CHAPTER TWO

THERE ARE FAR TOO MANY RED LIGHTS. Sungjong casts his gaze on Woohyun gripping the steering wheel firmly, face impassive. His brown eyes are fixed on the bustling and rainy road, watching the timer count down as pedestrians walk across the crosswalk and the street floods with umbrellas.

The bangs of his chocolate hair fall slightly into his eyes and he straightens his posture, stepping on the gas pedal as soon as the traffic lights turn green. Woohyun has this determined and focused glint in his gaze despite the tension surging through the veins lining his hands.

Sungjong wants to reach over and hold his hand. Instead, he plants his hand on his shoulder and squeezes, calling out to him softly.

They meet each other's gaze and a light bulb flicks on in their minds, realization mirroring in each other's gaze.

Kim Taehyung.

He could possibly help.

And when they were still in university, the younger man asked why he wanted to become a doctor. Woohyun just smiled, answering with a cheesy response, making his classmates giggle, and his professor laugh, too.

He has a good heart. A boy with a golden retriever personality. Honestly, who wouldn't like him?

Now looking at his response to critical moments of emergencies and his ability to stay calm under pressure after many years of blood, sweat, and tears, Sungjong finally knows the answer.

The raven knows why he didn't go into medicine, though he remembers studying concepts that fell into the tree of medicine during his undergraduate years.

His best friend playfully teased him he could pass as a pre-med student considering he was taking biology, chemistry, pathophysiology, and even forensic science. Sungjong became a detective similar to the consulting detective with the address of 221b Baker Street, London.

"Do you still have his number?" Woohyun looks at him with concern when he stops at another red signal, waiting for a beat of seconds.

Sungjong swipes through his contacts, heart pounding. His mocha eyes widen and his mouth stretches into an ecstatic smile, relief washing over him, looking at Woohyun.

"Let's hope he remembers us."

"I would say it's a variable chance. Taehyung's two or three years younger than us."

Sungjong's phone rings and the name Kim Taehyung appears on the screen.

Oh god.

Sungjong's heart pounds loudly against his chest and he shifts his gaze to Woohyun staring back at him in astonishment. Woohyuh pushes him by the shoulders, mouthing to answer the call and to tell him his presence is highly needed for a critical situation.

With a racing heart and a mind filled with anxious thoughts, the younger man swipes to the right to accept the call.

"Hello?" a raspy voice answers and a wave of relief rushes through the boys, releasing the breath they were holding, hoping, desperately hoping the reason he decided to call them is a good reason.

Not everything is gold.

"Kim Taehyung?" Sungjong answers back and waits, listening to the movement of sounds from the other side. "It's been a long time, hasn't it? How are you holding up?"

"I actually called because something has been itching on my mind."

"What?"

"It feels unsafe to sleep at night. I don't know why, but even holding onto my teddy bear-yes, I still sleep with the same one I've told you about?" Taehyung sighs a deep sigh, twisting the doorknob, and pushes the door open. He steps outside wearing a brown sweater with a scarf wrapped around his neck, and a beanie covering his head while holding an umbrella over him.

"How so?" Sungjong asks, tightening his hand into a fist gripping the fabric of his pants.

Sungjong chest feels tight all of a sudden, waiting to hear something incredibly crazy or a perception of a false reality dawning on him.

The raven isn't so sure he's ready to hear the answer, listening to the resident shut the door.

The beep occurs from the key car, unlocking the silver Honda Civic. Taehyung slides inside and draws the door closed, pulling the seatbelt over him. He starts the engine with his feet on the gas pedal and slowly moves down the inclined plane. Taehyung's umber eyes widen, whipping his head over his shoulder as he stops at the stop sign, watching the ambulance drive at full speed.

Woohyun's chocolate eyes lock with Sungjong's mocha eyes.

Oh no.

Well then, this is fantastic.

Sungjong hears Taehyung swallow the thickness of his thoughts and he knows he won't tell him the puzzle he's trying to solve in his mind just yet. "I think we have a case of a new disease that spreads only at night," Taehyung responds with a negative, voice light. "I'm on my way to the hospital if you need to know," he adds.

Sungjong and Woohyun exchange another glance.

Woohyun hits the gas pedal, making a right turn, passing skyscrapers as the clouds begin to accumulate, pouring heavy rain. The city darkens as the atmosphere pressure lessens and the cool breeze picks up autumn leaves.

The lamposts on the sidewalks light up the road just enough to bring a warmth of hope, blanketing the fear knotting in the raven's stomach. When the brunette reaches the hospital, parks the car, and swiftly pushes the door open, the raven follows.

That's why Woohyun became a doctor. To compliment Sungjong's dangerous but thrilling missions with his logical and methodical ways, but compassionate heart.

Sungjong will follow Woohyun everywhere he goes with his heart, with his mind, with his eyes closed. Because he trusts him as he does. It's been years. There's nothing that will break their friendship.

Nothing.

Not everything is gold but everything can shine from the inside if it's real.

If it's real then that is all that matters even if it's just a belief that it is.