THE DEVIL'S ROSE

A crisp autumn morning painted Seoul in hues of gold and amber. The streets hummed with life, but Soo-ji's morning had been anything but picturesque. After silencing her alarm one too many times, she'd woken up late, skipped breakfast, and faced her usual battle of hailing a cab. By the time she barged into the hospital lobby, her day felt as disheveled as her hair. She signed in with the urgency of a sprinter and darted towards the elevators.

As the elevator doors slid open, Seo-jun stood there, leaning casually against the frame. His expression was a blend of concern and relief, like he'd been waiting forever.

"You're late," he said, his tone more empathetic than scolding.

"I know," Soo-ji panted, trying to catch her breath. "Is Professor Jung here?"

"Unfortunately for you, yes. And he's been looking all over for you. I bought you some time, but you'd better hustle."

"What would I do without you?" she said, patting his shoulder. "Thanks, Seo-jun. You're the best."

Soo-ji bolted down the hallway, slipping into her lab coat mid-sprint. As she reached the professor's office, she paused, took a deep breath, and knocked softly.

"Come in," barked the familiar voice from behind the door.

Soo-ji stepped in hesitantly, her head lowered like a student about to face the principal.

"You're late again, Ms. Kim," Professor Jung growled.

"I'm sorry, sir," she said quickly.

"You're always sorry. Try to be responsible sometimes"

"I stand corrected, Professor." Soo-ji bowed, voice soft but chin lifted.

"You're so tiring, do you know that? You suck all the energy out of me—every last drop." Professor Jung massaged his temples dramatically.

"I'm sorry, sir." Soo-ji's apology was clipped but sincere.

Professor Jung sighed, shutting his laptop with a loud snap. "Take a day off."

"What?!" Soo-ji's eyes widened, a tiny squeak escaping before she could stop herself.

Professor Jung squinted at her. "Do you have hearing issues now? I said: take a day off. Go wash your hair. Do a whole spa day, in fact, you look miserable."

"Can I hug you?" Soo-ji blurted, brain short-circuiting.

Professor Jung's face twisted like he'd bitten into a lemon. "That's it. Get out of my office before you ruin my mood again."

"I'm sorry! I'm going! Thank you, Professor. This is the best birthday gift!" she exclaimed, clutching her bag.

"Leave before I change my mind." His eyes crinkled as he tried (and failed) to hide a small smile.

"Thank you!" Soo-ji bolted out, nearly skipping, until she stopped dead in front of the elevator—her worst nightmare in pink gloss and high heels.

Nam-soon.

Nam-soon leaned against the elevator frame, arms crossed, smirking like she'd waited all day for this moment.

Soo-ji's face dropped. She pivoted to walk the other way.

"Oh, so now you're running away from me? Haven't you missed me?" Nam-soon's voice dripped sarcasm.

Soo-ji turned back slowly. "You just had to ruin my day by showing up, didn't you?"

"Am I not allowed? I mean, I work here too." Nam-soon flashed a blinding smile.

"Could you not smile like that? It gives me the ick." Soo-ji shuddered.

Nam-soon chuckled, stepping closer, her perfume unnecessarily loud. "I heard you've been causing trouble again. Velvet Loft, really? Is gold-digging your new hobby, or just your ongoing passion project?"

Soo-ji clenched her jaw, about to snap back, when Seojun appeared, holding out an iced tea like a peace offering.

"Welcome back, Nam-soon. Didn't know you were in today," Seojun said calmly.

"Well, I wanted to make a grand re-entrance for my favorite nemesis here." Nam-soon threw an arm around Soo-ji's shoulders.

Soo-ji glared, her eyes saying, Get your hands off me or I will end you. She yanked Nam-soon's arm off. "Do you want to die today?"

"Maybe." Nam-soon's grin widened.

Before Soo-ji could retort, her phone buzzed. She glanced at it, and instantly, her entire face transformed—the hard edges melting into a bright, breathtaking smile.

It was a message from Cheng:

'Are you free today? Let's have dinner together.'

Without thinking, she waved vaguely at Seojun, spun on her heel, and dashed out of the hospital.

Seojun raised an eyebrow, sipping his tea.

"Did the little demon finally get herself a boyfriend?" Nam-soon questioned.

"I wonder." Seojun smirked, crossing his arms.

Suddenly, Bora came rushing down the hall, panting, "Seojun, Nam-soon! Professor Jung needs all available doctors at the ER, now."

They exchanged a glance and sprinted off without another word.

Meanwhile, Soo-ji sat in front of her wardrobe, legs crossed, phone clutched to her chest.

"What do I even wear? I was so happy I forgot I'd need an outfit—and my hair—" She paused, sniffing the ends of her ponytail, and made a face. "Ugh, I wouldn't even stand next to me if I wasn't me."

She leaped up, flinging clothes around the room, before rushing into the bathroom, the sound of the shower starting like a battle drum for an amazing dinner surprise.