Golden Time

Chapter 100

Suhyuk was looking at Kim Jinsu who had been transferred to a general patients’ ward.

“How do you feel?”

Kim smiled, saying, “I think I feel much better. Thanks, doctor.”

Then his mother offered banana milk to him.

“Did you have breakfast, doctor?”

Suhyuk replied, with a smile, “Yes. Did you? Not only the patient but also the guardian should eat well.”

“If you feel uncomfortable, please let us know immediately.”

“Well, I feel fine except for some sort of pain on the surgery area. Very good for the rest.”

Suhyuk, smiling at him, nodded his head, and turned back.

Those nurses watching him in the back began to whisper,

“What a great doctor! How could he do surgery for that long?”

He did not go to the restroom. They heard he just had energy drinks instead of rice or water.

It was difficult to believe.

“According to the nurse who went into the operating room, Dr. Lee was doing the surgery alone when the other medical staff were dozing off.”

“Are you serious? Isn’t it bragging? How can a resident in his first year do anastomosis alone?”

The other nurses nodded their heads at one nurse’s questioning.

At that moment they could hear some voice coming into their ears.

“Well, Dr. Lee could manage it very well. He is such a great doctor.”

It was Binna who said that, pa.s.sing by them at that moment.

***

Suhyuk visited Prof. Han’s office.

“I hear you wanted to talk to me.”

Suhyuk nodded, and opened his mouth,

“I want to have a day off today.”

Han made a feigned smile.

Actually he wanted to give Suhyuk two days of leave when he finished the long surgery, but Suhyuk refused it. And now he want to take a day off?

“I told you to have days off, but you said you didn’t want it. Don’t you feel good now?”

Suhyuk shook his head, saying,

“Actually my parents are supposed to come for a medical check-up today.”

Han smiled.

“Oh, sure. Go ahead. By the way, you know that your immediate family can have a discount. Don’t fail to apply for it.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Rising from the seat, Suhyuk bowed his head, and then went out.

Han shook his head.

Suhyuk just looked icy when he said only the main point before leaving, especially compared with his att.i.tude when he was taking care of patients.

Suhyuk was obviously different from doctors who wanted to hear a little more advice from him.

***

Coming back to the lodging, Suhyuk took a shower first. He wore neat clothes and trimmed his hair calmly. He even applied skin lotion which he did not usually. And he looked in the mirror.

Suddenly he looked at the hanger in the room. A long doctor’s gown. ‘Do I have to wear it?’

Then his cell phone buzzed.

“Suhyuk, I’ve got only two bus stops before arriving there. Can I just go inside the hospital?”

“Yes, mom. Just come inside.”

After the call, he went out of the lodging and waited at the bus stop.

Was it because he was dressed up or did his appearance, in a doctor’s gown, look unusual?

Some women waiting for a bus took a glance at him.

came out a recorded announcement.

At the announcement Suhyuk’s smile thickened.

In no time a bus arrived. When he got on the bus, his mother greeted him, saying,

“Oh, my doctor son coming out to meet me!”

She touched his gown as if she was stroking his shoulder. How happy she was …

Suhyuk put on the gown on purpose.

“Honey, stop stroking it like that. I’m afraid you’re going to crease it.”

At her husband’s words, she took away her hands right away.

“It’s alright. I don’t iron it anyway. Let’s go.”

Suhyuk’s face, who was escorting them into the hospital, became brighter.

Inside the hospital lobby she looked around with wide eyes. She felt so proud that her son was working in a place like this.

“Do we have to wait long? Your father will feel dizzy if he skips even one meal.”

They were fasting because of the medical check-up.

Escorting them to the elevator, Suhyuk opened his mouth,

“No, you don’t have to, as I’m your son. I’ve already asked the medical staff to check up on you first.”

As he was a doctor of Daehan Hospital, he was determined to enjoy all the benefits it offered.

For it was something related to his parents.

The elevator’s door opened in no time.

“Good morning, doctor!”

“Good morning!”

The nurses inside the elevator all said greetings to him.

Suhyuk said shortly, “Good morning!”

Suhyuk’s parents smiled at them, because they could realize that their son was a doctor because they could see the nurses greeting him politely.

Then a doctor who came out the elevator last opened his mouth,

“Oh, your parents are here.”

He was Prof. Han Myungjin who happened to come out to smoke a cigarette.

Suhyuk’s parents looked at him as if they were asking who he was.

“This is the cardiothoracic surgery professor.”

As soon as he said that, his mother bowed her head and said,

“How are you, professor? I’m Suhyuk’s mother. Please take good care of my son!”

His father said the same thing, “I’m his father. Though he has a long way to go, I hope you can take good care of him, sir.”

Prof. Han held his hands politely, saying, “You have a very good son.”

“Oh, he has a long way to go. Please take good care of him, sir!”

“Ooops, I wish I brought some soft drinks here…”

Han shook his head at her remarks, adding,

“Don’t say that. You’re not here to visit a patient. I just wanted to say this, just thank you. I’m helped a lot thanks to your son. Thanks again for sending your son to Daehan Hospital. I just feel proud of him.”

Gently surprised by the professor’s remarks, their facial expression’s became soft.

“Then let me go now as I’m busy.”

Han disappeared, and they looked at him, feeling how commendable he was.

Soon Suhyuk’s family got on the elevator.

The medical staff started with checking their height, weight, urine and eyesight tests.

As a rule, they are supposed to fill out questionnaire form and see the doctor before the test, but Suhyuk already filled out the form over the phone.

When they were having their bloodwork and X-ray test, Suhyuk was with them.

Their endoscopy was done by himself.

While they were sedated, Suhyuk focused on the screen illuminating their inside bodies.

Soon, two hours of tests was all done.

Coming down to the lobby with them, Suhyuk smiled.

He could find nothing abnormal from head to toe. Rather, they looked much healthier than their age suggested. It was fortunate for them.

“You must be hungry, right? There is a famous ginseng chicken soup restaurant across the street. Let’s go there.”

“Thanks to our doctor son, we had a free medical check-up, plus free meal!”

Of course, it was not free. Suhyuk got a discount, and paid for the remaining balance.

He just mentioned it was ‘free’ to his parents.

“Suhyuk!”

They turned their heads to the side when they heard some voice calling their son.

He was Prof. Kim Jinwook.

“Uh? Are you…”

It was Suhyuk’s father who said first, “How are you, sir? I’m Suhyuk’s father.”

“Uh?”

Kim was surprised a bit, but instantly said gladly, “Don’t you remember me?”

The couple looked perplexed at Kim’s remarks, because they have never seen him before.

Kim bowed his head and said,

“How are you? Was it when Suhyuk was 16 years old? When he was hospitalized because of the traffic accident, I saw you several times…”

Only then did Suhyuk’s mom make an expression as if she now remembered his face.

When was it that Suhyuk was diagnosed as a vegetative patient?

More than 10 years has pa.s.sed already.

Frankly, the couple could not remember him. But he is still a doctor just like he was back then.

He must be in such a high position now.

“Ah, yes, we really appreciated it back then, sir. Thanks to your help, Suhyuk has become such a good man like this. Thanks again, sir.”

At a loss for words, Kim bowed his head, because he did nothing at that time.

He was only an intern back then.

“Please take good care of my son, doctor!”

At her remarks, Kim shook his head.

“Well, I’m in a position to learn from him. You may not know it, but Suhyuk is very famous at Daehan Hospital.”

The couple made a satisfactory expression.

Not only Han but also Kim just praised their son.

“Did you come here to see your son?”

At Kim’s asking, Suhyuk replied, “They were here for medical check-ups. We’re going out for a meal.”

“Ah… Actually I haven’t had a meal. Can I join?”

At his words, Suhyuk agonize a bit because it was a family get-together after such a long time. He did not want anybody else to join it at all. So, he had to ask for Kim’s understanding.

“Sorry, but…”

“Why don’t you join? Do you like ginseng chicken soup by any chance?”

Suhyuk’s father cut off his words. How come his son dare refuse the professor’s suggestion.

Though Suhyuk was recognized for his work, his social life was a train wreck.

“Yes, I like it so much!”

“Let’s go together, then.”

His mother also urged Kim to join, when Suhyuk tried to open his mouth.

She gently patted his back with a silent word that he should not talk.

Shaking his head, he just had to follow his parents’ directions.

Then someone called, “Dr. Lee Suhyuk!”

All of them turned their heads to the side.

Prof. Lee Mansuk was walking toward them.

Kim was shaking his head slowly. What the heck was he doing…

Whenever he met Suhyuk, Lee would appear without fail like this.