It had been three weeks since we came back from Hawaii, and I still hadn't finished unpacking my luggage.
"Sophie, are you coming?"
"Yes!" I replied before applying a clear-coloured lip gloss to my lips.
I smacked my lips together before grabbing my purse off the bed and making my way downstairs.
Harley stood at the entrance with one hand in his pocket, talking to someone on the phone, irritation etched in his voice.
I walked toward the entrance and grabbed my white Converse sneakers and black windbreaker jacket.
"Let's go," I said once I was ready.
I followed him out of the mansion toward the BMW parked to the right as he finished his call. Mr. Lu was already in the driver's seat, waiting.
"You know," I said as we climbed into the backseat and buckled up, "you don't have to wait for me every morning. Especially if you're running late."
Harley looked at me in silence before saying, "Meet me at Lumen when you're done working."
He totally just ignored me.
Mr. Lu drove off toward Seojin General Hospital. The road was busy this morning; traffic on both sides was bumper to bumper.
Honking and angry shouting echoed through the streets as drivers exchanged curses.
"My apologies, Master Harley, Miss Huo," Mr. Lu said. "There seems to be an accident up ahead. We might be stuck for a bit."
Harley nodded as I glanced at my Apple Watch.
My shift started in fifteen minutes, and we were still about thirty minutes away.
"Maybe I should walk the rest of the way."
"Don't be ridiculous," Harley said as he typed away on his top-of-the-line laptop. "We'll get there when we get there."
I leaned back in my seat with my arms crossed, staring out the window.
"I am sorry for the inconvenience, Miss Huo," Mr. Lu said.
Our eyes met through the rearview mirror and I instantly regretted my comment. I smiled at him warmly.
"It's not your fault, Mr. Lu."
Silence filled the interior of the BMW.
"Your birthday is in a couple of days," Harley said.
"You're right," I replied as realization hit me. I had been so busy with work lately that I didn't even realize my birthday was around the corner.
Harley glanced at me from the corner of his eye.
"What do you want for your birthday?"
"Surprise me."
He exhaled and closed his laptop.
"Why do you always have to make it so difficult?"
"Because… I've loved every gift you've given me so far."
My heart skipped a beat when Harley glanced at me with a soft smile.
"We're moving again."
I looked away as my cheeks burned. I had been so caught up in the moment that I didn't realize the vehicle had started moving again.
Mr. Lu pulled up at the main doors of the hospital with five minutes to spare.
I thanked him and wished them both a great day before stepping out of the vehicle.
The internal medicine floor was extremely quiet. Nurses gathered at the nurses' station, chatting and laughing.
The soft beeping of heart monitors echoed faintly down the hallway, blending with the hum of medical equipment.
As I approached the nurses' station, something caught my attention.
A familiar figure stood beside the counter, speaking with one of the nurses.
For a moment, I thought I was imagining things.
Then she turned around.
My eyes widened.
"Sasha?"
Sasha Long froze for half a second before her face lit up.
"Sophie!"
She rushed toward me and wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug.
"I can't believe it's actually you," she laughed.
I pulled back slightly, still stunned.
"What are you doing here?"
Sasha brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, grinning.
"First day."
"First day?" I repeated.
"At the hospital," she said. "I transferred from England last month."
My jaw nearly dropped.
"You're working here now?"
She nodded proudly.
"Surprise."
I shook my head in disbelief before laughing.
"You didn't even tell me."
"I wanted to see your face when you found out," she admitted.
I crossed my arms.
"Mission accomplished."
One of the nurses nearby chuckled.
"You two know each other?"
"Medical school in England," Sasha said.
"And too many overnight study sessions," I added.
Sasha groaned.
"Don't remind me."
I smiled, feeling a wave of nostalgia.
"Well," I said, gesturing around the floor, "welcome to Seojin General Hospital."
Sasha glanced around the hallway before leaning closer.
"So," she whispered, "did I miss anything exciting while I was gone?"
I smirked.
"You have no idea."
Sasha chuckled.
"Well, I've got to go. My orientation starts in ten minutes."
"Let's catch up later," I called to her retreating figure.
I watched as she disappeared down the hallway before turning back toward the nurses' station.
One of the nurses looked up when she saw me approach.
"Dr. Huo," she said, handing me a patient chart. "Mr. Kim in room twelve pressed the call button again. He's complaining about chest discomfort."
I took the chart and glanced over the notes.
"I'll take a look."
The hallway lights reflected off the polished floor as I made my way toward room twelve.
Hospitals had a strange rhythm to them. One moment everything felt calm… and the next something demanded your full attention.
I knocked lightly before opening the door.
An older man sat upright in the hospital bed, one hand resting against his chest.
"Good morning, Mr. Kim," I said as I stepped inside. "I'm Dr. Huo."
He nodded nervously.
"Doctor… my chest feels tight again."
I walked closer to the bed and checked the monitor beside him.
His heart rate was slightly elevated, but his oxygen levels were stable.
"When did the discomfort start?" I asked.
"A few minutes ago."
"On a scale from one to ten?"
He thought for a moment.
"Maybe… five."
I placed the stethoscope in my ears and listened carefully to his heartbeat before moving it to his lungs.
His breathing sounded clear.
"Have you experienced this kind of pain before?" I asked while removing the stethoscope.
"Once or twice," he replied. "But it usually goes away."
I nodded thoughtfully.
"Let's run a few tests just to be safe," I said calmly. "It doesn't necessarily mean anything serious, but we want to rule out any heart problems."
The tension in his shoulders eased slightly.
"Thank you, doctor."
I stepped back toward the door and spoke to the nurse waiting outside.
"Let's run another ECG and draw blood for cardiac enzymes," I said. "Just to be thorough."
She nodded and headed down the hallway to prepare the equipment.
I glanced back at Mr. Kim and offered a reassuring smile.
"We'll take good care of you."
The rest of the morning flew by as a wave of patients came in. By the time I was ready for my lunch break, I was exhausted.
I grabbed a bottle of water from the nurses' station before heading toward the staff lounge.