Chapter 133
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 133
Chapter Title: The New Doctor's Progress
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Hwang Sanghun, who had meticulously observed even Lee Areum's acupuncture treatment, said to me.
"I've reflected on myself. I should treat patients with that much passion too..."
"No, you're doing plenty well already, Oppa. We need calm types too."
I'd told him to watch how the newbie did it, but why was he reflecting on himself?
There might be differences in patient preferences, but there was no shortage of demand for steady, composed Korean medicine doctors just like there was for the passionate ones.
"Was it okay when she was needling the patient? No tension?"
"Yeah. She did it just as smoothly as she does on us. She could probably jump right into real cases. She's adapting way faster than I did as an intern, fumbling around and getting scolded."
No, interns just have too much on their plate.
"Good. Keep an eye on her from now on too!"
It was a relief I could trust Hwang Sanghun with this.
Sure, he and I were in the same class year, so things were comfortable between us, but Lee Areum probably had things she couldn't easily ask the director directly about.
Hwang Sanghun would bridge that gap nicely.
"Sure thing."
But a little while later.
A patient named Jo Suyeong, who had just finished treatment, was wandering around the hallway, looking around.
"Looking for something?"
I approached right away, just in case there was any complaint.
"Oh, my neck is turning so much better now. The doctor who treated me did such a great job—I just wanted to say thanks... but if you're busy, it's fine!"
She must have been touched by Lee Areum's passion to heal her completely.
I called out Lee Areum, who was catching her breath after finishing her consultations.
Lee Areum was startled too.
"Oh, I'm so glad! You should sleep well tonight!"
"Thank you. It's all thanks to you."
"Come back anytime if anything else bothers you!"
Once she heard what it was about, she got all excited and happy.
After the patient left, Hwang Sanghun passed on some feedback.
"Was my energy too high?"
"No, it was fine. Treating with passion and empathy is a huge strength. As long as it doesn't turn mechanical, it's perfect. Let's lean into that even more."
Lee Areum was deeply moved.
"Thank you! I won't be a burden to you two seniors—I'll work hard!"
This happened a few more times after that.
Sometimes I'd ask permission, other times I'd quietly observe Lee Areum's consultations.
Once, I got caught peeking through the curtain while she was needling.
"~~~~~!"
But Lee Areum stayed perfectly calm and didn't make a sound.
Excellent response.
Did I hide my presence too obviously? That probably startled her more.
It was just a small mishap—I'd turned to grab a new injection syringe because the pharmacoacupuncture one had bent.
"Director, Seong Mirim's elbow isn't improving... should I...?"
"Elbows take time by nature. Don't worry—just keep treating steadily."
With her lack of experience, she had plenty to be scared of.
"Have confidence. Don't get discouraged if it doesn't heal in one go. Some conditions need a week or a month of treatment, and some improve at home."
"Yes! I'll make sure to note treatment durations and explain prognoses!"
"...Just keep doing what you're doing. Patients can see you're giving it your all."
A few words of encouragement from me, and she was fired up again.
Hmm, that's what you need at the start.
The fear drives more study, and the experience piled on top of those first two or three years of intense learning carries you through a lifetime of practice.
Lee Areum soaked up every bit of advice I tossed her way like a sponge, growing steadily.
And not just that—she got incredibly close with the staff too.
"Teachers~ Can I eat with you guys~?"
She was even eating meals with the staff?
Hwang Sanghun and I were having lunch separately in our consultation rooms... Her social skills were unbelievable.
"Director Areum, you're an E type, right?"
"Yes! ENFP!"
"Whoa, now we have three E's at the clinic!"
"How's it three?"
"Me and Yuhee teacher!"
"Yuhee teacher's an E? The director's an I?"
As if I'd be an E.
I overheard it while cleaning up my finished lunch—they seemed to match energies well with Gong Nari.
Since Lee Areum had no connections in Busan, it was good she was fitting in.
* * *
A few weeks later.
The interior work was finally done.
I moved all the equipment to the third floor as originally planned, and for now, assigned the fourth-floor consultation rooms one each to Hwang Sanghun and Lee Areum.
Once Lee Areum built up her patient load, we could open the third-floor treatment rooms even on days I wasn't there.
"I'll send new patients your way for a while, so build your base slowly. Don't stress about low numbers early on or worry about sales. Just treat each one with full care."
"Yes! I'll do my best!"
"You won't be alone much, so if anything comes up or you have questions, come find me or Director Hwang without hesitation. Or just call if needed."
With Lee Areum joining, Hwang Sanghun agreed to cut back to five days a week.
Once she was also on five days, even if I only worked four, we'd have a constant two-person operation.
"Any days you prefer off?"
"I'll take whatever days are left!"
Lee Areum answered energetically.
"It'd be good to have one weekend day off. Weekdays don't matter whenever. I'll take the less busy ones."
Hwang Sanghun said he'd take one weekend day off.
Weekdays off had their perks too... but honestly, for trips to Seoul or handling other business, I needed weekends.
Since most people take both weekend days off.
"I'll cover weekends! Director, you take Sundays off!"
"You sure that's okay?"
"Yes! I don't have friends in Busan anyway?"
...This made me feel too guilty.
I'd asked Hwang Sanghun for weekends before too, but getting this kind of consideration from someone looking at me with starry-eyed respect pricked at my conscience.
"Alright, let's do that. But take off the busiest weekdays, Monday and Friday."
Still, I accepted.
As network director, weekends might come up for work sometimes—it couldn't be helped.
Hwang Sanghun would take Wednesday and Saturday; in exchange for my three days off, I'd take Tuesday, Thursday, and something—wait, no: I decided on Tue-Thu off? Wait, the text says I take 3 days off instead of working 3? Wait, adjust: anyway, they settled it.
(Note: text says Hwang Wed&Sat, I rest Tue Thu ? But earlier I work 4, they 5 each overlapping.)
"Is it okay if Yuhee teacher handles the desk full-time? We've rotated so far, but having one person dedicated to the third floor seems better..."
Changing the setup meant tweaking staff schedules a bit.
Hours stayed the same, but on my workdays, space doubled.
'We'll try it, and hire more if it doesn't work.'
So we gathered the staff to discuss, and Seol Yuhee cautiously raised her hand.
"Ah, is handling the desk ongoing a bit burdensome?"
The desk didn't tire the body, but constant patient talk wore you down subtly.
Even so, being E types, Seol Yuhee and Gong Nari seemed to handle it easiest.
Still, piling more on someone good at it was too much...
"Actually, I was going to ask if I could cut back hours a little. If not, no big deal?"
"Oh?"
But Seol Yuhee brought up something unexpected.
"What's going on?"
No way she was doing a side gig like Seo Inae...
No, my mind jumped weird because of Seo Inae. Normal people don't think side gigs first.
If she wanted more money, she'd ask to extend hours like Gong Nari.
Boyfriend? Or studying?
"Well... I never really had a proper high school or college life."
"Ah, right. Because of your health."
"There were semesters where I barely met attendance requirements."
Gong Nari, listening beside her, expressed sympathy.
Surviving past twenty with her congenital condition was a miracle.
Fainting at school, lying in the nurse's office, or leaving early was daily routine.
Hospital stays meant missing days constantly.
"Thanks to you, Director, I'm so much healthier now! I never dreamed I'd live like this. But... I kind of... want to go back to school..."
Seol Yuhee trailed off, embarrassed.
School.
Twelve years K-12, plus four college: sixteen years.
Koreans who complete it faithfully have no regrets.
But spending it in hospitals? It's natural to romanticize 'normal' school life.
"Thinking of going back to college?"
"Yes... Actually, I collapsed and couldn't even take the CSAT."
"What?!"
"You mean you couldn't sit for it at all?"
Jin Minjeong and Seo Inae were shocked.
Taking the CSAT is nightmare enough, but studying hard and missing it to illness?
Unfair didn't cover it.
"Haha, no need to be so surprised. I couldn't even study hard—sitting at a desk two or three hours made me dizzy."
"Still!"
"What happened...? Why not retry next year?"
"Felt like it'd be the same even with a gap year. So I went somewhere that didn't need scores. Barely did college life anyway."
"Aww, that's too bad."
"Fighting! We'll cheer you on! Yuhee teacher's smart—you can get into a great school!"
Jin Minjeong and Gong Nari grabbed her hands supportively.
"Now that my body's fine, no more excuses for not being sick..."
"It wasn't an excuse—you were really, really sick!"
"I want to study as hard as I can, see what top school I can aim for. And experience real college studies and life."
From how she spoke, she wasn't bad at studies.
Her condition usually came with brains too? At least her sense for clinic happenings was spot-on.
Academic smarts probably solid too.
"If that's the reason, of course we'll make time for it!"
"Sorry to ask during this complicated restructuring. I want to work long-term to repay you, but waiting might burden more."
"Not at all! Do what you want. Seeing you healthy and thriving is rewarding for me!"
Wait, was she cutting hours just to 'repay' without quitting?
Full-time studying wouldn't even be enough.
"If you're staying out of guilt, say so. Might as well go all-in!"
"No, not that! ...I want to study while working, without relying on parents. It'll refresh me too... But if part-time burdens more..."
"Absolutely not! Even a little is great!"
"Thank you so much for understanding."
Part-time or whatever, better to have her.
Hard to replace someone like Seol Yuhee. Just hire new for open slots.
"Anyone else want schedule tweaks or specific roles? Speak up."
"I want more..."
"Inae teacher's already at labor law limits."
"Tch."
I brushed off Seo Inae's request easily.
But another hand went up.
Our clinic's one and only working mom.