When I returned to Myung's room the next day, I noticed before stepping inside that Nurse Kim was helping him to get dressed after a shower, and the upper half of his body was still naked.

I turned my back against the door nervously and stayed out of the room quietly until Nurse Kim's job was done. 

I was bewildered that I kept getting uncomfortable around Myumg as my feelings for him were growing more. 

The door creaked open, and Nurse Kim said. "Good morning, Dr. Seo." 

I turned around and nodded, "Good morning!"

As he got out of the room, I stepped in and said hi to Myung while he was sitting on the edge of his bed. 

He didn't respond to me just like in old times, and I wondered why...

"Are you feeling better?" I asked him as I twirled a strand of his hair, thinking it was still damp.

Myung's eyes flickered on me, scanning me with his questioning eyes, but still not answering me. I looked into his eyes worriedly, which were swollen and red from all that crying yesterday, trying to figure out what was up with him. Then I asked again, "What's wrong, Myung?"

He finally opened his mouth and said coldly, "Seo Dante... Don't fall for me..."

I flinched as I got shivers down my spine... "How did he find out?" I wondered.

+"What do you... mean?..."

-"I can see it in your eyes. Your emotions have been screaming at me since yesterday..." 

+"I guess you're mistaken about something here... It's not what you think... It's~... It's empathy!..."

Myung's face got close to me as he put his hands on my shoulders and pulled me towards himself without saying a word.

I was taken aback, unable to breathe when his lips were only one inch apart from mine.

As my gaze was flickering between his eyes and lips nervously, Myung was staring right at my eyes silently. My heart was pounding so hard in my chest, leading me to lose my mind. 

I tried so hard to keep my eyes open, not to give in...

After a few seconds, he backed away and sighed in disappointment. "Just as I guessed... I actually suck at understanding people's feelings, but I can read you like an open book. Dr. Seo."

I gritted my teeth in frustration, "I've already fallen, so what can I do now?" and pulled Myung's face close to me by grasping his neck, which made Myung gasp in surprise.

Unable to control the rush of different emotions through my mind, I pressed my lips against his. 

I could feel his tender lips quivering underneath mine when I was kissing him, and I could feel my heart skipping a beat as an electric sensation tingled my body. 

His body was stiff as if it had been frozen, and his fingers were clenched tightly on my chest. 

..."Seo Dantae! Have you lost your mind?! Stop it!..." My subconscious snapped at me...

I loosened my grasp as I exhaled to calm myself and took a step backwards. "I... I apologize!..."

When I glanced at Myung, his face was filled with redness, and he hiccupped as his eyes met mine, completely flustered. "Y-you!... (hiccup) Why would you... (hiccup) Kiss me out of the blue?!... Are you like this with all of your patients?!" He asked bewildered.

"Of course not! It's only you!" I stuttered. "I know I shouldn't like you... But I can't... control my feelings... Yet..."

He lowered his head and said, "You should since we're just a doctor and a patient... As you said before... And don't do things like this again..."

"Are you trying to..." I paused and muttered after a sigh, "I won't! Since I don't want to make you uncomfortable... I'll try to end this feeling..."

Then I stepped towards the door as Myung remained silent. 

"I'll be back after visiting some other patients... I apologize again..." and left the room.

I wanted to ask him whether he was trying to get back at me or if it was simply because he still liked Kim Haru...

Neither did I have the courage to listen to his answer, nor did I have the right to ask...

Ironically, I've been rejected even before I've had a chance to do anything... 

However, the reason didn't truly matter anymore...

It's time for me to stop it for real now before it starts to affect or hurt Myung...

I shouldn't make the same mistake that I did today...

"Gosh... This is embarrassing, though! I feel like crying~" I mumbled as I walked down the hallway.

~

I visited my other patients nonstop, not knowing how many hours had passed without even having lunch until it was almost time to go back home. 

I headed back to Myung's room again, feeling exhausted. I had to put my own feelings aside and console my patient.

I took a deep breath and walked in, trying to put on the best poker expression I could muster. 

Myung was looking outside through the window when I called his name and asked, " Do you wanna take a walk?"

He turned around, staring at me with his expressionless face. "Okay."

We left the room and walked outside into the garden. Myung silently looked around for a while, then he finally asked as we were walking side by side, "Why?"

I turned my face to the side, looking at him. "Why... what?..."

His eyes were fixed on the ground. "Why do you... like me?..."

+"I'm not sure either..." 

-"That's weird..."

+"How is that me liking you would be weird?"

-"Because... Why would you fall in love with me?!... Do you have some kinda fetishes?"

+"Why not?! What does it have to fetishes?"

-"You're a psychiatrist, but you don't know?! I mean... All I've done until now is that I kept hurting myself, crying, or having mental breakdowns... No need to mention that I've literally lived here for more than a year!... You know how messed up my life is!... Also, I'm pessimistic and..."

"Woah!... Wait!..." I cut off his words and grabbed his arms to make him stand in front of me, then I said, "I know what you are trying to say but your current mental state or your life situation are different from what you really are... You don't belong here, Myung. I'll show you the way out... You'll have your normal life again and find new interests or goals, so don't underestimate yourself!"

"But I'm too tired and scared to start anything new. I can't tolerate another failure... " Myung answered as he looked at me with his sorrowful eyes. 

"You don't have to think about the end or the results because it'll only give you stress and mental exhaustion. You can take small steps one by one and just keep going... Then you'll see how much you've changed in the end." I replied.

As we were busy discussing, Jeo Jenny walked towards us and said, "Dr. Seo. Shouldn't you be home already? You don't have a night shift!..." 

I pulled back my hands and said, "Em... Yeah, but I still had work to do..."

Her eyes clicked on Myung and then returned to me. "My shift is also done! Do you wanna have dinner together somewhere?..."

"I'm afraid not... I need to stay longer." I said.

She replied right away, "I can wait!"

"Mrs. Jeo. Maybe some other time." I stared at her seriously, irritated. 

Jeo Jenny sighed and said, "Okay... See you tomorrow, Dr. Seo~."

As she left us alone and walked away, Myung said, "It seems she likes you. Try dating someone like her instead of wasting your time on liking me..."

I glared at him, "I hate to date someone whom I have no feelings for."

"Let's go back so that you can go home." Myung said as he turned around to walk back. 

I grasped his wrist and said, "Don't you think you're a bit harsh on me?... I told you that I wouldn't bother you with my feelings, and I'd figure it out alone... You don't have to be sarcastic to me. You know it hurts me..."

He glanced at me and said, "And you've fallen for this harsh sarcastic boy! Exactly my point, Seo Dantae. If you don't want to get hurt, then get it over with..."

Then he pulled out his wrist and walked ahead of me...

We didn't say a word until we reached to his room, and I left after a goodbye...

~

As I got back home, I lay down on my bed, completely drained. I rubbed my face frustratingly and muttered, "How can I see him from tomorrow?!!! I made the situation pretty awkward between us!!!"

I closed my eyes, trying to calm myself... 

However, I kept reminiscing about Myung and I kissing... 

Now that I had gotten a taste of his lips, I feel like I'm going to get more greedy...

I wanted to relive that moment over and over again. I wanted to kiss him more, touch him more, and just be with him. I wanted it all...

"How shameless I am!" I groaned...

While I was lost in my thoughts, my phone rang, and I picked it up half-heartedly. "Yes, Dami..."

"Oppa! I got accepted! I'm an intern now!" Dami said excitedly.

I sprang up and sat straight, "Really? Ohhhh~... Seo Dami! Congratulations!" 

She giggled and said, "Hehe~ I should move into the company's dorm at the end of this week!"

"Oh! Then I'll come home and give you a ride there! It's hard for you to do it alone." I said as I smiled. 

-"Really? That would be great! Then I'll see you on Saturday!"

+"Um~... Say hi to mom. I'll see you guys then!" 

-"Okay... Bye bye~"

I hung up the phone and put it aside. II sighed and lay back on my bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. I felt a lump in my throat, and my eyes grew heavy. I closed my eyes and let the tears come. slumped down again and then mumbled after a sigh, "At least I got some good news..." 

~

Tomorrow morning, as I got into the office, Jeo Jenny knocked on the door and came into my office."Hi, Dr. Seo."

I sighed and said hi to her, then I asked, "Hi, Mrs. Jeo. Is there anything I could help you with?"

"Yes! You can go on a date with me this weekend!" she responded with a smile.

The situation had already been frustrating, but her presence has aggravated it further!

I furrowed my eyebrows and said seriously, " I asked you once not to say things that might make others uncomfortable..."

She stepped closer to my desk and leaned against it. "I was just joking! You've become scary today! Is there something wrong?"

+"No..."

-"Hm?~... Anyway... Won't you really wanna go on a date with me?! We can get to know each other more."

+"No, thanks..."

-"So cruel! But you have to..."

+"What are you trying to say?"

She took out her phone and tapped on the screen a few times, then handed it over to me. 

I stared at her, confused... 

Jeo Jenny said, "Press the play button, Dr. Seo..."

I played the video she was trying to show me, and my eyes widened in shock at what I was witnessing. It was CCTV footage of Myung's room from yesterday...

My heart was beating so fast while a cold sweet formed on my forehead, and then I asked, frustrated, "Why do you have this? Are you spying on me?"

She smirked and replied, "Well... As you can see, this hospital belongs to us. If I didn't get this footage from the guard, it'd probably be in the hands of my father! I'm pretty sure that you know what would've happened next~..."

I gritted my teeth in angst, "It was a mistake. There's nothing going on between us..."

"My goodness, it is better to be true! I can't even imagine how chaotic it would be if others found out!" Jeo Jenny said mischievously. 

I got up from my seat and asked, annoyed, "What do you want, Jeo Jenny?"

She raised an eyebrow and grinned, "Well. It's simple... Date me, Seo Dantae~..."

.

.