Chapter 15.2

Chapter 15.2

“Wh-what do you need?”

“A basic first aid kit should be enough.”

“We don’t have one here, but there should be one down in the research lab… Just wait a moment. Dr. Kim’s lab is right below, so I’ll bring it quickly.”

“No, it’s okay. I’ll go myself. Please continue with your work.”

After saying goodbye to the assistant, Heeju headed toward the elevator to go to her research lab. Gukhyun lazily followed behind.

The elevator carrying the two stopped at basement level one.

Located separately behind the College of Surgery building and with few people passing through, the research institute was always quiet and desolate. The basement floor, which never saw sunlight throughout the day, had an even more eerie atmosphere.

Moreover, today was the regular holiday for the institute’s autopsy room, so everyone must have been working from home or out in the field, as there wasn’t a single person to be seen in the basement. The smell of disinfectant stung the nose, suggesting the cleaning had just been finished.

“Ko Heeju’s nameplate is still here?”

Gukhyun looked at Heeju’s name on the lab’s sign with apparent interest.

“I thought you quit. Seems like there are many people eagerly waiting for Dr. Ko Heeju to return?”

“It’s just that this place is always empty because no one uses it anyway. You heard earlier, didn’t you? We are always short-staffed.”

Heeju entered the password and went in. The air inside the lab was humid and damp from being stagnant for so long. When she pressed the air purifier button, the fan immediately began spinning vigorously.

Though it had been months since she’d been here, the lab’s interior was almost exactly the same. She had shared the password with Yeongshin and told her to organize things as needed, but it seemed like nothing had been touched at all.

“Don’t touch things carelessly.”

Heeju snatched the frame from Gukhyun’s hands and put it in the drawer.

“How cold of you.”

Gukhyun snickered as he shoved his suddenly empty hands into his pants pockets.

“The photo came out nice. Looks like you two were close.”

It was a photo taken with her sister. At her college graduation, probably. Ko Heejin, that fool, had been happier about her sister’s graduation than her own.

“Must have been heartbreaking when the sister you loved so much died and left you all alone.”

Instead of responding to his soulless consolation, Heeju turned around after slamming the drawer shut. As the loud sound of the drawer closing echoed, Kwon Gukhyun scratched his ear.

“Wait here for a moment. I’ll go get the supplies for treatment.”

Heeju went back out to the hallway and headed toward the autopsy room. Individual research labs were lined up along the corridor, with the autopsy room beyond them. Heeju’s lab was located closest to the autopsy room.

Since it was the regular holiday, there would be no one in the autopsy room, but she thought it would be better to gather the necessary tools and treat him in her lab rather than taking Gukhyun there.

When she opened the heavy iron door and entered, the lights in the small waiting room automatically turned on. The waiting room was a space for storing documents and changing clothes before entering the main area, and the structure required opening one more door to reach the autopsy room.

She checked the large shelves and cabinets on the wall for any medical supply kits, but it was in vain. With no other choice, Heeju went to the door and grabbed the cold handle. As she took a small deep breath, her fingertips began to tremble. She placed one hand over the other on the doorknob.

It’s fine to just go in for a moment. I’ll just grab what I need and come out.

The more she tried to reassure herself, the more her hands trembled. As she clenched her molars and yanked the door open, the strong smell of disinfectant floating in the air rushed into her nostrils. Heeju unconsciously squeezed her eyes shut.

To be honest, leaving the research institute hadn’t been entirely her choice. She had reached a point where she could no longer perform autopsies or even enter the autopsy room.

Heeju reached out and switched on the lights inside the autopsy room. The moment the bright light pierced her eyes, fragmented memories tangled with her consciousness.