Chapter 54, Part 1: The Birth of a Fan (4)

"I know my words will sound shocking and out of the blue to you. After all, I’m telling you to leave school and go to America just one day after you started attending."

Yang Sun-jae paused, giving Lee Min-seum time to think.

But his proposal was sincere.

The moment he saw Lee Min-seum’s answers on the test paper, Yang Sun-jae felt as if he had been struck by lightning.

A newly admitted student, fresh out of orientation, solving medical licensing exam questions, and even thoracic surgery specialist questions, flawlessly?

Without a single wrong answer?

This was an impossible feat by any standard.

Lee Min-seum clearly was a genius, and "genius" was the only word that could describe him.

To calm his shock, Yang Sun-jae took a sip of coffee.

"......"

After receiving the proposal to go to America, Lee Min-seum remained silent for a long time.

He had a lot to think about.

Leaving his foundation behind and practicing medicine in a foreign country was not an easy choice.

Still, Yang Sun-jae strongly wished for Lee Min-seum to grow in America.

Korea was not a country for geniuses.

It was a place where outstanding individuals were held back, a country where a protruding rock gets hammered down.

While the sense of community derived from Confucian values was undoubtedly powerful, it also had the drawback of pulling exceptional individuals down to the average.

"During your deliberation, I will explain in detail why you should go to America."

"Yes, Professor."

"First, the treatment of thoracic surgeons in the U.S. is different. In Korea, there are few applicants for thoracic surgery, and the pay is low, but in the U.S., it’s the opposite."

"......"

"There’s a long line of doctors who want to go into thoracic surgery. The good working environment and compensation will definitely be a great asset to you."

The average annual salary for a thoracic surgeon in Korea is about 100 million won, while in the U.S., it’s about 400 million won, Yang Sun-jae added.

Furthermore, the U.S. does not have the barbaric culture of 100-day on-call shifts, and the surgery schedule is more relaxed.

The second reason Lee Min-seum should go to America, according to Yang Sun-jae, was the culture of medicine in Korea.

"Min-seum, your knowledge is already on par with that of resident doctors. But do you think those seniors will understand you? I doubt it will ever happen."

"......"

"In the Korean culture of seniority and hierarchy, you won’t be able to fully utilize your abilities. This is a significant problem."

Lee Min-seum remained silent.

Yang Sun-jae couldn’t tell if he was displeased with the proposal to go to America or if there was another reason for his hesitation.

"Is it because of the language? Are you worried about communication?"

"No, I’ve been consistently studying English. I can converse fluently with locals."

Lee Min-seum finally answered firmly.

It was a welcome response.

With his English skills, there was no reason to hesitate about going to America.

"Min-seum, you might think I’m speaking too easily about this because it’s not my own matter."

"I don’t think that at all. I’m grateful for your concern for me."

"Thank you for saying that."

Yang Sun-jae paused before continuing.

"I’m saying this because I can clearly see how much you will suffer if you stay in Korea and pursue thoracic surgery."

"......"

"Isn’t it right to take the easier and better path if it’s available? Take your time to think about it and let me know your decision. If you choose to go to America, I will support you in every way possible."

"Thank you, Professor. I appreciate your words."

After Lee Min-seum left, Yang Sun-jae picked up the test paper again.

No matter how many times he looked, there were no wrong answers.

Indeed, Lee Min-seum was a genius.

* * *

During the afternoon class, I had a lot on my mind.

Yang Sun-jae’s proposal to go to America had shaken me.

The idea of going to America.

To be honest, it wasn’t something I hadn’t considered at all.

Yang Sun-jae had no idea, but I was already a seasoned thoracic surgeon who had dedicated my youth to the field.

I knew all too well how painful it was to practice thoracic surgery in Korea.

Compared to Korea, life as a thoracic surgeon in America would undoubtedly be like heaven.

There would be some difficulties with racial discrimination and cultural adaptation, but still.

Why, then, did my feet hesitate to take the relatively easier path?

What was holding me back, without my even realizing it?

After the afternoon class, I went straight home.

I rudely declined Shin Cheol-woo’s invitation to have a drink.

As I entered the front door, my father, mother, and Saerang greeted me warmly.

"Is it our eldest son?"

"Since it’s your first day, why didn’t you go out and play with your friends?"

"Brother, hello."

From the warm and loving greetings of my family, I realized something.

The reason I couldn’t easily choose to go to America was because of my family.

I wanted to protect my family in this chaotic and dangerous world.

Of course, unlike in my previous life, our family was well-off and comfortable.

My leaving for America wouldn’t suddenly cause them to fall apart.

Still, the thought of being away from my family for a long time filled me with fear and worry.

After all, my happiness was rooted in my family.

"I’m a bit tired today. I’ll rest in my room before dinner."

I went to my room and lay down on the bed.

Using the white ceiling as a canvas, I pondered my future.

Should I just boldly go to America now?

Or should I build my skills step by step in Korea?

My heart wavered between the two options every second.

* * *

Yang Sun-jae’s unexpected proposal to go to America.

I decided to take four days to make my decision.

I knew that the more important a choice, the better it was to delay it.

Because over time, my heart would naturally incline towards the path I should take.

"Face the problems and live the present. Then, one day in the distant future, you will live with the answer you didn’t even know you had."

This was a famous quote by my favorite poet, Rilke.

So, I decided to follow this quote, just as I did in my previous life.

"Black Knight, you’re not planning to leave me alone again today, are you?"

After the afternoon general education class, Shin Cheol-woo playfully nudged my side.

"Let’s have a drink near the school. Did the OT leave you with any trauma about alcohol?"

"What trauma? No, I’m fine."

"Then let’s go to a bar right away. I’ve found a good place."

Shin Cheol-woo and I left the campus and headed to a nearby bar.

It was already dark by 6 PM, and students who had finished their classes were milling around the school area.

The vitality of youth was overflowing everywhere.

'What was my life like in the pre-med program in my previous life?'

While walking to the bar, I recalled my past memories.

It seemed I lived a lonely life until I made friends through group projects.

In my previous life, I was shy, had little presence, and was an outsider who exuded a gloomy atmosphere.

'Fortunately, nothing major happened.'

After reviewing my memories, I sighed in relief.

The significant events I knew about had already happened during the OT.

The traffic accident on a rainy road and Nam Chorong’s death.

There didn’t seem to be any urgent events coming up.

If any unexpected events occurred that I didn’t remember or know about, I could handle them with my quick reflexes.

"Hey, you’ve been acting strange since yesterday afternoon. Is there something bothering you?"

"If I tell you, it’s a long story. Can you handle it?"

"Don’t underestimate me. I’m not afraid of anything except motion sickness."

Shin Cheol-woo’s joke made me chuckle.

The bar we arrived at was bustling with students.

The sound of clinking glasses and loud voices echoed from every table.

The faces of students who had started drinking early were already flushed red.

"......"

"......"

As I looked for an empty seat, my eyes met a group sitting at one table.

It was Lee Min-ho and his gang.

The looks they gave me and the looks I gave them were far from friendly.

There was an unspoken tension between us.

"Hey, what’s up? You’re going to take my seat?"

"I know."

I ended the silent confrontation with Lee Min-ho’s gang and claimed an empty seat.

After ordering chicken stew and soju, I told Shin Cheol-woo about my conversation with Yang Sun-jae.

"So, you’ve already caught the eye of Professor Yang and received a proposal to go to America? Wow... I’ve never seen a monster like you."

"Don’t call a normal person a monster. I have one brain and one heart, too."

"Just a comment, and you take it so seriously. Let’s drink."

I clinked glasses with Shin Cheol-woo and downed the soju in one go.

"What would you do if you were me?"

I asked for Shin Cheol-woo’s opinion.

Although he was a bit eccentric, his input might help me make a decision.

After all, a four-dimensional being is a higher dimension than a three-dimensional one.

"Hard to say, it’s a matter of values. There are values you can gain by going to America and values you can gain by staying in Korea."

"......"

"You will definitely choose the one you believe is more valuable."

"Values... I didn’t expect such a serious word to come out of your mouth?"

"It’s a serious matter since it concerns your future."

Shin Cheol-woo and I poured more soju and drank again.

"I think this decision will solidify your values. The more important and decisive the choice, the more clearly your values will be revealed."

Shin Cheol-woo’s approach was indeed interesting.

The idea that humans don’t just make choices but choose the values embedded in those choices.

So, what value do I want from going to America?

And what value do I want from staying in Korea?

Understanding these two values seemed most important.

"I haven’t heard your answer yet. What would you do if you were me?"

"If you want my answer... I would definitely stay in Korea. And even after graduating from medical school and becoming a doctor, I would still be your drinking buddy."

"Damn, you’re a bad guy. You’re telling me to stay in Korea and be your drinking buddy?"

"Isn’t it the pot calling the kettle black? You asked for my honest answer, and I gave it to you."

"Honest, but too honest. From now on, can you at least lie a little?"

Shin Cheol-woo and I burst into laughter.

Shin Cheol-woo.

Despite his eccentricity, he was a cheerful and surprisingly thoughtful guy.

Choosing him over Lee Min-ho was definitely the right decision.

If I had befriended Shin Cheol-woo earlier in my previous life, I might have had a more enjoyable college life.

But in my previous life, I had only seen Shin Cheol-woo as a weirdo and kept my distance.

That, too, was a result of my choices.

Perhaps, as Shin Cheol-woo said, a person is the result of the choices they have made and the values hidden within those choices.

"Hey, look behind you. It seems someone is looking for you."

Shin Cheol-woo pointed his finger behind me.