Fifth Vital [EN]: Chapter 106

106. Screw the Procedure

“How is it? The editing is amazing, right?”

“Your editing skills are always impressive, PD.”

The PD [Producer Director, a common term in Korean broadcasting] and writer, having finished editing the footage of Do Han-yeon’s misdeeds, headed to SBC broadcasting station.

“How can you edit so amazingly in such a short time?”

“I’ve always been fast at editing. Before my debut, seniors praised me as an editing machine.”

“Right! PD, you definitely cut that scene, right?”

“What, the scene where Do Han-yeon gets slapped?”

“Yes, the scene where she gets smacked.”

“I barely resisted the urge to just loop that scene over and over again.”

The PD even discarded the original footage to prevent any fallout from affecting Oh Gye-soon and Lee Hyun-ja.

“Honestly, even if we aired that scene, everyone would say they deserved it. No one would criticize those two.”

“Still, it’s better to be cautious. More than that, I thought Teacher Kim Tae-kyung was really cool.”

“Me too. I felt like I was watching a drama. He shouted to grab attention and then used professional medical terms to overwhelm them. I felt some charisma.”

“Exactly. That’s why I felt most sorry when we had to blur Teacher Kim Tae-kyung’s face. Viewers should have seen that vivid expression.”

“True, but we can’t show ordinary people’s faces. Anyway, PD, why are you giving this to SBC news, not your former workplace?”

“Other places are too concerned with what the higher-ups think. SBC, where Gu Go-chan is holding out, is the most like real news.”

“True. They don’t put on a show with the news there.”

“That old fart Gu Go-chan has a terrible temper, but his integrity and sense of justice regarding the news are genuine.”

The PD decided to report this child abuse case to a broadcasting station that would properly cover it, rather than his former workplace.

“But I heard that Team Leader Gu Go-chan and you are enemies. Is it okay?”

“Enemies?”

“Everyone in the entertainment team knows that Team Leader Gu stole your girlfriend in college, turning you from best friends into enemies.”

“Ah, that? But it’s the opposite.”

“Opposite?”

“Yeah. I stole Go-chan *hyung’s* [older brother or male friend] girlfriend. That’s why he got pissed and cut ties with me.”

“Wow! Amazing. PD, you’re such a jerk.”

“Writer Han, a jerk? Do Han-yeon is the jerk. And we were all just hot-blooded 20-year-olds. Stop with the nonsense and tell me if you’ve tried contacting Team Leader Gu.”

“If you were him, would you answer?”

“You haven’t tried calling?”

“I called from your phone the whole way here, but he never answers.”

“Did he block me?”

“Of course, he blocked you. What are we going to do now?”

“We’ll make him answer.”

“How? You’re going to put Do Han-yeon’s face on the news, aren’t you?”

“Don’t worry, just give me your phone, Writer Han.”

The PD, also a father of two daughters, had no intention of just letting this go.

“I’ll do whatever it takes to make that psycho Do Han-yeon appear on the 9 o’clock news tonight.”

He couldn’t forgive that disgusting human who acted like the world’s warmest mother in front of Sera after doing all sorts of dirty deeds.

* * *

30 minutes later-

“Ah…….”

Tae-kyung sighed without realizing it after checking the child’s video.

“Damn it!”

As expected before the CT scan, Se-young had appendicitis.

Usually, appendicitis might seem simple, but Se-young’s case was different.

“How could she have endured this long in this condition?”

It had been neglected for so long that the appendix had completely melted away due to the inflammation. He would probably have to cut off part of the large intestine as well.

“Crazy woman! Ha!”

Fortunately, the organs around the ruptured appendix had formed a wall, preventing the inflammation from spreading into the abdominal cavity. If the inflammation had spread into the abdominal cavity, she would have died from severe peritonitis [inflammation of the peritoneum, the membrane lining the abdominal cavity].

‘Let’s hurry.’

There was no time. Tae-kyung headed to the ward at a fast pace, wanting to heal the child’s body as soon as possible.

“Excuse me, Director?”

Officer Kim, who had been standing in front of the ward, called out to Tae-kyung, who was rushing over.

“I wanted to ask about Se-young’s current condition.”

Officer Kim had been watching the medical staff moving urgently and performing tests, waiting for the right moment to ask.

“The initial tests showed high inflammation levels, so we took a CT scan along with some other tests. The results showed appendicitis. But the situation isn’t good, so we need to proceed with surgery quickly.”

“Surgery?”

“Doctor, I’ll have the surgery.”

Tae-kyung was surprised by the words that followed, more than by Officer Kim’s questioning in surprise at the word “surgery.”

Se-young had overheard the conversation while going to the bathroom with Nurse Lim Jeong-sook. And then, in an indifferent tone, she continued.

“I can have surgery.”

“Our Se-young is so brave. Se-young, let’s go into the ward for a moment.”

Nurse Lim Jeong-sook took Se-young’s hand and went into the ward, closing the door slightly. Tae-kyung and Officer Kim, watching the scene, couldn’t say anything for a moment.

“…….”

A typical child of her age would have cried or been surprised just hearing the word ‘surgery.’ Even adults are scared of surgery, let alone children.

But Se-young was different.

She had become so accustomed to pain that the word ‘surgery’ didn’t elicit any reaction.

“First, the legal guardian needs to consent to the child’s surgery.”

“Ah, you’re talking about the surgery consent form, right?”

“Yes, but who should we get it from, given that the stepmother is the abuser?”

“I was contacted by the station a little while ago, and after checking, the father is the biological father. It’s right to ask him, but we can’t be sure that he didn’t participate in the abuse. At the very least, he can’t avoid responsibility for neglect. In this situation, I’ll check with a public defender to see if we can proceed with the surgery.”

“Of course, that procedure is necessary.”

It wasn’t that he disliked ignoring procedures, but he couldn’t discuss procedures when every second was crucial. It was about a child’s life, unlike other matters.

Tae-kyung had no intention of following the procedure.

“Officer Kim, do we really have to follow that procedure?”

“Yes?”

“Se-young’s condition is serious right now. We need to start the surgery immediately. In fact, it’s a miracle that she’s lasted this long.”

He wasn’t lying to proceed with the surgery. It was almost as if Se-young had endured with her mental strength, so the expression ‘miracle’ was not an exaggeration.

“A miracle……?”

“Yes, and we don’t know when the peritonitis will worsen. Please.”

“Ah……. Then I’ll look into it, so Director, don’t worry about the procedure or anything like that and start the surgery quickly.”

It was a grateful thing. He was truly grateful to Officer Kim for accepting Tae-kyung’s feelings for the child as they were and helping him.

In fact, although it was absurd, there were sometimes frustrating cases where people insisted on following procedures and principles even in moments like this. But he was helping so much by allowing the surgery to proceed without delay.

“I’ll take responsibility for resolving the legal issues.”

“Thank you.”

He would definitely get an earful when he returned to the station, but Officer Kim didn’t have time to worry about that now.

Saving the child was far more important, even if he had to endure a scolding.

“I’ll just get yelled at. It’s not like I’m writing a statement for the first time.”

* * *

Tae-kyung returned to the emergency room with Se-young and Nurse Lim Jeong-sook.

“Okay! Everyone, focus.”

Except for Lee Chan-hee, who was seeing patients in the emergency room, the main medical staff gathered at the station.

“First, give her a third-generation cephalosporin (cefotaxime: an antibiotic that can be used for intra-abdominal infections). Also, give her fluids. Since she’s a child, be sure to strictly adhere to the dosage and intervals I’ve left.”

“Yes, Doctor.”

It might sound strange, but a child is definitely not a small adult. That means you shouldn’t prescribe medication as an extension of an adult.

There may be different sizes, different physiological characteristics, different normal values, and different structures. Therefore, to avoid medical harm, it is right to accept them as just another organism.

“Se-young will have emergency surgery. Contact Dr. Jung in anesthesiology and secure an operating room.”

“Yes, Director.”

“Finally, please pay special attention to prevent suspicious people from entering each ward and the emergency room.”

“Understood.”

The medical staff and employees, with one mind and one heart, carried out the orders in response to Tae-kyung’s serious gaze.

“Doctor?”

Choi Mona followed Tae-kyung, who was turning around urgently.

“What is it?”

Tae-kyung, pausing for a moment and turning around, headed to Se-young without even listening to what Choi Mona had to say, leaving one word behind.

“Come in as my assistant.”

“Yes, Doctor. Thank you.”

Tae-kyung had read Choi Mona’s mind, who wanted to participate in today’s surgery.

* * *

“Se-young, are you okay? Aren’t you scared?”

“Yes.”

Se-young nodded at Ui-jin’s question.

Usually, children are afraid of the operating room and anesthesia, so cooperation is not easy. Therefore, the guardian accompanies them to the patient waiting room and enters the operating room after sedation.

“Our Se-young is really brave and amazing.”

“I’m not scared when I’m with the doctor.”

Se-young didn’t even cry, let alone say she was scared, but even smiled slightly at Tae-kyung and Ui-jin.

She must have been in hellish pain for countless days. The adults who should have been comforting her were instead being comforted by the child’s calm appearance.

“She’s an angel.”

“I know. She’s a real angel.”

Nurse Lim Jeong-sook said, her voice slightly choked.

“Ahem.”

That strong person, who had experienced everything as a head nurse, even showed a slight tear. She was also a mother of two children, so this situation was unbelievable and heartbreaking.

“Now, we’ll move to the operating room.”

* * *

Tae-kyung and the medical staff, having completed a thorough scrum [a brief, focused meeting], gathered in the operating room.

“Se-young. Are you a little cold?”

“No. I’m not cold at all. The basement was colder.”

“I see. Don’t think about the basement anymore. And if you just sleep for a little while, the surgery will be over. Don’t worry about anything and let’s see each other later.”

“Yes, Doctor.”

With a short answer, Se-young’s eyes slowly closed.

“Blood pressure and pulse are normal, and anesthesia is working well.”

As Ui-jin finished the general anesthesia, Tae-kyung disinfected the child’s abdomen. The unique dark reddish color of povidone [an antiseptic] spread greatly over the child’s abdomen.

“I know everyone is feeling heavy and struggling right now.”

Just before the surgery began, Tae-kyung left a word of request that was different from usual.

“But the one who is having the hardest time at this moment is not us, but Se-young, who is lying here on the bed. Today, focus especially more on the surgery. We can never forgive Do Han-yeon, but we cannot directly punish that woman.”

Everyone was angry and upset, but Tae-kyung’s words were right. The judgment of the law was not something the medical staff could do.

“Let’s leave that to the police, and from now on, we can do what we can for the child as medical staff.”

Treating Se-young, healing the child’s pain. That’s what helps this child. I ask for everyone’s good work in the surgery today.”

The medical staff nodded in their respective positions with determined eyes, vowing to do their best in this surgery.

“Then, start the surgery…….”

Just as he was about to announce the start of the surgery, a sobbing sound was suddenly heard.

“Sniff!”

Tae-kyung’s pupils moved rapidly from side to side at the sound, and people turned their heads to check each other.

It wasn’t Ui-jin, Lim Jeong-sook, or the assistant nurse.

“Ahem!”

The person who was sobbing, slightly inhaling even into his nose inside the mask, was surprisingly Byungneungje Choi Mona.