Dr. Shin Seonhan: The Doctor Who Sees The Future [EN]: Chapter 119

And below that, there are funny-looking fish dancing.

“That design was the best I could find.”

“Thank you. I’ll wear it well!”

Yeon-seo puts on the oversized T-shirt I gave her.

Phew.

I feel relieved.

I’d been worried about Yeon-seo’s thin clothes, but it’s better now that she’s wearing something.

It’ll keep her from catching a cold, and also help get rid of my distracting thoughts.

But she really looks good in anything.

I wonder if she would have been successful as a model?

“Then let’s go! I’m curious to see how amazing these fireworks are that so many people have gathered!”

Yeon-seo pulls me along, taking the lead.

We move to find a good spot.

Many people have already taken their places.

Soon, we’re lucky enough to find a decent spot.

Up on the embankment.

A secluded spot somewhat away from the beach.

“Wow, this is nice!”

“It’s a bit high up, can you climb up?”

“If you hold my hand.”

Heave-ho!

Yeon-seo takes my hand and climbs onto the embankment.

Soon, we both spread out the mat and sit down.

People enjoying the festival can be seen everywhere below.

“This is like a VIP seat, isn’t it?”

“Good find.”

“You just need to follow me, hehe. Geun-wook must be struggling to watch, getting pushed around by people.”

“True.”

“He’s so big, he’s probably getting a lot of glares from the people around him.”

Yeon-seo giggles and then asks,

“But did Geun-wook really get a girlfriend?”

“Yeah, I think so. Her name is Kim Ah-ryeong.”

“Ah-ryeong?”

“A sports instructor. They’re a match made in heaven.”

“Puhaha!”

Yeon-seo bursts out laughing.

She bends over, laughing for a while.

I realize once again that being with Yeon-seo keeps the atmosphere bright.

We each open a can of beer.

“Looking at the dried squid legs suddenly reminds me of L-tubes [a type of feeding tube]. Do you remember that grandfather who looked like Woo Jae-seok in March?”

“Yeah. That grandfather when we were rotating through internal medicine?”

“We had so much trouble getting the L-tube in.”

“Right, we finally succeeded by freezing the L-tube in the freezer.”

“Do you remember how clueless you were when you asked me where to find a thicker L-tube?”

That’s right.

It feels like a story from the past, even though it was only a few months ago.

Back then, I was just one misfit who came from the countryside.

I was always anxious because I had less practical experience than others.

“I was grateful for your help in many ways back then, Yeon-seo.”

“Aren’t I the only one among our classmates who takes care of you?”

“Yeah. You’re the only one.”

Yeon-seo holds out her beer can.

I chuckle and clink my beer can against hers.

This is the first time Yeon-seo and I have talked for so long, just the two of us.

As we slowly empty our cans of beer, our conversation deepens.

“When did you want to become a doctor?”

“My mom had a big influence on me.”

“Mom?”

I tilt my head.

Come to think of it, I’ve never heard about Yeon-seo’s family.

“After my parents divorced and our family’s finances became tight, my mom worked as a nursing assistant. From when I was young until last year.”

“Ah, I see.”

I nod.

Yeon-seo doesn’t usually talk about herself.

This is the first time I’ve heard that she comes from a divorced family.

Yeon-seo takes a sip of beer and says,

“My mom worked really hard raising me and my sibling alone.”

.

These are the people who perform all sorts of tasks in the hospital.

Transporting blood, changing patient sheets, organizing medical supplies, and so on…….

People who are hired to ensure the smooth operation of the hospital are collectively called assistants.

“Since my mom worked at the hospital, I went to her workplace a few times when I was in middle school. I thought when I saw the doctors back then, ‘I’m jealous…… How much do those people earn?’”

I nod.

I think I understand.

It seems that Yeon-seo’s life goal was set at that time.

Yeon-seo must have felt complicated emotions when she saw the doctors as a child.

Whether it was admiration, envy, or spite…….

It was enough of a motivation to determine the direction of her life.

“When I said I wanted to go to medical school, my mom poured all the money she had worked so hard for into me.”

It probably wasn’t an easy time.

The cost of education in Korea is by no means cheap.

And Yeon-seo must have put in a lot of effort as well.

Suddenly, Yeon-seo smiles awkwardly and waves her hand.

“Hehe, I’m saying all sorts of things because I’ve had some alcohol. My story isn’t interesting, is it?”

“No.”

I shake my head.

And I start talking about myself.

“Unlike you, Yeon-seo, I came to my senses a bit late.”

During middle school.

There was a time when I lost my way and wandered for a while.

I didn’t even have time to think about my own future.

Then, I met a ray of light.

Baekui Shin [a respected figure/role model].

After that, the direction of my life became clear.

“Wow, so wanting to become a doctor like Baekui Shin was real?”

“Yeah.”

“I thought it was just a concept for the broadcast…… I thought Sun-han oppa [older brother/male friend] was just an attention seeker, but it was genuine.”

Seriously.

What? An attention seeker?

As I make a dumbfounded expression, Yeon-seo smiles and says, putting a snack in her mouth,

“But we have some similarities. Sun-han oppa is also the type to run like crazy once he sets a goal.”

“That’s right.”

“So, your current goal is to survive at Yeon-guk University?”

“Yeah.”

I nod.

Surviving at Yeon-guk University.

I’m not even thinking about anything else right now.

Of course, the surgical field is an unpopular major, so the competition rate is low…….

Even so, it’s by no means a safe bet for me, who came from Il-woon University.

“So, is that why you’re working so hard, only looking ahead?”

“Me?”

“Even though you’re still an intern, you’re always thinking about work, work, work, like a workaholic.”

I scratch my cheek and answer.

“I’m just that kind of person. Once I get caught up in one thought, I can’t easily turn my eyes elsewhere.”

“Then, what about next year?”

“Huh?”

“If you survive at Yeon-guk University next year and get into the department you want…… then will you live like others, looking around you a bit?”

“…….”

“Date a little too?”

I’m speechless.

There are times like that.

When I can tell where my heart is beating.

Yeon-seo stares at me with playful eyes for a moment, then turns her gaze away.

“Oh, look over there!”

Bang—

The fireworks begin.

Light explodes in time with the soft music.

A streak of light slowly flickers and falls towards the sea.

“Wow…….”

“Pretty.”

We stare at the night sky as if we’re mesmerized.

Fireworks seen from the beach have a special atmosphere.

Yeon-seo raises her camera, then soon puts it down.

And she rests her chin on her knees with a gentle expression.

“Aren’t you going to take a picture?”

“I’m not going to take one right now.”

“Why?”

“Sometimes, I just want to remember it with my eyes.”

The people gathered on the beach are all holding their phones up high.

But from a distance, they look like starlight.

So, the scenery unfolding before our eyes is like flowers that bloom and disappear quickly above the starlight.

It was a scene that will remain in my memory for a long time.

Yeon-seo is absorbed in the fireworks for a while, then opens her mouth as if she suddenly remembered something.

“Oh, that’s right. I didn’t use my wish chance from winning the snowball fight last time. Can I use it today?”

“What is it?”

“Um…….”

Yeon-seo hesitates for a moment.

“No, I’ll just postpone it. I’ll talk about it again sometime next year.”

Bang—

Fireworks explode.

Before the cheers of the people subside, another firework sound covers the sky.

The lights scattered into hundreds of pieces shimmer on the surface of the sea.

“Sun-han oppa.”

“Yeah.”

“Sun-han oppa will be able to achieve everything you aim for.”

“Thank you.”

“……I hope we can work at the same hospital next year too.”

“Yeah, I hope so too.”

Yeon-seo smiles gently.

And she doesn’t say anything after that.

Neither do I.

Together, we quietly watch the falling fireworks.

One year later.

Where will I be, and what goals will I be running towards?

I don’t know yet.

It might be similar to now, or it might be completely different.

The people who are next to me now will also scatter on their own paths.

But the days we spend together, doing our best during our internship, will remain as memories that don’t fade with time.

The end of August.

The days in Gokdam were also coming to an end.

* * *

“Are you two interns leaving today?”

“Yes. Thank you for everything.”

“Oh, it’s such a shame~!”

Last week of August.

Geun-wook and I said goodbye to the nurses.

The emergency room in Gokdam has interns coming and going every month.

The nurses were especially sad.

To be more precise, it seems like they’re sad to see Geun-wook leave.

“We felt so secure having our strong Geun-wook here.”

“That’s right. Hohoho.”

Surrounded by two nurses, Geun-wook scratches his head with an embarrassed expression.

‘I’m starting to get attached here, but it’s time to leave.’

I smile at the thought and get up from my seat.

There’s no time to get sentimental.

Even on the last day, patients keep visiting.

‘Okay. Let’s work hard until the end!’

Gokdam Emergency Room.

Many unusual patients visited until the last day.

As the evening deepened, a middle-aged woman with long hair and an elegant aura opened the emergency room door and appeared.