The day started like any other-chaos, rounds, and a flurry of pagers going off. But today was different for Dr. Kim Dahyun. She could feel the stares of her fellow interns, the knowing looks exchanged behind her back. Ever since she started dating Dr. Kang Dong Joo, whispers had followed her wherever she went. But she tried her best to ignore it, focusing on her work.
Today, however, was about to test her resolve.
---
In the interns' lounge, the group was in a relaxed mood, for once, enjoying a few moments before the storm hit. Jungkook was in his usual spot, stealing food from Jihyo's lunch, much to her irritation.
"Can you not take my fries for once?" Jihyo snapped, slapping his hand away.
Jungkook just grinned. "Come on, you don't even need them. Besides, I'm doing you a favor."
"Sure, and I'm gonna do you a favor by stabbing you with my scalpel," Jihyo muttered under her breath, making Sana and Yoongi laugh.
Dahyun, sitting across from them, tried to focus on her notes, but she couldn't shake the tension. Sana, sensing something was off, leaned closer.
"You okay, Dahyun?" she asked in a low voice.
Dahyun nodded, though her mind was elsewhere. "Yeah, just... you know, work stuff."
Before anyone could dig deeper, the door to the lounge burst open, and Dr. Kang Dong Joo entered, clipboard in hand, his presence immediately commanding attention.
"Interns, follow me to the OR," he said, his voice all business. "We've got a patient-a mystery case. Woman came in with worsening symptoms, and the cause is unclear. Whoever can figure out why scrubs in."
Excitement rippled through the room. Scrubbing in on a brain surgery was a coveted opportunity, and every intern's eyes gleamed with determination. Dahyun felt the tension mount instantly. She knew what was coming, and it wasn't just about solving the case.
---
In the OR prep room, Dr. Kang briefed the interns on the patient's condition. They all stood in a semi-circle around him, their eyes glued to the scans on the lightboard.
"Female, mid-40s, came in with progressive motor dysfunction. CT and MRI show no clear signs of trauma or bleeding. The scans are clean. But her symptoms are getting worse," Dr. Kang explained, crossing his arms. "So, what's causing it?"
The interns exchanged glances. Jungkook, as usual, spoke first. "Maybe it's a clot? Something small, not showing up on the initial scans."
Dr. Kang shook his head. "Good thought, but no. We've ruled out clotting factors."
Yoongi, ever the overthinker, hesitated before speaking. "Could it be a hidden aneurysm? Something deep in the brainstem?"
Dr. Kang nodded, considering. "Possible, but there's no evidence in the angiogram. We need to think beyond the obvious."
Jihyo, standing next to Dahyun, furrowed her brow, her mind racing. She glanced at Dahyun, but then looked back at the scans, deep in thought. "Could it be a complication from a previous surgery? Maybe something they missed? Scar tissue building pressure?"
Dr. Kang gave her a small smile. "Closer, but we have no history of prior surgeries. Keep thinking."
The room grew silent as the interns pored over the scans and patient notes. Dahyun felt a knot tightening in her stomach. She studied the images carefully, looking for something-anything-that could give them the answer.
Then, something clicked.
"What if it's not neurological?" Dahyun blurted out, the words surprising even her.
