Doctor Demon

Ilhoon was observing his niece who was still unconscious. Jiwoon stood next to him, worried upon seeing his impassive expression. He was always hard to read because Ilhoon had the tendency to internalize his feelings. Whether he was angry or sad, it was nearly impossible to tell.

"Are you okay?" she asked. 

"No," he admitted. "I'm not. I don't know what to do with her."

Jiwoon winced. She knew that he shared a very complicated relationship with his family. Ilhoon was her childhood friend and they grew up together. The neighborhood they lived in was poor and rundown. Ilhoon's mother was a small-time beautician who barely scraped by and Ilhoon grew up in relative poverty. His father was not around when he was growing up but one day, his dad appeared. Ilhoon was fourteen then and he refused to leave but his mother had contracted cancer. She forced him to go with his father and not to return. 

It was the last time Jiwoon had seen him. She was only eleven at that time and heartbroken to see her friend leave. To think that she would meet him after so many years was unbelievable.

"Your brother was killed," she said in a sad tone. "I didn't know he was your brother. Kim Hwangjoon, right?"

"Hwangjoon was my younger brother but a fool!" Ilhoon remarked in a bitter tone. "He went off to marry that woman and ruin his life. All of us warned him not to marry her but he didn't listen. I didn't even know that he named me as his daughter's godfather. We didn't speak for years."

"Oh," Jiwoon said. She looked from him to the girl who was lying unconscious. 

"I'll have to take her," he went on. "Otherwise the old man will not spare me. Grandpa Kim will not let me live in peace if I leave her like this. She's his heir after all."

"She's in shock," Jiwoon informed him. "She saw her father's murder and passed out. If she wakes up, it might be hard to handle her."

Ilhoon nodded, his handsome features hardening. He glanced at Jiwoon who was gazing at the child. Something in his cold heart was stirring because he ran into her after so many years. Her hair was cropped short and she was a changed woman. The weak and skinny little Jiwoon was now leaner and fit. She oozed a quiet dignity, showing how much she had matured.

But he could sense that she was broken. Something in her had destroyed her because the Jiwoon he knew used to smile a lot. She was not talkative but had a bright naivety which was no longer there.

"Jiwoon…" he began. "Why did you leave the old neighborhood? I went back to look for you but you weren't there."

Jiwoon looked at him in surprise. Ilhoon went back to look for her?

She was silent for a while, wondering if she should tell him the truth but before she could do so, someone cleared their throat. Looking around, she found Siwan standing there. He was not looking at her but at Ilhoon.

"Are you Hana's guardian?" he asked.

"Yes doctor," Ilhoon replied. The two men shook their hands.

"I want to talk about Hana's condition with you," Siwan stated. "If you please follow me."

Ilhoon nodded and turned to Jiwoon. To her surprise, he hugged her tightly, holding her in his arms for a while.

Siwan watched them with a stony expression while Jiwoon was taken aback. She was not used to letting people hug her but Ilhoon was in such a vulnerable state that she could not refuse him. After all, they were childhood friends. Her friend needed her.

"Thanks, Jisoo," he whispered. "For coming back to me when I needed you the most."

Jiwoon smiled and patted his back. Siwan looked away, giving them some privacy but he was not sure why his heart was so unsettled. Seeing them together was making him uneasy to the point that he was also a little irritated. It was strange because he did not feel like this in a very long time.

Why was he feeling so angry and annoyed? Jiwoon was Ilhoon's friend and they seemed to be very close. He should not be bothered by their closeness at all. It was her life and she could be close with whoever she wanted.

But you want her to be close to you, a sly voice was echoing in his head. Siwan blinked. 

Huh? Why did I think that? He wondered. Siwan was still trying to figure out why he thought such an atrocious thing when Ilhoon's voice broke his reverie.

"Shall we go, doctor?" Ilhoon asked. 

"Ah. Yes!"

Jiwoon bid them goodbye and turned towards Hana. To her delight, Hana was stirring. She was starting to wake up!

"Nurse!" Jiwoon called. A nurse came running to check up on Hana who was confused and dazed. 

"Where am I?" the child mumbled. "Dad…"

"Take rest, sweetie," Jiwoon consoled her. "You're in the hospital."

"Dad…" Hana mumbled. "Where is my daddy?"

She was starting to panic. Jiwoon looked at the nurse, silently pleading with her to do something.

"I'll administer a mild dose of anesthesia," the nurse stated. "She's not fully prepared to give any statement and can become hysterical in this state."

"Will it harm her?"

"No. It will calm down her nerves while she sleeps. After a full sleep cycle, we'll start to give her therapy and help her to deal with her grief."

Jiwoon was worried for the child. Hana was starting to become anxious so the nurse injected the anesthesia in her. Hana yelped when the sharp needle pierced her. She was crying hard so Jiwoon patted her head.

"Don't worry, dear," she consoled the child. "You're safe. You'll be fine. Just take some rest, okay?"

"It hurts…" Hana sobbed. "A lot!"

"It'll be fine," Jiwoon cooed. "You'll be okay."

To soothe down the girl's nerves, Jiwoon began to hum a lullaby. Her voice was surprisingly soft and gentle, calming down the girl. Hana smiled a little and was relaxing as sleep overtook her.

Unbeknownst to Jiwoon, Ilhoon and Siwan had returned after their brief discussion. Siwan slightly smiled as he watched Jiwoon. Seeing her smile and sing like that, made him feel very happy. It was rare to see her enjoy herself but whenever she did, he could not help but gaze at her.

Ilhoon's cold expression also softened upon seeing Jiwoon with Hana. For the past seventeen years, he had been searching for her but to no avail. There was only one girl he had ever loved and it was Ming Jisoo. He had lost her once and was devastated.

Now that he found her again, he would never let her go.. Not this time.

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