As Jung Ha Joon handed Min Hyuk a small, elegantly wrapped box containing a slice of cake, he looked up with an earnest smile. "And while you're at it, could you pass along this note too?" he added, his tone almost innocent. He deftly attached a tiny folded note to the box, a gesture that felt both casual and significant as he nudged it toward Min Hyuk.
Min Hyuk glanced at the note and then at Ha Joon's hopeful expression. The request hung in the air, and for a moment, he felt the weight of the dilemma pressing down on him. Beside him, Mina stood quietly, her eyes flickering between Min Hyuk and Ha Joon, her unspoken concern evident in her gaze. It was as if she sensed his internal struggle, but he couldn't bring himself to look her way; he felt trapped in this moment of decision.
Despite his better judgment, Min Hyuk found himself nodding in reluctant agreement. "Okay, I'll help," he said, words tinged with a mix of resolve and exasperation. The corners of Ha Joon's mouth turned up into a wide grin, as if his heavy burden had been lifted, leaving Min Hyuk to carry the added weight of the favor silently bestowed upon him.
As Ha Joon left with a bounce in his step, filled with hope and excitement, Min Hyuk stood rooted in place, his mind racing with thoughts of what to do next. Just as he was on the verge of weighing his options, the atmosphere shifted as Do Jeong Min appeared before them, slicing through the thick tension and redirecting his thoughts from the whirlwind in his mind.
"What are you staring at?" Jeong Min's voice rang out, startling him to the core. Reacting instinctively, he quickly hid the box behind him, but then an idea sparked in his mind. He turned to Jeong Min, seeking aid.
With a mix of urgency and desperation, he began narrating the entire situation, his words tumbling out alongside Mina's support. As they spoke, Min Hyuk fixed Jeong Min with wide, pleading eyes that shimmered with hope.
"Doctor-nim, please help us! He's going to scold us again!" Min Hyuk exclaimed, clearly anxious about the impending confrontation.
Mina raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on her lips. "Don't drag me into this. The cake is in your hands, and you are the one who volunteered for this mission."
She directed a pointed look at Min Hyuk, holding him accountable. "Let's not forget that."
Min Hyuk, crossing his arms defensively, shot back, "Sure, I admitted to it. But you were the one who told Ha Joon that it was the boss who saved him, not you. So much for your humble act."
"It was simply the truth," Mina replied, unrelenting. "You're the one who chose to play delivery boy in the first place."
Min Hyuk interjected, "Things would be different if you had kept quiet instead of pretending to be so modest all the time!"
As their playful bickering intensified, voices rising, the atmosphere crackled with energy. Just then, the shrill ring of Min Hyuk's phone pierced through their debate, lighting up the screen with a familiar number that made his heart race.
Without a moment's hesitation, Min Hyuk picked up the phone, irritation lacing his voice as he barked, "Put it on speaker."
The command hung in the air like a tense challenge. Min Hyuk felt his heart race, and for a moment, he froze, his mind racing as he glanced around at the lit room, sensing the weight of scrutiny from the corners. Slowly, deliberately, he activated the speakerphone, his fingers trembling slightly.
"It's on speaker, sir," he stated, his voice steady but his pulse quickening as he remained acutely aware of the charged atmosphere surrounding him.
A moment later, a voice erupted through the phone, sharp and filled with menace. "Won't you both shut up? Are you so eager to meet your family? Wanna give them a permanent visit?"
The familiar tone was laced with unfamiliar words, sending a jolt of shock through Jeong Min. Even though he recognized the voice on the other end, the cruel twist of the message caught him off guard. Desperately, he opened his mouth, attempting to interject, but before he could grasp the fleeting moment, the call abruptly ended, leaving just a troubled silence in its wake.
Jeong Min, a sprightly 67-year-old with a heart full of affection for children, had always cherished little ones like Mina and Min Hyuk as though they were his own. Observing the stress etched on their youthful faces, he felt a surge of protective instinct and decided to step in to help.
"I'll prepare a small dose of anesthesia mixed with the vitamin injections," he explained, his voice steady and reassuring. "Just place the cake on the table beside him, along with that note as he sleeps. Understood?"
Mina's brow furrowed with concern. "But what happens after that?" she pressed, anxiety creeping into her tone.
"Afterward, you can either spill the truth or devise some excuse until he realizes what's going on," Jeong Min replied casually, though he noticed the disbelief flickering in their eyes.
Mina and Min Hyuk exchanged glances filled with uncertainty. "Or you could always just return the cake," Mina suggested hesitantly.
"No, let's stick with this plan," Min Hyuk interjected with a determined nod, willing to go along with Jeong Min's quirky scheme despite their lingering doubts.
As Jeong Min meticulously examined Ji Hoon, Hae Ra entered the room, her breath coming in quick bursts, clearly agitated. She glanced at them both, making her presence known with a slight nod.
Finishing the inspection, Jeong Min prepared an injection, the sterile needle glinting ominously under the fluorescent lights. He watched as Ji Hoon tensed, his fist clenching tightly in anticipation of the prick. A wave of nostalgia washed over Jeong Min, recalling the days of his youth when he too had feared needles. But following the tragic loss of his parents, a deep numbness had settled within him, extinguishing any semblance of fear or emotion.
"Are you done?" Ji Hoon inquired, his voice flat, echoing the cool sterility of the hospital room.
The sharpness of his question pierced through the haze of confusion surrounding him, pulling him back to reality. "Yes... yes, you're recovering well. Just one more week, and you'll be able to leave," the doctor replied, his tone firm yet devoid of warmth.
"Okay... wait! What? One more week? Are you out of your mind? Hae Ra said I could go home after three days!" Ji Hoon's voice rose slightly, a mixture of disbelief and frustration painting his features.
"Hae Ra is not the doctor; I am. Whether you leave in three days or a week is entirely up to me," the doctor asserted with an air of authority. His eyes held a steely resolve, making it clear that his word was final.
Against the backdrop of monotony that surrounded them, Ji Hoon scoffed, irritation flaring within him like a spark against dry kindling. "Hey! Are you insane? Who even appointed you as a doctor? Hae Ra! Are you sure this quack actually has qualifications?" The words tumbled out in a swirl of indignation, his dizziness escalating with each complaint.
As the anesthesia surged through his system, wrapping him in a comforting embrace, Ji Hoon felt his eyelids grow heavier. Finally, surrendering to the fog of sleep, he drifted off with a mixture of annoyance still flickering in his mind.
The doctor observed Ji Hoon with a mix of curiosity and bemusement flickering across his features. "It never ceases to amaze me," he remarked, "how amnesia can completely alter a person's personality."
Hae Ra leaning against the doorway, nodded thoughtfully as she responded, "Yeah, I tried to get to the bottom of it, but…"
Hae Ra interjected, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "He's been behaving really weird, but—"
"Not strange," Jeong Min cutting her off with a measured tone. "It's different."
He continued, his expression growing serious as he explained, "Anyway, I administered the medication, and he appears to be recovering well on the surface. Internally, however, he still requires some time." As Jeong Min spoke, he and Hae Ra made their way out of the room, their footsteps echoing in the sterile hallway.
With a subtle nod, Jeong Min signaled to Min Hyuk, who stood waiting at the door, before he and Hae Ra exited, leaving Min Hyuk alone with Ji Hoon. Once the two had disappeared from view, Min Hyuk took a deep breath and stepped into the room. He placed a small box on the table beside Ji Hoon's bed and, just as he was about to leave, he caught sight of Ji Hoon's peaceful face as he slept. There was a certain innocence in his expression that tugged at Min Hyuk's heart, sparking an unexpected realization deep within him.