Strings & Stitches

Chapter 2

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It was not even after 20 minutes of Siyeon's arrival at the hospital when Minji asked her to go to her office. The blonde doctor didn't have any idea what the reason could be, but she guessed it would have to be something connected to her documents, or maybe her patient list. She knocked on the glass door, seeing Minji pop her head up from the computer and give her a smile. "Take a seat. Did you manage to relax a little bit?"

Siyeon reached for the chair and sat down right in front of Minji, looking around the office first. It was big.

Well, of course, Minji was the chief.

She then took her eyes to the very organized table, then finally returned her gaze to the black-haired woman. "I wasn't able to go out, unfortunately, but I had a good sleep. And I think I'll be able to check the town tonight, if I won't have to work the night shift." She said and gave out a small smile, "Oh, and, thanks for asking"

The chief nodded, "Unfortunately, I can't make any promises about the night shift, yet" The schedule could change at any point during the day. Even if Siyeon went home, she could be called up. "I just wanted to tell you that I'll be keeping a close eye on you for a few days. I want to see how you go about your day here" That way she could give more advice on how to adapt here.

"Oh, uhm, thank you, but you don't need to do that" She wasn't used to this kind of attention from her bosses, so it felt a little awkward for Siyeon to acknowledge Minji's care. "But I appreciate it. You have been nothing but kind to me from the very first moment"

A beat of silence. Then, Siyeon added without a second thought.

"Have you perhaps... heard? About what happened, back there?" She regretted even asking after the second she finished that sentence, but it was true that she wished to know the answer.

Minji's expression seemed to soften, putting down the files and looking up at the blonde woman. She looked insecure, though trying to mask it all with her usual stoic exterior. Minji replied, "I have, yes, I'll be honest." She watched as Siyeon's face changed into something more troubling, and was quick to add. "But trust me, my attention towards you isn't special in any way. I behave like this towards every person working under me. The only special thing for you is that you're new."

Siyeon nodded, not knowing why it was so easy to believe Minji, someone who she just got to know.

But miraculously, Siyeon trusted her.

Instead of going into more detail about it, Minji looked at her documents, sliding one of them in front of Siyeon. "So. Are you fit to do a heart valve repair on this patient at 2 in the afternoon?" It wasn't a question if it fit her schedule, she would need to do it anyway. Minji just wanted to see if she was ready to do something like that already without having experienced all the equipment here yet.

Siyeon reached for the documents and looked inside the case, reading about the patient's symptoms. "I've done this a lot in the past, especially with aortic disease, so I assure you it won't be a problem for me" She looked up at Minji then. "I see his mitral valve has prolapsed, did this happen while he was here?"

The black-haired woman wasn't sure so she read through the logs about the patient herself, pointing at the date that it was reported. "They didn't come in with that so it must've happened here... After these tests"

Siyeon nodded, slowly standing up with the documents in her hands, guessing that this brisk meeting was already finished, "Alright, thank you, Minji. I'm excited to do surgery for the first time here" She flashed the chief a small smile, one not meeting her eyes fully, "I'll see you around"

To be honest, it was a little bit stressful to have her first surgery. She knew that she'd do well, but it was always weird to have your first time in a whole new team and place. However, Siyeon was never the kind of person to become too anxious and lost in her nerves. She knew how to contain herself, her feelings, only because of that being called emotionless sometimes.