Golden Time

“Is this the man you talked about?” she asked.

Nodding his head, Suhyuk said, “I think he’ll help give you a good story.”

Saying so, Suhyuk turned back to leave the place. Before he left out of earshot, she said to Suhyuk,

“Suhyuk, let’s have dinner together sometime.”

Then she smiled softly at the man in bed.

“I hear your newly built house collapsed. How fortunate you are...”

“Actually it’s beftter to say that he saved my life,” the man said, looking at Suhyuk who was leaving the place.

Slowly nodding her head, she thought of his face. In some respect he had an icy demeanour, but the smiles he gave could not be warmer.

“By the way, who are you?”

“Oh, I’m a reporter. I think I can be of help to you.”

***

The national TV networks were scrambling to report on the incident of the collapse of the newly built house; with a miracle story about the rescue of one family buried under the collapsed house. The construction company that built the house offered all kinds of excuses, with the a.s.surance that they would pay compensation to the family as much as they could.

So, all the things unfolded just as Suhyuk expected. He could smile a satisfactory smile at the family members discharged from the hospital.

On the other hand, Han Jihye was full of dissatisfaction with the copy editor in the newsroom.

“Editor!”

Looking at the reporting files, he greeted her with a pleasant smile.

Everytime she came in with a news piece about some incident, it was. .h.i.t after hit with the news channels. She was a real gem to him.

“Now, what’s the matter?”

“Why, Suhyuk... how come the doctor who rescued the family was not mentioned in the report?”

When she submitted the original script, she heavily mentioned Suhyuk’s role.

From the time he was in high school he saved people’s lives, identified the cause of death of a cadaver, and even caught criminals. Mentioning those things, she narrated a dramatic story about Suhyuk, so that he could get even more limelight for success in the world.

However, there was no story about him either on TV nor in the papers. All of it evaporated into nothing!

When Han fumed, unable to hold back her anger, the editor smiled bitterly.

He wanted to spread Suhyuk’s story to the world.

The student in question, almost forgotten in the memories of the people, resurfaced again as a doctor this time, who, to exaggerate a bit, went around to save a person’s life every year.

How wonderful! In this tough world, he was like a hero who could appear on the move screen.

If they report about him, the general public will be all the more excited about him, and the media company that broke a story about him first would go from strength to strength.

However, they could not do so this time, because of one phone call.

The editor, offering a cup of coffee, opened his mouth to Han Jihye,

“I received a call from Lee Suhyuk’s lawyer.”

Her eyes became wide.

“Lawyer?”

Why did Suhyuk hire a lawyer? She could not figure it out at all.

For fear that the media would report about him in a weird way?

She felt a bit regrettable about it. She just wanted to let the world know about his good work, rather than get a good scoop.

Even then, he hated it so much? Suddenly she recalled what he had told her in the past.

“I wish I were not on TV anymore.”

‘Was he serious when he said that? Not because he was media shy? So, is that why he hired a lawyer? ‘

She could not understand Suhyuk’s behavior because he was not the same Suhyuk she had known in the past. Sweeping up her hair, she asked the editor, “What’s the lawyer’s name?”

“I heard it’s Dongsu.”

“Really?”

“Kim Dongsu.”

‘He is a prosecutor...’

—–

Watching the TV in the lobby, Suhyuk smiled. He could not find any news story about him in the news reports about the collapse of the building and the safe rescue of a family.

It seems Jihye obviously accepted his request this time.

Thinking so, he headed for the cafeteria. Then his cell phone rang.

It was from Jihye.

“Yes, sister.”

“Are you busy Suhyuk?”

“No, I’m just now going for lunch.”

“Well... let me ask you one thing. Dongsu called our company and threatened we should not report anything about you. I don’t understand why he did that.”

Suhyuk went blank, and soon made a dumbfounded smile.

When he talked with Dongsu over the phone, he bleated a bit that he might be on TV again, and complained that he did not want any media spotlight.

“Why? Don’t you like being on TV?”

“I don’t want to draw the people’s attention.”

“Really?”

That was the end of their conversation. Then, Dongsu made the call to the media company...

He just acted wild like that. But he felt good about it.

Jihye who wanted to inform the world about his name. He could guess her motivation to some respect.

And Dongsu who would come anytime to help him as far as he was concerned. That kind of reckless act made him feel good. It seemed some valuable persons around him began to be added up one by one. That was in sharp contrast to his school days.

“Suhyuk?”

Suhyuk, who had been recalling Dongsu, now came to his senses.

“Ah, why did Dongsu do a thing like that...? I have an emergency call all of a sudden. Let me call you later!” Suhyuk hung up the phone.

Rather than make an excuse to her, he felt it would be better for the two of them, who sometimes contacted each other anyway, to take care of the matter well between themselves.

Looking at his cell phone calmly, he headed to the cafeteria.

—–

“Take care!” said Oh Byungchul.

“See you again,” replied Suhyuk.

Already, the one month of work at the emergency room, which the hospital director promised to Suhyuk, pa.s.sed.

It was about time he should move to another clinical department.

“Nice job. You’re going to major in emergency medical science, right?”

Oh firmly believed he would do so, and hoped he would.

After all, he did stay one more month at the emergency room per his own request.

Suhyuk just smiled without replying, and bowed his head again.

“Thanks for your teaching sir. See you again.”

At that moment Oh came close to saying to him, ‘It’s me who learned from you.’

After swallowing what he was about to say, Oh nodded his head and walked back. So did Suhyuk.

When he was going out of the emergency room, he heard voices from some nurses in the back.

“See you again, doctor!”

“We’ll wait for you at the emergency room until you become a resident.”

The way they spoke to him looked like they were talking to someone who was leaving somewhere far.

It was possible. There were many hospital wards at Daehan Hospital, which was very large.

Unless they belonged to the same clinical depart, they would hardly see each other’s faces.

—–

Time pa.s.sed very quickly.

There was only one month left for the interns to decide on their major.

The primary physician of internal medicine was with the interns, and Suhyuk was amongst those interns.

Looking at the patient’s name in the hospital room, the internal doctor opened his mouth,

“Im Okgyong.”

At his calling, a female intern came up.

“He’s has mediastinitis. What kind of treatment did he receive?”

“As a result of erroneous swallowing of foreign substances or esophageal cancer, a hole in the esophagus formed...”

The internal doctor shook his head.

“Did I ask you to explain about the disease? How was he treated?”

“Well... the inflammation was removed and some medication was applied...”

The doctor let out a sigh at the intern’s silly response.

“Do you know why Lee Suhyuk is famous at other departments?”

Every intern just kept silent like a mute who ate honey.

They heard rumors about him. He answered the professors or doctors’ questions so well.

“Lee Suhyuk, can you explain? How was the patient treated?”

“The patient was injected with antibiotics and nutrients at the same time, and he underwent respiratory support.”

“Why?”

“Because it suppresses inflammation which prevented food from pa.s.sing through the esophagus...”

At that moment, they heard someone clicking his tongue.

“Tut, tut..”

He was Prof. Lee Mansuk.

“You have a weird hobby, man. Why do you go to the trouble of asking someone about something you know already?”

“Well... I was going to do it for the interns’ guidance.”

The doctor stammered.

“Next time ask them after showing the patient’s chart.”

“Yes, sir.”

To Prof. Lee, the doctor’s behavior looked like he wanted to tighten the interns’ discipline.

“I’ve got something to talk to Lee Suhyuk about. Can I take him for a moment?”

“Yes, sir.”

Suhyuk made a bitter smile, following Prof. Lee., because he could not focus on the patients.

It was because of this professor who met or contacted him any time he wanted.

So, they got on the elevator to go to the Sky Park at the rooftop.

Prof. Lee, who sat on the bench, asked Suhyuk,

“It’s hard, right?”

“It’s okay, sir.”

He had nothing much to do at the internal medicine department, compared with other departments.

All he had to do was just make the rounds with the doctor and look on. There was nothing else he could do, because the doctor did not allow him to do anything.

“I’ve got something I’m curious to ask you about.”

“Please let me know, sir.”

Prof. Lee stopped talking for a moment.

All his efforts came to nothing. Including the one involving his niece.

Soyon made several attempts to contact him, but gave up due to Suhyuk’s stoney att.i.tude.

She complained that she did not find him attractive enough.

The text messages she showed to him made him just feel embarra.s.sed.

No matter how long a text message she sent, his replies were just like this: Yes, No, I’m busy, I ate.

Prof. Lee slightly glanced at Suhyuk, wondering if he was not interested in a girl at all, but a man instead... He felt like he was. .h.i.t with a hammer when he thought this was the reason.

Prof. Lee shook his head.

“What’s the matter with you, sir?”

“No, nothing. By the way, the test on your major is just around the corner, right?”

“Yes, sir.”

Prof. Lee slowly nodded his head, and opened his mouth.

“Let me speak directly. I want you to come to the neurosurgery department. I can help you, and discuss with you, touring the conferences together...”

Suhyuk listened to him silently.

Was he mistaken? He could feel some sort of deep feelings in the professor’s voice.

“Do you have in mind any particular clinical department?”

When Suhyuk opened his mouth, Prof. Lee felt so anxious at the moment.

“Well, I’d like to...”

At that moment, someone shouted toward him,

“Suhyuk!”

Both of them turned their heads toward the entrance of the Sky Park.

Lee Mansuk frowned his face, and Suhyuk stayed calm, as if he knew it would happen.

Whenever he was meeting with Prof. Lee, Prof. Kim Jinwook came to see him.

Of course, in terms of frequency, Prof. Lee did come to see him more than Prof. Kim.

And then, Kim would say something like this, “I’ve been looking for you for a long while.’”

Walking up to them, Prof. Kim smiled at Suhyuk, and said,

“I’ve been looking for you for a long while.”

“What brought you here?” asked Prof. Lee.

Kim made a relaxed smile at Lee’s asking, and said,

“I’ve got something to say to my brother Suhyuk.”

The word ‘brother’ was really annoying to him. Lee wiggled his eyelids.

“I’ll send him to you as soon as I’m done.”

Kim sat on the bench next to them.

“Let me wait here, enjoying the nice breeze.”

Why does Kim look so nasty to him even though he did not do anything wrong to him?

Lee, who could not put up with it any more, asked Suhyuk.

The time finally came when he had to end his anxious life, wondering what department Suhyuk would decide on.

“So, which department do you want to go to?”

Kim Jinwook cast his eyes at him instantly.

“I would like to...”