Chapter 46
Professor Kim Cheol-yong, who had been silently listening, asked with a stern expression,
“So, you’re saying no tests were done at all?”
“If you look at the EMR, you can imagine how urgent the situation was.”
“Hmm.”
“I apologize that this happened while I was absent, but the staff did their best for the patient…”
Yoo Gwang-gu deliberately gestured widely and continued his long-winded explanation.
Da-ho, who had been approaching to listen, tilted his head slightly.
His behavior just now, scolding him, was completely different from this.
Yoo Gwang-gu’s unpredictable attitude was hard to read.
“What’s his deal?”
But one thing was clear—it wasn’t just a weak excuse to impress a specialist.
If that were the case, he could have simply said he wasn’t there and left it to Park Jin-gyu.
Instead, he was actively defending the other residents on his own.
“……”
The residents standing nearby stayed quiet.
It wasn’t an unfamiliar scene—the way Yoo Gwang-gu was defending them felt natural.
Soon, Da-ho stepped closer and smoothly joined the conversation.
“Excuse me for interrupting. I think it’s better if I explain the rest myself.”
“Hey, just stay quiet.”
Thud.
Yoo Gwang-gu quickly poked Da-ho, trying to stop him from speaking.
But Da-ho ignored it and continued speaking to the specialists.
“I led the emergency treatment. My apologies for the late introduction. I’m Richard Choi.”
“Hmm. You’re the one from Johns Hopkins, right?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
At the same time Da-ho calmly responded, Professor Kim Cheol-yong asked in a somewhat subdued voice,
“So it’s true you did emergency treatment without any imaging or tests?”
“That’s correct.”
“Hmm. I see.”
Professor Kim Cheol-yong fixed his gaze on Da-ho.
Then Associate Professor Jo In-guk and Wang Jae-sung raised their eyebrows and said,
“What? You diagnosed a liver rupture by palpation?”
“You even treated hemothorax caused by multiple rib fractures? How is that even possible?”
Their disbelief was evident.
Their expressions seemed ready to grill Da-ho to extract the truth.
Da-ho simply observed the three specialists with a neutral gaze.
“Do they look alike?”
That was his honest thought.
But he was mistaken.
Swish.
“Everyone, calm down.”
Professor Kim Cheol-yong raised his hand, calming the other specialists.
They widened their eyes in disbelief and said,
“Professor, you actually believe this?”
“Isn’t that too absurd? This is at least at the level of an experienced specialist doing emergency treatment.”
The disbelief in their eyes was intense.
Though their point made sense, Professor Kim Cheol-yong dismissed it in one sentence.
“Then how do you explain the emergency patient now in the operating room?”
“Huh?”
“Because Dr. Richard successfully performed emergency treatment, it led to emergency surgery, right?”
“Y-Yes, that’s right.”
Associate Professor Jo In-guk and Wang Jae-sung had no choice but to accept the undeniable reality.
At that moment, Professor Kim Cheol-yong looked at Da-ho and lightly patted his shoulder.
Tap, tap.
“Good work. You saved a life today.”
“I thought you’d scold me for not following procedures.”
“Sometimes, you have to make decisive moves that ignore procedure. That’s the charm of emergency medicine.”
Professor Kim Cheol-yong smiled brightly.
It was a purely encouraging smile.
At his words, Associate Professor Jo In-guk and Wang Jae-sung gradually agreed.
“First, you save the patient. That’s the priority for an ER doctor.”
“You need the skill to judge and make a decisive call for emergency treatment.”
Somewhat awkward compliments slipped out.
It was unavoidable given the distance between them as first-time acquaintances.
But there was clearly goodwill behind it.
Meanwhile,
Da-ho was slightly surprised by the unexpected turn.
He had been mentally preparing for a showdown, but all tension melted, leaving a faint smile.
“So there are specialists like this too.”
He thought it would have been better if he had met them sooner.
A new morning arrived.
Da-ho was in the nurses’ station, organizing the EMR.
He carefully cross-checked charts and EMRs, making sure nothing was missing.
Then, he froze.
Something unusual caught his eye.
“Hmm?”
The part about the “specialist call” that he had written yesterday had been erased.
Completely gone, as if it never happened.
“What the…”
Da-ho’s face instantly hardened.
At that moment, Park Jin-gyu approached.
Glancing over his shoulder at the monitor, he froze.
Then he called out awkwardly,
“Hey, Richard. Time to get ready to leave. Want a coffee later?”
The overly casual tone felt forced.
Da-ho’s cold gaze immediately focused on Park Jin-gyu.
Zap.
“Was it you?”
“Richard, I—”
“Don’t make me ask twice. Was it you?”
Da-ho’s voice carried a Siberian winter chill.
Park Jin-gyu flinched.
“Y-Yeah, Richard…”
His words trailed off, and he avoided eye contact.
It was clear what Park Jin-gyu had done.
Da-ho’s gaze turned icy.
“I think I misjudged you.”
He turned to look away.
Sensing Da-ho’s attitude, Park Jin-gyu hurriedly grabbed him.
“R-Richard. Let’s go to the residents’ office. I’ll explain everything.”
“I have nothing to say.”
“I said I’ll explain!”
Park Jin-gyu pleaded desperately, but Da-ho’s gaze had already turned cold.
