Beneath His Brightest Smile

[accuscripter]

"Just entering the lot," a woman in her early thirties said, steering her white SUV into the parking garage of Hankuk National University Hospital.

"Dr. Maeng! You've been late three times this week. Just because your family ...damn damn..." here the voice reduced as if coming from far, and then it got clear again, "I meant you cannot disregard the rules in any case Dr. Maeng! It's highly unprofessional." a sharp voice on the other end of the phone snapped.

She just laughed and stepped out of her car. She was dressed in a three-piece maroon suit, hair in a bun, a small designer handbag on her arm, coffee in one hand and her phone in the other.

"See you in the office." and without waiting for a response she closed the call and stepped into the elevator.

Just as the doors were sliding shut, a man immediately jammed his foot in the gap, forcing them back open. When he looked up and saw her, he froze for a split second, looking like he instantly regretted stopping the elevator. But he checked his wristwatch, steeled himself, and stepped inside.

Se-na sipped her coffee, her eyes scanning him from the ground up.

Shoes are the soul of a personality, she always said. They made a man out of a pauper and a pauper out of a man; or so she believed. Her mother would always scold her for judging attire, especially shoes. She used to argue that the more ragged the shoes, the harder the person worked. But Se-na always differed on this; she believed that a person who didn't keep their nails clean and shoes up to date lacked responsibility, and her mother would usually hit her on the head, telling her to stop projecting her thoughts onto other people and that it was none of her concern. And yet, here she was, addicted to the bad habit. She stared at his shoes. They looked older than he was.

His name was Jun woo. As if sensing her cold gaze, he turned around and adjusted his glasses. "Can I help you with something, Dr. Maeng?"

Se-na was still looking at his shoes but was snapped back to reality by his voice. "Hm? Nothing," she replied flatly, looking away and taking another sip of coffee.

Jun-woo turned back around, looking pleased with his confidence in showing her her place.

Se-na's floor arrived, and she got off. As the doors were closing behind her, she heard a giggle and a voice. "You were with her in the elevator? How could you even breathe, man! With that Queen?"

It was Won-bin who just entered the elevator and seeing se-na left it before him was teasing Jun-woo about it.

Se-na couldn't help herself. She turned back and, this time, she was the one who jammed her foot in the door to stop it.

"I heard you talking about me," she said, loud enough for the whole lobby to go silent.

Won-bin turned around, coffee in hand, looking terrified. "Wha... What? Did I say something?" he asked innocently, glancing at Jun-woo, who was frantically shaking his head no. "You must be mistaken, Dr. Maeng. How would I dare talk about anyone with a rich father? I don't have an interest in talking about people who bought their positions using shortcuts and try to undermine the hard work of others."

"You say 'shortcut' like it's a bad thing," Se-na smiled, though her eyes were cold. "I have money. That is a quality, just like your 'hard work.' The difference is, my quality bought this hospital the best equipment in the country. Your quality just bought you a pair of cheap shoes, a tired face, and... Well... it would be an insult to call that shit a coffee. Who do you think the patients would rather have?"

Won-bin was struck silent, his face turning red with embarrassment. A few nurses and junior residents had gathered around to watch the spectacle.

Without waiting for him to respond, she pulled a crisp 50,000 won note from her designer handbag and tucked it into his scrub pocket. "Go buy a better coffee. You look like you're about to fail, and I hate looking at failures. Don't punish your taste buds just to look classy."

She left him standing there, humiliated and speechless. He ran out after her to confront her, with the note in his hand, but other residents stepped in and stopped him. She was hearing the commotion behind her, and loved that she could silence a room with a single sentence. After all, it wasn't just about the money; it was about the fact that she was right.

"Finally! You are here!" angry chief of cardiology department snapped at her, almost running up the hall, as she was about to enter the residents room. He was a stout man with alopecia. And she was his favorite resident. Why will she not be? After all her father always donated a hefty amount to the cardiology department, and also because she was a talented surgeon but who cares about that! She rather not work at all and still be his favorite.

"Dr. Maeng... i know it is really hard for you to get here on time, i also don't want to scold you, but how long can i protect you? You said you were here ten minutes ago! Look at the time! It's already twenty minutes late! If you are late, who will teach the juniors to be on time? You are supposed to be their role model! it's so unprofessional!"

Se-na turned slowly, and walked up to him, tilting her head. "Gyosu-nim, my father asked me to pay his regards to you, when i was telling him how much you take care of me. He was asking me, saying how about he donates 5 High-slice Cardiac CT scanners this time?"

The professor's face went through a transformation, the stern, righteous mask of an educator melting instantly into the desperate, sweaty grin of a man who realized he'd just shouted at a gold mine.

"Five... five High-slice scanners?" he stammered, his posture shrinking as he took a half-step back to give her more space.

"Se-na-shi... Dr. Maeng," he corrected himself quickly, a nervous chuckle bubbling up. "You see, this is exactly what I mean by your unique potential. "A role model always looks at the big picture. The number of lives we can save with that kind of technology? That is true leadership!" the transition of words was hilarious yet nauseating at the same time, it felt as if he was a whole different person altogether.

He reached out as if to dust off a non-existent speck of lint from her lab coat, his movements frantic and fawning. "Please, tell your father I am deeply touched. And as for the time... well, the traffic in this city is a nightmare for everyone! In fact, don't worry at all i will handle that, you go do carry on with your schedule? i am buying coffee for the department in this good news, should i send you one...?" then he saw the coffee in her hand, "ahh... you already have yours.... no worries just tell me if you encounter any problems! You must be exhausted from the commute. In fact, why don't you come to my office, we can just clear your morning rounds so you can properly... relax and discuss these regards from your father?"

se na smiled her casual way, "ahh... gyosu-nim, i was about to go see the juniors." here he interrupted her with the gesture of his hand, "Forget about the juniors, they need to learn flexibility! If anyone asks, say you were in a private consultation with me."

Se-na didn't move and sighed softly, "I think I'll pass, Gyosu-nim," she said. "The commute was quite draining. I'm actually a little too tired for anything right now."

The Chief's eyes widened, "Of course, of course! I have some premium Da-hong-pao tea in my office, the real stuff, hand-carried from China. He said in a proud whisper, "It's legendary for clearing the mind and helping one relax after a stressful morning." He beamed at her, hoping that the offer of a rare luxury would bridge the gap his scolding had created with her.

Se-na adjusted her sleeve, looking utterly unimpressed. "I'm very particular, Chief. I only drink Sejak green tea from the first spring harvest... if I drink tea at all. And certainly not right now."

"Sej... Sejak? Of course, of course," he stuttered, quickly clearing his throat to hide his embarrassment. "You… go ahead and take a rest. Don't let me keep you."

As Se-na turned to walk away, he called out after her, his voice a mix of desperation and hope, "And... don't forget the five CT scanners!"

She didn't look back. Finally free of him, she headed to the locker room and changed into her customized scrubs. She took a moment to adjust her collar in the mirror, ensuring every line was perfect, before stepping out to begin the morning rounds.

As she got out and started to walk away, a nurse approached them. "Dr. Maeng! Wait!"

Se-na didn't stop. She knew the voice. It was Min-ji, a nurse who had been at the hospital for twenty years and still thought "kindness" was a medical requirement. Se-na was always irritated by her because she constantly lectured her on humanity.

Min-ji caught up to her, breathless. "The patient in 304… he passed away an hour ago."


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"His daughter has been waiting for you." She continued.

Se-na rubbed her temple. "He died. Why does she want to meet with me when she already knew he would die?" she asked with scorn.

"She just wants to know if he was in any pain before he left... Could you just... five minutes?" Min-ji replied, breathing heavily.

Se-na stopped and looked at her watch. She didn't look at Min-ji's face. "My job ended when his soul left his body. Give me a reason, Head Nurse. Why should I spend five minutes discussing a dead man?"

Min-ji blinked, startled. "Yes, but..."

Se-na leaned in. "Yes, BUT...you don't have a reason. I know you already explained everything to her, and I don't want to be disrespectful, Head Nurse, but if I wanted to hold hands, I would have worked in a kindergarten. So please, try not to come to me with such requests. It's not my headache that he signed a DNR. I have a schedule to keep."

Saying this, she walked away, hearing the sharp, pained sigh from the nurse as if she had expected nothing less.

"Tsk... what a productive way to start the day," she muttered under her breath. When she checked her tablet, she found that her entire morning schedule had been wiped clean. Instead of feeling relieved, the "favor" from the Chief only annoyed her more.

She spent the next few hours in the residents' lounge, leaning back and scrolling through a real estate app, scouting for new investment properties.

As she was going on, a frantic, heavy knocking shattered the silence. Dr. Kim burst in, he was a senior resident who always smelled like a stale mix of tobacco and cheap soap.

"Dr. Maeng, please! Dr. Choi is in OR 4 and it's a total disaster," he panted, his face pale. "It's a thoracic case. He's been in there for five hours. The patient is only twenty; an athlete. He cannot do more! he's about to give up."

Se-na didn't even look up from her phone. "And?"

"And? Se-na! AND?!" Kim cried, exasperated. "You're the only one who can handle that kind of micro-suture! you have experience in that! You have to help him, the Director is watching this case personally!"

"That's not my problem," Se-na replied coolly, her thumb swiping to a new property listing. "I'm in the middle of a transaction. Close the door on your way out."

"Se-na! This could be a blessing in disguise for your career! Help Choi! Please!" he pleaded, his voice cracking with desperation.

"Tell him to declare the time of death and move on," she said, still not looking up. "It's the natural conclusion to his failure."

"You... you monster," Kim whispered, his face getting more pale with anger and desperation.

Se-na finally looked up. "Monsters are people who lack the skill to be efficient, and take on cases just to kill." She looked back down at her screen, dismissively waving a hand toward the exit.

Dr. Kim looked at her with a mix of horror and disgust. Without another word, he turned and sprinted back toward the OR, his heavy footsteps echoing down the hallway making her ears go dumb as he ran with a frantic beat of a drum.

Ten minutes later, Se-na grew bored of the app. She stood up, adjusted her perfectly tailored coat, and wandered toward the surgical wing, not to save a life, of course, but because the air conditioning in the halls was superior to the stuffy lounge.

As she passed OR 4, the "In Use" light was still a bleeding red. Through the viewing window, she saw a massacre. Blood was everywhere, the staff was in a state of sheer panic, and Dr. Choi stood frozen, his shoulders slumped in total defeat. A nurse was trying to snap him back. But then Dr. Kim spotted her through the glass; and as if color flooded back into his face, he scrambled out of the room, nearly tripping over his own feet.

"You CAME!" he gasped, reaching out as if to hug her in his desperation.

"I am only here for the..." Before she could finish, he practically shoved her into the scrub room.

Se-na stood there, looking at dr. kim from behind the glass, a flicker of regret crossing her mind, while he was looking at her with his hands joined pleading her. she looked inside the OR, and at the chaos and her curiosity won out. afterall was a perfect opportunity to put someone in her debt. So sighing she started moving with a rhythmic, tired motion, scrubbing her hands slowly. She didn't rush. In her mind, if the girl died while she was scrubbing, it didn't matter. A dead body was just a machine that had finally run out of power in hands of incompetant mechanic and not in her hands.

But the girl was "lucky." The flatline hadn't happened yet even after she spent more than 5 minutes. Se-na sighed again, kicked open the OR doors, and suited up. Her presence seemed to cool the room by ten degrees as everyone looked at her, while she stepped over the puddles of blood on the floor.

"Move," she commanded. Dr. Choi stepped aside, his eyes bloodshot and trembling. "Dr. Maeng... it's too late... it's beyond repair..."

"Late?" she huffed, picking up the needle driver.

She worked in a heavy, suffocating silence. Every eye was pinned on her. Her fingers moved with precision; stitching, joining, and rerouting tissues that looked like raw pulp to everyone else. The room held its breath. Even in the observation gallery above, the air had turned unstable. The senior faculty and the Hospital Director pressed toward the glass, their faces tense. This wasn't just any patient; she was a national icon, a star athlete whose every heartbeat was currently being tracked by the media vans parked outside. Her life or her death, was now intricately tied to the hospital's reputation. To the Director, that girl on the table wasn't a human; she was the hospital's stock price.

But then, Se-na's hands stopped.

The movement was so sudden, so final, that the entire panel in the observation room gasped in unison, leaning so close to the glass that their breath fogged the view.

"What is she doing?" the Chief choked out, his hands trembling as he gripped the railing. "Why did she stop? Is it over?" he looked toward Dr. Kim who was biting his nails an anxiety response behavior he had been trying hard to stop.

Beside him, the Director stood like a statue, his eyes fixed on the bloody field below. He didn't say anything; his silence was more terrifying than any shout. He watched as the monitor's rhythm began to stutter.

"Is she dead?" the Chief cried, his voice cracking. He turned to the Director, his face a mask of pure panic. "Director, I…I didn't authorize this! Se-na... she just walked in! If she just lost a patient on my table..."

The Director finally turned, his gaze cutting through the Chief like a blade. "Your table?" he repeated, his voice low. "If that girl doesn't breathe, there won't be a table left in this department for you to stand behind Chief Han Moon Bin!"

Then a piercing feminine shriek cut through the air, snapping their attention to the voice below. It was Se-Na…her hand was dripping with blood.

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