A Surgeon Who Uses Martial Arts [EN]: Chapter 202

Chapter 38: The First Date (2)

After the morning rounds.

Chief Resident Seongdeok entered his office, which was located next to the conference room.

He placed the coffee beans he had ground himself yesterday on the filter paper and poured hot water over them.

Steam rose gently.

The coffee aroma was rich, savory, and tangy.

Seongdeok sat on the sofa with a satisfied smile.

Donghoon was already sitting on the sofa opposite him.

“The coffee smells great, doesn’t it? My wife bought it on a trip abroad. It’s high-end coffee.”

“It certainly seems to be worth the price.”

“You’re a professor, too, so stop drinking canned coffee in the lounge. It damages your dignity.”

Seongdeok believed that a position should have its corresponding dignity.

A resident should act like a resident.

A fellow should act like a fellow.

A professor should act like a professor.

And finally, a chief resident should act like a chief resident.

If dignity didn’t change with position, there would be no need to get promoted.

“Anyway, I still get a sinking feeling in my heart when I think about what happened earlier.”

Seongdeok shook his head, recalling the incident where Youngman almost fell.

Youngman was a professor at Shinwon University.

He was also the head of the economics department, which Jaehoon, Seongdeok’s son, was majoring in.

He was also a patient that Seongdeok was paying special attention to, hoping that treating him well would help his son’s career and employment prospects.

What if he had fallen?

Even in front of all the staff?

It would have been a huge embarrassment.

“I got goosebumps on my arms for a moment, too. There was no one in the hallway because we were on rounds, and we were far from the staff. I thought the patient was going to fall for sure.”

“Junhoo, that guy, did something for once. He ran out like an athlete.”

“Junhoo is no ordinary person. Why else would I have used him as a second assistant for the Awakening Surgery?”

“It was a bold choice, but it turned out to be a good one.”

Seongdeok nodded in agreement.

Seongdeok had also watched Junhoo’s assistance during the Awakening Surgery with great interest.

He had also been hearing reports that Junhoo was special for a long time.

“But isn’t he too soft-hearted? He can’t even kick out a long-term patient. Tsk, tsk, tsk.”

“It must be because he has a deep rapport [a close and harmonious relationship] with the patient and their guardian. That’s why Professor Na was so pleased with Junhoo.”

Seongdeok didn’t answer and got up from his seat.

He went to the cupboard and poured drip coffee into a fancy cup.

Pour, pour, pour.

Returning to his seat, Seongdeok placed two coffee cups on the table in the middle of the sofa.

“I’ll enjoy this.”

“Of course, you should. I made the coffee, after all.”

After making a joke, Seongdeok sat back on the sofa.

He savored a sip of coffee.

“Well, I think we can let the vegetative state patient’s discharge slide because he saved Professor Na. That patient probably won’t last long even if we leave him alone.”

“You’re right. If the guardian harbors resentment and approaches the media, it could create public opinion that the hospital is kicking out patients.”

“But weren’t you being too obvious in siding with Junhoo?”

Seongdeok asked out of curiosity.

In Seongdeok’s opinion, Donghoon’s actions were excessive.

In a public round.

For a professor to side with a resident?

This was not a normal situation.

“I haven’t been at this hospital for very long, so I need to make allies in advance, don’t I?”

“Does that mean Junhoo is your first recruit?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Even if he has great potential, he’s only a first-year resident. Don’t you think you’re making a mistake?”

“You have to recognize talent early. It’ll be too late later.”

“Hmm… You’re already eyeing him…”

Seongdeok stroked his chin thoughtfully.

Junhoo wasn’t quite up to Seongdeok’s standards, but he certainly seemed like a useful piece.

How should he put it?

He was perfect as a disposable item.

He was the type who was good at handling difficult surgeries or promoting a righteous image in the media.

“Then nurture him well. I’ll give you some support from behind.”

“Thank you. Just hearing that makes me feel secure.”

“However, that’s only if Junhoo continues to prove his worth in the future.”

Adding a condition, Seongdeok took another sip of coffee.

He hid a sly smile behind his coffee cup.

Always, anywhere.

Creating an escape route.

That was Seongdeok’s secret to becoming the chief resident.

* * *

As the morning rounds ended, the staff began to disperse.

Unlike the other staff, Junhoo headed towards the on-call room.

Today was his day off.

He had only participated in the conference and rounds because he had time until ‘that date’.

Now that his business was finished, he had to change into casual clothes and prepare for the date.

“Hey, are you leaving without saying goodbye?”

A familiar voice came from behind him.

Turning around, Junhoo saw Kyungsoo approaching him.

Junhoo turned to face Kyungsoo.

“I was going to say goodbye after changing my clothes.”

“What was that during the rounds? You shot out like lightning? I thought you were Usain Bolt?”

“I learned track and field when I was young.”

Junhoo shrugged as if it was nothing.

He told a blatant lie without a moment’s hesitation.

Perhaps because he had made so many excuses, he could now shamelessly make excuses even when revealing his martial arts in front of his colleagues.

“Still, wasn’t that too fast? You were in front of the patient in the blink of an eye.”

“That’s why the track and field coach shed tears when I quit track and field.”

“…About the vegetative state patient.”

Kyungsoo carefully brought up the topic, watching Junhoo’s reaction.

“If you can’t get them to leave, should I do it for you?”

“No. I’ll do it. I’m the attending physician, so I have to do it.”

“I’m saying that because I don’t think you’ll be able to bring yourself to say it.”

Kyungsoo’s point was correct.

Junhoo thought that encouraging discharge was too harsh.

Until now, Junhoo hadn’t said a word to the guardian.

Wasn’t Junhoo even personally supporting the hospital bills by 500,000 won every month (with some of the NewTube [a fictional video platform] revenue)?

If Junhoo, who was doing that, urged the guardian to leave, the guardian would be hurt beyond words.

“The chief resident is going too far. Honestly.”

Junhoo bit his lip and continued.

“Even if the patient is in a vegetative state, the length of stay can be determined at our discretion. Usually, we allow up to 1 year, or even 2 years… 8 months is too short.”

“What can we do? He’s obsessed with money.”

“I’ll never be like that when I become the chief resident.”

“But you know that just holding out won’t solve the problem, right?”

Kyungsoo pointed out the problem again.

Even though he had opened his heart to Junhoo, Kyungsoo still showed a realistic attitude.

That was the difference between Junhoo and Kyungsoo.

“Whether the guardian accepts the discharge or not, you have to say something first. That way, you’ll have a reason when the chief resident pushes you later.”

“That’s true.”

“Just leave this to me. I’ll say it well in a roundabout way.”

“I’m grateful and tempted, but my position remains the same. I have to say it eventually.”

“Really? If you’re going to say it, do it now. Otherwise, you won’t be able to rest properly today. You’ll be thinking about this all day.”

“Hoo. I guess I have to?”

“Come on. I’ll watch from the side.”

Kyungsoo took the lead, and Junhoo followed behind with heavy steps.

But just then.

Chief Chanyeong was approaching from the opposite side. Chanyeong briefly called out to the two of them.

“Junhoo.”

“Yes, Chief.”

“I’m on my way back from the chief resident’s office, and they’ve decided to cancel the vegetative state patient’s discharge.”

At the unexpected news, Junhoo tilted his head.

“Why all of a sudden?”

“You stopped Professor Na from falling today. It seems like they were impressed by that.”

“…”

“They said they’ll watch the patient’s condition a little longer.”

“That’s good. I was feeling burdened.”

Only then did Junhoo feel relieved.

It seemed like the heavens were still on Junhoo and the patient’s side.

* * *

That day, at 8:40 AM.

Junhoo was standing in the lobby on the first floor of the hospital’s main building, dressed in casual clothes for once.

The lobby was crowded with people from the morning.

Staff hurrying to work.

The hospital was bustling with patients and guardians who had arrived a little earlier than the appointment time.

After becoming a doctor, Junhoo had come to realize something.

There were too many people in the world suffering from major and minor illnesses.

There was no age limit to getting sick and dying.

It was a very simple truth.

But surprisingly, not many people seemed to live knowing this well.

Also, healthy people seemed to live as if they would be healthy forever.

Birth, aging, sickness, and death were inevitable.

When and how will I die?

Junhoo asked himself the question.

It wasn’t a depressing question, but a question that pierced the essence of life.

It was also a very natural question for Junhoo, who had already experienced death in the Murim world [a fictional world of martial arts and cultivation].

“What are you thinking about so early in the morning?”

“Oh. You’re here. Of course, I was thinking about you, Ayoung.”

Junhoo said, looking at Ayoung, who had come to his side. Ayoung smiled, pleased with Junhoo’s lip service [insincere flattery](?).

“Then, are you ready for the date?”

“Yes. Of course.”

“Then let’s go.”

Junhoo and Ayoung left the main building.

The cool air of early autumn brushed against their skin. The sky was high and blue, and the morning sun was warm.

The scenery seen directly was different from the scenery seen only through the windows of the building.

Grumble.

As they pushed through the crowd, a sudden stomach rumble spread.

It was coming from Ayoung’s stomach.

“Are you hungry?”

“Yeah. I’m starving. I’m thirsty and have no energy.”

“That’s why I said let’s have a normal date. If we had, we would be eating delicious bread by now.”

“People can’t live on bread alone, you know?”

“When you say that, it’s not credible at all, you know?”

Junhoo chuckled.

He fixed his gaze on the checkup center in the annex building in the distance.

Today’s morning date was none other than a health checkup.

Ayoung had suggested a checkup date for their first date.

She said that you have to take care of your health when you’re healthy.

Junhoo didn’t like the checkup date, but he followed because Ayoung wanted it.

He was going to listen to everything Ayoung wanted in the future.

Ayoung deserved it.

“Junhoo, aren’t you hungry?”

“Not really?”

“You haven’t been a big eater since before.”

“If you eat a lot, your body becomes sluggish and your mind becomes dull.”

“That won’t do in the future. You’re already a tired surgeon, so you have to eat well. I’ll take responsibility and make you a pig.”

“Don’t say scary things.”

Arriving at the health checkup center on the second floor of the annex, they chatted.

The checkup center had a sophisticated and elegant atmosphere. It was clear that they had paid attention to the interior and furniture arrangement.

There were quite a few checkup takers who had arrived earlier.

Some were already wearing checkup gowns, and some were waiting to register.

University hospitals attracted many people not only for treatment but also for checkups.

Junhoo and Ayoung were able to barely squeeze into a canceled reservation because they were employees.

Soon, the two of them took a number and waited.

“Customer number 22.”

Junhoo was called first.

Sitting at the reception desk, Junhoo took out the questionnaire and specimen from the crossbody bag he was carrying and handed them to the reception staff.

He had been closely examining his body condition with martial arts, but he suddenly thought that there might be diseases he hadn’t identified.

Modern medicine was as great as martial arts.

Well, I guess there won’t be any problems?