A competent doctor can cure everything

[Hey, it’s Lee Hyun-seung. Do you remember we were supposed to have dinner last time?]

“Ugh, this is weird…”

In the hospital staff break room, a woman with curly red hair was frowning at her phone.

She had already written and deleted several texts.

“Hyun-seung~. What are you looking at so intently?”

Suddenly, a voice rang out, causing Lee Hyun-Seung to jump.

A short woman with messy hair tied up in a ponytail appeared. It was Jeong Daun, a fellow in obstetrics and gynecology.

“Ah! You scared me! When did you get here?”

“What’s up with the phone? Are you hiding a secret lover?”

“……”

Hyun-seung pouted and couldn’t make eye contact, which caused a look of surprise to appear on Daun’s face.

“Wow~! Is it for real?”

“No, it’s nothing. I was just supposed to have dinner with that intern from the Korean Medicine department.”

“Are you talking about the cute intern?”

“Yeah, that one.”

“Really~? But why the surprise?”

“No! You surprised me by showing up out of nowhere! Did you learn some sort of ninja technique or something?”

Hyun-seung grumbled, but Daun didn’t even listen and burst into laughter.

Daun wasn’t about to let go of this fun topic.

“Hyun-seung! How can you have an interest in an intern?”

Hyun-seung let out a sigh and asked a question in return.

“Daun, do you know why I never watch medical dramas?”

“Let me think… Ah! It’s because you hate the love stories between professors and their students. You think it’s either Stockholm syndrome or coercion due to hierarchy, right?”

“Exactly. So, can you not get me tangled up with the intern? Please don’t turn me into some shameless person.”

“Hey, he’s from the Korean Medicine department. Not even from your department.”

Daun laughed and lightly slapped Hyun-seung’s arm.

But Hyun-seung’s expression was serious.

“Still, it’s gross, right? He’s just an intern, not even a resident. I’m a professor, you know.”

“So, has Professor Lee Hyun-Seung ever asked an intern to have dinner first?”

“…No.”

“Have you ever struggled this much over contacting an intern?”

“…No.”

“Hehe~ See? You’re interested in him.”

As Daun made the diagnosis, Hyun-Seung covered his friend’s mouth with his hand.

“Please, stop saying disgusting things! I’m worried someone will hear you.”

“Ugh~ Girl, you’re in serious denial. The ‘I’m not into him’ phase is real.”

“Ugh, whatever. I’ll just send this without thinking.”

In the end, Hyun-Seung picked up her phone and sent a message.

[Hey, Korean Medicine intern! It’s Lee Hyun-seung. When do you have time?]

While chatting with Daun, Hyun-Seung kept glancing at her phone.

Then, when her phone rang, she quickly checked the screen.

“Damn, he says he’s only free this Friday? That’s the day before my vacation.”

“Hyun-seung, didn’t you say you’re going to Jeju? Wouldn’t it be better to take the flight the day before?”

“…Ugh, whatever. I’ll just book the flight for the morning of my vacation.”

“Oh my~!! You’re actually going to meet him, even if it means wasting half a day of your vacation?!”

Daun exaggeratedly covered her mouth as if in shock, and Hyun-Seung raised her voice, feeling unfair.

“Hey, don’t do that! It’s because the hotel fee is too expensive!!”

* * *

Friday evening. Hyun-Seung was waiting at the hospital’s main entrance for someone.

Soon, a tall man appeared, wearing a short-sleeve shirt and slacks.

“Hey, you’re here?”

“Hello, Professor.”

“Why are you still calling me ‘Professor’ when you’re the fellow?”

Hyun-seung grumbled for no reason and glanced sideways at Seon-Joon.

Meeting outside the hospital in casual clothes felt strange.

Hyun-seung tried to act casual and asked about dinner plans.

“What do you want to eat?”

“I don’t really have a preference.”

“Still, pick something. This is something the intern should choose.”

“I’m fine with hospital food, actually.”

“Ugh, don’t say something like hospital food. I’ll just choose.”

Hyun-seung thought of a place she had in mind for such situations.

“How about a pub?”

The intern seemed to look at her strangely over his glasses.

Hyun-Seung, flustered, started to ramble as an excuse.

“No! I’m not saying we should drink! It’s just that it’s a really popular place, and the food there is supposed to be great…”

“Okay. Sounds good.”

Looking again, Seon-Joon had his usual indifferent expression.

Hyun-seung felt a bit embarrassed for making an unnecessary excuse.

“Ahem. Did you bring your car?”

“No. My place is near the hospital, so I usually don’t carry it around.”

“Then let’s take my car. It’s a bit far.”

But was this guy always this tall?

As they walked to the parking lot side by side, the height difference became more apparent.

‘…What am I thinking? Forget it, I need to focus on driving.’

While driving, Hyun-Seung let out a small sigh to herself.

“Oh.”

“??”

While making a right turn, Seon-Joon in the passenger seat let out a short exclamation.

“Most people don’t follow the right-turn rules, but you’re very thorough, Professor.”

“Well, of course…”

It seemed like he was referring to the rule that you shouldn’t pass if a pedestrian is even a step into the crosswalk when turning right.

Did I get points for following the driving rules?

…As that thought crossed his mind, Hyun-Seung mentally shouted at himself.

‘There’s no such thing as points to earn in the first place!!’

She gathered her scattered thoughts and walked into the restaurant.

As Seon-Joon looked around the interior with interest, Hyun-Seung asked him.

“Have you never been to a place like this before?”

“I only go to my house and the hospital.”

“Really? …Don’t you go on dates with your girlfriend?”

“I don’t have a girlfriend.”

“Really?”

Hyun-seung somehow felt like her mouth was curling into a smile.

‘Why do I feel so happy?’

Hyun-seung couldn’t help but hum a little tune as she placed the order with the waiter.

“Give me this and this. What would you like to drink?”

“Since you’re driving, should we go with non-alcoholic?”

“Okay.”

After finishing the order, Hyun-Seung, in a lighthearted mood, changed the subject.

“So, you’re in the Korean rehabilitation department, right? How is it there?”

“It’s interesting.”

Seon-Joon started talking about the quadriplegic florist and the volleyball team.

He looked genuinely happy.

Usually, he would only answer the questions asked, but now he was actively leading the conversation.

“…So recently, Kim Jin-ah’s arm strength improved enough that she can shake hands…”

“That must have been so rewarding.”

“Yes, it was.”

As their food arrived, the conversation paused for a moment.

Suddenly, Seon-Joon let out a soft chuckle.

“Why?”

“Well, it’s just a little surprising.”

“Surprising? What is?”

“Do you remember? The first time we met. Back then, I had no idea you were a professor from Hanbit University.”

Hyun-Seung had sprained her ankle while walking on the trail, and Seon-Joon treated it.

Seon-Joon gave her a playful look.

“You were a troublesome patient back then.”

“Hey, that was…!”

Their eyes met, and suddenly, Hyun-seung’s heart started racing.

She trailed off and drank her cocktail, trying to avoid looking at Seon-Joon.

“Is this maybe the wrong drink?”

“Huh?”

“Your face is a little red.”

“No, I definitely asked for a non-alcoholic one.”

What the hell, my heart!?

Why is it acting up? Is something wrong with my heart?

It might not be the right time to be thinking about someone else’s heart, though.

Hyun-seung quickly changed the subject as she set down her cocktail glass.

“Don’t you have any plans for the summer vacation?”

“Not really. I’m just planning to stay at home. How about you, Professor?”

“Me? I’m going to Jeju Island tomorrow morning.”

“Then, is it okay for you to be here right now?”

“It’s not like I’m going overseas or anything.”

At that moment, Seon-Joon’s phone rang.

Hyun-seung flinched in surprise and looked at the source of the sound.

For some reason, the ringtone felt uncomfortably ominous, and she felt a chill run down her spine.

“Professor, I’ll take this call.”

“Yeah, take it easy.”

“Yes, that’s correct… Huh? Right now?”

Seon-Joon’s expression suddenly became serious as he took the call.

After the call ended, he was left pale, staring blankly, as though in shock.

Hyun-seung shook Seon-Joon’s shoulder.

“What’s wrong? Is something going on?”

“…….”

“Snap out of it, your face looks terrible.”

“P-Professor.”

Seon-Joon stammered, barely managing to squeeze out a response.

“My grandmother collapsed.”

After that, I’m not sure how we made it to the hospital.

Hyun-seung helped Seon-Joon into the passenger seat and grabbed the steering wheel.

Soon, they were able to get an update from the emergency room.

“Your grandmother is conscious now, and she’s on her way for a CT scan.”

After being kicked out of the busy ER, the two of them went to Hyun-seung’s office.

Rather than waiting in the family waiting room, they decided to log into the EMR (electronic medical records) system on the computer in the office to see the test results in real time.

Hyun-seung tried not to show any anxiety as she spoke to Seon-Joon.

“It’ll be okay.”

Click, click, click.

Seon-Joon, as if in a daze, didn’t say anything.

He just kept obsessively clicking the refresh button.

Then, for the first time, Seon-Joon spoke up.

“Ah…!”

“Did the results come in? Let me see.”

Hyun-seung quickly grabbed the mouse from Seon-Joon’s hand.

“From the EKG, it looks like it’s bradyarrhythmia. We’d need to do a 24-hour Holter monitoring to be sure.”

Bradyarrhythmia.

It’s a condition where the heart rate slows down, reducing the oxygen supply to vital organs, including the brain, through the bloodstream.

Symptoms can include dizziness, weakness, palpitations, chest pain, shortness of breath, and even fainting.

However, it is easily mistaken for low blood pressure or simple fatigue, so it’s often not diagnosed until about two years after onset.

The only treatment is the implantation of a pacemaker.

Bang.

“This damn idiot…!”

Suddenly, Seon-Joon slammed his fist on the desk.

Hyun-seung quickly grabbed his wrist.

But Seon-Joon, still in a daze, kept muttering.

“She said she was feeling dizzy. But I got distracted, attending to other patients…”

“It’s a hard disease to detect. There have been cases where people didn’t know for over 20 years.”

“If my grandmother… If she passes away…”

“It’s not a disease that causes sudden death. Calm down.”

Just then, Seon-Joon’s phone rang. It was the emergency room nurse.

“Doctor, your grandmother is fine, but she should see a cardiologist (CV).”

“Okay, I understand.”

“But since it’s the hospital’s vacation period, it’s hard to schedule an appointment.”

“……”

Hyun-Seung, who had been listening to the conversation, quickly snatched Seon-Joon’s phone from his hand.

“This is Hyun-seung from cardiology. Please open a consultation session under my name.”

“Doctor? But aren’t you on vacation starting tomorrow?”

“No, I’ll handle the consultation. Please arrange the operating room as soon as possible.”

* * *

Despite it being the weekend, Hyun-seung’s quick action allowed my grandmother to get examined and even undergo the procedure without delay.

It was all thanks to Hyun-Seung, the fellow, taking charge.

I sat in the family waiting room outside the operating room, feeling miserable as I replayed the clues I had missed.

Why didn’t I take her dizziness more seriously?

“Damn….”

I was so angry at myself that I clenched my fists tightly, digging my nails into my palms.

At that moment, Hyun-Seung appeared in surgical scrubs.

“The procedure went well, and she should have a check-up every three months.”

“…Thank you.”

My voice cracked.

“Professor, I ruined your vacation…”

“Oh, don’t worry about it.”

“I’m sorry. I’ll try to make up for it as much as I can….”

My voice kept trembling, and I couldn’t finish my sentence.

I gritted my teeth.

“Sigh… I was so distracted by other things, I didn’t even notice grandma was in pain.”

“Stop it. It’s not your fault. She was fine during last year’s check-up, right?”

Hyun-seung spoke in a comforting tone and then added one more thing.

“We’ve already arranged a bed for her in our department, so go see her.”

I nodded gratefully and rushed to the cardiology ward.

Grandma was lying in her hospital gown in her room.

“Grandma!”

“Seon-Joon, my little puppy.”

Even in her condition, she smiled at me.

That made my heart ache, and my throat tightened.

“I’m sorry.”

“What are you sorry for, you silly thing?”

I finally said the words I had been thinking for a while.

“Grandma, should I move into your house?”

“What? How are you going to commute to the hospital then? That’s nonsense.”

“Or maybe I could find a place near the hospital, and you could come live here with me…”

“Enough. Stop it.”

Grandma cut me off and shook her head.

“I have my life too. I’ve lived in this house almost my whole life, and all my memories with your grandfather are here. My friends, my daily life, they’re all in that neighborhood. If I move here just to be with you, what am I supposed to do all day?”

“…Grandma.”

I lowered my head and tightly held her hand.

Grandma gently patted my hand.

“Don’t worry. I won’t die and leave you. More importantly, you should properly thank that professor. I was so surprised to see her the one who was on the walking path the other day.”

“I will.”

Who would have thought that the person who I helped with her sprained ankle would come back into our lives like this?

I gave a bitter smile at the irony of life.

I stayed by grandma’s side until she fell asleep.

Before I knew it, midnight had passed, transitioning from Sunday to Monday.

And so, in the midst of all this confusion, my rotation in the Traditional Korean Medicine Obstetrics and Gynecology department began.