From the rescue team (5)
“Being a doctor is a more tiring job than I thought. I can’t believe I have to worry about such things…” “I’m
already so tired that I’m dying. Can you see the dark circles under my eyes?”
“Yes. It’s very visible. Who would see it and think it’s a panda?”
As we exchanged jokes, the cold atmosphere brightened somewhat.
“By the way, what do you mean by saying something? It’s something you want to say person to person.”
“Actually, it wasn’t until after he got his criminal record that I heard Carter play the piano. I realized that he was a really great pianist, even though I didn’t know him before.”
“Yes, I may say it myself, but he was a pretty good pianist.”
Carter emphasized the past tense.
“But while I was watching the video, a thought suddenly occurred to me. I wanted to hear Carter play in person instead of just watching a video. I think it would be even more amazing to hear it in person.”
“Doctor Choi knows, but that’s impossible. The way I’m doing right now…”
Carter’s eyes turned to his fingers.
“You’re not asking me to play it with one hand, are you?”
“No, I want to hear two hands playing. Carter giving it his all.”
Choi Ki-seok continued.
“I briefly watched the rehabilitation process today. As I am also a surgeon who uses my hands, I could well imagine how much pain Carter must be in.”
“….”
“This is purely my greed, but I hope Carter doesn’t give up on rehabilitation treatment.”
“Haa…”
At Choi Ki-seok’s words, Carter sighed, feeling grounded.
“My life as a pianist is over. I am just half a person. There is no guarantee that I will completely recover through rehabilitation treatment.”
“Yes, I know. I’m not in a position to say this or that, and I’m just meddling in nonsense. But I saw it.”
“What do you mean?”
“During treatment, I pretended to hit the keys with my non-paralyzed hand.”
Choi Ki-seok remembered it clearly.
His hands went down the table, still wanting the piano.
“You don’t want to give up playing the piano, do you?”
When he asked directly, Carter averted his gaze.
“If you don’t rehabilitate now, the opportunity will never come again.”
“I know that, but…”
“Carter. You can do it. I can help.”
Carter didn’t say anything to Choi Ki-seok’s words.
Amid the heavy silence, the pianist’s performance rang out in the hall.
“Do you know this song?”
“Of course I know.”
Choi Ki-seok nodded vigorously.
A bright and warm piece reminiscent of a blue lake and sky.
Sweet Weather is Carter’s self-composed song and brought him to where he is today.
It first gained attention on NewTube and later became a commercial song, gaining love from many people.
“When I wrote this song, I was desperately poor. I was dating my current wife, but we didn’t have money, so we always dated at home.”
“….”
“Suddenly, I remember that time. Back then, I thought I didn’t need anything as long as I had a piano and a wife.”
Carter continued, looking into the distance.
“Dr. Choi. Will I really be able to succeed in rehabilitation?”
“If there is a piano god, he will definitely help Carter. I believe so.”
“Whew… then let’s do it. Even if it takes months or years.”
Carter nodded.
Tiring!
I formed a rapport with Carter.
NEW [Rapport Stage 2 – Faith]
Ki-Seok Choi checked the notification and smiled. Carter finally opened his heart.
“Honestly, I was scared all this time. Even with rehabilitation treatment, there is no guarantee that I will be the same as before, and I am afraid that if I return, I will be told that I am not as good as before.”
“….”
“Still, I’ll try to overcome it. I don’t even want to imagine my life without the piano.”
“Yes. I thought well.”
Ki-Seok Choi used the skill while talking to Carter.
[You have used the encouragement skill.]
[The emotions of the encouraged target become brighter.]
[Immunity resistance regeneration increases slightly.]
[You have gained a bonus to level 2 rapport. The will to live becomes more solid.]
[You have used the Light of Regeneration skill.]
– When receiving rehabilitation treatment, the patient’s rehabilitation speed and progress increases by 1.5 times.
– The scope of rehabilitation includes physical and mental parts.
– As the level increases, the speed and progress of rehabilitation increases, and if rehabilitation is successfully completed, there is a 3% chance of gaining special abilities.
– The duration is 7 days.
After receiving the skill, Carter became brighter.
Unlike before, when he was nervous, he often smiled.
If you build up more rapport and even issue a categorical imperative, rehabilitation will speed up even more.
Ki-Seok Choi returned to the ward after talking with Carter.
While I was dispensing backlogged prescriptions at the medical office, Nikolai came inside.
“Mr. Choi. Go to the conference room now.”
“why?”
“Chief Matthew is looking for you.”
“Chief? Why?”
Choi Ki-seok asked back and frowned.
The Kingmaker mission led to a hostile relationship with Matthew.
His call was not welcome.
“I don’t know the details. Looking at the staff gathered in the conference room, I think it’s because of the surgery.”
“okay.”
Choi Ki-seok immediately went to the conference room.
As Nikolai said, the staff members were sitting down and talking.
“You’re so excited about the medical treatment. I’m afraid you’re not the main character, so I’m the last one to come.”
Carl, a second-year neurosurgery resident, said sarcastically.
“Is there a reason you laugh at me as soon as you see me?”
“Once again, pretending not to know.”
“I only heard that Manager Matthew called me. I don’t know anything else.”
“Are you sure?”
“Do I have any reason to lie?”
When Choi Ki-seok stepped forward confidently, Karl looked rather confused.
“What? How on earth does this work?”
Carl’s explanation continued.
The reason the staff gathered in the conference room.
It is for the final briefing of brain tumor surgery, which is just 30 minutes away.
“Today’s scrub schedule is over. I have no reason to be here.”
“Haa… I’m going crazy and jumping around. So you’re saying the manager didn’t just tell you?”
“I’ve been saying this for a while, but I haven’t heard anything. Please tell me in detail.”
“You are the first assistant in this surgery.”
Karl’s words hit the back of my head.
Choi Ki-seok froze on the spot as if he had turned to stone.
I only came to the conference room because Matthew called me. But suddenly I heard shocking news that I had become the first assistant in brain tumor surgery.
It was difficult for me to come to my senses because it was my first time experiencing this situation.
“Wow. I guess you really didn’t know.”
“How can you change the first (first assistant) on the day of surgery? And without even saying a word to the person involved?”
“Chief Matthew, why are you doing this? This is my first time like this.”
The staff also fell into a crucible of shock.
‘this. ‘I got hit!’
I belatedly realized Matthew’s intention and bit my lip.
It was clear that he created this situation to screw himself over.
He was selected as an assistant on the day of surgery to prevent him from studying in advance, and was given the important responsibility of being the first assistant rather than the second assistant.
Just by looking at these two things, I could smell a trap.
Now I understand why Karl became sarcastic as soon as he saw him.
It must have been frustrating to think that someone who had only recently arrived at the neurosurgery department would be the first assistant.
Drurr.
Just then the door opened and Matthew came inside.
I immediately made eye contact with Choi Ki-seok, but he sat in the back seat with a calm expression.
“Mr. Choi. I’m sure you heard about the upcoming surgery, right?”
“Yes. I heard that. But I was surprised to suddenly hear that they were appointing me as a surgical assistant and first priority.”
“Oh… that? It’s all for you.”
Matthew continued calmly.
“You are expected to be next to Leon. You need to experience unexpected situations like this. Isn’t life and hospital work impossible to predict one inch ahead?”
‘Shameless bastard.’
Choi Ki-seok almost said his thoughts out loud.
“I appreciate your wishes, Chief, but I cannot come in as an assistant in this surgery.”
“The reason is?”
“If I had studied in advance, my knowledge and experience in brain tumor surgery are very limited. I hope you will think again for the sake of the patient.”
“You don’t seem to know anything. It’s better for the patients that you join as an assistant.”
“I’m not sure what you mean.”
“It’s frustrating. Check the surgery schedule.”
Choi Ki-seok followed Matthew’s instructions and then sighed.
The surgery schedule was already full.
Unusually, the surgeons who would assist in this brain tumor surgery actually performed the surgery, which was not difficult.
In other words, Matthew’s noose was completed a long time ago.
“You know what I mean? If you leave, the only people left to do this surgery are me and Karl.”
“….”
“Once the questions are over, let’s start the briefing.”
At Matthew’s nod, Carl went up to the stage.
“The patient’s name is Jerry. He is 45 years old and is a state senator hospitalized in the VIP room. He was admitted to the outpatient clinic a week ago with headaches, vomiting, and papilledema in the eyes. After an MRI scan, a 3-centimeter tumor was discovered in the brainstem area. It’s done.”
Carl’s explanation continued.
The tumor discovered in the patient was a retrograde oligodendroglioma.
For brain tumors, TNM classification is not used like other tumors. However, the stage is determined from stage 1 to stage 4 by considering the size and characteristics of the tumor.
In this patient’s case, the tumor progressed to stage 3.
“As for surgical treatment… it is planned. This concludes the briefing.”
After finishing the briefing, Carl returned to his seat.
“It’s almost time, so let’s all get up.”
“yes!”
The staff followed Matthew.
“Mr. Choi. I’m sorry about earlier. I didn’t know it was like this.”
Carl, who was walking with me, whispered softly.
“It’s okay. I understand now.”
“But are you sure you’re okay? Anyone can see this as crazy.”
“I know, but there’s no way.”
“I really want to go into the manager’s head. What on earth are you thinking?”
Carl’s eyes were fixed on Matthew’s back.
If it were Choi Ki-seok, he might have screamed and stormed out of the conference room.
With little knowledge of surgery, I received notification of surgical assistance an hour in advance and became the first assistant.
This is an ordeal that is difficult to bear with a sober mind.
Meanwhile, Choi Ki-seok looked back on the situation and was lost in thought.
It’s clear that Matthew set a trap, but it may just turn out to be a blessing in disguise.
If the surgery fails, Matthew also cannot avoid responsibility.
He will also be criticized for using himself as the first assistant.
If his reputation was reduced in this way, he could complete one of the Kingmaker’s missions: reducing reputation.
‘Still, it can’t happen.’
Failure of the surgery means the patient’s death.
No matter how important the mission is, it cannot be exchanged for life.
Buck. Buck. Buck. Buck.
Upon arriving at the operating room, the staff stood side by side and began scrubbing.
Eventually, Michael arrived at the rosette, dragging the bed on which the patient lay.
While the anesthesiologist was administering general anesthesia, Michael took a time-out and other staff members stood in their respective positions.
[No matter how complicated it may seem, there are only three principles of surgery: cutting, dividing, and joining.]
Choi Ki-seok calmed down, recalling what Jang Hyuk-pil once said.
Suddenly, his eyes turned to Matthew across from him.
‘It won’t work out the way you want.’
