin. He paused when he saw the many scars before him. Good god! What happened to this person?!

But then he shook his head to clear his thoughts and free his mind so he could focus on the task at hand. A patient's past had never bothered him before because he had no interest in them beyond doing what he did best -- fix their ailment -- and move on to the next. His mentor at the last hospital he worked at had chided him for his apathy, but Jung Kook had continued with his lack of interest. It was the main reason why he was known as 'the only living heart surgeon without a heart.'

It was only after he moved back to South Korea and was reunited with Jin that he began to show some interest in the people he operated on. Even then, his interest was only slightly beyond superficial, just enough to get in-depth information that enabled him to plan a course of action that benefitted his patients.

But now Jung Kook realised that he didn't want to be like that anymore. He wanted to go back to being the emotionless bastard that he was before he saw Jin again. Being cold and unfeeling meant he wouldn't feel this immense pain in his chest and the gaping emptiness in his stomach every time he thought of Jin.

If he couldn't have Jin, then he didn't want to have these feelings anymore. If he couldn't have Jin, he might as well be 'the only living heart surgeon without a heart.'