[226] Unfinished business 1
When I helped my stumbling father, deputy manager Kim Yun-sik and other attendants came running. I asked them for my father and picked up the phone that had fallen on the airport floor.
“Hospital director. This is Jin Do-jun. Is there a problem?”
– Oh, it’s Dojun. What about your father?
warble. I could guess at once what was going on.
He calmed his beating heart and said.
“I’m in shock right now, so it’s hard to talk on the phone. tell me Maybe your grandfather…?”
– That’s it… This is so…
The hospital director hesitated, and his stomach burned. I screamed, wanting to hear what was going on.
“Director!”
– Ah… the president collapsed…
his eyes closed and his teeth clenched.
– Fortunately, I was with Chief Lee Hak-jae, so I rushed to the hospital. But Chief Lee ordered Confidential.
“Have you issued a mutiny order?”
– okay. However, I contacted you because I thought you should know.
stroked my chest
Fortunately, Chief Lee Hak-jae was with me and he took the action I wanted.
“How is your grandfather?”
– It’s okay. Now that I’m resting…
I can’t be relieved just because I’m okay.
Once an elderly person starts to collapse, there may be no next time. It would not be strange if the second was death.
“Okay, Master. Please keep the hospital staff tight… Thank you. Thank you for contacting my father…”
– No, it’s natural.
As soon as I finished the call, I told the attendants who were only looking at me.
“Let’s go to Sunyang Medical Center. As soon as possible.”
“yes.”
Deputy Kim Yun-sik took out his cell phone and put the car on standby.
“what? Is your father okay?”
The white-faced father managed to keep his mouth shut.
“yes. He says he is resting now, so don’t worry.”
“Phew… I’m glad. let’s hurry.”
My father started to run ahead with quick steps like running.
* * *
As I crossed the hospital lobby, the hospital director and three or four chiefs ran to me and bowed down.
“What about your father? Are you in a special ward?”
“yes. But meeting is difficult. He’s sleeping, so you’ll have to wait a bit.”
Seeing his father standing in the middle of the lobby and asking questions, the head of the hospital with a puzzled look on his face, and the restless section chiefs, it seemed that Ham Gu-ryeong would be useless.
Because among the hospital staff passing by, there was no one who didn’t know my father and me. Just by looking at the rich man’s expression, anyone would be able to guess that something big has happened in the family.
“Don’t do this here, move to a quiet place. There are many eyes to see.”
As soon as my words came to an end, the director of the hospital took my father to the special ward.
“Is Chief Lee Hak-jae still in the hospital?”
“You left a while ago. It looks like you went to work.”
My father had a mountain of questions he wanted to ask, but he held back. The first step is to check the appearance of the grandfather.
In the hospital room, my grandfather was sleeping with an oxygen respirator on.
We all went outside after watching it for a few minutes without saying anything. The two sturdy men guarding the entrance to the hospital room couldn’t hide their nervousness.
After sitting in the hospital director’s office and drinking a cup of tea, my father opened his mouth.
“Can you leave the hospital when you wake up?”
My father couldn’t bear to say if there was a problem with his life, so he said roundly. However, doctors including the director of the hospital could not make eye contact with his father.
“You have to stay in the hospital. For the time being… No, you should consider being discharged difficult.”
“You mean you are in critical condition?”
The head of the hospital looked at the doctor sitting next to him.
“Um um. It is a cerebrovascular disease. It means that the blood flow is not smooth.”
“stroke?”
“That’s right. It’s because your heart is very weak. Considering the president’s age, it is a natural aging phenomenon.”
“Why is it difficult to leave the hospital?”
The hospital director said in response to my cautious question.
“If this happens again, no one can say for sure. If you collapse again, treatment must be completed within 3 hours. From then on, the golden time gets smaller and smaller. In the future, this will happen more frequently and the cycle will get shorter and shorter.”
“I’m sorry to have to say this, but it’s a natural aging process.”
Just because you’re a doctor, you can’t defy birth, old age, and sickness. Now, there is only one question left.
Father opened his mouth slowly.
“Uh… how many more…?”
The doctors only looked at each other, as if this was a difficult question to answer.
The director had the attention of the other doctors, and it was a question he had to answer.
“I cannot confirm. If this happens again in the future, no one can be sure. Please understand that we can only say we will do our best.”
Grandpa’s death cannot be delayed any longer.
It’s completely unacceptable, but it has to be accepted. And when I thought that day was not far away, the tears I had been holding back burst out.
* * *
Returning to the hospital, Chief Lee Hak-jae was a little surprised to find Jin Yoon-ki, but remembered that he was the head of the hospital.
“older brother.”
“huh. When did you come?”
“It’s been a while. What happened?”
Lee Hak-jae is the person who was present when President Jin collapsed and the person who controls the situation is Lee Hak-jae. Jin Yoon-gi had no intention of excluding him just because he was his son.
“I don’t talk to you for hours every day. While taking a walk in the garden together, he collapsed. Have you heard all the doctors’ opinions?”
“yes.”
“I have nothing to say, but now I have to prepare. There is no possibility that the president will return to normal again in good health.”
“yes. I am determined. By the way, brother.”
“huh.”
“Why did you issue the order? I tried to contact my brothers, but I delayed it for a while…”
“It was the chairman’s order. You always said that you don’t go to the other world all at once. Even if the grim reaper appears in front of you, he said that he would kick it out once and come to his senses. After cleaning up all the remaining matters, he assured me that he would go directly to meet the reaper of the dead.”
Jin Yoongi was dumbfounded. An old man over 80 is famous for a minor accident of slipping in the snow.
We shouldn’t gamble on the slim chance of a recovery.
Lee Hak-jae looked at Jin Yoon-gi’s expression and smiled as if guessing what he was thinking.
“I trust the president. I know better than you. He said he still has work to do, so he won’t go back until he finishes it.”
“Still, I have to contact my brothers and sisters. Your father has collapsed, but you can’t hide it, can you?”
Lee Hak-jae vigorously waved his hand.
“Let’s wait. Didn’t the doctor say it was okay? You will wake up soon. At that time, it is not too late to receive instructions from the president and contact him. I will bear the resentment of your brothers.”
Jin Yoon-gi remembered the doctor’s words that his father was sleeping now. I decided to follow Director Lee Hak-jae’s words because it would not happen like this.
And everyone waited for Chairman Jin to wake up.
* * *
It wasn’t until dawn that Grandpa woke up.
We waited impatiently and rushed to the hospital room, but my grandfather only found Chief Lee Hak-jae.
My father and I waited anxiously outside the hospital room, but the two of them talked endlessly.
Chief Lee Hak-jae, who left the hospital room after a while, stopped us.
“Stop going back today. He said he didn’t want to meet anyone. He said he would contact me after a little more sleep, so according to the chairman’s wishes.”
“What are you talking about? I’ll see you in a minute and then go back…”
“Stop it.”
As I tried to hold the door to the hospital room, my father grabbed my wrist.
“You know you are there. Even so, when I see that you told me to go back, I want to be alone. Be quiet and let’s go back.”
“Yes, Do-joon. It’s not like you’re going to die today or tomorrow. The doctors said the more rest the better. It will be frustrating, but we have to wait for now.”
When I saw the eyes of my father and Lee Hak-jae, I couldn’t be more stubborn.
“The best medical staff in Korea are on standby 24 hours a day, so don’t worry and go home. I’m going to do just a few of the president’s orders and go back.”
“All right. Then I’ll wait at the hospital until Grandpa finds it.”
“Don’t make me say it twice. The president told everyone to go home. And when you’re in the hospital, the doctors get nervous and sharp. go back home for now If the president finds it, I will contact you right away.”
I couldn’t be stubborn anymore after receiving the stern stare of Lee Hak-jae.
Chief Lee disappeared, saying he would meet with a hospital official, and I left the hospital with my father.
It was only in the car on the way home that I noticed my father’s eyes were wet.
“Are you okay?”
There was no way it would be okay, but I couldn’t think of any other words of comfort.
“Do-joon.”
“yes.”
“When I got the call that my father had passed out. I thought everything was erased from my memory. But it wasn’t.”
“What memory do you mean?”
“Ten years of my youth. Those years when my father was disappointed in me and I resented him. In the past 10 years, I have recovered my father-son relationship and have many good memories… I don’t know why I only think of the memories I was sorry for.”
I didn’t say anything and just held my father’s hand tightly.
“Do-joon.”
“yes.”
“From now on, don’t think about anything else and just focus on your role as the cute youngest grandson. It’s the succession and the stake, so forget all these complicated things and act like a child. Father, please.”
“yes. I will try to make my grandfather have a little more pleasant memories.”
I got the answer I wanted, but it’s not an easy task. My grandfather must be as complicated as my head is.
And there is no doubt that my grandfather will devote himself to the position of Chairman Jin Yang-cheol of Sunyang Group until the moment of his death.
* * *
I couldn’t sleep until morning as I thought about when I would be able to see my grandfather. I didn’t know if the hospital would contact me, so I stayed at home all day without going to work.
It was past 10pm when the phone rang. It was a call from Hak-jae Lee.
“yes. Manager.”
– The president is looking for you. Don’t attach an attendant and come quietly alone. Don’t even tell your father. You know what I mean?
“yes.”
– Come through the special ward underground parking lot. You know the dedicated passage?
“yes. I will leave now.”
As soon as I finished the call, I grabbed the car keys and headed to the parking lot. For the first time, I regretted giving away all my fast sports cars.
Ignoring several traffic lights and speed cameras, I ran to the hospital.
In the underground parking lot of the special ward, a subordinate of Chief Lee Hak-jae was already waiting for me.
“Give me your height and go up. You are waiting.”
“thank you.”
I handed over the car keys and immediately got on the elevator. Why is the elevator speed so slow today… I just rolled my feet.
When I opened the door to the hospital room and entered, I was speechless at the completely unexpected sight.
“Ha Grandpa. What are you doing?”
Grandpa wore a suit and coat and even a bowler hat.
“What are you fussing about? There’s a place to go, so you’re dressed up.”
The hospital director and doctors were also in the hospital room. I don’t know if I was stubbornly insisting on being discharged.
“Okay. They also gave permission.”
“Can you be all right? You are not yet discharged. Please lie down some more.”
“noisy. How dare you treat a patient with a fatal disease?”
“grandfather!”
“Hey. I do not have time. Can’t you hurry up and catch up?”
The grandfather’s shaking eyes and Lee Hak-jae, head nod behind the grandfather. I also gave up my stubbornness.
In particular, my grandfather’s remarks about not having time pierced me.
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