Chapter 200
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 200
Chapter Title: Prison Sentence and Bruised Back
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In the Korean medicine department, first-semester courses are only offered in the first semester, and second-semester ones only in the second.
Since all classmates take the courses together, failing subjects in the second semester means skipping the first semester and reenrolling the following year.
That was why Jo Haneul had to repeat his final year—it was practically a given that he'd lose a full year.
But... even so, hadn't he reenrolled the year before last and been on track to graduate early last spring?
"Oh, you didn't know. He got a prison sentence."
"What?"
Professor Lee Minseok answered as if it were nothing.
"I figured even if his wife didn't help, Professor Jo would pull some strings behind the scenes, but he didn't give a dime."
"You mean he went to jail? Because of that Porsche issue?"
Everyone else had left except for me, Professor Lee, and Sandro, but I still lowered my voice as I asked.
We moved to Professor Lee's office to continue the conversation.
"Turns out it was his second DUI bust. His blood alcohol level was way over the limit, and he caused an accident. The court frowns on all those factors. The Porsche repair bill probably still isn't fully covered. DUIs don't get insurance payouts, after all."
"So then."
"With his family refusing to pay, he couldn't even hire a lawyer. He just submitted a single apology letter on his own."
"What about his student overdraft?"
Medical majors can open negative balance accounts starting from their third year, even without income.
It wasn't until after my murim days that I boldly took out a big loan. Back when I was a student, I was too scared to even touch the scholarship foundation's living expense loans.
I remember plenty of classmates maxing them out the moment they became available.
...But given Jo Haneul's personality, I doubted he'd been as debt-averse as I was back then.
Professor Lee let out a deep sigh.
"He'd already burned through it all."
"Pardon? But his parents gave him plenty of allowance..."
"It wasn't enough for him, subjectively speaking. He'd secretly opened the overdraft before the accident and maxed it out, figuring graduation was right around the corner. After the crash, he even came begging me for money. I turned him down, of course."
"Whoa..."
Was that why he'd cut ties with Hwang Sanghun too?
He seemed completely oblivious to the trial results or the whole ordeal.
"Just one apology letter, though?"
"His first offense had no accident, so he probably got off with a fine. But this time, the prosecutor demanded two and a half years. They scrambled to do damage control late, but he still got a year and a half."
He really didn't show a shred of remorse, to be fair.
I'd vaguely thought DUIs were slapped wrists, never imagining jail time.
"He talked about appeals and such, reenrolled the year before last, then got hauled off one day out of the blue. He finally reenrolled this semester after serving his time."
Wow, what a tough nut.
In hindsight, it would've been better to serve it quick and move on.
He must've thought stalling would magically work out, and look where that got him.
"But what's this about him still not getting his act together?"
"His grades have tanked, for one."
That was only natural.
The guy was smart but never studied worth a damn anyway.
Even Professor Lee might not know, but he was probably putting in more effort now than three years ago.
Whatever the rumors, no one like Hwang Sanghun would help him in this grade.
"His grades up to fourth year first semester were stellar, though. He could've interned anywhere. I was even thinking of looking out for him out of old times' sake if he showed up. But every time he sees me, his eyes burn with resentment. Says he doesn't need any of it—just wants to open his own clinic right after graduation. Still green as they come."
But falling grades weren't the whole story.
Did he resent Professor Lee for not loaning money?
And he'd always planned the professor track after specializing, yet now suddenly a clinic?
'Did my success make it look easy?'
He'd bragged he'd never end up like his mom.
But seeing me thrive might've made his own path seem laughable.
"Hmm, well. Good luck to him."
The outcome was plain as day.
Even Kim Chunsik back in the day struggled despite his skills and sincerity, just from one scolding.
I'd stumbled early on too, from poor positioning.
Lee smirked, and Sandro, who'd been listening quietly, nodded.
"Ah, sorry. We got into shop talk you wouldn't know. One of my classmates crashed his car drunk, went to prison and back. Shocked me silly."
"Haha, yeah, sounds like it. Hope he doesn't reoffend. What a mess."
"Luckily his license... got revoked, right?"
"Canceled outright."
We sipped tea in the office, chatting idly.
About the smooth flight, the lecture, and so on.
"The school's really impressive."
We toured the campus together, stopped by the department office for paperwork—even though Sandro was already accepted—and thanked them profusely.
"Thank you so much for making time."
"No trouble at all."
Professor Lee was the picture of gentlemanly grace with grad students.
When he heard we'd taken a taxi, he even offered to drive us to the hotel.
"He might turn into a tyrant once you're enrolled. Enjoy it while you can."
We planned for Sandro to live in the dorms after formal enrollment.
Until then, he'd stay at the hotel Rich reserved.
Director Kim Chunsik and Professor Lee had promised to show him the ropes.
"Not too tired?"
"I slept great on the plane, so I'm good."
After Professor Lee left, I took Sandro to the hotel buffet.
For dinner... and to introduce him to a fellow expat.
"This is my friend Seoyeong I mentioned last time, and her boyfriend Roberto from Rome."
I'd said we could meet later if tired, but he was thrilled at another Korean abroad.
Strangers or not, they're kindred spirits far from home.
As the three chatted, I slipped away briefly.
No sign of that mafia—er, lawyer uncle from before. Mario Moretti, was it?
He'd said he'd post Solger instead of returning to Italy himself. Sure enough, a slightly less polished pair watched us.
I nodded toward them while pretending to grab food, and they blinked back happily.
They must've gotten the heads-up from Mario.
"No dangerous types around lately?"
I approached directly, and they said none.
Good—Roberto's enemies seemed uninterested.
"No need to worry. Things back home have settled, and they won't spare attention here."
Yeah, live peacefully, everyone!
Couldn't stay away long, so I nodded to them and returned.
In my absence, the trio had switched to comfortable English and were chatting animatedly.
Seoyeong and Roberto seemed to click well enough.
"Rest up tonight, and swing by Busan before classes start."
"Yes, thank you so much!"
With a delicious dinner done...
I boarded a flight back to Busan after my day trip.
The next day.
Heading to the clinic, I spotted a shady guy in the alley between my building and the next.
'...No way a mafioso here.'
Nah, nothing suspicious on second thought.
Maybe the previous day's heightened nerves had me paranoid.
From afar, the puffer jacket hid it, but underneath was a Chungun High uniform.
The high school right next door—Kim Ijin and Jeong Inseong's alma mater, a junior.
Unlike those two back then, he wore it like a delinquent.
Shirt buttons undone, no tie, pants hemmed short.
'Troublemaker teen?'
Hiding to smoke?
I'm not one to police every little thing, but since it's by my building, it bugged me.
"Hey, kid?"
I approached from behind to say something.
"Eek!"
The boy jumped like crazy.
Nearly fell, so I grabbed his arm to steady him.
"Sorry. Did I scare you bad?"
Up close, no cigarette.
Just fidgeting and pacing the alley.
"What're you doing here? Skipping school?"
"...I was gonna hit the clinic before class."
Ah, one of our patients?
"Clinic opens soon—come on up. Next time, just wait inside."
That's why he was lurking pre-opening...
"...Okay."
He shuffled after me into the elevator.
A weird mix of timidity and ingrained swagger.
'Kinda cute, in a way?'
Reminded me of the Sichuan Tang Clan disciples goofing around the annex, watching passersby instead of training—till the master chased them off.
"Director, hi~! Oh, first-timer?"
Seol Yuhee, full-time post-Suneung, greeted me warmly.
Registration done quick, and the boy entered as my first patient.
"Ah...! You're the director."
"Yep. Han Hyun-su, right? What's bothering you?"
Name: Han Hyun-su. High school freshman.
Unlike my school days, kids now skip freely with clinic notes.
"My back kinda hurts."
"Can you point to it?"
"Yeah, around here."
Han Hyun-su twisted his right arm back awkwardly to poke inside his left scapula.
Tough spot to reach.
"Take off the puffer quick, stay like that. I'll check."
I circled behind, palpating his back muscles one by one.
Common strain spots first—the erector spinae and rhomboids near where he pointed.
"Ow, hurts."
He winced, eyes squeezed shut.
"Ow, there too."
Latissimus dorsi and trapezius weren't great either.
Odd pattern for everyday strain.
"When did it start? Any injury?"
He hesitated at my question.
"Just kinda happened."
...Fight vibes.
"Let me check your thoracic spine."
"Ah, ow ow!"
Sure enough, direct palpation drew complaints.
"Thoracic sprain, looks like. Mind lifting your shirt?"
"...Sure."
"No visible bruises. Ribs too—hit your chest anywhere?"
I asked straight.
"Ah."
Han Hyun-su averted his eyes briefly.
Then gave up and yanked up his shirt.
"..."
As expected.
A dark bruise on his chest, sternum slightly left.
Back muscles can hurt spontaneously.
But thoracic tenderness was fishy.
Lumbar strains from heavy lifting; cervical and lumbar are mobile.
Thoracic is stable, chest movement limited.
Sprains usually from crashes or direct impacts—like car wrecks.
He'd have mentioned an accident.
Bruise screamed contusion.
"What hit you?"
"..."
Han Hyun-su looked like he had his reasons.