Footsteps traveled down the hallway, a gaggle of people following none other than the head of their branch, his greying hair showing more his experience in his years. But one male traveled besides him, silent despite the rest of the team. They weren’t dressed like him, doning blue scrubs to where it almost seemed like a small gang but while the others chattered, the sullen faced male just sat quietly with a clip board in his hand despite the fact that he was leading the surgery. Sometimes, it was best just to listen. The interns and some of the nurses were asking what he was thinking, his head turning slightly to glance at the older man than back to the females. His face remained stoic, his dark almond eyes switching back to look at lead male as his name was called.

“Doctor Lee, go speak to your partner about this project and make sure that the patient isn’t allergic to penicillin or any of the listed antibiotics and pain killers. We don’t need any mistakes. I’ll see you after the surgery.” Turning his head, he bowed the greying head to the group of people behind him causing them to halt and return the favor before he trailed off on his own way with his assistants following behind him.

Turning to the others in his group, he forcibly tried to soften his face as he looked at the younger members of his team. Licking his lips nervously, he flashed a soft smile to the group and he could see an almost visable relaxation move through the group as he tapped the side of the clip board on his hand.

“Let’s do well, yes? I know we can do it, together. Please make sure everything is prepared accordingly and that the patient is comfortable.” With a polite nod, he was moving away from the group that begun to whisper about the sudden expression that the normally blank faced male shown. It was an insecurity of his, to a degree, but he couldn’t force himself to show anything and he almost seemed a constant lack of emotion.

Partner? Curiosity peeked in his mind as he moved towards his office, his eyes moving over the paper before seeing a name that had him pause in his steps. Seo In Guk. This was his partner? Shouldn’t this have been told to him before the surgery was about to commence? But people knew they were friends, seeing as seldom anyone saw him speaking to anyone but InGuk. But neither males noticed that they had been partnered for his assignment?

A small bubble of excitement moved over him and his lips quirked some, his feet taking him another direction and that was none other than Doctor Seo’s office. Running his fingers through the long bangs over his eyes, he heaved a soft sigh as he quietly strolled towards the office. Slowing his steps as he neared the doorway, he peeked his head around the corner to look inside the small yet comfortable office. A small smile pulled his lips at the sight of his older friend, his feet shuffling forward before he tucked his chin against the others shoulder and brought the clipboard in front of both of them.

“Did you know about this?” He asked, pointing at the name ‘Seo In Guk’ and raised his brows. “Because if you did, it’s cruel that you didn’t tell me, don’t you think.” A small smile pulled his lips as he turned his head, glancing at the others profile so close to his own before moving away, his eyes moving to the paperwork. He was excited, his head buzzing with being able to work with someone that taught him a lot but yet, he had exceled as a surgeon without the help of Seo In Guk. But, he was an angel that had helped him in such a dark time.

School had been hard. He was working long hours and juggling school and even now, while he was working in the hospital, he was still trying to get more degrees so he could be versite despite the loans he was still paying on. He wanted to make sure, his daughter had a choice on which school or career or home she wanted. He didn’t want her to go without and if that meant working over sixty hours a week, he would do it. His sister lived in Seoul, and was always willing to spend time with Sun Mi, so he didn’t have to worry about it. Despite the only time he saw his daughter was in the morning when he cooked her dinner or got her dressed, or when he came home to her small body curled up in his bed. He barely saw her, with the exception of the small days off that he was granted.

Rubbing his eye gently with the back of his hand, he continued to look over the patients profile as he looked over the blood pressure and some other lines before moving his hand up to bite his thumb as he continued to read.