"So? How are you now? It's been, what, how many years since I last saw you." Dr. Mia said to Michaelle after the waitress got their orders.
"Well, you know. I lost counting after the licensure exam. But you know what, it feels like it was just yesterday since I last saw you. Nothing changes, well except that you look prettier." Michaelle teasingly replied to Dr. Mia.
"You really are my BFF Chaelle. Anyway, what is the catch between you and the cutie Dr. Rein Lee?"
"Uhmm. Well, Dr. Lee is my fiancé, and I haven't introduced my Baby Rein to you yet, which by the way is our son." Michaelle proudly replied to Mia.
"What the!? You already have a son? Since when!? I missed half of my life there." Dr. Mia almost filled the restaurant with her voice.
"Lower your voice Mia. Well, it happened almost 2 years ago, and I will let you see him soon. By the way, KC, my soon-to-be sister-in-law wanted to see you and she said if you are free, you could come to their wedding."
"Sister-in-law? So, she must be Dr. Chen's fiancée, unless you have another sibling?" Dr. Mia confirming if Chaelle is not done surprising her with big revelations.
Michaelle chuckled before she answers back. "I think? Honestly speaking, I am not so sure about that. You know I have a very complicated family tree." Michaelle paused when the waitress started delivering her food.
"Orders complete. If there is something you need, don't hesitate to call me." The waitress bid goodbye and left them.
"Thank you for your service." It was Mia.
"So, as I was saying, I have a very complicated family structure, and I will not be surprised if we have another sibling who is hidden from us, and by the way, my father is the other man. I am the illegitimate child." Michaelle softly uttered. Her tone is monotonous so Mia could not figure out if she has already accepted that fact.
"What? How? Why?" Mia looks surprised but her voice is low compare to when she heard about Baby Rein.
Michaelle shrugged as if she was saying 'I don't know and I don't care anymore.'
"Then who is Dr. Jeffrey's father?"
"I don't know. I never met him. My mother said he already passed away. That's when she got the chance to do some work to find me." Michaelle took a bite of her food before she faced her friend.
"Uhmm, back to Dr. Lee, how come you got attracted to him?" Dr. Mia changing the topic since the atmosphere is becoming gloomy.
"Why? What is wrong with Rein?" Michaelle curiously asked her friend.
"There is nothing wrong about him. He is handsome and looks smart. I just do not know that you like that type of men. Because, you know, when we were just in high school, you always told us that you like strong men and no offense, but Dr. Lee looks kind of weak."
"Really? Did I say I like strong men? I can't remember, really." Michaelle released an awkward laugh.
"Of course! I could not forget that. Because that is one of Shoti Aldrin's motivation to learn some martial arts. You know, he had a crush on you back then and we thought you want someone who can protect you." Dr. Mia's long explanation.
"I don't know that Aldrin likes me back then. Anyway, that is not the point. Maybe I did say that before, but I think I was not serious about that." Michaelle trying to remember what happened before.
"Uhmmm, maybe, and you are pretty serious about Dr. Lee huh?"
"Of course, why not? He is a big catch you know. Anyway, enough of my life. How about you? How is the Army Training Center? Do you have someone there?" Chaelle's intriguing questions.
"Wow, wow, wow. That is a lot of questions." This time, Dr. Mia is on the hotseat. She released a heavy breath before she continues. "Well, the training center is great. Everyone is nice. It was not difficult for me to adjust in the environment since the atmosphere has some sort of similarity with the training area where we used to play when we were just teenagers." Mia sipped from the glass of water before she continues. "About that someone." Mia smiled to Michaelle then eventually turned her gaze outside. "There is an officer in the camp which I will be keeping in the name of Captain C. I don't want to disclose his name since, you know, for security purposes."
"I understand. So, what's with Captain C?" Michaelle look excitedly at her friend.
"Well, you know, we are not an item, but I could feel that we are going there. Everyone is cheering on us. I do not know if that is what he really felt but he is kind to me. Not the same kind of how he treated other people. He always helps me whenever he saw me working, and I could see from how he looks at me that- maybe he also likes me." Dr. Mia uncertainly confessed.
"Oh, you like him already?" Michaelle clarifies.
Mia did not answer back. She just nodded to affirm Michaelle's inquiry.
"Anyway, how long would you stay in FEGH?" Michaelle asked her to change the topic.
"I'm sorry Chaelle if I could not spill the beans yet. We had a petty misunderstanding before I left the camp, but I hope after one month, when I could finally go back to KATC, we could settle that misunderstanding. Honestly, I was not supposed to be here. I mean, there is another doctor that was assigned to attend the one-month training in FEGH, but because of my stubbornness, I volunteered so we could have enough space and time to think about what is going on between us." Mia released a faint smile.
"I'm sorry. I hope everything goes well." Dr. Chaelle reached for Mia's hand to comfort her.
"Thank you, Elle. Do not worry, we were trained to be strong. So, this trivial thing should never affect us."
"Just don't forget that I am here. Whenever you need me."
Mia just smiled as her response.
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"Good afternoon Mr. Te. Based on the result of various test that we had performed, we came up on the best solution. Our team need to perform the Carotid Endarterectomy as soon as possible. This procedure is necessary to remove the plaque that already build up in one of your carotid arteries. We need to remove the blockage since this buildup of plaque could restrict the blood flow to your brain and increase the risk of stroke." Dr. Rein Lee trying to explain to his patient the procedure that they will be performing this evening.
"Yes Dr. Lee. Dr. Ellie Lim also explained that to me yesterday. I just wanted to reconfirm it from you since you are my attending physician and yet Dr. Lim said that another doctor from Neurosurgery will be performing the operation." Mr. Te, the patient weakly smiled at him.
"Yes. A team of Neurosurgeons will be handling your operations since this type of operations falls under their specialty. However, you don't need to worry because I will personally join the operation to see that everything goes well." Dr. Lee's reassurance.
Mr. Te gives him his best smile. "Thanks Dr. Lee. I can sign the waiver now so you could perform the operation later this evening."
"Don't worry, the operation will only take 1 to 2 hours. After that, you may need 1 to 2 days of recovery period before we could discharge."
"Thank you again Doctor. I am counting on you."
Dr. Lee nodded before he left the room together with the other doctor. When they finally outside the patient's room, Dr. Ellie Lim immediately approached him. She intentionally grabs his left arm.
"Dr. Rein Lee." Dr. Ellie Lim beamed at him.
Instead of responding, Dr. Rein Lee look at her hand that is currently holding his left arm.
Dr. Ellie Lim received the signal and quickly released his arm.
"I'm sorry. I kind of-" Dr. Ellie did not know how to respond.
"Got a little excited again?" Dr. Lee looks displeased and it is very apparent on his tone.
"I'm really sorry Dr. Lee. I was just so glad that at last, we were able to convince the patient to accept the operation. Thank you for your hard work." Dr. Ellie bows in front of him.
"Mr. Te is my patient, and that is one of my responsibilities as his attending doctor." He said while leaving her behind.
Dr. Ellie Lim stands straight and look at the cold-hearted Dr. Lee that slowly walking away from her. She closed her fist forcefully while gritting her teeth.
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"So, Mia, where are you staying?" Michaelle asked her while fastening the seatbelt around her.
"The FEGH give me a 1-bedroom unit in the serviced apartment for their resident doctors." Mia starts the engine and starts to drive when Chaelle's phone rings. "Go on, it may be your Dr. Lee."
Michaelle looks at the screen before she nodded and smile.
"Yes Rein?"
"Are you still with Dr. Park?" Rein chuckled on the other line because he knows that Michaelle is being shy to call him on their endearment.
"Uh-huh." Michaelle's short reply.
"I'll be at our place past 11pm. Are you going to your Mom's house or go straight to my pad?" Rein is currently taking his dinner inside his office. The surgery will start after 1 hour, at 9 in the evening.
"I'll go straight to your bachelor's pad. By the way, did you already take your dinner?"
"Currently taking it. Take care on your way home. Be safe ok?"
"Yes, for you. Finish your meal. I'll call you when I get there."
Rein chuckled again. "You are really cute. Bye Baby. I love you." He softly whispered.
"What? Why are you suddenly saying that?"
"Nothing. I just find it cute. See you later. Where is my I love you too?"
Michaelle looks at Mia on her left side. "Go on friend. You could say 'I love you too', I don't mind."
Rein heard Mia from the other line. "Your friend really knows you."
"Yes. Of course. Ok, see you later Baby. I love you too."
"I love you more."
Michaelle ended the call with a smile in her lips.
"You look cute Baby." Mia teasingly said to her friend.
"Stop that Mia! Not funny." Michaelle giggled, then pinched her friend.
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The Carotid Endarterectomy was successful, and they only took one and half hour to finish the operation.
"Thank you everyone." Dr. Liam Sy, the lead Neurosurgeon said to the people inside the operating room. "Dr. Lim, please finish it."
"Thank you, Dr. Sy." Dr. Ellie Lim took the position of Dr. Sy and start to close the site.
"Thank you, Dr. Lee for accompanying us and trusting our team." Dr. Sy bows in front of Dr. Lee.
"It was also my pleasure to be able to work with your team." Dr. Lee slightly bows before they exited the operating room.
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"Hello ice prince." Michaelle sit on top of the bed before she continues. "How is the operation?"
"Everything goes well. Surprisingly, the operation finished early. I am already in the parking lot. I will be there by 11pm. See you later Baby."
"Be safe! I love you!"
"I love you too Princess." Rein smiles to himself after ending the call.
"Oh, its Dr. Lee." It was Dr. Liam Sy. "I did not know that you can smile that sweetly Dr. Lee. I guess you were talking with Dr. Pretty Yoon." Dr. Sy chuckled.
"What?" Rein was back to his cold self again. Especially when he heard that someone called some petty name to his fiancée. He is not pleased with it.
"Oh… Don't get me wrong. It's just that – I find Dr. Yoon-" Dr. Sy was caught off guard. He did not know how to finish the sentence. "Anyway, we got a little problem here. Dr. Ellie's car is flat."
"So?" Rein coldly responded. That is the only time that he noticed the female doctor beside Dr. Sy.
Dr. Liam Sy scratches the back of his head. "Ahh... I wanted to offer her a ride to her place, but the location of her apartment is out of my way and I needed to go home as soon as possible."
"What's your point? Why do I need to know that?" Dr. Rein Lee looked at his wristwatch to give them the hint that they are being effective in wasting his time.
"I'm sorry Dr. Lee if I became a burden. But it is late already, and I am not comfortable in riding a taxi alone." It was Dr. Ellie Lim; she was looking down since she did not know how to face the cold-hearted Dr. Lee.
"I have already heard enough of your sorry for this entire day." Dr. Rein released a heavy sigh, showing that he already gave up. "Where do you live?"
"Thank you, Dr. Lee!" Dr. Ellie bows in front of him. "I live near the 3rd bus station going to the south from here."
"Thank you, Dr. Lee." Dr. Sy said before he goes inside his own car.
Rein goes inside his car. He was fastening his seatbelt when he noticed that Dr. Ellie opens the door to the passenger seat.
"Wait. This seat is only intended to my soon to be wife." He puts his sling bag on the passenger seat before he looks to Dr. Lim indifferently.
"Oh…I'm sorry." Dr. Ellie carefully closed the door to the passenger seat. She immediately opens the door to the back seat and quickly took the seat uncomfortably.
They are about to leave the hospital premises when Rein noticed two people standing near the taxi bay.
"Miggy. Thank you for saving my day." Rein whispered to himself.
"I'm sorry Dr. Lee. Are you perhaps talking to me?" Dr. Ellie Lim reconfirms since she did not clearly hear what Dr. Lee uttered earlier.
"Miggy!" Dr. Lee called his brother. He is currently standing beside Nina in the Taxi bay. Apparently, they are waiting for some luck.
"Oh, Ahia!" Dr. Migs smiled at his brother.
"Hi Dr. Lee! Good evening!" It was Nina, one of their nurses who are also a fan of their loveteam, Reinelle Fans Club.
"Are you going home? I could give you a ride if you want?" Rein offers the two.
"No. Ahia, actually I am still on duty. I am only helping Nina to find a cab." It was Dr. Migs.
"Is that so? I don't mind if I could give Nina a ride going to her home." Rein insisted.
"No need Dr. Lee. My house is out your way, I couldn't take-" Nina was not able to continue what she is able to say because Rein cut it out.
"I insist. You could join Dr. Lim at the back seat." He shifts, his gaze to the back to let them know that he is not alone.
"I think you should accept Ahia's offer Nurse Nina. You know, he rarely offers some help." Dr. Migs released an awkward laugh.
"I see. So, I will be going now Dr. Migs. Thank you for you time." Then Nina immediately went inside the back seat. "Good evening?"
"It's Dr. Ellie Lim. Good evening nurse Nina if I heard it correctly." Then she offers her hand for a handshake.
Nina immediately accepts it. "Yes, Dr. Lim. Nice to meet you."
"Ah, Nina." It was Rein.
"Yes Dr. Lee?"
"Is it ok if we could drop Dr. Lim first?" Dr. Lee asked Nurse Nina.
"Ah, isn't Nina's home is out of our way? Maybe it would be better if we will drop Nina first." Dr. Ellie Lim suggested.
"What do you think of MY suggestion NINA?" Dr. Rein Lee emphasized on the word MY and NINA to tell the other doctor that he is not talking to her or asking for her suggestion.
"Ah-er, I think what is in your mind is ok Dr. Lee. We could drop by Dr. Lim first before dropping me at my house." Nina released an awkward laugh.
"Ok good."
"Thanks Dr. Lee for considering me first." Dr. Lim trying to uplift her self-esteem.
No one responded, and they are all quiet the whole time.
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The following day…
"You are already asleep when I get home. Let's finish our work early so we could spend some time with our Baby Rein." Rein said to Michaelle while they are on their way to the nurse station.
"Ok. I ready miss him." Michaelle paused when they already reached the nurse station. "Hi Nina! How are you?"
"It's good Dr. Yoon! You need the chart of Patient 5010?" Nina bubbly responded to Michaelle.
"Wow. Nothing changes. You are still very attentive on my patients. She is my patient in outpatient clinic. She just wanted to be admitted to fully rest her body before she undergoes some test." Michaelle's long reply while taking the chart from Nina.
"Nina, can you give me Mr. Te's chart?" It was Dr. Lee.
"Oh, that chart, Dr. Lim is currently using it." She pointed at the female doctor who are on the other side of the nurse station.
Apparently, Dr. Ellie Lim heard their conversation. She moves closer to Dr. Lee.
"Here Dr. Lee. I'm done taking my notes." She smiles while giving the chart to Dr. Lee. "Oh, by the way, thank you for giving me a ride going to my house last night. I do really appreciate it. If I could do something in return, don't hesitate to ask me. Oh, I almost forgot, here. Its for you." She smiles sweetly at Dr. Lee while giving him a small box of chocolates.
Dr. Lee was caught off guard. He stares at her with a surprise look. Michaelle who is beside him stops in browsing her patient chart. Luckily, Nina was already aware of what is going on.
"Oh, Dr. Lee. I'm sorry if I have nothing to give you in return. You also gave me a ride together with Dr. Lim last night even though my house is out of your way." It was Nina. Her acting skill is very good that made Dr. Lee regain his composure.
"That's nothing. It was quite late and hard to find taxi at that time. So, Dr. Lim." Rein looks at her before he continues. "No need to give me that chocolates. I hate eating sweets."
"Oh…" Dr. Lim was embarrassed. She is like a cold statue pinned on where she is currently standing.
Michaelle secretly smiles, but Nina caught that moment. "I'll be taking this chart for a moment." She left the station without looking to everyone.
"I'll be taking this too." Rein followed Michaelle.
Nina secretly gave Dr. Lee a thumbs up. To her surprise, he gestured back and smiles.
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Michaelle knock three times before she enters room 1510.
"Thank you, Atty. Lee. I'll review this first before we could set another meeting." Mrs. Amanda Lim smiles.
"Just give me a call Mrs. Lim if you have some questions. I hope everything turns good, so we could settle it as soon as possible." Franco Lee's monotonous reply.
"Oh, pardon me. I don't know that you have someone here." Michaelle calmly uttered.
"No worries Dr. Yoon. We are already done with our transaction." It was Mrs. Lim.
"Rein." Franco stares landed on Michaelle's back, that made the female doctor to look behind her.
"Brother. I did not know you are here. I did not know you accepted Dr. Chen's offer." Rein stops beside Michaelle.
"Not yet. Mrs. Lim is my personal client. I'll be taking my leave. Bye Dr. Yoon. Bye Rein." Franco bid his goodbye and went straight to the door.
"Why are you here?" Michaelle softly whispered at Rein.
"Well, obviously. To check on our patient." Rein moves closer to the patient. "Hello Ma'am. I am Dr. Rein Lee. May I know how you are feeling?"
Michaelle shakes her head before she walks near them. "I can't believe it." Michaelle whispered to herself.
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"Oh my! Why do I have to sleep that long! I only took 1 bottle and yet I overslept." Dr. Romia was running on the hallway to catch her training time. She was about to turn when she suddenly bumped to someone.
"The H*ll!"
"Oh, God. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Mia bows while apologizing but did not wait for his response. She immediately run away because she was getting late.
The man that she bumped earlier shakes his head while looking at the running female doctor. He was about to leave when he noticed a ballpen on the floor.
"Romia Park." He reads.