Dong Joo's POV
The past has a way of creeping up on you, no matter how fast you try to run. I thought I could leave it all behind-bury the mistakes, the regrets, the promises I broke. But you can't escape the life you left unfinished, not when it finds its way back into the same hospital where you're trying to build a new one. And when two worlds collide, something has to give. Or someone does.
---
It was late, the hospital hallways quieting down as the day shift handed over to the night crew. Dr. Kang Dong Joo leaned against the wall of his office, staring at the ceiling, trying to calm the storm inside his head. The confrontation with Dahyun earlier replayed in his mind over and over again, but now, there was something else eating away at him-Jisoo.
He hadn't expected her to show up in the same hospital, much less stay. Now, he couldn't avoid her, no matter how hard he tried. Just as he was trying to get some air, the knock on his door came. He looked up, and there she was-Kim Jisoo, leaning casually against the doorframe, arms crossed.
"You've been avoiding me," she said, a mix of hurt and defiance in her voice.
Dong Joo sighed, turning his chair to face her fully. "What do you want, Jisoo?"
Jisoo walked into the room, the door clicking shut behind her. "You're seriously asking me that? I came here to talk to you, to figure this out."
"There's nothing left to figure out," Dong Joo replied, his voice tired. "You showing up here-what are you even doing in this hospital?"
Jisoo tilted her head slightly, her gaze steady. "I was offered a position by Dr. Boo Yong-joo. Neonatal surgery. You didn't think I'd just let my career die in New York, did you?"
Dong Joo's eyes widened, the frustration rising in his chest. "You *followed* me here?"
She laughed, but there was no humor in it. "No, Dong Joo, I didn't follow you here. I was offered a position. Boo Yong-joo practically begged me to join. I didn't come here for you." Her gaze softened. "But that doesn't mean I'm going to ignore the fact that we need to talk."
He stood up abruptly, running a hand through his hair. "Talk about what, Jisoo? There's nothing left to say. We're over. We've been over since before I left."
She crossed her arms, her jaw clenched. "You left me. You didn't give us a chance to figure it out."
Dong Joo shook his head, pacing the room. "You cheated, Jisoo. You're the one who broke us."
There was a moment of silence between them. Jisoo's eyes fell to the floor, her voice quieter now. "I know I made mistakes. I know what I did. But you don't get to run away from this. From me."
---
Later that day, Dong Joo stormed into Boo Yong-joo's office, the door swinging open with a loud thud. Boo Yong-joo looked up from his desk, not surprised by the sudden intrusion.
"You wanted to see me, Dr. Kang?" Boo Yong-joo asked calmly, as if he hadn't noticed the younger doctor's furious expression.
Dong Joo clenched his fists. "Why is she here?"
Boo Yong-joo raised an eyebrow. "Who? Dr. Kim? I offered her a position."
"And you didn't think to tell me?" Dong Joo demanded, his voice rising. "She's my ex, Yong-joo. This is personal."
The older man leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping lightly on his desk. "Dr. Kim Jisoo is one of the best neonatal surgeons in the country. Having her here will elevate this hospital's reputation. Do you understand what that means for us? We'll be the number one hospital for neonatal surgeries in the country."
"I don't care about that," Dong Joo shot back. "This is about more than just surgery."
Boo Yong-joo's expression hardened slightly. "Then maybe you should care. I've been in this game longer than you, Dong Joo. And I know that letting your personal life get in the way of your work is a dangerous path. I'm telling you this for your own good-fix whatever is going on between you and Dr. Kim. Before it's too late."
Dong Joo shook his head, his frustration mounting. "It's already too late."
Boo Yong-joo stood, walking around the desk to stand directly in front of him. His tone was low, but firm. "Then stay away from Dahyun. Don't drag her into your mess. She's a brilliant intern with a promising future. Don't ruin that for her."
Dong Joo's eyes flickered with guilt. "I care about her."
"I know you do," Boo Yong-joo replied. "But that's exactly why you need to let her go. She doesn't deserve to be caught up in your unresolved issues with Jisoo. Be the bigger person."
Dong Joo's throat tightened. "It's not that simple."
Boo Yong-joo's gaze softened slightly. "It never is. But if you care about her, you'll make the hard choice. Stay away, before you do more damage."
---
Sometimes, you find yourself standing at the crossroads of the life you're living and the life you've left behind. And no matter how much you want to forget the mistakes you've made, they follow you. They haunt you. In the end, you have to decide-do you keep running, hoping you can outrun the past? Or do you face it, knowing that confronting it might cost you everything?
I thought I could move on. I thought I could find something real with Dahyun. But now, I'm standing in the middle of the wreckage of my choices. And the worst part? I don't know how to fix it.
