Last minute (5)
The hard work was over that evening.
Ki-Seok Choi, who had completed preparations for the conference, immediately went to the hideout.
The hideout was a complete mess.
Even though I had cleaned up the room to some extent in the morning, miscellaneous surgical tools and Styrofoam boxes were left strewn about.
I hurriedly cleaned the hideout and picked up the items.
Air freshener Fabrice.
Because we practiced surgery every day, there was a strong smell of blood in the hideout.
I personally don’t mind the bloody smell, but the people who come here may not.
Chii Iik. Chii Iik.
When I sprayed Fabrice and smelled it, there was a refreshing fruity scent.
“Is this enough?”
Choi Ki-seok looked around the hideout and smiled with satisfaction.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
As soon as I finished cleaning, there was a knock on the door.
When he asked me to come in, Seolhwa Jeong opened the door and stuck her head out.
I automatically burst out laughing at the cute sight.
“Is this the place?”
Jeong Seol-hwa came inside and looked around the hideout.
The hideout was bigger than I thought.
Next to the window was a bookshelf with various surgical tools instead of books, and next to it was an autoclave, a high-pressure sterilizer.
In addition, everyday furniture such as sofas and hangers were also noticeable.
With just a quick glance, I could see why this place was nicknamed Hideout.
“Professor Song purchased some with his own money and also received support secretly from an acquaintance in the facilities department. Isn’t that amazing?”
“huh.”
Jeong Seol-hwa nodded slightly.
The two sat side by side on the sofa and started eating the snacks that Jeong Seol-hwa had brought.
“I feel so good right now.”
“what?”
“It’s just that we exist.”
Jeong Seol-hwa lowered her head in shame even after saying the words herself.
“so do i.”
Choi Ki-seok smiled and placed his hand on Jeong Seol-hwa’s shoulder.
In fact, it is difficult to receive blessings from others about dating within a hospital.
Everyone at the hospital knows how difficult intern life is. However, dating in the middle of a relationship can be seen as neglecting internship work or being full.
So the two decided to date without revealing that they were a couple. I decided to refrain from using messengers as much as possible and only make phone calls once in the morning and once in the evening.
In the first place, it may be impossible to contact them often because they are busy.
“Are there any other intern couples besides us?”
Jeong Seol-hwa muttered.
“Well, you couldn’t see it with my eyes?”
“Fool. You’re there but you can’t see it.”
“Huh. You ignored me. Is this it?”
When Choi Ki-seok tickled her side, Jeong Seol-hwa giggled and avoided his touch.
“I want to go out and play again.”
“me too.”
“When is the next pull-off?”
Jeong Seol-hwa asked with shining eyes.
“Same as you. This week. But I can’t go anywhere this month.”
“why?”
“I work in the operating room. I have to wait for emergency surgery.”
Ki-seok Choi stroked the head of Seol-hwa Jeong, who was pouting her lips.
I was happy at this moment, but I was also scared.
“When I become a thoracic surgery resident, it may become more difficult to see than now. Not only will I be on call for 100 days, I will also take care of patients one by one, and I will also have to assist in surgery.”
“are you okay.”
Jeong Seol-hwa continued speaking with an expression that seemed indifferent.
“Unlike other couples, we are in the same workplace for 24 hours. That alone makes us happy. And…” “
….”
“As long as your love for me doesn’t change.”
Jeong Seol-hwa’s cheeks were as ripe as ripe apples, and Choi Ki-seok hugged her gently.
The one person who will protect him even if everyone in the world turns their backs on him.
Choi Ki-seok felt that he had found the person his teacher Song Myeong-jin had mentioned. I felt like I could overcome any ordeal with her.
“Oh, by the way. I have something to give you.”
I let go of Jeong Seol-hwa and took something out of my robe pocket.
It’s a couple keychain.
The keychain is made of animal characters, with the male character being a male bear and the female character being a female bear.
Each of them wore a half-heart necklace on their chest, which is said to symbolize that love is only complete when the two are together.
“so cute.”
Seolhwa Jeong smiled brightly after receiving the keychain. Her smile also made Choi Ki-seok feel better. Is this the sweetness of love?
“Let’s give it to each other.”
“huh.”
Choi Ki-seok and Jeong Seol-hwa attached key chains to each other’s cell phones.
But it is that moment.
Tiring!
[You have created a rare item, a token of love.]
[Token of love]
– Love is the greatest gift you can give for yourself. If you don’t know the wonderfulness of love, I pity you.
– When wearing an item, affection increases by 20%.
– If the item is not worn, affection decreases by 30%.
“What’s wrong with you all of a sudden?”
As Choi Ki-seok suddenly looked into space with a blank expression, Jeong Seol-hwa waved her hand in front of him.
“No. It’s nothing.”
“I don’t think so?”
“If you dig any further, you’ll get hurt.”
The two sat side by side on the sofa and talked some more.
The happy times continued as the call phone didn’t bother them as if they knew the two were meeting.
“….”
While talking, Jeong Seol-hwa hugged one of Choi Ki-seok’s arms and fell asleep, leaning on his shoulder.
The sight of her sleeping soundly looked like a baby angel.
Choi Ki-seok lightly kissed Seol-hwa Jeong on the forehead.
* * *
C rosette.
In the operating room, Song Myeong-jin and other staff members are performing aortic valve angioplasty.
Choi Ki-seok was assisting and filming the entire surgical procedure in video mode.
“Meth.”
“Mosquito (vascular forceps).”
“Bovi (electrocautery).”
Song Myeong-jin continued the surgery using various tools.
‘As expected, Master.’
Choi Ki-seok stuck out his tongue while watching the surgery.
As always, the skill and speed of suturing was close to a work of art.
The procedures such as commissure plasty, valve leaflet expansion, and wrinkle plasty were carried out smoothly.
Originally, aortic valve surgery took nearly 4 hours.
However, even though the important process was almost completed, only two hours had passed.
That’s not all.
Choi Ki-seok knew one important fact that other staff members did not know. This means that Song Myeong-jin’s surgery reflects the latest trends in foreign countries.
In the past, aortic valve angioplasty was limited to plastic surgery of only the aortic valve.
However, it has recently been proven that fixing the area near the aorta and the aortic valve simultaneously is more effective.
Choi Ki-seok knew this well because he received the paper from Song Myeong-jin and read it.
“Mr. Yu can help me close it.”
“yes.”
As Song Myeong-jin left the operating room, Chief Yoo Jae-hyun finished the treatment.
The surgery was completed flawlessly.
“Thank you for your effort.”
Choi Ki-seok greeted the staff and took the bed to the intensive care unit. I tried the Eye of Hippocrates on the patient just in case, but the condition was good.
After safely moving the patient, we briefly went to the neonatal intensive care unit.
Choi Ki-seok quietly looked down at Lee Joo-hee.
Lee Joo-hee is an infant patient scheduled for tetralogy of Fallot surgery, and he recently performed ABGA instead of Nam Kang-jun.
I didn’t know it before, but Lee Joo-hee is Kim Ji-hee’s exact copy.
I thought I would become a beauty when I grew up.
“peekaboo!”
When he made a funny expression, Lee Joo-hee smiled brightly.
“Joohee smiles a lot today, right?”
Miju Moon, a nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit, approached and spoke to me.
“Yes. It’s completely different from yesterday.”
“There have to be days like this. Come to think of it, Teacher Choi didn’t see Joo-hee when she cried, right?”
“yes.”
“Juhee will definitely become a female head when she grows up. Her voice is so good that if she cries once, it hurts my ears.”
“Speaking of that, I’d like to hear how big it is?”
“Please look.”
The two people exchanged jokes and then looked down at Lee Joo-hee again.
“Professor Song performed Joo-hee’s surgery, right?”
“No. I think the new Professor Jang will do it.”
“I know it’s not my place to step forward, but… is it okay? Heart surgery for newborns is difficult…”
Moon Mi-ju looked worried.
“But I can’t help it. Professor Song only performs valve surgery now.”
A bitter smile appeared on Choi Ki-seok’s lips.
Interfering with the other person’s field of expertise is no different from inviting a fight. I don’t know if Jang Hyuk-pil gave up the surgery on his own, but otherwise, there was no chance that Song Myeong-jin would take charge of Joo-hee’s surgery.
“Have you ever heard anything about Joo-hee’s guardian?”
Ki-seok Choi looked around and asked in a low voice.
“It’s not accurate. I heard that the guardian’s husband died in a car accident not long after Joo-hee was born.”
“What about the guardian’s parents?”
“Well, I guess there’s something going on since I haven’t been to see you until now.”
“I knew.”
Choi Ki-seok bowed his head and left the intensive care unit.
As I headed towards the waiting room, I saw Jihee Kim sitting against the bench.
Although we only saw each other for one day, Kim Ji-hee looked very haggard during that time.
Blank eyes and sunken cheeks.
Even without having to talk to him, I could tell how severe his emotional distress must have been.
Choi Ki-seok looked at her and returned after buying food at the underground convenience store.
“hello.”
“…Ah yes.”
Kim Ji-hee responded a beat late to Choi Ki-seok’s greeting.
“Did you eat?”
“Yes. I ate it earlier and I didn’t think about it…”
Gurgling.
Before Jihee Kim could finish speaking, the sound of hungry stomach rang out.
Kim Ji-hee’s face turned red in an instant.
“For some reason, I thought you couldn’t even eat because you were worried about Joohee. If it’s okay, please at least eat this.”
“You don’t have to take care of me like this.”
“Just get it today. Even if you don’t have an appetite, you should still eat some food.”
Thanks to Choi Ki-seok’s persistent persuasion, Kim Ji-hee eventually accepted the food bag he offered her.
“I just went into the intensive care unit. Joohee smiled brightly along with me today.”
“Really? I’m glad.”
A smile appeared on Jihee Kim’s face for the first time.
“Thank you. I’ve been to many hospitals here and there, but this is the first time I’ve met a doctor who takes care of me like a teacher.”
“It’s not that big of a deal.”
“No, thank you very much.”
Kim Ji-hee bowed her head and expressed her gratitude, and Choi Ki-seok also bowed his head to her.
In the silence, Jihee Kim muttered in a very low voice.
“….”
“Huh? What did you just say?”
“It’s no big deal. Don’t worry about it.”
Kim Joo-hee waved her hand as if she was okay, but she didn’t feel at ease.
“If you have something to say, tell it openly. Otherwise, you will get sick later.”
“Actually… I wonder if living like this is meaningful.”
Kim Joo-hee continued speaking, avoiding Choi Ki-seok’s gaze.
“I hope my daughter’s surgery is successful, but everything doesn’t end just because the surgery goes well. The disease may relapse and there are problems raising children. Everything seems pointless these days.”
A child suffering from heart disease and a single mother.
Anyone could have predicted that the lives of these two people would not be easy.
Choi Ki-seok struggled to find the words to say.
“It definitely won’t be easy. However, I believe that if you solve the problems in front of you one by one, you will find a way someday.” ”
I hope so.”
Kim Ji-hee smiled weakly and took out a snack.
“I’ll eat it well.”
“Yes. “I have work to do, so I’ll stop.”
Choi Ki-seok said goodbye to Kim Joo-hee and headed to the thoracic surgery ward.
‘Oh… my.’
I had forgotten that I would tell Kang Eun-ha the discharge date.
Choi Ki-seok moved to the single room where Kang Eun-ha was.
Unexpectedly, there was a male guest who came to the hospital room first. The man was large and had short sports hair.
Just his presence alone It felt like the hospital room was full.
“Hey. Are you crazy?”
A man’s sharp voice hit my ears.
