Jihyo had been looking forward to assisting with the open-heart surgery all week. It was a rare and prestigious opportunity for a first-year intern, and she was ready to prove herself. So when she walked up to the surgical board early that morning and saw her name scratched out and replaced by another, her heart sank. Next to Dr. Jennie's name was written Kwon Soon-young.
She clenched her jaw and turned around to look for this "Soon-young." After a quick search, she found him in the hallway, chatting casually with some nurses, his posture relaxed, as if he hadn’t just taken the opportunity she had worked hard to earn.
Jihyo marched up to him, crossing her arms. "Are you Kwon Soon-young?"
He turned to her with a lazy smirk. "That’s me. But everyone calls me Hoshi. What’s up?"
"You took my spot in the open-heart surgery," Jihyo stated, her voice cold. "That was my case."
Hoshi’s smirk didn’t waver. Instead, he raised an eyebrow. "I didn’t *take* anything. I earned it. Dr. Kim chose me for the surgery because, well..." he trailed off, glancing at her up and down, "I’m more capable."
Jihyo’s eyes narrowed. "More capable? You don’t even know me."
Hoshi shrugged, his tone annoyingly casual. "I know enough. I’ve heard about you. You’re the one always questioning your residents, trying to prove you’re smarter than everyone else. That’s not going to work in surgery. You need skill, not just ambition."
Jihyo stepped closer, her fists tightening at her sides. "Skill? You have no idea what I can do. I’ve been prepping for that surgery all week. I *know* I’m ready. You can’t just waltz in and act like you’re better than everyone else."
Hoshi crossed his arms, leaning against the wall as if he had all the time in the world. "I’m not acting like it. I am better. That’s why Dr. Kim picked me. Maybe instead of getting mad at me, you should focus on improving yourself. Just a thought."
The tension between them was thick. Both of them stood their ground, neither willing to back down.
Jihyo could feel her blood boiling. She had worked too hard to have someone like him swoop in and steal her chance. She wasn’t going to let this go without a fight. "You think you can just come in here and throw around your arrogance and people will just bow down to you? It doesn’t work like that, Hoshi."
Hoshi didn’t flinch. In fact, he seemed to enjoy the confrontation. "I’m not here to make friends, Jihyo. I’m here to be the best surgeon. If that means stepping on a few toes, so be it."
Just as Jihyo opened her mouth to fire back, a sharp voice interrupted them.
"Is there a problem here?"
They both turned to see Dr. Jennie Kim approaching, her expression unreadable, but the sharpness in her tone was unmistakable.
Jihyo immediately straightened up, but Hoshi seemed entirely unfazed, still leaning against the wall like nothing had happened.
Jennie crossed her arms as she looked between the two of them. "Why am I hearing raised voices in my department?"
Jihyo spoke first, keeping her voice steady. "Dr. Kim, I was assigned to assist with the open-heart surgery today, but my name was replaced with his," she said, gesturing toward Hoshi. "I’ve been prepping for it all week."
Jennie’s eyes flicked over to Hoshi, who met her gaze with an easy smile. "I didn’t choose him over you because you’re not capable, Dr. Park. I chose him because I think this case is more suited to his skill set at this stage in the program."
Jihyo felt her stomach drop. "But I—"
"I’m not saying you can’t handle it, Jihyo," Jennie cut her off, her voice softer now but still firm. "But I’m your resident, and I make the call on who works which cases. Hoshi has demonstrated skills that make him a good fit for this surgery. That doesn’t mean you won’t get your turn."
Jihyo bit her lip, her frustration simmering. She had been so ready, and now she was being sidelined.
Hoshi, sensing victory, couldn’t resist adding one last jab. "See? It’s nothing personal, Jihyo. Just skill."
Jennie shot him a look that immediately shut him up. "Kwon, don’t push it."
He raised his hands in mock surrender. "I’m just stating the facts."
Jihyo clenched her fists. "Dr. Kim, I—"
Jennie put up a hand, cutting her off again. "Jihyo, I know you’re eager, and I appreciate your dedication. But right now, you need to learn to trust your residents. This isn’t about who’s better or who’s worse. It’s about what’s best for the patient."
Jihyo took a deep breath, trying to reign in her emotions. "I understand, Dr. Kim."
Jennie nodded, satisfied with her answer. "Good. Now, both of you need to remember that this isn’t a competition between interns. You’re here to learn from me, from each other, and most importantly, from the patients. Don’t let your egos get in the way of that."
With that, Jennie turned and walked away, leaving Jihyo and Hoshi standing there, the tension between them still thick but tempered by Jennie’s words.
Hoshi shot her a sideways glance, his smirk returning. "Guess you’ll just have to wait for the next big surgery."
Jihyo shot him a glare. "I’m not going to let this slide, Hoshi. You might’ve gotten this surgery, but I’m not going to be pushed around."
Hoshi chuckled. "I wouldn’t expect anything less from you."
As Jihyo stormed off, she couldn’t help but feel that this wouldn’t be the last time she’d have to deal with Hoshi. And next time, she’d make sure to come out on top.
