Fifth Vital [EN]: Chapter 292

Fifth Vitality – Episode 292

Episode 292. What! This guy

The Next day-

“Hello.”

Choi Mona, arriving for work, approached Nurse Lim Jeong-suk, who was among the staff gathered in the waiting room, eyes glued to the TV.

“Ms. Soo?”

“Oh, Ms. Choi, you’re here? I was so engrossed in watching TV, I didn’t even notice you.”

“What are you all watching so intently?”

“It’s about the Penxx case, which was a huge issue at our hospital recently.”

“Is it on TV?”

“They said it would be on the news, starting just now. Oh! It’s starting now.”

At Lim Jeong-suk’s words, Choi Mona quickly turned to the TV.

-Yesterday, an incident turned the OO district police station upside down: the case of a high school student in Seoul habitually taking and selling narcotic painkillers.

The student is accused of deceiving his friends by telling them they were simple painkillers to relieve stress and receiving money for them, leading to his emergency arrest by the police.

This student attends a prestigious high school and is known for his good behavior and excellent grades, making the incident even more shocking. Meanwhile, the investigation into this case began with a report from a doctor…

“How did they find out about that and report it?”

Choi Mona, who had been quietly watching the news, asked.

“Sergeant Kim came by earlier and said there are reporters who practically clock in at the police station.”

“Well, I’ve heard before that reporters often come to the police station.”

“They said the reporter who always comes reported it on the day they were investigating the kids. Oh my! Goodness. Ms. Choi, look at that.”

Lim Jeong-suk, who was talking, was startled and focused on the screen. She was surprised because the image of Go Seung-gyu’s brother disciplining his younger brother with tough love was on the news.

“I was worried about what would happen if that student went astray, but with a brother like that, there won’t be any problems.”

“I agree. It’s fortunate that a crazy kid has such a brother. And the post you uploaded, Doctor, appeared in the recommended list and has been at the top ever since.”

“Really?”

“Yes, Doctor Lee said the administrator seems to have fixed it so everyone can see it.”

“That’s good.”

The post Tae-kyung uploaded on the doctors’ community sparked explosive interest.

In particular, doctors doing the same work left comments praising him for doing a good job, and many doctors even moved the post to other communities, citing the source.

“Excuse me, Ms. Soo? Has Doctor Lee not arrived yet?”

“Oh my! What brings our Ms. Choi looking for Doctor Lee first?”

“We were supposed to review his paper together, and he was supposed to bring it today. I’m going to get it in advance.”

“Doctor Lee is in the director’s office with Sergeant Kim.”

“Really? Then I’ll get it later. I’m going to the doctor’s office.”

“Okay.”

Choi Mona, showing no sign of regret, headed neatly to the doctor’s office, and Lim Jeong-suk shook her head and muttered to herself.

“There’s nothing there! No feelings at all. Our Doctor Lee needs to try harder. I wonder what our Doctor Lee will do with this painful unrequited love.”

* * *

Director’s Office-

“Why!”

“Yes, why is that?”

“I just don’t like it.”

“So, why don’t you like it?”

“That’s right. Why don’t you like it?”

Kim Sergeant and Lee Chan-hee repeated the same words like parrots to Tae-kyung, who was sitting at his desk, engrossed in the monitor.

Tae-kyung’s firm refusal, despite Kim Sergeant and Lee Chan-hee’s repeated questions, was because of the commendation [an official award or recognition].

The police chief, the highest-ranking person in the police station to which Kim Sergeant belonged, had expressed his desire to award Tae-kyung a commendation. However, Tae-kyung, who wasn’t used to showing off, kept refusing because it was cumbersome and uncomfortable.

He had done it simply hoping that young students wouldn’t go down the wrong path, not to receive an award, so there was no reason to receive it.

“Still, the chief himself brought it up, so please accept it.”

“That’s right. Receiving a commendation from the police chief isn’t a common occurrence in life. If it were me, I would accept it right away.”

“Really?”

“Of course.”

“Then, Doctor Lee can receive it.”

“It’s not a commendation I can receive.”

“Doctor Lee?”

“Yes, Doctor.”

“Look back.”

“Why suddenly look back…?”

“Quickly!”

Seeing Tae-kyung speaking with a serious face, Lee Chan-hee quietly turned around.

“I turned around?”

“Now, go straight ahead, open the door, and go outside.”

“Ah, Doctor, why are you doing this?”

“If you say one more word here, you’re on duty for a whole week.”

Thud-

Knowing that Tae-kyung’s words were sincere, Lee Chan-hee ran out of the director’s office as if fleeing as soon as he finished speaking. He really hated being on duty for a week that much.

“Being on duty must be scary. Doctor Lee ran away right away.”

“Sergeant Kim, have you ever been on stakeout for a week?”

“Ugh! Don’t even mention it. It’s not something a person should do. It’s so hard. Later, you just walk around with your eyes open like a zombie.”

“We’re the same way. Anyway, I have no intention of receiving an award, so stop it. Aren’t you busy?”

“I’m off duty today. I’ll ask one last time. Are you really not going to accept it?”

“……”

“Director, you won’t regret it later, will you?”

“I won’t.”

“Okay. I’m leaving. I’m going. I’m really going.”

“Sergeant Kim?”

Tae-kyung hurriedly called out to Kim Sergeant, who was about to leave, sulking.

“Are you sulking?”

“Yes, I’m very sulky.”

“I’m sorry you came all the way here on purpose. Instead, I’ll tell you another piece of news.”

“What is it? No matter what you say here, my mood won’t improve.”

“That lecture for your nephew.”

“My nephew? That lecture I mentioned back then?”

“I’ll do it.”

“Yes!? Is, is that really true?”

“Of course.”

Kim Sergeant was overjoyed at the unexpected news.

“No, Director. I’m completely grateful and thankful. Thank you so much.”

“But, could we possibly change the topic of the lecture a bit?”

“Instead of sex education, something else?”

“Yes, I thought a different topic would be more necessary this time. While watching the Go Seung-gyu case, I thought it would be good to inform people about the dangers and awareness of Penxx [a fictional drug]. There are kids who don’t know about it, and this kind of thing could happen again, so I thought it would be good to inform the kids from a preventative standpoint.”

“I’m all for it too. I’ll talk to my nephew about it. And I’ll coordinate the schedule so that it can be done on a day and time that works for the director.”

“Thank you. And I’m sorry about the commendation.”

“Oh, what are you sorry about? What’s so important about that piece of paper? Our chief is just the type who likes to show off. Don’t worry about it at all. Instead, you must keep your promise about the lecture.”

“I’ll definitely keep it.”

“Thank you, Director.”

“But, Sergeant Kim? What happened to that student, Go Seung-gyu?”

Tae-kyung brought up the question he had been wanting to ask since earlier.

“Didn’t I tell you? First of all, the school he was attending has taken expulsion measures, and after the investigation, it was handed over to the prosecution. The crime is serious, so it won’t end lightly. Above all, Go Seung-gyu’s older brother told the prosecutor in charge to make sure he pays the price for his crimes.”

“Still, in some ways, that brother is amazing.”

“Honestly, we were surprised too. Everyone usually tries to protect their own family in these cases. Go Seung-gyu may resent his brother now, but in my opinion, having such a brother is a blessing.”

“I think so too. Sergeant Kim, you’ve worked hard.”

“It’s nothing. Honestly, we wouldn’t have been able to catch that guy if it weren’t for you, Director. But how did you know it was a lie?”

Go Seung-gyu and the kids testified that they had been going around to different hospitals and continuing to receive prescriptions.

Kim Sergeant was curious about how Tae-kyung knew and caught the kids who had been receiving prescriptions from so many hospitals without getting caught until now.

“That? Well, it’s a doctor’s intuition. You also feel a hunch when you catch a criminal, right?”

He couldn’t say that he smelled the scent of a sick person, so he glossed over it again this time.

This Penxx case was also meaningful to Tae-kyung. Above all, it was the most rewarding moment since the fifth vitality was created.

Perhaps it was even more so because the other party was young students.

“Well, that’s not wrong. Anyway, your intuition did a great job.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Then I’ll contact you later about the lecture. Thank you, Director. Good work.”

“Yes, go in.”

The commendation had long been forgotten in the mind of Kim Sergeant, who had come to persuade Tae-kyung because of the commendation.

He left the director’s office, happy that he could keep his promise with his nephew.

“Doctor. Your patient has arrived.”

“Yes, tell them to come in.”

After Kim Sergeant left, Tae-kyung started the scheduled outpatient treatment, and as always, the daily life of our hospital flowed quickly.

Several hours later-

“It’s strangely quiet today.”

“Well, there seem to be fewer patients than usual.”

Lee Chan-hee was talking to a nurse, looking at the clock that was passing 11 p.m. at the emergency room station.

“It’s nice that there aren’t many patients, but it’s so boring that I wish someone would come.”

“Still, isn’t it good? You’ve been so busy lately.”

“If there are no patients, it means there are no sick people, so it’s a good thing.”

Nurse Lim Jeong-suk, who had seen a patient, said to Lee Chan-hee.

“Our Doctor Lee seems bored.”

“Well, a little? What are you doing, Doctor?”

“She finished surgery earlier and is in the director’s office looking over her paper. By the way, Ms. Choi said she would stop by the ward. Why don’t you go and look at the paper too? I’ll call you if a patient comes.”

“Doctor Soo, really. What paper? I’m not as suited to studying as our doctor, so I can’t do that much. When the doctor first came, I was sweating bullets doing homework back then. Ugh! I hate it.”

Beep-

Lee Chan-hee, who was shaking his head at the sound of the paper and expressing his disgust, touched the screen at the sound of a sudden cell phone notification.

“What is it, spam…? Oh!”

Lee Chan-hee, who thought it was a spam text, quickly made a phone call with his cell phone while looking at the text.

“Hey, Il-sang? It’s been a while. How have you been?”

-It’s been a long time. I’m doing well.

Lee Chan-hee was in high spirits at the news from his friend who had contacted him after a long time.

“It’s been three months since you went to England, so have you adjusted a bit now?”

“Isn’t it daytime in England now? It’s past 11 p.m. here.”

-Chan-hee, it’s past 11 p.m. here too. It’s the same time as you.

“Huh? That can’t be? The time difference is different.”

-You’re at the hospital now, right?

“Of course.”

-Then come outside the emergency room for a moment.

“Suddenly telling me to come outside the emergency room, what does that mean…!”

Lee Chan-hee, who heard his friend’s words and came out of the emergency room, was startled and lowered the cell phone he was holding.

A man with a bright smile was walking towards the emergency room door.

“Hey, you! Why are you here now?”

“I came to see you.”

The man waving his hand with a smiling face was Kim Il-sang, Lee Chan-hee’s high school classmate and longtime friend.

“Il-sang, you son of a b*tch, I’m so glad to see you.”

“I know. I’m so f*cking glad to see you too, my friend.”

“But what’s going on? What happened to you?”

The friend who had gone to study in England three months ago had suddenly come to the hospital in the middle of the night.

“I went to study, but I didn’t study well, so in short, I just came back a failure.”

“A failure?”

“That’s what happened.”

The friend answered with a look of despair at Lee Chan-hee’s worried question.

“Then what are you going to do now? Do you have any plans?”

“I have to think about what to do now.”

“You crazy b*stard, look at how unprepared you are.”

“Does life go according to plan? That’s useless.”

The two were so happy to see each other that they didn’t let go of their hands and bickered with friendly curses.

“But you, I thought you were a busy doctor, but that was a lie? There aren’t many patients?”

“It’s only like that today. And I was really busy until just now. Stop talking nonsense and follow me.”

Lee Chan-hee, who was going into the hospital with his friend, ran into Choi Mona coming down from the ward.

“Hello.”

But Kim Il-sang, who was following behind, suddenly greeted Choi Mona. And he said it very brightly, like a crazy guy.

‘What! This guy.’