Golden Time

Chapter 51

Prof. Lee stared fiercely at him.

He has been waiting for a chance to scold Park because of his unpleasant actions in recent days.

Prof. Lee took issue with Park’s behaviour that went against his philosophies.

“Isn’t it time for students to finish practice for the day?”

Park responded confidently, “He was late for the afternoon practice session, so I had him clean up the emergency room as recompense.”

“In the afternoon?”

“Yes, it was after lunch time.”

The professor questioned Park, whilst looking at Suhyuk.

“He’s been with me all along. I think that got him into trouble.”

Park was surprised and looked at Suhyuk.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were with a professor?”

“Well...”

When Suhyuk was about to open his mouth, Prof. Lee said, “Mr. Park.”

Park responded, breaking into sweats, “Yes, professor.”

“What is the condition of patient Im Junghwan?”

He underwent surgery just recently, having suffered from various complications.

His survival in itself was amazing. No doubt did he survive thanks to Prof’s Lee’s surgical skills.

“Various complex complications...”

“He is a patient you can’t get your eyes off at any moment, right?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Just report to me the patient’s condition every hour.”

Park made an expression as if he were about to cry.

His instructions from Pro. Lee meant he could not afford to sleep in order to be able to check on his condition every hour.

“Okay, sir.”

“And I have something to talk about with Suhyuk. Can I take him?”

Park nodded his head and wiped the sweat on his forehead.

“Come see me for a moment,” Prof. Lee said.

The professor walked back and Suhyuk looked at Park with a sorry expression.

“Go quickly.”

“Then...”

Suhyuk then quickly followed Lee.

Choi bowed her head at him, “Sir, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Park took a short sigh of relief. For him, today, things did not work out well with either the professor or Choi.

“Choi Suryon, let’s talk for a minute.”

Park headed to the drink vending machine outside the emergency room. Park handed her a coffee, and he took for himself a c.o.ke to drink.

He gulped down the c.o.ke at once.

“Sir, don’t you feel your throat getting hot?”

Despite Choi’s question, he did not say anything, throwing the now empty can into the trash can. Then he opened his mouth,

“Do you like Lee Suhyuk?”

—–

Suhyuk was drinking coffee at Prof. Lee’s office.

“Thank you.”

“What do you mean?”

“I heard that you paid off the old woman’s medical expenses.”

When he thought about it, he felt the balance was too low. Most likely it might have been possible thanks to the professor’s actions. At Suhyuk’s words, Lee laughed and nodded his head.

Examination and medical expenses were big or small, depending on how one thinks of it. At his own discretion, however, the professor eliminated all his medical expenses. Except for the CT, MRI, etc., the total cost was less than 200,000 won.

He wanted to take care of the cost through to the end once he became involved.

“You don’t have to feel burdened because of that. She looked less fortunate, so I just did what I wanted to do.”

‘If I lay the ground bait, he will bite it one day, and then he will be my disciple.’

Suhyuk once again bowed his head, “Thank you.”

“So, how about your practice life? No... it’s not fun, right?”

Lee Suhyuk would probably have the skill and knowledge comparable to an intern, or even a resident.

Suhyuk laughed, “I’m learning a lot.”

“Do not lie to me,” said the professor.

Suhyuk, scratching his head, lifted his coffee cup.

He had no idea what to say at this time.

‘Tell him the whole truth? Such as that I have never seen a patient that I could not handle?’

Suhyuk shook his head a little. Even that kind of thinking was arrogant in his mind.

“Oh, I took too much of your time. You must be tired. Just go.”

“Didn’t you say you had something to say to me?”

The professor laughed slightly, “I just wanted to have a cup of coffee with you.”

He beckoned to Suhyuk to go.

“Then I’ll see you again next time.”

At the appearance of Suhyuk turning back, Professor Lee looked at him heartily.

Even though he helped Suhyuk, it was a prime time to show his coolness and generosity.

When this kind of trust keeps acc.u.mulating, Lee Suhyuk will have not choice but to become his own disciple.

—–

It was now the weekend.

Suhyuk and Dongsu, who both just got off the bus, were walking in a crowded neighborhood of luxury houses.

Today is the birthday of Kim Hyunwoo’s mother.

Both of them, invited to the party, had gifts in their hands.

“What gift have you bought?” asked Dongsu.

“Vitamins,” answered Suhyuk.

He also bought some other stuff. Nutritional imbalances may be present in patients with dementia. Just like a child, they try to eat only what they like, and this was was true of Kim’s mother who was picky about her side dishes.

“How can you come dressed like that...”

Suhyuk shook his head, looking at Dongsu up and down. He was dressed like a monk.

He bought a wooden gong as a gift.

“I think the wooden gong is a good choice...” He smiled staring at the s.h.i.+ny wooden gong, “Because she said she broke it last time...”

So they walked for about 10 minutes to get to Kim’s house.

The door was opened immediately when they pressed the intercom to show their faces.

Woof! Woof!

A big dog waved his tail and welcomed the two.

They had not seen her for a long while, but she remembered them, to their pleasant surprise.

“It’s been a long time. How have you been, honey?” Suhyuk stroked the head of Sank.u.m, a dog as big as a big bear. Sank.u.m turned upside down and acted cute. Dongsu was just stunned at the sight of it.

Unlike her kindness to Suhyuk, Sank.u.m, chained by her neck, was running mad as if she wanted to bite him if he tried to approach her. If he were to be bitten by her big mouth, it would be a disaster.

“Be careful.Once you’re bitten, you’re going to be in big trouble,” said Kim, coming out of the porch.

“Hey, you’re here.”

Suhyuk and Dongsu greeted him.

“How are you?”

“You didn’t eat, right?”

“Nope...”

Dongsu tapped his belly loudly, saying, “As you told us not to eat, I haven’t ate at all since yesterday.”

Kim, noticing Dongsu’s costume, laughed dumbfoundedly.

But what was wrong with it? It was all for his mother.

“Here you go,” Suhyuk gave him the paper bag.

“I told you not to buy any gifts. You bought one again. As a student, you don’t make any money...”

“This is gift of vitamins. I thought it would be nice to put one pill in the food when your mother eats. I chose one that would cause no problem if she eats it with rice.”

A small smile came out of Kim’s mouth.

He had lots of expensive vitamins at home, but its value depends on who it comes from.

“Thanks.”

“Mr.Kim, here is another one,” said Dongsu, presenting a wooden gong.

“I hope you’ll hand it to her directly. Let’s go in,” said Kim with a bitter smile.

The two followed Kim.

“Oh, you have guests here,” said Suhyuk looking inside.

“Yeah, they’re very good relatives,” Kim replied sarcastically at his words.

“You are the guys?” asked a middle-aged woman, looking at Suhyuk and Dongsu with an annoyed expression. She looked like she was in her 40s or early 50s.

There were two other women who seemed to be of the same age.

“Sit down quickly. I could not even eat anything while waiting for you.”

They were not that late for the appointment.

“Sorry.”

Dongsu bowed his back, overwhelmed by their att.i.tude. It was also true for Suhyuk.

Rising from the sofa, the women headed toward the table.

“Now, all you have to do is wake up the sleeping princess.”

Kim Hyunwoo, who smiled lightly, moved to wake up his mother who was taking a nap.

In no time, Kim’s mother opened the door and came out into the living room.

“Doctor!”

Suhyuk laughed, “How are you doing?”

“I missed you!” she said, hugging him dearly.

At that moment, her gaze moved to Dongsu.

“Monk, what’s wrong with your head?”

It was not bald anymore.

“You’re a fake monk!” she said, as Dongsu just scratched his head, speechless.

***

Unexpectedly, there were not that many good dishes on the table.

There was roasted spicy rice cake, boiled sausage, and chicken; common foods found anywhere. They were all the ones Kim’s mother liked.

The faces of the middle-aged women had frowns rested upon them.

“It looks like delicious!”

Kim’s mother tried to take one of the sausages by the hand.

Then Suhyuk stopped her.

“You should first blow out the candle!”

“Huh? Candle?”

“Today is your birthday.”

When she laughed, a housemaid brought a cake with candle lights on it.

Dongsu sang the song loudly.

“Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear beloved mother...”

“Whuuuuu...”

She blew out the candle, and finally the meal started.

“Doctor, this is really delicious. Try it.”

Kim’s mom brought various foods to Suhyuk’s plate.

Dongsu picked up a chicken leg with an envious eye.

Then she said, “No! Monks cannot eat meat!”

With a bitter smile, he ate only the spicy roasted rice cake.

“I hear you attend a law school?” asked the youngest of the women.

Dongsu scratched his head as if he were shy.

“Yes.”

“Do you know a prosecutor by the name of Kang Hansoo?”

Dongsu shook his head.

It was hard for a law school student to have any networks with an inc.u.mbent prosecutor.

She nodded, as if she already knew the answer.

“Sister, I told you the other day. That prosecutor was crazy for money.”

“Yeah, when I first saw him, he spoke really scaringly, but when I showed him money, he began to show a smile, telling me not to worry.”

“These days the judges and prosecutors are all corrupted.”

Curses speaking ill of those in the legal business constantly flowed out from their mouths, and then they took a glance at Dongsu, as if they were telling him that he would be like that.

Dongsu’s expression, who wore a bitter smile, became more hardened.

He felt as if he were sitting on a pin cus.h.i.+on.

At that moment Kim, who was listening to their nattering quietly, laughed, saying “Aunties, you don’t have to tackle such a serious topic as it is a good day today. You can speak of it next time.”

“Did we say anything wrong?”

“Yes, when your father was alive, how many judges and prosecutors all sponged off...”

Dongsu rose from his seat.

“Where are you going?”

“The bathroom,” said Dongsu with a gentle smile.

“Doctor, doctor!”

Kim’s head went back to his mother this time.

She was begging, holding his arms.

“Doctor, come with me into my room and play. I’m scared here.”

Mom was minding her relatives, a sharp reminder how she had suffered mentally from them.

She had been hara.s.sed by her husband’s relatives just for the one reason that she was from a poor family. There were lots of rumors about her that she married him for money.

When Kim was very young, he saw her slapped in the face, which he still remembers vividly.

“Huuuu...”

Kim, letting out a short breath, raised his head.

Soon smiling again, he said to Suhyuk,

“I’m sorry to ask this, but can you play with my mom for a while in her room?”

It was a mysterious smile.

Suhyuk nodded and moved as she led.

When the door was closed, Kim’s smile disappeared in an instant.

He was thirsty. He lifted a cup of water.

Gulp, gulp.

Why did they come even when they were not invited? Of course, they could be praised for remembering her birthday.

‘But you came to celebrate her birthday? Sounds fishy. You came here to ask me to offer a job to your b.a.s.t.a.r.d children or to extort money from me.’

Kim slowly dropped the gla.s.s cup.

At that moment, the gla.s.s that hit hard on the table was broken in his hand.

Red blood dripped from it.

“Oh my G.o.d... My hand just slipped off the gla.s.s. You were not surprised much, right aunties?”