Chapter 8 – Children Met in the Forest (2)

‘As expected, her neck is severely swollen. Intubation is impossible, so I must insert a needle directly into the airway and supply oxygen. Right now! Otherwise, this child might die!’

Gulp. Kim Ji-hyuk’s Adam’s apple bobbed.

‘Calm down. There is nothing hard about this! Cricothyroid membrane: the bottom of the thyroid cartilage and the top of the cricoid cartilage!’

Kim Ji-hyuk was calmly repeating the procedure in his mind.

‘I just need to insert it at a 35-degree angle!’

Although he had never used it in practice, Kim Ji-hyuk was perfectly familiar with it in theory.

He hesitated for a moment, then boldly inserted the needle.

Pshhh!

The needle slid in smoothly.

“It is all done……”

‘Now, once we connect the Ambu bag and inject oxygen……’

“We just need to connect the Ambu bag now, right?”

“……!!”

Kim Ji-hyuk was surprised once more.

Shin Jeong-eun brought the Ambu bag and connected the Ambu tube with efficient movements.

“Do you know how to use an Ambu bag?”

“Yes, sort of. We just do it slowly in line with the breathing cycle, right?”

‘There shouldn’t even be a manual at this time?’

Without even needing a separate explanation, Shin Jeong-eun was following the standard manual exactly.

“Ah, yes. You can do it that way. I will check if the child has any other uncomfortable areas.”

“Yes, Doctor!”

Like that, Shin Jeong-eun skillfully squeezed the Ambu bag to supply oxygen, and after squeezing it a few more times.

“Gasp, gasp. O-Oppa……”

Finally, the little girl’s breathing broke through.

“A-are you okay, Mi-seon?”

“Auntie……”

“Yes, yes. It’s Auntie Jeong-eun. Are you regaining consciousness?”

“……!”

‘What? Did she just say Jeong-eun? By any chance… is she Dr. Shin Jeong-eun??’

Examining her face closely, she was highly similar to the Dr. Shin Jeong-eun he had seen in books.

‘If Dr. Shin Jeong-eun were young, she would look like that woman… Ah! Is she really Dr. Shin Jeong-eun?’

“By any chance, who are you? Are you a nurse at this hospital?”

“Hohoho, you make jokes even in this situation?”

“I’m asking if you are indeed Dr. Shin Jeong-eun?”

“I am indeed Shin Jeong-eun, but not a doctor.”

‘Wow, it is indeed Dr. Shin Jeong-eun!’

Kim Ji-hyuk had a blank expression.

“Mi-seon, if you are okay, nod your head!”

As if there was no need to respond, Shin Jeong-eun asked the child.

“…… silence/dots

The little girl nodded weakly. It was the moment the airway was finally cleared.

‘No wonder her movements were unusual, she was indeed Dr. Shin Jeong-eun!’

“Phew, she has passed the critical stage. I think we should keep her here today to monitor her progress and send her to the ENT department tomorrow. Please contact her guardian.”

Kim Ji-hyuk also breathed a sigh of relief, but,

“Doctor, the guardian is already here.”

With a troubled face, Shin Jeong-eun pointed to the boy who was praying with his hands clasped outside the clinic window.

“Mi-seon doesn’t have a guardian. She has a grandmother, but she has severe dementia. So that little kid is Mi-seon’s guardian.”

“Ah! I see. Then I will stay here.”

“No, no. You don’t have to do that. It is fine for me to stay! I will look after Mi-seon.”

That evening.

“Doctor, what about dinner? You must be very hungry, will you be okay?”

Once Mi-seon’s condition had stabilized to some extent, Shin Jeong-eun asked.

‘Oh man, I can’t get used to this! Seeing someone I only met in books like this?’

“No. Today was so eventful that I don’t even feel like eating.”

Kim Ji-hyuk kept glancing at Shin Jeong-eun’s face.

“Event… what?”

“Ah, it’s nothing. I meant it was hectic because an emergency patient suddenly came up.”

Kim Ji-hyuk glossed it over.

“You must be. But you still must be hungry, shall I make you some rice balls?”

Shin Jeong-eun wore a bright smile.

‘Rice balls… I’ve really returned to 1952, for sure.’

“It is fine. I’m not very hungry.”

“Okay. Then please rest! You must be very tired.”

“Are you going to stay by the child’s side the whole time?”

“I think I should. Mi-seon is very shy around strangers, and once she regains some strength, I should cook some gruel to feed her.”

“Your yourself?”

“Of course. There’s no way there’s a separate cook in the midst of this war. You know that, so why ask?”

Hehe, Shin Jeong-eun laughed brightly.

“Ah, yes. And we must give Mi-seon her antibiotics on time, and the airway……”

“Yes, yes. I know at least that much. So go inside and rest quickly, Doctor!”

Shin Jeong-eun nudged Kim Ji-hyuk, who was worrying about the patient until the very end, from behind.

‘Sigh, I can’t get used to this. A young Dr. Shin Jeong-eun!’

* * *

1st floor emergency room.

Kim Ji-hyuk, who had gone up to the duty room to take a nap, came down to the emergency room on the first floor out of concern for Mi-seon.

“Auntie Jeong-eun? Auntie Jeong-eun? Are you there?”

“…… silence/dots

“Auntie? Are you there?”

“Hehehe, do I look like Auntie Jeong-eun to you?”

Feeling playful, Shin Jeong-eun made a spooky voice.

“D-don’t do that! Auntie!”

“I have already eaten that woman! Next is your turn. Shall I give you red paper? Or blue paper?”

“Waaah!”

Mi-seon finally burst into tears.

“Sorry, sorry! It’s a joke. It’s indeed Auntie! Here I am.”

“Really? Is it really you, Auntie?”

“Yes. I kicked the toilet ghost away. It’s gone now!”

“Really?”

“Of course. So poop in peace, Mi-seon.”

Late at night, Shin Jeong-eun was playing a prank on Mi-seon who was using the toilet.

“Doctor, what are you doing there?”

Kim Ji-hyuk tapped the back of Shin Jeong-eun, who was guarding the front of the bathroom.

“Oh? You should sleep more.”

Shin Jeong-eun asked in surprise.

“I couldn’t fall asleep when I tried to. What about Mi-seon?”

“She is pooping in there. She kept saying it’s scary, so I am guarding the door.”

“Ah, yes. ……But have you been here all this time?”

“She has followed me like a mother since she was small. Besides, she is a very fearful child……”

“Ah. How is the child doing?”

Kim Ji-hyuk, nodding, asked about the child’s status.

“After following your instructions, Doctor, she seems much better. I plan to take her to the ENT doctor tomorrow.”

“Yes. It seems we should do that. Getting a detailed examination……”

“Pardon? A detailed examination?”

‘Ah, my mistake! What detailed examination in this hospital, there’s no way there are machines to run tests.’

“Ah, no. I will stay here from now on, so you go in and rest, Doctor.”

“No. The sun will rise in a bit, and if I sleep now, I won’t be able to get up. You should rest more, Doctor.”

“No. Sleeping is out of the question for me too. Well then, let’s have a cup of tea together.”

“Tea?”

“Why?”

“Hohoho, just in time, an older sister I know gifted me some American coffee.”

“American coffee?”

“Yes, yes. American cophie!”

.

“Auntie, I’m done pooping!”

“Oh. Okay. You can wipe yourself, right? Auntie is going to talk with the doctor over there, okay?”

“Yeah.”

Mi-seon, having finished her business, fell back asleep, and the two walked out of the emergency room.

A moment later.

“Here is the coffee!”

Shin Jeong-eun brewed coffee and brought it in cups. It was a dark brown cup like the teacups in old movies.

“Thank you.”

“You went through a lot of trouble today.”

Sip, Shin Jeong-eun said, taking a sip of her coffee.

“It was nothing. By the way, I should go to Mi-seon’s house tomorrow. I think I must meet her guardian.”

“Mmh, I told you, didn’t I? Mi-seon’s grandmother has dementia.”

“Yes. Still, she is the guardian, so we must tell her.”

“Well. If so, do as you please.”

Shin Jeong-eun nodded quietly. Recalling what happened earlier, Kim Ji-hyuk opened his mouth.

“Anyway, there is something I am curious about.”

“What is it? First of all, I am already married!”

“What!?”

“Hohoho, you look disappointed?”

‘Unbelievable. The famous Dr. Shin Jeong-eun making this kind of dad joke?’

“That’s not it, though?”

“It is fine. It happens often when I go out.”

Shin Jeong-eun put on a prim expression, raising her pinky slightly.

“……I was just wondering if you have been working at this hospital for a long time.”

“Ah. I’ve been working here since the hospital was first established, so this is my second year. Besides, this is my hometown.”

“Ah, really? But you don’t speak in dialect?”

“I use it when I am with close friends. Actually, I went to school in Seoul. I alternate between Seoul speech and dialect.”

“I see.”

“By the way, you seem a bit different from before, Dr. Ji-hyuk.”

“Me? How?”

“Mmh, how should I put it, your facial expression seems to have changed a bit too……”

“R-really?”

Kim Ji-hyuk touched his own face.

“Yes. And the way you perform procedures, how should I say, it seems you are much better at it. Shall I say you looked like a professor when you were treating her earlier?”

Shin Jeong-eun tilted her head.

“There’s no way……”

“Anyway, you looked very cool!”

“Thank you.”

“Anyway, it also feels like you aren’t the Dr. Ji-hyuk I know, but since you look exactly the same, that couldn’t be, right?”

Hehehe, Shin Jeong-eun laughed brightly.

“Of course. I am myself.”

“Yes, yes. That must be it. By the way, you’re going to Mi-seon’s house tomorrow?”

“Yes. If you write down some medication, I will visit her.”

“No. I have tomorrow morning off, so let’s go together.”

“You don’t need to do that.”

“No. It’s been a while since I saw Mi-seon’s grandmother, so I wanted to visit her anyway. Let’s go together.”

“Okay then.”

“Yes. I will wrap things up here, so please get at least a little sleep, Doctor. Tomorrow will be busy too. No, is it today now?”

“Understood.”

* * *

“Where are you going at the crack of dawn?”

As he rose and changed clothes after tossing and turning all night, Kim Yun-seok rubbed his eyes and asked.

“I’m going to meet a patient’s guardian.”

“Ah, the girl from yesterday? The one named Mi-seon.”

“Yeah.”

“Is there a need to do that? In this chaos anyway, they wouldn’t be people who can afford hospital bills.”

“It’s not because of money.”

“Then?”

“We are treating a patient, does it make sense for the guardian not to know about it?”

“Mmh, that is true, but there is nothing we can do about it right now, is there? Orphans are everywhere, and abandoned children are not just one or two.”

“Indeed, it is a tragedy born of the times. Still, since there is a guardian, I must meet her.”

“Alright. But you must return before 8:00 AM. You know you’ll catch fire if you’re late for Professor Cho Dong-ki’s morning meeting, right?”

“Got it.”

“Don’t forget you fell out of Professor Cho Dong-ki’s favor after treating John Eisenhower last time. That man is mean and eager to find any fault with you.”

“Yeah, I will.”

“Okay. If you are late by any chance, contact me immediately. So that I can make an excuse for you.”

“Yeah.”

“Ji-hyuk! Don’t give too much of your heart to the patients here. Unless you are going to work here for the rest of your life.”

‘Huhuhu, those are the words he always said to hold me back. Do not give your heart to a patient you cannot take responsibility for until the end. If you have given your heart, do not expect to receive it back.’

“…… silence/dots

A moment later, near Mi-seon’s house.

While Mi-seon was still asleep, Kim Ji-hyuk and Shin Jeong-eun set out to find Mi-seon’s grandmother.

A morning where the dawn air was extremely clear and cool.

Although morning was slowly approaching, there was barely any smoke rising from the houses.

This place, devastated by the war.

A street scene so different from modern times.

It was utterly hard to believe that this was what it looked like just fifty years ago.

Walking for a long while with Shin Jeong-eun, a shabby house appeared.

It was a house with a rusted iron gate that looked as if it would crumble at a touch.

“Doctor, this is Mi-seon’s house.”

“I see.”

“Shall we go in?”

“Shouldn’t we make some sound first?”

“It is fine. Even if you make a sound, she won’t be able to hear.”

Screech, Shin Jeong-eun opened the door familiarly and went inside.

“Are you home? Mi-seon’s grandmother! I’m here!”

It was right then.

“Aigoo! Have you come, Doctor!”

An old woman holding a gourd filled with barley, as if about to wash it, welcomed Kim Ji-hyuk warmly upon seeing him.

‘Does she know me? No, does she know Kim Ji-hyuk?’

Kim Ji-hyuk had a bewildered expression at the unexpected hospitality.