A Surgeon Who Uses Martial Arts [EN]: Chapter 182

Chapter 34. Completion (2)

The conversation in the on-call room continued for a while.

Today was a relatively relaxed day.

For some reason, the ER calls were quiet.

Many colleagues had surgery schedules that had brief openings of about 30 minutes to an hour.

Since it was difficult to gather during work hours, the conversation continued in a friendly atmosphere.

The mood maker was definitely Min-kyung.

Min-kyung had a talent.

She wove topics like a spider web, stretching them out effortlessly.

Thanks to Min-kyung, the topic shifted from Joon-hoo’s toe socks to essential items for doctors.

“I think Crocs are the best, no matter what anyone says,” Si-ho declared.

Crocs are an American shoe brand, but now the name is often used generically for similar shoes, much like “hoechstetter” [likely refers to a specific brand of syringe or medical tool, now used generically] or “Coke” [referring to any cola].

The shape was like sandals with holes.

“They’re well-ventilated and comfortable for the feet. Plus, the design is more stylish than three-stripe slippers.”

“I heard that even PKs (pre-med students) wear Crocs these days. I was too self-conscious to wear them back then.”

“Min-kyung, were you already old enough to look for the ‘good old days’?”

Si-ho stared at Min-kyung with a gentle smile.

“Two years is enough to look back, right, Joon-hoo?”

“I’ll pass. I hate them.”

“Why are you like that over a little joke? Don’t sulk. It’s not like you.”

Min-kyung hurriedly tried to appease Joon-hoo.

“Kyung-soo, what’s your essential item?”

Min-kyung turned the attention to Kyung-soo.

Kyung-soo was the least talkative of the four. It wasn’t just today; he was usually like that.

He didn’t even open up to Joon-hoo, who was his classmate.

Even when Joon-hoo offered to help with work or perform acupressure, Kyung-soo refused.

It was as if his motto was, ‘Neither give nor receive.’

“Mine is a pain patch.”

“Is that all? No additional explanation?”

“Everyone knows the reason, so is there really a need to say it?”

Kyung-soo’s answer was cold.

Kyung-soo scanned his colleagues and lightly stroked the back of his neck.

A pain patch was attached to the back of Kyung-soo’s neck.

“Seriously, Kyung-soo’s sociability is zero. I don’t think you could glue it on even with superglue.”

“That’s just part of his personality. Isn’t that what makes life more interesting?”

Si-ho surprisingly defended Kyung-soo.

“Pain patches are used a lot.”

Joon-hoo nodded in agreement.

Surgeons who perform long surgeries tend to suffer from turtle neck [poor posture where the head juts forward], disc problems, and wrist pain.

Pain patches are easy to use and provide quick pain relief, making them a favorite among surgical residents.

If Joon-hoo hadn’t experienced the world of martial arts.

If he didn’t have the ability to correct his posture or recover his stamina.

Joon-hoo’s body would also be covered in pain patches.

“Min-kyung, what’s your essential item?”

“I’d say coffee and energy drinks. More accurately, caffeine. Once I have a cup, I can last for three or four hours.”

“You seem to be drinking too much lately. Shouldn’t you cut back a little?”

Joon-hoo asked with concern.

“Don’t you usually drink about four cups a day?”

“It depends on what kind of four cups. The caffeine content varies for each drink. You know the recommended daily intake of caffeine is 400mg, right?”

“I know. But just because you know doesn’t mean you can put it into practice.”

Min-kyung shook her head.

Joon-hoo tended to avoid caffeinated drinks as much as possible.

Caffeine provides an immediate awakening effect, but it only draws on the concentration you’ll need later.

This was called a caffeine crash.

Everyone must have had a similar experience.

After drinking coffee, six or seven hours later, your body feels sluggish and your concentration drops.

When your concentration drops, you drink more coffee, which is a vicious cycle.

“Then what’s our iron man Joon-hoo’s essential item? Now that he’s started dating, is he going to say Ah-young? Ugh, how cheesy.”

“I’m curious too.”

Min-kyung and Si-ho waited for Joon-hoo’s answer with shining eyes.

Kyung-soo didn’t say anything, but he also focused his attention on Joon-hoo.

In fact, Joon-hoo had an abundance of essential items.

The problem was that these essential items were beyond common sense.

Nutritional supplements and Qi cultivation [a system of physical and mental training].

Brain nerve acupressure to improve study efficiency.

Heavenly Mountain Pills to increase internal energy.

The ability to mimic other people’s treatments or surgeries after seeing them once.

Various examination methods using internal energy.

And countless other martial arts techniques.

However, if he told the truth, he would obviously be treated like a madman or a monster.

So, Joon-hoo prepared the most moderate answer.

He took off his Crocs and wiggled his toes.

“If I had to pick an essential item, it would be toe socks. My life is divided into before and after I knew about toe socks.”

The on-call room erupted once again because of Joon-hoo’s answer and actions.

Min-kyung had a fit.

“Seo Joon-hoo! I hate it!”

* * *

The conversation with his colleagues continued for about 20 more minutes.

After the doctors’ essential items, the topic was Ah-young. It was about Joon-hoo’s relationship.

Min-kyung was more actively involved in the conversation than ever before.

Who confessed first?

How far have you gone with skinship [physical intimacy]?

A quiet cat climbs onto the stove first [Korean proverb meaning someone unexpected does something surprising]; no one expected Joon-hoo to be the first to date in the neurosurgery department.

Treat Ah-young well.

If tears flow from Ah-young’s eyes, Joon-hoo, you will shed tears of blood, etc.

Min-kyung often glanced at Si-ho during the conversation.

It was a trivial action, but Joon-hoo noticed.

That Min-kyung liked Si-ho.

That Min-kyung was talking about Joon-hoo’s relationship while imagining her own rosy relationship with Si-ho.

However, Joon-hoo didn’t like that.

Joon-hoo didn’t like Si-ho.

He sensed Si-ho’s unique sinister and eerie aura, like that of a heretic.

Even if he were to be connected with Si-ho as Min-kyung wished.

Min-kyung would not be happy.

She would likely be used and then abandoned.

Joon-hoo was frustrated because he couldn’t say this directly.

“I have a surgery schedule, so I’ll get up first,” Kyung-soo said as he got up from his seat.

“Hey, let’s go together. You know I have a schedule too. Then the two aces of neurosurgery will have some quality time together.”

As the two left, the on-call room became empty.

An awkward silence hung between Joon-hoo and Si-ho.

It was Joon-hoo who spoke first, unexpectedly.

“Why did you do that, senior?”

“What do you mean all of a sudden?”

“You lied to me.”

“So, what lie? Are you openly attacking me now that Min-kyung and Kyung-soo are gone? Do you have a grudge against me?”

Si-ho was not shaken in the slightest by Joon-hoo’s questioning.

Rather, he had a gentle smile on his face.

“Before the awakening surgery, you told me my fortune when I was scrubbing in, right?”

“I did.”

“That was completely wrong, wasn’t it?”

Joon-hoo’s voice was tinged with accusation.

-You need to break free from your illusions. If you don’t, you may suffer from the reality in front of you right now.

At the time, Si-ho had clearly said that to Joon-hoo.

It gave off the impression that the awakening surgery would fail.

However, after Joon-hoo searched later, Joon-hoo’s fortune was the exact opposite of what Si-ho had said.

-If you desperately want it, it will come true. Don’t give up and take one more step.

Each portal site’s zodiac fortune and horoscope fortune all said that Joon-hoo’s luck today was very good.

So, Si-ho had lied about Joon-hoo’s fortune.

And Joon-hoo felt like he knew the intention.

Wasn’t it a kind of gaslighting [a form of psychological manipulation]?

When Joon-hoo was having a hard time.

Or when difficulties arose during surgery.

It was no different from manipulating his psychology to give up by reminding him of that fortune.

It was a very simple, subtle, and malicious scheme.

“That can’t be right? The fortune I checked for you wasn’t good.”

“Then give me your phone. You can check it if you look at the search history.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t do that.”

“Do you have something to hide?”

“That’s not true. I’m the type to delete unnecessary search history right away. There probably won’t be any traces left.”

“…….”

“Well, if you really want to, you can check it.”

Si-ho, who had been sitting a little away from Joon-hoo, came closer and readily handed over his phone.

Joon-hoo couldn’t believe Si-ho’s words, so he checked the search history on the phone he received.

As expected, there was nothing to be found even if he searched.

A meticulous person.

Did he calculate that I would react like this?

Joon-hoo’s brow furrowed as he gave up.

“See? What did I tell you?”

Si-ho, who had taken back the phone, shrugged his shoulders.

“But Joon-hoo, don’t you have a persecution complex?”

“Your words are too much.”

“That’s what I want to say. There’s no reason for me to lie about your fortune, is there?”

“I don’t know the reason, but you probably know it well. Anyway, the fact is that you lied.”

“Geez. I didn’t see you that way, but you’re surprisingly vicious?”

The two men’s eyes met head-on.

In an instant, the atmosphere in the on-call room became tense, as if walking on thin ice.

It resembled a battlefield.

If Joon-hoo was a spear, Si-ho was a shield.

Creak.

Just then, the on-call room door opened.

Chan-young, who was a 4th year and chief resident, appeared.

“What are you two doing? The atmosphere is unusual. Are you fighting?”

“No. We were just having a serious conversation. Right, Joon-hoo?”

“Yes. It’s nothing.”

“Hmm… well, if you two say so.”

“I have a surgery schedule, so I’ll go first.”

Si-ho left the on-call room first.

Chan-young sat down heavily on the chair next to Joon-hoo.

“But Joon-hoo, did nothing really happen? It felt like you were about to grab someone by the collar.”

“Yes. Nothing happened. There’s no reason for us to fight.”

“Well, you have a good personality and Si-ho is very easygoing. I thought the old ace and the new ace were having a battle of nerves.”

“We’re too busy seeing patients to fight each other.”

Joon-hoo reassured Chan-young with comfortable words.

Did it work?

Chan-young nodded in agreement.

But unlike his outward appearance, Joon-hoo’s heart was already filled with suspicion towards Si-ho.

Joon-hoo clearly felt it.

Si-ho’s pitch-black malice towards him.

Si-ho was on a different level from the villains Joon-hoo had faced so far.

While the villains he had faced so far were one-dimensional and couldn’t hide their desires.

Si-ho knew how to hide himself.

He manipulated people from behind and was even admired by those around him.

The way he bullied others was also subtle.

He was truly a difficult opponent to deal with.

* * *

“Hehehehe.”

Si-ho, who was walking down the hospital ward hallway, covered his face with one hand and burst into wild laughter.

He was happy.

He was so happy.

The conversation he had with Joon-hoo was unbearably enjoyable.

Surprisingly, Joon-hoo was seeing through Si-ho’s mind and methods.

This was his first time experiencing this.

Usually, once Si-ho decided to manipulate someone’s psychology, that person would helplessly flounder in that swamp.

He became Si-ho’s puppet.

But Joon-hoo had avoided Si-ho’s touch twice.

When he was doing spinal emergency surgery.

When Si-ho was about to ruin the patient’s spine.

Joon-hoo bravely stepped forward and stopped Si-ho.

And today, he even revealed the reality of the gaslighting he had subtly attempted.

He was truly an interesting guy.

Si-ho’s life was too easy and boring.

He was very happy that Joon-hoo, who had appeared in his boring life, had appeared.

He even thought that Joon-hoo might be the savior who would complete him.

Because the darkness becomes darker in the light.

“Doctor. Do you have something fun going on? You’re laughing a lot.”

A nurse who was walking from the opposite side stopped and spoke to Si-ho.

Si-ho removed the hand covering his face, stopped the wild laughter, and put on his usual gentle smile.

“I just heard a funny joke.”

“What joke? I want to know too.”

“It’s such a silly joke that it won’t be funny to you. But nurse, did you change your hair clip today?”

“Oh my. How did you know?”

“If you’re interested, you’ll see everything.”

The nurse blushed and became embarrassed at Si-ho’s sweet answer.

“Have a good day today too. I’ll be going now.”

Si-ho lightly patted the nurse’s shoulder as if to encourage her and started walking down the hospital ward hallway again.

While doing so, he took out the portable disinfectant spray he had put in his gown pocket and sprayed it on the palm of his hand that had touched the nurse’s shoulder.

Chiiik.