Chapter 939 - 938: No Need to Explain

Medical Center.

Cafeteria.

"Adam, look over there—someone's trying to steal your thunder," Christina said, nudging Adam and nodding toward the entrance.

Everyone turned to see George walking in, chatting and laughing with the soldier-turned-medic. The two grabbed trays and headed to pick up their lunch.

"I don't need any thunder," Adam said with a chuckle. "George isn't my sidekick or anything… he's my friend. As long as he's happy, I'm cool with whatever choice he makes."

"Ha!" Christina snorted. "Word's been going around that you're ditching George, and now I see it's true."

"Ditching? What are you even talking about?" Adam shook his head. "In a few months, the internship's over. George will be a full-fledged resident by then—just like you. Are you still shadowing Dr. Bailey these days?"

"Yeah, right. Keep making excuses," Christina shot back, clearly not buying it. "Even if you're letting George go, don't let him get stuck with that creepy soldier medic."

"Huh?" Adam glanced at her, surprised. "Sure, the guy came in hot at first, showing off and forgetting basics like using an airbag. But I checked his record—his emergency skills are actually top-notch. Having him here could really boost the medical center's ER game. What's this 'creepy' thing you're hinting at?"

"Exactly!" Meredith piped up, turning to her bestie with concern.

"He's just an arrogant, creepy jerk…" Christina paused, then spilled the tea about all the weird stuff he'd done before.

"Unexpected, yet somehow not surprising," Adam said, his tone turning icy. "He talks a good game, but his actions? Total garbage. I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt, but turns out I still overestimated him."

"So, you gonna kick him out?" Christina's eyes lit up with excitement.

"Don't be ridiculous," Adam said, shaking his head. "Yeah, he's got some weird fetish for women like you, but he's new here and hasn't messed up yet. I'm not the director or the dean—how am I supposed to kick him out?"

"Okay, so how are you gonna get rid of him?" Christina pressed.

"We should learn from his emergency skills," Adam replied casually. "Then build on them, share knowledge, and help him level up his game. Maybe that'll spark some motivation in him to head back to the battlefield and 'fight for the country' again."

"Got it," Christina nodded. "So, we let him train the hospital staff in emergency care for free, raise the overall ER level, and then send him packing wherever he came from!"

"We'd pay him," Adam corrected.

"If you don't like him, why not just swap him out?" Meredith asked, exasperated.

"Swap him with who?" Christina jumped in before Adam could answer. "You think it'd be any different with someone else? You don't actually believe he's the only one like this, do you?"

"…" Meredith didn't have a comeback. She rolled her eyes and said, "Fine, then ditch the soldier medic idea. Adam, why don't you just handle it yourself?"

"No time," Adam said, throwing up his hands. "I've got a million things on my plate. Let's wait for Carter and the others to step up—they can train everyone else when they're ready."

"George is bringing him over," Christina warned.

Everyone looked over and saw George, oblivious as ever, walking toward them with the soldier medic, who was all smiles and carrying a tray.

"Adam, Meredith, Christina—this is Dr. Hunter, the new ER director. No introductions needed, right?" George grinned. "Dr. Hunter, this is Dr. Duncan, Dr. Grey, and Dr. Yang."

"Pleasure to meet you all," the soldier medic said, turning to Adam. "I caught a glimpse of you last time I was here—left quite an impression. Later, I found out about Dr. Duncan's big reputation back home. I've been overseas so long, I guess I was out of the loop."

"Yeah, probably too busy 'comforting' the local ladies to keep up with groundbreaking medical news back home," Christina quipped sarcastically. "Gotta love those freedom-loving soldiers, right?"

"…" Dr. Hunter's smile froze. He couldn't exactly argue back—explaining himself would mean airing his dirty laundry, and even he cringed thinking about it. If anyone else found out, they'd never look at him the same way. Definitely not in a normal way.

"Oh, shoot—I just remembered something in the ER. Catch you all this afternoon," Dr. Hunter said, forcing an excuse. He shot Christina a quick glance before hightailing it out of the cafeteria.

"Christina, Dr. Hunter's a good guy. You don't have to be so snarky," George said, frowning as he watched Hunter leave.

"Tsk tsk, already cozying up and licking boots, huh?" Christina teased.

"What are you even saying?!" George darted a guilty glance at Adam and muttered, "He's a soldier who fought for the country. He deserves some basic respect. Plus, his skills are solid, and he's a nice guy. We're all colleagues here…"

"Nice guy?" Christina scoffed. "Did he compliment you or something? You were the last of the six of us to finish a rescue, and he still had the nerve to praise you?"

She paused, then added with a weird look, "Wait—did he say you'd make a great battlefield medic?"

"How'd you know?" George blinked, stunned.

"How'd I know?" Christina laughed. "Because the first time he met me, he fed me the same line! Honestly, he shouldn't be a medic—he'd be better off as a recruitment poster boy. Seems like he wants to drag everyone he meets onto the battlefield."

"He said that to you too?" George didn't know what face to make anymore.

"Yup, and I shut him down," Christina said smugly. Then she bumped Adam's shoulder. "Hey, have George's lips been kissed by someone?"

"…Christina!" Meredith burst out laughing.

"Probably," Adam said after a quick glance, offering his take.

"What's that supposed to mean?" George was completely lost.

"Such a pro!" Christina said, fully aware George had likely just kissed his girlfriend Callie during a meetup but pretending otherwise to mess with him.

"I didn't!" George shouted once he caught on to the joke.

"Didn't what?" Christina kept poking. "Whatever, no need to explain to us~"

"Dr. Hunter didn't…" George's chubby face turned red. "We didn't…"

"Then how do you explain him saying the same thing to you that he said to me?" Christina pressed, grinning. "And your lips are still all shiny? That's not just a coincidence, right? Plus, I'm pretty sure Adam banned you from making out with Callie in the hospital."

"…" George was speechless.

"Alright, enough teasing," Adam said, putting an end to Christina's mischief.

"Adam…" George looked touched by the support.

"We're friends," Adam said, patting George's shoulder. "Whatever choice you make, I've got your back. Just… use protection. These days, there are too many heart-stealing players out there—you can never be too careful."

George: "…"

(End of Chapter)