April 2018
"Come on, out with it, what do you want to talk about?"
Ikjun and Jungwon sit across each other in a Korean BBQ restaurant. The restaurant is a bit empty as it is a weekday.
"Talk about what?"
"Just yesterday you surprise us by coming to the hospital unannounced. You met and talked with us, but now you want to talk to me privately? Come on, there's gotta be something," Ikjun says with a mischievous smile.
"Nothing, it's just…" Jungwon says before he sighs. He can't complete his words.
"Well, I'm just going to eat this delicious hanwoo first, so just take your time, really. Thank you for the food, Father Andrea!" Exclaimed Ikjun.
Jungwon doesn't say anything just let Ikjun eats whatever he wants. He can hear the muffled voices of people passing by the restaurant. Some of the waiters are talking about something in low tone, and the hanwoo just sizzles. It is not a cold night, thanks to the soju and the restaurant's heater. Jungwon has to go back to the seminary in two days, he knows he shouldn't let go of this perfect chance. But God, he can't talk about it. He drinks another shot of soju to build up his courage.
"How's your resident going?"
"Eh, could be better. He seems getting better and adapting to the environment. Thank God another resident can help him."
"Oh, I guess Dr. Jang's social skill gets better then."
"Who?"
"Dr. Jang, Dr. Winter, you know, the quiet one with glasses?"
"Oh, you mean Gyeoul! I guess you do not know it yet," mumbled Ikjun.
"Know about what?" Dear God, please not a chronic illness or anything that is threatening.
"She quit, just a week after your departure."
"Quit? So she's now working at another hospital?"
"Yeah, we do not know much about that. She quit because she wanted to work near her sister. But Dr. Chu, her friend, told me that she kinda lost contact with Gyeoul because she travels around the world now."
"So nobody knows where she is right now?"
"No, unfortunately. Truthfully, I kinda miss her eccentricness now," said Ikjun with a chuckle.
Ikjun continues eating before he realizes something. Jungwon is really curious about Gyeoul. And she's the only topic of their talk so far. He doesn't even ask about someone else. Now, as Ikjun remembers the day when Jungwon visited them yesterday, he also seemed looking for someone.
Ikjun chews slowly while looking at Jungwon. He seems normal in the surface. But his lips are tight, his eyes look downcasted and empty. So he's disappointed about something. Huh, interesting.
"Why are you asking so much about our Jang Gyeoul?"
Jungwon is a bit surprised with this question. He looks at Ikjun and says, "Well, isn't it normal to wonder about one's former colleague? She was, after all, in my department for some time."
"She was in your department for some time, yes, but she's ultimately specializing in general surgery. She was more of my resident than yours."
"She's a resident. The point of medical residency is to learn various section of surgeon. She is my resident as much as yours."
"Getting possessive, are we? I only said that Gyeoul is more of my resident, I didn't say she was my lover or something," Ikjun pauses, "wait, do you- do you still think that I have an affair with Gyeoul?!"
"No. It's just a stupid assumption of mine."
"Back to my main question. Why do you want to know about Gyeoul so much? You could've asked about Bong, we after all went to the same university. Hell, you could've asked about… So why you only about Gyeoul?"
"I asked about Dr. Jang just because I didn't see her yesterday. I already met Bong too and …. I don't have any reason to ask about them."
"Are you disappointed that Gyeoul quit and left you?"
"Left me? She didn't leave me, and I do not have any reason to be disappointed with Dr. Jang. If she wants to travel around the world, well that's good for her."
"So you're just curious about Gyeoul? You do not have any particular feeling on her?"
"I'm going to be a priest, of course I don't have any romantic feelings toward her, jeez."
"I never said anything about romantic feeling though, I said particular feeling," said Ikjun with a smirk.
Jungwon keeps quiet and glares at Ikjun. Ikjun just smiles and picks another piece of meat. Jungwon decides that he should eat too, before his mouth say something wrong.
Ikjun feels a small giddiness. He's right after all this year! Ahn Jungwon did, no, does, have feeling toward Jang Gyeoul! He could scream about his correct intuition. Those crumbs of photos and small facts are not worthless at all. His happiness is clouded by the face that Gyeoul already left. Not to mention that she probably has moved on from Ahn Jungwon. Ah, if only this punk does not spend so much on time on denying his feeling toward Gyeoul, though Ikjun. It is bittersweet really. The guy does have interest and feeling toward the girl, no matter how small they are. But now, the girl believes she never has any chance, and moves on. Just when the guy opens his heart slightly, it is already too late.
True love needs perfect timing. You lost your timing, then you can say goodbye to your chance to be with your true love.
Jungwon tries to be happy. Really, his distraction already travels around the world, lessening the chance that they will meet by chance, especially in Seoul. This is a sign from God that he can focus to be a priest from now on. That he and Gyeoul are never meant to be more than mentor and mentee. If God had any grand design about him and Gyeoul, he would let them meet here. But no, God has other plan for Jungwon, which is for him to become a priest after all these years.
From now, Ahn Jungwon will put all of his mind to become a priest. He will not let that tiny dark cloud dampens his spirit and happiness.
Author Note: Hello, I just realized that my story's plot is similar with Canon in D, the first Hospital Playlist fic here. I can only assure you that I do not plagiarize the story at all. I think about similar plot even before reading the story, but I haven't found motivation at the time. I hope you all can believe in me. Read and reviews are appreciated, thank you!