Fifth Vital [EN]: Chapter 385

386. Resignation

After sending Yoo Hyuk-jin off, Tae-kyung returned to treating patients, moving between the examination room and the emergency room as if nothing had happened.

Our hospital, which had been filled with tension, regained its original appearance.

“If I had known it would be like this, should I have come to work earlier?”

Lee Chan-hee, after seeing a patient in the emergency room, came to the doctors’ office and asked Choi Mona, who was looking at some data.

“Didn’t you see Yoo Hyuk-jin leave?”

“No. I wanted to say goodbye when he was discharged.”

“Why? You were mainly in charge, so we hardly saw him, right?”

“Well, that’s true. It’s partly because I participated in his surgery, and there was something about that patient… how should I put it… his eyes looked a bit sad when I first saw him.”

“So you were going to tell him to cheer up?”

“As expected, you know me too well, my Gae-Mona [a playful, affectionate nickname]. So lovely.”

“Uh-huh! You’ll get in trouble. This is the hospital. Take your hand away.”

Choi Mona said, glancing outside the doctors’ office as Lee Chan-hee stroked her hair.

“Yes, Gae-Mona! I’ve taken it away immediately.”

“Anyway, even if you didn’t, he probably received plenty of encouragement.”

“From whom?”

“Who else but the director? If you felt it, the director must have felt it too, right? He’s always overflowing with encouragement for patients.”

“That’s right. Our director would have given him more than enough.”

“Oh, right! Lee, what happened with that thing for you?”

“What do you mean, what happened?”

“Uh-oh! Why are you reacting like that? You’re suspicious.”

Choi Mona, who couldn’t take her eyes off the liver transplant data on her laptop monitor, narrowed her eyes and glared at Lee Chan-hee.

“Suspicious? What is?”

“You’re not really pretending you don’t know about winning 500 million [Korean won, roughly equivalent to $400,000 USD], are you?”

“500 million all of a sud…! Oh, right. The lottery! My lottery.”

Lee Chan-hee had bought a lottery ticket some time ago after getting covered in feces while manually removing stool from a constipated patient. At least two of the symbols matched, so he was sure he had won something, but he hadn’t checked the amount.

He had been so busy with the Yoo Hyuk-jin case that he had completely forgotten about the lottery ticket until now.

“I hadn’t even thought about it. Where’s my lottery ticket? Lottery ticket…”

“You didn’t lose it, did you?”

“No way.”

“Here!”

Lee Chan-hee, who had been searching all over his desk, took out the lottery ticket from a drawer and showed it.

“Found it! First prize! Please help me.”

Holding the lottery ticket high, Lee Chan-hee whispered with a desperate heart.

“I’ve really tried to live a good life, not harming others, and being kind. Please let me win the first prize. If I win the first prize and can buy my own house in Seoul, I’ll really live even harder. I want to get married. Please give me the first prize.”

“No, you can’t buy a house in Seoul with 500 million.”

“Ah! Come on. Gae-Mona, please. If I win the first prize, I’ll do whatever you want. Please pray with me.”

“Whatever I want? Really?”

“Of course.”

“P-please let our Lee win.”

At Lee Chan-hee’s words, Choi Mona also prayed for the lottery ticket to win.

“Okay, then I’ll go now.”

“Where? Aren’t you going to scratch the lottery ticket?”

“The director scratched it last time, so he should finish it this time. The person scratching shouldn’t change in the middle. I’m going.”

“Seriously. Such a fuss. Don’t get scolded by the director. I’m going into the emergency room.”

“Ah! Wait.”

“What is it! What if someone sees us?”

“There’s no one outside. I’m going.”

Lee Chan-hee, who had gone all the way to the door of the doctors’ office, came back and kissed Choi Mona on the cheek before heading to Tae-kyung.

Knock knock-

“Director?”

“Oh, come in, Lee.”

“Are you busy?”

Lee Chan-hee, who came into the examination room, said with an overly smiling expression.

“No, I’m fine. Seeing that burdensome expression, it looks like you have a favor to ask… What is it?”

“As expected! You have a good sense, Director. I came to ask you to finish scratching this.”

“A lottery ticket? You still haven’t scratched this?”

“No.”

“Lee, you can scratch it, can’t you?”

“You scratched it last time, so you have to do it to the end. The person scratching can’t change in the middle.”

“Okay, I got it. A coin?”

“Here it is.”

Tae-kyung, knowing that there was no use in continuing to talk, quickly scratched the lottery ticket.

“Jackpot!”

And a moment later, Lee Chan-hee’s excited voice echoed in the examination room.

“I won! Director, I won!”

“You’re that happy?”

“Of course. I won a million won [approximately $800 USD], so I’m happy.”

The winning amount was one million won, but Lee Chan-hee, who had been shouting about first prize, was not disappointed and was rather happy.

“Weren’t you aiming for 500 million?”

“I was aiming for it, but it was such a large amount that I didn’t expect it. One million won is realistic and good. It’s all thanks to you, Director. I’ll take care of snacks and late-night snacks today. Haha!”

Lee Chan-hee, who was in a great mood, opened the door to the examination room, and Oh Chang-gyu was standing in front of it.

“Ah! You startled me.”

“I’m sorry. I was about to go in, but I didn’t know the door would open suddenly.”

Oh Chang-gyu, who was about to enter the examination room, seemed slightly embarrassed to see Lee Chan-hee suddenly popping out.

“Don’t mention it. More than that, Oh, I won the lottery. A million won, too.”

“Really? That’s great. Congratulations.”

“I’ll buy you really expensive, high-end coffee later.”

“Ah, thank you.”

“Everyone, I won the lottery!!”

“Really?”

“How much is it?”

“A million won!”

Leaving behind Lee Chan-hee’s voice shouting as he passed through the hallway, Oh Chang-gyu entered the examination room and closed the door.

“Lee Chan-hee has a lot of energy. Right?”

“Yes, Director.”

“Oh, why haven’t you gone home? You were on duty yesterday, right?”
Tae-kyung asked, looking at Oh Chang-gyu, who was still wearing his work uniform even though the on-duty staff’s 퇴근 [pronounced “toe-geun”, meaning “leaving work”] time had passed.

“Well… I have something to tell you, Director.”

“Anyone would think you’re being punished.”

“Pardon?”

“I’m talking about Oh. The way you’re standing with your hands neatly together and looking at the floor makes you look like you’re being punished. Sit down first.”

“Ah, yes.”

Oh Chang-gyu, whose expression was clearly not good, was still unable to look at Tae-kyung, keeping his head down.

“Do you want tea? Or a drink?”

“No. I’m fine.”

“Looking at your face, it seems like you came because you have something to say. Tell me.”

“Why… don’t you say anything to me? Don’t you have anything to say to me?”

“Did I say I had something to say? Well. I don’t have anything to say to Oh separately.”

“This…”

Oh Chang-gyu handed Tae-kyung the white envelope he had been holding since earlier, to Tae-kyung, who said he had nothing to say.

“It’s too obvious… This is obviously a resignation letter, right?”

“Yes, Director. It’s a resignation letter.”

In fact, Oh Chang-gyu had been waiting, thinking that Tae-kyung would tell him to quit. But no matter how long he waited, he didn’t feel that atmosphere, so he came to deliver his resignation letter himself.

“My brother’s matter has been resolved, and I don’t think it’s right for me to work here anymore.”

“Why?”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t come here because I wanted to work, and I’m so sorry for causing so much trouble.”

“Is that so? But did you dislike working here, Oh?”

“No. It’s the opposite.”

Oh Chang-gyu, who had been looking at the floor, raised his head and spoke strongly, as if his true feelings had come out.

“It was something I started to help my brother, but I enjoyed working at our hospital. The patients and staff are all good, and I really liked working here. I didn’t think this job would suit me so well. I never worked insincerely, not even for a moment.”

“I know how you felt while working, Oh. You said this is a resignation letter, right?”

“Yes. Director.”

Tear-

“……!”

Tae-kyung suddenly tore the resignation letter on the desk. Oh Chang-gyu stared blankly with a surprised expression at the sight.

“Why, in dramas, the boss 멋있게 [pronounced “meo-sit-geh”, meaning “coolly” or “impressively”] tears up the resignation letter written by a junior who made a mistake and stops them from leaving the company. I’m doing that now.”

“D-Director, even so, how can I…”

“Oh Chang-gyu?”

“…Yes?”

“In Oh’s opinion, do I look like I’m doing a good job as the person in charge of the hospital?”

“Of course. Not only me, but also the head nurse and all the other doctors think so.”

“The reason I can do a good job is because I have staff who support me well. That includes Oh. So let’s continue to work together at our hospital in the future.”

Tae-kyung had no intention of letting go of Oh Chang-gyu, who was regretting and reflecting on his mistakes.

Of course, it is true that he did something wrong, but because that wrong was not an act of malice and was a choice to help someone, he decided to cover up the wrong.

“Aren’t you answering? Let me ask you one thing. Is it because you don’t want to work at our hospital?”

“No. That’s not possible. No.”

“Then let’s continue working. Got it?”

“Yes, Director. Thank you so much. I’ll work harder without causing any worries.”

“You’re doing well enough now. However, there’s one thing I want Oh to be clear about.”

“Please tell me.”

“Now, live your own life, Oh Chang-gyu. Stop meddling so much in other people’s affairs. Do you know what I mean?”

“Yes, I understand.”

“Then go home quickly and see you tomorrow.”

“Thank you so much. Director. See you tomorrow.”

After bowing politely, Oh Chang-gyu left the examination room, and Tae-kyung threw the torn resignation letter in the trash can on the desk and said to himself.

“Ah, I should have torn it more 멋있게 [pronounced “meo-sit-geh”, meaning “coolly” or “impressively”]. It’s a shame.”

* * *

Yeoul-dong Intersection-

“Haa! Haa!”

A neatly dressed woman was running madly across the crosswalk as the numbers dwindled.

The woman, as if being chased by someone, looked back from time to time and ran faster when she saw the front gate of our hospital.

“Excuse me, can I ask you something?”

The woman approached Jang Deuk-chil, who was standing in front of the main gate.

“Yes, please speak.”

“Will I have to wait long to see a doctor now? I’m trying to see the director here.”

“The director? Well. If you register now, I don’t think you’ll have to wait long for an outpatient visit.”

Jang Deuk-chil looked at the waiting room and then answered the woman again.

“It’s not a busy time yet. There are two people ahead of you.”

“Yes, thank you.”

The woman quickly finished the conversation and headed to the reception desk.

“Welcome. Is this your first time at our hospital?”

“Yes, it’s my first time. I’m here to see a doctor.”

“Please write your name and date of birth here. What’s bothering you?”

“That’s…”

The woman hesitated for a moment and then continued.

“My leg. My leg is a bit uncomfortable.”

Even while talking to the receptionist, the woman kept looking back and showing an uneasy appearance.

“Your leg. I understand. Please sit down, and I’ll call your name.”

“Will it take long to see a doctor?”

“No. Unless an emergency patient comes in suddenly, it won’t take long.”

“Yes, thank you.”

The woman, who had finished registering, sat on a chair in the waiting room, hoping that her name would be called quickly.

Occasionally checking her phone and turning her head towards the main gate, the woman fixed her gaze on the examination room, waiting for her turn to come quickly.

After 10 minutes passed, the woman looked at the main gate with an even more anxious expression, and then it happened.

Rrrrrrrrrr

Thud-

“……!”

Startled by the sudden ringing of the bell, she dropped her phone on the floor. But the woman’s actions were a bit strange.

Looking at the word ‘Mother-in-law’ on the screen, she froze with an almost terrified expression.

“Excuse me. You dropped your phone.”

“Ah, yes. Thank you.”

A person sitting nearby picked up the phone and handed it to the woman, and she hurriedly picked up her phone.

“Yes, Mother. It’s me.”

The woman, making a small voice and receiving the phone with both hands, hurriedly went outside to continue the call.

-Yes. Where are you?