Perfect Love// Imperfect Strangers
Title: Perfect Love// Imperfect Strangers [2/2]
Rating: PG
Genre: Romance
Pairing: Onkey, Jongkey, 2min
Wordcount: 1215
Disclaimer: Do not own.
Summary: Dr Lee Jinki doesn’t understand why the perfect nurse Kim Kibum refuses his love and says he’s flawed. Dr Choi Minho sheds some light.
From the prompt for challenge 004 @ shawol_haven - ‘You come to love not by finding the perfect person, but by seeing an imperfect person perfectly.’ - Sam Keen. Technically, the first part here was for challenge due to word count limitations; but this part completes the story. There will be more to come from this verse!
Jinki saw his pretty nurse- the object of his affections- sitting in the fairly empty cafeteria drinking coffee alone.
It was funny how he’d never realized that Kibum could look so lonely. It made him hurt a little inside; part sympathy part apologetic. All this time he’d always assumed the nurse to be cheerful and positive (because that was how he often wanted people to see him to be), but how often was he like this, alone, without Minho or one of the other co-workers to distract him from his own thoughts?
Through the night he thought hard about the entire situation, considering Minho’s parting words to him. Now that Jinki was aware of Kibum’s predicament, he had to decide what he was to do. Was he really able- as what the charismatic doctor had said- wait along with him and possibly, not have his complete heart?
He found himself wondering that through an entire night of sleeplessness.
Eventually, the best plan he could come up with was to wait and see. He couldn’t press the nurse; hadn’t the heart to after watching him break apart and knowing the story, didn’t want to, out of his conscience after seeing patient 16A in a coma.
But that still didn’t dispel his strong feelings for Kibum- Jinki didn’t think he could give up; not yet, at least. So all he could do was wait.
He inhaled sharply, marched squarely up to him and gave a formal, deep bow that he damn well hoped could convey his apology before plonking down opposite him.
Kibum regarded him a bit warily. He didn’t sleep well either, judging from the faint dark circles on his porcelain face.
“Dr. Lee, can I help you? Or is your condition acting up again?”
Jinki paused for a moment, twirling the stethoscope round his neck; deciding what he was to say. Kibum frowned disapprovingly and immediately Jinki stopped his hands.
“Would you not do that? You’ve already broken three just by playing with them!”
“I…”
Another pause.
“I’m sorry… about… Kim Jonghyun? Um. Your patient in room 16A.”
There was the briefest moment of pure silence and Jinki thought he saw a glimmer of agony run through the nurse’s face before he schooled it back into his usual nonchalance. If only he could take away that pain.
“I…And how would you know? Oh. Wait. Don’t answer that, it’s obvious.” Kibum gripped his coffee mug a bit harder. Underneath that calm façade was probably a multitude of complex emotions.
“I’m really sorry; I didn’t realize it was so complicated. I shouldn’t…ah.”
“Huh. He’s one to talk.” Key rolled his eyes a little as he cut in.
“Minho is such a horrible busybody, minding in other people’s business when he has his own emo story.”
Jinki understood that Kibum was trying to divert his attention and deliberately ignoring the topic but he willingly let himself be diverted- if Kibum didn’t want to talk about it, he wouldn’t press him unnecessarily for now- besides he was sort of curious as to what Dr. Choi’s back story was. He suspected that he had his own story too; given his expression yesterday.
“And you are going to tell me his story?”
“Minho’s, you mean?”
Before Jinki could answer, the devil himself appeared on the other side of the cafeteria and sat down at a table. Moments later, a young looking man walked over and sat next to him, smiling widely as Minho passed him a sandwich. Neither seemed to have had noticed the pair watching them.
The boy was not familiar looking; he was fair and slender with dyed blonde hair and looked too young (Jinki gauged him to be no more than twenty four) to be working at the hospital.
“Is he… Dr. Choi’s… um… Minho’s back story?” Jinki asked tentatively; the clues seemed to point to a positive answer.
“Ah. Taemin?” Kibum seemed to deliberate whether or not to tell him. Finally he convinced himself with a small mutter of ‘turnabout is fair play’ and a toss of his ebony hair.
“Mm. That kid there is named Taemin. A year ago, in an accident…’ there was no need to ask, it was evident that it was the same accident that left patient 16A in a coma.
“He was in that accident too. He was in a taxi at that time rushing to an audition but unfortunately ended up in the four car pileup. Minho was his doctor at that time.”
Ouch.
“Wait. Isn’t Minho a… Physiotherapist?” Realization started to dawn onto Jinki; that explained the boy’s slightly unnatural gait.
“Yes. Specializing in Orthopedics. Taemin had multiple fractures in his left leg along with a couple of other injuries. It could have been worse, as the boy always says. His taxi driver was killed on the spot.”
The accident really had changed a fair few people’s lives, hadn’t it.
“But, Taemin is a dancer you see. The audition he was going for was for a prestigious dance academy.”
Jinki gave a sympathetic shake of his head.
Curtains closed.
Taemin could never be a professional dancer again, despite regaining his mobility and even walking properly in future. There were so many of such cases in that department it was just depressing.
“Minho helped him through rehab and in turn, Taemin taught him the value of life. He’s really a bright ray of sunlight, that boy. It’s not that he never broke down- he did- but he refused to wallow in it. With that, he softened the harsh countenance of our Dr. Choi. Minho wasn’t even a tenth this friendly before he came into his life.”
They watched as the doctor ruffled the younger man’s hair gently; their hands touching, just ever slightly, not really noticeable unless one looked closely. Minho had a slight smile on his face and Jinki thought it was a bit odd to see the other doctor so happy. Generally, Minho was very serious and intense which earned him the nickname of ‘flaming charisma’ among staff and patients alike. The nurses and patients (especially the female ones) all adored him (suckers for his good looks, stoic expression and reticence) but everyone was a bit intimidated by him.
However, this Dr. Choi was different- more alive and bright and Jinki couldn’t believe his eyes when Minho actually leaned over and poked the younger boy in the ribs, earning a squeal from him.
“Aigoo. They’re like such young children.” Kibum complained, but had a small and somewhat wistful smile.
At that moment, Jinki thought he finally started to understand the value of true love.
There was someone who once wrote, ‘you come to love not by finding the perfect person, but by seeing an imperfect person perfectly’. It had made little sense to Jinki at that time but made perfect (no pun intended) sense right now. Everyone had scars, whether internally or externally that only a lover could see past.
Key finished the last of his coffee with a long drag and put down his white-colored mug. Jinki took a long look at him as he got up.
“I’ve got to go. I’m… going to 16A till the end of my break. I’ll catch you later.”
Who knows. Maybe, one day he could be capable of such love too.
A/N: i think voting at shawol_haven is up soon; so do vote for me if you thought my entry was good :D
Rating: PG
Genre: Romance
Pairing: Onkey, Jongkey, 2min
Wordcount: 1215
Disclaimer: Do not own.
Summary: Dr Lee Jinki doesn’t understand why the perfect nurse Kim Kibum refuses his love and says he’s flawed. Dr Choi Minho sheds some light.
From the prompt for challenge 004 @ shawol_haven - ‘You come to love not by finding the perfect person, but by seeing an imperfect person perfectly.’ - Sam Keen. Technically, the first part here was for challenge due to word count limitations; but this part completes the story. There will be more to come from this verse!
Jinki saw his pretty nurse- the object of his affections- sitting in the fairly empty cafeteria drinking coffee alone.
It was funny how he’d never realized that Kibum could look so lonely. It made him hurt a little inside; part sympathy part apologetic. All this time he’d always assumed the nurse to be cheerful and positive (because that was how he often wanted people to see him to be), but how often was he like this, alone, without Minho or one of the other co-workers to distract him from his own thoughts?
Through the night he thought hard about the entire situation, considering Minho’s parting words to him. Now that Jinki was aware of Kibum’s predicament, he had to decide what he was to do. Was he really able- as what the charismatic doctor had said- wait along with him and possibly, not have his complete heart?
He found himself wondering that through an entire night of sleeplessness.
Eventually, the best plan he could come up with was to wait and see. He couldn’t press the nurse; hadn’t the heart to after watching him break apart and knowing the story, didn’t want to, out of his conscience after seeing patient 16A in a coma.
But that still didn’t dispel his strong feelings for Kibum- Jinki didn’t think he could give up; not yet, at least. So all he could do was wait.
He inhaled sharply, marched squarely up to him and gave a formal, deep bow that he damn well hoped could convey his apology before plonking down opposite him.
Kibum regarded him a bit warily. He didn’t sleep well either, judging from the faint dark circles on his porcelain face.
“Dr. Lee, can I help you? Or is your condition acting up again?”
Jinki paused for a moment, twirling the stethoscope round his neck; deciding what he was to say. Kibum frowned disapprovingly and immediately Jinki stopped his hands.
“Would you not do that? You’ve already broken three just by playing with them!”
“I…”
Another pause.
“I’m sorry… about… Kim Jonghyun? Um. Your patient in room 16A.”
There was the briefest moment of pure silence and Jinki thought he saw a glimmer of agony run through the nurse’s face before he schooled it back into his usual nonchalance. If only he could take away that pain.
“I…And how would you know? Oh. Wait. Don’t answer that, it’s obvious.” Kibum gripped his coffee mug a bit harder. Underneath that calm façade was probably a multitude of complex emotions.
“I’m really sorry; I didn’t realize it was so complicated. I shouldn’t…ah.”
“Huh. He’s one to talk.” Key rolled his eyes a little as he cut in.
“Minho is such a horrible busybody, minding in other people’s business when he has his own emo story.”
Jinki understood that Kibum was trying to divert his attention and deliberately ignoring the topic but he willingly let himself be diverted- if Kibum didn’t want to talk about it, he wouldn’t press him unnecessarily for now- besides he was sort of curious as to what Dr. Choi’s back story was. He suspected that he had his own story too; given his expression yesterday.
“And you are going to tell me his story?”
“Minho’s, you mean?”
Before Jinki could answer, the devil himself appeared on the other side of the cafeteria and sat down at a table. Moments later, a young looking man walked over and sat next to him, smiling widely as Minho passed him a sandwich. Neither seemed to have had noticed the pair watching them.
The boy was not familiar looking; he was fair and slender with dyed blonde hair and looked too young (Jinki gauged him to be no more than twenty four) to be working at the hospital.
“Is he… Dr. Choi’s… um… Minho’s back story?” Jinki asked tentatively; the clues seemed to point to a positive answer.
“Ah. Taemin?” Kibum seemed to deliberate whether or not to tell him. Finally he convinced himself with a small mutter of ‘turnabout is fair play’ and a toss of his ebony hair.
“Mm. That kid there is named Taemin. A year ago, in an accident…’ there was no need to ask, it was evident that it was the same accident that left patient 16A in a coma.
“He was in that accident too. He was in a taxi at that time rushing to an audition but unfortunately ended up in the four car pileup. Minho was his doctor at that time.”
Ouch.
“Wait. Isn’t Minho a… Physiotherapist?” Realization started to dawn onto Jinki; that explained the boy’s slightly unnatural gait.
“Yes. Specializing in Orthopedics. Taemin had multiple fractures in his left leg along with a couple of other injuries. It could have been worse, as the boy always says. His taxi driver was killed on the spot.”
The accident really had changed a fair few people’s lives, hadn’t it.
“But, Taemin is a dancer you see. The audition he was going for was for a prestigious dance academy.”
Jinki gave a sympathetic shake of his head.
Curtains closed.
Taemin could never be a professional dancer again, despite regaining his mobility and even walking properly in future. There were so many of such cases in that department it was just depressing.
“Minho helped him through rehab and in turn, Taemin taught him the value of life. He’s really a bright ray of sunlight, that boy. It’s not that he never broke down- he did- but he refused to wallow in it. With that, he softened the harsh countenance of our Dr. Choi. Minho wasn’t even a tenth this friendly before he came into his life.”
They watched as the doctor ruffled the younger man’s hair gently; their hands touching, just ever slightly, not really noticeable unless one looked closely. Minho had a slight smile on his face and Jinki thought it was a bit odd to see the other doctor so happy. Generally, Minho was very serious and intense which earned him the nickname of ‘flaming charisma’ among staff and patients alike. The nurses and patients (especially the female ones) all adored him (suckers for his good looks, stoic expression and reticence) but everyone was a bit intimidated by him.
However, this Dr. Choi was different- more alive and bright and Jinki couldn’t believe his eyes when Minho actually leaned over and poked the younger boy in the ribs, earning a squeal from him.
“Aigoo. They’re like such young children.” Kibum complained, but had a small and somewhat wistful smile.
At that moment, Jinki thought he finally started to understand the value of true love.
There was someone who once wrote, ‘you come to love not by finding the perfect person, but by seeing an imperfect person perfectly’. It had made little sense to Jinki at that time but made perfect (no pun intended) sense right now. Everyone had scars, whether internally or externally that only a lover could see past.
Key finished the last of his coffee with a long drag and put down his white-colored mug. Jinki took a long look at him as he got up.
“I’ve got to go. I’m… going to 16A till the end of my break. I’ll catch you later.”
Who knows. Maybe, one day he could be capable of such love too.
A/N: i think voting at shawol_haven is up soon; so do vote for me if you thought my entry was good :D