Knot (5)
“Is the hospital director here?”
The three people who were seated, led by Jang Hyuk-pil, got up and rushed towards Jo Ji-hwan.
Jo Ji-hwan raised his hand in response and stared at Choi Ki-seok.
“….”
“….”
Heavy silence follows.
It had been almost six years since the two met face to face.
When Choi Ki-seok came to Korea, we just ran into each other in the parking lot.
This gave us an opportunity to have a proper conversation.
“Looking at your face, it looks like you’ve been doing well.”
“It was a lot of hard work, but I overcame it well.”
“what. I guess so. “As always.”
Jo Ji-hwan said something meaningful and continued speaking.
“I expected that I would grow well, but I didn’t expect that I would even get a triple board. “Was Professor Song doing well in the United States?”
“Professor Song has always watched over me since I was in Korea. “It’s no different in America.”
“Right. “Let’s talk about the details over a drink.”
Jo Ji-hwan and Jang Hyuk-pil sat side by side, Choi Ki-seok and Kim Tae-sik sat across from them, and Lee Young-ho sat in a separate seat to the side.
“I’ll pour you a drink.”
When Choi Ki-seok lifted the bottle, Jo Ji-hwan’s eyebrows rose to the sky without realizing it.
“Why are you so surprised?”
“It’s a little surprising. Was this what we were like?”
“I won’t break my wrist if I pour a drink for the hospital director, right?”
Jo Ji-hwan burst out laughing at his joke.
It was a clear smile that I had never seen before when Choi Ki-seok was an intern.
Squeak.
While filling the soju glass, he glanced at Jo Ji-hwan’s face.
Clearly, Jo Ji-hwan was not the same Jo Ji-hwan he used to be.
The wrinkles around his forehead and eyes became deeper, and age spots appeared all over his face. Gray gray hair could be seen between the dark black hair.
It feels like the traces of past years remain intact on my face.
One thing worth noting was the expression or atmosphere.
In the past, Jo Ji-hwan had a sharp edge like a poisonous snake.
When he was around, he had an intimidating aura that made you feel like you would be bitten by his fangs, but now a lot of that ferocious aura has disappeared.
Like a viper with its fangs missing.
“I heard you went to Sudan after your fellow training ended?”
“Yes, it was a valuable experience. “It gave me an opportunity to think more about how the medical environment and welfare affect people and how I should treat patients as a doctor.”
“When I was young, I thought it would be nice to go to the NFC.”
Jo Ji-hwan emptied his glass and continued speaking.
“But I kept putting it off and ended up here. If there’s something you want to do, it seems like a good idea to try it while you’re young. “As you get older, it becomes difficult to take on new challenges.”
“Instead, hasn’t the hospital director achieved outstanding achievements? Many people are envious of the hospital director. “That alone is already a successful life.”
Jang Hyuk-pil floated Jo Ji-hwan and filled his glass.
It was truly a speech worthy of Jang Hyuk-pil, a man of high political power.
On the other hand, Kim Tae-sik and Lee Young-ho were unable to say a single word, perhaps because they were in an awkward position.
“By the way, did you say that the surgery you and Professor Song developed together was called Hope Surgery?”
“you’re right.”
“You did a great job. Thanks to this, people who had been waiting desperately for a heart transplant found a new life. “Vice Director Jang, is HOP surgery being performed at our hospital as well?”
Jo Ji-hwan looked at Jang Hyuk-pil.
“I am consistently performing about three cases a month. The outcome of the surgery was also good.”
“That’s a good thing.”
The conversation led by Jo Ji-hwan continued.
When he asked a question, others responded, but thanks to Jang Hyuk-pil’s flexibility in changing the topic with appropriate additions, the conversation did not stop.
An hour has passed since Jo Ji-hwan joined us.
As Kim Tae-sik and Lee Young-ho returned to the hospital after receiving an emergency call, the number of people at the dinner party was reduced to three.
“I think this is enough to talk about the current situation.”
“Do you have anything else to say?”
“Don’t you know my personality? I hate stories that are not nutritious. “If I didn’t have business, I wouldn’t have come here in the first place.”
At Jo Ji-hwan’s words, Choi Ki-seok thought that something had come.
In the first place, this position must have been created by Jo Ji-hwan using Jang Hyuk-pil to pull him out.
“I’ll tell you straight. “I would like you to go to Uijin University Hospital as the Chief of Thoracic Surgery.”
“Affiliated hospital?”
“Have you heard of Sewon Hospital in Bucheon?”
“I didn’t hear anything in particular.”
“I’ll tell you about Sewon Hospital.”
Hyukpil Jang’s explanation continued.
Sewon Hospital.
It is one of the branch hospitals of Uijin University and has 200 semi-independent beds.
It is the only hospital specializing in thoracic surgery in Uijin University, has various cardiology clinics, and has been recognized as a cardiology hospital designated by the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
“I think Sewon Hospital would be a better fit for you now than Uijin University. “Because the radius of action will expand.”
“I want to hear the specific conditions.”
“The position is the head of thoracic surgery, and in fact, you can think of it as being right below the hospital director. “The salary may not be as great as MHC, but we will give you the best treatment in the country.”
Choi Ki-seok stroked his chin at Jo Ji-hwan’s suggestion.
The conditions weren’t bad.
In many ways, it was easier to make a fresh start in a new place than to fight against established doctors at medical school.
“I’m slightly attracted to you.”
“I thought you would reject me right away. “You surprised me several times today.”
Jo Ji-hwan tilted his head and emptied his drink.
The relationship between him and Choi Ki-seok was no different from oil and water.
Who was the person who kicked out his teacher Song Myeong-jin and made his training days difficult?
Isn’t it you?
However, Choi Ki-seok was seriously considering his proposal.
He is intrigued by the enemy’s proposal.
Jo Ji-hwan couldn’t figure out Choi Ki-seok’s true intentions, whether he was burying past resentments or whether he had other intentions.
“If I go to Sewon Hospital, can you leave all personnel authority to me?”
“of course.”
“I can change the system there any way I want. Are you okay though?”
“Do whatever you feel like. “Sewon Hospital has nothing to do with me.”
“great. Then I will go to Sewon Hospital. However, if the promise is not kept, we will always look for another hospital. “I wish the contract included provisions regarding non-fulfillment of promises.”
“There’s no reason not to.”
The story progressed smoothly as Choi Ki-seok accepted the position of head of thoracic surgery at Sewon Hospital.
An hour later.
Even Jo Ji-hwan left, leaving Choi Ki-seok and Jang Hyuk-pil as the last survivors.
“Are you serious? Are you really going to go to Sewon Hospital?”
Jang Hyuk-pil’s voice rose.
“If the conditions are good, go. what.”
“Think about it with common sense. There’s no way that snooty snake could give you a good offer. “There’s definitely something up there.”
“There must be some plan.”
“what is that?”
“I hope the thoracic surgery department does well.”
“That greedy person had such thoughts? hey. A passing dog will laugh. “Think about what that person did before he became the hospital director.”
“….”
“It was customary for him to selectively receive patients, and he was the one who gave preferential treatment to VIPs and made me and Professor Il-soo Kwon compete for the position of manager.”
“What the professor said is correct. But after becoming the hospital director, did you notice anything different?
Jang Hyuk-pil frowned at Choi Ki-seok’s question.
“After becoming the hospital director…”
“….”
“Now that I think about it, my personality became a lot more docile after I became the hospital director. We also created several systems that take patients into consideration. But that’s no reason to trust the hospital director.”
“My thoughts are a little different from yours.”
Looking at medical professionals through the eyes of Hippocrates, one could check the stat called disposition. There are three main types of tendencies: patient-centered, success-centered, and neutral.
What was surprising was that Jo Ji-hwan’s tendency was patient-centered.
This is the result of the exact opposite of the actions he has shown so far.
So Choi Ki-seok thought.
Jo Ji-hwan is said to be a wicked person.
Although he had a heart for his patients, it was clear that he had deliberately acted like a success-oriented doctor.
The basis for this was Jo Ji-hwan’s past revealed by Jang Hyuk-pil.
[The deputy hospital director said there was a big incident when he was in his third year as a resident. At that time, a man was brought to the emergency room of Uijin University Hospital, and the man had suffered serious chest trauma in a car accident.] [
After treating the man, the vice hospital director concluded that surgery was necessary, and since it was a problem that could not be resolved at the Chief Line, the thoracic surgeon at the time I contacted the manager, but the response I got back was cold.]
[Do not perform surgery, return to another hospital.]
[Huh? Manager! This patient needs surgery immediately! You will die during transport.]
[Jo Ji-hwan. Does what I say sound funny?]
[If it is as you said, there is no chance of the patient surviving the surgery. Instead of needlessly increasing patient mortality, send them to the hospital immediately. They roughly told the guardian that emergency surgery was delayed.]
[Chief. Still, the patient…]
[Don’t you want to be a doctor?]
[······.]
[If you’re really frustrated, do the surgery yourself. why? Are you not confident about that again? Stop hurting your mouth anymore.]
[Afterwards, the deputy hospital director contacted a nearby university hospital and visited the emergency room with the patient and guardian. However, even though I contacted him in advance, the university hospital there also refused to perform the surgery.
[And the patient died in the emergency room of the third hospital he visited after being rejected twice.]
It was obvious that this incident would have been a trauma to Jo Ji-hwan.
Usually, people in high positions have high political power and are focused on success, but Jo Ji-hwan, who saw this, was likely to fall into the trash and wallow there.
In addition, the fact that his toxic appearance disappeared after becoming the hospital director could also be another basis.
“So what you’re saying is that the hospital director was originally a good person?”
“It’s hard to believe, but I think so.”
“Ha… I’m confused.”
Hyukpil Jang wrinkled his face and emptied his glass.
“I don’t 100% agree with what you said, but I don’t think it’s completely impossible.”
“Does this mean you don’t mind going to Sewon Hospital?”
“I’m not going to listen even if I try to stop you anyway.”
“That’s true, but I feel at ease if the professor gives permission. “There are also opportunities to avoid responsibility.”
“You son of a loach.”
The two people looked at each other and burst into laughter.
“You’ll do well wherever you are, so don’t worry. But….”
“….”
“Don’t even think about Youngho or Taesik taking it away. “I’m scolded.”
“Hehehe. well.”
A meaningful smile appeared on Choi Ki-seok’s lips.
* * *
A week has passed since then.
Choi Ki-seok was driving down the road early in the morning.
After running for a while, I stopped at the Yeongdeungpo Station crosswalk.
Next to the crosswalk, there was a neatly dressed traditional painting.
“Honey!”
At Choi Ki-seok’s loud shout, Jeong Seol-hwa hurriedly ran over and sat in the passenger seat.
“Everyone else hears it.”
“Are you telling me to listen?”
He fastened Jeong Seol-hwa’s seat belt and drove off again.
“It’s your first day on the job, how are you feeling?”
“I’m just a little nervous. I only worked at Uijin University. “It’s my first time working at another hospital.”
“My wife was recognized in Sudan, but getting to a hospital in Korea is a piece of cake.”
Jeong Seol-hwa’s stiff expression relaxed somewhat at his joke.
A few days ago, the two visited Jo Ji-hwan and signed a contract to work at Sewon Hospital.
Ki-Seok Choi was appointed as the head of the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery after specifying the promised conditions in the contract, and Seol-Hwa Jeong was appointed as an assistant professor of cardiology, although the conditions were slightly lower.
Both of them had achieved high positions relative to their age and experience.
“They’re all here.”
“already?”
“There, there.”
Choi Ki-seok pointed to Sewon Hospital and burst into laughter.
[Chief Choi Ki-seok, the world’s only triple board thoracic surgeon, begins thoracic surgery treatment.] A
bright banner was the first to greet the two people.
