WHEN MY HEART STRANGELY BEATING
Live Up to Your Name, Dr. Heo’s Ep. 16 - Extension Part 4
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That morning, Makgae was already in the kitchen. For nearly a month in Seoul, she has grown accustomed to modern kitchen utensils such as electric stoves and even ovens. From the refrigerator she pulled out some groceries to make the sprout soup. She also brought out a meat for the dishes besides sprouts soup. Makgae painstakingly cleanse the sprouts to put in the broth. Not to forget she heats the packaged kimchi that she keeps in the refrigerator and also adds the tofu into the soup. She smiled smugly. She puts the kimchi on the plate, as well as the meat stew. She also checked the soup again and tasted it.
“This is good.” she smiled as she spooned the soup into two separate bowls. She took the soup and the dishes to the table.
Jaeha is getting ready in his bedroom to go to the hospital. He wore his black shirt complete with a gray suit and matching pair of pants. After he felt confident with his appearance, he came out of his room. He saw Makgae was busy scooping rice.
“What are you doing?” Jaeha wondered as he had never seen Makgae as busy as this morning because usually Jaeha will found her sat happily with everything she could find in Jaeha’s fridge while watching TV, enjoying her breakfast.
He came over and saw his dinner table was full of food. He usually only makes instant foods that only being heated or ramen which is more easily cooked. Last night one of his elderly patients, a vegetable seller in the market, gave him some groceries as her gratitude to Jaeha who had given free acupuncture treatment to the elderly in the market. Not only vegetables that he bring, some other elderly also provide various kinds of food and fruit for him. He can not refuse and bring all the food back home. He did not forget to buy meat because he thought of Makgae who loves meat.
Upon arriving home, Makgae was shocked when Jaeha brought home plenty of groceries last night even asked why Jaeha had so much groceries. After listening to Jaeha’s explanation, Makgae only smiled happily while looking at the groceries, but Jaeha never thought Makgae would cook the groceries.
“I prepared a breakfast, please have a seat Naeuri.” said Makgae, pushing Jaeha to sit down.
“You can cook?” Jaeha asked.
“Cooking is easy, my mother taught me a lot. I hope my cook matches your taste.” Makgae gave a spoon to Jaeha.
Jaeha scooped Makgae’s sprout soup into his mouth. He was a little surprised by the delicious taste of Makgae cooking. “Not bad.” he said.
“Thank God.” Makgae took her spoon and ate deliciously. Jaeha smiled as he take a bite of the meat stew in front of him.
“I came home early today, what if we go the supermarket and buy some ingredients for our meals? I'm a bit bored with instant food.” Jaeha said as he spooned the rice into his mouth.
“Ne Naeuri.” Makgae nodded in agreement.
Jaeha went to the hospital after breakfast. Makgae returned to the kitchen and cleaned up the dishes. She tidied up Jaeha’s apartment as well. This is just the only way to thank Jaeha who provides her a place to stay while she was in Seoul.
She was lazing for a while on the sofa where she used to sleep, but she was very bored in the apartment. Then she is decided to take a walk. Makgae is no longer afraid to use the elevator, she’s even very used to it. She went for a walk around the park near Jaeha’s apartment.
“I should often play here.” Makgae muttered with a grin.
When Makgae finished trying swinger in the park, lunch time is already passed. She was very curious about the children’s toys that she saw and did not stop trying it one by one. She decided to return to the apartment when her stomach growling in hunger.
***
At the hospital, Jaeha prepares to go to lunch. Some of his doctor friends asked him to eat together but he refused, he had not met Yeonkyung since he was very busy in the hospital. He rushed to Shinhae Hospital to ask Yeonkyung to get lunch together.
‘The number you are calling is not accessible..’ Yeonkyung can not be reached. Jaeha locked his handphone again.
“Did she busy?” Jaeha took a deep breath as he decided to return to the Shinhae Oriental Hospital.
Arriving at the hospital, one of the nurse who used to help Jaeha reported that his patient changed her therapy schedule. Jaeha just nodded because its means he could go home sooner than he scheduled. He rushed back to his apartment.
“I am home!” Jaeha exclaimed as he entered his apartment. Since Makgae lived in his apartment, he naturally always greeted. Makgae peeked out of the kitchen when he heard Jaeha’s voice while washing the dishes.
“Naeuri is back? I thought you were coming home later?” Makgae asked innocently. Jaeha opened his refrigerator and take a cold mineral water.
“My patient is not coming to therapy, so I can come sooner.” cleared Jaeha.
“I see, have you eaten?” Makgae asked again while looking straight to Jaeha with her wide eyes after Jaeha closes the fridge. Jaeha gasped when his eyes meet Makgae’s as she asked if he had eaten yet. He stared at Makgae until he tried to resuscitate himself.
“N-not yet.” he said as he cleared his throat.
“Go change your clothes, I'll prepared your lunch.” Makgae smiled sweetly and left Jaeha into the kitchen. Jaeha’s eyes trailed Makgae, unaware of his heart pounding. He decided to go to the room to change his clothes.
“Yoo Jaeha, you must be crazy. Why did you fluttering to a man.” he said to himself.
***
In the afternoon, as they planned, Jaeha and Makgae going for shopping some groceries at the supermarket. Makgae so surprised when she is arrived at the supermarket for the first time. She saw a variety of foods products neatly lined up. She also held a shopping cart with wonder because there are wheels to move the trolley. Jaeha just laughed at Makgae’s innocence.
“It’s interesting, you do not have to carry your groceries, just pushed it like this.” Makgae laughed as well.
They go to cashier with plenty of food for the next two weeks. Makgae pushed the trolley with joy because Jaeha also bought her some snacks and ice cream. They took their groceries and placed them in the car. Makgae pats the plastic bag of their groceries before closes the back door. She come and sit in the passenger seats, tightened up her seatbelt.
Once they’re arriving at home, Jaeha and Makgae sits in the living room and enjoying their chicken and beer. Makgae trying beer for the first time because she’s too curious about the taste because Jaeha keep saying that beer is kinda similar to soda, Jaeha just looking at her expression.
“How is it?” he asked
“I don’t think this is similar to soda. But I think I can handle it.” she smiled then puts the can on the table, take a piece of the chicken.
“You never tried an alcohol?” Jaeha also take a piece.
“Never. Once I’m trying soju, but it’s too strong, I don’t really like it.” Makgae tasting the sauce first. “Naeuri likes soju or beer more?”
“It depends on my mood.”
“Mood? Like?”
“When I’m stressed out, I prefer soju. When I’m enjoying chicken, I prefer beer.” he laughed a bit.
“Enjoying chicken is a mood?” she giggled.
“I mean, this kind of mood. You just wanted to relaxing a bit. Soju is too strong for this delicious chicken.” he ate the chicken happily.
“What should we eat with soju?”
“Something with broth, maybe? I usually cook a ramen when I drink Soju.”
Makgae smiled. “Stew?”
“It’s good too.” Jaeha smiled as well as sip his beer again.
“Something good must be happened, right?”
“Mwo?”
“Naeuri said if you stressed out, you’ll drink Soju.”
“Then?”
“When I’m stay with you, I never seeing you drunk. So I guess something good is happened.” Makge sip the beer again, trying to adjusting with the taste of the beer.
“Actually nothing happened. This is my first alcohol this month tho. Hmm.. I think I’m just feel less stress lately? I usually stressed out alone.” He glanced at Makgae and laughed at his confession.
“You can talk about everything to me if you want, Naeuri.” Makgae shakes her beer can a bit.
“Arraseo.”
“Why don’t you seeing your parents?” Makgae pointed to the family photo of Jaeha and his parents. She’s just noticing Jaeha keep his parents photo in his room as well. Once she’s found Jaeha hugging his parents photo tightly when he fall asleep in the sofa after they come home from treating patient nearly his parents age. Jaeha keeps talking about how his patient remind him to his mother in the car. Makgae only stay silent and listen to Jaeha well when they headed back home, observing Jaeha’s expression which looked like he missing his parents. But she is too afraid to ask.
“Both of them are in heaven now.” Makgae looking at him as she’s feels guilty to ask the question. Jaeha look straight to the photo in his drawer besides the TV.
“Mianhao.”
“That’s okay.” he sips his beer again.
Makgae’s eyes tearing a bit because she thinks about her mother again. She’s also tearing up as she’s missing home.
“If only Joseon have this technology to capturing a moment, it would be good. I guess.” she is tearing more.
“Why did you tearing?”
“You can seeing your parents smile through a picture, while I can’t.”
“Why did you cry? Let’s find a way to send you back to Joseon, so you can meet your mother. You’re a man, don’t cry too much.” Jaeha laughed at Makgae become so crybaby. Makgae wipe her tears.
“No one I can addressed as family there.”
“What do you mean?”
“Dr. Heo is the only one I can called as family. I’m an orphan since my late mother died.” Jaeha paused to look at Makgae who was trying to wipe away all her tears. This time Jaeha feels guilty to laugh at her being a crybaby. Makgae took a deep breath before finally smiling at Jaeha.
“Are you okay?” Jaeha asked.
“I’m okay, Naeuri, I’m triggered suddenly because we talked about parents. Do not mind me.” answered Makgae with a small laugh.
Jaeha then laughed as well to get rid of the gloomy atmosphere and finished his beer. The night went down even later as Makgae finished telling him about the swinger she tried this afternoon. Jaeha just laughed at the thought of how people looked at Makgae as she tried the children’s toys alone. Makgae who got drunk after her fourth can then told him about her longing for Joseon, she said she wanted to go back. She started crying again, searching for the remaining chicken. Jaeha laughed at Makgae and start teasing her again being so crybaby when drunk.
“Dr. Heo wants me to be a doctor, but I can not be a doctor there.” Makgae unconsciously mumbling to Jaeha again.
“Why?” he asked, half conscious.
“It’s impossible for low-borns and women like me to be doctors.”
Jaeha looked at Makgae again as he heard Makgae’s words. “Woman?” he asked.
Makgae nodded before finally falling asleep on Jaeha’s shoulder. Jaeha just paused to let Makgae fall asleep on his shoulder, he saw Makgae’s tears fall and makes her smooth cheeks wet. Jaeha’s fingers reached Makgae’s cheeks and wiped her tears, asking her not to cry too much. His low alcohol tolerance makes him drunk in the first sip of his third can. His head can’t functioning well and saying out everything unconsciously. Jaeha’s heart fluttered again, staring at Makgae who already sleep peacefully.
“Makgae-ssi, who are you makes my heart fluttering like this, huh? If you are a woman, I think I already falling to you in this state. You are so beautiful, you idiot.” said Jaeha. He also fell asleep next to Makgae.
At the outside, snow start to falling again and covered Seoul with its white blanket. The temperature dropping so low as the night entered midnight time. One message in come to Jaeha’s phone, it’s from unsaved number. It said that the sender wanted to meet him tomorrow. It also said that the sender is his friend comes from far away.
‘This is Heo Im.’
***
When Heo Im and Yeonkyung return from dinner, they take the time to stop at an operator outlet to replace Heo Im’s phone number which has expired. Heo Im just smiling happy when his handphone can be active again. He also holds Yeonkyung hand tightly when returning home. Arriving at home, he immediately sent a message to Jaeha.
‘Dr. Yoo, how are you?’
‘I’m back from far away..’
‘I’m sorry for just contacting you now because I just activated my new number..’
‘Do you miss me? Hehehee.. ’
‘This is Heo Im.’
‘Let’s meet tomorrow.’
‘:)’
Heo Im just smirking looking at his handphone while rubbing his screen into his gray shirt, clearing it up a bit. Yeonkyung brings warm sweet tea from the kitchen and sits next to Heo Im who smiles to himself.
“Are you that happy?” Yeonkyung gives a pink glass to Heo Im.
“Gomawo Cheoja.” he said, smiling at Yeonkyung.
“Have you contacting Jaeha?” Yeonkyung asked.
“Already but I think he already sleep by now.” Heo Im looking at the clock on his mobile screen then putting it on the table.
“Bongtak-ssi?” Yeonkyung called softly.
“Ne Cheoja?” Heo Im looking at Yeonkyung.
“Are you okay?”
“Mwohae?”
“Is it okay for you being a doctor in a small clinic rather than being a doctor in a hospital?” Yeonkyung asks about Heo Im’s decision to replace Director Choi at the Haeminseo clinic.
“I’m okay Cheoja, why are you so worried?” Heo Im grabs Yeonkyung’s hand and holds it tightly.
“You do not want to work at hospital again? Seeing you decided to take Harabeoji’s place at Haeminseo, it’s somehow makes me uneasy. It feels like you giving up your dream.” Yeonkyung forcing her smile. Heo Im staring at her formed a smile also.
“Cheoja, you think I’m giving up my dream?”
“It feels like that.”
“What is my dream?”
“Having a lot of money?” Yeonkyung laughed as she tried to joked, she overthinking and she knows it well.
“I do not care with money, I’m always penniless in here or Joseon.”
“Fame?”
“I’m a doctor, not idol, it does not matter.” Heo Im makes an annoyed expression, trying to joked along with her.
Yeonkyung gawked. “Ah!”
“Your Harabeoji ask me to take his place because he is trust me. In the hospital there are a lot of great doctors already. So it doesn’t matter if there is no me there. I can makes a lot of money here tho, I’m sure.” Heo Im giggled again while boasting himself to Yeonkyung. They laughed together.
“If you feel it uncomfortable, you can quit and pursued your dreams in a big hospital, okay?” Yeonkyung ensures that everything is fine.
“Ne Cheoja.” Heo Im still staring at Yeonkyung. Smiling broadly.
She’s peeked at Heo Im. “Wae?”
Yeonkyung asked because Heo Im stares at her for so long. She blushed. Heo Im placed his hands on Yeonkyung shoulder before he kissed Yeonkyung’s forehead. Yeonkyung closed her eyes as she let Heo Im kissed her. Heo Im take a long breath between her hair, stay silent for a couple of minutes then cares Yeonkyung’s hair. Yeonkyung looking back at Heo Im and caress his cheek slowly, he loves the way Yeonkyung spoil him as he getting shy at her.
He laughed a bit when Yeonkyung lock her gaze at him. When their smile disappeared, both of them starting to look at each other more deeper as Heo Im being triggered to kiss Yeonkyung’s lips. Yeonkyung caress his lower jaw and gave an indirect permission to kiss her. Heo Im smirked before he press his lips against Yeonkyung’s, a long smooch as a present for their hard work. Heo Im then break the kiss, brushing his pointed nose to Yeonkyung’s nose as he smiling, thanked Yeonkyung for always makes him feel more better.
“Cheoja, thank you.” he smiled gently
“Why you thanked me?” she asked.
“For being my good friend.”
“Only friend?” Yeonkyung laughed too, can’t hide her reddened cheeks.
“Girlfriend?”
“Mwoya, girlfriend?”
“Let’s be friend then.” Heo Im keep looking at her gently, once giggled.
“Are you serious?” Yeonkyung make a disappointed expression. Pouting her lips.
“Ne.” Heo Im keep laughed because Yeonkyung being so cute.
“You are so bad, Heo Bongtak-ssi.”
“Be my friend forever. My one and only friend.” Heo Im just smiled showing his teeth. Yeonkyung keep listening to him. “Let’s live together, grow old together..” he is looking for another words.
“And then?” Yeonkyung’s heart beating fast, hoping for him to say something more.
“Hmm.. this is not right.” he become more serious.
“Mwoya?” she hitting Heo Im chest lightly.
“This is not cool.” he shakes his head.
“What are you doing?” she laughed.
“I’m trying to look cool when proposing you, Cheoja.” he makes a serious face, innocently.
Yeonkyung then laughed so hard. “Which drama are you trying to impersonate?”
“Let’s get married, Choi Yeonkyung.” said Heo Im. But Yeonkyung burst into laugh because Heo Im’s facial expression is too funny, she can’t hold her laugh. Heo Im looking at Yeonkyung annoyed.
“Arraseo. Arraseo. I’ll stop laughing.” Yeonkyung bit her lips.
“Forget it.” Heo Im get more annoyed. Yeonkyung tease him again as he sulking.
“Honey..” she called Heo Im cutely while playing her finger in his chest.
“Cheoja..” he laughed.
Heo Im then taking out a ring from his pocket and put it on Yeonkyung’s pinky finger. Yeonkyung smiling beautifully when looking at her finger. The moon shine brightly outside, it’s almost full moon. Inside the biscuit can where Heo Im keep his needle case, the needle case suddenly have an almost full bamboo’s drawing. The bamboo shines for a wink after drawing another leaves.