Chapter 36, right? (3)

“You... Where did you learn such manners?”

Lee Hyun-jong, the director, who had just sent a beautiful drive shot into a hazard, huffed and puffed. He was still holding the driver, clearly quite agitated.

“Hey, Lee, you’re going to hit someone like this.”

“I’m trying to hit it today. Let’s see how it goes.”

“Hey, it’s just a game of golf.”

“Just a game of golf? You bastard! I was about to see 72 for the first time in my life!”

Originally, the director was a seasoned single player, typically scoring between 78 and 79, which was quite impressive for an amateur.

In contrast, Shin Hyun-tae was a top player who had been stuck at the magical 80 barrier for years.

So, whenever they made a bet, Lee Hyun-jong would usually take a few penalty shots.

Today, he had taken a whopping ten penalty shots.

Despite that, the game was still neck and neck.

Given the situation, it was only natural for Director Lee Hyun-jong to be furious.

“72 or not, it’s just a screen to break... This means our department’s discipline is collapsing.”

But Shin Hyun-tae, who had already decided to call it quits, felt no remorse.

“Y-You... Ugh.”

Lee Hyun-jong, about to swing his driver, grabbed his back. He had overextended himself, trying to pull the club back too far in an unprepared state.

“You’re going to go home from the golf course. The president will be upset that he gave you the chair.”

“You... You bastard.”

“Anyway, it’s urgent now. The department’s discipline is collapsing!”

“Hey, hey! Where?”

“To restore discipline!”

“Fix me first! Hey! Hey! You son of a bitch!”

“Revenge for the past, sir!”

“W-What...”

Shin Hyun-tae chuckled and took off running.

He hopped onto a spare cart, which was usually used to carry clubs, and headed for the lounge.

Although Lee Hyun-jong’s shouts could still be heard from a distance, they were gradually fading away.

Even if the cart was slow, it was still faster than running.

‘But... Kim Jin-yong didn’t see any patients... He said he would see them tomorrow? Is this for real?’

Shin Hyun-tae’s face, which had been chuckling, suddenly stiffened.

While there are various types of doctors in university hospitals, most believe that they should properly see patients when they come.

Shin Hyun-tae was particularly high in this regard.

He believed that all internists should be this way.

Thus, it was only natural for him to be angry at Kim Jin-yong’s behavior.

‘No, this isn’t just a fight. This is doing what needs to be done.’

Of course, this didn’t necessarily justify breaking the golf date with the director.

Shin Hyun-tae, with a mix of intentions, drove out of the golf course.

He even skipped the sauna, which is usually enjoyed after 18 holes.

‘This guy is dead.’

Feeling a bit uneasy due to this, he blamed Kim Jin-yong and pressed the accelerator harder.

The car, which had started in Gyeonggi-do Gapyeong, was now heading towards the hospital.

“Why is the professor asking me to come to the hospital? And not even for endocrinology, but for the department head.”

At that moment, Kim Jin-yong, who had just received a call from Shin Hyun-tae, was at the hospital, looking quite anxious.

It was natural, given the situation.

“Do you know anything? What? Is it early?”

So, Kim Jin-yong, with a red face, shouted at Su-hyuk.

Su-hyuk, leaning on his cane, bowed his head silently.

“Hey, you’re not talking? Is the chief’s words funny?”

“No, no.”

“Did you tell him? Did you tell him, you disrespectful bastard?”

“Th-That...”

Su-hyuk, still leaning on his cane, lifted his head.

He saw the angry face of Kim Jin-yong and the similar face of Hwang Seon-woo.

Kim Jin-yong, not wanting to die alone, had also called Hwang Seon-woo, which is why they were all in the department on a weekend.

Naturally, this situation was not pleasant.

“What...”

“Th-That...”

“Is this guy suddenly mute? Why...”

Kim Jin-yong approached Su-hyuk, as if ready to hit him.

But he couldn’t get any closer.

His phone, which he had put in his gown pocket, started ringing loudly.

It was a number he had set to a special ringtone.

“Yes, sir. Department head. This is Kim Jin-yong, third-year resident. I’m currently in the department.”

He answered quickly, greeting in a clear tone.

His face and tone were completely different from how he treated his subordinates.

“Come to my office.”

“Yes, sir. Professor.”

From the cold tone, it was clear that Shin Hyun-tae was quite angry.

Kim Jin-yong, deciding that this was all Su-hyuk’s fault, glared at him.

“I’ll see you later.”

He didn’t just glare but also left a threat.

Then he rushed to Shin Hyun-tae’s office.

The door, unlike usual, was open.

Knock.

Still, he couldn’t just walk in, so he knocked on the wall.

“Come in.”

“Yes, sir. I’m Kim...”

Kim Jin-yong couldn’t finish his sentence.

Professor Kim Jin-sil was also in Shin Hyun-tae’s office.

‘Could it be that Professor Kim Jin-sil heard about it?’

Professor Kim Jin-sil, known for her expertise in abdominal imaging, was already quite famous during her clinical instructor days.

She was a protégé of the demanding Professor Lee Hae-yeon and was just as intimidating.

What made her even more terrifying was that she didn’t just lash out but provided detailed references.

Kim Jin-yong remembered being severely reprimanded as an intern or first-year resident.

Naturally, his shoulders slumped.

“Sit down, first.”

Professor Shin Hyun-tae pointed to a corner chair without extending his hand.

Kim Jin-yong, who couldn’t refuse, bowed his head and sat down.

Then, Professor Shin Hyun-tae finally turned the monitor he was looking at and showed it to him.

“Look at this. A patient came in this morning. They were notified to the endocrinology on-call due to hypoglycemia. Have you heard about this patient?”

The patient’s name was Yang Jae-won.

The patient whom Su-hyuk had diagnosed with an insuloma, a ridiculous diagnosis.

Kim Jin-yong had not just heard about it but had received a formal notification.

But he had to deny it, so he shook his head.

“No, sir.”

“Is that so? We can check that later.”

Professor Shin Hyun-tae was already certain.

He had spoken to others before coming here.

His phone even had a screenshot of the recent call log sent by Su-hyuk.

Thus, he pointed to the monitor with a meaningful smile.

“Look at the patient’s blood glucose level.”

“48.”

“Right, that’s the average in the morning. It’s an emergency, right? But the on-call didn’t notify you?”

“Um...”

It was a strange situation.

The on-call was currently being handled by first-year residents without any second-year residents.

Third-year and second-year residents were alternating on call to be prepared for emergencies.

The principle was to arrive within 30 minutes of receiving a call.

“Anyway, you didn’t receive the call, right? Look further.”

This time, the monitor showed a CT scan.

An abdominal CT.

“I read it. There’s a 3cm mass in the head of the pancreas, clearly distinguishable from the surrounding area. Given the enhancement in the arterial phase and other clinical findings, it is consistent with an insuloma.”

Professor Kim Jin-sil recited her reading.

Listening to this, Kim Jin-yong felt a chill.

‘This guy... How did a commoner contact Professor Kim Jin-sil directly?’

When notifying the actinomycosis, Professor Kim Jin-sil happened to be nearby.

Given the excellent notification, she remembered Su-hyuk’s name, a fact that Kim Jin-yong couldn’t have known.

He just sweated profusely.

“Did you also inform the on-call about the insuloma?”

“Initially, I suspected it, ordered the CT, and made the diagnosis. I just confirmed it.”

“But... you didn’t notify? Even after diagnosing an insuloma?”

Professor Shin Hyun-tae glared at Kim Jin-yong again.

It was a situation where he should have realized what was happening.

But Kim Jin-yong decided to ignore reality.

‘Anyway... I’ll be leaving soon...’

He planned to leave the department after becoming a specialist.

He had no intention of staying at the university hospital.

“Yes.”

With a “let it be” attitude, he nodded.

This only further infuriated Professor Shin Hyun-tae.

‘Not only did you leave the patient unattended... but you’re lying? In front of the department head? Three times?’

It’s not like he was Peter.

What kind of denial is this, three times?

Fuming, Professor Shin Hyun-tae threw his phone at Kim Jin-yong.

“Hey, call the on-call today.”

“H-Here?”

“Yes. Let’s see who this guy is who doesn’t notify.”

“Th-That...”

“What are you doing? Call them quickly? Should I call?”

“No, sir. I’ll call.”

Kim Jin-yong reluctantly picked up Professor Shin Hyun-tae’s phone.

He noticed the recent call log showing that Shin Hyun-tae had called Su-hyuk.

‘I’m done...’

If Su-hyuk had made the call, there might have been some leeway, even if he was angry.

But this seemed hopeless.

It meant that Professor Shin Hyun-tae had heard from Professor Kim Jin-sil and called Su-hyuk.

‘Why... does he care so much about a commoner...’

He wanted to run away, but that was impossible.

“Hey, not calling?”

“I’ll call.”

The call Kim Jin-yong reluctantly made soon rang on Su-hyuk’s phone.

“What the hell did you do, making us all come here? I didn’t like you from the moment you acted like the hidden son of the director. Hey, answer the phone? Who’s calling... Oh, the department head. Answer it.”

Su-hyuk, who had been being bullied by Hwang Seon-woo, was glad to answer the phone.

He then headed to Professor Shin Hyun-tae’s office.

Professor Shin Hyun-tae almost burst out laughing when he saw Su-hyuk but managed to hold it in.

“Are you the on-call? Is it true that you diagnosed this patient but didn’t notify?”

Su-hyuk also held back his laughter.

He already knew everything, yet he was playing along.

But it was polite to play along with the professor’s act.

“No, sir. I did notify.”

“Do you have proof?”

“Here...”

Su-hyuk immediately showed the recent call log with Kim Jin-yong’s name.

It wasn’t just a missed call; there was a record of a call lasting over two minutes.

“You called?”

“Well, that...”

Kim Jin-yong wanted to say something, but Shin Hyun-tae didn’t give him a chance.

“You don’t deserve to be a chief resident. Hand over the pharmacy to someone else and start seeing patients as a primary physician from tomorrow.”

“What? That’s too...”

“Unfair? Do you want to leave? You didn’t come to see the patient after receiving the notification, and you didn’t admit them. Should we hold a disciplinary committee?”

“No, sir...”

“Then be a primary physician. I’ll talk to Professor Seo Hyo-seok. Get out.”

“Y-Yes, sir.”

Kim Jin-yong, with his shoulders slumped, left the room.

As Su-hyuk was about to follow, Shin Hyun-tae called him.

“Ah, Su-hyuk. Stay a moment. I have something to talk about.”