Chapter 34
It was quite a pressuring statement.
But Irene countered it with a deep smile.
“You won’t get to meet Andrew oppa. He went to LA. Said he had to meet some business partner there.”
“His schedule doesn’t overlap with ours?”
“Nope. Not at all. Ku-hu-hu.”
Irene teased Dae-ho with a mischievous grin.
Dae-ho was a little disappointed, but he didn’t dwell on it.
“Can’t be helped. I’ll see him next time.”
“That’s for sure.”
“Still, why so sudden? The flight’s tonight, and the stay’s so short.”
“It’s because of a request from the chief surgeon.”
Irene added her own explanation.
Only then did Dae-ho check the patient’s information.
Rustle.
On the first page, it explained why the patient had chosen Dae-ho as their operating surgeon.
“Huh? It’s a recommendation from Cameron.”
“Yeah. The one who suffered from pulmonary artery stenosis. Doctor Richard was the chief surgeon back then too. Ah-hmm.”
“Anyway, the patient’s name is Dominic, and the diagnosis is…”
“WPW syndrome — Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. The ECG monitoring results are on the next page too.”
Irene explained with near-professional detail.
It was the result of her long years working alongside Dae-ho and Andrew.
Dae-ho nodded and flipped to the next page.
As Irene had said, the ECG monitoring results were there.
WPW Syndrome.
A condition where an abnormal electrical circuit forms between the atrium and ventricle, causing arrhythmia.
It often appeared in adulthood.
Most cases involved paroxysmal tachycardia or atrial fibrillation.
And if the atrial fibrillation became severe, it could lead to ventricular fibrillation, resulting in sudden death.
It could be treated with surgery, but it was considered highly difficult.
That’s why it was often classified as a rare and intractable disease.
It wasn’t something you’d easily encounter in Korea.
After skimming through it, Dae-ho muttered quietly,
“It’s a bit risky.”
“That’s probably why they requested it so urgently.”
“Did you inform the hospital?”
When Dae-ho asked, Irene tilted her head.
“Which one? Johns Hopkins or Chung-hyo?”
“Chung-hyo.”
“I already contacted the deputy director. He said next time, I should coordinate schedules with him first.”
When Irene replied, Dae-ho nodded.
“Handle that yourself. Anyway, the schedule looks really tight.”
“But the pay is good. There’s even a separate night-surgery allowance. So, you know…”
Swish.
Irene spread her fingers meaningfully.
Seeing that, Dae-ho’s eyes curved into bright crescents.
“Well, can’t help it. The patient comes first.”
“Really?”
“Of course.”
Dae-ho shamelessly kept up his composure.
Then he asked another question.
“But why would they specifically ask me in Korea to perform the surgery?”
“You know how doctors over there are.”
“How so?”
“They only perform surgeries they’re confident in. But Doctor Richard never backs down from any illness.”
Wink.
Irene winked, clearly complimenting him.
And she wasn’t wrong.
Dae-ho had never refused a patient based on their condition.
In fact, he often volunteered to take on difficult cases when no one else would.
But doctors in the U.S. had a slightly different mindset.
Simply put, they avoided unnecessary risks.
They drew a firm line between what they could and couldn’t operate on, and stayed within that boundary.
It wasn’t that they were wrong — it was just a difference in thinking.
Dae-ho nodded in understanding.
“Yeah, they do tend to be like that.”
“Anyway, the schedule’s going to be tight, but good luck.”
“You’re not coming with me?”
“I’ve got my own business to handle.”
“Alright. I got it. I’ll take care of it.”
Dae-ho agreed coolly.
But the prepared documents weren’t over yet.
“What’s this?”
Rustle.
As he flipped through, Dae-ho paused.
Another surgery case appeared.
“Two surgeries?”
“Well, since you’re going that far, might as well make it worth it.”
“...That’s one way to put it.”
“The second case isn’t too difficult. Just fit it into the schedule while you’re there.”
Irene spoke casually, and Dae-ho’s eyebrow twitched.
“You’re being a little too free with this, aren’t you?”
“But the surgical fee is this much.”
Swish.
Irene spread her fingers again — this time, showing more of them.
Seeing that, Dae-ho’s irritation quickly faded.
“Hey. Do you think I only care about money? I just… feel sorry for the patient. Might as well do one more while I’m there.”
“……”
“What? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“No, it’s fine. Just… good luck.”
Irene said awkwardly, smiling faintly.
Still, Dae-ho didn’t change his expression and declared firmly,
“I’ll succeed with both surgeries and ensure the patients’ recovery.”
“...And stuff your wallet full.”
“Quiet. I’ve got a lot to review.”
Rustle, rustle.
Dae-ho flipped through the remaining documents quickly, his focus sharp as ever.
That night.
Dae-ho arrived at Incheon International Airport.
His single small suitcase clearly showed how short this business trip would be.
“First, let’s get the ticket.”
Step step.
He moved smoothly toward the airline counter.
Soon, he faced an airline employee.
