Chapter 105: Henry (1)

Vroooom.

It had been another week of Suhyuk and Baruda tearing through their outpatient clinics.

“Are you comfortable?”

Suhyuk was sitting in the front passenger seat. It was unclear if Dr. Hwang’s car was here due to coercion or because he genuinely needed to be in Chicago as mentioned earlier. Perhaps it was due to his high annual salary, but it was quite a nice vehicle allowing Suhyuk to stretch out his legs comfortably.

“Yes, I am very comfortable.”

“That is good. In truth, there are buses and trains available…but they make traveling difficult.”

“I hope you aren’t going too far just for my sake?”

“No, no. I occasionally visit my sister’s house in Chicago. Otherwise, it is challenging to find Korean food here in Iowa.”

Dr. Hwang, holding onto the steering wheel, pointed at the empty side dishes containers placed on the back seat. It seemed he planned to fill them with food during his trip.

“Well, there probably aren’t any Korean restaurants in such a small town like Iowa.”

‘Remember, they mentioned preparing some meals for us at church?’

“Surely, they won’t provide enough for weekdays too?”

‘Yes, that makes sense.’

This realization helped alleviate Suhyuk’s guilt somewhat. However, when he learned that the drive from Iowa to Chicago takes around 4-5 hours, his guilt resurfaced. Fortunately, Dr. Hwang appeared quite accustomed to long drives and didn’t seem bothered by the distance.

“Here we are. Due to the large number of trainees at Pfizer, they have arranged separate dormitories. Each room is single occupancy… They also operate shuttles on weekends, so it’s convenient for going out to eat in the city.”

“Oh, thank you.”

“I will pick you up by 7 PM on Sunday.”

“Ah… Thank you very much.”

“No problem.”

After dropping Suhyuk off at Pfizer, Dr. Hwang drove away.

His sister didn’t live exactly in Chicago but slightly north of it. However, he couldn’t remember the exact name of the place. In truth, if Baru exerted its power, even the most unusual location would be memorable.

Currently, Baru was somewhat disoriented.

[It would have been better if I could access hospital records…]

I was preoccupied with Henry, the director of Pfizer’s Chicago research institute.

‘Even if he is sick… Would he travel to Iowa? There are excellent hospitals in Chicago.’

[Should we go to Northwestern Hospital now and search for information?]

‘That’s a crime, man! In the United States, I’m not a doctor or anything.’

In the first place, it would be illegal for a doctor to search through someone else’s medical records. Moreover, without proper authorization, accessing such records wasn’t possible.

[Why haven’t you obtained a U.S. medical license yet?]

‘The law changed so I couldn’t get one in Korea anymore? And even with a license, I wouldn’t be able to see them.’

[Why can’t you see it? Just hack into their system.]

‘He’s crazy…’

[Anyway, let’s go inside for now. Chicago is known for frequent gun incidents.]

‘Ah, right.’

The people from Iowa had scared him with their warnings. Despite being located within the same country, there was a stark difference between a large city like Chicago and rural Iowa. Suhyuk could also confirm this. The atmosphere of the cities felt completely different.

‘I guess comparing a university town to this metropolis isn’t fair.’

Most residents in Iowa were affiliated with the university as faculty or staff members. While they may have been bureaucratic, despite some downsides, one advantage was their generally kind and trustworthy nature.

[Don’t overthink it; let’s try finding any clues.]

‘Detective? What clues can I find about someone whose face I don’t know? Is he dead?’

[Don’t be too sensitive. This is a dormitory.]

Ronnie was definitely good at his job. Suhyuk could enter the dormitory with Ronnie mentioning his name alone.

The dormitory facilities were quite different from what Suhyuk was accustomed to back home. First, the lobby was huge, and it contained four restaurants. In the basement, there was a swimming pool as well as a fitness club.

[There’s a bar on the top floor… Let’s go ask them about Henry.]

‘Should we really do that…?’

[Why not? Are you embarrassed?]

‘Foreigners… Talking to foreigners I’ve never met before is a bit.’

[What are you worried about? I will tell you everything. Moreover, if you establish connections here, won’t it be helpful later on?]

‘Why do I have this strange ambition?’

[Didn’t you say that you wanted to become rich? Let me repeat myself: Suhyuk, as the sole input-output channel…]

‘I understand…’

After the brief conversation, which left him hurt as always, Suhyuk nodded and headed towards the elevator with his staff.

The building clearly showed signs of significant investment. It was natural since those working at Pfizer Research Institute would expect generous compensation.

Ding.

Upon reaching the bar, he saw more people than expected. In fact, the place was almost full.

‘On a fiery Friday night, what are they doing gathered here…? It’s only a 10-minute drive to downtown.’

[Aren’t they researchers?]

‘What kind of stereotype is that?’

[As seen in dramas, researchers are always diligent and good-hearted but only appear as supporting characters for the female protagonist.]

‘Dramas should be viewed as dramas. Reality is different.’

[I hope you remember that my reality is observed through Suhyuk.]

‘Eh.’

Suhyuk shook his head and headed inside.

Surprisingly, there was even a guard at the entrance. Initially, the guard approached with a stern expression upon seeing Suhyuk’s unfamiliar face. However, once he noticed Suhyuk leaning on his staff, he quickly rushed over.

“Can I assist you?”

“No, thank you. I’m fine.”

“I’ll escort you to your seat.”

Suhyuk followed the guard’s gesture, noticing an empty spot quite centrally located amidst lively conversations between already tipsy patrons.

It was also filled with men and women who were already drunk and chattering loudly.

[This is nice.]

Following the guard’s guidance, Suhyuk sat down at the empty seat. The guard had obtained permission from those already present, allowing for a smooth start to the conversation.

“Ah…you’re from Iowa State University Hospital?”

Suhyuk intentionally avoided mentioning that he was Korean, as he decided it would be better not to bring up his nationality.

“Yes. Pfizer is the best in the world, so I came here to learn.”

“There’s always something to be the best at. Ha ha.”

Normally, the system required patrons to order their drinks directly and retrieve them themselves. However, due to Suhyuk’s staff, the guard took his order and delivered the drink to him.

“I heard everyone at Pfizer participates in research.”

“Ah, yes. Here, all researchers participate in research regardless of their position. There is no exception even if you are the head.”

As Suhyuk took a sip of beer and asked his question, one woman kindly responded with a smile. She seemed more relaxed after seeing Suhyuk’s disability along with having some drinks. This was beneficial for both Suhyuk and Baruda.

“Then does Director Henry also lead research? I came here because Ronnie invited me, but I was told that only Henry would be present…”

“Ronnie?”

“Yes, I received an invitation from Ronnie.”

“Ronnie… Who could it be? Oh, perhaps…”

The woman tilted her head before recalling a very high-ranking individual.

“Ronnie…Goodman?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Do you know Ronnie, the head of research?”

In fact, their relationship was not close enough to be considered acquaintances, but Suhyuk assumed they would have no further business together anyway. Thus, he nodded.

“Yes, slightly.”

“Oh…”

Naturally, this piqued Baruda’s interest significantly. Even people at other tables started paying attention to Suhyuk. This reaction stemmed from Ronnie’s immense influence within Pfizer; several individuals present were involved in projects facilitated by him.

“However, I don’t really know much about Henry. I’m worried if I make any mistakes, it might cause trouble for Ronnie.” Baruda seized this opportunity and subtly probed further.

If Suhyuk had started asking about Henry from the beginning, it might have raised suspicions, but now it seemed natural. Although Suhyuk didn’t ask detailed questions, Ronnie began to speak freely.

“Henry… He is quite stubborn and doesn’t listen to others.”

“Ah, he originally majored in biomedical engineering. While working on artificial organs…he judged it as premature and moved to Pfizer. However, he still has a keen interest in hearts.”

“Yes, yes. He regularly takes medication too. It’s not like he has any heart problems, but…I guess his extensive research in that area makes him cautious.”

Suhyuk quietly listened, nodding with understanding. Lee Hyunjong was similar in this regard.

Suhyuk knew of several medications Baruda was taking to protect his cardiovascular system.

It hasn’t been confirmed yet whether aspirin increases…the risk of hemorrhagic stroke for Asians…

Despite this uncertainty, he continued consuming large amounts due to its proven effectiveness in preventing heart attacks.

“By any chance, is there anything else I should be aware of? Like another area causing discomfort similar to my leg?”

The conversation continued at length afterward but lacked any substantial content. This raised Suhyuk’s suspicions, yet since they had come this far, he decided to diligently listen to Baruda’s concerns.

“Oh…”

Had Suhyuk not experienced physical pain himself, this question might have posed a challenge.

Suhyuk considered himself as someone who bridged gaps between people. Thanks to this mindset, his question sounded natural and even considerate.

“Isn’t Susan the best person to answer that? After all, they’re on the same team.”

The enthusiastic man turned towards the woman who had initially welcomed Suhyuk. Her name seemed to be Susan, and she appeared to have a friendly personality, which indeed proved true.

“Oh yes, I know him well… Ah, Henry…”

In contrast, Henry didn’t seem like such a great guy. The others’ fervent cheering at her strong reaction made it clear.

“He’s quite stubborn. If anyone disagrees with him, he gets angry.” Her frustration erupted like a volcanic explosion, lasting for some time. Unfortunately, most of her complaints were typical grievances one might have towards a superior.

However, there were some aspects Baruda might appreciate.

“Ah, and…this is really annoying. No matter where he goes, he plays music. Wait, it’s not music. Just sounds?”

“Sounds?”

“Yes, you know…the sound of crumpling paper…some kind of ASMR or whatever, blasted at full volume.”

“Crumpling paper sounds?”

“Exactly. I don’t know if he can’t stand silence, but…he constantly has these strange noises playing. Even in the research lab, it drives me insane.”

“Hmm.”