After Midnight // jongdae ✔️

20 <Happily Ever After>

A/N: I honestly don't like this chapter. I don't think it gives the closure I planned to give you guys. I'll change it later, but I wanted to finish the book before school starts. I'm sorry guys :(

GaEun opens the door to the Physician's lounge quietly. JinHyuk is standing at his desk, gathering all of his belongings into a cardboard box. He doesn't seem to realize she's there.

There's no one else in the Physician's lounge. GaEun is used to it being just them alone, but this time it feels different.

It finally hits her that this would probably be the last time they'd talk with each other in this room.

She's almost afraid to even approach him. She ends up lingering near the door, silently watching as he cleans out his desk, double checking that he isn't leaving anything behind. GaEun silently watches as all the evidence of his residency here get swept away into a cardboard box.

She's happy for him, of course.

She always knew he had a high potential for a bright future; if anyone were to make a breakthrough in the cure for cancer, JinHyuk is definitely going to be that person. And GaEun won't let anything get in the way of his chance to make history; not even herself.

She can only work hard and pray to be able to achieve what he has one day. In fact, she took a step in that direction, but once again, it was because of JinHyuk's doing.

When JinHyuk informed their hospital that he's rejecting their offer for another offer at a hospital in Busan, they immediately offered the Chief Resident position to GaEun.

Considering the outcomes, it does seem as though JinHyuk leaving is good for the both of them.

But if they weren't thinking rationally about their future, GaEun is sure they'd both give it all up just so they could have the chance to sit next to each other in the Physician's Lounge, basking in each other's presence, sipping an energy drink, and facing the window. She's sure they'd both get away from life just so they could stare at the view of the city lights every single night. It's a view they've seen for years, but it's special because they get to watch it together...

GaEun steps back into reality; she takes a step towards JinHyuk.

He looks up at her, finally acknowledging her presence. He returns the smile that GaEun offers him.

"Almost done packing, Mr. Attending Physician?" GaEun jokes as she stands in front of him.

JinHyuk places the box down on his spotless desk without a sweat, "Yes I am, Ms. Chief Resident."

She hums, "Chief Resident... It'll take a while before I get used to hearing it."

"Don't let it get to your head though," JinHyuk warns half-heartedly, "Always remember where you started from---"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I got it. You don't have to remind me! Thank you for stepping into that operating room that one fateful day to save me from my mistakes!" GaEun jests.

"So humble..." He remarks under his breath.

GaEun laughs and holds her hands behind her back while rocking back and forth on her heels, "I learned from the best!"

"She's a sweet-talker too. Where did I go so right?" JinHyuk pretends to ponder to himself.

GaEun groans and lightly shoves his side with her elbow, causing him to chuckle at her reaction.

She shakes her head, "It seems as though the teacher needs to be taught by the student on how to be humble."

"I'll work on it." JinHyuk agrees jokingly. He rests a hand on the edge of the cardboard box, glances around the empty room he knows so well, and heaves a sigh from deep in his chest, "What I won't get used to for a while is not being in this room anymore."