“Okay, Kwon, you can do this,” Andrew said to himself as he walked out onto the beach. He had been working at Lake Sapphire Hospital for almost a year, and this would be the first time he had socialized with any of his co-workers. Typically, Andrew Kwon would have walked on that beach like he owned the place. The surgeon would have gone to the bar, downed two shots, and started dancing with the first person he saw. Andrew had been a bit of a party animal back in the day.
Back before the accident.
Back before, his life had fallen apart.
Taking a deep breath, Andrew Kwon did as he always did. He balled up every last negative thought and emotion he had, shoved them into a small ball in the pit of his stomach, and walked toward the bar with his head held high. After so many years, it was easy to swallow his true feelings and put on a face.
He had truly missed his calling as an actor.
Sitting at the bar, Andrew looked to the back counter, where there were bottles and bottles of the most expensive alcohol on the market. Whoever was paying for the bar tab wasn’t worried about burning a hole in their pocket, that was for sure.
That’s when he saw it. A bottle of Green Apple Soju, his favorite.
“Can I have that?” Andrew asked the Bartender.
“Yeah, and a shot glass, please.”
Nodding his head, the Bartender grabbed the bottle and the glass Andrew requested and placed them in front of the Korean surgeon.
“Thank you,” he said, quickly pouring himself a shot and downing it.
It was then a voice spoke up next to him.
“My name is Rami. It’s nice to meet you.”
Fake it until you make it, Andrew reminded himself before looking at the man. “Likewise. I’m Andrew,” he said as he reached out to shake the man’s hand. “What department are you in?”
Rami had been excitedly looking for an opportunity to meet his coworkers in a less professional setting. He had managed to make a decent impression at work, but it was so hard to stand out in a group of doctors. How was he to compare to doctors like Dr. Nash, Dr. Astor, and Dr. Ixmata? He was good at his job, but his education could not even get close to those three. Or at least it seemed like considering how people talked about them.
To truly stand out, Rami needed people to see his personality outside of work. He stood out most in his warmth and friendliness which was hard to show in a hospital setting where one barely talked to their coworkers. Sure, he had managed to enchant some nurses, but for some reason none of the nurses seemed interested in getting to know him more than simply in a professional way.
This was his chance, and he dived at it.
“It’s so nice to meet you, Andrew!” He grinned and shook Andrew’s hand excitedly. “I’m in the neurology department. I’m a pain management specialist. How about you? Do you like it there? How did you get into that? Are your coworkers nice to you?”