On Your Ground | Jensoo

Chapter 1

The first thing Jennie saw when she opened her eyes was the grey ceiling tiles. Next to her was a machine – some sort of monitor – beeping. Next to it was a drip stand, which had two bags connected to her hand. She reached up and felt a bandage wrapped around her head.

Her eyes slowly swept the room. She was in the hospital.

Jennie tried to sit up but found it too difficult. She felt like she was being weighed down, every bone and muscle in her body was in between numbness and throbbing pain. She just wanted to fall back asleep; she let herself sink back into sleep when a voice woke her.

"Oh good, Miss Kim, you're awake. I am Dr. Sana Minatozaki and you're at Seoul General Hospital."

Jennie flinched. She slowly opened her eyes again and saw the mass of curly red hair belonging to the doctor standing over her. This person was keeping her from sleeping and she hated her immediately.

"Stop...talking..." Jennie groaned. Jennie didn't recognize her own voice. It was scratchy and dry. Her mouth felt like it was filled with cotton.

"Miss Kim, it is important for you to stay lucid for a little longer, so I can-"

"No." Jennie's eyelids felt heavy, wanting desperately to fall back asleep.

The doctor looked exasperated and was (probably) about to scold her when a knock at the door interrupted them.

"Oh! Dr. Kim! This is Dr. Jisoo Kim, she helped perform your surgery with me earlier today."

Jennie looked towards the door and saw her. Maybe it was the painkillers she was on, doping her up, but for a half-second, the way her vision was still a little blurry and the way everything felt like it was in slow motion, Jennie swore she was an angel.

"Hi, sorry! I was just walking past and saw you were in here with the new patient. Dr. Minatozaki is being modest – I was merely observing. You're super lucky to have had Dr. Minatozaki as your surgeon, she's incredible."

She was so chipper and upbeat; not at all like the women Jennie ever found attractive. The medication was obviously doing a number on her judgment. Her skull felt like it was throbbing.

Dr. Minatozaki beamed. "Why thank you, doctor. Dr. Kim is currently covering a vacation leave for one of my colleagues. She's usually at Incheon Orthopedic Clinic, but currently splitting her time between here and there. She will be part of your recovery process."

Jennie wondered what she could do to make the red head – Dr. Minatozaki – stop talking or go away. Fortunately, her pocket buzzed and she looked down at her pager. "Oh dear, I've been called down to Emergency."

Jennie smiled, barely turning her lips up, but the effort to do so took a lot out of her.

"Miss Kim, I will be back as soon as possible to update you on your procedure and recovery, but an intern may come in my place."

"If you need to go, I can take over; just let me read over her file," Dr. Kim offered. Jennie liked her. She was easy to look at.

"Thanks Dr. Kim – here is her file. Just a warning, she's a little grumpy," Dr. Minatozaki said, the last part of the sentence using a stage whisper. That bitch.

The doctor handed the file over to Dr. Kim and left the room. Jennie slowly rolled her eyes – yeah, the redhead was annoying – but then turned her attention to Dr. Kim.

"You're...pretty..." she said weakly.

Dr. Kim tilted her head to the side, clearly amused. She went to the foot of the bed and skimmed through her file.