Chapter 146

Choi Miran, sitting at the desk, opened her eyes wider.

Did she hear it correctly?

Then Suhyuk opened his mouth, asking, “What the h.e.l.l are you talking about? n.o.bel Prize?”

One of the gentlemen stroked his chin as if he felt something was wrong.

“Have you not been informed yet?”

“No, nothing.”

With a smile, the gentleman said,

“Let’s go. My name is Choi Kitaek, chief of the presidential security service at the Blue House. I’ll escort you safely.”

Suhyuk’s look showed that he was embarra.s.sed.

“Wow! You’re going to the Blue House now?”

“Yeah, he should go,” said s.h.i.+n, who came out of the clinic room and patted Suhyuk on the shoulder, and added, “It’s such a pity that a talented doctor like Suhyuk wasted his time here.”

Suhyuk said, shaking his head,

“Where should I go in my capacity as a public health doctor?”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s been decided by the higher-ups already.”

Suhyuk opened his mouth with a bitter smile,

“I won’t go.”

s.h.i.+n and Choi were stunned to hear that. So were the two bodyguards.

Not receiving the n.o.bel Prize?

This was a great event not only for the person involved but also for the country.

The n.o.bel Prize in Medicine.

For him to receive it would be a great chance to make Korea known to the world and promote its prestige.

Suhyuk thought differently, however.

What is the big deal here?

Promote one’s fame and honor in addition to acc.u.mulating one’s wealth?

That was not what Suhyuk wanted.

Chief bodyguard Choi Kitaek made an embarra.s.sed expression.

Never did he dream that Suhyuk would reject the prize.

He kicked off the prize without a moment’s hesitation.

Still his expression was very calm.

“Are you sure you would reject the prize?”

Suhyuk nodded his head, saying,

“Thanks for the trouble of coming this far. I’m sorry. Please have some food before you leave. I’d like to treat you.”

He thought of the roasted oyster food he had enjoyed recently.

“Wait a moment…”

Choi went out of the clinic to call someone.

s.h.i.+n opened his mouth, “Hey, just say you will go. If you really like it here, you can come back after you receive the prize.”

Suhyuk just smiled without any reply.

Then Choi came back after a call, saying,

“If you want anything, please tell me.”

Suhyuk shook his head.

At that moment, s.h.i.+n began uttering pa.s.sionately,

“How many things do we need here! We have to expand the clinic facilities, and hopefully bringing in a CT machine would be much better…”

Then Suhyuk looked at s.h.i.+n, who nodded at him with a smile.

Letting out a long breath, Suhyuk nodded, too.

If what s.h.i.+n said could be realized, he felt he would not be needed at this place anymore.

Suhyuk made a quick judgment, saying,

“Okay. I’ve got what I want, as you said.”

“Please go ahead,” said Choi.

“Please expand the clinic facilities here. And send more doctors and nurses, too.”

Nodding his head, Choi took his cell phone to his ear.

“With a few conditions Dr. Lee will come with us. He wants to have the clinic facilities expanded…”

“Tell him we’re going to do so,” said someone on the other end.

After the call, Choi showed smiles, replying,

“We’re going to fulfill what you want.”

“When should I go then?”

“Please pack up your stuff now. A boat is standing by right now.”

“Just go,” said s.h.i.+n, patting him on the shoulder.

“You will come again here, right?” said Choi Miran, as tears welled in her eyes.

“Sure, I will,” said Suhyuk.

Then he said to the bodyguards,

“Please wait here a moment, so I can bring my things. Dr. s.h.i.+n will tell you what I want specifically.”

s.h.i.+n, smiling at Suhyuk, said, “Thanks.”

Suhyuk rode the bike to head to his lodging.

Arriving home, he stroked the bike.

Though it was only a brief time, it was like a good friend to him as it served him well.

Thanks to the bike, he could arrive on time in the morning.

When he arrived on this island, he carried only one bag.

It was still the same when he left.

He turned back suddenly to look at his lodging disappearing in the distance.

At the clinic, s.h.i.+n and Miran were ready to say goodbye.

“Goodbye, Dr. Lee. Don’t forget to come back,” said Miran.

“Take care, and thanks so much,” said s.h.i.+n.

s.h.i.+n held out for a handshake, and Suhyuk grabbed his hand, saying,

“Goodbye, sir. I’ll come again surely.”

“Sure, sure. And this one…”

It was a doctor’s gown that s.h.i.+n presented to him, with “Lee Suhyuk” inscribed on the white gown.

“Thanks. See you then.”

Escorted by the bodyguards, Suhyuk began moving to the pier.

Looking at his appearance from the back, s.h.i.+n murmured to himself before he knew it,

“What a great doctor!”

—–

Someone was setting down his foot on the ground, getting off the boat.

He was none other than Suhyuk.

“You must be quite tired, so we’ll escort you to a hotel.”

“No, I’d like to go to my house.”

Choi Kitaek nodded his head after some thinking over it.

Two weeks later a n.o.bel Prize ceremony would be held.

There was enough time for him to visit the Blue House during that period.

Soon a black sedan arrived as Suhyuk’s ride.

Choi opened the back door, and Suhyuk got in with a bitter smile.

He felt as if he was a great man already.

He could arrive at his house in about three hours.

As soon as the sedan stopped, the bodyguard seated along with him came out and opened the back door.

“Thanks,” said Suhyuk.

And he headed to a luxury apartment building.

Ding dong.

“Who is it?”

He felt good whenever he heard his mother’s pleasant voice.

“It’s me, Suhyuk.”

Her eyes opened wide instantly.

“Oh my G.o.d! My dear son!”

She gently stroked his face with her thumbs, asking,

“Are you on vacation?”

Suhyuk shook his head, saying, “No, I’ve got something to receive.”

“When?”

When he moved into the living room, his father was looking a large-screen TV on the sofa.

Suhyuk liked that kind of relaxed appearance so much.

Then his father turned his head, asking, “How come you came here?”

He stood up abruptly, asking the same question as she,

“Are you on vacation?”

Suhyuk said, with a smile, “Well, I’m receiving the n.o.bel Prize.”

“What did you say?”

That night. The whole family had a celebration party.

His father went out to buy some spicy pig’s feet dish.

He was thinking of buying him that food when Suhyuk came home on vacation.

His mother, who never touched alcoholic drinks as a rule, had several gla.s.ses of soju that night.

Her laughter never stopped, and the smile on the sulky face of his father never disappeared that night. Suhyuk’s spirits could not be better too, when he saw their happy moments.

***

Many patients started visiting Daehan Hospital even early in the morning.

A woman was entering the lobby with her fretful daughter.

“Boohoo… I don’t want to come here! I’m not sick at all.”

She bent her knees, wiping her tears, saying,

“I’ll buy you a Bobby doll that I promised last time on our hospital visit. Okay?”

“Hi!”

She turned her head at the voice from the side.

A man was looking at her daughter.

“Who are you?”

With a soft smile, Suhyuk said, “I’m a doctor at Daehan Hospital here.”

He stroked her head and touched her forehead.

She had a slight fever.

“You don’t want to come to the hospital, right?”

“Boohoo… yeah, doctor!”

“Can you open your mouth a bit?”

Instantly he focused his eyes on her mouth.

Her tonsils were not that swollen, and her tongue had no coating on it.

He took out a stethoscope from his bag, taking it to her chest.

He could not hear any abnormal sound from her lungs.

“Looks like she has a cough. Don’t worry too much.”

“What about her medication?”

Suhyuk said, stroking her daughter’s hair,

“You don’t need it. Try to avoid cold water and soft drinks. Also stay away from instant food…”

“Thanks so much, doctor,” said she.

Suhyuk waved his hands at the mother and daughter leaving the lobby.

A nurse’s eyes opened wide because of one person now entering through the revolving door.

He was none other than Suhyuk.

“Wow! Here comes Dr. Lee Suhyuk!”

At her shouting, all the medical staff on the lobby turned their heads to him.

All of them approached him, saying,

“We heard you that you will receive the n.o.bel Prize in Medicine!”

“You look great, doctor!”

Suhyuk made an awkward smile.

Then they cleared the way all of a sudden.

For Prof. Han Myungjin was approaching them.

With a bright smile he welcomed Suhyuk.

“Dr. Lee, don’t you think you got here too late?”

“I’m sorry, sir,” said Suhyuk with a smile.