Chapter 03
It seemed the man in the elevator was also going to the 21st floor.
The mother of the little girl pressed the button for the 18th floor, and the elevator doors closed and started moving.
The numbers climbed quickly, and just as it stopped at the 18th floor—
“Soo-jin! No!”
Suddenly, the mother shouted in alarm.
It all happened in an instant.
Through the opening elevator doors, Ji-an saw the girl’s fingers being caught in the gap.
She quickly grabbed the elevator doors, and the startled mother instinctively held her child’s hand.
Fortunately, the girl’s fingers slipped free. But—
“Waaah!”
The frightened child screamed loudly.
“It’s okay, sweetie.”
The mother hugged and calmed her as they got out.
The 18th floor was a guest floor, with empty hallways.
Ji-an couldn’t ignore the mother and child who needed help. She followed them out, carefully checking the girl’s fingers that had been caught in the gap.
Thankfully, there was no bleeding. But the index and middle fingers looked visibly swollen.
A fracture was suspected. They needed to be stabilized and taken to a hospital immediately.
As Ji-an stepped forward to speak—
“Guhk!”
The girl, who had been crying loudly, suddenly clutched her throat, coughing and gasping for air.
“Soo-jin!”
The mother shook her child in panic.
In a flash, Ji-an remembered the girl happily eating candy on the first floor. She had cried suddenly because the candy had gone down the wrong way and blocked her airway.
It was a blocked airway.
An emergency. The candy had to be removed immediately.
Seeing the girl turn pale, Ji-an’s body reacted before her mind, and she shouted loudly.
“I’m a doctor! Call 119 immediately!”
Tae-jun, who had been in the elevator, looked up from his phone at the mother’s cries.
It happened so fast—the child started crying and struggling.
He instinctively followed them out of the elevator.
Then the girl clutched her throat and couldn’t breathe.
At the same time, the woman who had followed out shouted that she was a doctor and to call for help.
Tae-jun immediately called 119 and explained the situation.
The woman who had thrown her luxury bag aside quickly pushed the mother aside, got behind the child, and wrapped her arms around her. She clenched her fists and pressed firmly between the child’s navel and chest, performing the Heimlich maneuver.
“One! Two! Three!”
On the third quick press, the candy blocking the child’s airway flew out of her mouth.
“Cough! Cough! Haa… Mama!”
The girl gasped for air and reached for her mother.
The mother hugged her tightly as she began to cry again.
“Yes, sweetie. Mommy’s here. Thank you, thank you.”
Even the mother’s eyes had tears as she calmed her pale child.
The woman who had saved the child allowed herself a relieved smile.
“Don’t worry. The candy blocked her airway for a moment. She’s breathing again, and once she calms down, she’ll be fine.”
She spoke calmly to reassure the mother.
“And the child’s fingers should be stabilized and taken to a hospital immediately. Have all necessary tests done and explain the situation clearly.”
The woman carefully examined the girl’s swollen fingers. She removed her scarf, which had been around her own neck, and skillfully used it as a sling to support the girl’s injured hand.
“You should take her to the hospital like this.”
“Thank you, doctor!”
Only after she finished everything did the ambulance arrive.
She explained the situation clearly and handed the girl over to the paramedics.
Being a doctor, she handled it quickly and efficiently, without any unnecessary fuss.
There was nothing more for Tae-jun to do.
He remembered the blind date he was now late for and turned to leave.
But as he moved, he unexpectedly heard a voice:
“I’m Hong Ji-an, an ER doctor at Hanyeong Hospital.”
Hanyeong Hospital belonged to the Hanyeong Foundation.
Immediately, Tae-jun recalled the stagnant sales curve of Hanyeong Hospital.
He slowly turned to look at her with new eyes.
“If anything comes up, you can contact me anytime. And once treatment is done, could you let me know if the child is okay?”
“Of course. I’ll contact Hanyeong Hospital.”
“Thank you. Take care.”
The woman smiled brightly at the paramedics for the first time.
Even Tae-jun’s lips curved slightly.
A doctor so passionate, working at a hospital with no sales growth… Since she was part of Hanyeong Hospital, she was also part of the group. A simple greeting was fine.
Curious, he didn’t leave immediately but slowly walked toward her.
“Phew…”
Ji-an, now alone, finally exhaled in relief, though her heart still raced.
She loosened the buttons of her blouse and tied back her messy hair.
Wiping sweat from her forehead, her chest beat faster and faster.
It had been a long time since she felt such a thrilling tension.
Seeing the child struggling to breathe had made her heart stop.
Her body had reacted instinctively before her mind. She only thought: she had to save the child before it was too late.
After a short moment of relief, she remembered she was late for her blind date.
Her feet felt heavy, but she had to go before it was too late.
She hurried forward, but unfamiliar high heels made her stumble. At that moment—
“Careful.”
A man suddenly appeared, holding her waist to stop her from falling.
Ji-an was drawn into the stranger’s arms and tried to straighten up in surprise, but she wobbled again.
The man tightened his hold on her waist and wrapped her shoulder, steadying her.
She ended up pressed closer against his firm chest, her face against him.
She could hear the strong, steady beat of his heart, like a giant bell.
“Are you okay?”
Despite the booming heartbeat, his voice was low and calm.
“Ah, yes. I’m okay.”
Flustered, Ji-an answered as calmly as she could, swallowing dryly and catching her breath.
She slowly lifted her head.
She noticed the familiar suit and handkerchief.
It was the man from the elevator.
Then, realizing something, Ji-an spoke first.
“You… were the one who called 119, right?”
“Yes. That’s right.”
The man slowly nodded while looking down at her.
His gaze was unusually intense.
Ji-an still felt the strong muscles of his arm around her waist and, avoiding his gaze, said:
“I-I’m fine now. Please let go.”
When she gently pushed, the man stepped back obediently.
Ji-an tensed her legs and straightened her back.
“Thank you for earlier. Because of you, the response was fast.”
“The real credit goes to the doctor.”
“Oh, no. I just did what was natural.”
His gaze didn’t leave her, making Ji-an feel awkward.
She awkwardly brushed her hair back.
Then—
Suddenly, the man reached toward her face. She had no time to react.
By the time she realized it, his hand had moved her hair behind her ear.
