Fifth Vital [EN]: Chapter 392

393. You Didn’t Give Up?

“The surgery went well, and the patient is in the recovery room and will be moved to a ward soon.”

Emerging from the operating room, Tae-kyung explained Jo Eung-gi’s condition to his wife, who was waiting in the family waiting room.

“He will recover well, so don’t worry.”

The wife bowed her head and thanked him. Removing a cyst itself isn’t a major surgery compared to others, but for patients and their families, just the word ‘surgery’ can be nerve-wracking and frightening.

The wife, who had been anxious while her husband was in surgery, finally breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed her expression.

“Actually, my husband told me not to worry, saying it was nothing, but he’s been drinking so much lately that I was worried something else might be wrong. But after hearing you, Doctor, I feel relieved.”

“You have every reason to worry. The surgery went well, but you must firmly tell him never to drink again.”

“Of course. I already told him that if he drinks again, I’ll file for divorce. Thank you for your hard work, Doctor.”

“You’re welcome. Then.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Tae-kyung left the family waiting room, and upon hearing that her husband had been moved to the ward, the wife went upstairs.

“Honey, are you okay?”

“I’m okay. Ah!”

“Why? Does it hurt somewhere? Why are you getting up? Just lie down.”

The wife stopped Jo Eung-gi as he slightly frowned while trying to sit up.

“No, it feels a bit tight inside my solar plexus [the area in the abdomen where nerves converge].”

“Should I call the doctor?”

“No. The nurse explained earlier that it might be uncomfortable because it’s the area where I had the laparoscopic surgery [a minimally invasive surgical technique].”

“Ugh!”

“Why?”

The husband asked with a worried expression as his wife sat on the chair next to the bed and sighed.

“Why the sudden sigh? Is something wrong at home? Is it about the kids?”

“The kids went to school fine. It’s because of you!”

“Why me? My surgery went well.”

“It upsets me to see you like this because you drank so much and your health deteriorated. I realized this time, and I’ve said it before, I don’t need money. Health is the most important thing. Waiting in the waiting room, I had all sorts of thoughts. I just want my kids and you to be healthy.”

The wife, who had never had anyone in her family or among her relatives undergo surgery, felt a lot about her husband’s surgery. It made her reflect on their priorities.

“You’re right. Living healthy is the greatest wealth and blessing. I’m sorry for upsetting you. I’ll really do better from now on.”

“Forget it! Just take care of your health.”

“Haha!”

“What? What’s wrong?”

The wife was puzzled when her husband, who had just said his surgical site was uncomfortable, suddenly laughed.

“It’s not that, but I shouldn’t say this, but I feel good because you’re taking care of me like this.”

“Seriously! Should I not take care of my husband who’s sick and had surgery? Why would you even say that? How can you laugh in this situation?”

“Then should I cry?”

“I shouldn’t have said anything. Oh, right! The taxi driver called earlier when you were in surgery.”

“Taxi driver?”

“Yeah. I forgot because I was chatting with you. He asked if you were okay, so give him a call.”

“Okay.”

Jo Eung-gi, who wanted to thank the taxi driver he had met on the bridge, inquired at the taxi company during his hospitalization and was able to get his contact information.

He immediately called to express his gratitude, and the two became acquaintances who exchanged greetings.

The driver, who had heard about Jo Eung-gi’s surgery, had called to ask if it had gone well.

“Hello? Driver, it’s me, Jo Eung-gi. The surgery went well. Yes? Really? You don’t have to do that… I understand.”

“Why did you end the call so quickly?”

“He said he’s coming to visit.”

“Visit? What kind of visit is that from a taxi driver? Tell him it’s okay.”

“I told him it was okay, but he insisted on coming.”

“Is he coming now?”

“No, this afternoon.”

“He’s really a grateful person. Why don’t you treat him to a meal when you get discharged this time?”

“I should. I really should.”

After that, the wife left for work, and around the time she was about to finish, Jo Eung-gi met the taxi driver who came to visit.

“Are you feeling better?”

“Driver, welcome.”

“I heard you had surgery this morning. Is it okay for you to be walking around already?”

“It wasn’t a major surgery, and walking a little is actually helpful for recovery, they said. Anyway, why did you bother coming all the way here? I already feel bad enough…”

“There’s nothing to feel bad about. I just stopped by on my way home from work, so it’s okay. Still, I’m glad to see your expression is better than the day I saw you on the bridge.”

“But no matter how I think about it, you’re a truly amazing person.”

“Me?”

“Yes. I was honestly surprised that you even came to visit.”

“I told you, it’s because I worked as a firefighter. That’s why.”

The taxi driver had worked as a fire truck driver and had witnessed many unfortunate incidents and accidents. That’s why he knew the value of life better than anyone else, like Tae-kyung.

Perhaps because of that, when he met someone like Jo Eung-gi while driving a taxi, he couldn’t just pass by and continued the connection.

The connection wasn’t anything grand, just occasionally exchanging greetings, but that was a great source of strength for the person who received that kindness.

“Then I’ll be going now.”

About 30 minutes passed, and the driver got up from his seat.

“Are you leaving already?”

“I just came to see your face for a bit, so I should go now. That way, the person who had surgery can rest.”

“Driver, please take this.”

Jo Eung-gi handed the driver a shopping bag containing the cake and bread that his wife had bought in the morning.

“I came empty-handed… You’re making me feel bad, giving me something like this.”

“I already received something big from you. My wife insisted that I give it to you. Please share it with your family.”

“Thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”

“I’m the one who should be thanking you. I’ll treat you to a delicious meal when I get discharged.”

“Take care of yourself and get well soon. Don’t come out.”

“Driver, please drive carefully on your way back.”

“Okay, hurry up and go back up.”

“Yes, I’ll contact you.”

After saying goodbye at the back gate, Jo Eung-gi suddenly changed direction as he headed for the elevator to go back to his ward.

Then, dragging the IV pole, he looked around the emergency room entrance.

“Patient, do you need something?”

A nurse who happened to be passing by in the emergency room saw him and asked Jo Eung-gi.

“Yes? No. It’s nothing like that.”

“Are you feeling unwell somewhere?”

“I’m not feeling unwell. Thank you for your trouble.”

When the nurse showed interest, Jo Eung-gi said it was nothing and headed back towards the reception desk.

“If I had known this would happen, I should have asked for his contact information back then…”

As he muttered to himself and was about to call his family, that’s when it happened.

“…!”

Having discovered something, Jo Eung-gi pushed the IV pole and called out to someone as quickly as possible.

“Excuse me? Just a moment.”

However, because he had surgery this morning, it wasn’t easy for him to walk as fast as usual yet. Thinking he couldn’t do it anymore, Jo Eung-gi asked Jang Deuk-chil, who was near the main gate, for help.

“Security guard, please stop that person who just left.”

“That person?”

“Yes, quickly!”

“Sir? Sir!”

Jang Deuk-chil chased after the old man who was just going down the stairs at the main gate entrance, and when he called out to him, the old man stopped and raised his voice.

“Why are you stopping a busy person and making a fuss? Do you have something to say to me?”

The old man, who frowned and reacted irritably, was the terminally ill grandfather in the emergency room who had given Jo Eung-gi some sound advice.

“I don’t have anything to say, but that person asked me to stop you.”

“Who?”

When the old man turned his head, Jo Eung-gi approached, pushing the IV pole.

“Sir, how have you been?”

The reason Jo Eung-gi had been looking around the emergency room earlier was because of this old man.

Jo Eung-gi was grateful to the old man who had scolded him loudly in the emergency room, as much as he was grateful to the taxi driver. So he wanted to greet the old man too, but there was no way to do so.

Judging by the old man’s condition at the time, it seemed like he would be coming to the hospital often, and with that hope in mind, he had gone to the emergency room, but he didn’t know he would actually meet him.

“Do you remember me?”

Jo Eung-gi greeted him with a happy face.

“Why wouldn’t I? My body may be broken, but my mind is still sharp. You’re the guy who was making a fuss about dying in the emergency room back then.”

“Yes, sir. That’s right, I’m the guy who was making a fuss back then.”

“You were acting like you were about to die soon, but you’re still alive?”

“Dying? I came to my senses after being scolded by you back then. I even quit drinking.”

“Really? That’s a very commendable thought. But…”

The old man scanned Jo Eung-gi up and down before continuing.

“Why are you still wearing a hospital gown, looking like a sick chicken?”

“I had cyst removal surgery this morning, so I’m hospitalized.”

“Isn’t that because you drank too much?”

“Well, as a result, that’s true.”

“You’ve suffered. Well, if the director did the surgery, it must have gone well without even asking.”

“Yes, it went very well.”

“Okay, then take care of yourself.”

“No, sir, just a moment.”

As the old man was about to leave as if he had nothing more to say, Jo Eung-gi stopped him again.

“We haven’t finished talking yet, why are you leaving?”

“I’m leaving because I’m done with my business at the hospital, why are you making a fuss? Believe it or not, I’m busy too. Do you have something to say to me?”

“Yes, I have something to say. Thank you, sir.”

Jo Eung-gi greeted him politely with sincerity.

“If I hadn’t been scolded by you that day, I might still be lost in alcohol.”

“Not might, you would have continued to rely on alcohol.”

“That’s right. You saved a person.”

“The one who saved you is the director of this hospital, not me. Anyway, looking at your expression, it seems like you’ve made up your mind and come to your senses… But do you think that feeling will last?”

“Of course. I’ve really come to my senses properly.”

“Well, that’s how it is now, right? You know when people’s minds become lax?”

“Yes?!”

Jo Eung-gi couldn’t understand what the old man was saying.

“When they get used to it. People, when the difficult times pass and they get used to it, their minds become lax again, and they unknowingly make the same mistakes. Right now, you might feel like you’ve come to your senses because of what I said back then and because your body isn’t well. But when you return to your daily life and difficult moments come, you’ll say, ‘Damn! I should have just died back then,’ and you’ll use the excuse of being tired to drink again. Why? Because people’s will isn’t that strong.”

“I know what you’re saying. That’s why I’ll work even harder and grit my teeth to live.”

“Stop talking nonsense and is that your phone?”

The old man pointed to the phone in the small shelf of the IV pole.

“Yes.”

“Take a picture of me with it.”

“You want me to take a picture of you with my phone?”

“Yes. Just take it without asking.”

Click-

“You can delete it, so take a few more.”

Click- Click-

At the old man’s words, Jo Eung-gi kept pressing the camera button to take pictures.

“That’s enough now.”

“Um, sir, why did you ask me to take pictures of you…?”

“If you have a hard time again in the future, look at my picture then. Look at my shabby and sick appearance in the phone and remember what I said in the emergency room back then. Then you’ll be motivated to live hard again.”

“…!”

Jo Eung-gi was speechless for a moment, not knowing what to say at the old man’s unexpected words.

“Always be vigilant, and live hard for me. Got it?”

“Yes, I will live hard. Instead, please don’t give up and live to the end.”

“I didn’t give up? I’m going to live my best until the day I die.”

“Could you give me your contact information, if you have it?”

“No. What’s the point of contacting me? If we’re meant to be, we’ll see each other again.”

The eccentric and irritable old man was a true benefactor who left a deep impression on Jo Eung-gi until the very end.

“Sir, please don’t be sick.”

“You stay healthy.”

Watching the back of the old man walking towards the hospital’s main gate, Jo Eung-gi earnestly prayed for a miracle to happen to him.

‘Please live a long life.’