Higher (5)
the next morning.
Choi Ki-seok was staring intently at the monitor in the medical office.
“Mr. Choi. Why are you looking at me like that from earlier?”
“It’s no big deal.”
“Eh. I don’t think it’s anything special?”
She tilted her head as she looked at Choi Ki-seok’s monitor.
“It’s the Ravin Williams article.”
“That’s right. There’s something that bothers me a little.”
“Really? I have no idea? You smile and say hello when you bump into each other while passing by, and you get on well with other patients, right?”
“That’s on the surface. The inside may be different.”
Choi Ki-seok shook his head.
As a result of examining through the eyes of Hippocrates, Labine was suffering from depression.
And even extreme suicidal thoughts.
Because of his always bright attitude, no one knew about his mental illness.
‘First you have to take off the mask. Otherwise, there is no use in requesting collaboration with a neuropsychiatrist.’
Ki-Seok Choi continued to look at Ravin’s articles.
Most of the recent articles about him have been bad.
First, there were rumors of a divorce from his second wife, and before that, he was treated for cocaine and alcohol addiction.
Click. Click.
I checked a few articles and found Ravin’s hospital room.
I can’t leave Lavigne alone any longer.
I didn’t want to see my childhood idol pass away in vain.
“What else is happening today?”
Lavin asked with a disapproving expression.
“I have something important to tell you.”
“I don’t have any?”
“Then at least listen.”
Choi Ki-seok is a tyrant’s descent and interrogation – I have an objection! Skills were used simultaneously. Ravin must have sensed the changed atmosphere, leaning against the back of the bed and staring at him.
“Ravin, you have been suffering from depression for a long time. And you have been hiding it through acting. Am I wrong?”
[Is that nonsense again? I’m sick of it. boring. Why on earth are you labeling me as a depressed person? I tell you again, I have never suffered from depression, have never suffered from depression, and never will.]
Lavigne’s words came to mind like a dialogue box in a cartoon.
Choi Ki-seok carefully studied the chat window and prepared a counterattack.
“Wait!”
“What is it?”
“Have you really never suffered from depression?”
[Ha… You can’t say it never happened. But that’s just depression that ordinary people experience. This means that it is not at a level where you can receive treatment at a hospital. There is no reason for me to suffer from depression in the first place.]
[New sentences were added through interrogation.]
Choi Ki-seok checked the notification and began questioning once again.
“Lavigne just said clearly that there is no reason to be depressed. Is that true? Is there really no reason to be depressed?”
For the first time, Ravin showed signs of being agitated by his point.
My eyes were fluttering and my legs were shaking.
[There is no reason to suffer from depression. So don’t make me into a depressed person for no reason.]
“I think Lavigne went through something that caused him to suffer from depression. Recently, there was a rumor in the media that he and his wife were divorcing. Isn’t that true?”
Choi Ki-seok shot a sharp look.
‘shit. why!’
Lavigne could barely hold back the urge to scream.
You can always say no, but as you talk, you strangely find yourself drawn into his speaking style.
Like being tied up in a spider web.
[It is true that my relationship with my wife is not good. It’s true that I’m thinking about divorce. However, not all people who have a bad relationship with their wife suffer from depression. Dr. Choi is exaggerating my feelings.]
“Lavigne is right. Preparing for divorce does not necessarily mean you are suffering from depression.”
[It makes a bit more sense now. Doctor Choi, do you understand? It’s like repeating the same story over and over again, but I don’t suffer from depression or anything like that. There is almost no reason to do so.]
[New sentences were added through questioning.]
The notification rings again.
Ki-seok Choi finished analyzing the chat window and continued speaking calmly.
“I know the main reason why Lavigne is suffering from depression.”
[great! Let me guess who the outstanding doctor is. Why am I suffering from depression? If there is evidence, I will readily admit it. But if that’s not the case, you’d better be prepared. [There is a high price for treating me like a person suffering from depression.]
Lavigne’s angry face that I have never seen before.
Choi Ki-seok sensed that the success or failure of the interrogation depended on this moment.
[Please provide a definitive reason why Lavigne suffers from depression. If you fail, you may suffer disadvantages such as reduced reputation and cancellation of the Hire System.]
Gulp.
Choi Ki-seok swallowed his saliva and approached Lavin. Then, he held his arm with one hand and vigorously lifted the patient’s gown with the other.
There are no mistakes or misjudgments.
Because I 100% believed in my choice.
[What are you doing now?]
“I’m showing you the evidence.”
[Are you kidding me now? Where is the evidence?]
“Look here.”
Choi Ki-seok pointed to the small injection mark on his forearm with his index finger.
Tiring!
[Injection marks were presented as evidence that Lavigne was suffering from depression.]
[What are you talking about? Why on earth are injection marks like this proof that I suffer from depression?]
“Lavigne was addicted to cocaine in the past, right? He later quit cocaine and worked as an ambassador for the prevention of cocaine addiction.”
[….]
“Tell me honestly. Didn’t you start doing cocaine again? That’s probably why your relationship with your wife broke up. One thing to add is that the reason you missed your hospitalization date and was hospitalized late was because of cocaine.”
Lavin lowered his head in response to Choi Ki-seok’s interrogation.
This is the exact opposite attitude from when he was angry and demanded to provide evidence.
He had no energy, as if he had lost everything in the world.
But at that very moment, Ravin raised his head and glared at Choi Ki-seok.
There was madness in his eyes, not anger.
[I thought Dr. Choi was planning to accuse me of depression, but he was wrong. These injection marks were made at another hospital some time ago. It’s not like there was a cocaine injection mark.]
The chat window started shaking as if there was an earthquake.
It was like that.
The final moment of interrogation has arrived.
“Then tell me where the hospital is. I will go there and look at Ravin’s medical records.”
[….]
“This injection site is the arm muscle. Blood cannot be drawn, and intramuscular injections are not often administered in this area. Ravin. There is no use making excuses any more.”
[Khahahahaha.]
At Choi Ki-seok’s words, Lavigne looked up at the ceiling and laughed hysterically. It’s a laugh that sends goosebumps down your spine, as if the devil has come down to earth and is laughing.
Tiring!
[Through interrogation, the lock on my heart was dismantled. You can obtain all the necessary information from the patient.]
‘Whew… it’s really over.’
Choi Ki-seok wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.
I was very worried that the conversation would go astray and the mode would be interrupted.
“Ravin, I am your doctor. Please tell me everything honestly.”
“Okay. I don’t know how Dr. Choi saw through me, but I’ll tell you the story first.”
Lavin continued speaking thoughtfully.
As he pointed out, Lavigne started using cocaine again three months ago. At first, they bloomed for fun, but as time went by, their numbers increased.
His acting skills gradually deteriorated, and he started fighting with his wife, who discovered cocaine.
In addition, big and small problems arose around us.
The more this happened, the more Lavigne’s feelings of self-destruction grew like a snowball.
“I’m telling you this now, but after treatment, I went home and tried to commit suicide. I didn’t want to be swayed by cocaine, I didn’t want to fight with my wife, and I didn’t want to see my acting skills ruined. So I wanted to end everything at once.”
Choi Ki-seok silently sat next to him and comforted his shoulder.
I didn’t want to give obvious, soulless comfort.
All he can do now is watch over Lavigne until he can support himself.
“Dr. Choi. What should I do now?”
“There is no need to give an answer right now. So, take it easy until the surgery is over.”
Choi Ki-seok gently held Lavigne’s hand.
“Thank you, Captain. For being honest about everything.”
“…I’m the one who’s thankful, Dr. Choi. Thank you so much.”
The two people looked at each other and smiled.
Tiring!
[I formed a rapport with Lavigne. The suicidal impulse has temporarily disappeared.]
NEW Rapport Stage 4 – Trust
“Enough rest for today. I’ll come back tomorrow. That’s enough then.”
Choi Ki-seok calmly left the hospital room.
* * *
Four days later.
Choi Ki-seok was entering patient orders at the medical office.
“finished!”
I got up from my seat and stretched out to cool off.
Suddenly, I was checking the status window and a dark seal appeared in the item window.
The duration of the debuff Invisible Hand has ended.
In addition, the important task of receiving Smith’s recognition has been completed.
How much did you sweat to complete this mission?
I felt proud as I looked at the sparkling completion window.
Drurr.
I left the medical office and headed to the station.
At that moment, David was saying goodbye to the other nurses.
It was like that.
Today is the day he gets fired.
“Dr. Choi has also suffered a lot because of me.”
David bowed his head and apologized to Choi Ki-seok, and Choi Ki-seok just nodded.
“Well, good luck to you all.”
David said one last word and left the station.
But that’s the moment.
Crash.
Choi Ki-seok suddenly came to his side and spoke to him.
“David. Do you have anything to say to me?”
“Well, there’s nothing in particular…”
David did his best to avoid meeting Choi Ki-seok’s face.
When I looked at him, I felt like I would burst out laughing right away.
Poor Yellow Monkey who didn’t even know he was infected with syphilis.
“Ah. Now that I think about it, there’s just one thing.”
“What is it?”
“Take care of your health. Dr. Choi works non-stop even when he is off.”
“Don’t lie, you dirty bastard.”
Choi Ki-seok used Tyrant’s Descent and glared at David. Then David flinched with a scared look on his face.
“Why is this happening all of a sudden?”
“Are you asking because you don’t know that?”
Choi Ki-seok took out a syringe from his gown pocket.
“You played with this syringe, right? So when I opened the cap, I pushed it and got stabbed.”
“….”
“But, it wasn’t this syringe that stabbed me. Just before the injection, you looked away and switched syringes.”
“Ah…”
David opened his mouth as he recalled that time.
[“Wait a minute, David. Who is that patient?”
Ki-Seok Choi looked back and forth between the patient and the reused syringe, then turned his head back.
“Who?”
David, like Choi Ki-seok, stared down the ward hallway. But there was no one in the hallway.
“There was a patient who just passed by on crutches.”
“There are no patients using crutches in the ward.”
“Is it an illusion?”
]
That’s right.
There was a time when I was lost in thought for a moment before giving the injection.
“When I first looked at the syringe you gave me, I saw drops of blood on the tip of the needle. That’s when I realized he was trying again.”
“Then why on earth…”
“Why did you get stabbed with a needle even though you knew?”
“For this very moment. You may have been giggling thinking you infected me, but I’m fine. In the end, you were the one who got it again. Poor David.”
“….”
“Good bye, nerd.”
Choi Ki-seok whispered to David and leisurely returned to the ward.
