A competent doctor can cure everything

“Senior!”

Taeryong followed Seon-Joon, who was leaving the room.

“Thank you so much today. I learned a lot.”
Seon-Joon turned around and hesitated for a moment.

“Sorry, I haven’t memorized everyone’s names yet.”

“Oh, I’m Sa Taeryong, a fourth-year student in the medical program. Sa Taeryong.”

Taeryong felt a little embarrassed when his senior looked at him.

“My last name is a bit unusual, right? And my accent… I haven’t been able to get rid of it well.”

“No, your name is cool. And your accent isn’t wrong, so saying it needs to be ‘corrected’ seems off.”

“Ah…”

“Don’t feel like you need to change your way of speaking.”

Joon added, as if remembering something.

“And now that I hear your name, I remember. I did a volunteer study session with you before.”

“…! Yes, that’s right.”

“I remember you were the most dedicated student back then. Well, good work tomorrow.”
With a slight smile, Joon turned to leave, and Taeryong felt unexpectedly moved.
‘That senior is so cool.’

He said he’s doing an internship at Hanbit University Hospital, right?

If a senior as cool as that is doing it, there must be a reason for it.

Originally, I was planning to go straight into public health service after graduation…

As he walked towards the boys’ dormitory, Taeryong pondered the career path of becoming a “resident.”

“Are you turning off the lights?”

“Yeah.”

Everyone had finished getting ready and lay down, but it seemed like they were having trouble falling asleep.

Someone asked Geum Sujong.

“Sujong, what are you going to do after graduation?”

“I’ll finish public health service quickly and then head to a local practice. My parents said they’d set up an acupuncture clinic for me in a good spot in Gangnam, so they want me to become a doctor soon.”

“Wow~! As expected of ‘Benzman’ Geum Sujong. You’re lucky.”

Admiration mixed with envy came from all sides.

At that moment, Taeryong impulsively blurted out.

“I think I’ll apply for an internship.”

However, his words were immediately countered by Sujong.

“Why bother with an internship? Just open a practice quickly and start making money.”

“….”

Taeryong didn’t respond and just turned over in his blanket.

Soon, the sound of regular snoring could be heard from all sides.

However, Taeryong couldn’t fall asleep, so he carefully pulled the blanket aside.

‘Maybe I should study a bit more.’

He rummaged through his things, relying on the dim light of his phone.

After a moment, he finally found the book he was looking for. It was a summarized version of a clinical handbook for oriental medicine.

Taeryong went into a room, leaned against the wall, and opened the handbook.

However, a small piece of paper fluttered down and fell.

‘What is this?’

He had never placed a piece of paper like this in the book.

When he lifted the cover of the book again, he saw the initials “GSJ” written on it.

‘GSJ…’

‘Wait, this is Sujong’s book!’

He quickly picked up the paper, trying to put it back in place.

But when he flipped the paper over, Taeryong’s eyes widened in shock.

“Th-this is…”

With a serious expression, Taeryong looked over at the room where Sujong was sleeping.

* * *

The students, being considerate of their seniors, had given separate rooms to Ye Wonil and the others.

‘Being here reminds me of my public health service days.’

Before going to bed, he sat on the veranda and looked up at the sky.

Someone approached and plopped down next to him.

“Wow, it really feels like the stars are going to fall down. It’s so romantic.”

As expected, it was Wonil.

He spoke while shaking his head with a towel to dry his wet hair.

“Thanks to you, I ate so much for dinner, my stomach’s about to burst. How is it that you’re so popular?”

“People here are just very warm-hearted.”

“Yeah, but would they really go so far as to catch a hen when their son-in-law visits or bring a chicken to the door?”

I just laughed briefly, and Wonil shoved his phone in front of me.

The phone screen glowed brightly in the dark night.

“Hyung, did you see the reactions online?”

As expected, since it was a national broadcast, the aftermath of “The King of Singers” was huge.

I was also shocked earlier and almost thought my heart was going to jump out.

Some quick-witted people had already captured the broadcast and posted it.

Even as I scrolled down, there was no end to the comments.

[The female idol who confessed to having period cramps live.jpg]

– Wasn’t Brie’s attitude issue at that event because of period cramps?

– She got so much hate back then, poor thing.

– First time I’ve ever heard a female idol talk about period cramps.

– Honestly, it was kind of cool that the idol spoke so confidently. I’ve always felt awkward saying I have period cramps, so I couldn’t even rest properly.

Among the posts of that nature, there was one that stood out.

“This post is…”

[The Hottest Acupuncturist in Korea Right Now?]

– But who exactly is this person named Seon-Joon? I keep seeing him everywhere.

– Isn’t he the handsome acupuncturist who appeared during the volleyball broadcast?

– I heard Mika received treatment from him, and so did Rocky, and they won.

– He’s a renowned doctor. Maybe I should go see him for a consultation.

Lately, I’ve been going around a lot.

It seems like once you catch the public’s eye, things just keep escalating.

Well, it’s a bit overwhelming, but at the same time, it’s what I wanted.

That way, even if I write something like “I’m reporting the director of Hwalin Oriental Medicine Hospital,” my views will go up, right?

“Hyung, at this rate, aren’t you really going to become a celebrity? ‘Suki’s Café’ will be airing soon, and it’ll be even crazier then.”

“A celebrity? Please.”

I handed the phone back to Wonil and changed the subject.

“By the way, President Geum Sujong, is he someone you know well? He seems pretty intense.”

When the name came up, Wonil slightly furrowed his brow.

“Ah… do you think so too? He’s always been the type to stir things up and divide people. Since he became president, it’s only gotten worse. But it’s tricky to get involved, so I’ve just been observing for now.”

“It would have been better if that kid, Taeryong, became president. He takes good care of the juniors, and his attitude is great.”

“Ah, Taeryong is really kind and good, right? But it’s a bit awkward for a senior acupuncturist to get involved in the students’ matters.”

“Yeah…”

He trailed off and stood up.

“Let’s go in now. We have to wake up early tomorrow.”

“Ugh. Tomorrow’s going to be really tough, right? My life as an intern, following the juniors for medical volunteering during summer vacation, is legendary.”

Wonil followed me, grumbling as he patted his backside.

* * *

On the first day of medical volunteering, the area in front of the senior citizens’ center was bustling from early in the morning.

Even though there were still a few hours before the consultation started, there were already many residents waiting to visit the center.

“Wow, the line is already huge.”

“These people really wake up early around here.”

Everyone was fully energized and ready to greet the residents.

The lower-year students guided the patients and did a quick preliminary check.

The upper-year students were busy either performing acupuncture or doing consultations.

Meanwhile, acupuncturists Wonil and Joon walked around, checking if everything was running smoothly.

“Ugh! How annoying.”

Suddenly, a loud shout came from one corner of the treatment room.

“What’s going on?”

President Geum Sujong, along with a few other upperclassmen including Sa Taeryong, rushed into the treatment room.

An elderly woman was shouting angrily, while a third-year female student stood in front of her, her face bright red, her head bowed deeply.

“How dare you, a young girl, do acupuncture? What nonsense is this? How long did I wait, and this is what I get, being treated by you?”

It quickly became clear what was happening.

The third-year student was being berated by the elderly woman just because she was a woman.

The student looked up at the president for help, but Geum Sujong subtly avoided her gaze.

‘He’s the president, but why isn’t he stepping in?’

Just as Taeryong was about to step forward, someone else quickly intervened and skillfully mediated the situation.

“Isn’t this you, Grandma Jeomrye?”

“Eh? You remember me? I’m from the next town over.”

“Of course. Even though you’re from the next town, you used to come to the health center in my area for acupuncture treatments often.”

It was Senior Lee Seon-Joon. He calmed the elderly woman’s anger smoothly, as if it were second nature.

“These days, female acupuncturists are really popular. They’re thorough and take great care of their patients.”

“Really?”

“Of course. Some people even specifically seek them out.”

“Well then, I guess I’ll give it a try.”

“Yes. This teacher will take good care of you. Please lie down on this bed.”

Seeing the elderly woman become calm and composed, the students whispered in admiration.

“Wow, that’s what you call the vibe that comes with experience, huh?”

“That senior didn’t just study well. He’s really good at talking, too.”

“Yeah, I’d calm down too if it were me.”

With that, the small commotion was quickly resolved.

By the afternoon, word of mouth had spread, and more patients started to arrive.

The pace at which the junior acupuncturists were placing needles slowed down, and they were now working slower than the rate at which patients were being seen.

“When are we going to get our acupuncture?”

“We’ll probably be waiting all night.”

Complaints began to arise among the patients in the treatment room.

President Geum Sujong, who had been observing the situation, spoke up.

“This isn’t going to work. One of the senior students needs to help with the acupuncture.”

“……”

None of the fourth-year students stepped up, instead just glancing around at each other.

They all wanted to see patients, but none of them wanted to do acupuncture, which they had done last year.

At that moment, Taeryong stepped forward.

“I’ll do it.”

“Okay, then Taeryong, you take over. You’ve learned acupuncture from the senior, right? Good to see it paying off.”

As if he had been waiting for this, Sujong quickly made the decision.

With a smirk, he placed his hand on Taeryong’s shoulder, but Taeryong coldly shrugged it off.

“Yes. The senior taught me really well. It was really helpful.”

Taeryong couldn’t help but recall how Sujong had ignored the junior’s struggles earlier.

He was now even more determined to ask Geum Sujong about what he had witnessed.

* * *

That night, acupuncture practice resumed in the dormitory.

Taeryong carefully inserted the needle into his junior’s skin, then pulled it out.

However, blood started to appear at the sites where the needles had been removed.

“Oh! S-sorry!”

“Oh, Taeryong, you’re going to give the patient anemia at this rate.”

President Geum Sujong joked as he quickly apologized to his junior, and a few others laughed along.

But as soon as Seon-Joon spoke, everyone’s laughter instantly stopped.

“Just because there’s bleeding doesn’t mean the needle was placed incorrectly. You can’t predict exactly where the capillaries are. As long as you stop the bleeding quickly, there’s no problem.”

When Joon defended him, Taeryong’s expression brightened.

He excitedly looked at Joon, his eyes sparkling, and asked a question.

“Senior, what do you say to patients who say they feel more pain after acupuncture?”

“When you place a needle on an injured area, you know that blood flow increases in places where there was previously poor circulation, right?”

“Yes!”

“During the process of increased blood flow, a substance called prostaglandin (PG) is released, which helps expand the blood vessels. But PG can also cause pain, so that area might hurt. However, this pain is actually a necessary part of the recovery process for muscles or joints.”

Taeryong nodded as if he understood, his face showing admiration.

“Ah, so it’s normal to feel sore after acupuncture?”

“Exactly. So, you just need to explain this to the patient and let them know it will get better in a day or two.”

“What if they take painkillers for the soreness after acupuncture…?”

“That’s not good. It blocks the inflammation recovery response from the acupuncture treatment. If the pain is really severe, it’s okay to take anti-inflammatory painkillers, but it’s better to avoid it as much as possible.”

Just then, the door suddenly opened, and a first-year student, looking pale, rushed in.

“Se-senior! I think you should come quickly.”

“What is it?”

At the student’s words, everyone’s face in the room turned serious.

“The person who had acupuncture earlier today has come back, and they’re saying their chest hurts and they’re having difficulty breathing.”