Knot (4)
Choi Ki-seok and Jeong Seol-hwa were traveling in a taxi.
Is it because I came back after such a long time?
His eyes were busy following the night view of Seoul.
Cars filling the streets, people of all colors walking down the street, signs emitting bright lights, etc.
Although I only worked in Sudan for three months, the familiar sights of Seoul were very unfamiliar to me.
I felt like Alice in Wonderland.
“Is it that interesting?”
“a lot.”
After finishing speaking, he couldn’t take his eyes off the window.
“Where are we going anyway?”
“I’m hungry, so let’s eat dinner first. “I made a reservation at a really awesome restaurant.”
“already?”
“The chef there is close to me. “A vacant seat can be created at any time.”
“You had a connection with the chef, too.”
Seolhwa Jeong nodded and leaned her head on his shoulder.
After a while, I got off the taxi and headed to an Italian restaurant located in Sindorim. Perhaps because business was good, the waiting area at the restaurant was already filled with people, and the line continued further.
“This is Choi Ki-seok, who made a reservation this morning.”
“hello. “I heard the head chef went to provide medical service. I guess he’s back now?”
“yes. “I came straight from the airport.”
“Come over here.”
Manager Jang Tae-hyun moved to the reserved seat first, and the two others followed.
After ordering the menu and chatting, a familiar face approached the table. The man was dressed as a chef and his face was covered in sweat, and he looked like he had jumped out while cooking.
“….”
“….”
The man and Choi Ki-seok stared at each other in silence for a long time.
It was the chef who opened his mouth first.
“brother. “You’re here.”
“okay. “How have you been?”
“Is there anything wrong with me? “If anything happens, it will always be on my brother’s side.”
Choi Ki-seok and the man looked at each other and smiled, but Jeong Seol-hwa seemed surprised and could not keep her mouth shut.
“what. Was this the restaurant where Joongi works? “Then you should have said it a long time ago.”
“I didn’t tell you so I could surprise you.”
“Nice to meet you, Junki. long time no see.”
“It’s been a while, sister-in-law.”
Choi Jun-gi bowed his head towards Jeong Seol-hwa.
Choi Jun-ki is Choi Ki-seok’s younger brother and trained under a famous chef until recently before becoming independent.
He opened a restaurant with the support of Choi Ki-seok and was busy as its manager and head chef.
Jeong Seol-hwa and Choi Jun-ki had seen each other several times in the past through Choi Ki-seok’s arrangements.
“Has your brother proposed yet?”
“…Ah yes.”
“brother. Isn’t this too much for your sister-in-law? I need to slow down like a man. I’m old, but how long am I going to be in a relationship? “You’re currently the only triple board thoracic surgeon, so why do you have so little understanding of people’s minds?”
Ki-seok Choi gaped like a carp at his younger brother’s large distance.
While I wasn’t seeing him, it seemed like his eloquence, not just his cooking skills, had improved.
“You stay still. “I’ll take care of it.”
“Anyway, you can’t do anything with words. Anyway, stop harassing your sister-in-law and get married quickly. “Mom and Dad also seemed to secretly want to get married.”
“yes yes. All right. But can you stop nagging me and give me some food? “Our belly skin is now stuck to our backs.”
“okay. Sister-in-law. “I will prepare the most expensive dish for you.”
“Thank you, Junki.”
Choi Jun-gi disappears and Jeong Seol-hwa bursts into laughter.
“Was Junki’s personality like that originally? “It seems a lot brighter than before.”
“I guess it’s because he has his own store.”
Choi Ki-seok shrugged his shoulders.
“By the way, I will be forced to rest for a while. “Kiseok, you have to choose a hospital so I can go to the cardiology department there.”
“….”
“You haven’t decided on a hospital yet, right?”
“huh. At the latest, I have to get it within a week. “Because taking a break doesn’t suit my personality.”
“How about going back to Uijin University? I think the easiest one would be that one…”
“Uijindaera…”
He took a sip of water and rubbed his chin.
Excluding MHC, the hospital I was most attached to was Medical College.
He completed his internship and 100-day duty at Uijin University and developed various gaming skills during that time. He also gained talented and trustworthy colleagues such as Jang Hyuk-pil and Kim Tae-sik.
“For now, Uijin University is out.”
“why?”
“I want to start a new life in a new place.”
“Wouldn’t it be easier to work?”
“what. Being comfortable is not the answer. “I’m thinking about something, but I’m not sure if it’ll work out.”
While we were talking, the food was served.
The two people tasted the course meal while listening to Choi Jun-gi’s explanation.
While eating a simple meal in Sudan, it was my first time in a long time eating a proper dish, and the food was rushing down my throat.
The sweet conversation that was being exchanged suddenly ended.
After finishing their meal, the two sat down separately from Choi Jun-gi and talked for a while before heading to a nearby hotel.
Choi Ki-seok and Jeong Seol-hwa spend intimate time in a romantic night view.
The two confirmed their passionate love all night long.
* * *
The next afternoon.
Choi Ki-seok returned home and lay down in bed. Then he yawned, massaging his bulging stomach.
I had just come back from having lunch with my mother.
The lunch menu is nostalgic Chinese food.
It was the first food I ate after being discharged from the hospital after undergoing heart transplant surgery. The meal was held near my mother’s workplace, and my father was away on a local business trip and could not join us.
“ah. “I’m dying.”
There was a lot of boredom in his eyes as he looked up at the ceiling.
It was just two days ago.
At that time, I was constantly receiving patients and even performing surgery on the ankle of someone who had stepped on a landmine.
Even though I stepped back from that intense life for just a short time, a feeling of boredom struck me with a terrifying force.
Even the title of Fanta, which brought patients in daily life, was said to be dark news.
Ki-seok Choi, who was rolling around in bed, called Seol-hwa Jeong.
She said that she went out shopping with her classmates at Uijin University and spent time with her family in the evening.
‘I shouldn’t just sit still.’
As he was preparing to leave, he noticed that the cell phone he had placed under his pillow was ringing and connected the call.
“hello. “Deputy medical director.”
[I told you not to call me that. Why are you doing this to make me feel distant?]
Jang Hyuk-pil smiled and continued.
[I heard you came back after completing your medical service? But why haven’t I heard from you yet? Have you forgotten me yet?]
“Is that possible? I was just about to call you. “If it had been three seconds earlier, I would have called first.”
[This bastard. He won the triple board and became shameless.]
“Maybe so.”
[By the way, what time is it this evening? Let’s invite Taesik and Youngho and have a drink for the first time in a while.]
“Is that okay? If those two are missing, I think the department will have a hard time. “I heard that the Department of Thoracic Surgery at Uijin University has not even been able to recruit residents for the past two years.”
[what. Because there were no applicants.]
Jang Hyuk-pil’s sigh reached my ears.
Although his position was deputy director of medical services, he was born as a thoracic surgeon.
It was not pleasant to watch the decline of thoracic surgery.
[The popularity of Pi An-seong (dermatology, ophthalmology, and plastic surgery) and Jeong Jae-young (psychiatry, rehabilitation medicine, and radiology) will never die. I also raised both hands and feet.]
“….”
[You should do something. If this continues, the number of young thoracic surgeons will dry up.]
“We must try our best. “That’s why I came back to Korea.”
[Thank you just for words. Anyway, is there time in the evening?]
“Of course.”
Choi Ki-seok, who had a dinner appointment, sat in front of the computer and searched for articles on thoracic surgery.
During the nearly six years he trained in the United States, the situation in Korean thoracic surgery did not improve at all.
The application rate for majors was the lowest along with urology, and it was still suffering from low fees.
Because there were no applicants, the working environment for existing doctors also hit rock bottom. In the meantime, the only thing that increased was dramas about thoracic surgeons.
After completing the search, he lay down on the bed and accessed the training room.
And I started practicing until the appointed time.
How much time has passed?
After completing his training, he put on his clothes and left the house.
The meeting place is a meat restaurant located near Uijin University Hospital.
As I entered the store, familiar faces waved happily.
“senior!”
“It’s been a while Kiseok.”
“Have you become more trustworthy while we haven’t seen each other?”
Lee Young-ho, Jang Hyuk-pil, and Kim Tae-sik each said a word, and Choi Ki-seok greeted the three people and sat next to Lee Young-ho.
“It seems like only yesterday that I was thinking about thoracic surgery Fixton, but you’re already a fellow. “I can’t believe it.”
“Me too.”
Youngho Lee smiled and continued.
“Honestly, I was defeated. “If it weren’t for my senior, I wouldn’t have majored in thoracic surgery.”
“It’s too late to complain now. “You have already fallen into the swamp of thoracic surgery.”
“I’m kidding. I’m kidding. Actually, I don’t regret coming to the thoracic surgery clinic. “Life is difficult, but it is also very rewarding.”
“You know how to say pretty cool things just because you have big hair, right?”
Laughter bursts out at Choi Ki-seok’s words.
The atmosphere became cheerful even before the drinks started.
“boy. Frog tadpoles don’t think of enemies. You too have a big head. “You used to be an assister on the Saber team and are now a triple board thoracic surgeon.”
“….”
“And you’re the majority shareholder of Mayjo Clinic. “Of course you’re the one buying the alcohol today, right?”
“sure. “Eat as much as you want.”
Choi Ki-seok responded cheerfully to Jang Hyuk-pil’s words.
“Congratulations, senior. “I heard you recently became an associate professor?”
“ah. “Well, that’s what happened.”
Taesik Kim was embarrassed and scratched the back of his head.
During his training, Tae-sik Kim steadily improved his skills and recently became an associate professor in the Department of Thoracic Surgery at Uijin University.
“There were times when the manager looked after me well and there were times when Professor Jang pushed me. “It all fit together well.”
“It’s because the senior is talented. “Not everyone can become an associate professor.”
“Now, let’s order some food. “I’m hungry.”
Hyukpil Jang came forward and placed an order.
Cheeeeeeeek.
The meat was cooked deliciously.
As we drank a glass or two, the conversation became more mature.
Since we were four people who made memories together at Uijin University, there were a lot of stories we wanted to tell and hear.
Perhaps because of this, there was never an awkward silence during the drinking party that lasted for nearly two hours.
“You’re lucky today. “I guess heaven will help me.”
“What does it mean?”
“There is no emergency call. “About three months ago, during a company dinner, a call came in for a patient with an aortic dissection, and I had to have surgery urgently.”
“Phew… When will we have a company dinner comfortably?”
Lee Young-ho added a word to Kim Tae-sik’s words.
“for a moment. Everyone pay attention!”
Hyukpil Jang continued, drawing the attention of the three people.
“I just got a message, and it looks like one more person will be here.”
“When you say it’s just one person, it sends a chill down my spine. “Are you an uninvited guest?”
Choi Ki-seok tilted his head.
“what. From our perspective, we should consider him an uninvited guest. “Still, I don’t have the power to refuse it.”
“….”
“Don’t show that you’re too drunk, but come to your senses.”
As soon as Jang Hyuk-pil finished speaking, a bell rang and a man came into the restaurant.
The moment he confirmed the other person’s identity, Choi Ki-seok just laughed.
A nemesis from the past.
Jo Ji-hwan, currently serving as the director of Uijin University Hospital.
He was approaching.
