The hospital bustled with the morning rush as new patients streamed in. In the surgical residents' lounge, Sana, Yoongi, Jungkook, Dahyun, and Jihyo gathered, listening intently to Dr. Boo Yong-joo, the respected head of surgery, as he prepared them for their next task. The atmosphere was tense, as always, with each of them striving to prove themselves in the fiercely competitive environment of the hospital.
"Today," Dr. Boo began, pacing back and forth, "we'll be quizzing you on various cases. A surgeon must always be sharp, never missing a beat."
Jungkook leaned back arrogantly, confident that he'd sail through whatever was thrown his way. Sana glanced at him sideways, nervous but masking it with determination. Yoongi was silent, always unsure of how much he really knew, while Jihyo stood ready, her usual laser focus evident. Dahyun, on the other hand, was calm, yet the pressure gnawed at her. Being the daughter of the legendary Kim Hee-ae, a renowned surgeon who had left an unshakable legacy, meant she carried more weight on her shoulders than the others.
The first case was brought up on the screen. It was a patient suffering from a complex abdominal condition, and Dr. Boo's eyes locked onto Jungkook.
"Dr. Jeon, how would you proceed?"
Jungkook straightened up confidently and began rattling off an answer that sounded sure, but as Dr. Boo raised his eyebrow, it became clear that Jungkook was missing something vital. His explanation faltered, and the smugness on his face began to dissolve.
Dr. Boo stopped pacing and looked at Jungkook sharply. "Are you sure about that, Dr. Jeon?"
Jungkook's voice grew smaller as he finished. "Y-yes, sir."
"Wrong." Dr. Boo's voice cut through the room like a scalpel. "Who knows the correct course of action?"
The room went silent. Jungkook's face turned red, the embarrassment of getting the answer wrong sinking in.
Dahyun took a deep breath and spoke up. "You'd need to consider the patient's history of ulcers and complications before proceeding. First, you'd run a CT scan to ensure there's no perforation before surgery."
Dr. Boo turned to Dahyun, his eyes narrowing slightly. "And what's your name?"
"Dr. Kim. Dahyun Kim."
Dr. Boo froze for a moment, staring at her as if seeing something more than just a rookie surgeon. Then, his expression softened, just a touch.
"Kim Hee-ae's daughter," he muttered under his breath. "You're the spitting image of her."
Dahyun blinked, feeling the weight of the moment. Everyone else in the room glanced her way, knowing the reputation her mother had left behind. She could feel their eyes, both admiration and envy creeping in.
Dr. Boo's face remained stern, but there was a gleam in his eye. "Welcome to the hospital, Dr. Kim. Let's see if you can live up to the legend."
Dahyun swallowed the lump in her throat, giving a small nod. The pressure of living in her mother's shadow had always been there, but now it felt like a spotlight had been switched on, and all eyes were on her.
---
As the day progressed, Jungkook couldn't shake the humiliation of being wrong. He kept his distance from Dahyun, irritated that she had swooped in with the right answer after he fumbled. Sana tried to cheer him up in between patients, giving him an encouraging smile as she worked on sutures, but Jungkook remained sullen.
Meanwhile, Jihyo and Yoongi watched the exchange silently, knowing how much pressure they were all under, but especially Dahyun. They caught glimpses of her during rounds, focused, and more determined than ever to prove she wasn't just riding on her mother's name.
---
Later that afternoon, after a grueling day, the group sat together in the residents' lounge once more. Jungkook, still brooding, leaned back in his chair, arms crossed.
"So, what's it like?" he asked bitterly, "being the daughter of a hospital legend?"
Dahyun shot him a look, clearly annoyed. "It's not easy if that's what you're implying."
"Must be nice to always have the right answer," Jungkook muttered under his breath, still stinging from earlier.
Sana nudged him. "Give it a rest, Jungkook. We're all trying to survive here."
Dahyun didn't respond, instead keeping her focus on reviewing notes for her next case. But deep down, she knew Jungkook's words echoed the doubts she constantly wrestled with. Could she ever truly live up to her mother's legacy?
As the evening wore on, the hospital lights dimmed, but for the residents, there was no such thing as rest. The challenges never ended, and neither did the stakes. Each of them-Jungkook, Sana, Yoongi, Jihyo, and especially Dahyun-knew that tomorrow would bring new tests. But with Dr. Boo's words ringing in her ears, Dahyun understood that she had more to prove than any of them.
