secret story | jeno x reader

Chapter 5: Long

The minutes blurred into hours as the day wore on, each patient bringing their own set of challenges. Time had a funny way of slipping away when you were focused. By the time I glanced at the clock again, it was already 5:30 PM, and I still had a full roster of patients left to see.

Haechan had been keeping pace with me all day, helping with everything from consults to patient follow-ups. As we wrapped up another case discussion in the breakroom, I looked over at him. "Hey, you doing okay?" I asked, noticing how worn-out he looked.

He let out a sigh and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, I'm good. Just... this day feels like it's never going to end, doesn't it?"

I couldn't help but nod in agreement. "Tell me about it."

It was the kind of day that seemed relentless, with no signs of slowing down. My feet were aching, and my brain felt like it was running on fumes. But this was the life of a doctor, especially in a specialty like oncology. It wasn't glamorous, and it wasn't always rewarding, but the small victories—the patients who improved, the lives we saved—were worth every late night and exhausting day.

By 8 PM, the hospital was quieter, the usual hustle and bustle dying down as the day shift wrapped up. But for us, the work was far from over. I had a few post-op patients to check in on and another follow-up for a man who had just been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

After making the rounds, I returned to my office, collapsing into my chair and letting out a long breath. The clock on the wall ticked away, its hands creeping closer to 11 PM. I still had paperwork to finish, test results to review, and treatment plans to finalize. Just as I started typing up my notes, my phone buzzed with a message.

It was Haechan. At this hour? I thought he would've gone home already.

Haechan [11:12 PM]: You still working?

I quickly typed a reply.

y/n [11:13 PM]: Yeah, just wrapping up. Why?

I set the phone down, expecting some kind of sarcastic response about how we were both workaholics, but instead, the next message from Haechan caught me completely off guard.

Haechan [11:15 PM]: Something weird just happened. Did you hear about the patient in room 212?

My stomach dropped. Room 212? I didn't recall any urgent cases there. It was one of the VIP rooms reserved for high-profile clients, but no one had mentioned anything out of the ordinary today. I frowned, immediately feeling a sense of unease.

y/n [11:16 PM]: What do you mean? What happened?

The response came quickly.

Haechan [11:18 PM]: There was a commotion. Security is involved. I'm on my way to check it out.

I sat up straighter in my chair, my exhaustion momentarily forgotten. Something serious had to have happened for security to be involved, and if Haechan was heading over, it meant it wasn't just a routine incident.

I grabbed my white coat and rushed out of my office, heading straight for the VIP wing. My mind was racing with possibilities, but I tried to stay calm. I needed to see what was going on before jumping to conclusions.

As I approached room 212, I saw Haechan standing in the hallway, talking to one of the nurses. His usually playful demeanor was replaced by a serious, focused expression. He looked up when he saw me coming.

"Hey," I said, trying to catch my breath. "What's going on?"

Haechan pulled me aside, his voice low. "It's Mr. Archer. The patient in 212. Apparently, there was an altercation with someone who came to visit him. Security had to get involved, and they're still sorting it out."

I frowned. Mr. Archer was a VIP client—a well-known businessman with a lot of connections. He was recovering from surgery, but there hadn't been any issues during his stay. At least, none that I'd been made aware of.

"Who was the visitor?" I asked.

Haechan shook his head. "They're not saying much. But it sounds like it might've been someone from his company. The whole thing is being kept pretty quiet."

I ran a hand through my hair, feeling a mix of frustration and concern. "Has anyone checked on Mr. Archer? Is he okay?"

"The nurses said he's stable, but they're keeping a close eye on him," Haechan replied. "I was just about to go in and see for myself."

I nodded, following him into the room.

When we entered, Mr. Archer was sitting up in bed, looking pale but alert. His expression was tense, and he seemed agitated as he glanced between us and the nurses who were quietly bustling around the room.

"Mr. Archer," I greeted him, keeping my tone calm and professional. "How are you feeling?"

He let out a huff, clearly irritated. "I'd be feeling a lot better if this hospital wasn't full of incompetent staff who can't keep track of who's allowed to visit me."

I exchanged a quick glance with Haechan, then turned back to the patient. "We're very sorry about the disturbance, Mr. Archer. Can you tell us what happened?"

He shook his head, muttering something under his breath. "It was someone from my company. Came here unannounced, started asking questions about my condition. I don't know how they got past security, but I'm not paying for this kind of service."

His frustration was palpable, and while I could understand why he was upset, we needed to get to the bottom of how this breach had occurred.

"Rest assured, we'll be investigating the matter," I said gently. "But right now, the most important thing is your health. Let's focus on making sure you're recovering well."

He didn't look entirely satisfied, but he nodded begrudgingly. "Fine. But I want answers."

"We'll make sure you get them," Haechan added, his voice firm.

After checking his vitals and ensuring that there were no immediate concerns with his recovery, we left the room and stepped back into the hallway. The tension in the air was thick, and I could tell that Haechan was just as unsettled by the situation as I was.

"What do you think?" I asked quietly as we walked back towards the nurses' station.

Haechan frowned, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I think this goes deeper than just a random visit. Someone wanted information about Mr. Archer, and they were willing to break protocol to get it."

I nodded slowly, my mind already working through the implications. VIP clients like Mr. Archer often came with their own set of risks, but this felt different—more calculated, more dangerous.

"We'll need to report this to the hospital board," I said. "And I want to make sure security tightens up. If someone was able to get past them this time, it could happen again."

Haechan agreed. "I'll make the call. In the meantime, we should keep a close eye on Archer's room. I've got a feeling this isn't over yet."

By the time I made it back to my office, it was nearly 11:30 PM, and I was mentally and physically exhausted. The day had been long, but the unexpected incident with Mr. Archer had left me feeling uneasy. There were too many unanswered questions, and I knew that tomorrow would bring more challenges.

I sank into my chair and pulled up the security report on my computer, reviewing the details of the incident. My phone buzzed again, and I glanced down to see a message from Haechan.

Haechan [11:29 PM]: Don't stay too late. We'll deal with everything tomorrow.

I sighed, knowing he was right. But something about this whole situation didn't sit well with me.

y/n [11:30 PM]: Yeah. I'll head out soon.

As I closed my laptop and prepared to leave, I couldn't shake the feeling that things were about to get more complicated. And I had no idea just how right I was.