I Ha-jun’s grip on the steering wheel tightened and loosened repeatedly. The dawn air was cold, yet sweat beaded on his forehead.
In the passenger seat, Mei was asleep.
A sorrowful, exhausted face.
The image of her huddled in a dark practice room, clutching a bottle of pills, rose in his mind, and Ha-jun’s heart sank with a heavy thump.
He had first met Mei eight years ago, when she was twelve. Mei had said that both her parents were visually impaired.
“My mom and dad work so hard doing massage that their finger joints are always swollen. Still, they don’t rest a single day. I really want to succeed so my mom and dad can stop working.”
The child had been plucky and bright-eyed, so from the moment Ha-jun first saw her, he had adored her like a baby sister.
A child who had run without rest, eyes fixed solely on the single dream of debuting in a girl group.
Though things were hard, she never showed it, and Mei—always loved by everyone for her bright demeanor—had recently been suffering.
It was because of the recurring boils in her armpits and groin. Not only was the pain severe, but the stench was so foul that even in the practice room, she had become someone to be avoided.
She had received consistent hospital treatment, but her symptoms only worsened.
Ha-jun could even feel the gazes of the people around Mei changing.
The girl group Seasons, to which Mei belonged, was just two months away from debut.
It had been a miracle that Ha-jun found Mei on the verge of making an extreme choice while engulfed in despair. If he had been even a moment later, an irreversible result would have awaited them forever.
“Mei, it’s going to be okay. Hang in there a little longer.”
Ha-jun muttered to himself.
Then Mei spoke in a thin voice.
“Oppa, I… Honestly, maybe it would be better to just end it here.”
He had thought she was asleep, but it seemed she had only closed her eyes.
“Don’t say that!”
Ha-jun shouted loudly.
Mei flinched and held her breath, then soon began to sob in small, fractured sounds.
Regretting his outburst, Ha-jun lowered his voice.
“Sorry for yelling. But you can’t give up like this. You worked harder than anyone. I can never accept your dream ending like this either.”
Mei bit her lip.
“Because of the smell, even the unnies avoid me. Manager oppa told me to think about giving up on debuting and going home. Even the best hospital in the country couldn’t cure me, and it only got worse.”
“There’s a doctor I know well. If we go see him, you’ll understand. I was saved thanks to him too. He works miracles. He’ll definitely save you.”
Director Gang Tae-ho of Geumsan Clinic.
The person who had miraculously treated Ha-jun’s skin condition that even a famous Gangnam dermatology clinic could not cure.
Ha-jun thought that if anyone could save Mei, it would be Gang Tae-ho.
They had raced through the night to arrive at Geumsan-ri.
Far in the distance, Geumsan Clinic stood tall in the darkness, its lights glowing.
***
Thanks to having contacted him on the way, Tae-ho was waiting.
Seeing Tae-ho’s tired face, Ha-jun felt ashamed.
“Hyung, sorry for contacting you suddenly in the middle of the night.”
“It’s fine. The patient?”
“She’s like a little sister to me.”
Ha-jun pulled Mei forward from where she had been crouching behind his back.
Tae-ho’s gaze turned to Mei.
Mei hung her head deeply, clutching her armpit.
A faint, unpleasant odor lingered.
Without blinking an eye, Tae-ho calmly asked.
“What’s your name?”
“Please call me Mei.”
“Ms. Mei, let’s go to the examination room.”
Mei barely moved her feet, swallowing her tears.
“H-huk, it hurts so much. It feels like my flesh is rotting.”
“First, let me examine your condition closely.”
Ha-jun decided to wait outside.
Mei lay down heavily on the examination table.
Tae-ho put on latex gloves and carefully checked her skin.
It was a sight that made one sigh at a single glance.
Deep sinus tracts were connected in complex patterns in her armpit and groin, and from the abscesses that had burst open here and there, foul-smelling discharge flowed out.
“It looks like severe hidradenitis suppurativa……”
Tae-ho said with a serious expression.
A case among severe rare diseases that was notoriously difficult to treat.
Mei straightened her clothes and spoke in a trembling voice.
“I went to Seyeong Seoul Hospital, but I only got worse. Now I can’t even walk, let alone dance.”
“Seyeong Hospital? Who was the attending physician?”
“It was Dr. Gim Ha-seong.”
Tae-ho’s face stiffened slightly.
After confirming Mei’s condition, I Ha-jun, who had been waiting outside, came in and sat with them.
Ha-jun asked.
“Tae-ho hyung. Mei’s group debut is less than two months away. The company seems to be thinking of dropping only her. So somehow, she has to return within six weeks. Isn’t there any way?”
“Please……”
Mei clasped her hands as if in prayer.
While Tae-ho was pondering with his arms crossed, Rema, having finished its analysis, reported.
—Diagnosed as Hurley Stage III severe hidradenitis suppurativa.
—Confirmed history of failure with all existing standard treatments.
—Estimated probability of complete recovery within 6 weeks: 3%
A 3% cure rate?
It was the most difficult case among all the patients Rema had analyzed and diagnosed until now.
Hiding his emotions, Tae-ho continued calmly.
“This is a rare disease that is extremely difficult to treat. General treatment methods must have reached their limit.”
“A-huhk……”
Mei burst into tears.
Startled, Ha-jun hugged and comforted her.
“Hyung, I’m sorry, I’m really sorry, but isn’t there any way?”
“First, let’s run a few more tests and think of a method.”
“I’ll do anything you tell me. Please……”
Mei couldn’t finish her words, sobbing bitterly.
Ha-jun sat beside her and comforted her.
Tae-ho’s eyes grew solemn.
***
Mei suffered from the pain and barely fell asleep.
It was thanks to the painkillers.
After 9 a.m., Bak Geum-ja and other nursing assistants came to work and took turns watching over her.
Seong Gihwan busily analyzed blood samples in the compact laboratory on the second floor that Tae-ho had prepared.
At that time, I Ha-jun was in the hallway of Geumsan Clinic, talking on his phone with a tight grip.
“Yes, CEO. This is Ha-jun.”
The voice on the other end was slow.
—What is it, Ha-jun?
“Mei’s condition is serious. I thought something terrible would happen if I left her as is, so I rushed her to a hospital.”
—A hospital?
Ha-jun told him what had happened during the night. But he could not say that Mei had tried to take pills. Because if it became known that she had mentally collapsed, her debut would be postponed until her next life.
—If it’s a hospital, she was already going to one, wasn’t she?
“The treatment there showed no progress at all. I brought her to the hospital where I was treated.”
CEO Gim Seon-u’s voice suddenly turned cold.
—Don’t tell me you mean that rural clinic? The one in some mountain valley in Gangwon-do?
Ha-jun tried to speak as persuasively as possible.
“Yes, the facilities may look lacking, but the doctor’s skill is truly exceptional. You remember I was completely cured here last time, don’t you?”
But a cold silence lingered from the other end.
—Sigh…… Very well. I’ll admit you were lucky enough to get better there. But how could a rural hospital cure what Seyeong Hospital, with its state-of-the-art equipment and excellent medical staff, could not? Who can guarantee you’ll get lucky again this time?
“CEO. It was skill, not luck. And Mei is in a very dangerous state right now. The abscesses have burst severely. Mentally, she’s even reached a state of panic. She needed emergency treatment urgently.”
—Are you next to Mei right now? Put her on.
“Well, it’s difficult right now. She just barely fell asleep. I’ll have her contact you when she wakes up.”
Irritation immediately laced the CEO’s voice.
“I Ha-jun, the company needs definite results. But I doubt proper results will come from leaving her in some backwoods hospital in Gangwon-do. If a bigger problem occurs, can you take responsibility?”
Ha-jun’s mouth went dry and his hands began to tremble.
What did CEO Gim Seon-u mean by definite results?
He meant they would look at the doctor’s assessment and decide whether to discard Mei or not.
Holding back his surging emotions, Ha-jun spoke firmly.
“Yes. I will take all responsibility. We cannot move her somewhere else right now. Geumsan Clinic is the best option. I trust Director Gang Tae-ho here. Please trust me just this once, CEO.”
—Hah……
A sigh mixed with displeasure and irritation.
But CEO Gim Seon-u was famous in the industry for his cold, calculating nature.
Gim Seon-u judged what would be most advantageous for the company.
—Then do as you see fit. Since you say you’ll take responsibility, I’ll trust you this once. However, definite results must come out within six weeks at the latest. If something happens in the meantime, report it immediately.
“Yes. Understood. Thank you, CEO.”
After putting down his phone, Ha-jun let out a sigh.
He knew well what kind of person CEO Gim Seon-u was. If Mei didn’t return in good condition within six weeks, the CEO would not sit idly by.
Of course, I Ha-jun was already a top star, so he himself would not be touched.
Instead, the CEO would block Mei from debuting anywhere else. Mei's dream would end without ever taking flight.
***
After the morning appointments ended, Tae-ho received Mei's ultrasound and blood test results from Seong Gihwan.
Tae-ho opened the reports and spoke.
“It’s more serious than I thought. Fistula-like tunnel structures have formed in the armpit and groin areas. Simple localized antibiotics or incision and drainage won’t be enough.”
Gihwan also pointed to the blood test results and added in a serious tone.
“The blood inflammation marker (CRP) has already exceeded three times the normal level. The problem is that the patient’s immune system is showing a hypersensitivity reaction. If left like this, the abscesses will inevitably worsen.”
Tae-ho crossed his arms and fell into thought.
Hurley Stage III severe hidradenitis suppurativa was already difficult to treat in itself.
But in this patient’s case, the biggest problem was that her immune system was showing a hypersensitivity reaction.
That was likely the reason treatment had failed at Seyeong Seoul Hospital as well.
Then a notification popped up from Rema.
—The big data analysis results you ordered are complete. Shall I report them now?
Tae-ho tapped his glasses.
—Big data analysis result: TNF-alpha inhibiting protein new drug prototype confirmed to exist.
—Therapeutic effect possible.
It was startling news.
‘A new drug?’
—However, development abandoned due to internal company circumstances.
‘Internal circumstances?’
Tae-ho crossed his arms.
‘Hmm, where was it developed?’
As if reading Tae-ho’s mind, Rema provided the answer.
—Research Institute: Hexagen Institute.
—Current patent rights holder: Dr. Seong Gihwan.
‘Oh! Our Gihwan?’
Tae-ho’s eyes widened with delight, and he looked at Gihwan.