"Oh... Is the CPR patient okay?"
"I managed to save him."
Although this place saw many dying patients, it wasn't always that they were able to save them so Dowook gave him a thumbs up.
Dowook shook his head to clear it and then touched the disappearing patient's bed.
"He woke up with that kind of wound?"
"Did you get hit by the patient?"
"It wasn't a hit…."
Remembering the shock he'd received, he looked at his wrist. That much pain should have left some sign, but it was just clear skin. The numbness disappeared without a trace as well.
"The patient suddenly grabbed my wrist. Then I got electrocuted. It was like being hit with a defibrillator charged at 300 Joules."
"He was in a coma. How did you wake him?"
"It wasn't me. Maybe he really needed to go to the bathroom?"
"Are you crazy? Give a diagnosis worth your degree."
"I don't know what to say. Let's find him, then talk."
Dowook and Seong Chang Soo left Room 10 together.
They looked everywhere on the 1st floor medical center and asked passing nurses and doctors on duty but due to how busy the hospital was, no one had seen the patient.
Seong Chang Soo clicked his tongue.
"I don't know how long it's been since a patient escaped without paying. We weren't able to figure out his identity from his possession either."
"Managing to escape in his condition shouldn't have been possible."
Leaning on the reception desk in the middle of the emergency center, Seong Chang Soo gave Dowook a can of coffee from who knew where.
"Here. It's my turn to pay, right?"
"What's this? You should have at least gotten a Dolce Latte."
"What? This guy! You really don't know the good stuff."
Seong Chang Soo opened the can of coffee and gulped it down displaying a happy expression.
"How can you not like something this sweet?"
"You're joking, right?"
"Yup."
They had known each other for so long that Seong Chang Soo didn't pay much attention to Dowook's ageusia. [T/N: ageusia is a complete loss of the sense of taste.]
It didn't smell very good but Dowook took a sip to replenish his blood sugar.
'Hmm?'
He should have only felt the lukewarm temperature, but he could feel a sensation different from usual on the tip of his tongue. He couldn't confirm if it was 'taste.' It was more like the feeling you'd get if you licked a battery.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
Thinking he'd imagined it, Dowook took another gulp and turned his gaze to the front. He saw Noh Myeong Deok, a 1st-year resident, sewing a man's arm.
Seong Chang Soo, who'd been resting while checking over his junior's work, started talking.
"I haven't checked how beautiful the patient is."
"What?"
"The emergency patient who came from the hotel with you."
"You're still talking about that?"
As a patient from the VIP ward, not everyone could go check on her. She was a person whose cart was pushed by the vice president no less.
"How does she compare to Seo Eun Ha?"
"Seo Eun Ha?"
At the mention of the retired actress who'd once been every man's dream, Dowook recalled the VIP's face.
"I'm not sure if it can be compared."
"She's not that pretty?"
"Not that. It's just that I've never seen Seo Eun Ha in person."
"So she's at least that pretty? Wow! Did you get her phone number? You're like her destined life savior after all."
"Hey! Would you say the people you save here are your destined ones?"
When Noh Myeong Deok, who'd finished suturing the wound, stood up, the patient spoke with a satisfied expression.
"You're very skilled, doctor. Your stitches are very clean."
At the patient's praise, Noh Myeong Deok scratched his head with an embarrassed expression. Dowook and Seong Chang Soo gave a thumbs up to the green newbie to boost his confidence.
Vrrrrrrr.
The moment the phone rang, they both instinctively reached into their pockets. Dowook read the message and turned to Chang Soo.
"I win. Chief's in the on-call room."
"Then, I'll check the CCTV in the security office."
"Ok. Oh, by the way, that patient hadn't been transferred to our department, yet. If you can't find him, take care of the unpaid hospital fee from your department."
"You're joking, right?"
"Right. You should try harder."
Seong Chang Soo threw a roll of bandage at Dowook, who'd already run away.
"Doctors! You're making dust fly everywhere!"
The two doctors often played such tricks so the emergency center's head nurse shook her head automatically.
Dowook quickly scanned the room after entering the neurosurgery department's on-call room.
He saw a person walking around the room looking like he had absolutely no worries in the world.
"Chief, you're here."
"Hey, Park Dowook!"
Puffing his cheeks petulantly due to lack of sleep, Chief Ha approached Dowook while pointing at him.
"As the doctor on duty, how can you leave your post, huh!"
It felt a bit like he was acting overly angry. Not telling him about the disappearance of the patient with a needle stuck in his head seemed like the best choice.
"I was a bit upset over suddenly being pulled on duty. I was thinking about whether I should apply for a fellowship in another hospital."
"What nonsense. Is that a threat?"
"I was just telling the truth. What did I do wrong yesterday to today? Is it a crime to put the patient first?"
Chief Ha gently glared at Dowook. When Dowook stared back at him without looking away, he relaxed his expression.
"That threat is ve~ry effective. Fine. You're released from duty. Wook is off-duty from now on."
"At 2 am?"
"Usually clubs are most active from 2 am. You wanted free time, right? I'll give you some right now."
Feeling a bit uncomfortable at pushing things, he asked one more time.
"Can I really go?"
"Yeah, go."
"Not changing your mind?"
He slowly put his hand on the doorknob. The moment he was about to run away like crazy.
Zing.
[Assisted input. D- rosette Room 1. 2:45]
Seeing the call of a surgery room out of nowhere, Dowook met the gaze of Chief Ha, who'd slyly sent the message.
"Luckily there's an off-duty doctor right here~~"
Of course, he had a plan. Who knew he'd have such a deep grudge over the forced night shift!
"I'll get back on duty."
"I already called a replacement. Oh, here he comes."
The third-year resident opened the door and bowed with a barely awake expression.
"Must you do this?"
"What's wrong with it? A surgeon should enjoy surgery. You need to work on your attitude."
"There are others on call, though."
"Dr. Park has 40 minutes before surgery but isn't reading the chart? You must be overflowing with confidence. The chief must learn from you."
Sighing, Dowook moved to the computer and looked over the surgery details.
A stroke patient from the ICU. The aneurysm which had been in a perilous state finally burst and was in need of emergency surgery.
[TN: An aneurysm is an outward bulging, likened to a bubble or balloon, caused by a localized, abnormal, weak spot on a blood vessel wall.]
"Who's the operating surgeon? The surgery was scheduled in a hurry so it isn't listed. Is it you, Chief?"
"You'll know when you get there."
6 years as a teacher, 5 years as a superior. They had known each other for so long that he knew instinctively what the chief wanted to do. The reason why he'd call him back on duty and push him into surgery.
'Oh…'
"Is this surgery going to be performed by Professor Choi?"
"This guy. You're really quick on the uptake."
"What about Dr. Hong? Those two always cooperate very well. Is he on vacation?"
"He resigned. He said he couldn't take it anymore."
The angel-like doctor who never complained even when he was being scheduled with back-to-back surgeries, Hong Jin Gu, quit in the end.
There was one reason.
The sin of cooperating with neurosurgery's clinical professor, Choi Hoo, alias 'Last Choi.'
"Dowook. It's also driving me crazy. I have to be careful about never disrespecting that Choi Hoo while taking care of our department's new staff members. If a person's character was equal to their skill, the world would be a perfect place, wouldn't it?"
"You won't take care of me?"
"I am. Weeds need to be left alone for them to grow well."
"They get weeded out before growing!"
Professor Choi, who could perfect brain surgery techniques after seeing them once, had started from the bottom and was considered a legend not just at this hospital but also in the academic circle.
However, as skilled as he was, he had a bad reputation due to his temper.
"Since you got the call, go and prepare quickly. Choi Hoo is probably already there."
"Already? Urgh."
Dowook kicked open the door to the on-call room and walked down the hall.
How must he cope with Professor Choi Hoo when he'd probably be more quick-tempered than usual over the fact that he was performing a surgery at night with a new assistant. He really didn't know what to do.
Coming out of the security office, Seong Chang Soo tilted his head in curiosity.
-He left this in the bathroom before leaving.
What the runaway patient had left behind was the needle. He had pulled it out and moved.
"It's a really weird patient. Wasn't it painful?"
The blood-covered needle. The more he looked at it, the more he felt uneasy. For what reason would he stick this in his head?
And Dowook, why did he pass out?