The medical camp in Baengnyeongdo buzzed with activity. It was the first time Dr. Kim Jun-wan had been cleared to operate since his health scare, and the weight of leading the team rested on his shoulders. Dr. Boo Yong-joo, initially slated to oversee the operation, had been pulled back to the hospital for an emergency surgery, promising to join them as soon as possible.
Despite the busy atmosphere, a sense of unease lingered. Dr. Minatozaki Sana was notably absent, her grief over Suho's death too raw for her to function in the field. Even more conspicuous were the absences of Dr. Kim Jisoo and Dr. Kang Dong-joo. Rumors whispered between team members about their whereabouts, but no one knew for sure.
Dahyun leaned against a folding chair near the edge of the camp, her gaze fixed on the horizon where the ocean met the sky. Jihyo approached her, wiping her hands on a towel after finishing a procedure.
“Still no word from Jisoo or Dong-joo?” Jihyo asked casually, though there was an edge to her tone.
Dahyun shook her head, her lips pressed into a thin line. “Nothing. It’s like they’ve disappeared.” She hesitated, then added, “What if they’ve eloped? Just left everything and everyone behind?”
Jihyo smirked, though there was no humor in it. “Good. Let them. Maybe it’s for the best. At least you can finally focus on yourself and stop getting dragged into their mess. Who knows? You might even find someone else to love.”
Dahyun let out a hollow laugh. “You think it’s that easy?” She turned to Jihyo, her voice heavy with frustration. “Back in Gochang, when Dong-joo and I were trapped in that cabin, he promised me he’d leave Jisoo. He said he’d break it off and… and choose me.” She paused, her voice cracking. “But now? Nothing. Not a single word. Just silence.”
Jihyo froze, her expression hardening. “He promised you that?”
“Yes,” Dahyun whispered.
Jihyo’s hands clenched into fists at her sides, her anger barely contained. “Unbelievable. He did it again.”
“I know. I'm so stupid right?”
“This is why I told you not to trust him,” Jihyo said, her voice rising. “Dong-joo’s a coward. He can’t make a clean decision to save his life. He’s stringing you along while he figures out his mess, and you’re the one getting hurt. You deserve better than this.”
Dahyun looked away, her shoulders slumping. “It’s my fault. I believed him. I shouldn’t have—”
“No,” Jihyo cut her off sharply. “Some portion might be yours for believing him" she sarcastically said. "But this? This isn’t on you. Don’t you dare blame yourself for his actions. He’s the one making promises he can’t keep. You deserve someone who’s sure about you, Dahyun. Not someone who treats you like an option.”
Before Dahyun could respond, a nurse rushed over, calling for assistance in the operating tent. The urgency of the situation dragged them back into the present, but as they hurried toward their responsibilities, Jihyo couldn’t shake the bitter frustration twisting in her chest. Dong-joo’s actions had hurt her friend again, and she wasn’t sure how much more of this Dahyun could take.
The operating tent was a whirlwind of activity. Dr. Kim Jun-wan stood at the center, issuing commands with calm precision as the team worked on a critically injured fisherman who had been airlifted in just hours earlier. Dahyun and Jihyo joined quickly, donning their gloves and masks without a word.
For a while, the urgency of the surgery drowned out everything else. Dahyun focused on suturing a ruptured artery, her movements methodical despite the turmoil in her mind. Jihyo assisted Jun-wan, her sharp eyes catching every detail as she handed him instruments and anticipated his next steps.
