A Surgeon Who Uses Martial Arts [EN]: Chapter 109

The Great War (4)

Sung-ho, who sprained his leg, spent the entire second half on the bench.

The person Sung-ho was paying attention to was none other than Jun-hoo.

He had performed remarkably as a goalkeeper, but could Jun-hoo also perform well in the attack?

Doubt and questions naturally followed.

However, Sung-ho’s anxiety was resolved in just 5 minutes.

The anxiety quickly turned into admiration. Jun-hoo single-handedly scored two goals in 5 minutes.

Crazy.

That’s how Jun-hoo’s soccer skills could be described in one word.

Jun-hoo pierced through the opponent’s defense, where defenders were scattered everywhere, like a sharp awl.

His dribbling wasn’t flashy, but his speed was like lightning.

No defender could stop Jun-hoo.

How could anyone stop lightning, not a person?

Jun-hoo’s performance wasn’t limited to just attacking.

He used his unique speed to come down to the team’s defensive line and participate in defense.

Even though he was in charge of both attack and defense, he didn’t even look tired.

Thanks to Jun-hoo,

the team repeatedly escaped the crisis of conceding goals.

“Sung-ho, you said you’re close to Jun-hoo?”

Ho-yeol, who was resting on the bench with him, asked.

Ho-yeol was a fourth-year radiology resident and had formed a relationship in the soccer club.

They were close like brothers.

“Not just close. We’re best friends.”

“Was Jun-hoo an amateur [someone who plays for enjoyment rather than professionally]? He’s on a different level from us?”

“As far as I know, he’s not a former player.”

“Then is he a soccer genius or something? Even though he’s on our side, I can’t help but think it’s too much.”

“He’s had good physique since he was in medical school.”

Sung-ho continued, reminiscing about the old days.

“He’s good at everything, like sports or dancing.”

“That face, that physique, medical skills that don’t seem like an intern’s. Isn’t his existence almost a foul?”

“I guess so.”

Sung-ho agreed.

Jun-hoo was a friend whose existence itself was a foul.

Because he was never bad or lacking in anything.

Maybe that’s why.

Sung-ho had never been jealous of Jun-hoo even once during medical school.

Jealousy has to be at the right level.

If there’s that much difference between Jun-hoo and himself, he would admire him instead of being jealous.

Nevertheless,

Sung-ho, who had spent a long time with Jun-hoo, knew Jun-hoo’s weaknesses.

Since they met after a long time, it would be good to talk about that part openly at the dinner party today.

Sung-ho leaned back on the bench and leisurely watched the game.

Thanks to Jun-hoo, he didn’t have the slightest worry that they would lose in the medical school rivalry match.

Before he knew it, time flew by, and there were 15 minutes left in the second half.

Shinwon University was overwhelmingly defeating Goryeo University 4:0.

* * *

“Seriously. It’s not a soccer game, but what’s with 4:0 in the second half? 4:0.”

Myeong-gwan, a defender from Goryeo University, clicked his tongue in frustration.

The moment Shinwon University put goalkeeper Jun-hoo into the attack,

the flow of the game changed.

The scales of victory tilted sharply towards Shinwon University.

Jun-hoo was doing everything by himself in attack and defense.

Before he knew it, the game had become Jun-hoo’s gala show.

“Senior.”

“What?”

“If we take down that bastard, can’t we still make a comeback?”

Doo-young, a defender from Goryeo University with the number 34 on his back, asked Myeong-gwan.

Doo-young was the one who drove Sung-ho to the bench with rough physical play.

“It’s already 4:0? And there are only 15 minutes left?”

“Shouldn’t we try everything we can? I can’t lose my pride like this. The company dinner is also at stake.”

Doo-young’s gaze was fixed on Jun-hoo like glue.

Jun-hoo, who had just scored a goal, was participating in defense.

“Still, isn’t the expression ‘take down’ a bit much? Don’t tell me you did that to the opponent’s attacker in the first half too…….”

Doo-young didn’t answer.

He thought silence would be enough of an answer.

Doo-young thought that fouls were also a tactic.

Doo-young thought that tricks were also part of the law.

Shouldn’t you do anything if it benefits you?

“I’ll give it a try.”

“Give what a try. Just stay in your position. A doctor shouldn’t be creating patients, should he?”

“Aren’t doctors and patients just one step away from each other anyway?”

Doo-young lightly warmed up.

Jun-hoo was crossing the center line.

He was advancing to the left, which Doo-young was defending.

Fortunately, Jun-hoo didn’t seem to be Superman either.

The speed at which he was dribbling the ball wasn’t the same as before.

At this speed, Doo-young could definitely catch up.

Doo-young used his size to block Jun-hoo’s path.

Thump.

Jun-hoo kicked the ball to the right of Doo-young and ran forward.

Doo-young tried his best to close the distance with Jun-hoo and then attempted a foul.

You’ve been showing off so far, huh?

I’ll show you what’s what!

Doo-young slammed his shoulder into Jun-hoo’s side to make Jun-hoo fall.

But what?

It was Doo-young who fell.

It was like touching a spring.

A strange repulsive force was felt.

Rather, Doo-young was bounced away.

“Ugh.”

Doo-young groaned and looked up at Jun-hoo.

Jun-hoo glanced back at him, and a look of contempt was revealed on his face.

It even gave off an atmosphere as if he knew this would happen.

This rat bastard is really pissing me off.

Doo-young hurriedly got up from his seat.

Even though he had been overtaken, Jun-hoo did not rush to the goal. He was preparing for a long-range shot from that spot.

There was still a chance left.

Doo-young stared straight at Jun-hoo’s vulnerable ankle.

Screech.

Sliding his body on the blue grass, Doo-young attempted a back tackle.

It was a dangerous action, but he didn’t care.

Because his intention was to inflict an injury in the first place.

Because it was Jun-hoo who would get hurt, not Doo-young.

“Aaaaaaack!”

A scream that made one’s hair stand on end shook the field.

Surprisingly, the protagonist of the scream was Doo-young, not Jun-hoo.

Doo-young was holding his ankle with both hands.

He groaned in pain.

Doo-young was the one who made the back tackle, but Doo-young was also the one who got hurt.

Doo-young clearly aimed for Jun-hoo’s ankle accurately.

However, Jun-hoo’s ankle was as hard as iron, so rather, his own ankle, which was trying to tackle, was twisted.

Beeeep!

The referee’s whistle sounded loudly.

The game was stopped, and players from both teams ran to Doo-young.

The first person to make contact with Doo-young was naturally Jun-hoo.

Because Jun-hoo was the closest.

Jun-hoo came to Doo-young’s side and looked down at Doo-young with a cold gaze.

“When you play soccer, you can have physical fights and get hurt. Isn’t that right?”

* * *

That afternoon.

The Shinwon University soccer club members had a dinner party at a nearby barbecue restaurant.

Sizzle.

The sound of meat cooking was savory at every table.

The fragrant smoke with the scent of meat vibrated, creating an appetite that didn’t exist.

The dinner party atmosphere with soju [a Korean distilled spirit] was pleasant.

It was thanks to the Shinwon University club winning the rivalry match against Goryeo University 6:0.

“Wow, Jun-hoo was amazing, wasn’t he? He was Yasin [a legendary goalkeeper] in the first half and Messi [a famous Argentinian soccer player] in the second half.”

“Jun-hoo is buying the meat today.”

“No matter how I look at it, Jun-hoo seems like a soccer player. Is your main job a soccer player? Or a doctor?”

Jun-hoo didn’t know what to do with the compliments pouring in from all directions.

In fact, Jun-hoo didn’t like being in the spotlight.

He felt embarrassed and burdened when he received excessive praise.

So, he appropriately matched the rhythm of the people around him.

After tilting a few glasses of alcohol, he came out of the restaurant.

The spring weather was still clear.

The sky was blue.

Clouds that looked like clumps of cotton candy were floating around.

Looking back, it was a good thing to attend the soccer game.

Even though being a surgeon was his calling.

It was true that he felt stuffy because he only lived inside the hospital all day.

But when he moved his body actively after a long time.

The stuffiness that he couldn’t solve with Qi circulation [a concept in traditional Chinese medicine] disappeared cleanly.

It’s your own fault.

If you hurt others, how can you expect to be safe?

Jun-hoo chuckled, thinking of Goryeo University number 34.

Number 34’s injury was the result of a scenario that Jun-hoo had planned from start to finish.

Jun-hoo knew.

He knew that if he performed well, number 34 would make a dangerous foul on him, just like he did to Sung-ho.

So, he deliberately didn’t step on the footwork and tried to break through at a moderate speed.

The first thing that shone was the Repulsion Force.

Repulsion Force.

This martial art is a martial art that surrounds the body with internal energy containing anti-self-determination.

It had the effect of repelling the opponent who came into contact with the body with a reaction.

Number 34 foolishly launched a physical attack without even knowing that Jun-hoo was using Repulsion Force.

As a result, he fell pathetically.

The second martial art that Jun-hoo showed was Iron Skin.

Iron Skin.

This was a martial art that strengthened the body as hard as iron.

The reason why number 34’s ankle was twisted even though he made a back tackle was the power of Iron Skin.

“Hey, what are you doing when the main character is away?”

He turned his head at the familiar voice.

Sung-ho, whose face was flushed with alcohol, stood next to Jun-hoo.

“I just wanted to get some fresh air.”

“It’s nice to go out after being in the hospital for a long time, right?”

“It’s good. Very.”

Jun-hoo smiled, enjoying the fluttering spring breeze.

“Can I have a serious talk for a moment while I’m drunk?”

“As long as you’re confident that you won’t kick the blanket [a Korean expression for regretting something you said or did while drunk], you can talk as much as you want.”

“There’s no way I’ll kick the blanket. It’s not about me, it’s about you.”

“About me?”

Jun-hoo asked, tilting his head.

Suddenly, he became curious.

“Do you know why I’ve been telling you to date since medical school?”

“Because you’re immature?”

“You little…… do you want to get scolded?”

Sung-ho chuckled and continued.

“From the perspective of someone who has spent a long time with you, I felt that way.”

“What feeling?”

“It may sound strange, but I thought you looked precarious. It was as if you were carrying too many burdens.”

“…….”

“It seemed like you had an obsession with having to handle everything perfectly by yourself.”

“…….”

Jun-hoo couldn’t say anything to Sung-ho’s point.

That was actually Jun-hoo’s inner thoughts.

Jun-hoo wanted to become the world’s best surgeon.

At least, he wanted to save every patient he treated and help his colleagues without conditions.

He wanted to resolve the resentment he had in the Murim world [a fictional world of martial arts] in the modern world.

“I mean.

Surprisingly, I’ve never heard you confide in me or complain to me.”

“That’s…….”

“You want to say that it’s because you didn’t want to burden me, right?”

Sung-ho cut off what Jun-hoo wanted to say.

When did Sung-ho see through even this part of himself?

Jun-hoo was seeing Sung-ho in a new light.

“But you know.

Colleagues and friends are people who share difficulties together.”

“…….”

“So, from now on, don’t keep worries or anxieties in your heart.”

“…….”

“I hope you can tell me, Ah-young, or other seniors about your inner thoughts.”

“So, you’re saying that I look precarious because I don’t express my feelings?”

Jun-hoo summarized Sung-ho’s words.

“That’s right.”

Sung-ho nodded.

“The real thing that can withstand a big typhoon is not a big tree, but grass. Big trees break trying to withstand the typhoon, and grass lies down and gets up.”

“…….”

“So, what I’m saying is that I hope you sometimes lie down using your colleagues as pillows.”

There was a bone in Sung-ho’s words.

There was a part that stimulated Jun-hoo’s old wounds that had not healed.

Alone.

And perfectly.

These two things were the driving force that made Jun-hoo grow, but at the same time, they were also the main culprits that dropped Jun-hoo into the abyss.

Jeok Il-do, the enemy of Murim.

If Jun-hoo hadn’t acted independently on the day he went to subjugate that evil spirit, his colleagues might have saved their lives.

Maybe Jun-hoo wouldn’t have died either.

“But what does that have to do with dating?”

Jun-hoo asked, recovering from his painful wounds.

“It’s easier to open up when you have a lover. You can share the trivial feelings and thoughts you had in a day.”

“That makes sense.”

“Of course. Even though I look like this, I’ve been with you for a whopping 6 years.”

“Good words. Thank you. Hyung [an honorific term for older brother or male friend]. You’re the first person to say these things to me.”

Jun-hoo spoke with sincerity.

A fluffy and warm feeling was blooming from deep inside his stomach.

“The teachings are fully understood. Disciple, now go down the mountain.”

Jun-hoo chuckled at Sung-ho’s wit.

And he thought.

He thought it was a good thing to participate in the soccer game today.