The on-call room was dark except for the faint glow of the hallway lights spilling in through the cracked door. Dahyun lay sprawled on one of the bottom bunks, her scrubs wrinkled and her hair disheveled. Minatozaki Sana sat cross-legged on another bed, flipping through a medical textbook she wasn't really reading. Jihyo leaned against the wall, arms crossed, looking entirely too awake for someone who had just finished a thirty-hour shift.
"Is it possible to die from exhaustion?" Sana muttered, breaking the silence.
"If it were, you'd already be dead," Jihyo shot back without missing a beat.
Yoongi, perched awkwardly on a chair that looked ready to collapse under his weight, chuckled. "I'd pay actual money for a clean pair of underwear right now."
"Dream big, Yoongi," Jungkook replied, lounging on the opposite bunk with his arms behind his head. "Some of us are aiming for sleep."
"Sleep?" Jihyo scoffed. "That's what quitters do."
"Jihyo, not everything's a competition," Dahyun mumbled, barely lifting her head.
Before anyone could respond, the sharp beeping of pagers cut through the air. One by one, they all reached for their devices, groaning as they read the same alert.
"What now?" Sana complained, tossing her book aside.
"I'll give you three guesses, but you're only going to need one," Jihyo said, already heading for the door.
Just as they stepped into the hallway, a nurse hurried past, shouting, "Turn on the TV!"
They followed her to the nearest break room, where a small television was mounted on the wall. The screen showed the chaotic aftermath of a train wreck. Smoke billowed in the background as emergency responders worked frantically to pull survivors from the wreckage.
"The train was bound for Daegu," the reporter said. "Over 150 passengers were on board when it derailed. Early reports indicate multiple casualties and dozens of critical injuries."
"Of course," Sana muttered under her breath. "Why wouldn't there be a train wreck after a thirty-hour shift?"
Jihyo's eyes lit up. "This is going to be amazing."
"You mean exhausting," Dahyun said, rubbing her temples.
Yoongi stood up, his expression equal parts nervous and excited. "Guess we're not going home after all."
---
The interns piled into the elevator, still half-asleep and grumbling. Sana gave Jungkook a sideways glance, her brows furrowed.
"What?" he asked, catching her gaze.
"I thought you weren't talking to me," she said bluntly.
Jungkook smirked. "I thought so too."
Sana crossed her arms. "I'm rising above it. You clearly need a friend after Yoongi's been stealing all your surgeries after that incident where you 'froze' in the elevator."
Yoongi looked up from the corner, where he had been quietly observing the conversation. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means," Sana said with a grin, "that Jungkook's new fear of scalpels might actually kill his career."
Jungkook rolled his eyes but didn't respond.
The elevator doors opened, and they stepped out into the chaos of the ER. Stretchers filled the hallway, each carrying a bloodied, injured patient. Nurses and paramedics shouted orders over the cacophony.
Dahyun stumbled out of the elevator, her legs wobbling. She caught herself against the wall, looking pale and dehydrated. Jihyo didn't even notice; her eyes sparkled with anticipation.
"I'm so not tired anymore," Jihyo said, practically bouncing on her feet.
"Me neither," Yoongi added, his earlier complaints forgotten.
---
Dr. Im Nayeon appeared, striding down the hallway in a formal dress and heels. The interns stared at her in surprise as she handed her purse to Jungkook.
"Get my shoes," she ordered curtly, already pulling a yellow protective gown over her head.
Jungkook looked at the bag in disbelief. "I'm not your-"
Nayeon cut him off with a glare. "Do I look like I care? Shoes. Now."
Dahyun leaned against the wall, watching the chaos around her with glazed eyes. "Hello," she said weakly as Nayeon passed. "I seem to be a little bit groggy. I was off duty."
Nayeon turned to her, her eyes narrowing. "So was I. Anybody else feeling useless?"
The other interns quickly shook their heads.
"Nope," Jihyo said.
"Not at all," Sana added.
"Good," Nayeon said briskly. "Then don't make any mistakes. You're all tired, but the patients don't care. Let's move."
The group followed her into the trauma room, where a sea of injured patients awaited. Jihyo's excitement was palpable.
"This is incredible," she whispered, scanning the room.
"Try not to look so happy about it," Dahyun muttered, but her voice lacked its usual sharpness.
---
Dahyun found herself standing near one of the trauma rooms, staring at two patients being wheeled past on a gurney. A long metal pole pierced through both their torsos, connecting them.
Inside the room, the male patient, Kai, was surprisingly calm, even making light of the situation. "The touch is a little uncomfortable," he quipped, drawing a small smile from the medical staff.
The female patient, Sooin, was less composed. "Are you going to get this thing out of me or not?" she demanded.
Dr. Kim Jun Wan and Nayeon stood near the gurney, discussing the best course of action.
"We can't remove it until we know what's going on internally," Jun Wan explained. "We'll get X-rays and go from there."
Sooin groaned. "Great. Anybody have a breath mint? For me, not for him."
Jun Wan exchanged a look with Nayeon, who was clearly trying not to roll her eyes.
"Yoongi," Nayeon barked, "get the X-rays. And be careful. Move them as little as possible."
---
Back in the hallway, Jungkook returned with Nayeon's shoes, muttering under his breath. He handed them to her, his expression sulky.
"Here. Your majesty."
Nayeon smirked as she slipped them on. "Thank you, Jungkook. Now go cover the ER while you get over your fear of scalpels."
"That was mean," Dahyun said softly, watching the exchange.
Nayeon turned to her, her sharp gaze softening slightly. "You're dehydrated and overfatigued. Get yourself a banana bag IV and stay out of the way."
"Or, I could just go home," Dahyun offered.
"No one's going home," Nayeon snapped. "If I can't, then so are you."
"Five years into marriage I can't even finish my date peacefully without interruption." Nayeon whispered to herself.
As Nayeon walked away, Dahyun leaned against the wall, staring blankly at the chaos around her. The commotion swirled on, but she felt like a ghost in the middle of it all.
