Chapter 145: Final Episode
Chapter 145: Final Episode
Yeoksam-dong, Seoul.
In front of an upscale seafood restaurant, people gathered like clouds.
It was the venue for “Doctor Princess”’s wrap party. Timed to the day the final episode aired, the production staff and actors were gathering in one place to catch up, and to watch the live broadcast together.
At the entrance, a large number of reporters were already lined up in force. Staff members who arrived early clustered in small groups, their voices buzzing with excitement.
“Is Sunho coming too?”
“I’m not sure. When he talked with Director Chae last time, I think he said he would.”
“No way. I heard he couldn’t make it because he failed to adjust his schedule.”
“Isn’t that why we set the wrap party for today? Like, even if it’s just us, we’ll still enjoy watching it.”
“Yeah, he’s been insanely busy lately…”
“He’s probably one of the busiest people in Korea right now.”
“Honestly, it feels kind of satisfying that we played a part in that busyness. Heh.”
While they exchanged that small talk, the actors began arriving one by one.
First came the supporting and bit-part actors with relatively smaller roles—actors who were close to unknown. Normally, they wouldn’t have gotten much attention, but because the drama’s popularity was so hot, even they were showered with flashes.
“Look here just once!”
“Just wave your hand once!”
Maybe they were happy about the attention, because their faces bloomed with smiles.
After that, the lead-level actors started arriving in a steady stream.
There were unexpected faces too.
“Waaah! It’s Lee Yuna!!”
“You’re so pretty!!”
“Actor Park Juwon is doing two wrap parties in a single month?”
“It would’ve been a shame if those two were missing too! They contributed a lot to the drama!”
It was Lee Yuna and Park Juwon. They had appeared in “Doctor Princess” as impactful cameos, and since they had deep ties in various ways, they were invited and joined the wrap party.
When top stars with strong name value appeared, the camera shutters grew even louder.
And shortly after, Moon Ganghyeok arrived.
“Oooh!!”
“It’s Robert Moon!!”
“Your heart is okay now, right?!”
As expected of a key figure who carried the drama, the reaction was blazing. He wasn’t originally an actor with a huge name value, but through this drama, his popularity had shot straight up.
When the fans’ cheers burst out, Moon Ganghyeok flinched and hunched his shoulders. His face was blunt and intimidating, but his eyes didn’t know where to go.
“Kanghyeok, look here and smile just once!”
“…Yes.”
When he smiled awkwardly, you could see people’s expressions twitch.
In the end, Moon Ganghyeok couldn’t handle the flood of flashes and cheers.
Bowing—bowing—bowing—
Like a chicken pecking at feed, he kept dipping his head as he ran toward the entrance like he was escaping.
The fans and reporters burst into laughter at the sight.
“Pfft!”
“Kanghyeok seems kind of shy, doesn’t he?”
“Yeah. That’s a new discovery.”
After that, the female lead Seo Yoonha arrived too.
Like Alicia Yun stepping straight out of “Doctor Princess,” she waved gracefully and greeted people.
At a glance, it looked like all the actors had arrived.
But the one most important person—Ryu Sunho—was nowhere to be seen.
Guess he really can’t come.
“That’s a shame… a wrap party without Han Jusin…”
“Well, he’s probably the most disappointed.”
“Let’s start heading in.”
So was Ryu Sunho going to miss it because of his murderous schedule?
Just as the reporters waiting outside swallowed their disappointment and started packing up their cameras—
Screech—
A black Carnival stopped in front of the restaurant.
“Huh? That car…”
“Oh!”
The moment the door opened, light burst out of the darkness.
A face that looked haloed even without any lighting.
“Oooh!!! He’s here!!!!”
“It’s Ryu Sunho!!!!”
“It’s Han Jusin!!!!!”
Cha-cha-cha-cha-click—!
Camera shutters exploded like fireworks, and reporters’ exclamations popped from everywhere.
“Damn, his visuals are working overtime again today.”
“After going to England, he looks even more classy.”
“He must’ve come straight from filming. Looks like he couldn’t even change.”
“He must’ve tried hard to make it. He’s loyal, for real.”
Director Chae Wongi ran out in his socks.
“Actor Ryu! Weren’t you not coming because of your schedule?”
“I almost couldn’t. Luckily filming ended early, so I came straight here. I’m sorry I couldn’t give you a firm answer in advance.”
“No! What sorry? You probably don’t even have time to sleep. I’m grateful you came at all!”
The staff who followed Director Chae Wongi out cheered and applauded too.
“Alright, now the real main character is here, so let’s go in! We have to watch the live broadcast!”
I thought it would be loud, with drinks going around.
But unlike what I expected, the atmosphere inside the restaurant was pretty calm. It was like a national team waiting room right before an important match.
No one was chatting—everyone was staring straight at the huge screen with solemn faces.
“Let’s really catch up properly after the broadcast ends.”
I sat at the main table with Director Chae Wongi.
Then the familiar opening music of the drama played.
“It’s starting, it’s starting!”
“The final episode is starting!”
The long-awaited final episode began.
The forces that led the charity event terror attack that injured Robert Moon finally exposed their tail themselves.
Behind-the-scenes cooperation continued between the hospital, the police, and the National Intelligence joint task force.
And in the previous episode, Episode 17, a forced entry by the Korean police special forces wiped out the terrorists’ hideout.
But right before being captured, the terrorists set off explosives installed in the hideout as a last act of desperation.
Police who entered the scene and some nearby civilians collapsed with a thunderous blast.
It was a fear that felt like the nightmare of the charity event was being revived once again.
But Han Jusin was there again.
Even in the chaos turned into a living hell, he didn’t lose his composure.
On a floor soaked in blood, he staged another miracle.
Lifelines that were about to snap were carried into the operating room.
One person, then another.
Hearts began beating again.
The news of that day wasn’t filled with sorrow and mourning.
[Counter-terror force eliminated… Korea–UK cooperation and medical staff’s efforts prevent mass casualties]
It was just a plain single line.
A few days after the incident was wrapped up.
VIP conference room of Korea University Hospital.
An official document that arrived under the royal family’s name lay on the table.
With trembling hands, Alicia Yun picked up the papers and read them slowly.
“Alicia Yun Windsor’s return schedule is fully withdrawn. However, the royal family will hold this matter in the form of an ‘Official Deferral.’”
Withdrawn. And deferred.
Those words were the greatest concession and consideration the conservative British royal family could offer.
You don’t need to return right now.
We respect your choice as a doctor.
But if you ever want to return, the royal family will keep that place open.
It was an elegant sentence, very royal—without coercion or pressure.
Alicia closed the document and let out a small, relieved breath.
“That’s good. Even if it’s not complete freedom.”
Robert Moon, standing beside her, nodded with a faint smile.
“It’s like the royal family. Still, it means they acknowledged your choice.”
Without a word, Robert Moon bowed deeply toward Alicia.
It wasn’t an order, and not a duty.
It was sincere respect for one person’s choice.
The next weekend.
Han Jusin and Alicia left the hospital in casual clothes.
It was the day they were going to see Jiho’s comeback stage—the genius ballet boy.
It was a fairly large theater, but the seats were packed, and backstage was moving so busily it was almost chaotic.
Sitting in the audience, Alicia kept fidgeting her fingers. Her heart started beating before the stage even began.
“Will he be okay?”
“He will.”
Han Jusin answered plainly.
Maybe because of Alicia’s efforts, the layers of bluster he had built up seemed to peel away by one layer.
But just as she was about to relax, Han Jusin continued in his usual tone.
“The repair of the body is complete. The heart is running again toward fate. Now, standing on stage is that child’s will.”
Alicia stared at him wordlessly.
The tips of Han Jusin’s ears reddened slightly, and he cleared his throat and muttered.
“…Was that too much just now?”
Only then did Alicia snort out a laugh.
Like he was cute, she grabbed his flushed cheek and tugged it playfully.
“Because you’re cute, your noona will let it slide.”
Outside the hospital, she was the older one in life.
Soon, the performance began.
The lights went out. Music flowed.
And Jiho walked onto the stage.
Every time Jiho’s toes skimmed the floor and his body spun in the air, Alicia swallowed her breath.
Once, when it looked like his balance wavered during a landing, she reflexively gripped Han Jusin’s arm tightly.
Han Jusin didn’t pull away. Instead, with a very small strength, he gently covered the back of her trembling hand with warmth.
And Jiho made it to the end.
The final jump, a perfect landing.
When the stage lights blazed and the music ended, the entire audience erupted into standing applause.
Alicia, gasping out the breath she’d been holding, rubbed at the corners of her eyes with the back of her hand.
Tears pricked from overwhelming emotion.
But then—beside her—she heard sniffling louder than her own.
“Sniff…”
Han Jusin was crying like a child, tears dropping one after another.
Alicia blanked for a moment, then wrapped her arms around him and soothed him.
“Why are you crying?”
“…This is not tears. I’m producing immune substances that contain lactoferrin.”
He was still throwing out medical terms as excuses to the end.
But a smile filled with affection spread across Alicia’s lips.
The day after they returned to the hospital, after the performance ended, the two of them made a big decision.
“We’re dating.”
It was a solemn declaration, but there were no shocked reactions.
“Only now?”
“We already knew.”
“Ugh, you have no idea how hard it was pretending not to know.”
Han Jusin, embarrassed, fiddled with his tie. His ears, as always, were red.
Alicia, beside him, naturally linked arms with him and smiled.
The screen changed.
A rooftop garden at the hospital.
Under the Seoul night view, the two stood side by side.
“It feels like everything is finally over.”
Alicia looked up at the night sky as she spoke.
“No.”
Han Jusin shook his head.
“Now… it begins.”
He chose his words for a moment, then continued slowly.
“The beginning of looking toward the same future.”
…!
Han Jusin lowered his gaze briefly.
A man who always spoke with certainty, without hesitation, was choosing his words carefully for the first time.
Then he finally lifted his head and looked at her.
“‘Future’ is not a domain you can plan. Probability, statistics, prognosis… all of it is full of variables that miss.”
“Then?”
Han Jusin took a deep breath.
“So I always believe only in the present. The heart beating now, the blood vessels connected now, the life in front of me now.”
He stepped closer to her.
A step that was either bluster, or courage.
“And now… my heart is responding clearly.”
Alicia’s eyes widened slightly.
“…How?”
Han Jusin avoided her gaze for no reason, then looked straight at her again.
With one hand, he pressed his left chest.
“This heart has already become subordinate to you. It can’t be reversed, and there are no other choices.”
“Professor… is that a proposal?”
“…It is a medically irreversible choice.”
“Then romantically?”
Han Jusin fell silent for a moment.
Then he said, flat and honest.
“…It means I love you.”
At the same time, Alicia grabbed his hand and pulled him in.
“Me too.”
For a moment, joy flickered across Han Jusin’s face, which looked like it might explode red.
Then, as if embarrassed, he put the bluster back on.
“Do not worry. Once I open my heart, I am the type to take responsibility to the end.”
Alicia couldn’t hold it in and burst out laughing.
“Who proposes like that?”
“…Here. Only me.”
“Tch. Then I guess I can’t help it. I’ll have to take responsibility to the end too.”
After that short answer, a brief silence fell.
Then, very slowly, Han Jusin lowered his head, and Alicia closed her eyes.
This kiss wasn’t rushed, and not awkward.
Like confirming a future that was already promised.
A quiet, solid kiss.
Under the city lights, their hearts were beating at the same speed, in the same direction.
While the heavy kiss scene continued on the big screen, people around us made a fuss.
“Ooooo!”
“Kyaaaaa! What do we do, my heart is racing!”
“Great picture! What a handsome man and beautiful woman!”
I was already hardened by public execution in front of my family. This level didn’t even make me blink.
And finally, the screen slowly faded to black over the kiss scene, and the final caption rose.
[Thank you for watching Doctor Princess]
Cheers and screams mixed together and burst out everywhere. Applause filled the restaurant.
“Wow, it’s really over… I still can’t believe it.”
“Boohoo, it’s too sad to say goodbye like this…”
“Doesn’t this have to go to Season 2?”
“Please! They need to be all lovey-dovey, have kids, and even show us grandkids!”
“Look! Writer Joo Hanbit is nodding fiercely too!”
Just as the mood was about to swell, the drama CP sprang up from their seat.
“Wait! It’s not completely over yet!”
“It’s not?”
“What’s left? We even watched the epilogue.”
“The most important thing is still left! The ratings!”
At that, everyone froze as if they’d just realized it, and looked at the drama CP.
Could they cross the 50% wall?
Everyone held their breath, waiting only for the ratings announcement.
After some time passed, the drama CP, checking their phone, widened their eyes.
“The r-ratings are out!”
“What percent is it?”
“I’m getting dizzy! Tell us already!”
“If you pull some ‘revealed in 60 seconds’ prank, your life could be in danger!”
The CP swallowed hard.
Then, in a cracked voice full of emotion, they shouted.
“F… 51.7%!!! It’s 51.7%!!!”
For an instant, silence fell.
And one second later—
“WAAAAAAAH!!!”
“This is insane!! We broke 50%!!!”
“We did it!!!!”
“We made history!!!!”
In an instant, it became a frenzy.
They grabbed each other, screaming.
Someone burst into tears.
It was a moment that carved a line into Korea’s drama history.
And—
I almost got swept up with them and lost my mind too.
Because a reward bigger than the ratings was waiting for me.
【Goal Achieved: I’ll take responsibility for the next work’s ratings to the end!】
【Optional Goal: 40%】
【Achieved: 51.7%】
【You exceeded the goal!】
【Hidden rewards are unlocked!】