Illusion Blind Date - Chapter 21

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#Episode 21

Normally, a first-year resident who received an initial notification from the Emergency Room or Ward would hand it off to the on-call third-year resident.
But to skip that entirely and report straight to the professor?
“Yeah. That’s what he said to do. I don’t know if it’s just today or what, but that’s what I’ve got for now.”
“Understood.”
“How does Professor Cha Tae-moon even know Bom’s doing good work?”
“No way.”
“Besides, you two did CPR together that time anyway. From what I hear, he’s not as difficult as people make him out to be. So don’t stress too much about it.”
“Got it!”
Han Bom answered cheerfully.
The pressure was a hundred times over, no—a thousand times over. But what could she do about it?
When told to jump, you jump.
“Oh, you startled me. Lee Ro-un, what are you doing there?”
The Chief, turning to leave, spotted Ro-un only then and pressed a hand to his chest.
Han Bom had already seen Ro-un slip in quietly behind her.
“Oh, um, I just had something I wanted to ask Han Bom.”
What could she possibly need to ask me?
Han Bom tilted her head and looked at Lee Ro-un curiously.
“You’re starting your Colon and Rectal Surgery rotation today, aren’t you? You have time to be standing around here?”
Oh, right. Ro-un was on the Colon rotation.
Yun Geon had said it was no joke, and Han Bom wasn’t sure if someone with weak stamina like Ro-un could hold up.
“Y-yes.”
“Keep your head in the game. You’re jumping straight into your first surgery assist after the turn change. You shouldn’t even have time for this.”
Whether the Chief said so or not, Lee Ro-un stood her ground stubbornly.
Unlike the other interns, she had her own backbone.
“I just want to talk to Han Bom for a moment.”
“Finish up quick and get down to the Operating Room. You know what Professor Lee Hae-il is like, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
“All right, good luck out there.”
After the Chief left the Doctors’ Office, Ro-un shuffled over hesitantly.
“Ro-un, what is it? What did you want to say?”
When Han Bom asked in a gentle voice, Lee Ro-un lowered her small eyes and stepped a little closer.
Then she pulled something from her coat pocket and held it out toward Han Bom.
“What’s this?”
“For you to eat. My mom sent them, and I have extras.”
Effervescent Vitamins sat in Ro-un’s palm—the same ones Ji Mun used to eat.
So it was Ro-un who’d given them to him.
“Thank you. I’ll enjoy them.”
“Don’t let those guys steal them. Eat them yourself. They’re all food thieves.”
So someone had stolen from her?
“Ha ha, got it.”
“Mm.”
Lee Ro-un smiled faintly and waved a small hand as she slipped out of the Doctors’ Office.
Since she’d received a gift, Han Bom took out a water bottle from the refrigerator and dropped an effervescent vitamin tablet into it, just as Ji Mun used to do.
“Colleague love is patriotism, they say—nice.”
Swish-swish.
Han Bom stirred the water bottle up and down, muttering to herself.
After waiting for the vitamin to dissolve, Han Bom drained about half of it and then headed out of the Doctors’ Office.
The Emergency Room was ringing with an endless stream of phone calls.
Han Bom quickened her pace toward the ER.

***

Called down to the Emergency Room, Han Bom reviewed the chart at the Station and confirmed the patient’s condition.
“Appendicitis. Nothing more to see.”
Bang Su-ho stepped up beside her and pointed at the monitor.
Han Bom stared hard at Su-ho.
Su-ho felt a pang of guilt and quickly averted his gaze, keeping his eyes fixed on the monitor.
“You, just wait. You probably threw me to the wolves and played games the whole time.”
“That’s not what happened!”
Such a brat.
Han Bom steadied her breathing and refocused on the monitor.
“At this point, we need to get her into surgery right away, don’t we?”
Han Bom pointed to the appendix, which hung down like a long tail, and posed the question. Su-ho nodded in agreement.
“No reason to let it ripen. If it ruptures, it’s game over. But the problem is the guardian. They keep asking to postpone the surgery, and I can’t seem to get through to them.”
“Really? I’ll give them the notification first.”
When Han Bom had gone to see the patient earlier, the guardian was on a call.
So after finishing the patient interview, she’d gone straight to check the chart.
Han Bom decided this wasn’t a decision she should make alone, so she called Cha Tae-moon.
The line rang, and his voice came through.
-This is Cha Tae-moon.
Wow, his voice was absolutely like a voice actor—she’d thought it was pleasant in person, but hearing it like this was something else.
His low, masculine tone felt like a treat for her eardrums.
“Professor, this is Han Bom, first-year resident. I’m giving you the notification.”
Am I shaking?
It’s just a common appendicitis case. No need to be nervous.
-Go ahead.
“A 23-year-old female patient presented to the ER with abdominal pain. Ultrasound findings are consistent with appendicitis.”
-Give me the patient number.
“Yes.”
Han Bom recited the patient number. She heard the sound of keyboard keys being typed.
After a moment, once he’d confirmed the information, he spoke.
-What about a CT scan?
“Ah, we only did an ultrasound.”
-Admit her and order additional imaging.
“Understood.”
After hanging up, Han Bom headed to the patient’s bed.
“What’s going to happen to my daughter?”
The patient’s guardian asked as she saw Han Bom approach.
“It’s appendicitis. She needs to be admitted and undergo a few additional tests, then we’ll need to take her to surgery. So, as the guardian, you’ll need to—”
“Surgery? The appendix isn’t bursting right now. Just give her some medicine.”
“Is there perhaps something urgent you need to attend to? An important exam or interview? But even if that were the case, she really does need the surgery.”
“Doctor, just give me some painkillers. I can endure it.”
The patient, who had been lying with her hand clutching her lower right abdomen, sat up in the bed and spoke pleadingly to Han Bom.
Though she was said to be 23, she looked barely past high school graduation.
Han Bom hesitated for a moment.
She could see as clear as day what would happen if she let the patient leave like this.
“You need to be admitted and have surgery right away. You know what happens when an appendix ruptures.”
“My daughter isn’t that bad, I’m telling you. Why do you keep insisting? I’ll take responsibility—just give her some painkillers.”
“Please wait a moment.”
Han Bom had seen many intoxicated patients, but this was a first for her, and she found herself unsure how to proceed.
Eventually, Han Bom went to the Station and pulled out her phone to call Cha Tae-moon.
Even if he scolded her for not handling something so straightforward on her own, there was nothing she could do about it.
Looking at the patient in distress, her pale face contorted with pain, Han Bom knew she couldn’t send her away like this.
-This is Cha Tae-moon.
“Professor, this is Han Bom.”
-Looks like another patient situation.
“It’s not that—it’s the guardian of the appendicitis patient I just notified you about. They’re asking for painkillers only. What should I do?”
-Even after I said she needs surgery?
“Yes. The guardian is being especially difficult.”
-Wait. I’ll come down.
“Yes.”
After the call ended, Cha Tae-moon appeared in the Emergency Room moments later.
The gazes of the patient, the guardian, and all the ER staff turned toward him at once.
The patients who had come in overnight had been discharged, and this was actually the quietest time the ER had been all night.
Drawing everyone’s attention as he entered, he walked directly toward Han Bom.
Why did she feel a slight swell of pride at that?
Han Bom, who had become the face of General Surgery, sensed the moment she saw him that he would become someone entirely different.
“This is the new General Surgery professor, isn’t it? Wow, he’s even more impressive in person.”
“And here we are, not even able to hand out our business cards.”
It was amusing to watch the expressions of the young doctors—the faces of the Department of Emergency Medicine—twist in real time.
“Where’s the patient?”
He asked while holding her gaze steadily.
“I’m sorry—I couldn’t convince them…….”
“How am I supposed to talk someone out of refusing surgery? Let me see them myself first.”
“Ah……, yes!”
His tone was unexpectedly kind and gentle.
Han Bom found herself doubting her own ears—she’d been prepared for him to chew her out for not handling this properly.
The professors who’d been so considerate during her student years turned ice-cold once you met them in the field; Siberia had nothing on them.
Of course, they had to be rigorous when lives were on the line.
But he wouldn’t scold her behind closed doors, would he?
Even as Han Bom led him toward the patient, doubt gnawed at her.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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