Chapter 86 – Writer Lee Kyung-ri (2)

“Nurse, could you check the patient’s fever?”

“Yes.”

Nurse Park In-seon moved nimbly at Kim Ji-hyuk’s instructions. And.

“Doctor, it looks like she has a bit of a fever?”

Nurse Park In-seon, having checked the patient’s temperature, showed the thermometer.

“It is 38.7 degrees.”

“Yes.”

“Patient, have you had severe diarrhea or nausea recently?”

Kim Ji-hyuk, having checked the temperature, calmly asked Lee Geum-i.

“Yes. I’ve had severe diarrhea for the past few days. Sometimes I also felt nauseous…”

“Then you must have also had severe abdominal bloating and indigestion.”

“*Pant, pant*, yes. Gas kept filling up my stomach, so I lived on digestive medicine for days. I also keep having sour burps. Am I, am I really okay?”

Lee Geum-i looked up at Kim Ji-hyuk with a worried expression.

‘Pain concentrated in the right upper abdomen, fever, diarrhea, and even vomiting. Additionally, abdominal bloating… It is highly likely to be diverticulitis.’

Kim Ji-hyuk finally deduced the patient’s illness.

“I do not think you need to worry too much.”

Kim Ji-hyuk, showing a bright smile, asked the last thing to confirm.

“And is there any other place where you feel uncomfortable?”

“Yes? If you mean another place…”

Her face turned red rapidly.

“By any chance, are you passing gas well?”

As Lee Geum-i hesitated, Kim Ji-hyuk asked with a smile.

“If you mean gas…”

“Oh, Unni! Farting! The doctor is asking if you fart well right now!”

“Ah! Th-that?”

Lee Geum-i blushed even more, feeling embarrassed.

“N-no… Lately, I haven’t been able to pass gas at all.”

Lee Geum-i barely replied in a crawling voice.

“*Pfft*, Unni! It is a fart disease! And here I thought your appendix burst and you got peritonitis?”

At that, Park In-seon, who was beside her, burst into laughter.

“Hey!”

Lee Geum-i glared at her.

“No wonder your face looked so sallow, Unni. It was because you couldn’t fart! Oh, my stomach hurts!”

Nurse Park In-seon laughed out loud, holding her belly.

‘It is definitely diverticulitis. Since she did not pass gas, gas naturally built up, creating pouch-like air pockets that compressed the abdomen, causing the pain.’

Having made an accurate diagnosis, Kim Ji-hyuk nodded slightly.

‘Fortunately, though diverticulitis can lead to intestinal obstruction caused by bowel perforation or fistula, it does not seem to be at that level.’

“Do-doctor, but is there actually a disease called fart disease?”

Lee Geum-i, who felt relieved but somehow had a wronged look on her face, asked Kim Ji-hyuk while pouting.

“It is not that. You seem to be suffering from diverticulitis.”

“Diverticulitis? I have never heard of it.”

“Yes. It is called diverticulitis, a disease that can occur when gas is not passed smoothly. Once you pass gas and take some medicine, you will feel better, so do not worry too much.”

“Ah, yes.”

So it is a fart disease in the end.

Whether it was a fart disease or diverticulitis.

Lee Geum-i lowered her head, looking embarrassed.

“Also, you should avoid eating anything today as much as possible. I will administer an IV fluid, so please fast for about a day and rest here.”

“I-I understand.”

“Nurse, please administer oral antibiotics to the patient… Ah, by any chance, do you know how to perform a bowel massage?”

“You mean passing gas, right?”

Nurse Park In-seon still could not hold back her giggles.

“Yes.”

“Yes. That is my specialty.”

“Then I will leave it to you. If the gas is not discharged even with the massage, we will proceed with an enema.”

“Yes.”

“Patient, once the gas is out, the abdominal pain will likely subside a lot. I will remain here, so let us observe the progress a bit more.”

“Ah, I see. It is really not a major illness, right?”

“Yes. You will be fine. Once you pass gas.”

“Ah!”

Lee Geum-i blushed and pulled the blanket over her head.

“Now, now, Unni! It is just because gas is packed inside, so stop worrying! I will get it out cleanly for you, so lie straight!”

Nurse Park In-seon tapped the bed and made a playful expression.

“You, stop it, seriously! The doctor is right here, and you keep doing this?”

“Unni, should I not then? If you get an enema later, the doctor will insert the tube directly into your anus. Is that fine with you?”

“Ah, fine, I got it. Do it! Just do it.”

Lee Geum-i grumbled while glancing at Kim Ji-hyuk.

* * *

A few hours later.

“Doctor, it is me.”

Nurse Park In-seon’s voice came from outside the door.

“Yes. Come in. How is the patient?”

Kim Ji-hyuk asked about the progress while checking the clock.

“She has gotten much better. I prescribed the antibiotics and administered the IV fluid just as you said.”

“Did she pass gas?”

“Yes. Didn’t you hear the farts? Unni discharged all the old gas she had been holding back. The sound was so loud. I thought the clinic roof was going to blow off.”

Nurse Park In-seon still could not hold back her laughter, finding it so amusing.

“*Pfft*, it is a relief that there are no major issues, but diverticulitis is not an illness to be taken lightly either. Since it can lead to bowel obstruction if perforation or fistula occurs, it would be best to go to the provincial hospital tomorrow for an examination.”

“Yes. I will convey that to her.”

“Then you can head home, Nurse. I will stay here.”

“Oh? I can stay, though. You must be tired, so you should get some shut-eye.”

“No, it is fine. You must have a lot of housework to do, so please go. I am the one who has to be here anyway.”

“Is it really okay?”

“Yes. Hurry and head home.”

“Should I?”

A moment later.

Kim Ji-hyuk went down to the treatment room.

As if her abdominal pain had vanished just like Nurse Park In-seon had said, Lee Geum-i was sound asleep. She had a look of absolute peace on her face.

And then.

*Pfft—*

Lee Geum-i was passing gas even while sleeping.

‘Hehe, it seems there will be no after-effects from the diverticulitis.’

After checking on the patient’s condition, Kim Ji-hyuk was about to leave the treatment room. Right then, her manuscripts placed on one side of the table caught his eye.

‘Ah, right! I forgot that this person is the great writer Lee Kyung-ri!’

Kim Ji-hyuk inspected the thickly stacked manuscripts.

‘The Daughters of Pharmacist Park!?’

As he read the writing Lee Geum-i had written, Kim Ji-hyuk’s eyes widened.

‘Is this novel the famous *The Daughters of Pharmacist Park*? Wow, am I looking at the first draft of this novel?’

Kim Ji-hyuk flipped through the manuscript to read further.

‘An era with no dreams or hope. A masterpiece of a period drama featuring a story of a wealthy family collapsing helplessly in an instant!’

At that moment, a fragment of memory buried deep in Kim Ji-hyuk’s mind surfaced.

‘Now it is absolutely certain. This person was indeed the writer Lee Kyung-ri!’

Around the time Kim Ji-hyuk was secretly(?) enjoying Lee Geum-i’s draft.

It was right at that moment.

“Doctor, did you come?”

Lee Geum-i, who was sleeping, slowly raised her body.

“Ah, are you awake?”

Like a thief with a guilty conscience, Kim Ji-hyuk wore an awkward expression like a cat caught stealing food.

“You read this, didn’t you?”

Lee Geum-i, quick-witted, pointed at the stack of manuscripts with a chin gesture.

“I am sorry. I did it without realizing. A few words caught my eye, and I was so curious about what happened next.”

Kim Ji-hyuk’s face turned red like a tomato.

“Is that true?”

“Of course. It is such an interesting novel… I couldn’t help but keep flipping through it.”

“I was thinking of stopping here because the story wasn’t coming to me easily.”

“Ah, no! You cannot do that. To this great work!”

Kim Ji-hyuk shook both hands repeatedly.

“Oh, it is just an unfinished draft. I showed it to Park In-seon and a few others, but they said the writing is too poor.”

“Pardon?”

“They said it has no fun, no dreams, and no hope… and just leaves a bad aftertaste after reading it. They even wondered if they shouldn’t have read it.”

Lee Geum-i made a sullen face.

‘It is a writing praised as the pinnacle of tragic structure, a symphony of tragedy! You must absolutely not stop here, Writer!’

“Oh, do not say such things. How can everything in life be a comedy? A tragic ending is also a part of human life. I liked it because it felt realistic just as it is.”

Kim Ji-hyuk waved his hand with a serious look.

“Oh! How do you know that? The ending hasn’t even come out for that novel yet. I have barely written up to the middle, I think?”

Lee Geum-i tilted her head.

‘Oops!’

“Ah… Just. It is the result of deducing based on what I have read so far!”

Realizing his slip, Kim Ji-hyuk quickly glossed over it.

Kim Ji-hyuk scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

“You are right. It was only lingering in my head, but just as you said, Doctor, I think I should make the ending a tragic one. Tragedies are part of life too.”

“Yes! Push forward to the end just as you thought! Then there will be a good result.”

“Thank you. You are the first person to praise my novel like this, Doctor! I will not give up on this writing and write it to the end!”

“Hahaha, of course, you must absolutely do that!”

“Anyway, talking like this, I feel like I have become close to you, Doctor. How about you?”

Lee Geum-i smiled shyly.

‘Are you not the one who will become the greatest writer in our country? It is my honor!’

“Yes. I like it too.”

“Then can I come to play at the clinic sometimes?”

“Well, the clinic is not a place for hanging out, but as long as you do not come because you are sick, you are welcome anytime.”

Kim Ji-hyuk chuckled pleasantly.

“Oh, those are not empty words, right? I am not very quick-witted, so I take such words seriously.”

“Yes. Come whenever you are comfortable.”

“Got it!”

Lee Geum-i smiled brightly.

“For now, since all the gas seems to have passed, you should be fine, but just in case, go to a large hospital and get an ultrasound scan. I will write a referral letter for you.”

“Yes. I will do that.”

“Then rest well today. I should also get some sleep. You do not have any other discomfort, right?”

“Yes, yes. I feel great. Walk along and rest. Do not worry about me.”

Lee Geum-i waved both hands happily.

“Yes. Then I will see you tomorrow.”

* * *

The next morning.

“Are you already leaving?”

When he came down to the treatment room, Lee Geum-i was packing her things.

“Yes. Thanks to you, Doctor, I feel much lighter.”

‘Since she passed gas all night, she had no choice but to feel lighter.’

*Pfft.*

Laughter escaped him before he knew it.

“Wh-why?”

Lee Geum-i blushed, feeling embarrassed.

“Ah, no. It is nothing.”

Kim Ji-hyuk forced back his escaping laughter.

“Ah, I am telling you this out of concern, but you must go to a large hospital. Diverticulitis is not a major illness, but it is not something to be ignored either.”

“Oh, I got it! I will go and let out all the gas!”

“Hahaha!”

“Hohoho.”

The two of them smiled brightly at each other. At a glance, they looked like close siblings, or rather, they had an atmosphere like lovers.

It was right at that moment.

“Doctor Ji-hyuk?”

A woman carefully opened the door of the clinic and stepped inside.

She was Shin Jeong-eun.

“Uh? Senior? How are you here?”

Surprised, Kim Ji-hyuk blinked his eyes.