By Zephyria 
“Doctor Shin! It’s been a while!”
“Hello.”
“Doctor Shin! Is your body okay now?”
“Yes, sorry for making you worry.”
“Don’t overdo it.”
“Yes, thank you.”
Returning to the hospital after a long time, many colleagues and patients greeted him warmly. Feeling grateful yet apologetic toward the patients who had waited for him, Jeong-min treated them with all his heart.
Working after a long break made him feel as if all the worries and anxieties of the world had vanished. That was how much he loved this work and felt pride in it. The only thing he considered the best decision of his life was becoming a doctor.
When he was struggling and lonely, the only thing that comforted him was everything about the hospital. There were times he couldn’t go home due to endless overtime and a hellish schedule, but even that was enjoyable. However—
“Ah….”
After the second drug administration, a sudden side effect occurred. His hand began to shake.
✽✽✽
The second administration took place two weeks after his discharge. The location was the research institute hospital room where he had been admitted last time. Since the drug had been slightly modified and it was the second dose, Doctor Kim Ari suggested receiving it at the research institute as they didn’t know what problems might arise, and both Jeong-min and Ju-hwan agreed.
They did not have sex after the injection. There were no abnormalities in his body, and he wasn’t struggling, but it was because of Doctor Kim’s request to test if it was possible with pheromones alone. Kim Ju-hwan kept his mouth shut and did as they said.
Sitting beside the lying Jeong-min, he gave his pheromones to Jeong-min, and Jeong-min closed his eyes, feeling his consciousness gradually fade. He woke up a couple of hours later. His body felt heavy, but there were no noticeable side effects. He went to work feeling relieved… but three days later, his hand began to shake violently.
“Your hand is shaking?”
“Yes.”
Sensing something was wrong, Jeong-min left work immediately and came to the research institute. Doctor Kim looked at Jeong-min’s hand with a serious expression. It was shaking slightly but intermittently.
“Let’s run some tests first.”
Following her words that they needed tests to know if it was because of the drug or another problem, he cooperated with all the examinations and received the results that very night.
“There are no particular abnormalities. However, the Alpha factor is very unstable. Pheromones are also leaking.”
“So there’s a high possibility it’s a side effect.”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
It was fatal for a doctor. Especially for Jeong-min, who performed surgeries; he could no longer practice medicine with this hand.
“If you take a neutralizer now, you’ll be fine. Shall I prepare it?”
It was time to choose. He had thought, ‘Maybe….’ that such a thing might happen. But he didn’t expect it to come so quickly. Yes, the world is fair in the face of misfortune. To gain something, something else must be sacrificed. To have something precious… it’s only fair to lose another precious thing.
Jeong-min clenched his shaking hand tightly.
“No.”
“Doctor Shin. It’s not too late, even now….”
“Doctor Kim. You promised me. That you would help me. I’m not giving up. So please don’t say that.”
“It might be difficult to return to work.”
“Yes, but that’s okay.”
He spoke calmly. Since this was also the path he had chosen, he would resent no one, but he would also not consider failure. With that, Jeong-min left the research institute.
The next day, Jeong-min told his parents that he would take a break from his medical practice for a while. His parents did not stop him. It was true that he had run hard until now, and they understood and let it pass, thinking there must be a reason why their usually serious son made such a decision.
However, his eldest sister-in-law, the hospital director, tried to stop Jeong-min. She worried that Jeong-min’s career would be interrupted during his prime. Knowing how much his sister-in-law cherished and worried for him, Jeong-min only felt sorry. Leaving behind the sister-in-law who couldn’t bear to let him go until the very end, Jeong-min submitted his resignation to the hospital. He could have taken a leave of absence, but considering the worst-case scenario, it was right to clear everything away.
Jeong-min looked at his trembling hand while drinking coffee. If things got better, he would naturally return to his original position. But if he had a choice, he would undoubtedly choose to become an Omega without hesitation.
Struggling to suppress the depression rising from deep within his heart, he looked up at the clear sky and drank his coffee. Just as he thought he should enjoy this rare moment of leisure, he received a call from Yu Shin-woo.
“Shin-woo hyung.”
─ Jeong-min.
“Is the test finished?”
Yu Shin-woo had been undergoing matching tests every day recently. It wasn’t just the Omegas who had their pheromones tested; if the primary pheromone test resulted in over 60%, they had to be re-tested with the Alpha, Yu Shin-woo. Consequently, Shin-woo was practically living at the research institute.
─ Yeah, just now.
“The… results?”
He should have asked more confidently, but he was being pathetic again… Feeling a sense of self-loathing, Jeong-min slammed his forehead onto the table before lifting his head again.
─ It didn’t work.
“Ah…”
Was it a relief? Or not? Hearing Shin-woo’s crestfallen voice, he felt like he should offer comfort, but relief came first, making him feel sorry toward Shin-woo.
─ Where are you?
“Ah, I’m in Gangnam right now.”
─ Huh? Not at the hospital?
Right. He had to tell his hyung. What should he say?
“Yes.”
─ Then are you free from now on?
“Yes.”
─ Good. Let’s drink with me today.
“Hyung, are you allowed to drink?”
─ That’s why I’m suggesting it. Can you make some time for me?
“Of course. What do you want to drink?”
─ Pork belly and soju. I’ll go to where you are, so send me the address.
“Haha, okay. I’ll look for a meat restaurant too.”
While waiting for Shin-woo, Jeong-min was able to shake off his heavy mood for a while. With a joyful heart, he searched for and reserved a delicious meat restaurant, and after waiting a bit, Shin-woo appeared before him. They settled into a cafe near the chosen restaurant.
“Is it a bit much to drink alcohol in broad daylight?”
At Shin-woo’s words, Jeong-min unconsciously looked out the window. The sun was still up. However, looking at other tables, there were one or two bottles of beer or soju already present.
“Isn’t it fine? It’s almost 5 o’clock.”
“Right. Why worry about others? If we want to drink, we drink. Excuse me!”
Soon, the ordered soju arrived first. They poured a glass for each other, toasted, and downed it in one gulp, feeling the sharp sting slide down their throats. Feeling this sensation for the first time in a while, Jeong-min’s mood improved.
“By the way, are you off today?”
“No, I quit the hospital.”
Shin-woo, who was grilling the meat, stopped moving.
“What? Really?”
“Yeah.”
“Why? To start your own hospital?”
“No, just to get some rest. I’ve been running without a break for several years, and I hit burnout.”
This was a phrase he had already used several times with his family and those around him. For most people who knew how hard Jeong-min had lived, this one sentence was enough of an explanation. The same went for Yu Shin-woo. He didn’t ask for any further reason. He simply…
“Right, if that’s what you chose, it’s correct. That’s the right path. So don’t hesitate! Jeong-min, you’ll do well. Even so, don’t push yourself too hard, and just go your own way at your own pace.”
He reached out and stroked Jeong-min’s hair. He probably didn’t know how much comfort… how much strength that gave him. The bridge of Jeong-min’s nose tingled. Fearing that the tears he had been holding back might fall, he quickly lifted his glass and suggested a toast to Shin-woo, and Shin-woo readily clinked his glass against Jeong-min’s.
“Anyway, hyung, is it okay for you to come out to a crowded place like this?”
“I told you it’s fine. This new drug is effective. Before, it was once every three hours, but now I think I’m okay for half a day. Cal Front definitely makes good drugs.”
Jeong-min thought the same. Of course, because they made good drugs, they had become the only company of its kind worldwide, but even the drug Jeong-min was taking had no major side effects despite not yet undergoing clinical trials. Even drugs that have gone through clinical trials usually have all sorts of side effects… and since they could quickly recreate a good drug even with small amounts of data, he thought Cal Front might release the new drug sooner than expected. Thinking that way, the side effect of trembling hands seemed like nothing.
They had even given him a drug to calm the trembling symptoms to some extent, and after taking it, his hands stopped shaking. ─But because he was anxious, he quit the hospital.─ Jeong-min nodded, feeling relieved by Shin-woo’s words.