Attraction | Ateez

Chapter 10: Silence

Seonghwa cursed as the stack of papers he held fell to the floor and scattered. They were documents about patients who were to be transferred within the next week and he was told to deliver the ICW patient files to the head of the ICW ward. Many of them were to be temporary patients who were going to be placed in the ICW to be watched until they showed positive behavior or until they were going to be moved to a different hospital. The task was unusual for him considering that Seonghwa normally did scheduled checkups with various patients or distributed medications, but it was manageable. In fact, Seonghwa enjoyed the simplicity of it. The head nurse decided to let Seonghwa deliver certain documents to other areas of the hospital and organize papers to help him relax for a while. It, however, did not necessarily help him relax. The entire time he flipped through the numerous stacks of files, he only thought of Hyejin and how by sitting there at his desk, precious time was being wasted.

A chime from his phone startled him. He stood, leaving the papers on the floor, partially frustrated because he knew he would have to go back and reorganize and separate the files. It was a text from Mingi.

Hey, we found out something. Seonghwa brushed the hair back that fell in front of his eyes. Alarm spread through him, but also hope. 

A lead? 

The response was almost instant.

Possibly.

 Seonghwa scooped up the papers in his hands and tossed them on his desk. 

I'll be right there.

He started for the door, but then stopped, looking back at the files that lay in a chaotic mess on his desk. For fear of getting in trouble for not doing his work, Seonghwa quickly skimmed through the papers, reorganizing them to the best of his ability before grabbing his coat and running out the door. 

He quickly made his way through the white hallways, walking past several nurses and patients, until he found himself at the doors of the ICW. He scanned his card and was granted access, hurriedly walking up to the desk where Nurse Jongho and a guard sat. 

"Hey Seonghwa," Jongho said, standing to take the files from him. Seonghwa smiled and nodded his head once. He didn't want to be rude, but he simply didn't have the time for small talk at the moment. Jongho seemed to have noticed Seonghwa's uneasiness and asked, "Are you okay?"

Seonghwa nodded again, "I'm fine. I was told that there may be a lead in the case so I'm about to go down to the station and meet up with Officer Song." Jongho nodded and flicked his hand at him. "Go then, " he said. Seonghwa smiled and bowed, making his way back out of the doors to the ICW. 

On his way to the front office, Seonghwa bumped into Wooyoung who was pushing a cart of medicine cups and several hand towels along with other cups that were partially filled with water. 

"Where are you going?" Wooyoung asked, not expecting to see Seonghwa. 

"Officer Song told me they may have found something regarding the case. I'm on my way down to the station. Do you know where Nurse Rhee is?" Seonghwa asked. Wooyoung pointed behind him down the hallway.

"She just walked past me. She's probably on her way to lunch or something." 

"Thank you," Seonghwa said, rushing past Wooyoung. He picked up his pace as he turned the corner, seeing Nurse Rhee a few feet ahead of him. 

"Nurse Rhee," he said, quickly coming up behind her. She turned and he saw her jump slightly, but neither of them said anything of it. "Yes, Seonghwa?" she said. Her aged face showed a slight bit of concern.