secret story | jeno x reader

Chapter 9: Case

The case that had been haunting us for weeks—Mr. Archer's complex medical mystery—was finally coming to an end. The weight of the entire situation had been sitting on my shoulders for what felt like forever. I could feel the tension building day by day, and while I wasn't the only one carrying this burden, it still felt like I had the most to lose. As much as we tried to compartmentalize our lives as doctors, cases like this took a toll.

"Hey, y/n, you've got to stop pacing," Jaemin said, his eyes tracking me as I moved from one side of the room to the other. "It's over. Mr. Archer's case is done. We did it."

I paused, turning to look at him, unsure whether to feel relieved or still anxious. "I know, I know. But it still feels like something could go wrong."

Jaemin chuckled from where he sat, his arms folded behind his head, completely at ease. "Everything went smoothly. We solved it—together. You, me, Haechan, and Jeno."

The memory of the past few days was still fresh in my mind. Mr. Archer had been a tough case—a high-profile client who had been sent our way after being misdiagnosed twice by other hospitals. He had come to us out of sheer desperation, hoping that our team would be able to crack what everyone else couldn't.

The thing about VIP patients was that, on top of their medical complexity, there was always the added pressure of status. The higher the profile, the more pressure there was to get things absolutely perfect. Thankfully, we had managed to do just that.

"You're pacing again," Jaemin pointed out, still leaning back in his chair.

I hadn't even realized my feet had started moving again. I quickly stopped, taking a deep breath to calm myself. "I'm just not used to everything going this smoothly. It feels like something should have gone wrong by now."

Before Jaemin could respond, Jeno walked in, looking relaxed for the first time in what seemed like days. His usually sharp and focused demeanor was gone, replaced by a calm energy that matched Jaemin's. He crossed the room and sat down next to Jaemin, giving me a tired smile.

"Well, it didn't," Jeno said, his voice soft yet reassuring. "Mr. Archer's condition was tricky, but we handled it. You did great. We all did."

I couldn't help but smile at his words. It was true—we had handled the case like pros. From the very beginning, it had been a team effort. Haechan had been instrumental in doing the detailed diagnostics, while Jaemin and Jeno had worked tirelessly on formulating the treatment plan. My role had been crucial, too, performing the necessary surgeries and overseeing the post-op care. And now, Mr. Archer was well on his way to recovery, thanks to our collective work.

"Yeah, we crushed it," Haechan said, walking into the room with his usual confident grin. He dropped down onto the couch next to Jeno, stretching his arms behind him. "Admit it, y/n—you're a little impressed with us."

I rolled my eyes but couldn't hide the smile creeping onto my face. "Okay, fine. Maybe a little impressed."

Jaemin raised his cup of coffee in a mock toast. "To teamwork."

Jeno and Haechan both mimicked the motion, pretending to hold invisible cups in their hands. I sighed but couldn't resist playing along, raising my hand as if I were holding a cup as well.

"To teamwork," I echoed, feeling the weight of the past few weeks slowly start to lift off my shoulders.

The case had been draining, no doubt about it. From the constant late nights spent researching, to the surgeries, to the meetings with Mr. Archer's family, it had been a nonstop ride. But somehow, with each of us playing to our strengths, we had managed to pull it off. And now, as the tension began to dissipate, I could finally let myself believe it was over.

"Hey!" I pouted suddenly, feeling Jeno's eyes on me. He had a playful smirk on his face as he watched me pace again, though this time out of nervous energy rather than worry.

"What?" he asked innocently, leaning in closer, that mischievous look still in his eyes.

"You're staring," I accused, narrowing my eyes at him.

He chuckled, ignoring my words and leaning in even more. "You look cute when you're stressed," he teased, gently kissing my cheek.

I could feel my face heat up almost immediately, the warmth spreading from my cheeks to my ears. I turned away quickly, trying to hide my flustered state, but I knew Jeno could see right through me.

"You're impossible," I muttered under my breath, which only made him laugh harder.

Haechan, watching the interaction from across the room, raised an eyebrow. "Should I leave you two alone?"

Jaemin, catching onto the teasing tone in Haechan's voice, smirked. "I think they could use some privacy."

I shot both of them a glare. "Oh, shut up."

But it was hard to stay mad at them, not when the relief of having solved Mr. Archer's case was finally starting to sink in. The teasing from my friends—though annoying—was a welcome distraction from the constant stress we'd been under for the past few weeks.

"All jokes aside, though," Haechan said, standing up and stretching his arms above his head. "We did a damn good job on this one. Mr. Archer's family seemed genuinely happy when they left this morning. And that's a win in my book."

He was right. Seeing the relief on Mr. Archer's face, and the gratitude from his family, had been worth every sleepless night and every ounce of stress we had endured. It was moments like that which reminded me why I loved this job so much, despite how demanding it could be.

Jeno stood up as well, brushing off his pants before turning to look at me. "You ready to head out?"

I glanced at the time—it was late, but not so late that we couldn't grab dinner together before calling it a night. I nodded. "Yeah, let's get out of here."

Jaemin and Haechan followed suit, gathering their things as we prepared to leave the hospital. The four of us walked out together, the cool evening air hitting us as soon as we stepped outside. It felt refreshing, like a signal that the worst of it was behind us.

As we walked to our cars, Jaemin slung his arm around Haechan's shoulders, talking animatedly about what he wanted to eat for dinner. Jeno fell into step beside me, his hand brushing against mine as we walked. The touch was comforting, grounding me in the moment.

"Hey," he said softly, his voice just loud enough for me to hear.

I looked up at him, raising an eyebrow in question. "What's up?"

He smiled, a genuine smile that made my heart do a little flip. "I'm proud of you. You handled this case perfectly."

I felt my face heat up again, but this time it wasn't from embarrassment. It was from the warmth of his words, the sincerity in his voice.

"Thanks," I murmured, suddenly feeling a little shy. "I couldn't have done it without you guys."

Jeno shrugged, his smile never fading. "Still. You were amazing."

And just like that, all the stress and tension from the past few weeks melted away, replaced by the warmth of accomplishment and the comfort of knowing I wasn't alone in this. We had solved Mr. Archer's case together, as a team, and in that moment, nothing else mattered.

We climbed into the car, ready to head to dinner and finally relax, knowing that the hardest part was behind us.