Chapter 4 – Save at All Costs (2)

The needle slid in smoothly.

“Got it!”

Ji-hyuk instinctively sensed that his pericardiocentesis was a success.

“Ji-hyuk! Did it work?”

“Yeah! I think it went well.”

“Thank goodness! That’s wonderful.”

Yun-seok was overjoyed, almost jumping with joy.

“Now he’ll be fine once we drain the fluid pooled in the pericardial sac!”

Cardiac tamponade: a terrifying disease where fluid accumulates in the pericardial sac, compressing the heart and preventing it from functioning properly.

While it was undoubtedly a serious illness, if pericardiocentesis was performed in a timely manner, it was a condition that could improve dramatically.

“What a relief, truly!”

Before they knew it, Yun-seok’s eyes had turned red.

“What is this? Didn’t you say a doctor must never lean on emotions? Didn’t you say we have to be cold enough to swallow even our tears?”

It was the lifelong philosophy of Kim Ji-hyuk’s grandfather, Kim Yun-seok.

“W-what? When did I ever say that?”

‘You said it countless times. Enough to make my ears bleed!’

It was right then.

Haah, haaaah!

As the fluid in the pericardium drained, Jang Cheol-woo finally breathed.

“Cheol-woo! Are you conscious?”

At that, Yun-seok shook his body.

“D-doctor? Where is this?”

As his heart functioned properly, color returned to Cheol-woo’s face, which had been as pale as a sheet.

“This is the school. You suddenly collapsed. Are you alright?”

“Yes. I’m a bit dazed, but I think I’m okay. Did you save me, doctor?”

“Not exactly… Anyway, let me check your pulse.”

Yun-seok carefully checked Cheol-woo’s pulse.

“Ji-hyuk! His pulse is normal.”

Yun-seok was happier than anyone.

“That’s good. Now that we’ve drained the fluid in the pericardial sac, we just need to infuse saline to expand the heart volume. You can do that, right? And we need to dress the wound!”

“I’m not an idiot. I can do at least that much.”

“Okay, I’ll count on you. I’ll go inside and get a blanket. We’ve done emergency treatment, but I think we need to move him to the hospital to monitor him further.”

“Okay. Hurry back.”

‘Grandfather. Cheol-woo lived! Now, please do not suffer from guilt anymore!’

Yun-seok treated Cheol-woo with devotion.

Ji-hyuk quietly watched him from behind.

‘This shouldn’t be a dream, right? I’ve really traveled to 1952, to the turbulent Republic of Korea!’

* * *

A moment later, inside the jeep.

After Ji-hyuk’s emergency treatment, Cheol-woo regained stability.

“Are you okay?”

Asked Ji-hyuk, who was looking after him by his side.

“I’m okay, Doctor!”

He was a child whose bright eyes made him look quite clever.

“Mmh, but where are your parents?”

“They passed away. Both of them. During the Battle of Masan……”

“Ah, I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

“It’s okay. Is there only one or two people like me?”

He was only eighteen years old, which would make him a high school sophomore in modern times!

At an age where he would normally be whining about studying, Cheol-woo seemed like a mature adult who had already weathered all kinds of storms.

“Mmh, once you receive treatment at the hospital and recover your body, you should study too. This hyung will help you.”

Ji-hyuk gently clasped Cheol-woo’s hands.

“Yes! I will help too, Cheol-woo! This war will be over soon. Then, young pillars of the nation like you must rebuild this country. You have to study!”

Yun-seok’s thoughts were no different from Ji-hyuk’s.

“Then… can I become a doctor too?”

As the two encouraged him, Cheol-woo gathered the courage to speak.

“Of course! You can definitely do it. I heard that you look after the children at the school with devotion. That’s all it takes. You have everything a doctor should have!”

Yun-seok stroked Cheol-woo’s face with a bright expression.

“Really? Can someone like me become a doctor too?”

“Of course. Even that reckless hyung over there is working as a doctor right now.”

Yun-seok whispered while gesturing toward Ji-hyuk with his chin.

“Hehehe, he called you reckless.”

Now that he had recovered enough to laugh, Cheol-woo covered his mouth with his hand and giggled.

“Quiet! That guy Ji-hyuk has a fiery temper, so he might get angry.”

Shh! Yun-seok brought his index finger to his lips.

“Okay.”

Thus, Cheol-woo was able to survive dramatically thanks to the devoted efforts of Ji-hyuk and Yun-seok.

A moment later,

‘Now, even if I don’t want to believe it, it has become a reality that I must believe. The student soldier Cheol-woo I treated just now is not an illusion.’

Ji-hyuk stared at Cheol-woo.

‘I don’t know how such a thing happened to me, but looking at the situation, returning seems out of the question. If so… What do you mean ‘if so’? I should adjust to this world and live well.’

That was the simple conclusion Kim Ji-hyuk reached.

‘Besides, the situation is certainly not entirely hopeless. I am someone who studied the latest medicine of the 2020s, and this place I live in right now is the 1950s, where even simple tuberculosis couldn’t be treated properly. If so, I must definitely have an advantage!’

Kim Ji-hyuk was trying hard to view the current situation positively.

‘Moreover, the war will end soon. Once that happens, the most urgent issue will be the medical system. In that sense, there will be plenty for me to do in the current Republic of Korea. There is no need to be disappointed! Since things have turned out this way, let’s upgrade the medical standards of Korea by one level—no, two or three levels. Isn’t this a rewarding thing in its own way? Of course, saving people who died unfairly is also meaningful enough. Perhaps this is the reason someone put me here! Yes, let’s do it. I can’t just waste my life wandering around here, can I?’

Kim Ji-hyuk clenched his fists.

‘Of course, to do that, I must survive as well! Let’s not forget. May 16! I must absolutely not die on that day!’

“What are you thinking about so deeply? Are you scared because you think you’ll get scolded when we get back to the hospital?”

As Kim Ji-hyuk was lost in deep thought, Kim Yun-seok asked.

“No! By the way, Grandfa… No, Yun-seok.”

When they were almost at the hospital, Ji-hyuk asked Yun-seok.

“Hmm? Why?”

“I have a question. Why did Eisenhower come to our hospital? Is he sick somewhere?”

Ji-hyuk, who had been distracted treating Cheol-woo. Once Cheol-woo had stabilized to some extent, he became curious about the reason for Eisenhower’s visit.

“What are you talking about? Major John Eisenhower is admitted to our hospital, isn’t he? He must have come to visit his son since he visited Korea.”

“Right! I think I read about it in a newspaper article. John Eisenhower participated in this war, didn’t he?”

Ji-hyuk traced his memory.

“You are strange. You’ve been saying strange things since a while ago. Is there anyone who doesn’t know John Eisenhower fought in the war? Besides, you are not in a position to say that, are you?”

“Huh? What’s my position?”

“Do you really not know? Or have you been trying to tease me all this time?”

‘Damn, I suddenly entered this person’s body, so how would I know? I’m frustrated too, Grandfather!’

“No, what did I do?”

“Sigh, you are John Eisenhower’s attending physician. Exactly how long are you going to keep joking?”

Yun-seok shook his head in frustration.

“W-what? Me?”

“Yes! Professor Olsen performed the hemorrhoid surgery! And you volunteered to be the attending physician! Seriously, stop it now… Oh, right! Wasn’t today the day to disinfect Major John’s anus? What should we do, Ji-hyuk?”

‘I am Eisenhower’s son’s attending physician? Damn, I’m screwed.’

Ji-hyuk scratched the back of his head roughly with a frown.

“Lieutenant Colonel Edward, hurry up! Fast! Step on it, step on it!”

Ji-hyuk gestured toward the driver’s seat, urging him to speed up.

* * *

Swedish Red Cross Hospital.

Ji-hyuk and Yun-seok arrived at the hospital in a hurry.

The person who welcomed them was none other than Professor Cho Dong-ki.

“Arrogant rascals! Do you look down on me so much? If there was an urgent matter, shouldn’t you have reported to me first?”

“We apologize. The patient was in such critical condition that there was no time to report……”

“Anyway, Kim Ji-hyuk! You’d better be careful in the future. You are acting high and mighty just because Professor Olsen dotes on you a bit, but do you think Olsen will stay in Korea forever?”

“It’s not that… Ji-hyuk did it because of me……”

At that, Yun-seok stepped in front of Ji-hyuk.

“Shut up! You’re just the same. This war is bound to end soon. You guys are from our school, right? We’ll see about this later. I’ll make your lives miserable, so look forward to it.”

Professor Cho Dong-ki glared at the two with venomous eyes.

“…….”

“…… Silence/dots

“And Kim Ji-hyuk! Olsen, whom you respect and follow so much, wants to see you. How dare you abandon Eisenhower’s son and run away? You are finished as of today! I don’t want to see your face, so get out of my sight right now!”

Professor Cho Dong-ki turned around and walked away, leaving a cold draft behind.

“Ji-hyuk, I’m sorry.”

Yun-seok was at a loss.

“Why be sorry? Even if it’s not Eisenhower’s son but his grandfather, treating the critical patient first is the natural thing to do. I didn’t do anything wrong. Don’t worry. Anyway, I will go see Professor Olsen, so you look after Cheol-woo.”

“Still……”

“I said it’s fine. By the way, Professor Olsen? Where is his office?”

“Sigh, you’re doing this even in this situation? Anyway, you really have the best cheek. 4th floor, Room 408!”

“I know! 4th floor, Room 408!”

‘Where is the elevator… Oh, right. There’s no way an elevator exists.’

Like that, Ji-hyuk looked around and turned toward the stairs, grumbling.

* * *

A moment later, Professor Olsen’s office.

Professor Olsen was sitting in his seat with a stiff expression.

“Are you here?”

When Ji-hyuk opened the door and walked in, he spoke in a low voice.

‘Is this person Professor Olsen?’

“Yes, Professor!”

“Sit down.”

“Yes.”

“Would you like a cup of tea?”

“No. I am fine.”

“Is that so? Is the patient alright?”

He seemed to have already heard the news about Cheol-woo.

“Yes. We drained the fluid in the pericardium and expanded the volume of the heart. He is currently resting stably. However, pericarditis may occur, so we need to monitor his progress in the future.”

“Good work. You performed a pericardiocentesis, I heard?”

“Yes, that is correct.”

“You shouldn’t have learned it?”

“I performed the procedure by recalling what I saw in books.”

“In books? Hmm, unbelievable. There are major blood vessels around the pericardial sac, so even doctors like us do not perform centesis lightly.”

“It was a very urgent situation, and there was no choice. I apologize for taking unauthorized action without reporting.”

“No, I am not rebuking you right now.”

“Pardon?”

“Because saving a patient in critical condition is our responsibility as doctors. However, it is the method that was wrong.”

Professor Olsen said in a calm voice.

“I apologize.”

“Major John is a patient you volunteered to take. Of course, he is not as urgent as the patient Cheol-woo, but you must not neglect Major John’s treatment.”

‘Damn, how was I supposed to know that?’

“I apologize.”

“Major John’s condition is not that light. The abscess around his anus is deep, and surely you know that daily disinfection is required to prevent infection.”

‘Ah! The perianal abscess was severe.’

“I apologize.”

Professor Olsen, who did not know the situation Kim Ji-hyuk was in.

Under the circumstances, Kim Ji-hyuk had nothing to say other than that he was sorry.

“Saving Cheol-woo is something to be praised. However, you should have done what you were supposed to do. If it was a situation where you absolutely couldn’t, you should have asked another doctor.”

“I apologize. I will make sure this never happens again.”

“Keep my words in mind. Once this war ends, I will return to my home country. From then on, you must carve out everything yourself. You are the most brilliant talent among Korean doctors I’ve seen… No, a rare genius even in Sweden. As such, there are many who envy you. So you must always carry yourself correctly. Envy is like a venomous snake that only stops when you die. Be careful not to get bitten.”

‘Wait, I’ve heard this somewhere before……’

It was Kim Ji-hyuk recalling the words of Han Seung-won, his academic advisor before he possessed this body.

“Yes. I will keep that in mind.”

“Yes. At any rate, your treatment today was remarkable. I am truly proud of you. Good work.”

Professor Olsen patted Kim Ji-hyuk’s back.

“Thank you, sir.”

“Right. By now, you must have understood what I mean, so go see Major John first. Eisenhower is waiting for you in the hospital room.”

‘Oh shoot, I’m screwed!’

“Pardon? Me?”