Chapter 68

Chapter 4: One Step Further (3)

Professor Yang Sun-jae's laboratory.

I was receiving individual instruction, which was hard to come by even with money.

It was an extraordinary situation for a seasoned clinical professor to take out his personal time to teach just one medical student.

And there was another extraordinary existence besides Yang Sun-jae...

It was me.

Despite being just a medical student, I was learning the esophageal part of the fellowship program from Yang Sun-jae.

Moreover, I understood the content sufficiently.

The meeting of two extraordinary beings.

The synergy that Professor Yang Sun-jae and I would create in the future would be immense.

"Up to this point, we've reviewed last week's content. From today, let's start studying lung cancer."

"Already lung cancer?"

"The start may be quick, but the end will be slow. Strictly speaking, even if you focus on lung cancer alone for your entire life, conquering it is impossible."

I nodded in agreement with Yang Sun-jae's words.

Lung cancer was the most common disease in esophageal surgery.

Depending on the statistics and the time they were compiled, cancer is usually the leading cause of death in South Korea.

Among them, lung cancer holds a special significance.

Third or fourth in cancer incidence.

First in cancer mortality.

Lung cancer has consistently ranked at the top in various cancer statistics, but in a bad way.

Like the liver, the lungs are also a silent organ, but the lungs are even more so.

While liver cancer can present with jaundice and ascites, which are somewhat clear symptoms,

Lung cancer patients often do not feel any noticeable symptoms until it progresses to stages 3 or 4.

Difficulty breathing, chest pain, coughing.

The symptoms that might suggest lung cancer are too common.

The three mentioned above can be symptoms of a common cold.

'Is he doing his fellowship now?'

I bitterly smiled, thinking of my mentor, Professor Seo, who died of lung cancer in the distant future.

According to rumors, Professor Seo was a heavy smoker.

There were even exaggerated rumors that he carried cigarettes in his mouth like candy.

In any case, after being betrayed by Kang Tae-sub, Professor Seo fell apart.

While I worked at a branch (local sub-campus), Professor Seo reportedly left Shinwon University and went into seclusion.

Later, I heard through the grapevine.

The shocking news that Professor Seo was admitted to another university hospital with stage 4 lung cancer.

When I visited his hospital room, Professor Seo had become more emaciated than a twig.

- "We both got played by Kang Tae-sub and ended up in a ridiculous situation, didn't we? Isn't that so?"

The image of Professor Seo, weakly smiling, was still vivid in my mind.

Professor Seo, who refused chemotherapy and life support, passed away three months after being diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer.

I wept bitterly, late in the game.

Betrayed by Kang Tae-sub and losing my mentor so tragically.

Feeling desolate and alone, with no one to rely on.

While driving on the highway and being hit by a truck.

That day, I had actually visited Professor Seo's funeral and was returning to the local sub-campus.

'Probably something like that.'

Perhaps my dedication to the esophageal part was also due to Professor Seo.

While preventing Professor Seo from getting lung cancer would be the best, I wanted to save him with my own hands if he were to get it.

"Do you have something on your mind, Eunbi? Do you think lung cancer surgery is easy?"

Yang Sun-jae scolded me with a loud voice.

Even if I had ten mouths, there was nothing I could say.

No matter how many connections I had with lung cancer in my past life, I was currently in the middle of a class.

"I'm sorry. I'll focus."

"Imagine you're in the operating room and you were distracted during surgery. The patient could have died because you lost your concentration just now."

"..."

"And you wouldn't want to make the time I'm investing in you meaningless, would you?"

Yang Sun-jae's gaze was as sharp as a scalpel.

He wasn't called a mad tiger among his seniors for nothing.

"No."

"Go wash your face and come back quickly."

"Yes, Professor."

I left the laboratory and washed my face with cold water in a nearby restroom.

My consciousness, which had been lax due to the memories and sentiments of my past life, became taut again.

Right.

To correct the past life that was stained with regret and lament, I need to pull myself together.

With a clear mind, I returned to the laboratory and focused on the class.

* * *

The outline of the two-hour lung cancer surgery lecture finally concluded.

Yang Sun-jae promised to assign me a thorough reading of papers and a report assignment starting tomorrow.

After confirming my abilities several times, he no longer treated me like a medical student.

He treated me like a specialist, using professional medical terms freely.

It was more convenient for me, though.

'But he's really pushing hard.'

After the class, I was completely drained.

Yang Sun-jae's class was passionate, and there was not a single bit of the lecture content that could be discarded.

To keep up with the class, I had to pour all my energy into it.

He seemed to be advancing the course quickly and deeply, thinking I was a genius.

I might as well say I was paying the price for pretending to be a genius.

"Eunbi, are you tired?"

Yang Sun-jae's face finally relaxed after the class.

Yang Sun-jae was a completely different person during and after the lecture.

"No matter how tired I am, I can't be as tired as you, Professor. It's probably like a new pair of shoes, right?"

"..."

"You've worked hard, Professor."

"You're a smart one, kid."

We smiled at each other.

"Didn't you say you had the afternoon off?"

"Yes."

"Then let's go somewhere for a bit. Follow me."

I followed Yang Sun-jae to the underground parking lot, sat in the passenger seat of his car, and left the university.

It was the end of winter and the beginning of spring.

The sunlight was warm, and cherry blossoms were blooming in pink along the roadsides.

My life, which had been reset, was probably at the beginning of spring.

"May I ask where we're going?"

I asked cautiously.

This was the first time I had gone outside the university with Yang Sun-jae alone.

I was curious about the unusual schedule.

"What do you think?"

"Since it's lunchtime, are you taking me to a restaurant?"

"Half right. The final destination is Yangwon Hospital."

"Why are we going to a hospital..."

I tilted my head, trailing off.

Was there something wrong with Yang Sun-jae's health?

"It's not what you think, so don't worry. It's a kind of surprise, so you can look forward to it."

Yang Sun-jae's answer was meaningful.

After a 30-minute drive, we arrived at Yangwon Hospital, a 200-bed general hospital located in Yeongdeungpo District.

Before entering the hospital, I had lunch with Yang Sun-jae.

We ate at a rib restaurant near the hospital.

Sizzling ribs were placed on a hot grill.

Sizzle.

As the ribs cooked, they made a sound similar to an electric cauterizer, and white smoke rose as if from cauterized tissue.

The process of grilling ribs reminded me of surgery; I was a surgeon to the core.

"Make sure to eat well now. A thoracic surgeon is busy even after becoming a specialist and a professor. You might only get to eat ribs a few times a year."

"Then, Professor, can I eat two at a time?"

Yang Sun-jae chuckled at my joke.

"Sure, go ahead."

We continued a casual conversation over lunch.

The retired old teacher said he was learning a lot from teaching me.

"You might not know, but I'm actually studying harder to teach you, a genius."

"..."

"It's not just that. I sometimes wonder if I retired too early. Lately, I've had the urge to go back into the operating room and perform surgery again."

"Why did you retire so early, Professor?"

Taking advantage of the relaxed atmosphere, I asked a question I usually wouldn't.

A surgeon's skills are known to peak in their 40s.

Unfortunately, it's all downhill after that.

Unlike internal medicine, physical fitness is crucial in surgery.

The stamina to endure long surgeries.

The concentration to catch even minor mistakes.

While an internist's knowledge ripens over time, a surgeon's skills gradually decline due to the decline in physical fitness.

Even so, Yang Sun-jae's retirement was a bit early.

He was in his early 50s and in good physical condition.

Considering that some surgeons continue to operate well into their 60s, Yang Sun-jae's retirement was definitely premature.

"Looking back now..."

Yang Sun-jae paused before continuing.

"Maybe I was afraid. Afraid that my skills were gradually declining. Afraid that my surgeries might no longer be perfect."

"If you say that, other professors might be disappointed. You are, after all, a renowned expert in the esophageal part..."

"True, from their perspective, it might sound like a complaint from a full stomach."

The impression I had of Yang Sun-jae during classes began to take a more concrete form through today's conversation.

He was a perfectionist.

So, he couldn't tolerate an imperfect self.

'If I do well, I might be able to create a good picture.'

I was filled with hopeful dreams.

If Yang Sun-jae had the intention to return, and if he really did, I would gain a solid ally.

Even if I made decisions beyond my level, Yang Sun-jae would have my back.

He could also fill the shortage of staff in the thoracic surgery department at Shinwon University.

If he returned around the time I started my internship, after I completed my fellowship with him, it would probably create the optimal situation.

Should I start exercising the political influence I've been building since I was a child?

"Many people were disappointed that you retired early."

"Of course, many were. It's not easy to find someone with my experience."

"Actually, I'm one of those people."

"Huh, why did you think that, Eunbi?"

Yang Sun-jae blinked in surprise.

"While listening to your lectures, I often imagined this. How great it would be to enter the same operating room as you when I become a resident."

"..."

"Seeing and assisting in your surgeries would be a great honor."

"Well, well, you too."

Yang Sun-jae looked embarrassed but also satisfied.

His expression clearly showed that he had regrets about retiring.

"I'm not joking. I'm serious."

"Alright, I'll think about the return carefully. The meat is getting cold."

"Yes, Professor."

After finishing three servings of ribs, we left the restaurant and headed to the controversial Yangwon Hospital.

Why did Yang Sun-jae take the time to visit this general hospital with me?

I'll find out the reason soon.