"Why all of a sudden?"
The child's mother flinched, her eyes widening.
Hwang Jiman rose his massive frame and approached the child.
A tiny child who was only four years old.
The child sat in the chair, frozen like ice.
Eyes filled with terror—
frightened because her mother had shouted in agitation.
Hwang Jiman knelt on one knee, meeting the child at eye level, and spoke softly.
"Yeseo. It was scary, wasn't it?"
The child slowly nodded.
Hwang Jiman looked at the child's scratched arm and spoke carefully.
"It must have been very itchy... Our Yeseo endured it well."
Then turning to the mother, he spoke gently.
"Mother. You, you must have had a very hard time all this while."
"Well..."
For a moment, the mother was at a loss for words. No doctor had ever said such a thing to her until now.
"Staying up every night waking to stop the child from scratching, um... Y-you haven't been able to sleep either, right?"
Hwang Jiman continued calmly.
"And you're conscious of other people's gazes... P-perhaps you've even blamed yourself, wondering if you did something wrong..."
"..."
Tears suddenly welled up in the child's mother's eyes.
A heart that no one in the world had understood.
The words coming from Hwang Jiman's mouth were pinpointing exactly what was in her heart.
If something was wrong with the child, it was all the mother's fault.
There was a time when she had been scolded by an old lady she didn't know while holding the child's hand and walking in the park.
"How recklessly must you have lived when you were pregnant for the child to end up like this?"
She had been so shocked that she couldn't retort a single word and had just come home and cried.
At first, she had only withdrawn and felt upset, but at some point, she had turned aggressive.
Yeseo's mother had become a different person from before due to her guilt toward Yeseo and her resentment toward the world.
"How do you know, Doctor?"
"My nephew, too, um... H-he was exactly the same."
Hwang Jiman said, looking at Yeseo.
"My sister would put her child to sleep and then cry in secret every single day."
"It was truly so hard. No one understood me... I always kept the indoor humidity between 50% and 60%, washed the bedding twice a week in water over 60 degrees, bathed the child in lukewarm water for no more than five minutes, and applied moisturizer within three minutes after bathing. I cut the child's nails short so they wouldn't scratch in their sleep, and at night, even if the child fussed, I soothed them and put on cotton gloves. For food, I only chose the best organic vegetables and fruits and prepared them with all my heart. But still, there was no improvement. My husband only pretended to worry, saying he had to go to work the next day and never woke up at night. *Sob...*"
The child's mother broke down and began to cry in an instant.
Hwang Jiman handed her a tissue and said.
"I understand. And Y-Yeseo's mother, it's not your fault. It's not Yeseo's fault either."
At those words, Yeseo's mother poured out even more tears. It was so difficult to hold back her crying that even she herself was surprised. Was it because this young doctor was saying the words she had wanted to hear all this time but no one had ever said to her?
"Doctor. *Sniff.* Can our Yeseo get better?"
"Yes. It will take time, but, um... I-it will definitely get better."
Hwang Jiman said in a voice full of conviction.
"Let's take it step by step. Together with Yeseo."
"Doctor... Thank you so much. I'll trust only you."
The mother said, wiping her tears.
Hwang Jiman said with a smile.
"Now let's look at our Yeseo. H-how can Uncle help?"
For the first time, Yeseo broke into a bright smile and approached Hwang Jiman.
Thirty minutes later, the examination room door opened.
"Doctor, thank you so much!"
Yeseo's mother came out with a bright smile, bowing repeatedly as she did. It was a complete 180 from when she had entered.
"We'll come again next week. I'll definitely try everything just as you told me!"
"Yes, Yeseo is going to get much better."
Hwang Jiman answered with a warm smile.
"Yeseo, say goodbye to the doctor."
"Bye-bye, dowctor!"
Yeseo put both hands on her belly and bowed politely to Hwang Jiman. The child's expression, too, had brightened compared to when she first came in.
As the mother and child left into the hallway, the area in front of the nurse's desk fell silent in an instant.
Nurse Lee stood there blankly with her mouth open, while Nurse Kim, standing next to her, pretended to look at a chart and stole glances.
As Do Yeseo and her mother grew distant, Nurse Lee muttered.
"What... just happened? That mother came out smiling?"
"I saw it too. She even said thank you. What did Dr. Hwang do?"
Nurse Kim said with an expression of disbelief.
Taeho, who had been watching with his arms crossed, smiled broadly.
"I won this bet."
"Wow, Director, how did you know?"
"How did you really know?"
"I trusted Dr. Hwang Jiman, that's all. Hahaha."
Taeho laughed heartily.
***
A week after Yeseo's visit, the pediatric nursing station at Samcheok Central Hospital was utter chaos.
The phone rang incessantly.
"Yes, Geumsan Samcheok Hospital Pediatrics."
Nurse Lee answered the phone.
"I'd like to make an appointment with Dr. Hwang Jiman. When is he available?"
"Just a moment. How about next Tuesday?"
"That's too late. Is there anything sooner? My child's atopy is so severe."
Nurse Lee flusteredly shuffled through the schedule.
"I think appointments are fully booked, so that will be difficult."
"Then just make it for next Tuesday."
The moment she hung up, another call came in.
"Yes, Pediatrics."
"I want to see Dr. Hwang Jiman. I was recommended by an internet cafe."
"Excuse me, but which cafe?"
"'Atopy Moms' group. They said Dr. Hwang Jiman is really good there. They say he really sees patients while thinking from the child's perspective."
Nurse Lee and Nurse Kim looked at each other with surprised expressions.
"Kim, look at this!"
Nurse Lee pointed at the computer screen.
"Dr. Hwang's appointments are fully booked for two weeks! Is this for real?"
"I think this is why? The online reviews are completely heartfelt posts."
Nurse Kim showed her the internet cafe screen.
[Atopy Moms' Resting Place]
Title: Strong recommendation for Dr. Hwang Jiman at Geumsan Samcheok Hospital!!!
I finally met a real doctor ㅠㅠ I've been to various hospitals in Gangneung and Samcheok and only got hurt, but Dr. Hwang Jiman is really different. He understands both our children's hearts and mothers' hearts.
Strong rec!!!
Below it, comments were listed in a row.
-I should make an appointment too!
-Really? What was good about it?
⮡ He really looks at my child like his own.
-Is he an atopy specialist?
⮡ Yes, he seems to be a pediatric atopy specialist.
-I finally see hope ㅠㅠ
⮡ Atopy doesn't end in a month or two anyway. More than anything, a doctor who looks at you like their own child is the best.
At that moment, Do Yeseo and her mother walked down the hospital hallway.
"Hello!"
Yeseo's mother greeted them brightly first.
"Ah, Yeseo's mother! Welcome!"
The nurses welcomed them warmly.
"Please take this."
Yeseo's mother held out a beautifully wrapped cookie box.
"These are cookies I baked myself with organic rice flour. I wanted to give them to Dr. Hwang Jiman and to you nurses as well."
"Oh my, you didn't have to go this far..."
"I was really grateful last time."
"But mother, how is Yeseo's condition? Has she improved a lot?"
Nurse Kim asked cautiously.
It was still too early for the atopy to show dramatic improvement.
The child hadn't recovered yet, so they were curious why Yeseo's mother had even baked cookies.
Yeseo's mother thought for a moment then answered with a smile.
"She hasn't completely gotten better yet. But it's okay."
"Huh?"
"Dr. Hwang Jiman told me. Atopy is something you heal from leisurely. He said to take it slow and steady, like a marathon."
The nurses exchanged surprised glances.
"Really?"
"Yes. Before, I just wanted her to get better quickly, but now my heart is at ease."
Yeseo's mother said, stroking Yeseo's head.
"Since Yeseo is less stressed too, she's scratching less as well."
"Ah, so your mindset has changed like that."
"Yes. It's thanks to Dr. Hwang Jiman."
Yeseo's mother said sincerely.
After Do Yeseo and her mother entered the examination room, the nurses talked while opening the cookie box.
"It's really amazing. Who would have thought that mother would change like this."
"Have you ever seen such high satisfaction even though the child hasn't recovered?"
"No."
Beautiful cookies that were meticulously made.
The two nurses bit into the cookies.
Crunch.
A savory, subtly sweet taste spread through their mouths.
Ring ring-
The phone rang again.
"Yes, Geumsan Samcheok Hospital Pediatrics!"
"Is Dr. Hwang Jiman available for an appointment?"
"Appointments are fully booked, so it's difficult right away. Is that okay?"
"Yes, please give me the earliest time available."
The nurses' hands grew busy.
***
"It's really fascinating."
Gihwan said, lifting his eyes from the microscope.
"Looking at Ms. Amira's blood sample, the immune cells that clean up viral debris are incredibly active. As if they've received some strong motivation."
Taeho answered while looking at other data.
"Her stress hormone levels have also improved drastically. Cortisol has dropped to the normal range, and instead, serotonin and endorphins are rising."
"That's really good."
"But Director..."
Gihwan looked at Taeho with a serious face.
"Yes?"
"You've been a bit strange these days."
"How so?"
"Do you know your expression changes whenever Amira comes up?"
Taeho turned his head away, flustered.
"What do you mean? Is it strange for a doctor to be happy about a patient's recovery?"
"Sss, no... But it's a bit different from when other patients recover..."
"Don't talk nonsense."
Taeho waved his hand. But thinking about delivering the recovery news to Amira soon, his mood naturally brightened.
Gihwan stretched his neck out like a meerkat.
"Hey! Look! You're smiling right now!"
"I wasn't smiling."
"You were! You were giggling to yourself. I've never seen you like this, Director."
"Like what?"
"You smile to yourself while looking at a patient's chart, and yesterday too, you smiled like now while talking about Amira. And just now, when you asked 'How is Ms. Amira?' your tone of voice was completely different. It was an octave higher than usual."
Taeho hesitated and said a word.
"But when is Ms. Sophie arriving?"
At Taeho's question, Gihwan's expression stiffened in an instant. The relaxed look he had while teasing Taeho just moments ago vanished without a trace.
"Why bring up Sophie all of a sudden..."
Gihwan's voice grew smaller and smaller.
Sophie was a pharmaceutical researcher whom Taeho and Gihwan had met at Brest University Hospital in France.
Gihwan's face grew redder and redder.
Taeho didn't miss the change. One corner of his mouth rose slyly.
"I was just curious. I was wondering when she would arrive."
"She said she's coming next Tuesday."
"I see. Then you'll go meet her at the airport, right?"
"Huh? Airport pickup?"
Gihwan flinched in surprise as if he had never thought of it.
"She's coming all the way from Brittany to Samcheok, and you're not going to pick her up?"
"Uh? Uh... I should go."
"I think she'd like it if you went with flowers or something..."
"Flowers?"
Gihwan was even more surprised.
Taeho said, folding his arms.
"Women are moved by that sort of thing."
"Ah..."
Gihwan nodded as if he had gained a new insight. Then he tilted his head again.
"You said you were a motssol too, Director."
"Did I say that?"
"Yes. While drinking beer before. You said you were busy studying when young, and later you didn't have the leisure to date."
"Ah, right."
"But then how do you know that?"
"...I saw it on Neotube."
"Ah..."
Gihwan nodded as if he finally understood.
A brief silence flowed between the two men.
Taeho opened his mouth first.
"Let's look at more blood samples."
"Yes. Let's write up the report quickly too..."
Gihwan answered promptly.