I Don't Like You Either
"Sister-in-law, have you been well? What's wrong with Heeju?"
Park Hyeonwoo finished greeting his mother and sister-in-law, then carefully examined his nephew, who was sleeping soundly on the bed.
"Heeju's running a high fever, and your sister-in-law insisted on coming to Seohan Hospital's ER because it was close. Even when I told her pediatrics at Seyeon is better, she wouldn't listen."
The child's mother stood quietly off to the side, only fidgeting with the blanket.
"You did the right thing, sister-in-law. When it's urgent, closer is better."
"Boy, this place is dead last among the Big 5!"
His mother did not forget to add that Hyeonwoo ought to get out of a place like this soon and go study abroad.
An awkward silence instantly filled the room. The nurses hurried out, shaking their heads so they would not be seen by Park Hyeonwoo and his guests.
"Mother, sister-in-law, you can rest easy. Doctor Yu Dajeong is the most meticulous and skilled physician in PED."
Park Hyeonwoo smoothly changed the subject, flashing a smile as he glanced back at Dajeong. He even mouthed the words "I'm counting on you."
"Is that so? No wonder I thought the attending physician had a pleasant face."
It was a completely different assessment from the axe-eyed scrutiny of a moment ago. Dajeong could only smile.
"But our granddaughter has no rheum, so she doesn't need an antibiotic prescription."
Park Hyeonwoo's mother, herself a former doctor, mixed fluent medical terminology into her speech as though instructing a junior.
"Yes, I'll do that. I've already heard a great deal about you from Doctor Park, and I would be grateful for any guidance you might offer."
There was no special trick to handling guardians like this. Simply elevate them as high as possible, and that was enough.
"Hmm, well. Calling it guidance is a bit embarrassing. Let's just say an opinion."
Fortunately, Park Hyeonwoo's mother seemed pleased by the flattery.
At last an opening to escape appeared. Dajeong offered a polite farewell and slipped out of the room.
Through the closing door, Park Hyeonwoo gave her a gentle smile.
That night.
"Ugh, I really wasn't going to say this, but…"
The nurses on night duty whispered among themselves.
"She's no ordinary nightmare."
"Right? The son is so gentle and polite. How can a mother and son be that different?"
Dajeong, standing nearby and silently checking charts, had no trouble guessing whom they meant.
Park Hyeonwoo's mother had already become a celebrity for her legendary tantrums.
"Sorry, Dajeong. Even when we offered to handle it ourselves, she only wanted the attending."
"It's fine. I'm on duty tonight anyway."
Dajeong smiled brightly and picked up the tray holding the IV fluid and needle.
It was time to change the fluids for Park Hyeonwoo's nephew, and she had just received word that the family was insisting the attending physician do even that.
Knock, knock. Dajeong quietly rapped, then slid open the VIP room door.
The sitting area was dark. She went straight into the room with the bed, checked the sleeping child's condition, and replaced the IV bag.
No guardians around at all.
She ought to leave some proof that the attending had visited, or there would be complaints later.
Back in the sitting room, Dajeong looked around and caught the murmur of voices.
A thin line of light spilled from the half-open door of the opposite room. She had just stepped toward it, about to knock, when she froze.
"There's nothing to dig up on that bastard Jang Taekyung."
What…?
It was unmistakably Park Hyeonwoo's mother's voice, and she had just spoken Taekyung's name. Dajeong swallowed hard.
"Prosecutor Kim said the same thing?"
"Yes. The eldest and second sons of Hanju Group are so stupid they leave back-pocket money trails everywhere. But Jang Taekyung is so thorough they say there isn't even a trivial scrap to grab onto."
"Then maybe we should set a trap?"
Park Hyeonwoo's voice joined in. The mother-and-son conversation was growing dangerous.
What should she do? This was clearly something she was not meant to hear.
Yet contrary to the rational voice telling her to leave, Dajeong's legs remained rooted to the floor.
"Hyeonwoo. Why go so far to drag Jang Taekyung down?"
"Because that pretentious bastard throws his weight around just because he's handling a bit of money, and I can't stand looking at him. And originally the next foundation chairmanship was supposed to be Father's seat—losing it still burns."
…Had the always gentle Park Hyeonwoo been a complete act? The raw face she had stumbled upon only deepened the shock.
Now she no longer cared about leaving proof of her visit; she no longer wanted to face them at all.
She had to get out of here. Dajeong forced her trembling legs to move.
But then—
"Yu Dajeong, was it? That attending earlier."
This time her own name became the topic. An unpleasant sensation crawled over her entire body, raising goosebumps.
Why were they talking about her…?
"She's decent. You've got your eye on her, don't you?"
Park Hyeonwoo did not deny it.
"She's calm; even I like her. What do her parents do? Are they doctors?"
"…No."
"Business, then?"
"She doesn't have any."
"An orphan? Good heavens! How does this hospital even manage the caliber of its doctors?"
They went on for a while, dissecting Dajeong—how something pretty about her looked faded, how girls like that had heavy fates and unfortunate family histories.
The ground seemed to drop out from under her feet. With three inches of tongue they stabbed, tore, and butchered her.
"Her background is nothing special, but she's docile and diligent, so she's easy to use."
The peak was Park Hyeonwoo's reply.
"If we package a defect like that well enough, she could even become a plus for the family image. A meek daughter-in-law—how about it?"
"Hey! Even so, you're going to bring an orphan into our family?"
Her whole body shook uncontrollably. She clenched her fingertips into tight fists and bit down hard on her lip, yet the sorrow kept welling up and spilling over.
…She did not want to hear any more.
Dajeong pressed her trembling lips together and fled the room.
He said he'd liked me for a long time?
"Hypocrite bastard."
She had come out to the garden to cool her anger. Because it was night, not even a single patient was walking the path; she strode along it quickly.
Easy to use? Where, and how, exactly?
Hoo. While taking a deep breath, Dajeong habitually pressed a hand to her chest—more precisely, she stroked the lettering tattoo inked beside her heart-transplant scar.
Renasci. Regeneration. Rebirth.
She had gotten it so that whenever something hurt enough to kill her, she could think of her heart donor and steady herself.
But tonight, no matter how she touched those letters, they brought no comfort.
Instead she felt herself being sucked deeper into a bottomless mire.
"Who asked you to like me?"
She had never begged for Park Hyeonwoo's interest.
Dajeong felt the same way: she had no desire to associate with that brand of hypocrite. She refused to be treated like defective goods on this side as well.
Besides—besides, there was a man far handsomer, greater, and more magnificent than the likes of him who had tried to… kiss her!
Of course he had never said he liked her or wanted to date her.
"Ha. That just makes it more pathetic."
Why on earth was Jang Taekyung popping into her head now?
It was absurd, and it only made her more depressed.
She stood still for a while, trying to swallow her rage, when a familiar low voice sounded behind her.
"Someone who walks alone at night is dangerous. You didn't even notice me following you in plain sight."
Her already turbulent heart sharpened to a point. Dajeong whipped around.
"Have you eaten dinner?"
Taekyung, without a tie and with the top button of his shirt undone, looked a little disheveled. Perhaps that was why his low voice sounded even lazier.
"Yes."
At the perfunctory answer, his brows lifted a fraction.
"Good. The cafeteria's been doing takeout well lately. Make sure you eat properly."
…Showing up out of nowhere just to meddle.
"Stop collapsing all the time. Eat mostly protein."
Tonight she truly had no energy left to spar with him. Dajeong avoided his gaze.
"Are you exercising at all? When I held you that time, you seemed short on muscle."
"…!"
He stepped right up to her and fixed her with a steady look. Her sense of smell reacted reflexively to the clean yet rich scent of him.
The bizarre criticism, and the way he casually referenced that night, snapped her taut nerves clean through.
"I don't like you either, Chairman."
So she blurted it out with no context.
She did not care if she looked insane. She simply did what her heart demanded.
He bore some share of responsibility for this wretchedness, after all.
A faint crack appeared on the handsome face that had been staring at her.
"Suddenly? That's quite the passionate greeting for someone I haven't seen in a while."
Having regained his composure, Taekyung tilted his head at an angle.
"I'm sorry. I've been under so much stress lately that the wrong words came out."
Dajeong left only a formal apology and tried to leave.
But—
"Where do you think you're going?"
He caught her arm lightly.
Even the mere brush of his fingertips sent heat through the fabric of her clothes; her shoulder flinched and drew in.
"If you don't like me either, then you should at least tell me who the other guy is that you don't like."
"…"
"Or am I supposed to die of curiosity?"