Fifth Vital [EN]: Chapter 193

193. Tae-kyung’s Trap

A new panel appeared displaying the words ‘Golden Toad’ and ‘Hit-and-Run’.

“We have some very interesting words here, don’t we? Golden Toad and Hit-and-Run. What do these mean?”

“They are keywords related to the most memorable patient and the most unfortunate patient.”

“That’s right. We asked you about episodes of memorable and unfortunate patients during the pre-interview. I heard you pondered for an hour. Is that correct?”

“Yes, in fact, all patients are memorable, so it wasn’t easy to talk about just one.”

“Then, I’m curious to know who was the most memorable patient.”

“She was a woman in her 60s who was diagnosed with stomach cancer. She didn’t show any change in expression, so I thought she must be shocked and I should comfort her. But she said, ‘I’m finally free.'”

“That patient said that?”

“Yes. It turned out she had a bad relationship with her husband and hadn’t spoken to him at all for three years.”

“So, she lives with her husband but hasn’t spoken to him for three years?”

“Yes. It turned out there was a story between the couple.”

Along with Tae-kyung’s story, an animated version of the patient’s story began to appear on the screen.

The patient in her late 60s who had stomach cancer was a memorable patient for Tae-kyung among many patients.

It was around the time when word started to spread that he was a doctor who was good at cancer surgery when the patient came, led by her married daughter.

‘Fortunately, there are no metastases [spread of cancer to other parts of the body]. If you receive treatment well after the surgery…’

‘Doctor, I’m hearing that I have cancer, but my heart is indifferent.’

Unlike her daughter, who was crying next to her, the patient smiled calmly and said.

‘I’ve lived with my husband, whom I married through an arranged marriage, and it was like living with an icicle under the eaves in the middle of winter. I was scolded by my mother-in-law for not giving birth to a son, and after my mother-in-law passed away, my husband’s nagging started. There’s no way my insides would be okay after living like this.’

The patient, who had lived with a husband who was always cold and never warm, was mentally exhausted.

‘My children have all found their partners and are doing well, and I’ve seen my grandchildren, so I don’t want anything more. I just want to close my eyes and rest comfortably.’

Since it was a case where surgery and complete recovery were possible, Tae-kyung began to persuade the patient. But the patient, who had already been hurt, refused.

Tae-kyung, who never gives up on patients, met the husband through the daughter, thinking that the only person who could change her mind was the husband. But there was a twist.

The reason why the husband had a hard time with his wife and hadn’t spoken to her for three years was, absurdly, because of his late mother’s misunderstanding.

The mother-in-law, who was dissatisfied with her inadequate daughter-in-law, insisted to her married son that his daughter-in-law had tried to marry another man but was forced to marry him due to family opposition, and the son believed this.

The husband, who had fallen in love with his wife at first sight, treated her harshly out of a sense of betrayal from then on. He thought that she had another man in her heart and only her shell was with him.

A trivial word from a foolish mother-in-law made the two people, who had formed a bond as a couple, live in misunderstanding and hatred for the rest of their lives.

The daughter burst into tears when she heard that, and the wife shouted not to say such ridiculous things, saying that she got sick because of the stress.

The husband, feeling an unspeakable apology to his wife, thought that his job was to get his wife to have surgery.

From then on, the husband went to Seoul from the countryside every day to see his wife, who was staying at his daughter’s house.

And with all sorts of efforts and over 300 handwritten letters, he was barely able to melt his wife’s frozen heart.

“Wow! Is this really the story of a patient you treated?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

When the patient’s story ended, the host clapped and was amazed.

“So, did that patient have surgery successfully?”

“Yes. The surgery went well, and her husband took care of her with utmost devotion, so she was declared completely cured.”

“That’s really great. Then what’s the story with the Golden Toad…?”

“The husband came to thank me, saying that the misunderstanding between the two was resolved because of me and that I saved his wife. The husband was a farmer, so he gave me a few boxes of potatoes, and there was a golden toad in there.”

“A golden toad-shaped gold nugget?”

“Yes, it was quite big, and he said he deliberately put it in there because he wanted to give it to me as a gift.”

“So what happened?”

“Of course, I returned it.”

“Then, are the two of them doing well since then?”

“Yes, the wife’s lifelong wish was to go on a trip abroad, so they traveled for a year, making memories and are currently doing well.”

“Wow, that’s really a story that could only come out of a drama. Above all, I’m glad that the patient’s ending is happy.”

The host, who had been smiling until now, straightened his face and held up the panel with a slightly serious expression.

* * *

Director’s Office, Shinhwa University Hospital-

“Are the broadcasting station guys blind? How few people must they have to interview to pick someone like that?”

Ko Gye-deuk, who was watching the broadcast in the director’s office, sat on the sofa with his legs crossed and scoffed at Tae-kyung’s words.

“Loneliness and fear felt by the patient? What a load of crap! That’s why he couldn’t get a professorship and was kicked out.”

Upon hearing the sudden news of Tae-kyung’s appearance on the broadcast, Ko Gye-deuk was slightly nervous and watched. But unlike his expectations, when the broadcast content was nothing special, he began to badmouth Tae-kyung and slowly prepared to go home.

“But how did a guy with nothing get on TV? Geez! By the way, they said the video would be uploaded today, but why isn’t it up yet?”

Lee Soo-jung had clearly said that the YouTube video would be uploaded today.

Moreover, even though it was past 9 o’clock, which was written on the delivered flowerpot and card, there was no news, so Ko Gye-deuk was about to contact Lee Soo-jung directly.

“Now! Shall we look at the next keyword? It says hit-and-run, is it a story about an unfortunate patient?”

The hand that was fiddling with the phone stopped at the word hit-and-run that was suddenly heard.

Ko Gye-deuk had not seen the hit-and-run keyword that the host had introduced because he had gone to the bathroom a little while ago.

“Just looking at the keyword makes my heart heavy; I’m curious what the story is. In fact, according to the production team, the reason why you decided to appear on the show is because of this patient, is that correct?”

“Yes, that’s right. I decided to appear on the show in the hope that the patient’s unfortunate story would be known through the broadcast.”

“What kind of story is it?”

“It’s the story of a patient who has been lying in bed for three months after being hit by a hit-and-run.”

Ko Gye-deuk, who had put the phone he was holding on the table, quickly turned up the TV and focused, and in the meantime, the broadcast screen began to show the scene of the accident that the production team had filmed.

The place where Cha Dae-han had the traffic accident, the first reporter, and the detective’s interview came out in order. And along with Cha Dae-han’s current condition, Lee Soo-jung’s narration appealing for help flowed out.

“Th-th-that… Why is that woman coming out there?”

Ko Gye-deuk, who saw the screen, knew right away that it was the story of the patient Cha Dae-han the moment he heard Lee Soo-jung’s voice along with the accident scene.

“What the hell is going on?”

Instead of Tae-kyung’s sniper video that should have been uploaded, Lee Soo-jung’s appearance on the broadcast was absurd.

“We ask for your understanding that we cannot disclose the patient’s and family’s personal information for their safety. In addition, if there is anyone who knows about the incident, please contact the number or email that is going out in the subtitles now.”

As Ko Gye-deuk’s expression gradually hardened, Tae-kyung’s true education comment for him was starting on the broadcast.

“Now it’s time for the four-character idiom time, which is the highlight of the keyword talk. Let’s reveal what four-character idiom our Kim Tae-kyung has prepared today.”

At the host’s comment, Tae-kyung showed the panel he was holding to the screen.

“It’s Hojilgiui (護疾忌醫) [hiding an illness and avoiding doctors].”

“Hojilgiui. To be honest, it’s a bit unfamiliar to me. Can you tell me what it means?”

“It means to hide an illness and be reluctant to show it to a doctor, which means that even if there is a mistake, you don’t want to listen to other people’s advice.”

“That’s a somewhat meaningful four-character idiom. Is there a reason why you chose Hojilgiui?”

“Yes, there is something I really want to say here.”

At this time, the camera zoomed in on Tae-kyung, and Tae-kyung’s face began to appear on the screen.

“Like Hojilgiui, which I just introduced, I’m going to talk about a certain wrong doctor who hides his mistakes and doesn’t listen to other people’s advice at all.”

“To be honest, I’m a little careful, but there have been bad incidents in the medical community steadily for several years.”

The host spoke naturally and continued the comment that Wang Writer had written in advance.

“Among them, there were disputes between doctors and patients. In addition, a doctor who recently retired from a university hospital in Korea said this: Everyone is so focused on making money that it is not easy to find a real doctor. Some doctors are caught up in authoritarianism and look down on patients.”

“It may be my personal opinion, but I hope that doctors will think more about patients and focus on curing their illnesses.”

“That’s right. In fact, the doctor’s duty is to treat patients, right?”

“That’s right. Of course, there are still many doctors who are sweating for patients. But on the outside, they pretend to care for patients, but on the inside, they bargain with patients’ lives and do dirty things, so I’m going to talk about it.”

“You just said something shocking that you’re bargaining with patients’ lives; what do you mean?”

“A patient in difficult circumstances was having a hard time because of hospital bills. In fact, if you are hospitalized for a long time, it is inevitable that you will be financially burdened.”

“I guess so.”

“In such cases, patients or guardians cannot help but worry about money. Doctors are well aware of this. So, the hospital is also trying to connect them to the parts that can help.

Usually, there are many doctors who work hard for patients like this, and this is normal. But there is a problem because there is a doctor who used the desperate hearts of patients and guardians for his dirty purposes.”

Tae-kyung began to talk about Ko Gye-deuk without hesitation.

“It’s a somewhat harsh expression, but does that mean the doctor used the patient and guardian?”

“Yes, in order to bury a fellow doctor who has done nothing wrong, he falsely examined the patient and offered money as compensation, and there was a case where he persuaded the guardian.”

Tak-

Ko Gye-deuk, who was listening to Tae-kyung’s story through the TV, was so surprised that he lost his grip on the remote control he was holding.

He knew right away that the story coming out on the broadcast was what he had planned with Lee Soo-jung, and at the same time, Tae-kyung was sniping at him.

“I can’t believe it even when I hear it next to me, but did that really happen?”

“Yes. In fact, that person has social status as a doctor and is in a high position.”

Tae-kyung cleverly unraveled the story by focusing only on Ko Gye-deuk, leaving out the story of Lee Soo-jung and Cha Dae-han.

“If such a person uses his power to make such a proposal to a patient and guardian who have no power, how many people can refuse?”

As the two people’s stories were added, Ko Gye-deuk’s face was turning white as if he had seen a ghost.

His parched lips and the area under his eyes were trembling, and his head seemed to be ringing from the shock, as if he had been hit in the head with a hammer.

“The more I listen to Kim Tae-kyung’s story, the more surprised I am, and I really don’t know what to say. I don’t know who that person is, but it’s clear that he’s not qualified to wear a doctor’s gown.”

The host was giving strength to Tae-kyung’s words with a look of disbelief.

“I have a question, does that person know that you know this fact?”

“No. He won’t know at all.”

“That’s quite interesting. Only you know who that person is, so the viewers who are watching the broadcast now will be very curious.

It’s time to move on to the test time, which is the highlight of our show. Before that, you said you have something to say to the doctor in question.”

“Hmph!”

At that moment, Tae-kyung intentionally burst into laughter at the camera that was zooming in on him. That laughter was a laugh sent to Ko Gye-deuk, who was watching TV now.

And he began to speak with a very confident look and expression.

“You must have taken the Hippocratic Oath [an oath historically taken by doctors swearing to practice medicine ethically] as a doctor, so if you are watching this broadcast, I hope you will think about it again.”

Like a cat catching a dirty rat, Tae-kyung was using the broadcast to catch Ko Gye-deuk.

“I hope you will stop doing shameful things as a fellow doctor and become a doctor who really thinks about patients from now on if you have a conscience as a doctor, and finally, I hope you will never do such a thing as using patients again.”

Deureureuk-

As soon as Tae-kyung’s words were finished, Ko Gye-deuk, who got up from his seat, looked at the card on the desk. And now he realized that the card, the flowerpot, and the mysterious text were all sent by Tae-kyung.

“Ha! Kim Tae-kyung…”

He whispered Tae-kyung’s name with trembling lips, grabbed the card, and began to tear it to pieces.

“Kim Tae-kyung! That bastard is doing this to me!”

Ko Gye-deuk was furious at the fact that the broadcast coming out on TV was his sniper broadcast.

“He’s feeding me water!” [deceiving me]

Tak- Jjaenggeurang-

He gnashed his teeth and threw the flowerpot at Tae-kyung’s smiling face on TV.

The dull sound and the flowerpot that fell on the floor shattered.

It was as if that appearance was the same as the future appearance of Ko Gye-deuk, who was trying to bury Tae-kyung.

“Kim Tae-kyung! Kim Tae-kyeongee~~!”

Kwang- Kwang-

Ko Gye-deuk, who was calling Tae-kyung’s name while hitting the desk with his fist, was thinking about how to get out of this situation on the one hand. But there was one thing he overlooked.

That was the fact that the whole nation’s ‘Ko Gye-deuk Finding Tag’ would begin as soon as the broadcast ended.

Foolishly, he was the only one who didn’t know that he was already caught in the trap that Tae-kyung had set.