Chapter 60, Part 2: The Crossroads of Choice (5)

After finishing Yang Sun-jae's special class, I walked around the campus.

By then, the sun had set, and the sky was dark.

As the buildings around me gradually lost their lights, only the library stood out, radiating a beacon-like brightness.

There were many students walking around the campus, not just me.

Most of them were seniors preparing for employment or students living in the dormitories.

Walking through the campus, which had a more subdued and lonely atmosphere compared to the daytime, I reflected on the past.

Indeed, my college life in this life was a complete 180-degree turn from my previous life.

Entering as the top student.

The medical skills I displayed during the traffic accident at the orientation.

The nickname "Black Knight" I earned by drinking instead of Nam Chorong.

The emergency treatment I provided during the stabbing incident at the bar, and so on.

My presence at school was overwhelming.

To be honest, there might be people who didn't know me, but there was no one who didn't know of me.

And that's not all.

I was even receiving one-on-one instruction from Yang Sun-jae, a master in the fields of lung and esophagus, proving my medical genius.

If I followed his teachings diligently,

I would likely possess the knowledge of a fellow in thoracic surgery, specifically in the lung and esophagus fields, even before graduating from medical school.

Choosing Yang Sun-jae as my mentor was, in hindsight, a stroke of genius.

Yang Sun-jae immediately recognized that I was no ordinary student.

He didn't dismiss my remarks, which sounded very arrogant and self-proclaimed genius, but personally tested me.

His suggestion for me to go to the U.S. for my future and the high-quality education he provided exceeded my expectations.

'Everything has been going smoothly so far...'

Receiving everyone's attention and saving the people I had left behind in my previous life.

Saving the lives of people I didn't know at the bar, and so on.

So far, everything had been going smoothly, but there was one thing that bothered me.

It was Lee Min-ho.

In my previous life, I wasn't enemies with Lee Min-ho.

I didn't even know he was a psychopath.

The fact that Lee Min-ho, a psychopath with a strong background, was my enemy was quite uncomfortable.

However, it was impossible to live without any hardships or conflicts.

Compared to what I had done, becoming enemies with Lee Min-ho was a relatively minor reaction.

-Submit your motto by next week.

"Why a motto all of a sudden..."

-To survive as a surgeon, you need a phrase that can steady you when you waver.

"..."

-By the way, if you send a motto that doesn't please me, you'll be rejected, so think carefully before sending it.

Suddenly, I remembered the homework Yang Sun-jae gave me at the end of the class.

Yang Sun-jae's homework was as unconventional as his teaching style.

What kind of professor would assign a homework to submit a motto?

Of course, I liked his unique teaching style.

-Everything is for the patients.

-Giving up is a choice, not a destiny.

-Don't lose your初心 (initial heart).

-If you don't live as you think, you will think as you live, and so on.

Several sentences kept appearing and disappearing in my mind.

Then I realized something.

In my previous life, I didn't have a personal motto to support me.

If I had such a motto, I would have been able to stand up even after being used and betrayed by Kang Tae-sub.

Was that why...

I liked Professor Yang Sun-jae's class more and more.

With Professor Yang Sun-jae, I felt I could become not just a knowledgeable but also a mature Seo Jeon.

Beep.

Beep.

My phone suddenly vibrated.

Checking the number, it was Shin Cheol-woo.

"Hey, what's up?"

-I'm hurt. Do we only contact each other when something happens?

"Don't talk nonsense. What do you need?"

-Heartless guy, are you still at school? I'm with Chorong and A-reum. If you haven't had dinner, come to Aunt's restaurant. Let's have dinner together.

"Sure, I'll come."

I ended the call and headed to the restaurant where the three were.

Aunt's restaurant was a place where you could enjoy a Korean buffet for 4,000 won, a very cost-effective place.

It was also a place I often visited in my previous life.

"You guys haven't gone home yet?"

I asked as I sat down at the table where the three were seated.

"Looking into clubs to join. It would be a waste not to experience club life in college, right?"

"Right. Everyone says you should join a club before entering your major."

Kwon A-reum and Shin Cheol-woo said, and Nam Chorong nodded.

"So, did you join any?"

"I joined the basketball club, and Chorong and A-reum joined the reading club. You should join a club too."

"Club, huh..."

I stroked my chin.

In my previous life, I didn't participate in any club activities.

Back then, I was too busy tutoring to earn tuition.

Thanks to that, I barely maintained friendships with the few friends I worked on group projects with.

But I couldn't follow the same path in this life.

Depending on one's values, opinions may differ, but joining a medical school club is very important.

It's because you meet seniors who might work with you in the same hospital for the rest of your life through the club.

School connections, hometown connections, and family connections.

Although they are bad habits, they are powerful forces that dominate Korean society.

Therefore, I couldn't avoid club activities.

I had to use these forces justly.

"Do you have any club promotional pamphlets? Can I have them?"

"Thanks, but I'll pass. I've already decided on one."

I politely declined the pamphlet Nam Chorong offered.

"You pretended to have no interest in clubs when we were together... but you've already decided on one?"

"..."

"That's why they say a well-behaved cat climbs the stove first. Where are you going?"

Shin Cheol-woo asked curiously, and Nam Chorong and Kwon A-reum also looked at me.

"I'm joining Shim Bongsa."

* * *

In the basement of the Shinwon University Medical School building.

This was where the club rooms of the medical school-affiliated clubs were concentrated.

"Hello."

As I walked down the hallway, I bowed to everyone I met.

Most of the people I met here were my seniors.

"Hey, you're Seo Jeon, right? You're already famous?"

"Are you here to join a club? Want to join ours?"

Sure enough, most of the people I greeted were seniors.

Surprisingly, they already knew my name and face.

In this life, my presence was that special.

And the fact that others recognized me surprisingly made me happy.

After barely shaking off the seniors' greetings and club invitations, I stood in front of the club room at the end of the hallway.

The words "Shim Bongsa" on the door caught my attention.

The "Shim" in Shim Bongsa means "heart" (心), and it was a volunteer club dedicated to serving with the heart.

So, the club I chose to join in this reincarnation was a volunteer club.

There were two main reasons why I chose Shim Bongsa among many clubs.

One was that there was someone I wanted to build connections with in Shim Bongsa.

The second was that this person would soon face misfortune.

Preventing this misfortune and building a connection with this person would be one of my most important tasks for the time being.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

After knocking, a voice told me to come in.

Without hesitation, I entered the club room.

The space, about 10 pyeong, looked cramped and cluttered. Cabinets, sofas, a mini-fridge, a computer desk, and bookshelves were haphazardly arranged.

"Who's this? Aren't you the top student and the rock ballad singer?"

A male student who was lying on the sofa and fiddling with his phone jumped up when he saw me.

'Ah... This guy is in the volunteer club. I forgot that.'

The moment I saw the second-year senior, Seo Young-cheol, I frowned.

Memories of my previous life came flooding back, and unpleasant emotions began to rise.

Seo Young-cheol was the main culprit who made me a failed intern in my previous life.

Seo Young-cheol, a first-year resident with poor surgical skills at the time, had entrusted me with a lumbar puncture.

As an intern who hadn't received proper training, I naturally failed the lumbar puncture.

Fortunately, a second-year resident managed to fix the situation, but I ended up being the bad guy.

It was all because of Seo Young-cheol's cunning tongue.

The rumor spread that I had attempted a lumbar puncture on my own and failed.

Even though I was falsely accused, I was labeled with a strange stigma after that.

A guy who treats seniors worse than dog treats.

A guy who thinks patients are a joke.

A guy who is arrogant and thinks he's better than everyone else.

Seo Young-cheol, a sociable and eloquent person, spread these rumors around the hospital.

Even if I told the truth, no one would believe me, so I had to accept the lies as the truth.

My improving social anxiety also relapsed rapidly around that time.

I was seized by the urge to punch Seo Young-cheol's mouth and the mole next to it.

The shock of being betrayed by Kang Tae-sub was so great that it had been buried.

Seo Young-cheol was also one of the people who had plunged my life into darkness.

'Maybe this is for the best... I'll repay the debt from my previous life properly this time.'

I vowed revenge in my heart.

"Hey, why are you looking at me so scary?"

Seo Young-cheol tilted his head, meeting my gaze.

"Sorry, my eyes are a bit dry."

"Che. Did you come to join our club?"

"Yes."

"Sit down. The club president will be here soon. This is a freebie~."

Seo Young-cheol, pretending to be friendly, handed me a drink from the fridge.

I took the drink but didn't drink it.

I didn't want to drink a drink given by Seo Young-cheol.

While waiting for the club president, I had a conversation with Seo Young-cheol.

True to his natural eloquence, Seo Young-cheol easily carried on a conversation with me, a stranger.

However, all his words felt repulsive to me.

Seo Young-cheol's smooth talk could turn into a venomous sting at any moment.

After some time,

The club room door opened, and a tall male student entered.

Clear and sharp features.

A fashion sense that caught the eye.

A person who looked cheerful and full of energy no matter who saw them.

The club president of Shim Bongsa and the person I wanted to build connections with.

The person I wanted to prevent from facing misfortune.

An Tae-hwan finally appeared.

"Ah~! President, you're here?"

Seo Young-cheol stood up, bowed, and made a flattery.

Was Seo Young-cheol in his previous life a eunuch or a courtier?

"Hello, President."

I also bowed slightly to An Tae-hwan.

"Are you the famous first-year student, Seo Jeon? I've heard a lot about you. I heard you even treated a patient who was stabbed at a bar recently."

"..."

"Oh, right, I'm An Tae-hwan, a first-year student in the medical school and the club president. Nice to meet you."

An Tae-hwan approached me and extended his hand for a handshake.

His grip and the strength with which he shook my hand were impressive.

It seemed he was quite sociable, knowing about the bar incident already.

"Are you joining our club?"

"Yes."

"There are many interesting clubs, so why ours?"

"I've always been interested in volunteer activities."

"So, you're the type who finds joy in uninteresting things?"

An Tae-hwan made a joke and chuckled.

"Fill out the application form and start activities next week. You're guaranteed to be accepted."

I was pleased with An Tae-hwan's straightforward and clear response, which matched his appearance.

I hope I can also resolve the misfortune that will soon befall An Tae-hwan as smoothly as this.