Surviving as a Rogue Hospital Director - Chapter 29

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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 29.
Vice Director Gu Hui-jeong’s eyes widened slightly as she reviewed the approval document.
– Korea University Hospital Multidisciplinary Team System (Proposal)
As expected, the original drafter was Manager Kim Jae-gyeong. Then the Director must have put this together.
Hui-jeong was quite startled, but she didn’t storm into the Director’s Office like last time. Instead, she quietly reached out to Han Seung-woo.
“Vice Director, I hope you’ve been well? I haven’t been able to visit recently.”
He picked up before the third ring tone had finished. This about Han Seung-woo was exactly what Hui-jeong liked.
“Professor Seung-woo, do you have a moment? There’s something I’d like to discuss.”
“Of course! Whenever you call, I’ll come running. Just let me know what time works best for you, Vice Director.”
After contacting Han Seung-woo, Hui-jeong met him separately at a cafe near the hospital.
She could have summoned him to her office, but the conversation she was about to have couldn’t be exposed. And people couldn’t hear that he’d even been there.
“For now, only you should know—we’re building a Multidisciplinary Team at the hospital.”
She spoke in hushed, conspiratorial tones.
She’d decided not to oppose the Director. Especially since this involved patient care, and touching it carelessly could bring trouble down on her head.
But she was troubled by the fact that the Vice Chairman seemed to be leaving the Director alone. It looked like he was taking an interest in him.
‘Since Han Seung-woo is a Cardiology professor, he should be able to check Thoracic Surgery.’
She couldn’t just stand by and watch the Director run wild.
Han Seung-woo listened silently and nodded. Wearing a thick mask, his true feelings rarely showed.
“I’ve heard about it. You’re talking about treatment based on collaborative consultation, correct?”
“Exactly. Cardiology will be linked with Thoracic Surgery. It hasn’t been long since you arrived, but you must have a sense of how things are, yes?”
Though Hui-jeong spoke softly, she was already operating under the assumption that Han Seung-woo would have no reason to refuse.
With her short legs crossed, she emphasized the inexperience of the junior professor.
“I need you to make sure Thoracic Surgery doesn’t take the whole pie. That way, Cardiology will survive too, won’t it?”
She applied pressure by specifically mentioning the departments, as if she were acting in Han Seung-woo’s interests.
But Han Seung-woo’s mind worked quickly.
‘This isn’t bad at all. We could just put our names on it and hand it over to Thoracic Surgery, right? I don’t think Im Seong-hyeok would object either.’
It looked like a perfect setup to ride on Thoracic Surgery’s coattails. Besides, he could have Fellow Sera do the actual work, and he could sit back, reap the benefits, and show up at the end if needed.
But Han Seung-woo told Vice Director Gu Hui-jeong that he understood. This was the answer she wanted to hear.
“Of course. I understand perfectly what you mean, Vice Director.”
“Good. There’s talk that the Surgery Department Chief will be forced to retire. You’ll need to get promoted to department head.”
Hui-jeong subtly dangled promotion in front of Han Seung-woo, trying to hook him. While she couldn’t guarantee a 100% promotion, she thought there was no better bait for securing a professor than this.
At this moment, Han Seung-woo lifted the corners of his mouth higher to hide his true thoughts. Concealing himself, he smiled even more virtuously. To look at his generous impression alone, he was the very picture of a politician.
‘As if I care about promotion,’
The truth was Han Seung-woo had no great ambition for the department head position. Losing his current position could expose his lack of actual ability.
And when he thought about it, all the Vice Director did was pile on work without giving him anything in return.
Look at the Director. He goes around with Im Seong-hyeok and even carries patients for him!
Han Seung-woo found himself comparing Hui-jeong with Beom Jun.
“If you’re willing to look favorably on me, I’d be so grateful.”
But Han Seung-woo prostrated himself before the Vice Director and shook her hands with both of his.
The moment he parted ways with her, he sought out Sera.
He’d been wondering how to get close to the Director, when conveniently the perfect opportunity had just fallen into his lap. He could say the Vice Director had tipped him off about something not yet officially announced. Once a common enemy appeared, everyone would unite.
“Director, how’s your schedule? Book an appointment for the earliest possible time. Tell him I’ll make it work no matter what. I can reschedule clinic or anything else.”
On the other end of the line, Sera stammered in confusion but said she understood.
* * *
Jae-gyeong informed Beom Jun that Han Seung-woo was requesting a meeting.
“He wants to see me? What’s he got to say?”
“He said he had something to discuss regarding the Multidisciplinary Team System. He said he could make time whenever you wanted.”
When Beom Jun began tapping his desk with his index finger, Jae-gyeong stopped talking. He knew the Director was thinking.
‘Hmm, what’s he planning.’
He already knew Han Seung-woo had lined himself up with the Vice Director. But if they were building a Multidisciplinary Team, there was nothing Han Seung-woo would lose by participating.
Although he’d deliberately structured it so Im Seong-hyeok could take the lead, Han Seung-woo’s insufficient treatment skills meant he’d have to welcome Im Seong-hyeok.
“How far up has the Multidisciplinary Team System approval gone?”
Beom Jun first checked the progress.
“It hasn’t reached you yet, Director. It was handed to the Vice Director yesterday morning.”
At his words, Beom Jun nodded.
The approval was still with the Vice Director, yet Han Seung-woo already knew about the Multidisciplinary Team System? It wasn’t exactly a secret, but it was still too early for it to be known.
Beom Jun inferred that Han Seung-woo had made contact with the Vice Director.
‘But he’s not hiding it. If he’s trying to meet me instead,’
That meant he’d realized Beom Jun was a more useful connection than the Vice Director.
Beom Jun smiled with a grin. At the Director’s sudden change of expression, Jae-gyeong swallowed hard.
The Director, whose gaze seemed to see through others, slowly lifted one corner of his mouth.
For some reason, a chill ran down Jae-gyeong’s spine. Seeing this mixture of kindness and threat, Jae-gyeong was actually grateful to be on the Director’s side.
“So he noticed the rope he was holding was rotting away? His instincts are sharp, I’ll give him that.”
Beom Jun muttered to himself, then looked at Jae-gyeong. There was still an unsettling chill in the air, and Jae-gyeong flinched without meaning to.
“Tell him to come in two hours. Or else he’ll have to wait a week.”
He smiled faintly, anticipating the meeting with Han Seung-woo.
‘If he wants to be the subordinate, I should teach him his place thoroughly.’
Han Seung-woo was the type who liked to line himself up under someone, so he planned to give him treatment befitting that desire.
* * *
—Knock, knock.
Exactly two hours later, the awaited visitor appeared with two brief knocks.
Though he had afternoon clinic, Han Seung-woo boldly cancelled his appointments.
Because of his decision, patients who’d come up from the provinces to be treated at Korea University Hospital had to turn back,
Residents were left flustered by the sudden decision, and nurses probably found themselves scrambling to reschedule,
Because a professor’s word at a university hospital carries considerable weight.
‘What could he possibly want to tell me that he’d go this far.’
First, he needed to know what Han Seung-woo wanted. Beom Jun’s eyes gleamed.
“Well, Director. It’s been a long time since we met.”
As Han Seung-woo entered, his personnel information appeared above his head.
[Name: Han Seung-woo / Title: Professor]
History: ■■■■■
Examination: ■■□□□
Diagnosis: ■■■□□
Treatment: ■■□□□
Follow-up: ■■■■□
– Growth potential: Negligible
– Favorability: 6
No matter how you looked at it, C-shaped stats like these didn’t quite fit for a doctor. And his favorability, which had been 5, had now risen to 6.
Looking at the ignored alarm, it seemed to be from about two hours ago. His favorability must have gone up when Beom Jun signaled he was open to meeting.
“I hear you’ve returned safely. How are you feeling?”
The man who’d walked past him at the conference without a single greeting now began offering him pleasant words.
“Ah, return? It’s been so long I can barely remember it.”
At Beom Jun’s lukewarm response, Seung-woo talked more.
“I should have visited you long ago, but I’ve been a bit slow. Cardiology has been swamped with patients lately. Oh, I’m so sorry about that.”
“Is there even a quiet department at Korea University Hospital.”
In Doctor X, Han Seung-woo had been the one tormenting Seong-hyeok. The sight of him wagging his tail couldn’t possibly look good to Beom Jun.
He usually got what he wanted by being talkative, but now that Beom Jun wasn’t falling for it so easily, there was a hint of panic in his eyes.
“Sir, why are you like this? You know I wouldn’t do anything to upset you.”
Facing the cold Director, Han Seung-woo pulled a pen from his inner pocket. It was a fountain pen in an expensive case.
As he pulled out the pen, he deliberately showed the inside of the case, where thick department store gift certificates were tucked inside.
“Nothing special. I prepared a nice pen for you. I heard you like these kinds of things—you don’t mind, do you?”
Upon hearing Han Seung-woo’s words, Beom Jun was momentarily speechless. He’d momentarily forgotten that in Doctor X, the hospital director had often received under-the-table payments.
“No trace, completely clean setup!”
Han Seung-woo spoke proudly. Department store gift certificates left no record and were easy to convert to cash.
“Huh?”
Beom Jun laughed with an absurdly stunned expression, and Han Seung-woo seemed to misinterpret his response as satisfaction.
[Han Seung-woo’s favorability has increased by 1.]
[Would you like to register him as talent? Yes/No]
The appearance of a notification like this said it all.
Han Seung-woo had subtly been stealing Seong-hyeok’s credit behind the scenes in Doctor X, and apparently he’d been working like this all along.
‘It’s better to eliminate him early on.’
Beom Jun decided what he would do with Han Seung-woo going forward. He clicked ‘No’ for the first time to the message asking if he wanted to register him as talent.
If someone wasn’t qualified for their position, it was right to discard them. Especially a sneaky type like this—you had to catch them before they muddied the waters.
There was no way to collaborate with someone like this, not even remotely.
“It’s really nothing at all. Just a small token of my sincerity. I’d appreciate it if you’d accept it.”
When Beom Jun didn’t take the fountain pen, Han Seung-woo bowed deeply and spoke.
“Fine. Leave it there.”
Beom Jun crossed his legs and pointed at his desk with a tilt of his chin.
But Han Seung-woo didn’t lose his nerve. Partly because the Director was known to be absolutely ruthless.
“Why did you come to see me? As you know, there’s nothing I can do for you. If you have something to say, you’d be better off going to the Vice Director.”
Though Beom Jun still gazed at him with brazenly open eyes, Han Seung-woo matched him with a beaming smile just as readily.
“No, no. You’re the Director of Korea University Hospital. The fact that you’re in that seat means you’re already fulfilling your role, doesn’t it? I’ll be visiting you often from now on.”
He spoke with a candied smile and Beom Jun nodded silently.
‘He wants to schmooze with me? That’s hardly difficult.’
Resting his chin on his hand, Beom Jun watched Han Seung-woo attempt flattery. Seeing the Director’s demeanor, Han Seung-woo became even more earnestly ingratiating.
“I absolutely! Enthusiastically! support your new system. It’s such a necessary institution for patients. It really should have been implemented in Korea much earlier. Your insight as Director is truly different from everyone else’s.”
A scornful Beom Jun spoke with downcast eyes.
“I’m glad to hear you think that way. I’ll be announcing the Multidisciplinary Team System soon. I’d appreciate it if Professor would help with that.”
At Beom Jun’s words, Han Seung-woo’s mask slipped for a moment and his expression contorted, but he quickly smoothed it over again.
“Of course! If you entrust it to me, I’ll make sure the other professors don’t have any second thoughts about it.”
Beom Jun’s eyes curved as he forced an artificial smile. The zygomaticus muscles, which he rarely used, twisted unnaturally, radiating an icy atmosphere.
Seeing this, Han Seung-woo felt a thought flicker through his mind that something had gone wrong.
“Yes. I’m counting on you.”
Beom Jun spoke in a tone as gentle as possible, mimicking Han Seung-woo’s manner.
The kindness he displayed now would be the last Han Seung-woo would ever see from him. From here on, he’d use him thoroughly and discard him like a worn rag.
Beom Jun gazed at the fountain pen case Han Seung-woo had placed on his desk and smiled wickedly.

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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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