DRAWING OUR MOMENTS. | yunhwa

01

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Slicing through the tough skin, the scalpel cut with precision, exposing the layers beneath. Within the sterile environment, the soft hum of machines and the rhythmic beeping of monitors filled the air. Dr. Park felt panic coursing through his veins as his heart pounded in his chest, each beat reverberating in his ears.

The blinding bright light above cast harsh shadows across the operating table. Beads of sweat trickled down his forehead, mingling with the antiseptic scent in the room. The muffled conversations of the surgical team blended with the distant ringing of telephones and the hurried footsteps of hospital staff.

"Doctor?" a voice called out, cutting through his intense focus.

"Dr. Park?" another voice echoed, more urgently this time.

The fog in his mind cleared as he looked up to see his concerned colleague, pushing back the haunting memories, standing before him. She looked at him with wide eyes filled with worry, and her furrowed brow cast shadows across her face.

"What?" Seonghwa looked up from his desk, feeling disoriented and confused. It took him a moment to snap out of the vivid memory and reorient himself to the present moment.

"I've been calling your name for the past minute. Are you okay? You're not still thinking about that incident in the OR, are you?" Nurse Baek, his colleague, asked, her voice laced with concern. She lightly rested her hand on his shoulder, attempting to ground him.

Seonghwa's gaze darted around the room, taking in the familiar surroundings of his office. The walls were adorned with medical books and framed certificates, a testimony to his years of dedication and hard work. The cluttered desk in front of him held patient files, a half-empty coffee cup, and a photograph of his family.

His voice, though strained, remained steady, "I'm not. Everything's fine, Jieun." He forced a smile, hoping to reassure her, but the tension in his voice gave him away.

Jieun sighed, her shoulders relaxing slightly. "You know, it's okay to talk about it. That surgery was tough on everyone, not just you."

Seonghwa nodded, his mind still replaying the events of that fateful day. "I know. It's just... I need to keep moving forward. There's still so much to do."

Jieun gave him a sympathetic look. "Just remember, you don't have to do it alone. We're all here for you."

After giving his shoulder a final reassuring squeeze, she turned and left the room, leaving Seonghwa alone with his thoughts. He took a deep breath, trying to shake off the lingering remnants of the memory, and returned to his work, determined to continue through his day.

—

"How's the Hwang family holding up?" nurse Kimhee asked.

"Definitely at ease now that their son's surgery is all over. Gosh, that recovery's going to be a hard toll on that kid," Dr. Jeong chuckled, his eyes crinkling with a mix of relief and concern.

"Star quarterback with an injury like that? I bet he was about to get a full-ride scholarship," his deep voice hummed, resonating through the corridor as his arm rested casually against the wall. He leaned in slightly, his towering frame casting a protective shadow over the sweet nurse, who seemed to bask in his presence.

From a distance, Seonghwa stood, a calm yet intense presence, his eyes shooting darts at the tall man who stood ahead, his jaw clenched ever so slightly.

A chuckle broke his concentration. "I bet if you tried, you'd have all these nurses wrapped around your finger."

Seonghwa turned to see his colleague and good friend, Yeosang, standing beside him with a mischievous grin. "Excuse me?" he replied, raising an eyebrow.

Yeosang smiled cheekily, throwing his arm around Seonghwa's broad shoulders. "You do know everyone here thinks you're a hunk, right?"

Seonghwa sighed, gently shaking Yeosang's arm off his shoulder. "I'm not here to fulfill people's desires, I'm here to save lives," he said, his voice firm yet soft.

He paused, his gaze drifting back to the figure across the room. Their eyes met for a brief, electrifying moment.

"I have a patient waiting for me, and I'm sure you have things to do as well," he continued, his tone tinged with a hint of regret.

"I'll see you later, Kang," he added, sharing a small, genuine smile with the nurse before making his way down the hall. As he passed the tall figure he had been glaring at, their shoulders brushed ever so slightly, sending a shiver down his spine. The air between them crackled with unspoken tension, leaving Seonghwa with a lingering sense of longing as he continued on his path.

As he walked further, almost reaching his patient's room, he stopped, feeling a hand on his shoulder.

He glanced back, looking the man up and down, followed with a sigh.

"Jeong, if i'm clear.. I'm sure you have some paperwork to fill," Seonghwa spoke, with no emotion.

Dr. Jeong smirked, also looking the other up and down, only he was checking him out.

"Park.. if I'm clear, it seems to me that you've got my schedule memorized already" he playfully smiled, raising his eyebrow.

The older looked at him in disbelief, shaking his head. "You know flirting with your colleagues during work hours is against protocol," he paused, sucking in his lips, trying to avoid the thick tension in the room.

Dr. Jeong's smirk grew wider. "Sure, but it certainly makes the day more interesting, don't you think?" His voice dropped to a lower, more intimate tone, and the air between them felt charged.

Seonghwa sighed, his hand rubbing against his temples, his stern demeanor wavering slightly.

"Do you need something?? I have patients to attend and I'm sure you do as well," he spoke, though his voice lacked the usual firmness.

Yunho smiled, taking a few steps closer, towering over him. Seonghwa could feel his heart pounding in his chest as Yunho's presence grew closer, the space between them shrinking with every step.

The taller man's breath was warm and tantalizing against his skin, sending shivers down his spine.

Yunho's fingers brushed lightly against Seonghwa's arm, the touch electrifying, as they traced a slow, deliberate path up to his shoulder.

"Just trying to have a friendly conversation, ever had one?" Yunho's voice was a low, teasing murmur, his eyes locking onto Seonghwa's with an intensity that made it hard to breathe, his gaze penetrating and unwavering.

Seonghwa tried to maintain his composure, but the proximity and the heat radiating from Yunho's body were overwhelming. The scent of Yunho's cologne filled his senses, making it difficult to think straight.

His words were rushed and strained as he uttered, 'I don't have time for this. Just do your job, Jeong.' His voice, typically commanding and firm, now wavered with uncertainty.

His smile widened, a mischievous glint in his eyes as his hand lingered on Seonghwa's shoulder for a moment longer, the touch both comforting and thrilling. He leaned in closer, his lips almost brushing against Seonghwa's ear.

"Don't worry, Park, I am. But you might also want to take your own advice and not just focus on what I'm doing," he said in a deep, smooth tone that sent a thrilling shiver down Seonghwa's spine.

As Yunho walked away, his confident stride and the lingering warmth of his touch left Seonghwa breathless and yearning for more. He couldn't help but watch him go, his mind swirling with thoughts of what might come next, the anticipation almost too much to bare.

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