Dr. Shin Seonhan: The Doctor Who Sees The Future [EN]: Chapter 36

#36 I See You (3)

Sigh!

Byeon Gyu-nam, who had been dozing off while standing, wiped his mouth and hurriedly excused himself to the professor.

“Ah, no. I thought the patient’s ECG [electrocardiogram] looked a bit strange.”

The professor tilted his head.

“The ECG looks fine? The alarm didn’t go off either.”

“Ah, well, I guess I was mistaken.”

Byeon Gyu-nam scratched his head.

‘Good heavens, dozing off during rounds…’

Unbelievable.

Besides, he hasn’t been answering the professor’s questions well since earlier, and he doesn’t seem to grasp the patients’ conditions.

The professor looked at the patient in bed number 5, who was on a ventilator, and said,

“You can’t set this patient’s ventilator settings like this. Is there a reason why you set the inspiration time like this?”

“……Pardon?”

Byeon Gyu-nam was lost in thought and missed the question.

The professor asked again.

“Gyu-nam, why did you set it up like this?”

“Ah, yes, it just seemed like the patient was breathing comfortably……”

“Just seemed?”

The professor asked back, seemingly dumbfounded.

The nurses standing next to him also started staring into the distance, at a loss for words.

“Auto PEEP [auto-positive end-expiratory pressure] is occurring like this, and you think that makes sense? Do you think that’s something a third-year resident should say?”

“Uh, well……”

The professor sighed, already giving up.

Auto PEEP (auto-positive end-expiratory pressure) is a problem that can occur if the ventilator is set incorrectly, and if this condition is maintained, the patient’s lungs will be damaged.

After failing to answer any of the questions, the questions eventually came to me.

“Shall we ask our intern then?”

“Yes?”

“It might be a difficult question for an intern, but what should we do to reduce auto PEEP in this setting?”

‘Wait a minute.’

What will happen if I answer now?

If an intern answers a question that a third-year resident couldn’t answer…

Isn’t that embarrassing for Byeon Gyu-nam next to me?

‘What should I do?’

It’s awkward to answer, and it’s awkward not to answer.

Can I wisely navigate this situation?

After hesitating for a moment, I answered.

“I think we need to adjust the respiratory rate, inspiration time, and pressure… I think I learned it when I was a student, but I don’t remember it perfectly.”

Then the professor laughed as if it was interesting.

“Haha. What you just said is everything you can adjust on the ventilator.”

The professor kept laughing and nodded.

“Okay, well, good. That was a very intern-like answer.”

Phew.

I sighed in relief.

It was an answer that was neither too lacking nor too much.

“I’ll explain it to you this time, so make sure you know it. In this case……”

A lecture was given on the spot.

I nodded and tried to concentrate as much as possible.

But Byeon Gyu-nam…

He was still consistent with his soulless answers and reactions.

Why is this person so unmotivated?

It’s frustrating!

I’m embarrassed just watching him.

“Phew.”

The long, long rounds were over.

I barely caught my breath and prepared for dressing changes.

I didn’t know the rounds would really take two hours…

It would have ended sooner if Byeon had been scolded less.

‘This is the first time I’ve seen a resident get scolded so much by the professor.’

In fact, Byeon was scolded almost once every five minutes.

He was thoroughly roasted for two hours straight, so his mental state must be a mess…

He probably lost a lot of pride because he was scolded in front of me, an intern.

That’s what I was thinking.

Byeon Gyu-nam approached and tapped me on the shoulder.

“Intern.”

“Yes?”

“Coffee, let’s go?”

Then he winked with a friendly smile.

…What is this person?

Is his resilience infinite?

How can he be so indifferent after being chewed out so much?

It’s like meeting an unknown life form.

“Byeon, don’t send the intern back too late! We have a lot of patients to send up to our ward.”

“Hey, it’s his first day, so I’ll be back soon.”

Byeon Gyu-nam brushed off the nurses’ words and took me somewhere.

* * *

Coffee shop on the first basement floor.

I sat down awkwardly.

I’ve been here a few times to grab coffee to go, but this is the first time I’ve been here during work hours.

“Um, is it okay to be here during work hours?”

I feel strange for some reason.

It feels like I’m ditching work.

“It’s okay, it’s okay. We can go up when we get a call.”

Byeon Gyu-nam said that and plopped down on the chair.

He’s in a comfortable and relaxed posture as if he’s at home.

“It’s our first day, so let’s get to know each other. Okay? We have to go through thick and thin together for a month.”

“Yes.”

“What do you want to drink?”

“I like iced Americano.”

“Okay, I’ll have a grapefruit honey iced tea.”

He said that and turned on a mobile game.

…Does he want me to buy it?

Usually, doesn’t the senior buy it in this case?

I suppressed my bubbling feelings and forced a smile.

“Then I’ll go get it.”

“Oh, you’re going to buy it? I was going to buy it… Then I guess I’ll have to get a freebie?”

He said that and joked around, saying things he didn’t mean.

At this point, I’m curious.

What is this person’s deal?

After a while.

Byeon is happily sucking on what is either honey grapefruit or grapefruit honey.

He’s eating so deliciously that I want to punch him.

“Wow, it’s even sweeter because my junior bought it for me~!”

“Enjoy your drink.”

I said, forcing a smile.

But why does this person keep saying “senior, junior” since earlier?

No one in our hospital has called me that so far.

Of course, there are cases where people from the same Yonsei University call each other that.

But I’m just a stranger from another school.

At least I’m not going to be in the senior-junior line.

“By the way, I’ve heard a lot about you. I heard you’re not from Yonsei University?”

“Yes. I’m from Ilwoon University.”

“Ilwoon University.”

Byeon smiled.

It was a meaningful smile.

“You’re talking about the school that went bankrupt and disappeared last year, right?”

“Yes.”

“Ha, you must have a headache too. You can’t even say you’re from such a lousy school…”

He said that and grinned.

Why is he smiling like that?

It doesn’t seem like he’s just trying to laugh at me.

I think there’s another meaning…

That’s what I was thinking.

Byeon leaned his upper body and said in a small voice.

“Actually, I’m also from Ilwoon University.”

“Yes?”

I was surprised.

It was an unexpected confession.

“You’re from Ilwoon University too, Byeon?”

“Shh.”

My voice must have gotten louder.

Byeon raised his finger as if to tell me to be quiet.

I couldn’t hide my surprise.

There was another person from Ilwoon University here besides me?

“I had no idea.”

“Of course not, I haven’t been telling anyone. I don’t think many people know?”

Sip~

Byeon drank his iced tea and continued.

“After graduating from Ilwoon University, I did an internship at Seoul Kwangdong Hospital for a year and came here. So people don’t know my alma mater well.”

“I see.”

“Ha, when I graduated, Ilwoon University wasn’t such a train wreck… How did our alma mater become like this?”

“Haha, I know.”

“I’m too embarrassed to say I graduated from Ilwoon University.”

Byeon was complaining and suddenly asked me.

“Hey. Now that I think about it, there’s something I’ve been wondering about. Was the new Hakgwan [university building] building not completed until the end?”

“It wasn’t completed, it was abandoned for three years. I guess the foundation didn’t have the money to pay the remaining construction costs.”

“It’s a mess.”

“It was a shady school.”

“There were so many couples who were caught making out in the construction site. They didn’t even know they could be seen from the library building. Kekeke.”

“That’s right.”

We shared stories that only Ilwoon University students know.

Is this how a traveler feels when they meet someone from their hometown in a foreign land?

I was very happy.

It was enough to forget the other person’s bad first impression for a while.

“I couldn’t imagine that there would be a teacher from Ilwoon University in our hospital.”

“What teacher, you idiot! Now call me senior when we’re alone!”

“Yes, senior.”

“Other people take care of each other and eat with their seniors and juniors, but I don’t have a single junior, so I’m lonely.”

I understand that.

I was honestly envious of the senior-junior cliques in the hospital.

Not to mention Yonsei University graduates, but also graduates from other schools.

For example, in the case of Geun-wook, he is from another school, but there are ten alumni among the residents.

As the saying goes, blood is thicker than water, it is true that seniors and juniors have more affection for each other and help each other.

Byeon makes a bold statement.

“What’s the point of having a good senior! Don’t worry about this month’s intern evaluation. I’ll give you a good score!”

…Is that true?

Honestly, I don’t trust him.

From what I saw earlier, Byeon seems to be the target of the professor’s distrust…

I answered appropriately.

“No. I have to do well to get a good score.”

“Keke, you son of a bitch. You’re being modest.”

“By the way, shouldn’t we go up soon? The nurse said there’s a lot to do, and there are a few other calls stacked up…”

“Hey, it’s okay, it’s okay! If they say you’re late, I’ll take responsibility!”

Byeon made a bold statement as if he wanted me to trust him.

He seems to be trying to act like a reliable senior since earlier.

…But why don’t I trust him?

About 20 minutes passed.

Byeon kept talking to me as if he had found a conversation partner after a long time.

I shared stories about my college days with him and got on the elevator to the 3rd floor ICU.

Ding!

I ran into Professor Eom.

“Oh. Hello.”

We greeted him in a hurry.

Professor Eom frowned as soon as he saw us.

“Coffee? You must have plenty of time in the morning?”

“Ah, it’s the first day, so I’m teaching the intern this and that…”

“How many times have I told you not to wear a doctor’s gown and ride the elevator with coffee. Didn’t you teach the intern that?”

Oh?

I was embarrassed and looked down at the coffee we were holding.

I didn’t realize it at all until the professor pointed it out.

I shouldn’t have done this!

I didn’t know!

Then, Byeon said as if making an excuse.

“Oh, I’m sorry. The intern wanted to drink coffee so much…”

Huck…

What, this person?

Why are you suddenly selling me out?

You were the one who coaxed me to go to the cafe!

I looked at Byeon with a dumbfounded look, and the professor clicked his tongue.

“Don’t make excuses for the innocent intern. I know you coaxed him, Gyu-nam.”

“Ah, well…”

“If an intern comes in, you should try to show him something directly. Spend a little more time teaching in the ICU instead of chatting in the cafe.”

“Yes.”

Byeon scratched his head with an awkward expression.

Meanwhile, I felt disappointed.

As expected, Byeon was not a reliable person at all.

First impressions are everything!

I realize it once again.

Ding!

After a while, Professor Eom got off the elevator and Byeon said with a grin.

“Keke. Don’t be too discouraged~ Professor Eom is always like that.”

Perhaps because he had been pointed out so much, Byeon didn’t seem to be affected at all.

I looked at him with a pathetic look.

“Hey. But isn’t the professor’s name funny? It seems to fit his appearance perfectly.”

“Yes?”

Why Professor Eom Seo-yong?

As I tilted my head, Byeon said.

“He doesn’t have hair~ 으하하하하! [onomatopoeia for laughter]”

I laughed.

…Damn it, my pride!

Beep, beep, beep—

At that time, the pager I had put in my pocket started ringing loudly.