Bandaids & Punches ✔️

1. Feeling Helpless

January 10, 4:38 P.M.

He walks down the corridors with steady steps, the white coat on his shoulders moving in rhythm, with coffee-brown eyes focused on the screen in his long, slender hands. He's clad in a sky blue Gucci shirt paired with black slacks and low-cut Dr. Martens. An odd aspect is his electric blue hair, but somehow his honey skin complements the color. If he wasn't a doctor-in-training, he'd most definitely be a part of the fashion industry.

The smell of antiseptics and blinding fluorescent lights of the hospital do not irritate Kim Haneul anymore, being desensitized to the environment over the past months. Stopping in his tracks, he knocks on the wooden door at the end of the hallway.

"Come in," a voice calls out from inside. The young man takes in a deep breath when opening the door, ready for what is to come.

"Kim Haneul! How many times have I stressed on not allowing anyone in the patient's room?" exclaims a man with salt and pepper hair, golden rimmed spectacles perched on his nose, wrinkles forming on his forehead and lips curving into a scowl.

"But Dr. Min, the boy was weeping. He wanted to meet his father," Kim Haneul replies, adjusting his black tie and pocketing his mobile phone. He stops the urge to dig his hands into his pockets to show respect to the elder man.

"If the child catches his father's virus, will you take responsibility?"

The blue-haired trainee remains silent, pressing his lips into a straight line and shaking his head slowly. His superior may be strict and inflexible but he's right. Haneul couldn't put the child's health at risk even if he desperately wanted to see his father.

"Thought so," the older man continues, "I'm the chief here, next time you undermine my orders, I'll kick you out."

"But—"

The door bursts open revealing a panting nurse. "Doctor Min, we need you now. Ms. Song's vitals are dropping!" The said man sprints up from behind the desk he's seated at and runs out without another word.

Haneul wonders how a man of his age is this active. He started working at the hospital a few months ago, assigned under Dr. Min Yongsun, who's married to his job and determined to tie Haneul in the same manner. His work is not dull, learning and experiencing varied events every day. The difference between practical life and textual knowledge is apparent, giving Haneul a sort of excitement to hone his skills further and strive to be better at what he's supposed to do.

"Kim Haneul!"

The blue-head reels back from his thoughts and follows his superior. Yet another eventful but usual day at the hospital.

The beeping sound of the ECG echos in Haneul's ears, the doctor faltering for a second at the sight in front of him. A pale, young woman lies on the bed, tubes connected to her body drawing from different machines, an oxygen mask over her face, dark bags under her eyes, and an IV drip needled to her hand. Four medical staff crowd around her, Dr. Min giving orders to the people in white coats.

"150 Joules!" the older man says holding two defibrillator paddle plates, giving shock to the woman after exposing her chest. "Again!"

"200 Joules!"

Haneul increases the power on the machine immediately, praying the woman's declining heartbeat picks back up.

"Once more!"

The petite woman's body jerks up due to the shock, the doctors watching with bated breaths, eyes trained at the ECG monitor. A beat later, one sound monopolizes the room.

Beep...a flat line.

Haneul peels his eyes shut, head bowing in defeat.

"Song Seolhyun, time of death 4:51 P.M., due to cardiac arrest." Min Yongsun announces in a robotic tone. He proceeds to remove the patient's oxygen mask and pulls the white sheet over her face. Song Seolhyun isn't a person or a patient anymore, just a lifeless body, a piece that'll soon be disposed of no matter how much her loved ones would like to keep her. Funny how the moment one stops breathing, they become an object. They aren't called by their names but just labeled as 'the body'.