Dahyun's POV
People like to say that pain fades with time. That the hurt softens, becomes a shadow of the past. But the truth is, pain never really goes away-it lingers, taking different shapes and forms, hiding in memories, in regrets, in choices. I've run from my shadows for so long, hoping I could escape the hurt they bring. But here's the thing about shadows: they only grow longer when you keep running away from the light.
---
The back alley of the hospital was buzzing with laughter and chatter, the group of interns savoring a rare quiet lunch break. Dahyun sat with Yoongi, Jihyo, Sana, and Jungkook, each one of them nursing a sandwich or takeaway box, exchanging stories about the morning's cases. They needed these moments, brief as they were, to remind themselves there was life outside the sterile walls and endless rounds of the hospital.
Yoongi shook his head, biting into his sandwich. "Just once, I'd like a lunch without my pager going off."
"Don't jinx it," Sana warned with a playful smile. "We're tempting fate just by sitting here."
Just as she said, the shrill beeps of their pagers broke the peace. Everyone froze, exchanging looks before quickly gathering their things. They moved as one, racing toward the emergency room, mentally preparing themselves for whatever awaited.
As they arrived, they saw Dr. Kang Dong Joo, Dr. Im Nayeon, and Dr. Lalisa Manobal was already there, lined up at the ambulance entrance. Dahyun barely glanced in Dong Joo's direction, but the brief eye contact they made made her stomach tighten. She quickly looked away, rolling her eyes slightly to herself, hoping no one noticed.
Dr. Lisa, with her usual confident air, briefed them on the incoming case. "Female, early 20s, trauma patient. Blunt force to the abdomen and chest. Likely internal bleeding, but she's still conscious. Refused to have anyone called; she said there's no one who would come. Dahyun try to get contact details of her family."
The ambulance arrived, and the paramedics rushed to wheel the stretcher out. Dahyun stepped forward to take the patient's side, her eyes meeting the young woman's, who wore a stubborn, almost defiant expression.
"Miss, you're safe now," Dahyun said gently. "We're going to take care of you. Do you have anyone we can call?"
The woman looked away, voice low but steady. "I don't need anyone's help. I'd rather die here on my own."
"Ma'am, you've been in an accident. Are you sure you don't want anyone to come? Your condition may require surgery." Dahyun asked softly, trying to keep her tone casual.
"I said no!" she grunted in pain. "My father" with a bitterness that cut through the air. "He left me. And he doesn't get to be here just because I'm dying."
Dahyun's heart tightened. She could feel the girl's pain as if it were her own-because it was familiar, in more ways than one. She gave the girl's hand a gentle squeeze. "You're not alone, okay? I'm here, and I'm not leaving your side."
The girl's eyes flickered with a fragile gratitude, and she finally nodded, allowing herself to trust Dahyun, if only a little.
---
In the operating room, the atmosphere was tense as the team worked quickly and carefully. Dong Joo and Dr. Lisa focused intently, their expertise evident as they moved in sync. Dahyun assisted, quietly providing tools and support, keeping her eyes on the patient instead of the man she was trying so hard to avoid.
As Dong Joo requested a clamp, Dahyun handed it over without a word, though she could feel his gaze on her for just a second too long. She kept her eyes on the patient, silently urging herself to stay focused on the task.
After what felt like an eternity, the surgery was over, and the team slowly backed away, sighing with relief as the patient's vitals stabilized.
"She's going to be okay," Dr. Lisa confirmed, giving Dahyun a small smile. "Nice work."
Dahyun managed a small nod, feeling a sense of relief. But the weight of the patient's story lingered with her. She knew what it was like to feel abandoned by those you needed most.
---
Later, as the girl regained consciousness, Dahyun returned to check on her. She entered the room just as Dr. Im Nayeon was finishing up her post-op evaluation.
The girl's voice was quiet. "It hurts, but I'll survive. Guess I'm tougher than I thought."
Dr. Im gave her an encouraging smile. "You are. And for what it's worth, you have a team of people here who care, whether you realize it or not."
The girl swallowed, glancing at Dahyun. "I thought I'd feel better. But I just feel... empty. I wonder how I'll make it on my own. My mom just died and I can't stay in bed for long. I need to work, I need to provide for myself because no one will."
Dr. Im's voice softened. "That's normal. But emptiness doesn't mean you're alone. It just means there's room to heal. Dear, the support system is one of the things that post operation patients need. You can't heal alone. Won't it be better to call your father to support you this time? Maybe this time, it will be different."
As Dahyun listened, something in Dr. Im's words struck a chord within her, a quiet reminder of her own unresolved pain. She felt a pang deep inside, an urge to confront something-or rather, someone-that she had avoided for far too long.
After bidding goodbye to her patient, Dahyun took a deep breath and walked down the familiar corridor, her feet seemingly leading her on their own. She knew where she was going before she even realized it. The ghosts of her past that she had worked so hard to suppress were finally catching up to her.
---
Dahyun stood before a door, her heart pounding in her chest. She hadn't been here in years, hadn't dared to even think of coming back. But standing there, with Dr. Im's words and her patient's pain echoing in her mind, she knew it was time.
Taking a deep breath, she lifted her hand and knocked, bracing herself for whatever lay behind that door.
---
We tell ourselves we can outrun the past, that we can bury the hurt and keep moving forward. But sooner or later, the past finds a way to bring us back to the place we've tried so hard to forget. Standing here, at the edge of everything I've kept buried, I wonder if facing it will finally set me free... or if it will pull me under once and for all.
