The OR was a whirlwind of controlled chaos. The saw screeched as the surgeons carefully cut the excess pole impaling Kai and Sooin, the sound jarring in the sterile silence.
"Keep it steady!" Dong Joo barked, his eyes laser-focused on the metal as it slowly separated from Sooin's body.
As the pole was finally removed, Sooin was transferred to an operating table. Blood seeped through the sterile sheets, a cruel reminder of how close they were to losing her.
"Vitals?" Nayeon asked sharply, glancing at the monitors.
"She's holding, barely," Yoongi replied, his voice tight.
Kai was stable for now, so all hands turned to Sooin. Dong Joo and Jun Wan worked with the precision of seasoned surgeons, their hands moving rapidly as they tried to repair the damage. Dahyun and Nayeon retracted tissue, their expressions grim.
"I need better visualization," Jun Wan muttered. "Dahyun, hold that retractor steady."
"I've got it," Dahyun replied, her voice steady despite the tension in the room.
Jun Wan reached deep into Sooin's abdomen, his fingers searching for the source of the bleeding. He froze for a moment before speaking.
"Her aorta is shredded," he said grimly. "She's bleeding out faster than we can stop it."
The room fell silent for a moment, save for the beeping monitors. Then, Yoongi's voice cut through.
"Kai's pressure is dropping," he announced.
"We need to move," Nayeon said, already stepping away from Sooin to assist Kai.
The rest of the team followed, leaving Dahyun and Sooin alone.
"What about her?" Dahyun yelled, her voice breaking through the commotion. "We can't just abandon her! We can't just abandon her!"
"Dahyun, we need you here," Nayeon called, but Dahyun shook her head, her hands still working to clamp a bleeding vessel.
"No! We have an obligation to her!" Dahyun shouted, her voice trembling with desperation.
Nayeon approached her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "There's too much damage," she said gently. "We did everything we could."
Dahyun looked up at her, tears brimming in her eyes.
"We have to let her go," Nayeon whispered. She glanced at the clock. "Time of death: 3:49."
Dahyun stood frozen as the others moved back to Kai, who was now stable. Even as the room cleared, she remained by Sooin's side, her gloved hand resting on the woman's now lifeless one.
---
Sana stepped out of the OR, exhaustion etched across her face. Jisoo, her attending, followed close behind.
"Well," Jisoo said, pulling off her surgical cap. "Chaeryong and her baby are both fine. Good work in there, Minatozaki."
"Thank you, Dr. Kim," Sana replied, offering a faint smile.
As they walked down the hallway, Jisoo appeared, her presence as striking as ever.
"So," Jisoo began, her tone conversational but sharp. "Have you made a decision yet, Dr. Minatozaki?"
Sana blinked, caught off guard. "A decision about what?"
"Whether or not you're going to hate me," Jisoo said, tilting her head slightly. "You're Dahyun's friend, right? I'm the wicked witch who ruined her life. I cheated on doctor, wait-what is it that you guys call him again?"
Sana hesitated before mumbling, "McDreamy."
Jisoo smirked. "Cute. Does it embarrass him?"
Sana gave a small nod. "I think it does."
"Good," Jisoo said, her smile widening. "Look, by all rights, you should hate me. But I'm sticking around for a while, and I have to admit-you've got a gift for my specialty. I could teach you a lot if you're willing to learn."
Sana stared at her, unsure how to respond.
"So," Jisoo continued, her voice softer now, "when you decide how important it is to hate me, let me know." With that, she walked away, leaving Sana to grapple with her feelings.
---
Dong Joo sat in the waiting room with Sooin's fiancé, the weight of the day pressing heavily on his shoulders. Nayeon sat beside him, her usually stern demeanor softened by sympathy.
"Did she suffer?" the fiancé asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Dong Joo shook his head. "No. She wasn't in any pain." He hesitated before continuing. "She asked me to tell you... She wanted you to know that if love were enough-if love were enough, she'd still be here with you."
The man nodded, tears streaming silently down his face.
Across the room, Dahyun stood with Yoongi, her gaze fixed on Dong Joo. The raw grief in the fiancé's eyes was too much for her to bear. Without a word, she turned and walked away.
Yoongi watched her go, concern flickering across his face.
---
In the elevator, Dong Joo leaned against the wall, his head bowed. Nayeon stood beside him, watching him closely.
"Are you okay?" she asked finally.
He didn't respond immediately. Instead, he walked to the back of the elevator, gripping the rail tightly as he wiped his face. After a moment, he returned to her side.
"I'm fine," he said, though his voice betrayed him.
Nayeon didn't push further. She simply reached out and pressed the button to resume their descent.
---
Sana, Dahyun, and Yoongi sat on a bench in the locker room, their postures slouched, their faces weary. The silence between them was heavy but comfortable, a shared understanding of the day's toll.
The door opened, and Jungkook stepped inside, shrugging on his white coat.
"Long day?" he asked, glancing at them.
"You could say that," Yoongi muttered.
As Jungkook left, Jihyo entered, her expression sharp as she glared at his retreating back. Without a word, she sat beside Dahyun, who looked utterly defeated.
"You okay?" Jihyo asked softly.
Dahyun didn't answer.
---
Dong Joo walked out of the hospital with Jisoo by his side. Without hesitation, she linked her arm through his.
Inside, Dahyun, Jihyo, Sana, and Yoongi remained seated on the bench, their exhaustion palpable.
The door opened again, and Dahyun looked up, half-expecting to see Dong Joo. Instead, it was Nayeon.
"Get cleaned up," she ordered briskly. "Rounds in five minutes."
With groans of protest, the interns stood and headed to their lockers, the weight of the day still heavy on their shoulders.
