Chapter 23

Chapter 4, Last Homework (3)

‘This is bad.’

I looked up at my mother, feeling anxious.

Mother’s face was already flushed, and her clenched fists were trembling.

It was as if she was about to burst through the front door and run away.

I quickly grabbed her hand with my small hand.

I wanted to remind her that I was there beside her.

If she was aware of my presence, it would be easier for her to control her emotions.

“Dad, we agreed not to say things like that!”

When my grandmother scolded my grandfather, he awkwardly cleared his throat.

It seemed that my grandfather also intended to reconcile with my mother.

He just expressed his disappointment in his daughter, whom he hadn’t contacted for years, in a rather aggressive manner.

In my previous life, I had met someone with a similar personality to my grandfather.

Oh Se-jin.

A junior two years younger than me, his nickname was "Sergeant."

He was disliked by many juniors for his rough language and straightforward way of speaking.

I only realized that there was no malice in his words after I completed my residency.

- "Senior, it might sound like an excuse, but I just can’t speak nicely. Maybe it’s because I grew up hearing such words."

Oh Se-jin hinted at his troubled family environment.

My grandfather, like Oh Se-jin, probably grew up under an authoritative great-grandfather.

Of course, this doesn’t mean I condone or think it’s right for people to speak this way.

“Mom, can I go to the bathroom? Come with me.”

“...Sure.”

I moved to the first-floor bathroom with my mother.

I had successfully separated my mother from my grandfather.

When emotions run high, it’s sometimes necessary to take a moment to cool down.

Now that I was alone with my mother, it was time to start my plan.

In this life, I not only excelled in surgical suturing but also in mending human relationships.

“Mom, Grandpa seems to really like you.”

“Faith, did you really think that after hearing what Grandpa said just now?”

My mother clicked her tongue in disbelief and asked.

“Yes, of course!”

“...”

“Grandpa said he took great care of the oak tree you like. He must have thought of the oak tree as a substitute for you since he couldn’t see you.”

I conveyed to my mother what I had read in Grandpa’s heart.

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry said that the most important things are invisible to the eye.

And medical doctors often say that one must learn to see the invisible.

Through the healthy oak tree, I felt Grandpa’s deep longing for my mother.

My mother nodded slightly, and it seemed that her heightened emotions had calmed down.

“Maybe you’re right, Faith. Let’s go back now.”

I moved back to the living room with my mother.

My maternal grandparents’ house was much larger than our apartment, even just in the living room.

They say that the rich can live comfortably for three generations even after they go bankrupt.

But my maternal grandparents’ fortune collapsed in an instant.

IMF was a terrifying and horrific monster.

“Yes, yes. That’s right.”

Father was handling the questions from Grandpa and Grandma on his own.

His usual witty and lively conversation as a novelist was nowhere to be seen.

Since entering the house, Father had been very subdued.

When my mother and I returned, Grandpa also seemed a bit tense.

“I was too harsh earlier. I apologize.”

“Dad, you can apologize? I thought the sun was rising in the west.”

“A person should listen when someone speaks sincerely.”

“It was just a joke. I don’t want to fight with you here.”

Seeing the venom leave my mother’s eyes and mouth, Grandpa also seemed relieved.

“Grandpa, Grandma, I couldn’t greet you earlier because I had to go to the bathroom. Hello, I’m Faith.”

At such times, a child’s innocence is what’s needed.

I took on the role of a peace envoy.

“Faith? You’re a smart kid.”

“Thank you. But I’m not just smart; I’m really smart. I get top grades in all subjects.”

“Is that so?”

“Our Faith is not just any kid. If you knew what kind of child she is, you’d be amazed.”

My mother started to boast about me. While boasting about one’s child is usually a no-go, it’s an exception in front of parents.

“Look at this.”

My mother added the finishing touch to her boasting.

She handed Grandpa a newspaper clipping of the article about me saving Kim Yo-han.

Grandpa nodded in admiration after reading the article.

“Saving a friend who had a heart attack with CPR? Wow, you’re incredibly brave.”

“Hehe. I want to become a great doctor when I grow up.”

“Being a doctor is good. If you get into medical school, I’ll pay for your tuition and pocket money.”

“That’s okay, Grandpa.”

“Why?”

“I’ll be the top student in medical school.”

When I declared my ambitious goal, my grandparents and parents burst into laughter.

They took it as a child’s boast, but I was serious.

Still, it was fortunate that it helped lighten the mood.

I continued to lead the conversation strategically.

I put myself at the center of the conversation and facilitated dialogue between my grandparents and parents.

It felt like a CABG (coronary artery bypass graft) in surgery.

My plan was to create a bypass through me to ease the tension between my grandparents and parents.

The plan was successful.

Thanks to me, the atmosphere became warm, and the dramatic reconciliation between my mother and grandfather began.

“I’m sorry. I was so angry back then that I never wanted to see Dad’s face again. I should have contacted him later...”

“No, it was my fault. I said things that were completely out of line... I want to ask for your forgiveness here.”

“No, Father-in-law. I probably didn’t seem impressive to you.”

As the emotional tension eased, my mother secretly wiped her eyes.

She must have been through a lot of emotional turmoil.

She must have spent many sleepless nights before choosing a man over her parents and this large house.

And that choice led to my existence.

I needed to continue proving that my mother’s choice was right.

* * *

After lunch, the conversation continued for nearly two hours.

There was a lot to talk about after so long without seeing each other.

Father, now relaxed, started to show his usual witty conversation, and Mother talked about our family with pride.

About the nice apartment in Mok-dong.

About how her husband had become a successful novelist.

And about how I was an extraordinary child.

The grandparents looked relieved to hear that their daughter’s family was doing well.

Watching both sides, I finally felt at ease.

The long-standing tension between my grandparents and my mother was dissipating.

I could see it with my own eyes.

“Let’s talk alone, shall we?”

“Sure, I’m fine with that.”

Grandpa and Father moved to the main room, and I followed closely behind.

I wanted to know more about Grandpa.

I wanted to hear his story from his own mouth, not just the fragmented information I had from my mother.

That way, I could help prevent his business from failing.

“Faith, you want to come in too?”

“Yes, I’m a boy too!”

“You’re a cute one.”

Grandpa tousled my hair with his rough hand.

The three of us settled in the main room and started a serious conversation.

Grandpa apologized to Father again, sincerely regretting his past rash words.

Mother was right.

Grandpa’s tone was aggressive, but he wasn’t a twisted person.

“Do you smoke?”

“I quit after my parents passed away. It’s been about seven years.”

“I should have known. If you were strong enough to quit smoking, I would have accepted you more easily...”

“Hahaha, is that so?”

Grandpa lit his cigarette with a lighter.

He also spat out yellow phlegm into the ashtray (at the time, smoking indoors was considered normal).

‘Wait a minute.’

Reading the ominous signs, I frowned and focused on Grandpa’s fingers.

His fingers, holding the cigarette, were as thick as a pencil.

Clubbing.

A condition where the fingers become thick and straight, often due to poor blood circulation in the extremities.

Clubbing itself is not a disease, but it is an important signal for diagnosing other conditions, most of which are related to lung diseases.

Thinking back, I remembered that my grandfather had died of acute pneumonia while I was serving as a public health doctor.

Clubbing and pneumonia.

Connecting these two keywords, something clicked.

“Grandpa.”

“Yes? What is it?”

“Do you usually have a lot of phlegm?”

“Everyone who smokes does. Nothing special.”

“Do you cough more when lying down?”

“How did you know? You said you want to be a doctor, and you’re already trying to examine me?”

Grandpa puffed the cigarette smoke away from me and chuckled.

He seemed to find me cute, but I was seriously concerned.

-R/O (Rule Out), Bronchiectasis.

I suspected that Grandpa had bronchiectasis.

Clubbing and yellow phlegm.

Coughing more when lying down are characteristic of bronchiectasis.

Bronchiectasis is a condition where the bronchi lose their elasticity and become dilated due to infection or other symptoms.

Surgery is not possible.

It is a permanent condition that one must live with for life.

While it’s not an emergency, it often worsens from a common cold to pneumonia.

Pneumonia, though it may seem trivial, is a terrifying disease.

In 2020, it was the third leading cause of death in South Korea, after cancer and heart disease.

Most cases are complications from other diseases, not standalone pneumonia.

‘Now it all makes sense.’

I stroked my chin.

After a long period of neglect, the bronchiectasis worsened.

Grandpa eventually died of pneumonia.

I had solved the mystery that I couldn’t in my previous life.

If so, it means that I need to manage it from now on.

“Grandpa, do you get health check-ups? Mom and Dad recently had one.”

I subtly brought up the topic.

“I had one last year, and they said there was nothing serious.”

Grandpa answered confidently, but I found it concerning.

Bronchiectasis can be diagnosed through a lung CT scan or sputum test.

A chest X-ray or lung function test, which are part of a health check-up, are not sufficient to diagnose bronchiectasis.

How can I get Grandpa to see a respiratory specialist?

If I were an adult, I would have confronted the issue directly.

I would have pointed out his symptoms and emphasized the need for proper treatment.

But I’m just a primary school student.

Even if I spouted medical knowledge, Grandpa would likely just find me cute.

He wouldn’t believe a primary school student’s words, especially since his recent health check-up showed no issues.

‘I guess this is the best approach.’

I calmly organized my thoughts.

Primary school students are at an age where they can be quite unpredictable, but they are also very adept at influencing and manipulating adults.

Now was the time to use the primary school student’s cheat code.