Chapter 20, Section 3: I Am a National School Student (8)

Kim Nam-hye was heading to her son's hospital room with a tray in hand.

She had never realized that a university hospital could be so large and sophisticated.

Everything she saw seemed to sparkle.

Perhaps because of this, she, who had only ever visited traditional markets and shabby houses, felt out of place and uncomfortable in this big hospital.

"Please enjoy your meal, family member."

"Ah, yes. Thank you."

A passing nurse greeted her, and Kim Nam-hye instinctively bowed in response, just as she always did for her vegetable customers.

However, because she bowed more deeply than usual, she nearly dunked her face into the soup.

She passed by the window, which was gradually darkening, and arrived at the hospital room.

Her son had already set up the table attached to his bed.

"You must be hungry. Start eating first. I'll bring your meal in a moment."

But her son only picked up his chopsticks after she returned.

Surprisingly, he ate the hospital food, known for its poor taste, with relish.

It was because, unexpectedly, the hospital menu was a bit better than the simple meals she had prepared.

Thinking that her son liked braised fish, Kim Nam-hye transferred half of her own braised fish to his tray.

'How long do You plan to test me?'

Kim Nam-hye lamented to God.

Her son, who had already faced many hardships, had suddenly developed a heart condition and needed surgery.

She thought it was too cruel for her son to go through this.

If anyone had to suffer from a heart condition, it should have been her. What sin had this young and fragile child committed?

"Did you enjoy your meal?"

"Yes, Mom."

"Have a glass of water too."

After giving her son water, she returned the tray to the collection area and came back to the room.

"Yohan, are you close with a friend named Eunjin?"

Kim Nam-hye was curious about Eunjin, her son's friend who had saved his life and accompanied him to the hospital.

Eunjin had visited the room again that afternoon and mentioned that there would be a fundraising event at school for her son's surgery, and that there might be nationwide support through the newspaper.

- What do you mean by nationwide support?

- The journalist uncle said he would publish an article about Yohan's illness. I asked the journalist uncle if we could receive any donations, and he said we could. He said he would connect us with volunteer organizations.

- ...

- Soon, people from the donation organizations will come to see you. They will also ask for your bank account number.

Kim Nam-hye was speechless at Eunjin's confident actions and tone.

She realized that everything Eunjin had mentioned was organized by Eunjin herself.

Eunjin seemed more mature the more she got to know her.

"That's... how it is."

"How it is?"

"We weren't that close. He was nice to me, but I didn't like him."

Her son continued with a guilty expression.

"I guess I was jealous because he was so good. But since yesterday, we've decided to be real friends."

Her son's shy confession hurt her heart.

She couldn't help but feel that his inferiority complex stemmed from their poor living conditions and her own inadequacies.

"I see. He's a good kid, so be friends with him."

However, Kim Nam-hye didn't show her pain. If she showed her pain, her son would feel it too.

"Mom, can I draw?"

"What kind of drawing when you're hospitalized? You need to eat well, sleep well, and rest. You have surgery soon."

"No, I want to draw."

Her son, who usually pretended to die when she spoke, was unusually stubborn today.

He insisted on drawing.

"Do you want to see me angry? Do you really want that?"

"Mom, but you said before that when someone does us a favor, we must return it."

"What kind of nonsense is this? What does that have to do with drawing?"

"It's related. That's why I have to draw."

Her son explained firmly.

After hearing his explanation, it made sense.

It also didn't seem right to contradict what she had taught him.

"However, don't draw for too long. You're a patient, remember that."

"Okay, I won't overdo it."

Her son opened his sketchbook and started drawing.

Although she had scolded him just a moment ago, she found it heartwarming to see him so focused.

Just like how her son drew confidently, she hoped that the path of life ahead for her and her son would also be clear and smooth.

* * *

I couldn't concentrate on the lesson.

I usually had trouble focusing, but today was particularly bad.

Today was the day Yohan would have his pacemaker implanted.

Actually, a pacemaker implantation isn't a very difficult surgery.

It takes about 1-2 hours, is performed under local anesthesia, and involves making an incision in the left chest to insert the artificial pacemaker.

The electrodes are guided to the heart through the blood vessels, and that's it.

Living with a pacemaker in your chest?

At first glance, it might seem incredibly inconvenient, but the prognosis is actually quite good.

You can still bathe and even do activities like hiking.

You just need to have regular check-ups to monitor the pacemaker, be cautious with MRI scans, and avoid passing through airport security gates that emit magnetic fields.

'Nothing will go wrong, I hope...'

I knew this intellectually, but it didn't really sink in emotionally.

Perhaps this is the difference between a surgeon and a family member.

For example, consider an appendectomy.

To a general surgeon like Seojeon, an appendectomy is a relatively simple and easy surgery that can be completed in 30 minutes.

But a family member who has sent their loved one to the operating table can't think like a surgeon.

They worry and fret, wondering if something might go wrong, if a medical accident might occur.

The surgery is the same, but the perspective changes depending on your role.

Incidentally, in my previous life, what I was most confident about as Seojeon was patient and family management.

Table death.

After all, I had lost my father during a surgery.

So, to reassure the patient and family, I did my best.

I understood their feelings better than anyone.

'At least it's a good outcome.'

I heard from the homeroom teacher that the school's fundraising efforts for the surgery had raised a considerable amount.

The interview with the journalist after school two days ago had also gone smoothly, and through the journalist, I had connected Yohan with a donation organization.

Combining the school's fundraising and the donations from the organization, there would be enough to cover not only the surgery but also living expenses.

I had finally saved a classmate who had died pointlessly in my previous life.

Thinking about this, I felt a sense of accomplishment.

This sense of accomplishment was as fulfilling as seeing a patient recover and be discharged.

And this sense of accomplishment was the driving force that kept me going in the demanding field of thoracic surgery.

However, I couldn't just revel in this joy.

Reflecting on the past, there were still many lives that had slipped through my hands, or rather, that I had foolishly let go of.

In this life, I would not let them slip away.

It wouldn't be easy, but I would overcome it with the knowledge gained from my reincarnation and my innate perseverance.

Some cynical person might mock me, asking, "People die anyway. Is it really necessary to struggle so hard to live?"

But I can answer without hesitation.

Yes.

Humans must do this.

Although I have a somewhat negative view of life-sustaining treatments.

In general, I believe humans should live to their full lifespan.

Humans have the right to enjoy life until they surrender it to death.

Since we didn't choose to be born, we should live as we please, even if it's out of a sense of injustice.

Ding dong dong~.

While lost in these thoughts, the class bell rang.

"Hey, dandruff. Let's go to Class 6."

A troublemaker approached my desk, urging me to go to Class 6.

"Why?"

"Yesterday, Jeong Jihwan took all my marbles. You need to get revenge for me."

"Um... Okay, let's go."

After a moment's thought, I decided to join the marble expedition to Class 6.

It might be good to lighten my heavy mind by playing like other kids.

I took the round marbles from my drawer, put them in my kangaroo pocket, and headed to Class 6.

Sure enough, a few boys were gathered, playing a marble-flipping game.

Marble flipping was different from marble fighting.

The shape of the marbles was different.

Marbles used in marble fighting are square, while those used in marble flipping are round.

The way to play was also different.

Marble fighting involves flipping the marble by hitting it, while marble flipping involves blowing on the marble to flip it.

"Jeong Jihwan, let's play one round."

"Wow! I didn't expect you to come on an expedition to our class, Dandruff."

Jeong Jihwan's greedy eyes scanned the marbles in my kangaroo pocket.

His chubby cheeks looked mischievous, like a toad's.

"In our class, Dandruff is the marble-flipping king. You're done for."

"You, get lost. You don't even have marbles."

Jeong Jihwan quickly subdued the troublemaker and set up the game.

"Blow!"

"Pop!"

Our breaths crossed, and the stack of marbles began to collapse and diminish.

As the marble kings of Class 2 and Class 6 faced off, the kids quickly gathered around.

The atmosphere grew intense. My battle with Jeong Jihwan was a fierce war, minus the bloodshed.

"Wow! We won!"

"I knew we would win."

With the cheers of the kids, the final round was decided.

The loser was me.

The kangaroo pocket that had been full of marbles was now empty.

Jeong Jihwan, with a smug look, lowered his raised thumb to the ground.

It was a victorious celebration.

In contrast, the troublemaker and I returned to our class with slumped shoulders, not exchanging a word.

The typical, sad, and pitiful appearance of losers.

Hmm... Being reincarnated didn't make me invincible at marble flipping.

* * *

One morning.

After arriving at school, I was chatting with my desk partner, Kim Ji-won.

Kim Ji-won was insisting that I must watch the drama she had recently filmed.

"Hey, Eunjin. Are you listening to me?"

Kim Ji-won, with a pout, placed her hands on her hips.

Do women's animal instincts develop from elementary school?

Kim Ji-won immediately noticed that I wasn't paying attention to her.

"No, I was listening."

"What's the name of the drama I'm in?"

"Wild Ambition."

"What's my name?"

"Yewon."

"Tsk, you remember everything."

"Does it matter if you look pretty in the drama? Your personality is like a general's."

"Hey, shut up."

The troublemaker, who had appeared out of nowhere, started causing trouble, and Kim Ji-won twirled her fist.

It was a typical (peaceful?) day.

I stared at the empty seat of Kim Yohan.

A few days ago, I had visited Yohan with the homeroom teacher and a few friends.

I heard that the surgery went smoothly, and we delivered the funds raised by the school.

Yohan looked healthy after the surgery, but strangely, he hadn't come to school for a few days.

Had something happened?

Had I been too complacent?

As my worry for Yohan grew, I saw a familiar face. It was Yohan, finally returning to class.

"Yohan!"

I approached Yohan and greeted him warmly.

Yohan shyly replied with a hello.

The other students also noticed Yohan's return and gathered around.

They expressed their concern for his well-being.

Yohan, perhaps feeling overwhelmed by the attention, blushed and couldn't lift his head.

"I was worried when you didn't come to school."

I told Yohan.

"I wasn't sick, just had some things to sort out... It wasn't a big deal."

"Good to hear that."

"Here, take this. It's a gift."

Yohan took something out of his bag and handed it to me.

Under the neatly coated paper was a beautifully drawn Granzo.

It would make a good bookmark.

"You said you liked Granzo before, so I drew it as a gift."

The fact that Yohan remembered what I had said before.

The effort he put into drawing it while he was sick.

These two things made my nose tingle.

"...Thank you. I'll use it well."

I looked down at the bookmark, trying to hide the tears welling up in my eyes.

Perhaps I saved Yohan just to receive this one-of-a-kind Granzo bookmark.