Whisper In Her Ear - Winrina

3 - Night Watch

I hate Irene,

Was Minjeong's last thought before she squatted down in the dirty bathroom and started rubbing the yellow, nasty tiles with a huge brush and a bucket of cold water.

She grimaced heavily, scrunching her nose every now and then as she brushed through the olfactory offensive stalls one by one, grumbling even more than her already disgruntled normal state did.

These shared bathrooms were awful.

They looked like no one had ever bothered to clean them up before.

Minjeong bet Irene was partially happy when she busted her little escapade to the rooftop the other day and found just the right reason to slave her as a temporary janitor.

As if removing Jeno and making her do seven consecutive night shifts alone wasn't bad enough, "Reflect on your mistakes while wiping the toilet bowls," she said.

"Oh, look who is working so hard cleaning poo in the early morning."

"Shut up, Ningning." Minjeong didn't even have to look over her shoulder to know whose devious cackling voice that was.

The said girl crumbled with laughter, sounding way too happy with Minjeong's predicament as she cooed, "Aww, don't be so grumpy, Kim. It's only day two. You still have five days left for this. Find some strength, hm?"

The excessively sweet mockery made Minjeong hurl a scoop of water at her to shoo her away.

One unceremonious splash later though, it wasn't Ningning who let out a shrilling shriek for getting washed with cold water but someone else.

"Minjeong unnie!" Eunchae sputtered as water hit her in the face the second she set foot into the bathroom.

Minjeong gaped as Ningning burst out with hyena laughter and clutched both of her sides, fighting the cramp that was gnawing away at her abdomen.

"What the hell is going on here?" Irene snarled through the door and the three interns immediately scurried to their straight-backed, ready to serve positions.

Irene eyed them like she could bite their heads off, eyes swiping dangerously from the water scoop in Minjeong's hand to Eunchae's drenched up form and to Ningning's bitten back smile.

"I'm pretty sure I told you to wash the bathroom, not your friend's face." Irene spat, eyes daggering at Minjeong. "Is one week punishment not enough, Kim? Do you need more?"

"No, mam." Minjeong had to try hard not to growl, head bowing but eyes throwing scathing glare at Ningning who started drying up Eunchae's face theatrically as she whispered, "Poor you, the day has just started but your clothes are already ruined!"

"You. No better. Shut up too." Irene pointed at Ningning menacingly and gave her scheme a premature death.

"Are you guys ten? Do you think this is some playsite because there's no one bleeding to death or fracturing a bone around here?" The psychiatrist ran a hand over her face. "Do I need to break your bones first for you to take psychiatry department seriously?"

"No, mam!" Ningning and Eunchae answered in unison, and Irene sighed.

"Ningning, go get Eunchae some change and start working. Minjeong—" She paused, giving the brunette a displeased look. "Follow me."

Eunchae watched in amusement as Minjeong crashed her shoulder hard against Ningning's before dragging herself reluctantly behind Irene, probably to get more punishment.

"Ouch, that grumpy little—"

"Do you think she'll be okay?" Eunchae asked, genuinely concerned about their friend's well being. "It seems like Irene sunbaenim is taking her to the female wing. If she finds out that Minjeong unnie has never really checked on her patient before..."