Chapter 78
Chapter 78
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Kidnapping
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I left the training committee meeting room in a daze.
Survived.
Survived again this time.
I'm really lucky after all.
But why?
I just couldn't wrap my head around it.
I pressed the elevator button.
I stepped into the elevator.
Just as I was about to hit the close button, someone came rushing up and grabbed the doors.
"Wait!"
A familiar voice. It was the director.
Director Park Woong stepped inside, panting for breath.
The doors closed, and an awkward silence filled the cramped space.
This feels like déjà vu or something.
My mind was a mess.
What the hell happened?
No action taken?
I was sure I'd get disciplined. Unless...
"Director."
"Yeah."
"About today... the outcome."
I struggled to find the right words.
What should I even say?
Thank you for saving me?
Too obvious?
"How did I..."
In the end, I blurted out the most basic question.
"Did you perhaps..."
Before I could finish, Director Park Woong let out a snicker.
"What? What did I do?"
"No, I mean, I was just wondering if maybe you pulled some strings for me or..."
Yeah, that was it.
The most common cliché in medical dramas.
The director throwing himself in front of the screw-up subordinate in an emotional story.
Maybe Director Park had stepped up for me behind the scenes?
Maybe that head-hanging exhaustion in the meeting room earlier was from fighting the other professors to defend me?
At my tentative question, the director finally turned to look at me.
"Huh? What?"
...Huh?
"No, I mean... like, did you defend me or something..."
"What are you talking about?"
The director looked genuinely baffled.
"I didn't do anything special? The committee was happening, so I just submitted a few personnel eval docs through admin. You know, stuff like 'solid work ethic, good with colleagues, eager learner... tidy kid, that sort of thing.'"
Just some routine paperwork?
"Then why did the discipline thing today end up like..."
"Discipline?"
The director shot back.
"There wasn't even grounds for it to begin with."
I couldn't believe my ears.
"Think about it. Did you handle the whole procedure solo from start to finish? No. Professor Jeon Tae-jeong came in midway and wrapped it up. So your responsibility ends there. And Instructor Lee Min-jae was standing right by you the whole time you were doing it. Sure, he's just a fellow like you, but he's got a specialist license at least. By the rules, that counts as supervised procedure. And crucially—did you blatantly break any hospital regs? Is there a rule saying you can't place a REBOA in the ER? There isn't."
W-Well, that's true.
Of course, there was that unspoken rule about second-years not doing it solo without a specialist overseeing, but nothing codified.
"So you're good. End of story."
The director shrugged.
The elevator dinged at the first floor, and the doors opened.
Still dazed, I watched the director step out ahead of me.
It really ended just because there were no grounds?
I let out a hollow laugh as I exited the elevator.
The hospital lobby was bustling with people since lunch was approaching.
Patients, guardians, and throngs of white-coated medical staff.
The director was walking a few steps ahead.
"Oh, right."
He suddenly stopped and turned back.
"You."
He pointed at me with his chin.
"Your hands seem pretty damn capable."
...Huh?
I'm the department's poster child for shit hands.
"Well, that laparotomy mess-up last year, and this REBOA thing now. Results-wise, you nailed 'em both."
That was God's Scalpel who nailed it.
"N-No, sir. Just got lucky. Thank you."
I switched to rote humility mode.
"Tch. A resident pulling off back-to-back insane stunts in my department... Should I be thrilled or pissed...?"
The director sighed.
"That Lee Min-jae guy's the same. Two total lunatics in my ER. What did I do in a past life?"
He shook his head and started walking again.
I felt an urge to object to his parting shot.
Lunatics? Sure, but it's three, not two, Director.
Counting you.
We crossed the lobby in silence.
Blinding sunlight poured in through the glass doors.
"And."
The director spoke up again.
His tone was a bit more serious this time.
"That thing I mentioned last year about the trauma center dispatch training. Remember?"
"Oh, yes. I do."
My heart sank.
No way he's bringing that up now... right?
Nah, no chance.
I just got back from the discipline committee.
"About that..."
The director paused, choosing his words.
My heart pounded.
Please say no.
"Uh... probably won't happen."
The words I'd been praying for finally came out.
...Yesssss!!!!!
What a relief.
Real relief.
Dodged the Professor Kang Hyun-jun and God's Scalpel collab hell-training.
I swallowed a near-tearful surge of gratitude and replied as casually as I could.
"Oh... got it."
With a dash of feigned disappointment.
"Hm."
The director nodded. Then he shattered my relief with his next words.
"Instead."
Instead?
"Wanna ride the doctor helicopter?"
...
......Huh?
I couldn't believe my ears.
What did he just say?
"Did I hear that wrong?"
I asked like an idiot.
The director burst into roaring laughter, either at my reaction or just my existence—who knows.
"Hahaha! What, you don't like it? The flying ER! How romantic! Professor Kang kept singing your praises, so I swapped the trauma center gig for this! Go learn a ton!"
He clapped me on the shoulder.
Doctor helicopter.
Flying emergency room.
Cramped as hell.
Insane noise and vibrations.
Romantic?
Romantic my ass.
Helicopter? Me? Flying ER?
This is nuts.
I'm a second-year who can barely walk straight on the ground.
"D-Director."
I instinctively started scrambling for an out from this absurd order.
Right—regulations.
The damn rules that always screwed me might save me this time.
"But from what I know, doctor helicopters require emergency medicine or trauma surgery specialists to board and handle on-site care. I'm not there yet..."
"Oh, yeah?"
The director paused at my words.
A flicker of 'Oops, that right?' crossed Park Woong's face.
Yes!
Gotcha!
I cheered inwardly.
Right—low-year residents like me aren't allowed!
"Ahem!"
The director cleared his throat suddenly and puffed out his chest.
Then he looked down at me with utter confidence.
"And who am I?"
He thumped his chest twice.
"The conscience of Cheongjin University Medical Center's Emergency Medicine Department! The one who follows laws and regs to the letter more than anyone—Director Park Woong! You think I'd toss you on a chopper without checking the basics?"
Sure looks like it, Director.
He pulled his smartphone from his pocket.
A document file was already open on the screen.
He shoved it right in my face.
"I came prepared! Look!"
The screen showed a stiff-titled doc: [Detailed Guidelines for Doctor Helicopter Operations].
Complete with the Central Emergency Medical Center official logo.
"See? NEMC official doc! The bible of doctor heli rules! Scroll down here—keep going!"
He swiped the screen rapidly with his finger.
I desperately rolled my eyes to follow.
Clauses and fine print flew by.
Finally, his finger stopped on one spot.
"Here! Read it!"
...Let's see...
(Qualifications for Air Medical Team Medical Staff)
1) Physicians
a) Specialists affiliated with regional emergency medical centers, local emergency medical centers, or regional trauma centers.
Hope sparked as I read the first line.
"...Starting with [a], I don't qualify, Director. Do I look like a specialist to you?"
"Hey! Read to the end! Keep going!"
Prodded, I grudgingly read on.
b) Those who have completed aviation medicine training designated by the Central Emergency Medical Center Director
c) Those who have boarded the primary doctor helicopter 5+ times for on-site training
d) Those deemed physically and mentally fit for aviation duty after 5+ training flights
I finished and looked up.
"...Director. I've done none of that training or flights. And my mental state? I could use psych right now."
At my earnest plea, he roared with laughter again.
"Hey! You missed the key part! Look here!"
He scrolled a tad more and pointed to a tiny-print clause.
[※ Notwithstanding the above principles, the Central Emergency Medical Center Director may allow additional personnel on doctor helicopters for purposes such as disaster response, helicopter maintenance/inspection, education/training, program evaluation/investigation, etc.]
He jabbed "education/training".
"See? Education! Training! You're not boarding as official air medical team doc! It's part of trauma center dispatch training! As a trainee! For education and training! Boom. No legal issues, no procedural flaws!"
"...Yes, Director."
I gave up everything and replied in a soulless voice.
"Good! Now you get it!"
The director pocketed his phone, beaming with satisfaction.
"Perfect timing—our hospital's got new doctor heli staff training in August. I'll fill you in then! I'll make you a sky doctor! Hahaha!"
He rambled on, all excited by himself.
August.
Months away, but it'd be here before I knew it.
I was already hearing phantom propeller whir in my ears.
"W-Wait, Director!"