Chapter 69, Part 4: One Step Further (4)

Yang Sun-jae stopped in front of an office door at the end of the third-floor corridor.

Surprisingly, his confident steps led him to the office of the hospital director of Yangwon Hospital.

It seemed that Yang Sun-jae was on good terms with the hospital director.

How this relationship would connect to me was still unknown.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Can I come in?"

"Of course."

Yang Sun-jae and I entered the office, where an elderly man sat at the desk.

The nameplate read: Director Min Dong-geun.

If Yang Sun-jae, with his graying hair and calm demeanor, gave off a certain vibe,

then Min Dong-geun, with his sturdy build and playful aura, was quite different.

Yang Sun-jae reminded me of Shin Cheol-woo.

"Is the student next to you the one you've been talking about, Eum-in?"

"Yes, that's right. What do you think of him in person?"

"Hmm... I can read faces a bit. This student is..."

Min Dong-geun stood up and approached me, staring intently at my face.

His gaze was so direct that I felt a bit uncomfortable.

"A typical hard worker who often reflects and regrets. What do you think of yourself?"

"It seems quite similar to what you said. You're like a fortune teller."

In my past life, I was indeed a hard worker.

Now, due to the regression, I'm acting like a genius, but I've always grown by investing time and effort.

It wasn't just that.

The achievements I couldn't reach.

The family and patients I couldn't protect.

The colleagues I couldn't connect with.

Thinking about these things often made me feel painful.

Does Min Dong-geun have some kind of supernatural ability?

"See, I told you I can read faces, right?"

Min Dong-geun looked pleased like a child when his guess was right.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. You know one thing but not two. Do you know how well our Eum-in can handle social situations?"

"..."

"In a situation like this, you're not the type to admit you're wrong. If you're so confident in your face reading, why don't you open a fortune-telling shop?"

"Being picky... Sometimes it's better to just let things go."

Min Dong-geun clicked his tongue and extended his hand to me.

"Let me introduce myself properly. My name is Min Dong-geun, and thanks to my parents, I inherited this hospital. I'm a university classmate of your mentor."

"It's an honor to meet you. I'm Eum-in."

"Nice to meet you too."

As we shook hands, the grip from Min Dong-geun was incredibly strong.

Even though he didn't seem to have any intention of intimidating me, I could feel a heavy and rough strength.

'This man is also a surgeon.'

Through the handshake, I quickly realized that Min Dong-geun was also a surgeon.

The occasional burn marks on his hands were likely from the electrocautery device.

The occasional cuts were probably from the scalpel or needle holder.

The dry and cracked skin was likely from the surgical scrub.

A person's life experiences leave marks on their body in some way or another.

"Shall we sit down and talk in detail?"

"Yes, Director."

Yang Sun-jae and I sat down, and Min Dong-geun sat opposite us.

After the somewhat chaotic first meeting, I finally learned why I was at the hospital.

Yang Sun-jae seemed to want to train me intensively.

He had asked his friend who runs the hospital to lend him the entire operating room for practice.

I was quite surprised by Yang Sun-jae's boldness.

I thought I would only be writing papers or case studies until graduation.

I never dreamed I would be entering the operating room as a first-year medical student.

Regardless, the fact that I could already enter the operating room made my heart swell.

As a thoracic surgeon, the operating room was where I shone the most.

"Your expression isn't very good. Is the practice too early and overwhelming?"

Yang Sun-jae asked, noticing my stern expression.

"No, I actually like the practice. Surgery isn't done with papers or in your head; it's done with your hands in the field."

"Good answer. That's why I like you."

Yang Sun-jae laughed heartily.

"Today, I'll show you the basic process of surgery and the tools used during the operation."

"Yes, Professor."

"But Sun-jae, isn't the training a bit too fast? I've heard so much about this guy being a genius."

Min Dong-geun looked skeptical.

"Teaching a fellow course for thoracic surgery at 20 and now doing surgical practice?"

"..."

"Do you have any plans to recruit this guy?"

"Don't think of Eum-in as a dullard like you or me. If you're curious, you can observe the practice."

"I was planning to do that anyway. Since you're borrowing the operating room, I can at least pay for it."

"Of course."

I answered Min Dong-geun's question confidently.

If I had proven my genius with medical knowledge so far,

today was the time to show my exceptional surgical skills.

As a surgeon, I've always been good with my hands, even in my past life.

The psychological pressure.

The stress-induced tremors from the bullying by seniors.

These were the only reasons I couldn't perform at my best.

In this life, where I'm thriving as a genius, I won't face the same dark period as before.

I will show my full potential.

I will absorb all of Yang Sun-jae's surgical skills.

To the point where Yang Sun-jae will desperately want to return to his active career.

With this goal in mind, I listened to Yang Sun-jae and Min Dong-geun's conversation while lightly stretching my hands.

My hands were already itching.

* * *

Like a surgeon and an assistant entering the operating room, Yang Sun-jae and I entered the operating room.

Swish. Swish. Swish.

Before entering, we disinfected our hands and forearms with a Betadine-soaked brush,

put on surgical scrubs and gowns,

surgical masks and caps,

surgical gloves, and even loupes (magnifying glasses) at Yang Sun-jae's insistence.

Yang Sun-jae wanted me to experience the operating room fully, not just taste it.

Watching his thorough and stubborn approach, I realized two things.

Yang Sun-jae is indeed an unstoppable perfectionist.

It's not surprising that his perfectionism led to his early retirement.

And one more thing.

The fact that I caught Yang Sun-jae's eye and received his training is a miracle, even if I am a genius.

Who would teach a first-year medical student a fellow course?

Who would invest their precious time and even offer surgical practice like today?

Probably not even in the United States.

―Choosing not to go to the U.S. was indeed a stroke of genius.―

In other words, Yang Sun-jae is like another parent to me.

I believed there was only one way to repay such a person.

To grow rapidly by fully demonstrating my skills.

Seeing such growth would surely make Yang Sun-jae proud.

I planned to show all my abilities today.

Whirr.

The operating room door opened and closed.

I shook off my distractions and returned to reality.

Whoosh.

The white steam from the ceiling washed over me.

This was the air shower, a disinfection step.

Only after the air shower could I enter the operating room, a place I could only enter in my past life.

The cool air brushing against my skin.

The pungent smell of disinfectant.

The bright light from the operating lamp, like a full moon.

All these were things I had missed.

"Come this way."

"Yes, Professor."

Yang Sun-jae stood next to the operating table, and I stood next to him.

My position was that of the second assistant.

The first assistant stands opposite the surgeon and assists them.

Swish.

As Yang Sun-jae lifted the white drape, a cadaver (practice body) emitting a formaldehyde smell lay on the operating table.

"Thanks to Dong-geun, I often conduct research here. This is the fifth cadaver, and as you can see, it's clean."

"..."

"It's prepared for you."

"Thank you, Professor. I'll work hard."

I was moved.

After regressing, I had helped many people, but this was the first time I received such touching help.

Did the people I helped feel the same way I do now?

"Many people mock what a single person can do, but that's far from the truth."

Yang Sun-jae's eyes, visible above his mask, were serious.

"Even if we can save just one life, we've justified our existence."

"..."

"That's why you must know when to let go of the desire to save many people. Focus all your efforts on the one person in front of you. Understand?"

"Yes, Professor."

"Today, I'll show you the basic surgical process and how to use the tools."

"I have something to say before the training begins..."

"Go ahead."

"I don't need an explanation of the instruments. I've already memorized them."

"..."

"To be honest, I think I can perform a simple surgery right now."

I answered confidently and looked at Yang Sun-jae.

Although I couldn't see his expression behind the mask,

his eyes showed a hint of perplexity.

"This is a clamp. It's used to stop bleeding by clamping organs and blood vessels."

"..."

"This is an electric saw used for thoracotomy."

"..."

"This is a scissor, with one sharp and one blunt blade. It's used to cut sutures."

For nearly 10 minutes, I listed the names and uses of the surgical instruments on the dressing cart.

From my intern days to my time as an associate professor,

how many times had I entered the operating room?

Explaining the names and uses of surgical instruments was like eating cold porridge for me.

"Wow... I can't believe you've already memorized the instruments."

Yang Sun-jae was amazed.

But my demonstration was far from over.

To repay Yang Sun-jae for his kindness, I had to go further.

"I found a book called 'Thoracic Surgery' published by the Korean Thoracic Surgery Association. It details the entire surgical process from start to finish."

"That's right. It's a book with detailed illustrations of the surgical process, the necessary instruments, and surgical techniques. I was part of the writing team."

"Since we have a good cadaver, I'll tell you this..."

I paused deliberately before continuing.

"I've memorized the entire book and have been visualizing the surgical processes in my mind for a long time."

"..."

"Professor, if you allow it, can I perform a simple surgery here?"

I made a bold declaration.

A first-year medical student daring to perform surgery.

Although it was a cardiac part, I had been an associate professor in thoracic surgery.

What I needed was not the basics but advanced and specialized training.

This was a perfect opportunity.

I thought it would be better to be recognized for my skills and move to the advanced level.

"Wow... It feels like I'm dreaming. How many times do you plan to surprise me, Eum-in?"

"I don't know. But I'm determined to make you never regret taking me on as a student."

"Um... Alright. I want to see the full extent of your abilities today. I'll assist you, so go ahead and perform the surgery."

"..."

"The case is a diaphragmatic rupture we studied two weeks ago."

"Yes, Professor."

I answered confidently and stretched my hands.

Looking at the observation room, I saw Min Dong-geun watching me with interest.

The subject of the surgery was a cadaver, not a patient.

The observer was only Min Dong-geun.

Still, for a first-year medical student's first surgery, it was a rather impressive scene.