True Responsibility
"Then, I’ll be going now."
"Right."
"Please get that surgery soon. If you don’t, I’m going to spill the beans to the junior residents downstairs."
"Go, just go!"
Professor In Gyeonghak waved his hand dismissively, shooing Kyungwoo away. He stared at the closed door for a long time.
'Genetics really are terrifying...'
In Gyeonghak, who had been so obsessed with his work that he never married, often felt that if he had made a mistake in his youth like Hyun Jiwoon, his own child would be about that age now. And in truth, the boy seemed to resemble his grandfather, Hyun Inhoo, more than his father, Hyun Jiwoon.
'Is it a skipped generation?'
Hyun Inhoo, who had come to Kyung-hyun University for a guest lecture or two while his son was a student, was undoubtedly a man of character. But looking at the sharpness in his eyes during lectures or the way he handled acupuncture needles, he was a man of unyielding, iron-willed temperament. Hyun Jiwoon, by contrast...
'He had such a gentle nature.'
He was quiet but deeply considerate, the type to look after those around him without making a scene. In other words, he was soft-hearted. That was likely why he couldn't handle the stress and died so pointlessly.
'How could you leave such a son behind, you fool? How could you bear to close your eyes?'
Hyun Jiwoon had passed away at the young age of thirty-seven. There had been no funeral announcement; one day, a simple obituary just appeared on an Oriental medicine practitioner’s forum. Speculation about suicide had run rampant among the community...
After finding out that Kyungwoo was Jiwoon’s son, In Gyeonghak had asked him exactly once.
The dry, brittle words fell like dead leaves. Kyungwoo hadn't shown a shred of emotion while saying them, and Professor In couldn't bring himself to ask anything more. How he had lived after his father died in his high school years. Whether he had struggled to survive. And exactly how he had been robbed of his legacy... those kinds of things.
'As for the end... I don't even need to ask to guess what happened.'
At the time of Director Hyun Inhoo’s death, Hyun Jiwoon was a third-year undergraduate. He still needed over four years to obtain his license and finish his public health service.
'Then what happened to the legacy?'
He remembered hearing Jiwoon’s classmates whispering back then.
"They say the vice-director took the license for now and promised to return it once Jiwoon finishes his service..."
"What if he doesn't give it back?"
"I was worried, so I asked him quietly, and he got all serious, saying that’s not the kind of person he is. He said he’s like family, the director’s top disciple. He said he’s even delaying his own clinic to help out."
Kang Seokwon, the current representative of Somyung, had been the vice-director under Director Hyun Inhoo for years. He was a man of immense skill and capability. He was the one who had grown Somyung—a famous but single clinic—into a nationwide chain over thirty years. So, even when Jiwoon failed to get it back, the rumors had been cruel.
"Didn't he get a branch office there? Maybe he just wasn't as good as his father, so they couldn't hand it over."
"Maybe the director chose his disciple over his own child to inherit it?"
"If that weren't the case, it wouldn't have stayed under Kang Seokwon’s name for years without any noise..."
But after hearing Kyungwoo’s goal, he knew for sure. He didn't know the exact process, but... he had been robbed. Yet, he couldn't ask about the details. No, there was no need to. Kyungwoo’s goal wasn't just to reclaim Somyung, which should have been his.
"That signboard... I will make sure it comes down."
Did Kyungwoo think he liked what Somyung had become? The premium pricing, the frequent lawsuits with patients, the patients who came to him complaining about the things Somyung had done to them.
'Aren't these just merchants?'
If it were Director Hyun Inhoo’s character, he would be weeping in the afterlife to see such things happening under the Somyung name. But what could he say? Are there only one or two clinics in the world that see patients as money and the medical profession as a business?
However, Kyungwoo was qualified. Only Kyungwoo had the responsibility and the right to stop Somyung’s behavior. As his mentor, the only thing he could do was let the boy go and cheer him on. And fortunately, it seemed that being stuck in the countryside hadn't broken his resolve.
'Someday... if he needs my help.'
In Gyeonghak reflected on his disciple, who had grown so much. 'To do that, I need to take care of myself first. But this surgery... sigh, I can't leave my post right now.'
Kyungwoo pressed the elevator button on the 6th floor. He hadn't been able to give the Gongjin-dan he’d brought for the professor.
'I’ll have to bring it again after the surgery.'
Ding-
The elevator arrived and dropped Kyungwoo off on the 4th floor: the Acupuncture and Moxibustion ward. The head nurse’s eyes widened when she saw him.
"Oh? Dr. Hyun Kyungwoo?"
"I should have bought some snacks, but the professor called, so I just came up."
"Just seeing your face is a treat. How have you been?"
"Yes, doing alright. How’s the ward lately? Are there many patients in bad condition?"
The Acupuncture and Moxibustion department. In a way, it was a very unique department. Departments classified by disease names—Cardiology, Pulmonology, ENT, Rehabilitation—rarely had room for conflict. But 'Acupuncture'? Acupuncture and moxibustion are techniques. Every department uses them, so why was there a separate department, and which patients were assigned there?
The Acupuncture department saw patients who 'specifically' required the definitive effects of acupuncture and moxibustion. While there were many emergency or acute surgical patients, even internal medicine or chronic pain patients could be treated there if they requested it. That was why disputes over patient allocation sometimes arose with other departments. That was why he had asked about the ward situation.
'Is he delaying the surgery because there are too many patients only he can see?'
But the head nurse replied, "It’s running smoothly. If anything, it’s a period with many mild cases."
Was she not telling him the details because he was an outsider? It didn't seem so. Head Nurse Joo Yeon-kyung was a blunt and direct person, and she knew well that Professor In Gyeonghak cherished Kyungwoo.
'If it’s not a patient issue, why is he delaying the surgery?'
Kyungwoo opened the door to the Acupuncture department’s office without solving the mystery. Inside sat a familiar face.
"Giseung. Have you been well?"
"Oh, you’re here, Senior."
"Yeah. The professor called, so I went up to see him."
The junior with the round face greeted him. He was the class immediately below Kyungwoo and was currently in the fellowship program. He didn't seem to have his own office yet and was staying in the main department room.
"Is the hospital running well?"
'Hmm...'
Noh Giseung glanced at Hyun Kyungwoo. When he was a resident, what a tiger of a senior he had been. 'But people fall from grace in an instant,' he thought to himself.
Noh Giseung had been dissatisfied with the fact that Professor In favored Kyungwoo far more than him. 'What was so great about a guy who sucked up all the skills and then left for a local clinic to make money?' So, when he heard the rumor that the successful Kyungwoo had suddenly quit and gone to the countryside, he had honestly felt a bit vindicated. Even more so when he heard the gossip that Kyungwoo had left because of a medical malpractice incident.
'He must have been chewed out by the professor this time, right?'
Hiding his true feelings, Noh Giseung answered Kyungwoo’s question with a friendly face.
"Actually, the atmosphere is a bit bad lately."
"Atmosphere? Is something going on?"
"The hospital director changed a few months ago. To Dr. Seong, the head of Rehabilitation."
Seong Jaeyoung, the head of Rehabilitation. A man skilled in maneuvering and self-preservation. Rehabilitation and Acupuncture overlapped in their scope of treatment, so they were bound to clash, and now that Dr. Seong had become the director...
"Because of patient allocation?"
"That’s part of it, but the hospital’s policy has changed. To reduce deficits and maintain revenue, the atmosphere is shifting toward mild chronic patients rather than intractable disease patients."
Kyungwoo realized it. The reason the professor was holding out without getting the surgery. Professor In Gyeonghak had a philosophy:
"A university hospital must be a place that treats critical illnesses."
Of course, due to the nature of Oriental medicine hospitals, patients in critical condition rarely came. But for intractable diseases not yet defined by modern medicine—his philosophy was that the university hospital should be the most active in researching and taking the lead in treating them so that Oriental medicine could develop.
"This is Kyung-hyun University Hospital. We are the front line of the Korean Oriental medicine community."
Professor In would sometimes send patients back to local clinics for maintenance once acute symptoms were managed. Still, there were many patients who always wanted to be treated by him. But there were many other professors who found him and his lofty attitude annoying. The representative among them was Professor Seong Jaeyoung.
"A CRPS patient who had just developed symptoms called for an appointment a while ago, but the reservation department, under the director’s orders, tossed them to Western medicine."
"What?"
"They said if the NRS is around 9 in the very early stages, it’s better to start with pain control in Western medicine."
"Are they out of their minds?"
If they had suggested combining Western and Oriental medicine because the patient was in too much pain, that would be one thing, but to not even attempt it...
"Because of that, the professor went to the director’s office to argue, and there was a huge scene with shouting."
The professor was holding out because he was worried about what would happen to the hospital if he left his post during this time.
"Sigh..."
Kyungwoo buried his face in his palms. He had been trying to push him to get the surgery quickly, but now that he knew the situation, it was difficult to do so. Then, something flashed in his mind.
'The CRPS paper!'
Jia’s current improvement rate was about 90%. The skeleton of the paper was almost finished. He had originally planned to wait until she was fully cured before publishing, but...
'If I want to give the professor some leverage...'
If a dramatic improvement case of an intractable patient emerged from a local clinic, and if it became widely discussed among Oriental medicine practitioners, it would be difficult for an institution like Kyung-hyun University, which was the focus of the community’s attention, to ignore the atmosphere.
'And other intractable disease cases, too...'
He might even be able to co-author the paper on bee venom treatment for ankylosing spondylitis with Dr. Kang Isu. That would allow for a faster publication. Several plans raced through his head.
After buying dinner for Noh Giseung, Kyungwoo stopped by a mart. He stuffed two large plastic bags full of snacks and headed up to the ward first.
"Please share these."
"I told you it was fine, why did you buy more? You’re something else, Senior."
But there weren't many Acupuncture residents in the ward.
"Giseung, where are the Acupuncture residents?"
"The 1st and 2nd years are down in the ER. Our department is on ER duty today."
Kyungwoo went down to the ER with Noh Giseung.
"Greetings, Senior!"
Two residents jumped up and bowed when they saw Noh Giseung. But they didn't recognize Kyungwoo. They were juniors who had joined after Kyungwoo had finished his residency, and since he hadn't visited the hospital in the last two years, he was a completely unfamiliar presence to them. But their eyes changed once they heard Noh Giseung’s introduction.
"This is Senior Hyun Kyungwoo, who graduated from our Acupuncture department."
"Wait? That legend...!"
A junior who blurted out the exclamation covered his mouth. Beside him, Noh Giseung grumbled inwardly.
'Legend, my foot. If he’s been playing director in the countryside, he must have lost his touch by now.'
"Ah, greetings, Senior!"
"We’ve heard so much about you!"
Kyungwoo chuckled.
"Yeah. Nice to meet you. These are snacks, so share them with the nurses."
"Thank you, Senior!"
Just then, a nurse called for the residents.
"The EKG results are here!"
The two ran to the patient lying in the bed. A moment later, they returned with a long strip of paper. It seemed like a matter requiring a fellow’s order.
"Senior, this is a patient who came in with chest pain and nausea after eating dinner in a hurry. Pulse is 100, tachycardia, blood pressure is normal. The EKG is out, should I send it for interpretation?"
"Give it here."
Noh Giseung scanned the EKG results, put the paper down, and approached the patient.
"Patient, are you okay?"
"Yes... I think I feel a bit better than before."
A fast pulse could happen from indigestion, and pale lips with cold sweat were also symptoms of indigestion. Noh Giseung spoke, slightly intoxicated by his own ability to reach a quick conclusion in front of a washed-up senior.
"It’s indigestion. Let’s prick the Shixuan points and start with acupuncture on the Siguan points."
"What about the interpretation?"
"Forget it. It’s normal, so what’s the point?"
Just then, the patient’s bare feet caught the eye of Kyungwoo, who was watching from afar.
'The color of the hands and feet... are they turning blue?'
The details the resident had briefed earlier flooded back. Rapid, shallow breathing, chest pain, tachycardia. And...
Rustle-
Kyungwoo quietly flipped over the EKG results Noh Giseung had left at the station.
'Is this a subtle ST-segment elevation? Could it be a sign of myocardial infarction?'
Kyungwoo approached the bed and pressed his hand to the patient’s bare foot.
"Senior?"
"Shh!"
Thump- Thump-
He could feel it. The crushing pressure on the chest as if it were being squeezed. The feeling that air wasn't properly entering the lungs even when trying to inhale. A burning pain spread from the left chest, up the neck, and into the inside of the left arm. Kyungwoo pulled his hand away and spoke with ragged breathing.
"...Call the Western medicine ER, quickly!"
Noh Giseung’s face twisted.
"Senior. You aren't even part of this hospital anymore, and I have the authority here—"
"It’s on the verge of a myocardial infarction! Hurry!"
One of the startled residents urgently called for an ambulance, and while Noh Giseung was unfolding the EKG results again with trembling eyes, the patient’s face suddenly distorted. It was shock!
"Ah- Aack!"
The hand clutching the left chest and the irregular breathing!
"Where’s the ambulance?!"
"They said they’re leaving right now!"
Since it was the next building, it would arrive soon, but the seizure had already begun.
'The way to reduce the burden on the heart right now is...'
Kyungwoo pulled out the acupuncture needles stuck to the side of the bed.
"You can't!"
Noh Giseung blocked him. In his head, medical malpractice, liability, and the fact that Kyungwoo wasn't an employee of this hospital were spinning around.
"They’re arriving soon! If you touch them now and something goes wrong, it’s our responsibility!"
"Move! If we don't touch them and something goes wrong, *that* is our true responsibility!"
Kyungwoo shoved Noh Giseung aside and drove the needle into the patient’s Neiguan point.