After wiping it a few times, he finished the treatment by blocking it briefly with absorbent cotton.
“All done.”
“Is plugging my nose like this supposed to be first aid?”
“It makes breathing a little uncomfortable, but it’s quite effective in its own way.”
“That is true.”
James wrinkled his nose a few times, as if it felt a little uncomfortable.
Perhaps because Taesu was watching him with his eyes wide open, he did not touch it.
Soon, Taesu pushed the medical cart aside and took his place beside him again.
With his nose still plugged, James continued what he had been saying.
“So, the surgery…”
“You can tell me later.”
“My memory has its limits, too. Just listen. So…”
James stubbornly spoke about the surgery.
Taesu found that a little puzzling.
It was something he could check later in the chart or through the EMR in the nurses’ station.
Even so, James continued speaking about the broad outline of the surgical procedure.
About ten minutes passed like that.
The absorbent cotton that had been plugging James’s nose had been removed at some point.
And the surgical briefing James had been giving was drawing to a close.
“…That’s about how far it progressed.”
“Phew. Even after getting that far, it was only about forty percent?”
“Is that surprising?”
“To be honest… yes. Maybe I feel that way even more because such outstanding people participated in the surgery.”
As always, Taesu honestly revealed how he felt.
As if he had expected as much, James gave a light nod.
“That’s right. If you consider only the members who took part in the surgery, it was the best lineup here.”
“Exactly.”
“But that damned thing called cancer is like that. Once it passes a certain point, no one can do anything.”
James’s voice became exceedingly calm and serious.
Sensing something unusual, Taesu answered cautiously.
“I think that’s true.”
“That’s why, on this occasion, I want to ask two things of you, Doctor Choi.”
“Ask? No, please tell me.”
Taesu answered with acceptance already implied.
This was none other than a request from James.
Regardless of the reason, it was right to accept it first.
Even at Taesu’s eager reply, James’s expression barely changed.
The air around them seemed to grow heavy.
Then James soon opened his mouth in a low voice.
“Until I give you permission, don’t touch cancer or organ transplants.”
“I’m sorry, but may I ask why?”
“Because they aren’t surgeries you can rush into with passion alone.”
“Mm.”
Taesu let out a heavy murmur.
It was an expression of him chewing over the words himself.
Watching his expression, James added,
“Those surgeries can give a doctor unparalleled achievement and fulfillment. However.”
“Yes, I’m listening.”
“They can also turn into the worst despair a doctor can experience.”
“If you don’t have a deep understanding of the organs… I think they would.”
Taesu answered as he recalled Caprene’s case.
Unaware of that, James looked at Taesu, who had immediately understood, with an expression of pride and nodded.
“That’s right. They’re only possible with truly profound study and extensive experience.”
“I’ll keep that deeply in mind.”
“I thought you might get greedy and say you wanted to try at least once.”
James looked at Taesu, who answered obediently, with rather more surprise.
Taesu answered with the same grave expression.
“Just looking at Doctor Hanks’s case, I can’t even dare to consider it right now.”
“Yes. The surgery progressed to some extent, but no one knows the result yet.”
“You said we don’t know whether he’ll wake up today or several days from now.”
Taesu answered based on what he had just heard.
Since James had said it himself, he gave a heavy nod.
“That’s right. If he wakes up within today, we’ll be able to observe his progress here a little longer.”
“If not, you plan to transfer him directly to Oxford University Hospital in England.”
“Max is preparing things over there.”
James mentioned Doctor Maximilian.
Taesu had heard about it as well, so he added a word.
“You sent Max straight to England during Doctor Hanks’s examination, didn’t you?”
“He’s acquainted with Doctor Norris.”
“Ah, that’s the name of Doctor Hanks’s wife, isn’t it?”
“Yes. If possible, everyone hopes Doctor Hanks can be transferred while conscious.”
James answered with a sunken expression.
Taesu felt the same.
“Indeed. If they reunite at the airport, I think it would at least ease her heart a little.”
“They’re all on emergency standby in the ICU, so good news will come.”
“I’m sure it will.”
“Yes, it will. Shouldn’t you go and rest now?”
Perhaps thinking the atmosphere had become too heavy, James subtly changed the subject.
At that moment, Taesu slowly stood and pulled the medical cart forward.
“There’s one thing I think I need to do before I go.”
“A nosebleed? It stopped ages ago.”
“Not that.”
Swoosh.
What Taesu picked up was glucose and amino acids.
Seeing that, James furrowed his brow slightly.
“Are you suggesting an IV for me right now?”
“No. I’m just going to stick it in.”
“What?”
James’s expression hardened at once.
However, Taesu’s expression grew even more solemn.
“If you calmly give me your arm, I’ll do it well without spilling a single drop of blood.”
“Ahem. What do you think you’re doing?”
“I’m trying to put an IV into your arm, James.”
“Doctor Choi, am I not refusing?”
James showed a firm attitude.
Even so, Taesu did not back down.
“If you refuse now, things could become quite tiring for you.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s going to get quite noisy.”
Taesu let out a low smile.
As if he sensed what that meant, James’s expression stiffened.
“Putting everything else aside, do you think I’ll offer my arm just because I had a little nosebleed?”
“It’s about time everyone started getting up. What do you think will happen if the rumor spreads throughout the entire camp?”
“Nonsense.”
James did not believe him.
But just then, as if he had been waiting, Kim Hyeokgwon appeared.
“With a few phone calls, I can spread the word not only through the NGO but all the way to the PKO.”
“Why are you doing this, Mister Kim?”
“I came to witness with my own eyes the moving moment when an IV goes into James’s arm. If you don’t want it, never mind.”
Swoosh.
Kim Hyeokgwon said that, but it was only words.
He had already taken out his cell phone and was making a show of it.
Since James had heard plenty from Taesu about his information network, he wavered slightly.
“Ahem.”
“James, if this goes wrong, you may have to receive morning greetings from the entire medical staff today. Including the soldiers.”
“Wasn’t this something Doctor Choi started?”
“So please just give me your arm so I can wrap it up nicely. I’ll make sure it doesn’t hurt.”
Clink!
Taesu, who had somehow finished preparing, held up the IV needle with a smile.
For a moment, a number of thoughts seemed to pass through James’s mind.
Then, apparently reaching a conclusion, he held out his arm.
“Ugh.”
The groan of displeasure came as a bonus.
There was no way it would work on Taesu and Kim Hyeokgwon now.
“Thank you for giving me your arm.”
“I’m so grateful that your mouth has allowed this time to pass quietly.”
Even at the two men’s thanks, James did not look very pleased.
“Stop nagging and just stick it in.”
“Of course.”
Taesu smiled brightly and moved his hands.
And a short while later.
An IV line was connected at length to James’s arm.
On top of that, he had even ended up lying on the simple bed set up in one corner of the conference room.
“Outrageous.”
It seemed he was thoroughly displeased with the two men who had made him lie down like this.
In contrast, Taesu and Kim Hyeokgwon headed toward the conference room door with bright faces.
“Then please rest well.”
“I’m sure you’ll sleep wonderfully.”
The two spoke their greetings gently, turned off the light, and went outside.
Click.
The moment the door closed.
When Taesu quietly held out his fist, Kim Hyeokgwon bumped it once from above and once from below.
“Mission.”
“Complete.”
The two each pushed an IV stand and the medical cart as they moved along amicably.
A short while later.
The hospital room door opened, and Taesu entered.
Seeing the empty hospital room, Taesu’s expression turned bitter.
“Was even that discomfort happiness?”
At first, Doctor Hanks had been an inconvenience.
Taesu had been unable to adapt to suddenly being in a situation where he could no longer rest comfortably or even say a word properly.
But now, the empty hospital room felt awkward.
The human heart was truly this fickle.
Feeling lonely, Taesu lay down on his own sickbed.
“Haa.”
Perhaps because Doctor Hanks’s matter was not yet over, a heavy breath escaped him.
Rustle, rustle.
His needlessly stiff back bothered him, so he tried shifting around, but even that was not comfortable.
As he did, he thought about Doctor Hanks.
“He’ll definitely wake up.”
His heart said the same thing a hundred times, a thousand times.
But James’s words, that it was not guaranteed, weighed on his mind.
Thump. Thump.
Taesu struck his head with both hands and shook off the thought.
“Sleep.”
Even so, it was only after he saw the morning sun rise that Taesu barely managed to fall asleep.
Toward evening.
Taesu was still asleep in the hospital room.
It was because his body, worn down by continued overexertion, wanted rest.
The quiet continued a little longer.
Click.
The hospital room door opened quietly.
At the sound, Taesu’s ears twitched, and he opened his eyes groggily.
“Mm. Who… is it?”
“It’s me. Jonathan.”
“Ah, Jonathan.”
“They said it was time to change your IV, so I came in. Just a moment.”
Slide, click.
Doctor Jonathan skillfully changed the IV fluid and added an injection.
Taesu’s mind was still hazy.
Soon, Doctor Jonathan finished changing it and took a seat in front of Taesu.
As he lightly adjusted the flow regulator, he looked at the haggard Taesu with pity.
“It looks like you overdid it quite a lot.”
“What do you mean, overdid it? But has Doctor Hanks woken up?”
“Starting with that as your first question. You really don’t disappoint.”
Unlike his admiring voice, his expression was not very bright.
Seeing that, Taesu flinched.
“What is it?”
“He left a little while ago.”
At those words, Taesu’s eyes widened, and he tried to bolt upright.
“Wh-where did he… Ugh!”
Pain rushed in from the sudden movement.
Only after seeing that did Doctor Jonathan quickly clarify.
“I mean he left for England a little while ago.”
“How can you joke about that right now?”
“Then you should smile. He even said goodbye and told you to take care.”
Doctor Jonathan’s bitter smile brightened a little.
Startled, Taesu quickly asked,
“He woke up?”
“Yes. Around two in the afternoon. He overturned everyone’s expectations and woke up very quickly.”
“As expected. I knew he would.”
Taesu smiled brightly as if it were his own good fortune.
It was then.
Tap.
Doctor Jonathan lightly placed a hand on Taesu’s arm and said,
“I owe you a very big debt, Doctor Choi.”
“What debt, all of a sudden?”
“Everyone who needs to know knows. That you moved the African tribes, Doctor Choi.”
“All I did was write one email.”
Taesu answered indifferently, as if it were nothing.
But Doctor Jonathan seemed to think very differently.
“It’s true that the small ball you threw came back greatly swollen.”
“I’m telling you, it wasn’t that much.”
As Taesu kept trying to back away, Doctor Jonathan did not press him any further.