The Way of Love for the Doctor
SEASON 2'S. Part 3's. A glass of Soju

Two months later, we were really busy and our operating schedule was in line, I was excited to be able to learn unique cases, we are famous in a short time and even the Director has given our own unit this month. We moved offices, some doctors moved to our section to get direct supervision of doctor Joshua. Doctor Joshua is a hard worker. But he didn't ask me to follow him, I worked my way up the corridors. Although mostly I'm bad and always ask if he needs help.

“Dok, you're not coming home.” It's the weekend and he's still in his room already at 7 p.m.

“Let's go, you go home. I thought you were home an hour ago.”

“I chat with others after finished setting up our new unit..” Lately I've realized he comes home very often once a night. His life was a hospital, going back to sleep, then back again in the morning. He doesn't even mind chatting with his patients long here. I thought he was committed, but sometimes I ask. Doesn't he want to have another social life, or maybe he just doesn't want to be home alone. I don't want to be sad about something.

“I should be very grateful to you. I got a very capable assistant, even you're very well trained to communicate with patients, you learn very quickly. This is all also your hard work, I will give you the A+++ value in your assessment condition.” I laughed at his compliment.

“I learned a lot from the doctor, I have to thank you.”

“You want me to buy dinner?”

“Eat night?”

“Come, celebrate our new unit. Or you have a date, I forgot it's the weekend.”.

“No... Can have dinner, I want.” This is the second time he's invited me to dinner.

“Come then.” I smiled, having dinner with Oppa JinHee. I don't know why my brain always associates it with JinHee.

We chose an authentic Korean restaurant in Jakarta. I agreed to it because I like it too but can't go there often, I'm a new internship, you know how much I pay anyway?! Eating such a restaurant would instantly make me scratch my head. Just less UMR, being a doctor is actually an uphill battle initially. Unless you're a specialist like Dr. Joshua, working in a big hospital, a lot of patients, you can just be relieved.

“Where is your boyfriend, it's Sunday night, you even accompany me to eat?” He asked me directly.

“Hmm... no, I don't have a girlfriend.” I'm starving to smell meat on the grill. “Nothing has attracted the heart.” I confess frankly.

“Leo, that handsome doctor tried several times to ask you out I guess..” Turns out he knew Leo was taking me along.

“Not interested, I don't know Doc. I think I still have a lot to pursue still young intern salary still mediocre, not yet exploring the world. I prefer to consider all of them friends.I prefer to spend time chatting with senior doctors, much I can learn.”

“Your parents are still healthy?”

“I live with Mama, never saw my Dad. Mama said she was dead. But I never saw his grave. My mom refused to talk about it. So just assume he doesn't exist. I'm here, it's my way of life.” I can talk about it emotionlessly now, but there was in my time of rebellion I missed my Papa, envied Papa of others. Doing mischief only to protest my misfortune. Made Mama sick in High School, because I was totally unruly.

Until then my Uncle and Grandma came looking for me and talked at length. Saying that Papa left us, Mama assumed he was dead, because indeed he ended up living in another city. I finally got to see with Mama's side, see what she's working for me, although she can also be bitter because I am the son of Papa but she is still the greatest Mama.Finally I stopped with my rebellion after being able to see from the same side as my Mama.

“Ohh..” Doctor Joshua was silent, it seems that he will not continue to talk about it.

“I know, I've dated a few times like me, of course. Just I always thought having a relationship was a little annoying, time-consuming, miss each other later because of the stupid problems of hating each other, complicated. Draining my thoughts, feelings, so this time around, I think there's more useful things I can do.” Oppa looked at me as if he was pity, but for a long time I hated pity and replaced it with always looking happy, eager to face the world.   Very few people have ever heard me talk like this. Oppa is one of them.

“Aigoooo, this looks good,..” Our food has come, it is better to grill this meat as soon as possible.

“Come eat-eat.” We immediately put the spiced meat onto the grill. While dishes that can be pre-picked such as gimbab(korean sushi), and Japchae(fried soun) have also come.  We were busy eating while talking about food, the restaurant he liked, to my ability to cook Korean food.

“You sure you can make japchae and gimbab, pork kalbi?

“Of course.”

“Wow?!” I laughed when he looked amazed.

“Sometimes, I'll bring you my cooking.” I'm offering.

“Hmmm can-get.” He immediately agreed.

“Dok, did you not join your community? I mean with the Koreans here?”

“You belong to the Korean community.” I laughed at his words.

“I just thought you spent too much time in the hospital.”

“Hmm..” He just smiled sadly. “You want to accompany me for a drink.” He didn't answer me but instead took me for a drink. The story until he decided to move here might be hard. He was further locked away apparently.

“Hmm can be a little..” She poured soju into my little cup and her own cup. I bowed a little to accept it.

“You know...Everyone has a burden on their heart. Sometimes all we can do is try to live. It appreciates hope.” A heart-wrenching word. I don't know what it means and the story behind it. He sighed before gulping down his corner with one gulp and following the second gulp. And pour out his third cup at once.

“You used to drink? One cup if you can't. Thank you for accompanying me..”.

“Slightly, but dare not too much.”

“You can always talk. That's good, it feels like the last day of my life there were three sleepers, a hospital, and you were babbling all day. I think in a dream I can hear you talk.” He brought the toss with his glass.

“Dok, you want to say I'm too chatty. Soju made you talk too honestly.” He laughed at my insinuations.

“No, keep talking, it's better to dream about a work schedule than to have nightmares. I actually have to thank you because I don't even have time to reflect on fate anymore. So stay that way..”

I don't know what and why, it seems the man in front of me has fallen so deep.Maybe what he endured is very heavy. I pity him now...