Second Chances | Seulrene AU

The past week had been an unforgiving blur of rushing gurneys, the scent of antiseptic, and the constant pulse of beeping monitors. Joohyun barely had a moment to herself as she shifted from patient to patient, responding to emergencies with the practiced calm of a seasoned doctor.

But now, as night cast shadows across the hospital and the noise quieted to a hum, she finally retreated to her office. She sank into her chair, leaning back and letting out a long, deep sigh. Closing her eyes, she tried to let the tension seep out of her body, if only for a moment.

The brief silence was interrupted by the vibration of her phone. With a reluctant groan, Joohyun reached for it and saw a string of messages from Taeyeon.

Taeyeon: Hey, are you coming to the party? They're welcoming Bogum and Krystal back, remember?

The next message followed quickly after.

Taeyeon: Actually, don't come. Bogum and Krystal are glued to each other. It's disgusting and you definitely don't need to see it.

"Don't worry, Taeyeon. I wasn't even going to bother.", Joohyun responded she typed back with a laugh escaping her lips

Setting her phone down, she leaned back once more and closed her eyes, letting herself sink into the quiet of her office. The exhaustion of the past days threatened to pull her into a doze, the serenity of the moment making her eyelids heavy.

Suddenly, the soft click of her office door opening made her eyes snap open. She didn't turn around, assuming it was a nurse bringing in paperwork.

"I'll sign the papers and turn them in before I leave.", Joohyun mumbled, her voice trailing off into the still room.

But there was no response, no shuffle of papers, or the door closing. A strange silence followed, prompting her to open her eyes.

She sat up with a jolt when she saw Seulgi standing in front of her, dressed in her usual professional attire, eyes intent.

"Ms. Kang? Why are you here? Is Yeri alright?", Joohyun asked, confusion lacing her voice.

Panic crept into her chest, visions of the little girl's smile mingling with concern. Seulgi stepped forward, a reassuring expression softening her usually stoic features.

"Yeri's fine. She's doing well.", Seulgi answered, her voice calm.

Without another word, Seulgi walked around Joohyun's desk and reached out to the older woman's white coat, slipping it from her shoulders in one gentle movement. Joohyun's eyes widened in disbelief, and she quickly stood up.

"Ms. Kang, we're not that close. This... this is highly inappropriate.", Joohyun commented.

"Seulgi, call me Seulgi like you did the other day.", Seulgi corrected and Joohyun raised her eyebrow.

Seulgi met her gaze, a flicker of emotion crossing her eyes, but she didn't stop. She reached over and pressed the power button on Joohyun's computer, silencing the low hum and darkening the screen. The room fell into silence again, save for the steady thrum of Joohyun's heartbeat in her ears.

"It's late, Joohyun. Let me take you home.", Seulgi said softly.

Joohyun stared at her, words failing her for a moment. The look in Seulgi's eyes was palpable, a look that made Joohyun's breath hitch as she searched for what to say.