Morning arrived gently, filtered through thin curtains and pale winter light. Sophie woke early, her body still adjusting to the rhythm of Seoul. For a moment, she lay still, listening to the quiet hum of the city outside her window — distant traffic, faint footsteps, life already in motion.
A new day.
Her first real step forward.
Her phone buzzed softly on the bedside table.
Amy: Get ready. I'm picking you up in 20 minutes. We're getting you a car. No arguments.
A faint smile touched Sophie's lips.
Some things truly never changed.
---
The dealership was bright, spacious, and filled with polished surfaces reflecting soft morning light. Amy walked beside Sophie with confident familiarity, already chatting with a sales representative about models, mileage, and safety features.
"You need something reliable," Amy insisted. "You'll be on call, working late, running everywhere. Not too flashy, but comfortable."
"I trust your judgment," Sophie replied calmly, though her gaze wandered across rows of vehicles.
A black SUV near the center caught her attention — clean, understated, steady. Practical. Quiet.
Like the life she wanted.
"Let's look at this one," she said.
They had barely taken a few steps when Amy suddenly froze.
Sophie noticed immediately. "What is it?"
Amy didn't answer. Her eyes shifted toward the far side of the showroom.
Slowly, Sophie followed her gaze.
And saw him.
Harley Huang stood near the reception desk, speaking calmly with a manager. Tall, composed, sharply dressed — unchanged in presence, yet colder somehow. Time had carved subtle hardness into him, a quiet distance that hadn't been there before.
Sophie's breath stilled.
Five years.
Five years, and the first time she saw him again was like this — sudden, unprepared, too real.
He hadn't noticed them.
Not yet.
Amy leaned closer, whispering urgently, "Do you want to leave?"
Sophie's fingers tightened slightly around her bag.
"Yes," she said softly. "I'm not ready."
Without another word, they turned quietly, moving toward the opposite side of the showroom. Sophie did not look back, though she could feel the invisible pull behind her — memories, emotions, something unfinished.
They completed the purchase quickly, efficiently, and left before fate could force a confrontation she was not prepared to face.
But as she drove away, one thought remained clear in her mind:
He was still here.
And nothing had truly changed.
---
Seojin General Hospital stood tall beneath the afternoon sky, its glass exterior reflecting the movement of clouds above. Sophie parked carefully, her fingers steady on the wheel despite the faint tension still lingering inside her chest.
Her first day.
No hesitation.
No fear.
This was where she belonged.
Inside, the hospital buzzed with quiet urgency — nurses moving briskly, monitors beeping softly, voices low but focused. The rhythm of medicine wrapped around her instantly, grounding her in something certain and familiar.
Amy walked beside her, already in her pediatric uniform. "I'll see you after your orientation. Try not to intimidate everyone on your first day," she teased lightly.
Sophie gave a faint smile. "I'll try."
---
The orientation room was modest but orderly. A few new doctors sat quietly, reviewing documents, adjusting coats, preparing themselves for the path ahead.
The door opened.
A composed, authoritative figure entered.
"Good afternoon," he said calmly. "I am Chief Wang, head of surgery."
His gaze moved across the room, sharp yet steady, pausing briefly on Sophie.
"You were selected because we believe you are capable — not only in skill, but in judgment," he continued. "In this hospital, lives come first. Precision, discipline, and responsibility are not optional."
His tone was calm, but carried unmistakable weight.
After the briefing, Chief Wang approached Sophie personally.
"Dr. Huo," he said. "Welcome back to Seoul. I reviewed your records from England. Impressive work."
"Thank you, Chief," Sophie replied respectfully.
"I expect you to bring that same level of focus here," he said simply, before moving on.
---
The emergency department did not allow time for nerves.
Within minutes of stepping onto the floor, Sophie was pulled into motion — patients arriving, nurses calling, monitors beeping, decisions made in seconds rather than minutes.
Controlled chaos.
But this was where she was strongest.
Her movements were calm, precise, unwavering.
"BP dropping."
"Prepare fluids."
"Monitor respiration."
Her voice was steady, her hands sure. She did not rush — she guided the urgency around her, bringing order where panic might have risen.
Hours passed unnoticed.
When the final patient was stabilized and the floor finally quieted, Sophie removed her gloves slowly, exhaling for the first time that day.
Her first shift.
Busy. Demanding. Real.
And successful.
A nurse smiled at her. "First day, right? You handled it well."
Sophie nodded faintly. "Thank you."
As she stepped outside into the evening air, the city lights were beginning to glow again — soft, steady, familiar.
Today, she had taken her first step back into this life.
Yet somewhere in the vast city beyond, one truth remained unchanged:
Sooner or later…
She would have to face Harley Huang.