Fifth Vital [EN]: Chapter 163

Fifth Vital Sign – Episode 163 (163/502)

163. A Very Important Patient

“Excuse me?”

I was putting the notes I received from the children into my bag and getting up when I heard someone calling from behind.

Lee Su-jeong quickly turned around at the sound. A middle-aged woman was standing there.

“Is this yours?”

The woman was holding a flyer that Lee Su-jeong had handed out.

“Ah, yes. I handed that out. Is there a problem?”

The small hope that maybe she was a witness vanished like smoke at the words that followed.

“I’m going crazy because of this flyer.”

“Yes?! What do you mean by that…?”

“I think I need to show you and explain it in person. Can you come with me for a moment? It’ll only take a minute.”

Sensing the woman had something important to say, Lee Su-jeong decided to follow her.

The woman, who was walking ahead, stopped a short distance from where Lee Su-jeong had been handing out the flyers.

“Do you see this?”

Lee Su-jeong followed the woman’s gaze to a trash can on the street in front of a store. The trash can was overflowing with the flyers she had been handing out.

“I’m the owner of this store. This trash can belongs to my store. I saw the flyer, too. I felt bad and hoped a witness would come forward quickly. So, I figured I would clean up even if people threw the flyers in our trash can.”

The store owner continued, shaking the flyer she held.

“But this is happening every day, and I’m only human, so it’s getting a bit annoying. At first, it was only a few, so it was okay, but look at this. Not only is it piling up in the trash can, but they’re also throwing it in front of other people’s stores. How can I not feel bad?”

“I’m so sorry.”

Lee Su-jeong hadn’t realized that people were discarding the flyers in the nearby trash cans.

“If I had known, I would have been more careful, but I’ve been so out of it that I didn’t notice. I’m really sorry.”

Lee Su-jeong bowed her head and apologized. Of course, she was upset, but there was nothing she could do.

The news of her husband’s devastating accident was just a sad story that people heard once and then forgot.

As time passed, everyone, as usual, lost interest.

“I’ll finish handing out the flyers and then come back here to collect them all. I apologize again.”

Lee Su-jeong quickly picked up the flyers that had fallen in front of the store and those blocking the entrance to the trash can, organizing them into a neat pile. The store owner went back inside.

Tap- Tap-

As Lee Su-jeong dusted off the dirty flyers she’d retrieved from the trash can, a box wrapped with a yellow ribbon caught her eye.

“……!”

“Take this. It’s a donut I made myself.”

The store owner reappeared, holding a box of donuts she sold in her shop.

“No, it’s okay.”

“I have kids around that age, too.”

“Yes?”

“I saw you handing out flyers with your kids last weekend.”

“Ah…….”

“Actually, it’s been about a month since I opened the store, so I’ve been worried about flyers and trash. So, I held back, but I thought I should say something today. Now that I’ve said it, I don’t feel good.”

“No, it’s my fault for making you uncomfortable.”

“I’m sorry for speaking so sharply earlier. Our donuts are delicious. Give them to your kids.”

The store owner placed the box in Lee Su-jeong’s hand, who hesitated to accept it.

“Thank you. I’ll enjoy them.”

Lee Su-jeong thanked the store owner and hurried to the hospital to see her husband.

* * *

Shinhwa University Hospital-

Today, as it was visiting hours, the waiting family members entered the TICU (Trauma Intensive Care Unit). Lee Su-jeong joined the group and went inside.

“Honey, I’m here.”

The face that had been exhausted just moments ago now wore a bright expression, as if nothing had happened.

No matter how difficult it was, she deliberately tried to appear cheerful when visiting her husband.

“Did you sleep well, honey? My dear, you look even more handsome than yesterday! Actually, you don’t know that I fell in love with your face, do you? When you walked into the coffee shop on our blind date, my heart was pounding so much… I was shaking all day.”

After her husband’s accident and subsequent hospitalization, Lee Su-jeong had developed a habit.

She started telling her husband everything, from past events to trivial details.

She told him everything she hadn’t been able to say before, the kids’ stories, and even what side dishes they had for dinner.

A few days after her husband was hospitalized, she overheard a conversation between other family members of patients in the same area, that even unconscious patients respond to hearing.

After hearing that, Lee Su-jeong talked even more.

Even though there was no response, she was sure her husband was listening.

“Ah! That’s right. Honey, do you see this?”

Lee Su-jeong, who was massaging her husband’s legs, took out her phone and showed him a picture.

“Hyun-mi entered an art contest and won an award. Hyun-jun and our youngest are also talented and smart, just like you.”

Lee Su-jeong showed her husband the awards the children had received and bragged about them.

“Aren’t our kids amazing? I asked them yesterday what they wanted to do when Dad woke up, and do you know what they said? The first one said he wanted to go fishing, the second one said he wanted to go to the movies with you, and the youngest one said he wanted to play soccer. And honey, I…….”

She couldn’t bring herself to say, “I want to hold your hand and walk with you,” and burst into tears.

She had cried a lot alone since the accident, but this was only the second time she had cried in front of her husband.

“Honey… I’m actually… a little tired. And scared. What if you stay like this forever… Haa!”

Lee Su-jeong took a deep breath, overwhelmed by her emotions.

“No. I’m crazy! What am I saying in front of you right now? You’ll definitely wake up.”

Some people had told her to prepare herself for the possibility that her husband might not wake up. But Lee Su-jeong always responded with an uncomfortable expression and told them never to say that again.

“You will definitely wake up.”

In fact, the direct cause of Cha Dae-han’s continued unconsciousness was unclear. There had been crises, but the surgery had gone well.

They had done everything they could medically, and the doctor in charge had said he should wake up. Or at least, that’s what he had implied.

Although quite some time had passed, Lee Su-jeong still firmly believed that her husband would wake up.

“Hello. Are you Cha Dae-han’s guardian?”

Lee Su-jeong, who was wiping away the tears that had welled up, turned her head at the sound of a man’s voice.

The words ‘Director Go Gye-deuk’ stood out on the pristine white gown that looked like it had just been taken out of its packaging.

“I’m the director of Shinhwa University Hospital.”

Lee Su-jeong had been to the hospital countless times, but this was the first time she had seen the director.

“I was visiting the patients in the Trauma Intensive Care Unit and wanted to say hello since it was visiting hours.”

“Ah, yes…….”

“I’ve heard about Cha Dae-han’s situation. He will definitely wake up. I hope you don’t lose hope and keep your spirits up. If you have any difficulties, please don’t hesitate to let me know.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Go Gye-deuk, who had deliberately come during visiting hours, made brief eye contact with Lee Su-jeong as he offered his greeting. After greeting the other family members around him in the same way, he left.

“Time’s already up. Strangely, time seems to fly by whenever I come to visit.”

After Go Gye-deuk left, Lee Su-jeong said goodbye to her husband.

“Honey, I’ll come again. Think about me and our kids a lot, and come to my dreams often, okay? See you tomorrow.”

Rrrrrrrrrrr

Lee Su-jeong, who had left the Trauma Intensive Care Unit and was walking towards the hospital gate, took out her cell phone, which was ringing in her bag.

“……!”

After checking the text message on her phone, Lee Su-jeong headed to the payment window on the first floor instead of heading to the gate.

“Hello.”

“Yes, I’m Cha Dae-han’s guardian. He’s hospitalized in the Trauma Intensive Care Unit. I don’t think the date has come yet, but I received a call for an interim payment.”

“Is that so? I’ll check for you. Can I have the patient’s name and date of birth?”

“Cha Dae-han. Date of birth is…….”

“Oh! That’s right.”

The employee who was checking the monitor tilted her head, looking puzzled.

“I’m sorry. It seems like the call went to the wrong person. Cha Dae-han’s payment date hasn’t come yet.”

“Really?”

“Yes, why did this call go out? That’s strange.”

“Could you tell me how much the next interim payment will be?”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you that right now because the payment hasn’t been processed yet, since the date hasn’t arrived.”

“Will it be similar to last time?”

“I can’t know that either at the moment.”

“Ah, okay. Thank you for your help.”

Go Gye-deuk was behind the sudden payment call that Lee Su-jeong had received.

He knew that if someone received a call while inside the hospital, they would likely go to the payment window to inquire. This would naturally increase their burden and worry about the accumulating hospital bills.

Go Gye-deuk aimed to exploit this to make Lee Su-jeong feel the pressure of money.

“Oh dear! Her back looks very weak.”

Go Gye-deuk, who was watching Lee Su-jeong from afar as she left the hospital, also left his seat.

* * *

“Dr. Lee, you’re early to work today.”

“Hello.”

Lee Chan-hee greeted Jang Deuk-chil as he entered the hospital.

“Dr. Choi, you’re here early.”

Lee Chan-hee changed into his gown in the doctor’s office and then headed to the emergency room.

“I haven’t been here long either.”

“Have you seen Dr. Tae?”

“Oh! He was here a while ago, but I don’t see him now.”

“Really? Maybe he’s in the ward…….”

Lee Chan-hee looked around, then left the emergency room and headed to the ward.

“Hello.”

“Dr. Lee is here.”

“Hi, Dr. Lee.”

Lee Chan-hee went up to the ward and approached Nurse Im Jeong-sook and Dr. Eui-jin, who were talking at the nurse’s station.

“Have you two seen Dr. Tae?”

“Isn’t he in the emergency room?”

“He’s not in the emergency room, and he’s not in the examination room either. It’s like he’s playing hide-and-seek today. It’s strange that he’s not wherever I go.”

“But why are you looking for Dr. Tae as soon as you get to work?”

“I’m going to confess. I did something wrong, but he hasn’t said anything, so I feel uneasy.”

After Park Joo-dang’s surgery yesterday, Lee Chan-hee had expected to be scolded by Tae-kyung. Usually, a harsh scolding would have already been delivered, but since there was no word from him, Lee Chan-hee became anxious.

He thought it would be better to be scolded than to continue feeling this way.

“Then there’s only one other place he could be?”

“Where… Aha!”

Lee Chan-hee was about to ask about Dr. Eui-jin’s words, but he suddenly remembered where Tae-kyung might be and nodded.

“Thank you, Dr. Jeong. I’ll go now.”

Lee Chan-hee greeted the two and headed straight to the ICU (Intensive Care Unit).

‘Why didn’t I think of the ICU? He’s there.’

When he entered the intensive care unit, he saw Tae-kyung standing next to Park Joo-dang’s bed.

“Our little follower doctor is here.”

Park Joo-dang smiled and greeted Lee Chan-hee as he approached the bed. He looked even happier because his daughter had visited him that morning.

“Are you okay, Grandpa?”

“I’m doing well, thanks to the chief doctor and the follower doctor who did a good job with the surgery.”

The results of the CT scan and chest X-ray, performed to check the surgical site and for pneumonia, were also good.

“That’s a relief. Please don’t drink and ride your bike again. And cut down on alcohol, too. Oh! Grandpa, just a moment.”

Lee Chan-hee stopped talking and followed Tae-kyung as he walked away.

“Dr. Tae? Why are you leaving already?”

“What are you talking about? I have to go because the rounds are over.”

“That’s not what I mean. I was wondering why you haven’t said anything so far.”

“Did you do your homework well?”

“Not the homework.”

“What, Park Joo-dang?”

“……Yes.”

“You came to find me as soon as you got to work just to be scolded for that?”

“Yes.”

“You’ve already been scolded enough.”

“Yes? When…….”

“By the guardian.”

Tae-kyung knew about the conversation between Park Joo-dang’s daughter and Lee Chan-hee, so he didn’t feel the need to say anything more.

“I think a few words with the guardian were probably more enlightening than anything I could have said.”

That was true. After talking with the guardian yesterday, Lee Chan-hee had many thoughts about how to treat patients, even on his way home from work.

“I’ll do better in the future.”

“Lee Chan-hee?”

“Yes?”

“You’re doing well enough right now.”

Tae-kyung patted Lee Chan-hee on the shoulder, offering him encouragement.

“Dr. Tae…….”

“That’s enough. Don’t make a touching face, it’s disgusting.”

“I’m sincerely touched! You don’t understand my heart at all.”

“Stop talking nonsense and go back inside quickly. Grandpa is asking when Dr. Lee is coming.”

“Yes.”

Tae-kyung sent Lee Chan-hee back into the intensive care unit, then stopped by the emergency room before heading straight to the examination room, because a very important patient was waiting.

Click-

The moment he entered the examination room,

“Dr. Tae!”

Someone who was waiting inside approached Tae-kyung with a bright voice and hugged him.