Fifth Vital [EN]: Chapter 92

92. Kim Tae-kyung’s Place

Shinhwa University Hospital –

A crowd, resembling a mass exodus more than anything, was gathered in the main lobby.

For some reason, the hospital director, Ko Gye-deuk, along with key doctors from each department, were all smiles as they left work before sunset.

“Director Ko, thanks to you, I had a very good rest again this time.”

“No, Assemblyman. I didn’t do anything. Our doctors did all the work.”

“Hahaha! This guy is so modest.”

Ko Gye-deuk was putting on a fake smile, even delaying his 퇴근 [quitting time], to see off a member of the National Assembly who had been hospitalized for a health checkup.

“Please move aside.”

“Emergency patient coming through.”

Just a few meters away, at the entrance of the emergency room, traffic accident (TA) patients covered in blood were arriving.

“Please make way for a moment.”

The shouts of the paramedics, desperate to save the limp patient, reached their ears, but Ko Gye-deuk and his group paid no attention.

“And about that government subsidy… I think Shinhwa University Hospital will be selected.”

“Oh, Assemblyman, you don’t have to do that…”

“What are you talking about? Shinhwa University Hospital, which is working hard for the health of the people, should get it so that we can all enjoy our work.”

To Ko Gye-deuk, the member of the National Assembly was far more important than the patients whose lives were at risk.

Ordinary patients were of no benefit to him, but VIPs brought great benefits to him and the hospital.

“Thank you for always taking care of us.”

“Thanks for what? We’re just doing our jobs. More than that, my son and his wife are coming next month, and they want to get a health checkup.”

“Please contact me, and I will help you well.”

“I always feel secure because of Director Ko. Good work.”

“Thank you for your hard work.”

Vroom-

As soon as the National Assembly member’s car left the lobby, Ko Gye-deuk wiped the smile off his face and went inside the hospital.

“Director, you’ve worked hard.”

“Tsk. That guy has a beggar’s mentality, trying to get as much as he gives.”

“Isn’t that how the rich are?”

“Honey, Kim Tae-kyung isn’t at this hospital.”

As he headed to the elevator with the doctors following him, the sound of a woman’s phone call caught Ko Gye-deuk’s attention.

“I heard that Dr. Kim Tae-kyung quit a while ago.”

When Tae-kyung’s name, who was a person of interest these days, came up, Ko Gye-deuk deliberately slowed down his pace.

“Haejin’s mom said he was on Shinhwa University’s YouTube channel, so I came thinking he was, but it’s an old video. So I just waited and got a checkup from a doctor who had time, and it’s over now.”

Even if he only listened to the woman’s call roughly, he could immediately understand what she was saying.

She wanted to see Tae-kyung for treatment.

Even though he had quit a while ago, as the woman said, there were still quite a few patients looking for Tae-kyung.

“Director Lee, is there any news?”

“Please wait a little longer, and you’ll get an answer soon.”

Ko Gye-deuk asked about the news of Lee Dong-hoon meeting Tae-kyung, but Director Lee didn’t know either.

“Instead of that, check with Dr. Lee Dong-hoon again. We can’t keep waiting forever.”

“Yes, Director. I understand.”

* * *

“Tsk, there’s never a quiet day.”

Director Lee, who got off the elevator, headed to his office and made a phone call somewhere.

Rrrrrrrrrr

“…….”

Along with the sound of the phone ringing, the ringtone was heard nearby, and Lee Dong-hoon was standing in front of the door.

“I couldn’t find you in your office, so I was about to call you, but you’re here.”

“I was just calling Dr. Lee Dong-hoon. Let’s go inside first.”

Director Lee’s expression, who guided Lee Dong-hoon to his office, was full of anticipation.

“Did you meet our Dr. Kim?”

“Yes. I met him.”

“Really? I don’t know how long I’ve been waiting to hear those words.”

Lee Dong-hoon had been avoiding meeting him until now, even though it had been a few days since he met Tae-kyung.

It wasn’t because there was a great reason, but simply because he disliked Director Lee and the hospital director.

He didn’t want to see them making things difficult for people and then being impatient now. So he deliberately dragged it out and made them frustrated.

“How was it? Did you have a conversation with Dr. Kim?”

“Yes, I met him and had a lot of conversations.”

“You also conveyed the professorship offer, right?”

“Of course. I told him in detail that if there’s anything that the director and the director are eagerly waiting for and want, I’ll meet all the conditions.”

“Okay, what did our Dr. Kim say? No, I asked the wrong question. When will he be able to return?”

Director Lee asked with a confident expression. After all, who would refuse a professorship at a major university hospital in Korea, as well as all the things they want?

It was clear that it was an unprecedented condition that no one could refuse unless they were crazy.

“Dr. Kim must have liked hearing that the research funds would be fully supported.”

It wasn’t just the director who was eagerly waiting for Tae-kyung’s return. It was no exaggeration to say that Director Lee, as well as the entire surgery department, was waiting for Tae-kyung.

People don’t know what they have until it’s gone. As time went by, the regret grew bigger, not forgotten.

“Director. Before I tell you, can I ask you a personal question?”

“Of course.”

“Are you happy working as a doctor now?”

“Happiness!?”

Director Lee burst out laughing at the unexpected question.

“Haha! Dr. Lee, did you read a philosophy book?”

“I didn’t.”

“How can there be such romance for a doctor? Ask any doctor working at the hospital right now. Who would say they’re happy?”

It wasn’t wrong. Large hospitals were a repetition of countless patient care and surgeries, while local hospitals had their own difficulties along with hospital management.

“Stop talking about this nonsense and when is he coming back? This month?”

“No. He’s not coming.”

“What, what did you say?”

Soon, Director Lee’s face contorted. It was like pouring ice water on his expectant heart.

“He’s not coming?”

“Yes, he refused.”

“He refuses? These conditions? He dares to refuse this professorship at Shinhwa University Hospital!”

“Yes. He refused coolly without any hesitation or regret. And he told me never to contact him again.”

“Isn’t Kim Tae-kyung crazy?”

It was a professorship that others wanted and waited in line to get.

Moreover, he couldn’t understand how he could easily refuse this when he himself had spent a long time suffering to become a professor.

“What’s the reason?”

“Because he’s happy.”

“What, what did you say?”

“He’s happy with his life as a doctor now.”

“Oh, no… what kind of nonsense is that? Are you kidding me right now? Did he really say that?”

“Yes. Dr. Kim said he’s 존x [extremely] happy.”

Of course, Tae-kyung didn’t use profanity. Lee Dong-hoon personally wanted to swear once to feel refreshed, so he added it.

“Tell the director and stop bothering people who live happily. And I don’t need that branch office position. Then I’ll be on my way.”

Tak-

Lee Dong-hoon left the office, leaving Director Lee speechless in embarrassment.

“Seeing that expression makes me feel refreshed.”

It wasn’t just a refusal. Tae-kyung refused it outright that day.

He had begged and coaxed. But the answer was always the same.

Lee Dong-hoon recalled what Tae-kyung had said that day.

‘Dr. Kim. Let’s go. If you seize this opportunity, you can definitely establish your position at Shinhwa University Hospital and see patients comfortably until retirement.’

‘Thank you for your words, but I’m not going. I won’t be going in the future either.’

‘You’re missing out on this opportunity?’

‘I know it’s a good opportunity. Why wouldn’t I know?’

‘But why? What’s the reason?’

‘Dr. Lee, are you happy?’

‘What are you talking about all of a sudden?’

‘I’m asking if you’re happy as a doctor now.’

‘Happiness? What happiness? I’m just doing it because it’s my job. Stop talking nonsense and tell me the reason quickly.’

‘I’m happy as a doctor now. That’s my reason.’

‘What?’

‘Here, I don’t get pushed to see patients, I don’t have to be mindful of others, and even if I meddle in patients’ affairs, no one says anything. I can communicate with patients sincerely and focus on treatment with mutual trust from beginning to end.

Working like this makes me very happy. So I’m not going.’

Looking at Tae-kyung’s expression, it was real.

If that expression was acting, he should receive the Academy Award for Best Actor. That’s how much I could tell that those words were sincere.

‘Tell the director and the director. I’m working happily, so don’t look for me again.’

‘I actually came here today to persuade Dr. Kim, but I got a good hit [unexpected realization].’

That day, Lee Dong-hoon kept thinking about Tae-kyung’s 모습 [appearance/figure] until he went to bed.

Tae-kyung was the person who saw the most blood and worked the most fiercely as a doctor.

But it was quite shocking that such a person said he was as happy as a three-year-old child holding candy in his hand, as if he had the whole world.

“Was being a doctor such a happy job? Anyway, Kim Tae-kyung is not ordinary, then or now.”

* * *

“What did you just say?”

Ko Gye-deuk glared at Director Lee, who had come to the director’s office, as if he would kill him.

“Dr. Kim refused. He said he’s happy at the hospital he’s working at now, so don’t look for him again…”

Thump- Thump-

Ko Gye-deuk, who was sitting at his desk, interrupted Director Lee’s words in an instant and slammed the desk hard.

He expected it because he was a person with a terrible temper, but today it was even worse.

That’s because Ko Gye-deuk desperately needed Tae-kyung’s return now.

“Is that what you’re bringing as an answer now?”

“I’m sorry. Dr. Kim is so firm that it seems difficult for him to return.”

“It seems like he has nothing to fear because he’s playing the boss at that small hospital. We wouldn’t be happy if he acted like that after how long he trained at our hospital.”

“Director. There are plenty of people who want to come to Shinhwa University Hospital.”

Director Lee was also very disappointed, but there was nothing he could do.

After Lee Dong-hoon left the office, he thought about it and understood Tae-kyung’s 마음 [mind/heart] a little.

“Director. I know you’re upset, but it would be better to fill the gap with other talented doctors.”

“I was thinking of doing that anyway. But you know what? The more I think about Kim Tae-kyung, the more resentful I feel.”

Within Shinhwa University Hospital, Ko Gye-deuk’s nickname was Snake. That’s because he used all means and methods to achieve his goals and acted cunningly.

According to the rumors, his medical school classmates even used the expression that he was a dirty person to the point of shaking their heads.

“Director Lee, do you know what my favorite saying is?”

“I don’t know.”

“Know yourself. People, you need to know your place. If you don’t know your place, you start running wild without knowing the difference between front and back. Then, at some point, you fall and can’t climb back up.”

“Of course. That’s right.”

“So, I need to make Kim Tae-kyung know his place.”

“Yes!?”

“Actually, isn’t it because of the reputation of our Shinhwa University Hospital that Kim Tae-kyung was able to go to that kind of hospital?”

“What are you thinking of doing…?”

“Well, I have a plan. Let’s see if he can be happy until the end.”

Ko Gye-deuk raised the corners of his mouth unpleasantly and smiled creepily.