Just then, Taesu turned the tables.
"Weren't you the one who did the initial exam yesterday?"
"Huh?"
"You should go. Why would I go? Get going."
Taesu insisted, naturally pushing Jeong Min-su away from the IV.
Jeong Min-su was slightly taken aback.
It wasn't as if he'd never met with a patient's guardian after surgery before.
But it was the first time the guardian was Korean.
Kim Hyeok-gwon had always interpreted in between, so even when facing them directly, he'd had to convey the situation through someone else.
This time was different.
Perhaps imagining such a situation, Jeong Min-su hesitated slightly.
"Whew. Well. Ah, dammit."
"A little scared?"
"Huh? Hmm."
"You can't have someone else do everything for you your whole life."
When Taesu pointed that out, Jeong Min-su immediately glared at him.
"I know, I said I know."
"Go on."
"Whatever. I'll be back."
Jeong Min-su turned around, showing his resolve.
But as soon as he started walking, his legs seemed to give way, his gait swaying.
"Ugh, ugh. You bastards."
Squeeze, squeeze.
He scolded and coaxed his legs, but the sight was completely mismatched with his determined expression.
Jeong Min-su staggered out like that.
But Taesu and Kim Hyeok-gwon didn't laugh even with Jeong Min-su out of the room.
That was a little strange.
They were on such terms that they'd sling mud at each other to their faces.
If someone stepped away, they'd be busy tearing into them like a pack of ravenous dogs.
They should have been doing that now too, but contrary to expectations, they were quiet.
"……."
"……."
The reason they were silent was because the two of them were in the exact same state as Jeong Min-su.
Taesu held onto the IV stand and checked the drip.
"Phew, whew."
His breathing was ragged and unsteady. Still, the fact that he was standing at all could only be explained by the advantage called youth.
Conversely, the relatively older Kim Hyeok-gwon couldn't even stand.
"Ungh. Ungh."
Swish, swish.
Groaning harshly, he gathered up gauze.
Just then, Taesu burst into laughter.
"Pfft, hahaha."
"Yes. I look ridiculous even to myself, so laugh. But laugh in moderation."
"No. It's not that—it's been a long time since I performed a surgery where I poured everything out, and the results are still good so far."
Taesu conveyed his slightly lighter mood as it was.
Then Kim Hyeok-gwon looked up and spoke.
"A surgery where you poured everything out?"
"This time I honestly ran without any room to spare."
"No."
When Kim Hyeok-gwon denied it, Taesu tilted his head.
"Then what?"
"You've improved. Not just Doctor Choi, but Doctor Jeong as well."
"Is that so?"
"You might not realize it yourself right now. But from a third party's perspective, that's how it is. You'll come to realize it later."
Swish, swish.
Kim Hyeok-gwon roughly wrapped up the conversation and continued cleaning.
Taesu, meanwhile, wore a bewildered expression.
If Kim Hyeok-gwon said so, then it was so.
He wasn't the type to hide something even with a knife to his throat, so Taesu didn't doubt him.
However, he hadn't felt it much himself.
'Growth.'
He had sensed it slightly.
But it wasn't something he'd calculated with expectations and desires in mind.
At some point, he had devoted himself solely to the surgery.
And he had felt a sense of liberation.
He vaguely guessed it might be a pure passion for surgery.
He wanted to feel it again at any time.
Even now, recalling it made his heart race with excitement—that was true.
That was all.
But he had never dreamed of hearing such praise from Kim Hyeok-gwon.
"……."
Taesu, who had been retracing his memories for a while, formed a bitter smile.
He seemed to have found the reason.
If asked where he had grown the most, it was undoubtedly Ijambark and the ABC Mountain Village.
It had been a continuous series of dangers and crises.
On the other hand, the brief period of stagnation had surprisingly come when he was with several other doctors.
With specialists all around him, he had spent a stable time.
That had been the decisive difference.
As expected, it seemed he and Jeong Min-su were the odd ones out.
Then the choice to remain here had been the right one.
They say it's better to be at ease in mind than comfortable in body.
Those words resonated with him deeply.
One hour later.
The operating room had become even cleaner.
Taesu and Kim Hyeok-gwon were sitting in chairs, dozing off.
It was difficult to maintain a clear mind after the grueling surgery.
The amazing thing was that even while dozing, they didn't let their guard down.
"Hm? Hmm."
"Ahem."
They would startle awake from time to time.
The two would alternate between looking at the ECG and Park Hui-nam, then doze off again.
Their desire to lie down comfortably in the tent right next to them was overwhelming.
It was almost time for the patient to wake up, so they didn't leave their spots.
While such time was passing.
Beep. Beep-beep.
The sound of the ECG, which had been steady, changed once.
It was just once.
A fleeting moment.
But right then.
In a flash.
The two snapped their eyes open.
"Hm? The sound."
"Did Doctor Choi hear it too?"
"Yes. It's about time. Mm."
Taesu checked the time and slowly rose from his seat.
Perhaps because he had rested briefly, he didn't look terribly heavy getting up.
Kim Hyeok-gwon also got up after him, and the two headed straight for the operating table.
Park Hui-nam, lying on the operating table, was still sleeping quietly.
Looking at that sight, Taesu spoke.
"It looks good."
"He needs to be fine when he wakes up too."
"He will. By the way, hasn't Min-su come back yet?"
"Looks like he went to grab a meal while he was out."
Kim Hyeok-gwon said listlessly.
Taesu also nodded quietly.
He knew full well that Jeong Min-su was thorough about meals above all else.
While they were having such trivial conversation.
"Hn."
A faint groan reached their ears.
Taesu and Kim Hyeok-gwon quickly closed their mouths and looked at Park Hui-nam.
Flutter, flutter.
His eyelids were trembling.
"It seems he's waking up."
"Is there anything we need to prepare?"
"I'll see his reaction first and decide then."
Taesu watched Park Hui-nam while leaving room for various possibilities.
Park Hui-nam, whose eye area had been trembling, soon furrowed his brow.
"Hn, ungh."
His pained groans gradually deepened.
Then, after shaking his head left and right a few times, Park Hui-nam slowly opened his eyes.
"Ungh. Wh-where……"
"Mr. Park Hui-nam, do you recognize me?"
Taesu suddenly showed his face and asked.
He was more sensitive right after surgery. There were cases where memory became hazy due to the effects of the anesthetic or sedatives.
He waited for the answer with a face full of worry.
Soon, with eyes whose focus had sharpened, Park Hui-nam looked at Taesu's face.
And slowly opened his dry lips and spoke.
"Con… artist."
"Excuse me?"
"Con… artist… that's what… you are."
Park Hui-nam repeated the same answer.
Kim Hyeok-gwon showed worry at the completely absurd answer.
"Isn't something wrong?"
"……."
"Doctor Choi, what do we do?"
The corners of Kim Hyeok-gwon's eyes drooped as he pressed for an answer.
Taesu's head was also quite complicated.
'Anesthesia side effect? Or during the surgery…….'
Taesu tried to think through all possibilities and identify the cause of the delirium.
Then Park Hui-nam's mouth opened once more.
"Surgery… they said… it, it wouldn't hurt… damned… hurts. Shit."
"Mr. Hui-nam. Right now……"
"I said… it hurts like hell… you con artist… ugh."
Park Hui-nam let out a bitter groan and sharply furrowed his brow.
But upon hearing that sound, Taesu's worried face gradually changed to relief.
"Haah. You startled me. I thought you didn't recognize me."
"Don't recognize… you… it's only been… a few hours……"
"It's been 10 hours."
When Taesu spoke, the groaning Park Hui-nam flinched.
Perhaps because his throat had loosened after speaking a few words, his voice became clearer.
"10 hours… have passed?"
"Yes. We initially told you 5 hours, but the situation was worse than expected, so it took longer."
"Ungh… my head is ringing… whew."
Perhaps due to the aftereffects of the sedatives, Park Hui-nam repeatedly furrowed and relaxed his brow.
Twitch, twitch.
Slight movements at his fingertips were also detected.
He still couldn't move because the anesthesia hadn't completely worn off.
"Hm? Ungh."
He showed slight confusion at the limited movement.
Kim Hyeok-gwon, who had been watching carefully, secretly gestured to Taesu.
Press.
It was the motion of pressing a temple.
He must have meant to prepare medicine effective for headaches.
Taesu, who immediately caught on, lightly waved his hand with a refusal sign.
And Taesu continued to ask Park Hui-nam.
"Does your head hurt a lot?"
"It hurts a bit, but I think it's getting better."
"Will you remember this conversation?"
"Do you take me for a fool… I don't live without that much sense. Ahem. My voice is coming out better now too."
Park Hui-nam was satisfied with the conversation that had become much smoother.
Taesu and Kim Hyeok-gwon looked at each other and lightly nodded.
They would need to observe a bit more to be sure, but there didn't seem to be any major problems for now.
Then Park Hui-nam grimaced and groaned again.
"Hiss. Ungh, my leg keeps throbbing, is that okay?"
"What exactly does it feel like?"
"You know. After holding your wrist tight and clenching your fist really hard, then opening it—the tingling feeling that comes when you release it."
Park Hui-nam explained to the end in a slow tone.
The part where he used childhood play as an example was especially easy to understand.
But it was still insufficient.
Since he had undergone surgery on his entire right leg, it was important to clearly check the initial reactions.
Taesu asked in more depth.
"How far down do you feel that tingling sensation?"
"My toes."
"Just a moment. If you can feel me holding your big toe here, try to put a little strength into it."
Rustle.
Taesu gently held the big toe and asked.
Park Hui-nam looked at Taesu with a frown.
"What are you bothering me to do."
"It's an important matter."
"Let's do it later. I feel strange, it hurts, and I'm really not up for it."
Park Hui-nam refused outright.
Perhaps because it was quite a curt voice, Kim Hyeok-gwon was dumbfounded.
"Oh my, what the hell."
"Mr. Hyeok-gwon, Mr. Hui-nam doesn't know yet."
"Tch."
Kim Hyeok-gwon clicked his tongue as if displeased and turned his back completely.
Anyone would feel bad hearing this after working themselves to the bone during surgery.
It only hadn't escalated because Park Hui-nam didn't know the details of the surgery.
But that didn't mean they could keep it hidden forever.
Doctors had a duty to tell the patient everything that had happened during surgery.
Taesu immediately put it into practice.
"Mr. Hui-nam, inflammation and pus had spread too extensively inside your leg."
"It hurt like hell."
"Honestly, I even considered amputation."
"Wh-what do you mean. Why my leg… You didn't really cut it off, did you?"
"You're feeling it right now, aren't you?"
Press, press.
Taesu stimulated the big toe again.
Perhaps because the anesthesia had worn off a bit more in the meantime, Park Hui-nam slightly raised his head.
He seemed to see the apparatus on his right leg and was greatly startled.
"U-uwah. Why is my leg like that… What did you do?"
"It's not that I did…"
"Uaah, no… I can't move. My leg, my arm, my body won't move, save me."
Park Hui-nam panicked instantly.