The patient's room was filled with a quiet warmth as the woman and her husband shared the story of their relationship with Dong Joo, Jisoo, and their surgical teams, including Jihyo and Sana, who hovered nearby, listening with interest.
"So, you two went through... all that and still found your way back to each other?" Jihyo asked, her voice neutral but her gaze subtly shifting toward Dong Joo.
The patient, a woman in her late 30s with a calm, reflective expression, nodded, giving her husband's hand a squeeze. "Yes. Life gives you second chances, sometimes third or fourth, and it's never easy. We made mistakes-big ones-but it's about finding a way to forgive. For yourself and each other."
Sana, standing close by, couldn't resist. "And what if someone keeps making the same mistake, again and again?" she asked lightly, casting a quick glance at Dong Joo. "At what point does forgiveness just... run out?"
The husband laughed softly, sensing no deeper implication in her question. "Well, I think that's something each person has to decide for themselves. Sometimes, though, the mistakes make you realize how much you truly care."
Jihyo muttered under her breath, barely loud enough for only Sana to hear, "I think some people just run out of excuses."
Dong Joo stiffened but kept his expression controlled, aware of the unspoken tension around him. Jisoo, who hadn't missed any of the nuances in the conversation, maintained a neutral, professional smile.
She cleared her throat softly. "Well, it's clear you two have found something worth holding onto," she remarked, addressing the couple. "Thank you for sharing your story with us."
The woman smiled, visibly touched. "It's our pleasure. Maybe you'll find your own second chances too."
As the conversation faded, Dong Joo exchanged a brief look with Jisoo before both doctors returned to focus on the pre-op preparations, leaving Jihyo and Sana in quiet satisfaction at having subtly voiced their support for Dahyun.
---
The surgery was over, and the team sighed with relief as the patient's vitals stabilized. Jisoo and Dong Joo removed their gloves, sharing a look of professional satisfaction that masked a more personal tension simmering beneath the surface.
In the scrub room, as the team disbanded, Jisoo waited until they were alone. She took a deep breath, steadying herself.
"Dong Joo," she began, her voice softer than usual. "Can we talk?"
He nodded, though there was a guardedness in his eyes. "What's on your mind?"
Jisoo hesitated for a moment. "I just... hearing that couple's story. It made me think about us. About how... maybe there's still a chance for us to work things out."
He looked at her, his expression unreadable. "Jisoo, I don't think you get it. This isn't something that can be fixed with a story about second chances."
Jisoo's gaze didn't waver. "Dong Joo, I know what I did hurt you. I know I messed up. But everyone makes mistakes. That couple-they found a way to move forward, to heal together. Maybe we could do that too?"
Dong Joo let out a sharp breath, looking away. "You cheated on me with my best friend, Jisoo. This wasn't just any mistake. It was the kind of betrayal that changes everything."
"And you don't think I've regretted it every single day since?" Jisoo replied, her voice breaking slightly. "You think it didn't hurt me too? I was scared. I was insecure. I made a terrible choice. But that choice doesn't define everything we had together. It doesn't have to."
Dong Joo shook his head, his face twisted with the weight of his emotions. "Maybe not for you, but for me, it changed everything. How can I ever trust you again?"
"I was hurt too! Instead of fixing what we have, I find you here living your life with another woman. And you're just trying to dump all the blame on me. You cheated on me too with that girl. With that girl Dong Joo!" Jisoo said furiously.
"You don't get to bring Dahyun into this conversation." Dong Joo said "You cheated on me and when I met Dahyun, all those pain went away. So, you don't get to bring her to this."
Jisoo held her tears "And bringing Seungtak is okay?" Jisoo took a step closer "I made a mistake, but so are you. So, please Dong Joo let's make this thing work. Let's think about the 10 years we spend together and the lifetime we had planned together."
"Let's stop this conversation now. I'm tired."
Jisoo was silent for a long moment, absorbing the depth of his hurt. Finally, she straightened, a sense of resolve hardening her expression. "If you're so sure it's over, then tell me now. I'll go back to New York, I'll leave you alone, and I'll cool off this engagement for good."
He stared at her, caught off guard by the ultimatum. "You're really giving me an all-or-nothing choice here?"
"Yes," Jisoo replied, her voice steady. "Because I don't want to keep pretending like there's a future for us if you've already made up your mind. If there's no chance at all, I'll go. But if there's even a part of you that thinks we can work through this, then I need to know that. We can start with just that."
Dong Joo looked away, the weight of her words settling over him. His mind was a whirl of conflicted memories and emotions, but before he could respond, the faint sound of footsteps interrupted them.
Unbeknownst to them, Dahyun had been standing at the far end of the corridor, having caught part of their conversation. Her heart felt like it was being torn apart piece by piece, hearing Jisoo's words, seeing Dong Joo hesitate. She turned quickly, hoping to slip away unnoticed, but not before Dong Joo caught a glimpse of her retreating figure.
For a brief moment, their eyes met, and the expression on Dahyun's face shattered whatever pretense of control he'd been holding onto.
"Dahyun..." he started, but she was already gone, disappearing down the hallway.
Jisoo followed his gaze, a flicker of understanding in her eyes. "It's because of her, right?," she murmured, her voice laced with a mixture of realization and hurt.
Dong Joo didn't answer, the silence stretching thick and heavy between them.
Finally, Jisoo let out a small sigh, stepping back. "I'll give you some time to think about what you really want, Dong Joo. But I won't wait forever."
With that, she walked away, leaving Dong Joo standing alone, his mind in turmoil as he replayed the look on Dahyun's face and Jisoo's words.
---
As Dahyun hurried down the corridor, she fought to keep her composure, her thoughts a tangled mess of hurt and betrayal. She had thought she was done with this pain, that she could move on. But seeing Dong Joo with Jisoo, watching him hesitate-it reminded her just how fragile her own heart still was.
Jihyo and Sana, who had been watching from a nearby waiting area, caught sight of Dahyun's distressed expression as she passed by. They exchanged a knowing look before following her, concern etched in their faces.
"Dahyun," Jihyo called gently, catching up to her. "Hey, you okay?"
Dahyun swallowed, forcing a small smile that didn't reach her eyes. "I'm fine," she murmured, though her voice betrayed her. "Just... tired."
Sana put a hand on her shoulder. "You don't have to pretend with us, you know."
Dahyun let out a shaky breath, grateful for their support but still unwilling to let herself break. "It's just... I thought I was ready to move on. I thought I could forget him, but... seeing him with her..."
Jihyo held Dahyun's shoulder and slightly shaked her "You don't have to move on overnight, Dahyun. Just take it one day at a time. And we'll be here, okay?"
Dahyun nodded, "okay." closing her eyes as she leaned into her friends, feeling a flicker of comfort amid the pain.
