Doctor Kim

Chapter 24

I stirred awake, and it took me a moment to place my surroundings. It was brighter in the room than when I'd fallen asleep—the light was on in the bathroom and streamed softly across the bed.

I shifted, drawing up onto my elbows, and blinked quickly to adjust to the glow.

The stark white of Minji's coat stood out first, and my gaze traveled upward to meet her eyes. She stood with her arms crossed over her chest, leaning against the doorframe and a pensive look on her face.

I'd slept like the dead, and the corner of my mouth was wet. I quickly wiped the drool away with a hand, playing it off like it was a yawn and I wasn't embarrassed. "Hi. What time is it?"

"Quarter to three." Her arms came down to hang awkwardly at her side. "I'm so sorry. I thought it was going to be quick. A few hours. But we had a hard time keeping him stable, and . . ." Her gaze moved away from me, drifting to stare off at nothing.

I straightened and tried to steel my reaction. The hurt in Minji's eyes was unmistakable. Oh, God. She'd spent all night battling for her patient—

And she'd lost.

A hole opened in my chest, and I bit down on the inside of my cheek. I was dying to say something, to offer comfort somehow, but my brain failed me. I couldn't come up with a single sentence that wasn't trite or a tired platitude.

"How much trouble are you in?" she asked. "It's so late, your mom must be worried."

I shook my head. "I told her I was staying over at a friend's."

"Oh. Good." Relief spread across her expression. Her voice was soft and light, masking her desperation. "Can you stay?"

Very little on earth could force me from this bed right now. "Yeah."

She drew in a deep breath and pushed it out, like she was cleansing her emotions. The wrinkles around her eyes were more pronounced now, and she looked exhausted as she moved toward me.

"How long have you been up?" I asked.

Her warm fingertips caressed my cheek, moving to cup the side of my face and draw me into a kiss. "I don't know. Twenty-five hours, maybe?" Her mouth tasted like coffee. Faint amusement darted through her weary eyes. "I thought I told you to get naked." She toyed with the collar of the shirt I was wearing. Her shirt, technically. "But I like this."

I warmed, trying to match her mood shift. "You told me to take off my clothes . . . which I did."

I threaded my fingers through her hair and tried to pull her down to sit beside me on the bed, but she resisted. She captured my wrists in her hands and freed herself from my grasp, straightening and giving me a studious look.

"Are you still experiencing discomfort?"

Confusion flooded me. "What?"

"Your problem earlier." Her expression hinted at the game. "Do you still have symptoms?"

My mouth rounded into an "oh" as I got it. Our scene from before, the fantasy I'd asked for. I softened. "Minji, you've got to be exhausted. We don't have to—"

A sad smile curled at the edge of her lips. "You're always thinking about other people and never yourself. That ends tonight. Hanni, you want this, and I want to give it to you."

I frowned and opened my mouth to tell her she was being silly. It was three in the morning, but she cut me off.

"What if I tell you I need this?"

I inhaled sharply at her confession and understood instantly. Hadn't I texted her earlier tonight for a similar reason? To use my time with her to forget the heavy, emotionally draining day? I pushed my hair back, tucking it behind an ear, and struggled to refocus.