It was then.
Rattle.
The door to the hospital room opened, and Dr. Schmidt, Dr. Benedict, and Dr. Oliver entered side by side.
At their appearance, a troubled look surfaced on Dr. Kuramoto’s face.
“Oh, you’ve come.”
“Yes. After what happened yesterday, we decided to stop by.”
“Thank you for your concern.”
Dr. Kuramoto forced himself to express his gratitude calmly.
In the meantime, Dr. Schmidt’s ear twitched.
“Well, well. The ECG sounds quite different.”
“Doctor, look at those numbers over there.”
“At that level, she’s in the safe range.”
Dr. Oliver and Dr. Benedict spoke in turn, their faces filled with surprise.
Step.
Dr. Schmidt approached the bed and examined her closely.
“Her complexion has improved, and her breathing is even… Dr. Kuramoto, what happened?”
“Th-that, ah. Well…”
“They said a talent who would soon shake the Japanese archipelago would appear. Your chief of thoracic surgery was telling the truth.”
Dr. Schmidt praised him in a clear, lively voice.
Dr. Kuramoto’s expression was filled with nothing but awkwardness.
“Well, that’s…”
“Please continue to show miracles to patients just as you have now.”
“Yes? I-I will.”
“And humble, too. This patient is out of danger now, so hand her over to your juniors and take on a new patient.”
At Dr. Schmidt’s suggestion, Dr. Kuramoto hesitated.
But the figures clearly displayed on the ECG had already been revealed to everyone.
There was no taking this back.
Without even understanding why, Dr. Kuramoto had no choice but to agree in the end.
“Th-then let’s do that.”
“Then, since that’s decided, let’s go have breakfast.”
“Yes. I’ll do that.”
“It’s such a pleasant morning that the food should go down easily. Let’s all go together.”
It was Dr. Schmidt’s suggestion.
There was no one there who could refuse it.
Once the decision was made, Dr. Schmidt was the first to leave the room.
Rattle.
As he opened the door, Dr. Schmidt wore a deep smile on his lips.
News of Vanessa’s recovery spread at the speed of light.
“Did you hear Vanessa recovered?”
“Yeah. They say Dr. Kuramoto secretly treated her all night.”
“He really is skilled.”
“I knew it from the moment he stopped the surgery yesterday.”
Murmur, murmur.
The same news could be heard everywhere.
Meanwhile, in one corner of the lodging courtyard.
A group of medical staff occupying two tables were slumped over limply.
They were Taesu and the others, who had worked hard through the night.
“Haaam. I’m so sleepy I could die.”
“We were already sleep-deprived, and yesterday we didn’t even get four hours.”
“I’m definitely sleeping during lunch later.”
“Me too. Haaam. I’m sleepy.”
They were only yawning as if their mouths would split open.
Their appearance might well have seemed terribly lazy.
But because they were people who usually worked hard, no one thought that way.
“Haaam.”
It was when Taesu yawned as if his mouth would split.
Jeong Minsu asked casually.
“How come we did all the work, but that side is getting the praise?”
“I told you, if you want to say something, go say it.”
“I don’t want to be torn to shreds by Dr. Schmidt.”
“Exactly. They keep their pride, and we take the practical benefits. This much is enough.”
Taesu gave his overall assessment leisurely.
At that moment, Bread Kim asked with slightly unfocused eyes.
“What if he does that again?”
“Then we’ll kick him in the rear.”
“Heh heh. That’s a good idea.”
Bread Kim smiled gently.
But Kim Hyeokgwon’s reaction was a little different.
Slide.
Showing his palm to Taesu, he asked,
“When will you be settling your bill, dear customer?”
“When we get back to camp.”
“Interest rates are frightening these days. I recommend paying in advance and sleeping with your legs stretched out.”
Kim Hyeokgwon pressured Taesu in a subtle voice.
Everyone smiled faintly at his words.
Even a trivial conversation felt better on a morning filled with joy.
As they laughed and chatted, several days passed.
Lately, Taesu often felt eyes following him.
It was the same now.
Whip.
The moment he turned around, Dr. Takeshi, who was far away, flinched and quickly hid.
Taesu shrugged his shoulders.
“Looks like he’s caught on.”
It seemed he was only tailing him because he had no way to prove it.
But Taesu had no reason to tell him anything.
In the afternoon.
Taesu was seeing patients one after another in the medical tent.
But someone could be seen approaching Taesu not from the front, but from behind.
Tap. Tap.
They were light footsteps.
And soon, the person stopped and began watching Taesu.
On the other hand, Taesu felt the back of his head prickle again.
“Just how many times a day is he going to stare?”
Now he was beginning to feel slightly annoyed.
His patience had already hit bottom.
Intending to say something, he turned around roughly.
But the person looking at Taesu was not Dr. Takeshi.
It was Vanessa.
“Huh?”
Startled, Taesu rose from his seat.
Vanessa approached little by little with calm steps.
Soon, as they drew close, Taesu and Vanessa both clasped each other’s hands without either needing to say who should do it.
“Vanessa, are you all right now?”
“%#$.@$#.”
They spoke in different languages.
Then, before they knew it, Jose appeared smoothly and interpreted for both sides.
“%#$%… She says she’s on her way to be discharged.”
“Already? This quickly?”
“%#@%#… She says once her heart felt lighter, her other symptoms settled quickly.”
Vanessa explained softly.
But it was a bit of a mistake that her listener was Taesu.
“As if I wouldn’t know. I visited you morning and evening. Still, I do wonder if it isn’t a little fast.”
“#%@#$%… They told her to rest at home and make sure to take her medicine.”
“Whose opinion was that?”
“@%#%#@$… Dr. Benedict’s.”
At that, Taesu immediately accepted it.
“Then you should absolutely do as he says.”
“#@$^@#$… She says she feels good hearing that dry remark from you even at the very end.”
“Please go home safely and rest a little more at ease. That’s the best thing.”
When Taesu looked after her warmly, Vanessa nodded.
“@%#%$… She says she will never forget the white angels who came to her at dawn that day.”
“White angels?”
“#%@#$… At least, that’s how they looked in Vanessa’s eyes. She says she will wish for good fortune to dwell with everyone here. Ah, it looks like the vehicle over there is about to leave.”
At Jose’s words, Taesu could not hold her there any longer.
“Vanessa, let’s meet next time when you’re healthy.”
“@%#$%… She says she sincerely hopes your paths will cross again someday.”
“Me too… Hurry and go. Hurry.”
Slide.
Taesu gently pushed Vanessa by the shoulder.
It was the last truck making its rounds through the village.
Another patient had recovered her health and was moving farther away.
Taesu smiled quietly.
Step.
Jeong Minsu, who approached beside him, smiled with him.
“I like this moment the best.”
“It’s always good, and it’s good every time.”
“Is this why we became doctors?”
“Maybe so.”
Taesu answered playfully and smiled gently.
The truck carrying the discharged patients left far into the distance.
Vrooom.
The medical staff, who had watched until the truck disappeared, gathered together behind the medical tent.
It was the moment the patients who had regained their health had departed.
At times like this, a cup of tea was truly the best.
“You’ve all worked hard!”
“Let’s save another one!”
“Health is the best!”
Clack.
The medical staff clinked their teacups together and congratulated themselves.
It was only natural to converse over a cup of tea.
But that time could not go on forever.
After everyone relieved their stress with a suitable amount of chatter, they instinctively knew it was time to return to their posts.
They all pushed aside the regret that came over them.
“Ugh, we ended up not hearing Dr. Choi’s story this time either.”
“We can hear it later. Everyone, let’s keep working hard.”
“Dr. Choi, you’ve become lazy these days since you don’t come by often.”
“I’ll visit diligently.”
Rumble.
They exchanged warm words one by one as they rose from their seats. Then, just as each of them was about to return to their own tent.
“Dr. Choi.”
A heavy voice called from behind.
Before, Taesu would have been the only one to turn around.
But not anymore.
Whip.
Starting with Taesu, everyone turned around together.
In the place they looked back to, Dr. Kuramoto had come over.
‘After watching me like that lately.’
For some reason, he had appeared right in front of them.
In truth, it was not as though Dr. Kuramoto’s surgical skills were lacking. Among thoracic surgery specialists of his age, he was certainly on the outstanding side.
Vanessa’s case had happened because he had been blinded by his own greed.
After that, he had helped many patients.
His diligent attitude was good to see.
But at the same time, he kept subtly provoking Taesu and Jeong Minsu.
He might as well have picked a fight openly.
He provoked them in truly cunning, petty ways.
On top of that, his public and private behavior were far too different.
In public situations, he spoke respectfully and listened to what they said.
But whenever they met individually, he spoke down to them outright and irritated them with all sorts of excuses.
That man had come to find him.
As Taesu wondered what was going on, he sensed something strange.
‘Displeasure, irritation?’
As always, even this time, his emotions were revealed out of nowhere.
That lasted only a moment, and before long, Dr. Kuramoto stood there with a gentle expression.
Taesu now simply let it be.
‘Live however you want.’
He only hoped the man would not cause harm.
But seeing as he had come looking for him, it did not seem he had any intention of understanding Taesu’s feelings.
Since he had called him for now, Taesu had to go.
Tap.
Taesu approached and spoke calmly.
“Did you call me?”
“Did you perhaps not hear that I told you to come to thoracic surgery?”
“I didn’t hear that.”
Taesu was looking puzzled.
Twitch.
Once again, displeasure flashed across Dr. Kuramoto’s face.
Then, as if nothing had happened, he continued the conversation calmly and smoothly.
“It seems something went wrong in the message being delivered.”
“What do you mean?”
“Do you remember the patient with pulmonary stenosis?”
“Yes. The patient came in three days ago, received the first examination from Dr. Talon, and was then transferred to thoracic surgery.”
Taesu listed each point fluently.
As if even that answer displeased him, Dr. Kuramoto found fault with it.
“For a thoracic surgery resident, you hardly visit the ward patients.”
“I visit them every day.”
“Isn’t it merely dropping by?”
When he asked sharply, Taesu shook his head.
“I also talk with them at length.”
“Even so, shouldn’t you stay in the ward for at least a day or so? You did call yourself a thoracic surgery resident, after all.”
“Here, I’m just a resident.”
After Taesu gave his answer,
Dr. Hassan frowned and corrected him.
“He’s Dr. Choi.”
“Are we going back to calling him a resident?”
Dr. Talon also quietly backed him up.
They did not think very favorably of Dr. Kuramoto.
It seemed that even to their ears, it sounded forced.