Fifth Vital [EN]: Chapter 343

344. Subtly Different

Although many years had passed, I recognized Lee Young-hoon instantly. Kim Sun-min approached him slowly and called his name.

“Senior?”

“……!”

Creak-

Lee Young-hoon, who turned at the sound of his name, paused, then quickly stood, looking flustered.

“Su, Sun-min….”

Lee Young-hoon was quite surprised to see her. He had been wondering if she wouldn’t show up, or if she’d changed her mind and decided not to see him.

Kim Sun-min was also slightly surprised, though not as much as Lee Young-hoon.

Seeing him look the same as he did back then gave her a strange feeling.

“I saw the note you left, Senior.”

“Oh, you did. Sit down. Can I get you something to drink? Coffee? Juice?”

“No, Senior, I’m fine. It’s been a while. How have you been?”

“The same as always. I got divorced.”

Lee Young-hoon, who had avoided marriage because of what happened with Kim Sun-min long ago, eventually married through a matchmaking service [a service where families arrange marriages] due to pressure from his overbearing parents. However, a marriage without love didn’t last, ending in less than a year.

“I heard you got divorced, Senior. Are you okay?”

“It’s all in the past. I’m fine.”

“That’s a relief. I heard you waited a long time. I suspended my phone service and then reactivated it, but I’ve been too busy to check it until today.”

Lee Young-hoon had no idea about Seung-woo’s existence until now.

Kim Sun-min felt sorry for him, imagining how surprised he must have been to receive a note filled with urgency.

“I’m sorry, Senior.”

“No, there’s no need to be sorry. I didn’t wait long.”

“No, I’m sorry about suddenly leaving a note, and about Seung-woo….”

“Why are you sorry, Sun-min?”

While waiting for Kim Sun-min, Lee Young-hoon had been dying of curiosity about Seung-woo, whom he’d learned about through the note. However, he hesitated to bring it up himself.

“If it’s about that, I’m the one who should apologize. You must have raised Seung-woo alone all this time.”

“His grandmother did most of the work, more than I did.”

Kim Sun-min explained everything to Lee Young-hoon, who listened with a curious expression.

She told him why she had no choice but to say such harsh things and leave back then, about her grandmother’s death, and that Seung-woo was autistic.

Finally, she explained why she had taken the note and come to find him, not hiding anything.

She felt it was only right to tell him the truth.

“So, after asking around, I found out where you lived, Senior, and went there without any real plan.”

“I see. Back then… you made that decision and left because of my sister and mother.”

Hearing the whole story, Lee Young-hoon felt so sorry for Kim Sun-min that he felt guilty just looking at her.

How could they say such awful things to a young student? He hated his sister and mother for it.

“Sun-min, I’m so sorry, even though it’s too late. I’ll apologize for what my sister and mother did to you. And I’ll make sure they apologize directly. They shouldn’t have treated you like that. When you think about it, it’s not your fault, it’s my fault… I’m really sorry.”

“No, it’s not your fault, Senior, and it’s also my fault. We were too young and didn’t know any better. I can’t say what happened back then was good, but I don’t regret giving birth to Seung-woo.”

Looking at Kim Sun-min speaking confidently, Lee Young-hoon knew she meant every word.

“And there’s no need for your sister and mother to apologize. It’s true that I was upset and hated them back then, but now, I don’t have any bad feelings or good feelings.”

“I’m still sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t pay more attention. You must have gone through a lot, Sun-min.”

“I want to say no, but I did go through some hardships. But Senior, I guess people don’t just disappear. Thanks to a good doctor, unexpected good things happened in Seung-woo’s and my lives.”

Kim Sun-min told Lee Young-hoon about the incredible events of the day.

“Seung-woo is a genius… you said?”

“You’re surprised too, right, Senior? I was so surprised.”

“Such a good company is even sponsoring him. Things have really worked out for Seung-woo and you, Sun-min. That doctor must be a really great person.”

“He’s like a benefactor to Seung-woo and me.”

“Sun-min, but….”

Lee Young-hoon hesitated for a moment, then continued.

“Regardless of all this, I want to help Seung-woo.”

“I’m okay now, Senior.”

“I know. I know you’re okay now, but you and your late grandmother have suffered all this time. I just want to do something for Seung-woo, too.”

He wasn’t trying to suddenly act like a father now that he knew he was his biological father.

He simply wanted to help Seung-woo and her, without any ulterior motives.

“And it’s right for me to give you child support. Don’t refuse.”

“I won’t refuse, but let’s talk about this more, just you and me, Senior.”

“Okay, thank you for saying that.”

“And Senior, you are Seung-woo’s father. However, to Seung-woo, I’m not his mother but his sister. So, I’ll tell him that you’re his father a little later.”

Kim Sun-min had often thought about this.

She was planning to tell him the truth when Seung-woo asked about his father someday.

Therefore, there was no need to hide Lee Young-hoon’s existence.

“I don’t mind. So, don’t worry about me. I’m all right. By the way… can I come to see Seung-woo sometimes?”

Lee Young-hoon wanted to see Seung-woo. He wanted to see him very much.

It was a natural pull, a connection to his own blood. And he wanted to keep seeing Kim Sun-min, too. But if she objected, he wouldn’t try to see him secretly.

Lee Young-hoon, who had been silent for a while, asked again carefully.

“If sometimes isn’t possible, even once a year… No, I’m being greedy. Forget I said that.”

“You can come to see Seung-woo. You’re his father, Senior. So, come and see him.”

“Re, really? Thank you. Thank you so much.”

“I’m also grateful that you’re thinking about Seung-woo, and that you rushed all the way here.”

“No. Of course, I had to come.”

“I’m sorry, Senior, but I think I have to go now. Seung-woo is waiting.”

Kim Sun-min couldn’t stay long, worried that Seung-woo would be anxious.

“Oh, okay. Go quickly.”

“Instead of that, let’s go together, Senior.”

“Huh? Together?”

“Yes. You want to see Seung-woo, right? You came all this way, so you must really want to see him. Come on, let’s go.”

“……!”

Lee Young-hoon was stunned by her unexpected words.

Of course, he wanted to see Seung-woo, but he hadn’t expected it to be today.

“Aren’t you coming?”

“No, I’m coming! I’m coming.”

After a while, they arrived in front of the villa, and the grandmother from the upper floor, having been contacted, came down with Seung-woo.

“Sister?”

“Did our Seung-woo have fun?”

“Yes. I drew pictures with Grandpa, and Grandma made fried rice for me.”

“I should have cooked for him at home… I’m sorry.”

“Don’t say that. Why are you sorry? My husband and I eat early. We made Seung-woo’s simply while we were eating. Oh my, you have a guest. I’ll go in now.”

“Thank you, Grandma. I’ll stop by later.”

“Sister, who is this man?”

After the grandmother from the upper floor went back inside, Seung-woo turned his attention to Lee Young-hoon, who had been staring at him.

“Oh. This person is….”

“I’m your sister’s friend.”

Lee Young-hoon said naturally, meeting Seung-woo’s gaze as Kim Sun-min hesitated.

“Sister’s friend?”

“Yes, that’s right. When Seung-woo was young, this man liked Seung-woo a lot.”

“Hello.”

“Yes. Hello. Nice to meet you, Seung-woo….”

Lee Young-hoon’s eyes trembled slightly.

The child in front of him was a very lovely child, resembling both Kim Sun-min and himself.

“Where do you live, mister?”

“Oh, I don’t live in Seoul. I live far away. I came because I had something to do today, and I came to see my friend, your sister, after a long time.”

“I see. Mister?”

“Yes, Seung-woo.”

“Is our sister pretty?”

“Seung-woo, what are you talking about?”

Kim Sun-min was quite embarrassed by Seung-woo’s sudden question.

“You can tell me secretly if you’re shy.”

As Seung-woo put his hand to his ear and leaned closer, Lee Young-hoon whispered very quietly, and Seung-woo smiled brightly.

“Hey, Seung-woo? Can I hug you just once?”

“Um… okay, for a moment.”

As Seung-woo hesitated but allowed it, Lee Young-hoon hugged the child very gently, careful not to startle him.

“Thank you for letting me hug you. Sun-min, I’ll go now.”

“Oh, okay. Thank you for today, Senior.”

“I’m more grateful. Seung-woo, it was nice meeting you today. Let’s see each other again.”

“Yes, let’s play puzzles together next time.”

“Okay, I’ll bring a fun puzzle. Take care of your sister.”

“Yes, goodbye, mister.”

Lee Young-hoon watched Kim Sun-min and Seung-woo enter the villa, his eyes full of affection.

Seung-woo, who had first come to our hospital, Kim Sun-min, who had been weighed down by reality and sadness, and Lee Young-hoon, who had waited anxiously in the coffee shop.

The faces of the three, each with their own circumstances and difficulties, were now free of worry.

‘Sun-min, Seung-woo, I’ll protect you now.’

Looking at Kim Sun-min and Seung-woo’s backs, Lee Young-hoon vowed to work harder for their happiness.

Thus, Seung-woo’s incident, which had turned our hospital upside down, ended with a happy ending for everyone.

* * *

Our Hospital-

“Now, the numbers are normal, so you can be discharged.”

“Really? Thank you, Doctor.”

“You’ll be discharged the morning after tomorrow, and we’ll see you at the outpatient clinic.”

Taekyung was finishing his evening rounds in the last patient room.

He had gone around the ward with Choi Mona in the afternoon, and now he was with Lee Chan-hee.

“Yes, Doctor.”

“Then I’ll see you again.”

“Does anyone else smell something like poop, a foul smell?”

After finishing the rounds in the six-person room, a patient asked the patient in the next bed as they were about to leave the room.

“Did you smell it too? I thought I was the only one. It’s an unpleasant smell.”

“I know. I wondered if it was coming from me because I haven’t showered, so I smelled myself all over.”

“You don’t smell like that just from not showering for a few days. Hey, Mr. Oh? Did you poop your pants?”

“What! You little rascal? What did I do?”

The old man, who was watching a video on his phone, sat up and blushed at the middle-aged man’s words.

“Hey, you little rascal! Why are you suddenly talking nonsense to someone who’s just sitting here quietly?”

“No, you slightly pooped on your bed last time. So, I’m asking, but why are you so angry?”

“That’s because poop suddenly came out when I was having an enema before the surgery. Are you the one who pooped your pants?”

“What are you talking about? I’m not an old man.”

“You think you’re not going to get old!”

“Okay, okay! Why are our patients suddenly raising their voices? Everyone, calm down.”

While nurse Im Jeong-suk was calming the patients, Taekyung and Lee Chan-hee left the room.

The two’s expressions were subtly different. Lee Chan-hee’s expression, in particular, seemed a little dark.

As they left the room, the ward nurse at the station held back her laughter and unknowingly held her breath as she greeted them.

“Teacher? What is this smell?”

“Ah. That’s… earlier in the emergency room….”

Behind Taekyung and Lee Chan-hee, who were walking away, the nurse who had just greeted them told the nurse who asked about the smell.

“Dr. Lee?”

Taekyung, who had been walking silently for a while, called his junior at the end of the hallway in a very soft and affectionate tone, unlike usual.

“Chan-hee….”