Challenge (2)
[Yes. I take a taxi from the airport and go to Meijo. I think we’ll arrive in about thirty minutes.]
“Then tell me in advance. I haven’t prepared anything.”
[I wanted to surprise you.]
Jeong Seol-hwa’s voice was full of playfulness.
“Then call me when you arrive. I’ll pick you up.”
Choi Ki-seok hung up the call and looked down at his phone.
It took quite some time to organize my mind about this completely unexpected scenario.
After making my decision, I called Ethan.
“Ethan. Are you busy?”
[no. “I’m resting in the lounge?]
“That’s good. My lover, who is currently in Korea, is coming to Meijo. I came without contacting you in advance. By the way, is there a dating course nearby?”
[Date course? There’s not much to see in Minnesota…]
Ethan trailed off.
The longer his silence lasted, the more anxious Choi Ki-seok became.
I did not want to disappoint Jeong Seol-hwa, who came from afar.
[I’ll tell you just a few of the places I’ve been to. Instead, you can’t blame me later?]
“That will never happen.”
“Then I’ll tell you.”
Choi Ki-seok memorized the dating course Ethan had given him and hung up the call.
Afterwards, I changed into comfortable clothes in the dormitory.
Jiyiing.
The cell phone rings just in time.
I took my umbrella and went out to the road in front of the clinic’s main building. A taxi had its headlights flashing. Eventually, the taxi seat door opened and Jeong Seol-hwa came out.
“Snowflower!”
“Kiseok!”
When Choi Ki-seok put the umbrella over her, Jeong Seol-hwa hugged him tightly.
“I miss you.”
Jeong Seol-hwa rubbed her face mercilessly in Choi Ki-seok’s arms.
Meeting after almost a month.
Even though we communicated frequently during this time, I was filled with longing.
Because it is impossible to convey all of your affection through a phone call.
“I missed you too.”
Choi Ki-seok gently stroked Jeong Seol-hwa’s head. I couldn’t believe she was still in my arms. If I closed my eyes and opened them, it all seemed like a dream.
“You had a hard time coming all the way.”
“It’s okay. This is no problem.”
“Oh my, you’re so pretty. Who on earth is your boyfriend? He’s such a blessing.”
Choi Ki-seok joked and kissed Jeong Seol-hwa on the cheek. At this, Jeong Seol-hwa laughed and twisted her body.
“Let’s go in now and avoid getting caught in the rain.”
“huh.”
The two people settled down in a cafe on the first floor.
“This is the Mayjo Clinic. It’s really amazing. It’s like I’m in another world.”
Jeong Seol-hwa blinked her eyes as she looked around.
Mayjo’s interior had a clean and sophisticated feel.
If it weren’t for the reception desk and doctors in gowns, it would be mistaken for an art museum.
There are whites, blacks, hispanics, asians, etc.
I was able to encounter various races.
“I was like that at first too. Nowadays I don’t feel anything.”
“Is the work worth doing?”
“I’m completely used to it now.”
Choi Ki-seok smiled and continued.
“Meijo has something called the Hire System. Those with good training results will especially have their training period shortened. So, the goal is to reduce the surgical training period from 5 years to 3 years with the Hire System.”
“After that, you’re going to become a cardiothoracic surgery resident, right?”
“that’s right.”
“If I wait until I become a fellow, I will become a grandmother.”
Jeong Seol-hwa put out her lips with a tearful look on her face.
“In the end, the difference between you and getting a fellow will only be 1 or 2 years, right?”
“Is that so? Anyway, I hope you come back to Korea quickly. Can’t we take a time machine and jump to the future?”
“I really hope so.”
Choi Ki-seok placed his hand on Jeong Seol-hwa’s hand and gently stroked it.
Her hands were as soft as a baby’s.
Once I swept it, I wanted to keep sweeping it.
“….”
“….”
The two looked at each other and smiled silently.
It was nice not having to try to continue the conversation. Just the fact that the other person was by my side was enough to make me happy.
“Wait a minute, I’m going to go to the bathroom.”
“huh.”
While Choi Ki-seok was away, Jeong Seol-hwa looked around with curious eyes. But a magazine a little distance away caught my eye.
The name of the magazine is Monthly May.
Surprisingly, the cover photo was Choi Ki-seok.
In the photo, he was wearing a gown with his arms crossed with a smile on his face. Jeong Seol-hwa took the magazine and carefully looked at the part that dealt with Choi Ki-seok.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Meijo Monthly Magazine. I’ve read almost all of it, so just wait a moment.”
Eventually, Jeong Seol-hwa put down the magazine and stared at Choi Ki-seok with a murderous expression.
“What happened to this article? You didn’t say a word to me.”
gulp.
Choi Ki-seok could not answer and only swallowed dry saliva.
“Say it quickly!”
“As for how that happened… how should I explain it?”
“Your actions may have seemed brave to others, but not to me. They were too reckless. What would have happened if the patient had jumped while handcuffed?”
“sorry.”
Choi Ki-seok bowed his head and apologized.
Since we can’t explain Carlisle’s immortality, we have to pray for it unconditionally.
“It wasn’t mentioned in the article, but there was a safety mat underneath. So I tried it once…” “
That’s what you think. There was a higher chance of an unfortunate accident occurring if you fell. Don’t you think that I care about you in Korea? ”
“I sincerely apologize. This will never happen again in the future. Please believe that I will take care of myself first, no matter what.”
“Really?”
In response to Jeong Seol-hwa’s question, Choi Ki-seok nodded vigorously.
Anyway, from the moment Carlisle, who was immortal, disappeared, the act of throwing one’s body became impossible.
“This is the last time. If the same thing happens again, I really won’t let you go!”
“Okay. I promise.”
Afterwards, Choi Ki-seok quickly changed the topic and made Jeong Seol-hwa feel better.
It is fortunate that the recent shooting incident was pushed to next month’s article. If Jeong Seol-hwa had read both articles at once, he would have experienced hell.
Jiyiing.
During the conversation, I suddenly heard a vibration.
“It’s my phone.”
Jeong Seol-hwa checked the cell phone number and made a strange expression.
“I need to talk to you for a moment.”
“Speak comfortably.”
Contrary to his words, Choi Ki-seok focused his mind on the contents of Jeong Seol-hwa’s phone call.
At first glance, a male voice was heard, and she and the other person were talking without hesitation.
It was my first time seeing Jeong Seol-hwa talk comfortably on the phone with another man, so I felt jealous for no reason.
“Whew… do we really have to go that far?”
[….]
“That’s too much. I don’t like it. I won’t do it. I can’t do it.”
Jeong Seol-hwa sighed while looking at Choi Ki-seok, and Choi Ki-seok shook his legs without realizing it.
“Kiseok. I’m really sorry, but can you please answer the phone?”
“Who is it?”
“That’s… actually…”
Even as Jeong Seol-hwa hesitated, an unfamiliar man’s voice continued to be heard on the phone.
“…It’s my dad.”
“Your father?”
Jeong Seol-hwa’s father has a close relationship with Jeong Jin-myeong.
In the past, I received his help when a medical accident occurred at an orphanage.
“Why is your father suddenly calling me out?”
“Not long ago, he saw me wearing a couple ring and asked if I was dating someone. So I had no choice but to say that I was dating you. It might be annoying, but please.”
“okay.”
Choi Ki-seok took a deep breath and picked up the phone.
“Father, hello. This is Choi Ki-seok, whom I met before.”
[long time no see. How are you?]
“Yes. I’m doing well. Is your father okay too?”
[no. It’s not okay at all. My lovely daughter is dating some guy.]
Jeong Jin-myeong continued sarcastically.
[I think he said he had nothing to do with Seolhwa. What does this mean?]
“We started liking each other while working as interns.”
[They said they started liking each other… What should I do with this? I think I’m going to start hating you?]
“….”
[If I were in Korea, I would have made a deal by criticizing soju, but I can’t do that.]
“Seolhwa likes me a lot, and I like Seolhwa even more. “I hope you enjoy it.”
[You speak bluntly. Shouldn’t you be a lawyer instead of a doctor?]
Jeong Jin-myeong burst out laughing.
[I have the next schedule, so I’ll leave the call at this point. If tears flow from Seolhwa’s eyes, be prepared because bloody tears will flow from your eyes.]
Jeong Jinmyeong hung up the call with a bloody threat.
“What did Dad say?”
“Huh? Nothing special. You told me to be nice to Seolhwa?”
Choi Ki-seok purified what he heard as much as possible.
“I’m sorry for bothering you. My dad is a bit mean to me. If I hadn’t called you right now, he probably would have called you directly.”
“Good job. Anyway, we have to see each other once before we get married.”
“Are you… getting married?”
Jeong Seol-hwa lowered her head in shame at Choi Ki-seok’s words.
There was silence for a moment, but Choi Ki-seok spoke first.
“Are you tired of sitting all the time? Come on a tour of the hospital with me.”
“good.”
Choi Ki-seok walked around the clinic with Jeong Seol-hwa.
The hospital was so large and there was so much to see, so we ended up walking around the bay.
“If it’s okay, would you like to go and see Professor Song?”
“Professor Song from Uijin University?”
“Since you’ve come all the way here, I’d like to introduce you. You’ve never met me in person, right?”
“Yes. Let’s go.”
The two headed to the cardiothoracic surgery head chief’s office.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
When I knocked, I heard a voice telling me to come in.
“Teacher Choi. Why…”
Song Myeong-jin was speechless when he saw Jeong Seol-hwa next to him.
“Hello professor.”
“This is Kiseok’s girlfriend, Jeong Seolhwa. It’s an honor to meet you.”
“Hehe. What an honor. I’ve heard a lot about Mr. Seolhwa from Mr. Choi. It’s even more true to see it in person, isn’t it?”
“thank you.”
Jeong Seol-hwa’s cheeks turned red at Song Myeong-jin’s praise.
“Don’t just stand still, sit there on the sofa.”
Song Myeong-jin set a table of simple refreshments and sat down across from the two.
I saw them for the first time today, but I could tell at a glance that they got along well.
“The weather was bad and we had a hard time coming the long way.”
“No. Professor Song and Ki-seok are going to have more trouble. It’s not normal to work as a doctor overseas.”
“Hehe. Be kind. I guess you met the right person, Mr. Choi?”
“I think so too.”
Song Myeong-jin and Choi Ki-seok looked at each other and smiled.
“You can be proud, Seolhwa. There are only a few women on the planet who can understand and embrace Mr. Choi.”
“…yes.”
“I heard you’re majoring in circulatory medicine. Is that right?”
“you’re right.”
“Professor Kim Cheol-woo is probably the best in circulatory medicine. I learn a lot from Professor Kim.”
“Even now, Seolhwa is receiving a lot of love from Professor Kim. Just like the professor is taking care of me.”
“Ohh. He was recognized by Professor Kim…”
Song Myeong-jin stroked his chin at Choi Ki-seok’s explanation.
“It seems his skills are as good as his looks. “Professor Kim is famous for being strict.”
“Professor Kim recently became the head of the Department of Cardiology.”
“That’s good. Then the circulatory department won’t run crookedly.”
The conversation between the three continued for close to thirty minutes.
As Song Myeong-jin had an emergency schedule, they had no choice but to part ways.
“Whew… I was so nervous I thought I was going to die.”
Song Myeong-jin walks away from Jeong Seol-hwa. I put my hand on my chest while looking at him.
“You’re a good person, so there’s no need to be nervous.”
“I know that, but your heart isn’t like that.”
“Anyway, you’re the same person. Let’s go on a date soon. “The rain has just stopped,”
Choi Ki-seok said, staring out the window.
The two people left the thoracic surgery ward and arrived at the lobby.
The lobby was crowded with people, unlike usual.
What was unusual was that people came in groups and chased someone. “Kiseok, look
at him!”
Jeong Seol-hwa pointed to one side with his index finger.
Hollywood actor Ravin Williams was entering the general surgery clinic.
