Doctor Demon

Siwan placed two hot cups of cappuccino on the table along with a cherry pastry. Jiwoon was surprised by the gesture.

"You didn't have to do that," she said, indicating the cherry pastry. "Just coffee would have been fine."

"I felt like it," he shrugged and sat across from her. Jiwoon thanked him and took a bite. It was too sweet for her taste. Siwan observed her struggle not to frown as if she was trying to be polite.

"You don't seem to like sweets," he remarked.

"Uh....I love them!" Jiwoon claimed and was about to take another bite but Siwan stopped her.

"If you don't like something, it's best to tell it out loud," he advised in a gentle tone. "The more you keep it in, the worse the situation will become."

He took the cherry pastry and called a server to take it away. "What would you like to have?" he asked her.

"It's okay," Jiwoon said. "You don't have to get me anything."

"The chicken sandwich is amazing here," Siwan said. "Do you like chicken sandwiches?"

Jiwoon sighed. "Okay," she finally agreed. "I'll take a chicken sandwich."

Siwan ordered two sandwiches and turned his attention back to her. Jiwoon was quietly sipping her coffee, nervous to be sitting with a guy she barely knew. He noticed that she was defensive and was clutching the burning hot cup with her hands but the heat did not affect her. Instead, she was a little...scared.

"How's the case going?" he asked. "Is there any progress on it at all?"

"Ah...I can't really discuss it," Jiwoon said, feeling apologetic. "Sorry."

"That's okay," Siwan sighed. "But the kid saw some traumatizing things that night. As his doctor, I do have the legal right to know what he saw so that we can treat him accordingly."

"Well…"

Jiwoon straightened up a little, adopting a more professional stance now. "His mother and father were killed in front of him," she recounted. "They were found in very...gruesome circumstances. His father was shot and...his private parts were...um...cut off."

She expected Siwan to cringe or be disgusted but he said, "And his mother?"

"His mother was raped and beaten up," she replied. "Before being killed."

Siwan was now thinking hard. "For a child to witness all that is concerning," he stated. "Now that I know some things, we'll have to start his therapy as well. Otherwise, he'll never recover."

Jiwoon nodded. The server put the sandwiches before them. She took one and unwrapped it with shaky fingers which did not go unnoticed by Siwan.

"He'll be alright, you know," Siwan said. "Wook."

"Yeah."

"But why are you visiting him so often?" he asked. "After all, isn't it strange that a police officer is visiting a witness in her off-duty hours? Isn't that a breach of conduct?"

Jiwoon lowered her head, trying to avoid the question. Siwan was curious why she would go to that length. He knew that she was not coaxing the witness into breaking their silence but there were some strict codes which the police needed to follow and Jiwoon was breaking a very important one.

"Does he remind you of someone?"

She looked up at him, shocked. Siwan simply sipped his coffee, waiting for her answer but she was still reluctant to talk.

"It's okay," he smiled. "You don't have to say anything. All of us have things we don't want others to find out."

"You...do you have secrets you don't want others to find out?" Jiwoon asked hesitantly. Siwan nodded.

"I do have an embarrassing one," he smirked. "I guarantee it'll make you laugh."

Jiwoon slightly frowned, confused. Siwan was smiling when he said, "Your boss rejected me when I asked her out! Kinda embarrassing, right? A good looking guy like me was dumped by my first love!"

He chuckled in amusement. Even Jiwoon could not help but smile.

"She told me," Jiwoon revealed. "But she said that you were very gracious about it."

"I'm glad that she's happy," Siwan admitted. "A little hurt, but that's okay. It's not the end of the world."

"You seem to take things in stride," Jiwoon said. "I wish I could be that strong…"

"I think you're strong," Siwan stated. Jiwoon gave him a quizzical look.

"Not everyone can reach the place where you are right now," he went on. "So don't think that you're weak. At least I don't think so."

Jiwoon gave him a small smile. "Thank you, Doctor Kang," she said, her voice filled with sincerity. "That…that really motivated me."

She was done with her sandwich and coffee but she did not leave immediately. Instead, she waited for Siwan to finish his coffee.

"Aren't you going to finish that?" she asked when he put the wrapped sandwich in his pocket.

"I'll eat it in-between duty," he winked at her. "You see, we snack when no one's looking."

Jiwoon smiled and stood up. He walked her to the exit where she turned towards him one last time.

"Thank you, for the treat," she said. "I'll see you later."

"Give me a call when you're here next time," he said. "I'll meet up."

"Uh…"

Jiwoon was not sure how to answer that. Siwan sighed and remarked, "You're not a very sociable person, are you?"

"I-I'm not used to hanging out with people outside work," she admitted. She was looking down at her feet, unsure of what else to say. To her surprise, he slightly poked her forehead. She looked up at him, touching the spot he poked.

"Don't be scared of the monsters anymore," he said in a cryptic tone. "They're gone for now but if you want them to truly leave, then stop thinking about them. Don't be afraid of them. Pick yourself up and run as fast as you can. They'll eventually stop chasing you one day."

Jiwoon did not understand his cryptic advice but he waved her goodbye and went back into the hospital. She stood there, staring at his retreating back before slowly turning around to leave.

He is still a good man, she thought. Just like he was all those years ago.

Unbeknownst to her, Siwan was also thinking the same thing.

"She really came a long way since then," he mused. He walked into his office and sat on his chair, thinking back to the time he first met her. All this time, he could not recognize her at all. The scared and scarred girl who was dying a slow death emerged out of the ashes. But was she triumphant?

"I guess we'll still have to see if you can win over your fears," Siwan said out loud. "Ming Jisoo."

He glanced outside. It was beginning to rain. Just like that fateful night...