Chapter 55, Part 1: The Birth of a Fan (5)

Two more people joined the table where Shin Cheol-woo and I were sitting.

They were none other than Nam Chorong and Kwon A-reum.

The two who had entered the bar earlier were wandering around looking for a seat when they spotted us.

While we were exchanging greetings, Shin Cheol-woo strongly suggested they join us, and I was curious about Nam Chorong, whom I hadn't been able to spend time with in my previous life, so we ended up drinking together.

"I thought you'd be tired of alcohol by now? Isn't that the case?"

I asked Nam Chorong.

I asked this because I thought the alcohol she was forced to drink during the Orientation might have left her traumatized.

"Whether in the past or now, I can't drink and I don't like alcohol."

"..."

"However, I do like the atmosphere of drinking parties. I enjoy the lively and bustling feeling."

Nam Chorong answered shyly.

"Actually, I suggested we come to the bar. I drink quite well, you know."

Kwon A-reum, who had been silent, chimed in.

If Nam Chorong was quiet and introverted, Kwon A-reum was straightforward and extroverted.

The two, whose personalities were completely opposite, seemed to go well together.

Just like Shin Cheol-woo and I.

Since this combination of the four of us didn't exist in my previous life, I found it both unfamiliar and intriguing.

As the drinks and snacks were passed around, the conversation flowed warmly.

We talked about life before entering medical school, the Orientation, and our thoughts on school classes, among other things.

We gradually got to know each other by finding common ground.

As we got to know each other, our sense of intimacy also grew.

Perhaps this was the positive function of a drinking party.

There's nothing better than a drinking party for quickly becoming close with others.

"Chorong, can you talk about it?"

Kwon A-reum glanced at Nam Chorong and said.

"What about it?"

"That thing, you know. That thing."

"It might be burdensome for Shin and Cheol-woo to hear."

"Shouldn't they hear it to know? Let's take this opportunity to get some advice."

Kwon A-reum strongly insisted, and Nam Chorong reluctantly nodded.

I sensed that the two had a special story, and it probably wasn't a pleasant one.

'Was there a problem around this time in my previous life?'

I briefly searched my memory, but nothing specific came to mind.

"The story I'm about to tell is something only the two of you should know. Got it?"

"Guaranteed secrecy. We're known for keeping our mouths shut."

Kwon A-reum set the tone, and Shin Cheol-woo confidently replied.

"Chorong, shall I tell them?"

"Sure."

"It's something that started yesterday. You know Lee Min-ho from our department, right? He's been pestering Chorong."

Kwon A-reum added that yesterday, Lee Min-ho had asked for Nam Chorong's phone number and invited her to dinner.

She also mentioned that today, during a break, he had approached Nam Chorong again.

From my perspective, knowing Lee Min-ho's personality, this was certainly unexpected.

"So, what did you do, Chorong?"

"I said no. I didn't give him my phone number and acted indifferent during our conversation."

Nam Chorong continued, answering my question.

"Min-ho seems to be in a bad mood. His eyes, his tone, it feels like he's ignoring people. In short, he's being a real pain."

"You're good at reading people."

Shin Cheol-woo added his opinion.

While the three were talking about Lee Min-ho, I was lost in thought.

In my previous life, Nam Chorong didn't exist at this time.

But in this life, thanks to my efforts, Nam Chorong survived, and as a result, Lee Min-ho started to like her.

This seemed to be the most reasonable explanation for now.

However, I found Lee Min-ho's actions suspicious.

In my previous life, the women Lee Min-ho dated were all very attractive.

Some were models, and some were aspiring actors.

They were all the opposite of Nam Chorong's style.

Knowing this, I found the combination of Lee Min-ho and Nam Chorong awkward and even unsettling.

'Then... could it be?'

The thought that came to mind made me feel as if I had encountered a ghost.

Lee Min-ho thinks I like Nam Chorong.

Why?

Because during the Orientation, I actively drank the alcohol that Nam Chorong was supposed to drink.

So, Lee Min-ho isn't trying to date Nam Chorong because he likes her; he's trying to date her to make me suffer.

It was a story that sounded like a novel, but it seemed plausible.

Especially if we assume that Lee Min-ho dislikes me.

In that case, Lee Min-ho could be considered a villain on a different level from Shim Byung-soo, who used to bother me in high school.

Most importantly, his methods were so subtle that they were hard to detect.

'Is this a preemptive strike already?'

I looked at the table where Lee Min-ho was sitting with a derisive expression.

Coincidentally, Lee Min-ho was also looking at us with a venomous gaze.

* * *

About an hour after entering the bar, a commotion broke out at one of the tables.

Two male students were hurling harsh insults at each other.

The mildest of the insults were "damn" and "f**k," and they even threatened to kill and crush each other's heads, using words that were too vulgar to repeat.

The atmosphere was so hostile that it seemed a fistfight was about to break out, but thanks to the kitchen auntie, the situation was barely calmed down.

"People always fight and cause trouble when they drink. I really hate those kinds of people. Ugh..."

Kwon A-reum shuddered and glanced at the table where the fight had occurred.

"Alcohol isn't to blame. The fault lies with the people. People with terrible personalities tend to reveal their true nature when they drink."

"Then, is the Black Knight suffering from exhibitionism and a lack of affection?"

Shin Cheol-woo's joke made Nam Chorong and Kwon A-reum giggle, covering their mouths.

Even I, who usually control my emotions well, felt my face flush at that moment.

"That story is over. How long does the Black Knight plan to keep this up? Am I a bone to be gnawed on?"

"Of course. You're a bone that will never dry out, even if gnawed on for a lifetime."

"By the way, Shin, I have a question."

Nam Chorong's eyes lit up as she changed the topic.

"What is it?"

"During the Orientation, why did you drink the alcohol that I was supposed to drink?"

"Right, right. I've been really curious about that too."

'It's hard to say outright that if I hadn't drunk the alcohol, you would have died already.'

So, I used a more indirect approach.

"Because you looked so miserable. The seniors in our group were also forcing alcohol more than the other groups."

"Wow! You're a real hero, aren't you?"

"Indeed, the Black Knight of the pre-med department is different from the rest."

Now, even Kwon A-reum joined in teasing me.

Suddenly, I had a headache.

"I'll be right back. I need to use the restroom."

I got up and headed to the restroom on the 1.5th floor of the building.

"..."

"..."

They say you meet your enemy on a narrow bridge, and I met Lee Min-ho right in front of the restroom.

We glared at each other coldly but didn't say much.

After Lee Min-ho passed by, I entered the restroom.

However, the scene inside was brutal and terrifying.

A student, who looked to be around my age, was lying on his back in the center of the restroom floor.

Of course, this wasn't particularly shocking.

It's quite common to see drunk people passed out in restrooms.

The problem was the numerous cuts on the student's abdomen.

There were stab wounds from a sharp weapon, and a kitchen knife was even embedded near his diaphragm.

'Ah...'

I couldn't help but let out a sigh.

Blood was oozing from the student's torn shirt and skin, forming a gruesome pool around him.

Instantly, I felt as if cold water had been poured over me.

Because a student had been brutally stabbed.

And perhaps because the perpetrator could be the very person I had just encountered, Lee Min-ho.

Why did this happen in a bar near the university?

Was there such a horrific incident in my previous life?

If there was, was I the only one who didn't know, drifting alone in the department?

But the shock was only temporary.

"Hello. This is Omega Bar in front of Shinwon University. A student has been stabbed and is lying in the restroom. Please respond quickly."

My instincts and algorithms as a doctor kicked in automatically.

I started by calling 119.

"What... What is this?"

"A person has been stabbed?!"

A few students who had just entered the restroom were shocked by the scene.

"Stay here and don't do anything. Make sure no one else enters."

I returned to the drinking party and asked my friends for help.

I told them that a student had been stabbed and that I couldn't handle it alone.

Then, I dashed to a nearby pharmacy and bought a large amount of bandages, gauze, band-aids, saline solution, and alcohol, and returned to the scene.

With the student suffering from severe abdominal wounds.

At a point where he could lose his life at any moment.

My goal was singular.

To minimize bleeding until the 119 paramedics arrived.

"Ugh, it's so cold."

The student, who I thought was unconscious, shivered and spoke in a dying voice.

"Just hold on a little longer. The 119 paramedics will be here soon. Please."

I took off my coat and wrapped it around the student's legs to prevent further loss of body heat.

"I'll show you what to do, so follow my lead."

"Okay."

"Got it."

I gave instructions to Shin Cheol-woo, Nam Chorong, and Kwon A-reum, who were waiting nearby.

While they followed my instructions, I demonstrated the necessary first aid.

First, I disinfected my hands with alcohol pads.

Then, I placed a generous amount of gauze on the stab wound.

Next, I pressed the gauze firmly with the palm of my hand, using the strength of my upper body.

This was the direct pressure method of hemostasis.

Despite the four of us actively trying to stop the bleeding, the student's condition continued to worsen.

The patient's face turned as pale as a sheet of paper.

His breathing became weaker, and when I checked his carotid artery, his pulse was dropping.

Internal bleeding in the abdomen and organs due to the stab wounds.

Hypovolemic shock was the most likely cause.

The worse the patient's condition became, the more my spine tingled.

"Shin, the gauze is already soaked with blood. Should we remove it and use new gauze?"

"Can we check if the bleeding has stopped?"

Nam Chorong and Shin Cheol-woo asked simultaneously.

"Neither. Absolutely not!"

I shook my head firmly.

When stopping bleeding, you should never remove the gauze that initially covered the wound for any reason.

If you remove the gauze, the clotted blood that has formed with it may fall out, causing rebleeding.

"Instead of checking, if the gauze is too soaked, place new gauze on top of the existing one to stop the bleeding."

"Got it."

"My throat is so dry. Can... can I have some water?"

The student, who was lying on the floor, spoke in a dying voice.

His words stabbed my heart like a dagger, but I had to refuse his request.

"I'm sorry, but you have to hold on. You'll need to be put under general anesthesia and undergo surgery as soon as you're transported to the hospital."

"..."

"Drinking water could cause problems with the general anesthesia."

"Ugh..."

A life fading away helplessly.

The smell of blood spreading in the restroom.

Students who had heard the news and rushed to the restroom.

The restroom and its surroundings were now as chaotic and noisy as a market.

"Shin, shouldn't we remove this?"

Kwon A-reum sought my opinion.

Her gaze was on the kitchen knife embedded in the student's chest.

I naturally answered that it shouldn't be removed.

While it might seem that the knife is worsening the injury, it is actually helping to stop the bleeding.

I called a nearby student who was directly applying pressure to the LUQ (Left Upper Quadrant of the abdomen) and asked him to continue.

With my hands free, I held a stretch bandage.

There was one more procedure I could and had to perform.