Fifth Vital [EN]: Chapter 251

Fifth Vital Sign – Episode 251

251. Ballpoint Pen

Kwak Yong-jin, caressing Shin Ji-ae’s face with his large hand, moved his face closer. Then, he pressed his lips to her ear and whispered intimately.

“Honey, you’re not thinking unnecessary thoughts, are you?”

As the chilling voice struck her eardrum, Shin Ji-ae involuntarily squeezed her fist inside the blanket.

That voice was like a signal that Kwak Yong-jin’s mood was starting to sour.

Whenever that voice, so devoid of emotion it was almost sterile, began, her whole body would stiffen and freeze as if she had been given an anesthetic.

Just as the tips of her clenched fist trembled involuntarily, that unpleasant voice violated her eardrum once more.

“Oh dear! I’m sure I said I didn’t like that…….”

“……!”

“Ji-ae? Our good Ji-ae, aren’t you going to answer? I told you I hate it when you don’t answer, didn’t I?”

Shin Ji-ae’s heart was crushed, trampled, and 불안한 [anxious], as if she were falling off a cliff. On the other hand, Kwak Yong-jin’s expression seemed to be enjoying it.

It was a completely different 모습 [image/appearance] from the one just a moment ago, when he was worrying about his girlfriend with loving eyes and expression.

Moreover, it wasn’t the 모습 [image/appearance] of a successful chef that all the employees praised.

He was merely showing a twisted love full of an intense possessiveness towards one woman.

“S-Sorry. I wasn’t thinking anything strange.”

“Are you sure? But…….”

Suddenly asking a question, he lifted his face, which he had been holding to her ear, and securely fastened the slightly open curtains, blocking the outside. Then, he put his face to Shin Ji-ae’s ear again.

And, completely pressing his lips to her ear so that it wouldn’t be heard from the next bed, he said very slowly, one word at a time.

“You! You fell on purpose, didn’t you?”

“……!”

The moment she heard those words, Shin Ji-ae felt goosebumps all over her body, from the tips of her toes to the top of her head.

“What are you talking about.”

Like a small rabbit in front of a ravenous beast, her body trembled, but Shin Ji-ae gritted her teeth and tried to appear calm.

“Why would I fall on purpose.”

“You thought I wouldn’t know? Ji-ae, you fell on purpose into that female doctor earlier.”

Kwak Yong-jin, who was quick to notice, questioned Shin Ji-ae’s actions when she bumped into Choi Mona earlier.

“I brought you all the way to the hospital because you said you were sick, but are you putting on a show? Are you trying to deceive me and run away?”

“Deceive? It’s not like that.”

“I was actually tearfully happy because you’ve been so quiet lately. I thought, ‘Yes, Ji-ae finally understands my heart? She understands me?’ I was so happy that I could cry. But isn’t it strange? Even so, something felt a little uneasy in one corner of my heart. But when you bumped into that doctor earlier, I thought, ‘Ah-ha!’ Do you know why?”

“…….”

“Because you fell too awkwardly. If you make it that obvious, I’ll notice right away. How boring…….”

“No, it’s not like that. You’re mistaken.”

Shin Ji-ae tried not to be overwhelmed by Kwak Yong-jin’s chilling words and actions.

“If I was really trying to run away, I wouldn’t have come to the hospital. I’m sad if you talk to someone who came to the hospital because they’re sick like that. And I’m not going to leave you alone anymore.”

Shin Ji-ae quickly took her hand, which had been clenched in the blanket, and slowly stroked Kwak Yong-jin’s hair.

“So, trust me too.”

“Really?”

“Of course. Where would I go? So, you can trust me.”

“Okay.”

The suspicious look in his eyes subsided at the words of his girlfriend, who strongly appealed with a confident expression.

Aside from everything else, he knew that Shin Ji-ae had been suffering from diarrhea for several days, so he judged that her words were credible.

“I suspected you when you were sick for no reason. Sorry.”

“No. Don’t say that. It’s okay.”

Shin Ji-ae deliberately took Kwak Yong-jin’s hand and acted even more affectionately.

* * *

Meanwhile, while Shin Ji-ae was talking with Kwak Yong-jin, Tae-kyung was talking with Choi Mona in the intensive care unit.

“Choi Mona, is something wrong?”

“I’m sorry for interrupting you during your 진료, 선생님 [treatment, doctor].”

Choi Mona apologized first.

“It’s okay. More importantly, what’s wrong?”

Tae-kyung didn’t scold his junior. He figured it must be an urgent situation.

Of course, if the patient he was 진료 [treating] was in immediate need of treatment or in a critical condition, he wouldn’t have come out in the middle like this.

And Choi Mona wouldn’t have done this either.

He needed to do an accurate 검사 [examination], but fortunately, the Shin Ji-ae 환자 [patient] he was 진료 [treating] was not in a serious condition.

Both in the 신체검사 [physical examination] and in the fifth 바이탈 [vital sign], he didn’t smell a strong 냄새 [smell].

He only smelled a slightly strong stage 2 암모니아 냄새 [ammonia smell], which appears when the 증상 [symptoms] are relatively mild.

That’s why Tae-kyung decided to 맞춰주다 [go along with] to Choi Mona’s 장단 [tune] for now.

“선생님 [Doctor], about 환자 [patient] Shin Ji-ae, number 13, just now.”

“What about that 환자 [patient]?”

“Something’s strange.”

“Strange? What do you mean? Explain it so I can understand.”

“I think she needs 도움 [help].”

“도움 [Help]? Are you talking about something other than the 다이아리아 증상 [diarrhea symptoms]?”

“Yes, it’s not a 병적인 증상 [pathological symptom], but I think she needs 도움 [help] in another way.”

“도움 [Help] in another way?”

“Actually, I bumped into 환자 [patient] Shin Ji-ae and fell earlier. But…….”

Choi Mona explained in detail the situation when she bumped into Shin Ji-ae in the 응급실 [emergency room] earlier.

“At first, I was 긴가민가 [unsure], but she clearly said ‘Help me’ to me twice.”

“The 환자 [patient] asked for 도움 [help]?”

“Yes, she didn’t say it out loud, but she definitely said it with her 입 모양 [lip movements/shape]. And what I definitely felt was that she bumped into me on purpose. So I kept thinking about it, and I think 환자 [patient] Shin Ji-ae is suffering from 데이트 폭력 [dating violence/abuse].”

“데이트 폭력 [Dating violence/abuse]!?”

“Yes, 선생님 [Doctor].”

If everything Choi Mona just said was true, it was definitely a situation where she needed to 요청 [request].

However, he couldn’t just believe those words and suspect the man who came with her of 데이트 폭력 [dating violence/abuse] and call the police.

Of course, if the 환자 [patient] was exposed to 폭력 [violence] or in a dangerous situation, it was right to notify the police. But in order to do that, he needed a more 확실하고 객관적인 판단 [definite and objective judgment].

“I think that 환자 [patient] is 요청 [requesting] for 도움 [help].”

“Choi Mona?”

“Yes, 선생님 [Doctor].”

“Besides the 환자 [patient] 요청 [requesting] for 도움 [help], what made you think she was suffering from 데이트 폭력 [dating violence/abuse]?”

“Yes, that’s…….”

In fact, there was nothing that could be said to be clear 증거 [evidence] yet, other than what Shin Ji-ae said.

“It has to be 확실 [certain] to give 도움 [help].”

If he called the police 무턱대고 [recklessly] without 확인 [confirmation], a worse situation could arise.

Moreover, if the 환자 [patient] deliberately bumped into her and 은밀하게 요청 [secretly requested] for 도움 [help], as Choi Mona said, he thought it would be even more dangerous to call the police 대놓고 [openly/bluntly].

“Let’s check with the 환자 [patient] directly first, and if it’s really true, let’s 도와주다 [help].”

“Directly to the 환자 [patient]?”

“Of course, we have to do it to the 환자 [patient].”

“Is that possible? That man seems to be 안 떨어지다 [not leaving/sticking close] from the 환자 [patient], even following her to the front of the 화장실 문 [bathroom door].”

“여보세요 [Hello]? Can you come to the 처치실 [treatment room] for a moment? Yes, now.”

After Tae-kyung urgently made a 전화 [phone call] with his 핸드폰 [cell phone], 임정숙 간호사 [Nurse Lim Jung-sook] and 최 팀장 [Team Leader Choi] immediately came inside.

“What’s wrong?”

“원장님 [Director], did you call us? 어라 [Oh]! 임 선생 [Ms. Lim] and 최 선생님 [Mr. Choi] are here too. What’s going on?”

“A young female 환자 [patient] came to 베드 [bed] number 13, and there seems to be a small 문제 [problem].”

“문제 [Problem]?”

Tae-kyung quickly explained to the two people who were 어리둥절 [puzzled] after being suddenly 호출 [summoned].

“세상에 [Goodness]! 데, 데이트 폭력이라니요 [Dating violence/abuse]?”

“아이고 [Oh dear], 팀장님 [Team Leader], please lower your 목소리 [voice]. Everyone outside will hear you.”

“I’m sorry. 임 선생 [Ms. Lim]. I was so 놀라서 [surprised].”

“So I called you two because I was wondering if there was a good 방법 [method/way].”

“As 선생님 [Doctor] said, it would be good to separate the two people when going for the 검사 [examination] and talk to the 환자 [patient], but……. The 검사 [examinations] for 환자 [patient] Shin Ji-ae aren’t 검사 [examinations] that take very long right now.”

“Let’s do this.”

Tae-kyung, who was 잠시 생각에 잠기다 [momentarily lost in thought], saw the 볼펜 [ballpoint pen] that 최 팀장 [Team Leader Choi] was playing with in his hand and something 떠올랐다 [came to mind].

Then, he took out the 볼펜 [ballpoint pen] that was 꽂혀 [stuck] in his 가운 포켓 [gown pocket]. And he quickly wrote something on his 손바닥 [palm of his hand].

-If you need 도움 [help], blink twice. And…….

Tae-kyung showed the 문구 [phrase] written on his 손바닥 [palm of his hand] to the people and explained.

“I’m going to go to the 환자 [patient] and show her this 손바닥 [palm of his hand] while giving the rest of the 설명 [explanation], so 임 선생님 [Ms. Lim], please go to the male 보호자 [guardian/protector] and divert his 시선 [attention] for a moment.”

“Then I’ll ask about the 환자’s [patient’s] 접수 [registration] again?”

“Yes. And if the 환자 [patient] says she needs 도움 [help], let’s move her to the CT실 [CT scan room] and ask.”

“CT실 [CT scan room]?”

“Yes.”

Even if her 남자 친구 [boyfriend] followed her, she could 충분히 대화 [sufficiently converse] inside the CT실 [CT scan room], and it would take a little time to take a picture, so there would be time to talk.

“That’s a good 생각이네요 [idea].”

“Just check if there’s a 환자 [patient] who needs to take a CT right now.”

“Yes, I’ll check right away.”

“저기 [Excuse me], but 원장님 [Director], what if the 환자 [patient] doesn’t 눈치를 [notice]? No, what if she doesn’t understand the situation well and it doesn’t match and fails?”

“어으 [Ugh]! 팀장님 [Team Leader] really worries about 쓸데없는 [unnecessary] things sometimes. 됐어요 [It’s okay].”

임정숙 간호사 [Nurse Lim Jung-sook] tapped 최 팀장’s [Team Leader Choi’s] shoulder and 답답해했다 [felt frustrated] at his 지나친 걱정 [excessive worry].

“I’ll send a 신호 [signal] if we need to 신고 [report] the police, so 팀장님 [Team Leader], please 신고 [report] then.”

“Of course. Don’t worry.”

“자 [Alright]! Then let’s go out now.”

Tae-kyung and the employees finished talking, left the 처치실 [treatment room], and started preparing. First, Tae-kyung went back to 베드 [bed] and continued the 설명 [explanation] he hadn’t finished.

“환자 [Patient], I’m sorry to have kept you waiting.”

“It’s okay.”

“저기 [Excuse me], 선생님 [Doctor]?”

Unlike Shin Ji-ae, who said it was 괜찮다 [okay], Kwak Yong-jin revealed a slightly 불편한 기색 [uncomfortable expression].

“I waited before 진료 [treatment], so I hope there won’t be anything else I have to wait for.”

“자기야 [Honey], why are you like that? It’s because of an 급한 환자 [urgent patient].”

“Because you’re sick too.”

“I’m sorry. I’ll make sure that the 보호자 [guardian/protector] doesn’t have anything to worry about. First, I’ll make sure the 환자 [patient] doesn’t get 탈수 [dehydrated]. And it’s not clear yet whether it’s 세균성 [bacterial] or 바이러스 [viral]. So I’ll give you 항생제 [antibiotics] and watch the 경과 [progress].”

“Yes.”

“I recommend that you get 수액 [IV fluids] tonight. If you feel 어지럽다 [dizzy] or have any other 불편한 [uncomfortable] places while getting 수액 [IV fluids], please tell the 의료진 [medical staff]. I’ll do a few 검사 [tests] too.”

“Yes, thank you.”

“And I’ll do a 간단한 검사 [simple test] right now.”

“저기 [Excuse me], 보호자분 [Guardian]?”

When Tae-kyung said he was going to do a 검사 [test], 임정숙 간호사 [Nurse Lim Jung-sook], who was 주시하고 [observing] the situation at the 스테이션 [station], approached Kwak Yong-jin.

“Are you 환자 [patient] Shin Ji-ae’s 보호자 [guardian]?”

“Yes. Why?”

“The 환자 [patient] wrote down the 주소 [address] earlier, but it doesn’t 검색 [search] because she wrote it wrong.”

임정숙 간호사 [Nurse Lim Jung-sook] went to the 접수처 [reception desk] and brought back the 환자’s [patient’s] 인적 사항 [personal information] that Shin Ji-ae had written. And she 센스 있게 [sensibly] added a 받침 [final consonant] to the written 주소 [address], pretending that she had written it wrong, and showed it to Kwak Yong-jin.

“Please 확인 [confirm] once.”

“Yes, I understand.”

In the meantime, 최모나 [Choi Mona] slightly 틀며 [shifting] her body, blocking Kwak Yong-jin’s 시선 [line of sight], and Tae-kyung approached Shin Ji-ae.

“환자분 [Patient]…….”