The media lights were brighter than the sun. Blinding, dazzling—but Dr. Han Seoryu, despite all of it, seemed completely used to it. He walked confidently on the red carpet, each step echoing elegance and poise.
He looked ethereal.
Like he wasn't human.
Like a living artwork made by God Himself using the finest brush and shimmering mist. He wore a perfectly tailored Chanel black suit, classic but with a sharp modern edge. His hair, sleek and parted just enough to show his perfectly symmetrical face, swayed lightly with the summer breeze.
"DR. SEORYU!!!"
"OVER HERE, DOCTOR!!!"
"I LOVE YOU, GOLDEN HANDS!!!" "MARRY ME ALREADY!!!"
The crowd went wild. Flashing cameras. Screaming fans. Even security guards couldn't help but smile in awe.
Seoryu smiled, cool and reserved, at the crowd. Slight wave. Head tilt. Light eye contact.
"Still flawless," whispered one reporter.
"He's a literal walking god."
And that's when he was brought into the studio—"Heart & Seoul: Evening Talk," the number one most viewed TV show in South Korea. Even politicians, A-list actors, and world-class athletes get nervous when invited here.
But Seoryu? Just chill. A little nervous, but you'd never know it.
As he sat on the sofa, he was welcomed by the host—Miss Park Nayoung, the Queen of Primetime. Elegant, witty, and feared for her questions.
"Annyeonghaseyo, Dr. Han!" she said with her signature smile. "Welcome to Heart & Seoul. Finally, the nation's most loved man is here."
He chuckled lightly. "Thank you for having me. It's an honor."
"Wow, it seems like it's not just us who were starstruck. Even the staff froze earlier. Aren't you tired, Doc? Surgery in the morning, photoshoot in the afternoon, and now a talk show?"
"Ah…" Seoryu laughed softly, gentle yet confident. "A bit. But I'm used to it. Besides, healing people and cooking make me happy. So I don't really mind the exhaustion."
"Speaking of cooking!" Miss Park jumped in, "You're the very first surgeon to win 'Chef's Glory Korea.' And not just win—the judge literally fainted from how good your kimchi stew was!"
The audience burst into laughter.
"Ah, that's a bit exaggerated," Seoryu said, modestly scratching the back of his neck. "He didn't faint, more like… had an emotional breakdown because it reminded him of his grandmother."
"Awww!" the crowd said in unison.
But the interview didn't end there.
Miss Park's face suddenly turned serious. She looked Seoryu straight in the eye.
"Dr. Han, I hope you don't mind me asking this next question," she said, voice softer but heavy. "We've heard that the CEO of Kang Corporation got into a serious accident recently. And according to the reports, you've been chosen to perform the surgery. Is it true, Mr. Han?"
The studio fell silent.
Seoryu blinked once. Twice. But then, he gave a gentle nod.
"Yes," he replied calmly. "I will be leading the operation."
A few more seconds of silence passed. Miss Park leaned in. "Do you think it will be successful?"
At first, Seoryu didn't speak.
Then, he suddenly smiled. Confident. But deep inside, there was a strange pounding in his chest. It's not fear. Not quite. It's something heavier. Deeper.
"Of course," he answered, followed by a laugh. "I didn't earn my name for nothing."
The studio laughed again. But beneath the dazzling spotlight, behind the Chanel suit, he could feel the sweat on his nape.
Why does something feel… wrong?
———
THE NEXT DAY
Hospital lights. Cold, clinical, sterile.
Everything was in place. Machines. Staff. Monitors. Oxygen tanks.
The OR was quiet but full of tension.
"Vitals?" Seoryu asked, fully scrubbed, eyes locked in focus.
"BP is stable. Heart rate at 82. No anomalies so far."
"Alright. Let's begin."
The operation started.
Scalpel. Clamp. Suction.
Every movement Seoryu made was flawless. Precise. Rhythmic. Like a maestro in the middle of his orchestra.
The nurses? Completely focused. The young intern? Barely breathing.
"Retract further," he ordered.
"Open vein channel."
"Cauterize."
The CEO's condition was delicate. Too delicate.
But he was Dr. Han Seoryu. 'Golden Hands of Seoul.'
The impossible was just another Tuesday.
Until something happened.
BEEP.
BEEP.
BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP—
The monitor let out a continuous flatline. Everyone in the operating room froze.
"WHAT'S HAPPENING?!" an assistant shouted.
"HE'S CRASHING!"
"START CPR!"
"DEFIB—NOW!"
"One, two, three—CLEAR!"
BOOM.
Nothing.
"Clear!"
BOOM.
Still nothing.....Third time. Fourth. Fifth.
But… the line remained straight.
Until there was nothing.
Time stopped.
The world stopped.
The CEO of Kang Corporation is… dead.———
News broke out faster than wildfire. Headlines everywhere.
"MIRACLE DOCTOR FAILS FOR THE FIRST TIME."
"DEATH UNDER GOLDEN HANDS."
"HAN SEORYU: THE FALL OF A HERO."
Social media? Warzone.
"Cancelled."
"Quack doctor."
"Maybe he really killed him."
"This was paid off!"
"Just go back to the kitchen!"
Even his fans turned. Even the hospital—his home for ten years—couldn't protect him.
He was asked—forced—to resign.
Even his favorite kimchi stew no longer had any taste. Even the hands he once took pride in now felt tainted.
One day, he didn't come to work.
He walked toward the rooftop.
Quiet. Cloudy. Windy.
But he didn't expect the scene.
———
THE ROOFTOP
Police. Reporters. Staff. The furious family of the CEO.
Holding placards:
"JUSTICE FOR KANG CEO!"
"DR. HAN, MURDERER!"
"GOLDEN HANDS OF DEATH!"
Seoryu froze.
"GET DOWN FROM THERE!" shouted a police officer.
"JUST GO TO JAIL!"
"YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO PLAY VICTIM!"
"WAIT!" he pleaded, voice shaking. "I didn't—It was an accident—!"
But no one listened.
They threw bottles at him. Kicked him with words.
He took a step back, eyes wide, lungs tight.
Something snapped.
SLIP.
CRACK.
He fell.
The last thing he saw: the sky. Cold. White. Silent.
Then...
BLACK.