The hospital cafeteria buzzed with the usual low hum of voices and clinking of cutlery as the interns gathered around a table, their trays piled with whatever late-night dinners they could scavenge from the kitchen. Dahyun, Jihyo, Sana, Jungkook, and Yoongi were mid-bite, each looking like they’d barely had a moment to breathe all day.
Just then, Dr. Kim Jun Wan strode past their table, glancing casually in Jihyo’s direction. His gaze lingered, a barely-there hint of a smile tugging at his lips. But Jihyo's eyes darkened as she pointedly turned her head away, rolling her eyes in irritation.
Sana, who noticed the brief exchange, perked up. "Hey, Jihyo," she said, lowering her voice but with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "You know, last night... you said something interesting."
Jihyo gave her a wary look. "Oh, really? And what exactly did I say?"
Sana grinned, leaning in. "Well, remember? You were going on about how 'interns dating men in the hospital' was a bad idea... or something like that." She paused, teasing. "Does that mean you’re dating someone here? Like… maybe… Dr. Kim Jun Wan?"
Jihyo’s face went stiff. She quickly shook her head. "What? I never said that! You’re just making things up, Sana."
Sana chuckled, shrugging. "Oh, come on! Maybe it’s the drinks talking, but you sounded pretty adamant last night."
Jihyo pursed her lips, her voice cold but controlled. "Nope, definitely not dating anyone. And even if I was, it wouldn’t be Dr. Kim. That’s ridiculous."
Sana raised her hands in surrender, feigning innocence. "Alright, alright, no need to bite my head off. Guess I was just imagining things."
Dahyun observed the whole exchange with a small, knowing smile but didn’t say anything. Jungkook and Yoongi glanced at each other, raising eyebrows but keeping their opinions to themselves. One by one, they were paged by their attendings, leaving the table until only Jihyo remained.
As Jihyo was about to take her last bite, her pager buzzed. She sighed, grabbing her tray and heading toward the lab. But as she turned down an empty hallway, a hand shot out, pulling her into the nearby storage room. She barely had time to gasp before the door clicked shut behind her.
“Jun Wan!” she hissed, taking in the sight of Dr. Kim Jun Wan standing mere inches away from her. "Are you serious right now?"
Jun Wan’s expression softened as he looked at her. "Jihyo, we can’t keep doing this… hiding, sneaking around. It’s only a matter of time before someone finds out."
Jihyo crossed her arms, keeping her voice low and firm. "And that’s exactly why we *should* keep it a secret. I don’t want to be the next Dahyun, Jun Wan. I don’t want to be the intern everyone’s gossiping about."
Jun Wan sighed, running a hand through his hair. "But it’s not the same situation, Jihyo. Dahyun’s mess with Dong Joo is different. He’s engaged. I’m not." He softened his tone, trying to meet her eyes. "If we told Chief Boo, I know he’d approve."
She shook her head. "It’s not just about Boo’s approval. It’s about every attending, every resident, every intern in this hospital. I don’t want them looking at me like I’m some... some lovesick intern, pining for an attending."
Jun Wan’s expression grew serious. "But that’s not what this is, is it? We’re not just sneaking around because we’re ‘lovesick’ teenagers. What we have is real, Jihyo. And I don’t want to keep pretending like you don’t mean anything to me."
Jihyo’s face softened briefly before she forced herself to look away. "I know it’s real. But this is our career, Jun Wan. If things go wrong… I can’t risk losing my place here, not for anything."
Jun Wan stepped closer, his voice gentle but insistent. "You don’t have to lose anything. And we don’t have to hide forever. Just think about it. If we keep sneaking around, people are going to find out eventually—probably when it’ll cause the most damage."
Jihyo let out a frustrated sigh, backing away slightly. "Why are you pushing this so hard? You knew how things were going to be."
He studied her face, frustration and concern flickering in his eyes. "Because I want to do this right, Jihyo. I don’t want you to feel like you’re some kind of dirty secret. That’s not what you are to me. And you know it."
Jihyo’s resolve faltered for a second as she looked into his eyes. "It’s not about that," she muttered, her voice dropping. "I just… I don’t want people talking. I don’t want to be the intern everyone points at in the hallway."
Jun Wan placed a hand gently on her shoulder. "If you think people aren’t already talking about us, you’re mistaken. This is a hospital, Jihyo. Gossip spreads faster than the flu." He took a deep breath. "So, let’s be honest with them. Let’s tell Boo. Let’s stop looking over our shoulders."
Jihyo clenched her jaw, her gaze determined. "I don’t want anyone to know about us until *I’m* ready. This is my career too. I need time to prove myself without anyone thinking I got here because of you."
Jun Wan exhaled, nodding reluctantly. "Fine. We’ll do it your way. But just… think about it, okay? We can’t hide forever."
Jihyo glanced away, clearly uncomfortable. "I know." She reached for the door, but Jun Wan caught her wrist.
"One more thing." His eyes softened as he looked at her. "No matter what happens… I’m on your side. You know that, right?"
Jihyo’s features softened, and for a moment, the tension melted. "I know," she said quietly. She gave his hand a gentle squeeze before pulling away, slipping out the door without another word, leaving Jun Wan alone in the dim storage room.
