A Surgeon Who Uses Martial Arts [EN]: Chapter 280

Chapter 53: Master and Disciple (5)

“Tell me what you felt after observing the recent AVM [Arteriovenous Malformation, an abnormal tangle of blood vessels connecting arteries and veins in the brain] surgery. I’m sure you must have realized something.”

Jaehyun asked for Junhoo’s response.

And Junhoo already had words prepared, not just in his head, but in his heart.

“Actually, I received an overwhelming lesson from the professor’s mindset rather than the surgery itself.”

“Mindset?”

Jaehyun tilted his head.

His gesture implied that he didn’t quite understand Junhoo’s answer.

Having seen the new surgery, he expected Junhoo to mention the technical aspects of the surgery.

“Explain in detail.”

“Professor, you are recognized as the best neurosurgeon in the country by everyone. Despite that…”

“…….”

“I was very impressed by your efforts to improve yourself. Among older professors, some still dislike or avoid minimally invasive surgeries like endoscopic surgery…”

“…….”

“I respect you because you always seem to be thinking about better treatments for patients.”

“Haha. That’s not the kind of answer I was expecting when I asked the question.”

Jaehyun’s face flushed slightly at the unexpected praise from his student.

“I’m just telling you what I felt.”

“Well, I’m glad you think you can learn something from me.”

Jaehyun took a sip of his coffee and looked at Junhoo.

Junhoo’s eyes were earnest, and his voice was deep.

Junhoo’s earlier answer wasn’t just to impress Jaehyun.

Knowing this warmed his heart.

In today’s harsh world, receiving sincere respect was like trying to catch a star in the sky.

“Professor, I have a few more questions about the surgery.”

“Go ahead.”

“I would like to know the specific indications for the new surgery.”

“You should have asked that from the start.”

Jaehyun’s explanation followed:

1) When the AVM is larger than 6cm.

2) When the malformed blood vessels are deep within the brain.

3) When venous outflow is severe.

He explained that the new surgery is only possible if these three conditions are met.

Junhoo committed Jaehyun’s explanation to memory.

He had already memorized the surgical procedure by creating a flow chart, and he remembered the surgical conditions.

Now, the new surgery was as good as Junhoo’s.

Learning from the techniques of other surgeons, just like learning martial arts from others, was one of Junhoo’s specialties.

By imitating like this, Junhoo would one day be able to develop his own wonderful new surgery.

Junhoo was already looking forward to that day.

He couldn’t hide his excitement when he imagined that day.

“Junhoo, your assistance was also excellent. You’re already at the level of a fellow [a doctor who has completed residency and is receiving advanced training in a subspecialty].”

Jaehyun turned the topic to Junhoo.

“I still have a long way to go.”

“If you say that, the other residents will come after you with clubs, you know?”

“…….”

“I’ve heard about your achievements, not just today. You performed surgery with just loupes [magnifying glasses] when the microscope broke down.”

“…….”

“And you even assisted with hand replantation surgery?”

“Ah… yes.”

Junhoo lowered his head as he answered.

It was all his own experience, but hearing it from his teacher made him feel a little shy and embarrassed.

“Underestimating yourself or being too humble can also be bad.”

“…….”

“At least you need to share your accomplishments with close friends.”

“I will keep that in mind, Professor.”

“I’m glad you’re growing so much. That’s why I’m saying this…”

Jaehyun paused before continuing.

“I might bring forward my retirement a bit.”

His body reacted first to the word ‘retirement.’

Junhoo straightened his back.

He widened his eyes and swallowed hard.

Jaehyun was not a man of jokes. At least when it came to medicine and medical practice, he was the ultimate stickler.

Even a casual remark.

His words carried a weight that was different from others.

“Why do you look so surprised? You knew I was thinking about retirement.”

“I just heard about bringing forward the timeline for the first time.”

Junhoo forcibly opened his lips, which were reluctant to move.

“If you shorten your retirement, how long would that be…”

“Maybe about 6 years from now?”

“Isn’t that too early? You’ll be in your prime until then. Please work for much longer!”

Junhoo’s voice was filled with urgency.

For the sake of the patients.

And for the sake of Junhoo.

It was Junhoo’s desire for Jaehyun to remain in neurosurgery and serve for a little longer.

Junhoo was afraid of the darkness that would come when the great star fell.

“Aren’t there professors who perform surgery until they are 65? You could do it for even longer.”

“Junhoo.”

Jaehyun called Junhoo in a low voice.

“Yes, Professor.”

“Think about the patient you transferred today.”

“Are you talking about Nurse Go Yuri? Why are you suddenly bringing that up…”

“A Big 5 hospital nurse couldn’t receive surgery at her own hospital and was transferred to another Big 5 hospital. Do you know what this means?”

Instead of answering, Junhoo bit his lip.

His heart ached at the bitter reality.

The emotion Junhoo hated the most was helplessness.

And the situation he hated the most was repeating the same tragedy.

Yuri reminded him of Sung-ho, a medical school classmate who died after being transferred from one hospital emergency room to another due to a traffic accident.

“No matter how hard you or I try, there’s a limit to saving people. If we don’t change the medical system… the same tragedy will eventually be repeated.”

“…….”

“Honestly, I think even 6 years is too long. In the meantime, hundreds of people will die from the same old neurosurgical patterns.”

Jaehyun said with a painful expression.

Jaehyun’s father also died after a traffic accident in the countryside because he couldn’t receive surgery in time.

Jaehyun and Junhoo shared the same pain.

That’s why they could easily resonate with each other.

“So, you need to grow up quickly and take over my position. There must be a star surgeon. Symbolism cannot be ignored.”

“Yes, Professor.”

“Oh, dear. The conversation suddenly became too heavy. Shall we talk about something else?”

Jaehyun hurriedly changed the subject.

He asked if he was wearing the toe socks he had given him before.

He heard that he was going to be dispatched to Daejeon, when would he be going, and so on.

But Junhoo couldn’t fully concentrate on the conversation.

* * *

Jaehyun stood by the window in his office.

With his hands behind his back, he looked down at the hospital scenery spread out below the window.

It was the time when outpatient visits were over and hospital staff were leaving work one by one.

The main building was spewing out people.

The people moved busily like ants, heading somewhere.

His disciple Junhoo must be mixed in with those people by now.

He’s a guy who always exceeds expectations.

I wonder how much he will have grown next time.

Jaehyun smiled contentedly as he recalled Junhoo’s hematoma removal surgery.

Only a second-year resident.

How audacious!

He showed the miracle of digesting and using all of Jaehyun’s signature surgical techniques.

He couldn’t help but be amazed.

And that wasn’t all.

He showed extraordinary assistance during AVM surgery.

In the past year, Jaehyun had never received such divine assistance as Junhoo.

It was like having another version of himself standing on the opposite side, a blissful feeling.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

An unwelcome knock was heard.

His thoughts shattered.

Jaehyun turned around, saying to come in. Fellow professor Park Myung-kwan approached and stood next to Jaehyun.

“It’s nice to see you looking so sentimental. Well.”

“Are you teasing me as soon as you see me?”

“No? I’m serious. I feel some humanity in your pensive state. You don’t seem human in the operating room.”

“What’s wrong with me in the operating room?”

“You’re a robot and a cold-blooded person.”

Myung-kwan laughed and continued.

“But you should have rested today. Haven’t you been off for the whole month?”

“A disciple brought a patient, so I couldn’t pretend I didn’t know.”

He lied to Junhoo that it was a working day, but in fact, Jaehyun was off today.

It was a rare day off, so he had appointments that he had made in advance, but they were all canceled.

“If it’s a disciple, are you talking about that friend Seo Junhoo?”

“Yes. He’s grown so much that it’s shocking again. It wasn’t a waste to give up my day off.”

“…….”

“Oh, right. You’re friends with the head of neurosurgery at Daejeon Shinwon University Hospital, aren’t you?”

“Why is that?”

“No, I was just curious about what kind of person he is…”

Jaehyun trailed off.

The real intention was to find out what the working atmosphere was like in the place where Junhoo was going to be dispatched.

With Junhoo’s ability, he would do well anywhere.

A teacher couldn’t stop worrying about his disciple.

“Si-deok is 3 years my junior? He’s an ambitious and really decent person…”

“Decent but?”

“Right now, the Daejeon medical team is in shambles and they’re having a hard time. The residents and professors do whatever they want, so it seems like they can’t control them.”

Jaehyun’s expression became serious at Myung-kwan’s words.

“Tell me in detail what’s going on.”

* * *

After parting with Jaehyun, Junhoo went to Shinwon University Hospital.

Junhoo sighed as he looked up at the magnificent main building.

It was a place he shouldn’t have come to in the first place.

For at least 6 months.

Junhoo’s workplace was Daejeon, not Seoul.

But Junhoo had an incredibly important reason to visit the Seoul headquarters.

Whoosh.

A gust of wind blew and pushed Junhoo’s back.

Junhoo entered the lobby, unable to resist.

It was after outpatient visits and the staff had left work one by one, so the lobby was deserted.

But as he was moving towards the escalator, he noticed a familiar figure.

The person was coming out of the cafe with a coffee to go.

“Kyungsoo!”

“What? Why are you here?”

Kyungsoo turned around and recognized Junhoo, and Junhoo approached Kyungsoo.

“Weren’t you supposed to be resting at home and then going down to Daejeon? You missed me, didn’t you?”

“Don’t make such a terrible joke. I’m getting goosebumps.”

“Then why did you come?”

“Ayoung is really angry. I think I need to cheer her up.”

“If Ayoung is angry, you must have caused the problem. Ayoung is a saint. Whatever it is, get on your knees and beg for forgiveness.”

“I’m thinking of wearing knee pads.”

After chatting with Kyungsoo, Junhoo went straight to the Department of Thoracic Surgery.

He also greeted the nurses when he passed the Department of Thoracic Surgery station.

He had become acquainted with some of the nurses during his on-call shifts.

Standing in front of the on-call room of the Department of Thoracic Surgery.

Junhoo took a deep breath.

He had organized what to say and what not to say.

Ayoung was very disappointed and angry with Junhoo because of the Shiho incident a few days ago.

Because he had predicted Shiho’s attack, Junhoo told Ayoung to take a day off and rest on the day of the incident.

That was not a problem.

The problem was what happened next.

Ayoung found out that Shiho had committed a stabbing.

-So, you knew that a stabbing would happen and evacuated me in advance, right?

When they talked on the phone a few days ago, Ayoung asked, glaring at Junhoo.

“…I guess you could say that?”

-Then you should have evacuated too, Junhoo! How can you face someone with a knife? It’s dangerous! What if you got seriously injured?

An uncharacteristically sharp voice came out.

Ayoung was furious that Junhoo had faced Shiho even though he had expected the stabbing.

It was a misunderstanding because she didn’t know that Junhoo was from the Murim [a fictional world of martial arts masters] and the strongest human on Earth.

But Junhoo couldn’t help it.

Even if it was his beloved Ayoung, if he revealed that he was from the Murim, he would be treated like a mentally ill person.

“I had to involve the stabbing to completely plunge that human into hell. So, I think I was a little reckless.”

-How can you say that? There has to be a limit to recklessness. How can you only think about yourself like that? Don’t you care about the people who worry about you?

“No… Ayoung… it’s not like that…”

Click!

Without even having a chance to make excuses, the call was disconnected.

After that, even if Junhoo connected the call, sent a text message, or even visited her in person, Ayoung didn’t even acknowledge Junhoo.

She completely treated him like an invisible man.

But today will be different.

Junhoo had prepared a secret weapon to calm the disappointment and anger that was boiling in Ayoung’s heart.

The moment he uses this weapon, the relationship between Junhoo and Ayoung will enter a different dimension than it is now.

Junhoo was sure.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

At the knock, Ayoung’s voice was heard to come in.

Junhoo opened the door to the on-call room.