Fifth Vital [EN]: Chapter 192

Fifth Vital Sign – Episode 192 (192/502)

Episode 192. Broadcast Begins

A few hours before the broadcast, unlike Tae-kyung, who remained calm while doing his usual rounds and surgeries, the rest of the hospital staff seemed quite nervous.

“The broadcast starts in a few hours, right? Dr. Choi, aren’t you nervous?”

“Why would I be nervous?”

Lee Chan-hee, who was seeing patients in the emergency room, kept bringing up the broadcast to Choi Mona whenever he had a moment.

“I’m so nervous; my heart is pounding.”

“Anyone would think you’re the one appearing on the show, Dr. Lee.”

“I am appearing on it. I did an interview. I wonder if Dr. Kim is nervous too?”

“Is Dr. Kim like you? Why would he be nervous?”

“I was so surprised when the ‘After School Exam Time’ PD [Production Director] contacted us. Dr. Kim is amazing.”

“We see him at the hospital every day, so we’re less impressed, but he really is amazing.”

“But Dr. Choi, didn’t I look kind of handsome after getting my makeup done for the interview?”

“Stop talking nonsense and check the results. Patient number 7’s results are in.”

While Choi Mona was scolding Lee Chan-hee, Tae-kyung, having finished surgery, was exiting the operating room with Euijin.

“Senior?”

Euijin playfully nudged Tae-kyung’s arm with a mischievous expression.

“What’s with that look?”

“The broadcast is in a little while. How do you feel?”

“Me? I don’t know. Maybe it’s because it’s before the broadcast, but I feel nothing. I just hope Cha Dae-han’s story and what I want to say aren’t edited out.”

“I felt it while filming, but PD Park seems like a good person. So, I don’t think he’ll intentionally edit anything out. He said he would never do any ‘devil editing’ [malicious editing to create drama].”

“I hope so. I’m sure he’ll do a good job.”

Tae-kyung appeared on the broadcast to help Lee Soo-jung and to remove Go Gye-deuk from the director’s position. He just hoped those two things would go well after the broadcast.

In his heart, he wished Go Gye-deuk would be expelled from the medical community, but realistically, that was unlikely.

Tae-kyung knew that, and so did his colleagues.

This issue wasn’t just limited to Lee Soo-jung and Cha Dae-han.

There must have been patients and guardians who had experienced unfair and difficult situations before, though not exactly the same. But it was always the powerless patients who had the hardest time.

In any case, he hoped that this broadcast would increase the number of doctors who think about and help patients.

“Oh, right! Senior?”

“Yeah?”

Euijin, who had been walking for a while, suddenly blocked his path and asked seriously.

“Come to think of it, did that matter pass all the way to the final stage?”

“Why, are you curious?”

“Of course, I’m curious. Did you win the prize money? Or not?”

“That’s…”

Tae-kyung lowered his voice, and Euijin covered one ear with his hand and moved closer.

“It’s a secret. Check it out on the broadcast.”

“That’s too much.”

Tae-kyung kept the secret from Euijin, who was curious, until the very end.

* * *

Shinhwa University Hospital Lobby

“I’m really sorry that the director and all the doctors have come down like this.”

“Don’t mention it. Of course, I should help.”

Go Gye-deuk, who would normally have already left work, was greeting people in the VVIP ward with the doctors.

Just as he was about to leave, a notoriously sensitive VVIP patient had a fit, saying he wasn’t feeling well.

“Anyway, the pain isn’t from any physical abnormality but rather from our patient’s psychogenic pain [pain caused by psychological factors], so you don’t have to worry too much.”

“Our son is a bit sensitive. Thank you so much for taking care of him until late when you should be off work.”

“You’re welcome. Then, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Yes, thank you, Director. Good night.”

Clang-

“Seriously, that guy was born with a silver spoon and throws a fit every time he gets admitted. Everyone, you’ve worked hard. Go home and get some rest.”

“Thank you for your hard work, Director.”

The patient’s guardian went into the room, and Go Gye-deuk, after exchanging greetings with the doctors, headed to his office to leave work.

“Hello.”

“Good evening.”

“Good work.”

As Go Gye-deuk waited in front of the elevator, a few nurses greeted him, and he briefly returned the greeting.

“Isn’t today the day for ‘After School Exam Time’?”

“Dr. Lee watches that show too?”

“Of course. It’s popular these days.”

The nurses continued their conversation while waiting for the elevator.

“Oh, right! Do you know who’s on that show today?”

“No. I heard it’s a special feature, but the preview last week didn’t say who it was.”

“You’ll be surprised if you know who’s coming out. Someone we know.”

“Someone we know? Who is it?”

“Dr. Kim Tae-kyung.”

Go Gye-deuk perked up his ears at the familiar name.

“Really! That Dr. Kim Tae-kyung who used to be at our hospital?”

As if driving a wedge, Tae-kyung’s name was heard again, and Go Gye-deuk flinched.

‘What! Kim Tae-kyung is on TV? Suddenly on TV…?’

Thinking to himself, Go Gye-deuk subtly took a step back and focused on the nurses’ conversation.

“Wow! Dr. Kim Tae-kyung is the main character. Amazing.”

“I was curious earlier, so I watched the preview on YouTube, and Dr. Kim appeared. I was so surprised.”

“Dr. Kim is truly perfect in terms of skills and personality. Such a person suffered so much when he was at our hospital…”

“Dr. Yoo-ri!”

A nurse, who had momentarily forgotten that Go Gye-deuk was in front of them, was about to state a fact without thinking when a senior colleague nudged her in the side and gave her a look.

“Ahaha! I have to watch it since Dr. Kim is coming out. It starts at 9, so it’ll be on soon. I’m curious.”

“I’m going to go home and watch the replay as soon as my evening shift ends today.”

Unlike the excited nurses, Go Gye-deuk’s back, as he faced the elevator door, seemed to have stiffened severely.

“On TV! Why Kim Tae-kyung?”

Shortly after, Go Gye-deuk, who had entered his office, frantically searched for the remote and turned on the TV, forgetting about leaving work.

“‘After School’ something, what was it… Damn it.”

As Go Gye-deuk struggled with the remote, not knowing the channel number, a familiar face appeared on the screen as the channels changed rapidly.

It was Tae-kyung’s face, appearing large on the screen.

Ding-dong-

Just as his bewildered gaze turned to Tae-kyung, his phone suddenly rang with a message notification. When Go Gye-deuk checked the message, it was from a restricted number and read as follows:

-(護疾忌醫)

“Treating disease hates doctors!”

Looking at the unexpectedly written Chinese characters, Go Gye-deuk didn’t pay much attention, thinking it was spam.

All his attention was on the broadcast right now.

Go Gye-deuk put his phone away and stared intently at Tae-kyung on the screen, forgetting to sit down.

* * *

“A place where a new life is born and, at the same time, a life is extinguished.

A place where the lights are on day and night to save lives on the border of life and death.

A place where the tearful stories of many people exist. That’s the hospital. Today, we have Dr. Kim Tae-kyung, the protagonist who works tirelessly to save people.”

As the host finished the introduction, Tae-kyung, wearing a gown, appeared with an awkward smile.

“Hello.”

“Welcome, Doctor.”

“I wore a gown today because you were coming, Doctor. How does it look?”

“Yes, it looks better on you than on me.”

“Thank you. Please give a formal greeting to our viewers.”

“Hello. I’m Kim Tae-kyung, working as an ordinary doctor. Thank you for inviting me.”

“Wait a minute, Doctor. You just introduced yourself as ordinary, but that’s too modest. Let me briefly introduce Dr. Kim Tae-kyung.”

The host introduced the triple board certifications [specializations] and the path he had taken as a doctor in detail. And he first dealt with the stories about Kim Tae-kyung as a human and Kim Tae-kyung as a doctor.

“Well! I just introduced you, but according to our production team, the medical staff who work with you all say you’re a genius.”

“No. Not at all.”

Tae-kyung waved his hand with a very embarrassed expression.

“It seems like you’re a genius if you have three specialist licenses that you wouldn’t trade for money. Do you agree with this opinion, Doctor?”

“No. I was just lucky. I’ve never thought of myself as a genius. You know the saying, ‘Studying was the easiest thing to do’?”

“Of course. It’s a famous saying. Of course, it’s hard for me to understand.”

“I’m exactly that case. In fact, I think there’s nothing that doesn’t cost money like studying and that gives you a sure reward for your efforts. Since studying was the only thing I could do, I worked hard, and thankfully, the results were good.”

“So, you’re saying that you’re not a genius but a hard worker?”

“Boo! That’s a lie.”

Except for the corner where he solved problems during filming, other staff and medical staff were freely watching from the production team’s side, and Lee Chan-hee’s jeering voice, who happened to be watching the filming for a while, was heard.

“Wait a minute. You can’t see it, but there are other medical staff next to the filming production team. Our junior doctor seems to have something to say, so I’ll give you a chance. Please speak.”

“Studying is also a talent.”

“Ah! Studying is also a talent. Are you saying that not everyone can become like Dr. Kim Tae-kyung just by trying?”

At the host’s words, Lee Chan-hee raised both thumbs and nodded.

“Our junior doctor shook his head strongly as if protesting and said a word. What do you think?”

“I don’t think it’s desirable. Dr. Lee, go see your patients quickly.”

“Ah! Is this the power of our director? With one word, the junior doctor begged with both hands and left.”

The scene turned into a sea of laughter as Lee Chan-hee left with the comment, ‘I love you, Doctor. Please watch over me.’

“Let me ask you some questions. People say that studying medicine is difficult and hard, but what was the hardest thing about studying?”

“Usually, there are midterms and final exams, but we had exams often. And the amount of studying was beyond imagination, so that was the hardest thing.

There was so much to the point where the letters in front of my eyes would fly around when I was studying.”

“It’s probably hard for ordinary people like me to fathom. A medical student in a foreign country said that if you list all the amount of studying you do in college to become a doctor in print, it could cover the entire surface of the earth.”

The screen showed data on the amount of study before becoming a doctor.

“Of course, it’s not accurate, but I think it indirectly tells the story that the amount of studying is so large that it’s difficult.”

In the host’s natural progress and friendly atmosphere, Tae-kyung’s tension eased, and as time passed, he showed off his eloquent speaking skills.

“Now! Let’s move on to keyword talk. Please answer naturally after seeing the words we have prepared.”

“Yes.”