Only Taesu heard that voice.
It didn't feel like something said to Shan Meheum.
Perhaps it was something he had said to his younger self.
That was just the feeling he got.
Taesu also muttered toward Shan Meheum.
"That's right. You're not alone."
Only Taesu knew whether those words were meant for Shan Meheum now, or for Kim Hyeokgwon's past.
15 minutes later.
A group of people raced down the school hallway.
"Hurry."
They were volunteers carrying Shan Meheum on a stretcher.
Jo Uncheol was moving with them, sticking close by.
Squeeze. Squeeze.
They were short of breath, so they had even deployed an Ambu bag.
But on the opposite side, one more member of the medical staff was visible.
It was the face of Jeong Minsu, who had pushed both hands into the affected area.
"Ungh, ah, ah."
He was holding the liver in an uncomfortable position, so his movements were awkward.
Still, he managed to keep in step as they moved.
It was after they had entered the emergency operating room that was ready for them.
Finally, Taesu and Nurse Hwang Jisu appeared in the hallway.
They headed toward the emergency operating room with heavy expressions.
Glancing to the side, Taesu discovered Raku's truck.
It was parked somewhere close to the school.
The side panel was closed, so it seemed he wasn't doing business.
Just then, Raku silently appeared beside the truck.
"……."
He was watching with a heavy gaze.
Every time he saw him like that, Taesu felt a strange sensation.
An ordinary merchant?
'Not in my eyes.'
No matter how many times he looked, he always got the same feeling.
He had brought Lee Changgyu from far away without a single complaint.
Seeing that, it seemed he definitely had a hidden pain that others didn't know about.
While he was thinking, Nurse Hwang Jisu's voice was heard.
"We're here."
"Let's go in."
Click.
Taesu opened the door and let Nurse Hwang Jisu in first.
And after taking Raku in once more with his eyes, he went inside.
As soon as Taesu entered, the volunteers went outside.
It seemed they had safely settled Shan Meheum onto the operating table.
Perhaps because the ECG connection was finished, a sharp alarm soon rang out.
Beep, beep, beep.
The urgent voices of the medical staff followed as well.
"He shook a bit during transport."
"The hands didn't move."
"Shan Meheum's body itself shook. We need to stabilize him first."
"General anesthesia is better than a sedative. We'll begin anesthesia immediately."
Jo Uncheol's sharp voice rang out.
Taesu watched his agile movements and headed toward the operating table.
Kim Hyeokgwon was the first to approach, unfolding a surgical gown.
His gaze was resolute.
"Arms in."
"I'm counting on you."
"I'll do it like always. Up we go."
Snug.
Kim Hyeokgwon, having tightened his waist ties, smiled faintly.
Arriving at the operating table right after, a surgical cap, mask, and gloves were laid out in order.
Taesu put them on one by one.
Rustle, slip.
It was while he was putting on the last surgical glove.
"Ventilator switch complete, general anesthesia machine starting, one, two…."
Jo Uncheol proceeded with the anesthesia in order.
Taesu continued dressing while listening to that sound.
"……."
Everyone was watching Taesu like that.
Bread Kim stood in the lead abdominal surgeon's position, and beside him, Jeong Minsu was unable to move with both hands inserted into the affected area.
On the opposite side, Yun Juseong and Nurse Chu Gangik were positioned.
Nurse Hwang Jisu was preparing for surgery with the help of Nurse Lee Chorong.
Snap.
After putting on one surgical glove, Taesu asked Bread Kim.
"Will you take the abdomen?"
"Of course."
"Then I'll focus on the clavicle side."
Shrrk.
Taesu answered while putting on the other surgical glove.
Watching that, Bread Kim spoke calmly.
"Doctor Yun says he's more confident with the abdomen."
"Then please free Minsu first."
"That's the plan."
The exchange was extremely brief.
But Yun Juseong and Nurse Chu Gangik hadn't adapted yet.
"Just listen to the way they talk…."
"It feels like Doctor Choi is the lead surgeon for the thoracic area."
Jeong Minsu heard that and answered.
"Yes. Taesu will be the lead surgeon, and I'll be the assistant."
"With a clavicle fracture combined with a subclavian vein rupture…."
"It should be easier than a CABG."
At those words, Yun Juseong's eyes widened.
"He's already done a CABG?"
"I don't say things without basis."
"No, it's not that you're lying... Oh my, goodness."
Yun Juseong's eyes were wide open.
A resident succeeding at a CABG.
It was only natural to be surprised.
In the meantime, Taesu had put on both surgical gloves.
Snap.
"Ready."
It was simultaneous with his mutter.
Jo Uncheol's voice was heard once more.
"Anesthesia is complete, and muscle relaxants have been administered as well. We can start immediately once the reaction comes."
"Everyone, focus."
At Bread Kim's heavy order, everyone nodded.
The operating room was silent.
But no one thought they were idle.
It was like the calm before the storm.
Beep beep, beep beep.
Only the repeated danger sound of the ECG was urgently announcing the patient's condition.
In the midst of that, Jeong Minsu suddenly shouted out loudly.
"The muscle relaxant reaction is starting."
"……."
Swish.
Everyone's gazes focused there in an instant.
It was because he had mentioned a reaction much faster than expected.
Taesu asked with a careful expression.
"For real?"
"Don't you know where my hands are right now?"
They were inside the patient's body.
Still, Taesu asked once more.
"I know, but how do you know there's a reaction?"
"The muscles pressuring the back of my hands are losing strength."
"To what extent?"
"At first I could barely move my fingers, but now I can slightly lift the back of my hand."
Jeong Minsu explained calmly and in detail.
Because he could feel directly that the muscle relaxant was spreading too quickly.
Jeong Minsu's explanation was indeed correct.
Everyone's expressions turned serious.
The fact that the reaction was this much faster than expected meant there was a higher probability something was wrong.
"What is it?"
"Why is it fast?"
"It's been just over one minute since the muscle relaxant was administered."
Jo Uncheol informed them of the exact time again.
Everyone was busy racking their brains over the same problem.
Then Kim Hyeokgwon narrowed his eyes and asked.
"Wouldn't the answer come out if we trace what was administered to the kid outside first?"
"That's right, that's it."
Kim Hyeokgwon flinched when Taesu suddenly shouted.
"What is it?"
"Phenytoin."
"That's what you injected into Changgyu earlier. You didn't administer it to Shan Meheum."
"I did."
When Taesu answered readily, Bread Kim looked at him with a dumbfounded expression.
"When did you do that? More importantly, what exactly was the effect?"
"A sedative effect on excitable cells such as myocardial tissue."
"Ah, right. Then it's possible."
Bread Kim, who had studied with him, understood immediately.
The anesthesiologist Jo Uncheol, who handled various drugs, was the same.
"It acts similarly to a local anesthetic."
"Then the effect could become faster."
Jeong Minsu immediately added.
It was something he only knew was theoretically possible.
But with the effect being proven directly before their eyes like this, no other words were needed.
And what was certain?
The surgery start time was being moved up.
Jo Uncheol stated the estimated time.
"One minute."
Rustle.
The operating room slowly began to fill with tension.
In the meantime, Bread Kim assigned positions to Nurse Hwang Jisu and Nurse Lee Chorong, who had finished preparations.
"Nurse Lee Chorong, with me. Nurse Hwang Jisu, please assist the thoracic assistant."
"Then who will assist the thoracic lead surgeon?"
"Already standing here."
"Hyeokgwon?"
When Nurse Hwang Jisu asked in slight surprise, Taesu seized the atmosphere firmly.
"We're moments before surgery."
"……."
He delivered a timely rebuke.
The excited atmosphere immediately settled down.
Not the slightest reaction could be found from Kim Hyeokgwon, the person in question.
The medical staff, for whom this was their first surgery, also pushed aside their doubts.
They would know once it started.
Mental focus for the surgery was more important.
It would be a surgery where the key was to resolve the various affected areas as quickly as possible.
The medical staff's stamina had dropped considerably thanks to caring for severe trauma emergency patients twice in a row.
But they had come this far.
There was no surgical staff to replace them.
It meant everyone was in emergency surgery and had no leeway.
Now there was nothing but to move forward.
Flash.
Strength entered everyone's eyes.
And they gathered their strength.
Beep beep.
Only the ECG sounded as time passed.
Jo Uncheol, who had been checking the time, spoke in a low, forceful voice.
"Time."
"Emergency surgery for the polytrauma patient, beginning immediately."
Bread Kim declared in a resolute voice.
"Please do your best."
Taesu and everyone paid their respects to the patient.
It was right after that.
Whoosh.
As if fire had ignited in their bodies, a feverish heat erupted in an instant.
It was chaos from the start.
The abdomen side stirred first.
Bread Kim urged Yun Juseong like lightning.
"Doctor Yun, free Doctor Jeong first. Scalpel."
"Yes. Chu, you take the Bovie, a large retractor, and suction."
Swish. Sizzle.
The scalpel widened the surgical site, and the Bovie assisted in clearing it.
By that much, the surgical site rapidly widened.
It was thanks to the urgent movements of Bread Kim and Yun Juseong's hands.
But they were syncing their rhythm for the first time.
There was bound to be some slight friction.
"Doctor Yun, I go there first."
"Please hurry a little more."
"I have to clear here before crossing over there."
Impatience made their voices sharp.
It wasn't merely a matter of emotions running high.
Even so, they tried to adjust and match their diverging hand movements.
And soon they showed results.
"Surgical site secured."
"Doctor Jeong."
It was simultaneous with Bread Kim's call.
Flash.
Jeong Minsu carefully pulled out his hands.
"Freedom."
It was at the same time.
Abruptly.
Taesu, who had popped out beside Bread Kim, shouted.
"Let's find mental freedom before physical freedom."
"I know. I'm going right now. Nurse Hwang, please open the spot."
Scrape.
Jeong Minsu quickly went around the operating table toward the thoracic assistant's position.