Nursing Student Kim Ha-ryeong (2)
-Crazy. She doesn't seem right in the head.
-Scary.
-Ah, but this girl wouldn't be...
The chats flew by rapidly in front of Go Cheon-su's frozen eyes.
-Hey, Cheon-su. She's nuts.
Go Cheon-su frowned for a moment.
"Brothers."
He knew viewers hated spoilers and didn't want to spill all the info. But streamers and viewers were symbiotic. It wasn't right to just sit back and watch.
"Throw me a hint once in a while."
It was fine to be a bit nosy—tell him what was going on, what he needed to know right now, to progress the story together.
"Who's this girl?"
Then, a single message popped up in the frozen chat window.
Go Cheon-su's face crumpled completely at the not-even-joking response.
At that moment, one chat tossed advice his way.
Go Cheon-su swallowed dryly. All or nothing? Terrifying.
'But...'
If Kim Ha-ryeong was truly someone who could help, he couldn't just pass her up.
'I need Yang Min-cheol.'
A devoted ally was useful. He'd escaped a crisis alone and returned, proving his skill.
'Worst case, if she's not, I can end it myself.'
He had that much ability.
Decision made, Go Cheon-su spoke up.
"You'll help? So I can keep living?"
"Yes."
Kim Ha-ryeong nodded, then bit her nails again, her face turning anxious once more.
"But to save him, I need meds. He's got a lot of needs right now."
"You can tell that just by looking?"
"Suspicious."
Kim Ha-ryeong leaned in close.
"Impressive, right? Why not believe me?"
"It's not that I don't believe you..."
"I'm even wearing nurse scrubs."
"Hey."
Jang Seo-yeon, who'd been watching, finally spoke.
"Would you trust yourself? Popping up out of nowhere like this."
"You guys showed up suddenly."
Kim Ha-ryeong pointed behind her.
"I was here first. Hid under the desk to check for stuff. You came later."
"No, that's not..."
"So, you stalling more?"
Kim Ha-ryeong pressed her cheek right against the axe blade.
"Looks like you're a bit tempted by me anyway."
No matter how you sliced it, she wasn't normal.
But Go Cheon-su felt sweat beading down his back. Only one play here.
"Lead the way."
He pulled the axe away and nodded.
"Show us where we need to go, up front."
Jang Seo-yeon shot him a shocked look, but the call was made.
Go Cheon-su cleared a path for Kim Ha-ryeong.
"Oh, wise choice."
As Kim Ha-ryeong headed down the stairs, Jang Seo-yeon sighed watching her go.
"This really okay...?"
Yang Min-cheol didn't have much time anyway.
Go Cheon-su flashed Jang Seo-yeon a wry smile and followed Kim Ha-ryeong down.
"You know what happens if sepsis sets in?"
On the way, Kim Ha-ryeong rambled on as she pleased.
"Sepsis is when an infection from a wound triggers a massive immune response. Life-threatening stuff."
"..."
"Fever spikes, heart rate jumps, breathing gets heavy."
Kim Ha-ryeong walked backward, eyeing Go Cheon-su silently carting Yang Min-cheol on the one-wheeled dolly.
"How was he? Yang Min-cheol's condition?"
She'd already clocked his name tag.
Go Cheon-su didn't play her game and countered.
"Didn't you say you knew? So, you think Min-cheol's got sepsis now?"
"Who knows."
Kim Ha-ryeong turned forward and kept walking.
Jang Seo-yeon, walking beside them, clearly annoyed, whispered in Go Cheon-su's ear.
"If she pulls any bullshit, hand her to me. I'll finish it."
A brutal declaration, but Go Cheon-su just sighed.
'If she'll even have time for bullshit.'
Yang Min-cheol looked rough. Transporting him like this wasn't helping.
As they chuckled at the lame joke, Kim Ha-ryeong stopped at a spot.
'Pharmacy...!'
Go Cheon-su spotted the sign and relaxed.
'Thought I had stomach issues from the tension.'
She'd been vague on the destination despite asking, so he'd debated just knocking her out.
"Bring him in."
Kim Ha-ryeong entered the pharmacy first.
Go Cheon-su shouldered Yang Min-cheol and followed with Jang Seo-yeon.
Bang!
Crash!
Kim Ha-ryeong rummaged noisily, then pulled a syringe and jabbed it into a vial from her pocket.
"What's that?"
Not from the pharmacy.
Go Cheon-su asked, and she shrugged.
"Antibiotics."
"You already had it?"
"Yeah. Didn't bring a syringe though."
Kim Ha-ryeong beckoned him.
"Lay him there?"
Go Cheon-su set Yang Min-cheol on a long bench; she sat right beside with the syringe.
"Still alive. Impressive."
She gazed down at him appraisingly, then lightly ran a hand over his body.
"Hey...!"
Jang Seo-yeon startled forward.
Go Cheon-su grabbed her and shook his head.
"Wait."
"But...!"
"No choice."
They had no way to treat an unconscious Yang Min-cheol. Unless she was a total quack, Go Cheon-su could tolerate her quirks.
"Brothers, don't overhype it."
Go Cheon-su genuinely cared for Yang Min-cheol. Logic first, but he wasn't treating him like a machine.
"I'm a corpse without personality anyway."
As viewers laughed, Kim Ha-ryeong injected him and stripped his shirt.
"Whoa."
She spotted the sackcloth wound covering and looked shocked.
"Jackpot."
She peeled it off, checking the injury underneath.
"What the hell happened? Monster?"
"Long story."
At Go Cheon-su's reply, she grabbed disinfectant from somewhere and poured it straight on.
"Ah..."
Seeing her disappointed face, Go Cheon-su sighed.
"Don't tell me—no reaction, so you're bummed?"
"Bingo."
Kim Ha-ryeong pouted at the deathly still Yang Min-cheol.
"Usually they go Aaaargh!—that's the fun part..."
"Save the fun for later. Focus on treatment, please."
Kim Ha-ryeong was utterly unpredictable.
But Go Cheon-su stayed calm watching her.
'Obvious.'
If viewers were right and she was a supporter, personality didn't matter.
'As long as she saves him.'
Ability first. He didn't know standard procedures anyway. Process over results? Nah—results mattered, as long as not too out there.
"Oh, right."
Kim Ha-ryeong measured Yang Min-cheol's blood pressure with a machine.
"Whoa. As expected."
Go Cheon-su grimaced at the numbers.
'Low.'
He'd done BP checks in military training. This looked low even to him.
"IV fluids... maybe vasopressors..."
She muttered, dousing his hand in disinfectant, wrapping bandages.
Then his shoulder. Same disinfect, then medical tools from her pocket to stitch the wound.
Bandaged up, she wiped sweat from her brow and told Go Cheon-su.
"...He might die."
"Now you say?"
Go Cheon-su glared with a sigh.
"Not joking, right?"
"Don't worry. He won't."
Suddenly flipping, she pulled IV fluids and stand from behind the desk.
"Shouldn't be here normally. Hoped so. If you don't complain, I'll use it. Okay?"
"Yeah. Use it."
Who'd nitpick that?
Go Cheon-su murmured low; her face brightened as she hooked up the IV.
"That's all I can do."
She pressed her ear to his chest.
"Whether he lives or dies? Fate now."
So hopeful.
"...This okay?"
Jang Seo-yeon asked beside him.
Go Cheon-su had no answer.
Hours passed like that.
Outside, the sun climbed high.
As a ray pierced the pharmacy, a small groan escaped.
"Ah."
Not from Go Cheon-su, Jang Seo-yeon, or Kim Ha-ryeong.
Yang Min-cheol's eyelids fluttered open with a faint sound.
"Yang Min-cheol...!"
Go Cheon-su checked him over and let out a relieved breath.
"You survived, you rascal!"
"Hyung...?"
"Hey!"
Jang Seo-yeon chimed in with her own sigh of relief.
"Thought you were a goner for real!"
The mood warmed instantly.
Go Cheon-su relaxed fully seeing Yang Min-cheol come to.
"Uh, um..."
Propped by Go Cheon-su, Yang Min-cheol sat up slightly, mumbling.
"Where are we?"
"Pharmacy."
Glancing around at Go Cheon-su's answer, he startled.
"Wh-what's that?"
His gaze fixed on Kim Ha-ryeong.
"Who's she?"
"Kim Ha-ryeong."
She jumped in herself.
"I saved you. You were in shock, critical. Handled it fine. No need for big thanks—just did my job."
"Ah, uh..."
Yang Min-cheol looked to Go Cheon-su.
He gave an awkward smile.
"Say thanks. That should suffice."
"Th-thank you."
Not fully clued in, Yang Min-cheol bowed slightly anyway.
Kim Ha-ryeong beamed, delighted.
'Not a bad outcome.'
Go Cheon-su thought watching the scene.
'Might be worth bringing her along?'
She seemed odd—no, she was odd—but it was just weird patient fixation.
'But...'
Weird personalities always complicated things if you handed them the reins.
Go Cheon-su stood.
"Alright. Min-cheol's up, so let's move spots."
Pharmacy wasn't great for holing up.
He pointed out the glass window.
"Min-cheol, ride that. I'll push."
"You... brought me here on that?"
As Yang Min-cheol gawked, Go Cheon-su offered his back.
"Seo-yeon, help get Min-cheol on my back."
While the group bustled, Kim Ha-ryeong watched silently.
"Ah, Kim Ha-ryeong."
Go Cheon-su turned with Yang Min-cheol shouldered; she tilted her head.
"Short time, but thanks."
At his glance, Jang Seo-yeon pulled rations from her pack and handed them over.
That was the full thanks.
"Later."
And that was it.
Kim Ha-ryeong watched the departing group with a lonely gaze.