Chapter 87: I Have to Go to America (4)

“Huh?”

If it was next month, that meant it was the week after next.

It was only natural that Suhyuk's eyes widened.

He had thought it was August and hadn't prepared at all.

“What are you so surprised about? You knew you were going to America.”

“That’s... well, I did, but... it was supposed to be August.”

“Oh... was it?”

Lee Hyun-jong, who had been in charge of the internal medicine department at Tae-hwa Medical Center, had not immediately recalled that for the past ten years, they had always sent someone in August since forming a sister hospital relationship with the University of Iowa Hospital.

Even though they had always sent the most outstanding resident each time, and out of those, a staggering 90% were now professors or on the path to becoming professors at Tae-hwa Medical Center, none of them had caught Lee Hyun-jong's personal attention.

He was a man who believed he was the smartest, so it wasn't surprising.

“Yes. That’s why... I even scheduled my vacation for that time...”

“Is that so? Then move it. When else are you going to go to America?”

“No...”

The director could easily reschedule his vacation, but for a mere resident, it wasn't that simple.

After all, a university hospital is a place where even a dried squid can be squeezed for water.

Among them, residents were treated like mere residents, so the absence of one person was a huge deal.

“Don’t worry. Hyuntae will take care of it.”

“Oh, does the department head know about it too?”

“Why do you look relieved when you say that?”

“No... that’s not it.”

Compared to Lee Hyun-jong, Shin Hyuntae was much more reliable in handling such matters.

After all, Lee Hyun-jong wasn't a typical person.

“Anyway, it’s the week after next. ... Have you ever been abroad?”

That’s why he didn’t take much offense at Suhyuk’s somewhat rude reaction.

Instead, he asked with the heart of a true mentor.

Suddenly, he remembered Suhyuk’s difficult family circumstances.

‘These days, kids talk about being from poor families, but...’

At least among medical students, there was no one as financially struggling as Suhyuk.

Unlike in Lee Hyun-jong’s time, coming to medical school without any help from parents was a very difficult feat.

When he learned that Suhyuk was an orphan and had grown up in an orphanage, he was truly surprised.

Being admitted to medical school was surprising enough, but Suhyuk didn’t seem to carry any deep shadows.

‘Perhaps being mentally strong...’

It occurred to him that Suhyuk’s greatest strength might be his mental fortitude.

After all, even his injured leg didn’t show unless he paid attention to it.

Thus, other professors, including Lee Hyun-jong, often forgot about Suhyuk’s difficult background.

Fortunately, this time, the more meticulous Shin Hyuntae gave him a heads-up, allowing him to prepare in advance.

“No.”

As expected, Suhyuk had never been abroad.

Baruda, being a native AI, knew about foreign countries only through the movies and dramas Suhyuk had seen.

Thus, he had no idea what he needed to go abroad.

“Do you have a visa?”

“A visa?”

“Your passport.”

“Oh.”

“If I hadn’t asked, you might have gotten into trouble.”

Lee Hyun-jong shook his head and made a call.

“Are you coming now?”

It was his secretary, who sounded quite pleased.

“No, come here.”

“But there’s a meeting today, right?”

“Hasn’t it ended?”

“Not yet. So come quickly.”

“You should come. There’s an urgent matter.”

“Huh.”

The secretary was quite informal with Lee Hyun-jong.

Partly because of Lee Hyun-jong’s personality and partly because they had worked together for a long time.

Thus, Lee Hyun-jong was used to the secretary, and the secretary was used to Lee Hyun-jong.

“What is it?”

The secretary knew that further conversation would be pointless.

“It’s about our Suhyuk.”

“Lee Suhyuk’s matter?”

Over the phone, the sound of something being dragged on the floor could be heard.

The secretary was probably getting up.

“Yeah. Oh, by the way, the way to the cancer center from the annex.”

“Okay. I’m coming... Do I need to bring anything?”

“Hmm...”

Lee Hyun-jong glanced at Suhyuk for a moment.

“Do you have a wallet?”

“A wallet? Yes.”

“Then just bring your keys.”

“Yes.”

The secretary didn’t ask any questions.

He just did as Lee Hyun-jong instructed, heading to the designated place.

“Why?”

Though his expression wasn’t very good.

“Do you make such a face in front of the director as a secretary?”

“The director doesn’t do his job.”

“Tsk.”

Lee Hyun-jong couldn’t argue with that, so he just patted Suhyuk on the shoulder.

“Hey, you have to go to America next week. You don’t have a visa or a passport. Fix it. The health check-up documents from last year should be fine.”

“Huh? Visa and passport?”

“Yeah. It’s not that difficult.”

“Then the director should do it.”

“I have to go to the meeting.”

“Wow... really... wow...”

The secretary, unable to curse, just looked back and forth between the director and Suhyuk.

When looking at the director, his face said, ‘Is this a human being?’ and when looking at Suhyuk, it said, ‘Is this a human being too?’

Of course, Lee Hyun-jong, who didn’t care about others’ opinions, left immediately.

Whether he would actually attend the meeting was uncertain.

What could he do? The secretary had to do what the director ordered.

“So, you’re Lee Suhyuk, right?”

“Yes. Oh, I’m sorry to cause trouble.”

“No, no. The director is always like this. And it’s not that difficult.”

“I see.”

“Let’s start with the visa.”

“Yes, should we go to the embassy?”

“Hmm.”

The secretary, who didn’t manage his expressions even in front of the director, now had a look that said, ‘Ah, that’s why I’m here.’

“Why, why?”

“Well... for short-term stays, you can apply here. Oh, you don’t have a passport. Huh...”

He sighed deeply, then shook his car keys.

“Let’s go in the director’s car. Fortunately, the Gangnam District Office issues passports in three days... so it should be in time.”

“Oh, yes.”

Suhyuk got into Lee Hyun-jong’s car with the secretary.

[Wow, what a nice car.]

‘Indeed. Being a director has its perks.’

[We can do it. Let’s try being a 40-year-old director.]

‘Why are you so worldly...’

[Do you dislike it?]

‘No, I like it.’

Being the director of Tae-hwa Medical Center meant receiving executive-level treatment from the Tae-hwa Group.

Naturally, he was provided with an Equus.

Originally, a driver was also provided, but Lee Hyun-jong gave that money to the secretary.

The secretary, receiving a salary that was hard to imagine, was loyal to Lee Hyun-jong for that reason.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

With the secretary’s help, Suhyuk obtained his passport and visa.

During this process, he learned something very good.

It might not be something others would be so happy about, but for Suhyuk and Baruda, it was.

[You’re exempt from military service, Suhyuk.]

‘Indeed. The injured leg turned out to be a blessing in disguise. I had a rough idea, but...’

Getting official recognition from a government agency made him feel even better.

According to the district office employee, Suhyuk was exempt from active duty, reserve duty, and civil defense duty due to his registered disability.

‘My friends will be envious.’

Suhyuk, holding the 10-year multiple-entry passport, mumbled to himself.

Indeed, a 10-year passport was much thicker than the 1-year single-entry passports his friends carried.

[It’s tomorrow. Pack your bags again.]

‘Ah, should I? Thank you for helping me...’

Hearing Baruda’s words, Suhyuk, who was lying in bed, jumped up and rummaged through the suitcase the secretary had bought for him.

He had to buy clothes along with the suitcase because he had so few.

It was a carry-on suitcase that could fit clothes, a transformer, a laptop, and various other devices.

[The phone is ringing.]

After a while of packing with excitement, Baruda called him.

The phone in his gown pocket started ringing.

It was strange.

He wasn’t on duty today.

[That thought was very sad. A phone that only rings when you’re on duty...]

‘Shut up. Isn’t it because you always nag me to study?’

[But don’t you usually not have close friends?]

‘I don’t know.’

Shaking off Baruda’s mental attack, Suhyuk picked up the phone.

It was Ahn Daehoon, a first-year resident.

‘Ah, there must be a patient he can’t handle, I see.’

[He’s really disrespectful. Calling someone who’s leaving tomorrow.]

‘But he’s a good kid.’

[He just worships you. Still, it’s better to answer.]

So, Suhyuk answered the call.

“Professor! I’m sorry to call you so late. Did I... wake you up?”

Ahn Daehoon’s tone became increasingly polite.

“No, no. Why?”

“Nothing, but you’re going to America tomorrow, right?”

“Yes, but it’s not about a patient, is it?”

“No, it’s not... Our fan club has prepared a small gift for your journey.”

“Huh?”

Suhyuk expressed his confusion in various ways.

First, he didn’t understand what a fan club was doing.

Second, he was curious when the fan club was formed.

“We’re in front of the on-call room. It would be an honor if you could come out for a moment. If it’s a bother, just leave it on the doorknob...”

“No, no. I’ll come out. What do you mean, leave it on the doorknob?”

“Yes, I’ll wait. Professor, I respect you.”

“You... No, it’s fine.”

Shaking his head, Suhyuk went outside.

He looked quite embarrassed, but Baruda didn’t understand why.

[Suhyuk, to Ahn Daehoon, you’re naturally respectable.]

‘Is it really that respectable?’

[Of course. Haven’t all the patients you treated survived?]

‘That’s... This month was a bit different.’

No matter how well he diagnosed or treated, there were patients he couldn’t save.

Even if he became the best doctor in modern medicine, he was still bound by its limitations.

However, this month, the patients’ outcomes were so good that it felt almost too lucky.

Perhaps to the inexperienced Ahn Daehoon, it all seemed like Suhyuk’s doing.

“Oh, senior!”

His thoughts were interrupted by Ha Yoon.

“Huh?”

“I’m the vice president of the fan club.”

Ahn Daehoon, as always, bowed deeply with a respectful face.

“Oh...”

So, Suhyuk’s fan club consisted of these two.

It was a moment that could have been disappointing, but somehow his lips curled up.

It wasn’t just because of Ahn Daehoon.

It wasn’t just because of the gift they offered.

“Senior, Iowa is really a rural area. You’ll probably be bored at night. This might help.”

“Oh... this...”

“I remember you used to work part-time at a manga shop. There aren’t many, but... take this.”

“Yeah, thanks.”

“And this. Since you haven’t been to America, it’s a simple conversation book. Even if you’re good at English, I was nervous the first time I stood in front of a foreigner.”

“Oh... thanks.”

Standing in front of Ha Yoon, and the fact that she had put so much thought into it, made him feel good.

Of course, it was still within the realm of human kindness, as Baruda had said.

‘But it could be more, right?’

[Honestly, I don’t know. Woo Ha Yoon is a strange person.]

It seemed there was a possibility.