Fifth Vital [EN]: Chapter 330

“I have good news and bad news. Which would you like to hear first?”

“I’ll take the bad news first. Seems like the better option.”

“To give you the conclusion first, it seems difficult to file a missing person report.”

“Ah… I see.”

Tae-kyung had somewhat expected it, but he still felt a pang of disappointment upon hearing it directly.

“I’m sorry, Director.”

“Why is that something Officer Kim should be sorry for? Don’t worry about it.”

Tae-kyung had contacted Officer Kim earlier after finding out that Seung-woo’s sister wasn’t home, asking if he could file a missing person report.

However, unlike reporting a missing minor, reporting a missing adult wasn’t so simple.

There were differences between adult and child missing person reports. Moreover, unless it was a family member or someone living together, it was practically difficult to even file a report.

“I was even going to send out text alerts to the neighborhood, but these procedures are tying my hands. Actually, it would be great if Seung-woo could report his sister missing, but that’s realistically difficult.”

“That’s right. Seung-woo would be shocked to hear that his sister disappeared. What’s the good news?”

“We were able to find out quite a bit of information about Seung-woo’s sister, Kim Sun-min. The elderly couple living upstairs were a great help. I also went to her workplace and met with Seung-woo’s teacher at school. According to the teacher, his sister contacted them suddenly, saying she was going on a week-long experiential learning trip.”

“So she applied for experiential learning [a type of educational trip] and left Seung-woo at the hospital.”

“Yes, it seems so. Ah! Look at my forgetfulness. I’m just now telling you the most important thing.”

“…?”

“I went to the logistics center where Kim Sun-min worked part-time at night. I got in touch with a close colleague there, who told me that Kim Sun-min had collapsed two days ago and was taken to the hospital emergency room.”

“Emergency room? Don’t tell me…”

“You’re thinking exactly what I’m thinking, Director.”

“Our hospital’s emergency room?”

“Yes. Her colleague said they took her there themselves, so they remember it clearly. They described the situation in detail, so it seemed certain.”

“When was that? Did you say her name was Kim Sun-min?”

“Yes, Kim Sun-min.”

Upon hearing that Seung-woo’s sister had received treatment at the hospital, Tae-kyung immediately got up and left the office.

He headed to the reception desk to check when Kim Sun-min had paid her bill, in order to check the CCTV footage from that time.

“Kim Sun-min, Kim Sun-min… Found it.”

However, the moment he heard the receptionist’s next words, Tae-kyung no longer needed to check the CCTV.

“Found it?”

“Yes, Director. Oh! But this Kim Sun-min, she’s that person. Director, do you perhaps remember? The young female patient who gave you her payment because she was busy.”

“You know, the patient we were about to go look for because she was waiting, but the director told us to wait a little longer. That’s her.”

“Ah! That patient?”

Another receptionist next to her chimed in, as if remembering.

“You mean the young woman who had two or three thousand won [Korean currency] left over from her change?”

“Yes, that’s her.”

“Director, don’t you remember?”

“Yes, I remember.”

He remembered it so clearly that he couldn’t possibly forget.

She was a fairly young woman who had come to the hospital after fainting and was also slightly malnourished.

Because of that, he had recommended that she finish her IV drip, but she had stubbornly refused, saying she had urgent business.

Then, Tae-kyung found Kim Sun-min crying in front of the ATM because she didn’t have enough money for the hospital bill and secretly paid it for her.

More than anything, her powerless figure, full of apologies and drooping as she turned away, was still vivid in his mind.

‘That woman was Seung-woo’s sister…’

“Director? Aren’t you going to check the CCTV?”

“No, I don’t think I need to.”

“…?”

Tae-kyung explained to Officer Kim, who was curious about what was going on, omitting the fact that he had paid the hospital bill.

“So that’s what happened. Actually, according to the people around Kim Sun-min, no one thinks she’s the type to have extreme thoughts. And looking at her house, it didn’t seem like she would do that either.”

“Kim Sun-min’s house?”

“Yes. People who are really thinking of ending things usually don’t have houses that are so clean and well-organized.”

Of course, that wasn’t the case for everyone. But as a police officer, Officer Kim had met many people while handling various cases, and some of them had been suicide cases.

Some had made impulsive choices, and others had made planned choices, but most of them had one thing in common: their houses or rooms were not clean.

Their minds were sick, and they were too exhausted to clean their houses or rooms.

“So, while looking around the house, I was secretly relieved. And I was glad that I didn’t find any sleeping pills or antidepressants, unlike what I had feared.”

There were sleeping pills on top of Kim Sun-min’s refrigerator, but for some reason, the pills weren’t there, so Officer Kim didn’t find them.

“But, why did she leave her brother at our hospital of all places?”

Team Leader Choi, who was next to him, asked.

“I think it was impulsive. According to the elderly couple upstairs, she had no other place to leave her brother besides them. Since she had just received treatment at the hospital, the hospital might have been the only thing that came to mind.”

“Listening to you, Officer Kim, I think you’re right.”

“But, if, as Officer Kim said, his sister didn’t have extreme thoughts, then why would she leave her precious brother at the hospital and go somewhere else?”

The receptionist, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, said with an incomprehensible expression.

“It’s because of money.”

“In the end, it’s money.”

Then, Tae-kyung and Officer Kim answered simultaneously.

“I guarantee it’s because of money.”

Nurse Im Jung-sook, who was working on one side, said while charging her work tablet.

“Raising one child costs a lot more money than you think. And in Seung-woo’s case, he would need even more money than that. I remember Kim Sun-min, and it must have been overwhelming for that young woman to raise her brother alone.”

“Oh, money makes us cry and money makes us laugh. What is money, really?”

“Sometimes, when I see people like that, I wish they would win the lottery and live happily.”

“Sun-young, winning the lottery is harder than getting struck by lightning. It’s not an easy thing. Look at Team Leader. He’s been buying them for three years and has never won more than ten thousand won.”

“That’s true. In the end, it’s just the child who’s waiting for his sister who’s pitiful.”

“Excuse me, Director…”

Team Leader Choi, who had been staring at the doctor’s office with a serious expression, cautiously spoke.

“I hate to say this, but that sister… Could it be that she abandoned her brother, Seung-woo?”

“…!”

At Team Leader Choi’s words, everyone, including Tae-kyung, was shocked and speechless for a moment.

“Team Leader, how can you say such a thing?”

“That’s right. Didn’t you hear what Officer Kim said earlier? His sister loves her brother dearly!”

“The director and everyone else are already worried about Seung-woo’s problem, and you’re saying she abandoned him…? How can you say such a thing? Take it back immediately.”

“That’s right, Team Leader. Words have power. Take it back, like Soo said. Quickly say ‘tueh, tueh, tueh’ [a spitting sound to ward off bad luck] three times and take it back.”

The receptionists and Nurse Im Jung-sook raised their voices at Team Leader Choi, complaining.

“Of course, I hope that’s not the case, but it seems like things are going that way, so I’m just feeling sorry.”

“Enough, just take it back quickly. Hurry!”

“Take it back.”

“Say ‘tueh, tueh, tueh’ too.”

“Tueh. Tueh. Tueh. I didn’t mean to…”

“But, what Team Leader said might not be entirely wrong.”

Officer Kim cautiously chimed in, looking at Team Leader Choi, who was speaking in a barely audible voice.

“I know that Kim Sun-min sincerely cares for Seung-woo, but regardless, it’s also true that there’s a possibility of that happening. As Nurse Soo said earlier, the reality is that it’s not easy for a young woman to raise her brother alone without any family.”

-Next news. Another unfortunate incident has occurred.

At that moment, the anchor’s words flowing from the TV in the waiting room drew everyone’s attention.

-Do you remember the incident where a child was abandoned at a subway station a while ago? A similar incident has occurred again, less than a month after that happened.

This time, the biological parents abandoned their child at a large shopping mall, and the parents stated that they abandoned the child because they were suffering from financial difficulties. Reporter Go Kyung-min will give you the details.

“Why is that kind of news coming out on TV of all times?”

Nurse Im Jung-sook quickly grabbed the remote and changed the channel.

“In the Women and Youth Division where I work, we receive several cases like that every month.”

“See? I didn’t say anything completely wrong. You can know ten fathoms of water, but you can’t know one fathom of a person’s heart [idiom meaning you can never truly know what someone is thinking]. If that sister really abandoned Seung-woo, shouldn’t we come up with some countermeasures? What do you think, Director?”

It was at that moment that Team Leader Choi raised his voice once again.

“No.”

Seung-woo, who had come out of the doctor’s office to go to the bathroom, happened to overhear the adults’ conversation.

“Seung-woo?”

“Oh my! What should we do? It looks like Seung-woo heard everything.”

“My sister didn’t abandon Seung-woo.”

“Seung-woo, Seung-woo is right. That’s not what we meant…”

Tae-kyung quickly approached Seung-woo, knelt down on one knee, and tried to soothe him, but the shocked child’s heart didn’t seem to calm down easily.

“My sister is a good person. My sister loves me. Sob!”

Seung-woo, carrying a kangaroo bag on his shoulder and holding Kevin’s heart model in his hand, finally began to speak, sobbing.

“Seung-woo is the person my sister loves the most in this world, and he’s like her heart. When my sister sees Seung-woo… Sob! The fatigue of the day disappears. Seung-woo is not different from his friends and other people, but a little more special. My sister will be Seung-woo’s friend, teacher, and always hug Seung-woo warmly like the sun in the sky. My sister… Sob! My sister loves Seung-woo very much.”

Everyone was shocked by the words that came out of the pure child’s mouth.

“Sob… Those are the words my sister, our sister, always said to me every night while hugging me. My sister said that Mom went to save the aliens and will come back. My sister didn’t abandon me. My sister is not that kind of person. Sob!”

Those were the words Kim Sun-min had said every night while stroking Seung-woo’s head like a lullaby. Seung-woo had memorized those words without missing a single syllable.

“Yes, Seung-woo. Seung-woo is right. The adults made a mistake. Teacher apologizes. I’m sorry.”

“Waaah!”

Tae-kyung hugged Seung-woo, who had already burst into tears.

“Wo, words… Words are like invisible weapons. Careless words leave invisible wounds on someone and hurt them. Sob! Words should be spoken carefully. I don’t want to get hurt. Teacher, here…”

Seung-woo touched his chest with his right hand and said.

“My heart hurts here. I don’t want to get hurt. Sob!”

“I’m sorry, Seung-woo. I’m really sorry for hurting your feelings.”

“Teacher, I miss my sister. Sister! When are you coming? Waaah!”

Tae-kyung slowly stroked Seung-woo’s chest and then hugged the child tightly without saying anything more.

The staff members who saw the scene couldn’t say anything, with choked-up expressions.