Chapter 129: VIP (3)

“Ah.”

Patient Kim Da-hyun was quite anxious.

It was understandable as she had been admitted for back pain only to learn that there were fractures all over her body. Furthermore, she underwent surgery under the pretense of conducting tissue tests to find out the cause. Although Kim Da-hyun lacked medical knowledge, she sensed something suspicious.

‘Tissue tests.’

Could it be cancer? Was that what this is about? She just turned forty, and now facing possible cancer felt like a massive boulder suddenly dropping onto her smooth path through life.

“Ms. Kim.”

Suhyuk’s voice pulled Kim Da-hyun from her abyss, despite not knowing him for long. However, his firmness and exceptional diagnostic skills captivated her during her vulnerable state.

Suhyuk’s firmness and exceptional diagnostic skills were enough to captivate Da-hyun, who was emotionally vulnerable at that moment.

“Yes, doctor.”

With a dazed expression, Da-hyeon faced Suhyuk, who examined her neck. The wound was covered by a small gauze pad, but he could see the surrounding area. There was no swelling or even redness. It was evident that the surgery had been remarkably successful.

Is it possible they misinterpreted the biopsy results?

[Taehwa Medical Center performs one to two excisional biopsies daily in their ENT department. It is unlikely there was any mistake.]

I suppose so.

Suhyuk recalled his time working in hematologic oncology. During that period, numerous collaborative surgeries were requested, yet not once did he encounter an incorrect diagnosis.

If even residents rarely made mistakes, it was highly unlikely for fellows to commit any errors. For a moment, the annoying term ‘VIP syndrome’ crossed Suhyuk’s mind, but he quickly dismissed it.

“Did you receive any explanation while in the operating room?”

“Oh… Just give me a moment.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Da-hyun wasn’t fully coherent, as expected from someone who had just emerged from surgery. Although she hadn’t undergone general anesthesia, the experience seemed more exhausting due to local anesthesia. Imagine being fully awake while having your throat operated on with only localized numbing - it must have required immense mental fortitude despite not being primarily about pain.

“She said…the surgery went well, and I should hear the results later from Internal Medicine…I think.”

As Suhyuk listened to Da-hyun, he inwardly marveled at her resilience.

Indeed, fellow training doesn’t come easy.

“[Exactly. They prepared for any potential errors with the frozen section.]”

The ‘frozen section’ did not refer to the formal tissue examination. The formal tissue examination involves staining the tissue samples to better identify their characteristics, whereas the frozen section is analyzed by quickly freezing the tissue sample in a pathology lab adjacent to the operating room. Although Taehwa Medical Center’s pathology department boasts high accuracy due to their extensive experience, they must have been extra cautious since Suhyuk was a VIP patient, unwilling to bear even a 1% chance of misdiagnosis.

“Ah…the results?”

However, Suhyuk had already made his preliminary assessment through the imaging. The tissue test served as insurance, and given that it also came back negative, there was nothing to worry about.

“It’s not cancer.”

“Ah… Were you suspecting cancer?”

“Yes. I apologize for informing you late… but I decided there was no need to scare you without certainty. Now that it is confirmed, let me assure you - it is not cancer.”

“Ah… Thank you.”

When someone tells you that you don’t have cancer, how could you respond with anything other than gratitude? Kim Da-hyun expressed her appreciation, feeling similarly relieved.

Suhyuk smiled gently at his patient.

“[Is this part of your act?]” Baruda seemed puzzled by Suhyuk’s smile.

Internally, Suhyuk clicked his tongue and shook his head.

‘Of course. It creates a heartwarming atmosphere. Besides, we’re not alone here.’

“[Aha… So this is a typical show-off smile?]”

‘That kind of talk is somewhat…’

[Right?]

‘Yes, it’s true.’

Despite his conversation with Baruda using his astonishing acting skills, Suhyuk maintained a warm smile throughout. It seemed laughter was indeed contagious as patient Kim Da-hyun began mimicking Suhyuk’s pleasant, almost saintly grin.

Suhyuk decided it was time to proceed and opened his mouth again.

“I told you that your kidneys were unable to reabsorb sodium ions, right?”

It was this tone that made her trust him. Firm yet logical - a voice patients couldn’t help but rely upon.

“Yes, Dr. Belzer, you did mention that.”

“Actually, one possible cause for this condition could be cancer. It was the most likely diagnosis initially.”

“Oh…”

“However, now we have confirmed it is not cancer. As a result, there are very few remaining diagnoses.”

“Uh, then perhaps…”

Suhyuk intentionally paused while slowly walking towards the station from Da-hyun’s bedside. Despite his slow pace, the hospital wasn’t that large. It had been quite some time since he reached Shin Hyun-tae, Choi Nokfil and Seo Hyoseok.

“Yes, I found the diagnosis. However, for accuracy, we need to perform a genetic test.”

“Genetic test?”

For Kim Da-hyun, this was her first time hearing about a genetic test. Naturally, it made sense as genetic tests weren’t routinely conducted. The professors standing nearby were equally surprised. Suhyuk had only transferred to their class yesterday, yet he claimed to have diagnosed her condition.

This was not limited to Seo Hyoseok, who didn’t study much and was considered foolish.

‘Our Suhyuk… Is he truly a prodigy?’

Based on academic diligence alone, Shin Hyun-tae would also rank among the top ten nationwide. Despite being engrossed with this unique Internal Medicine disease while conversing with them, he still hadn’t found any clues regarding Kim Da-hyun’s illness.

‘I mean, what is this guy talking about? If it’s not cancer, then what is it?’

Choi Nokphil, having less time for studies due to his surgical duties compared to Shin Hyun-tae, felt more bewildered than surprised. A second-year resident diagnosed a condition that even seasoned doctors couldn’t grasp, despite their extensive patient consultations?

‘It’s outrageous! If this turns out to be true, professors like me should just bury our faces in our plates and die.’

On the other hand, Seo Hyoseok had no profound thoughts; his lack of knowledge prevented him from understanding the complexity of the situation.

It was too absurd that he couldn’t comprehend how difficult it was to diagnose this condition. He had merely heard that the second-year resident was quite competent, but now he realized just how skilled she truly was.

“Ms. Kim Da-hyun, by any chance, do you have any lumps on your chest?”

“Huh? You said earlier it wasn’t cancer…”

“I’m not talking about cancer. Do you have any lumps?”

“Um…”

Kim Da-hyun pondered for a moment before nodding.

“Yes, I do. But they…I had one removed a while back, and they told me it was nothing. Just fluid-filled cysts…”

“Just one?”

“No…there were several.”

As their conversation continued, Kim Da-hyun felt increasingly perplexed.

Suhyuk’s confident question felt like he was reading her thoughts. More disturbingly, his guess was correct.

“I see. By any chance…do you have siblings?”

While researching Kim Da-hyun with Baruda, Suhyuk had come across one particular article:

[Kim Da-hyun is a twin.]

She has a twin sister.

[The twin sister resides in the United States.]

Despite being the daughter of Taehwa Electronics’ vice president, she wasn’t directly part of the Taehwa family lineage. It made sense that not all their children would be involved with Taehwa Electronics.

Kim Da-hyun’s sister was currently working as a professor in the United States.

Furthermore, her field of study was completely different - humanities.

“Ah… I have a twin sister.”

Da-hyun answered based on what she knew about Suhyuk’s situation. Thanks to this response, Suhyuk could ask his prepared question:

“Has your sister ever complained about any health issues?”

“Well…”

Fortunately, Kim Da-hyun had a close relationship with her sister. They lived together during their lonely years studying abroad in the United States, and being twins only strengthened their bond. Even now, they frequently communicated with each other. Naturally, Da-hyun was aware of her sister’s current condition.

“Come to think of it… My sister has been experiencing back pain…”

“I suspected as much.” Suhyuk nodded emphatically, resembling a detective piecing together clues.

It might have appeared ridiculous - Baruda perceived it as such - but everyone else was already captivated by Suhyuk’s deductions. Unless Suhyuk did something extremely peculiar, their immersion wouldn’t be broken easily.

“The disease I suspect for this patient is ADHR, which stands for Autosomal Dominant Hypophosphatemic Rickets.”

Except for Shin Hyun-tae, everyone present heard about this condition for the first time. Even Shin Hyun-tae only knew of it because a patient with ADHR had been admitted for nephritis treatment; otherwise, he would have been equally unaware due to its rarity.

“W-What?” Despite being well-educated, Kim Da-hyun blinked, unable to comprehend the unfamiliar term right away.

Honestly, Seo Hyoseok was in a similar situation.

What did he say about autozomal again?

Although Choi Nokphil had heard part of it, his despair mirrored Shin Hyun-tae’s.

Suhyuk continued speaking despite their dejected state.

“It is a genetic disorder… with dominant traits. This means there is a high probability that both twins will exhibit the same symptoms. A characteristic feature includes multiple cysts in the breasts… The disease causes decreased calcium absorption leading to multiple fractures.”

Just hearing about this illness sounded serious. Da-hyun even thought cancer would have been better. Fear of the unknown can be quite overwhelming.

“The treatment is not difficult.”

As Suhyuk continued speaking, Da-hyun’s face noticeably brightened.

“R-really?”

“Yes. You just need to take medication. The downside is that you have to take it for your entire life. However, if you do, you can live normally like anyone else without this illness.”

“Oh.”

Da-hyun recalled her earlier thoughts about possibly having cancer. It was only a few minutes ago, but at that time, she felt as though her life had come to an end. Now, not only could she survive, but she could also lead a normal life with minimal issues. She couldn’t help but feel overwhelmingly grateful, realizing that moments like these truly encapsulated the meaning of boundless gratitude.

“Thank you so much…”

“No, no. We haven’t even started treatment yet.”

“If it remained as before, perhaps…it wouldn’t have been diagnosed.” Da-hyun glanced at Choi Nokphil standing nearby and continued, “If Lee Suhyuk hadn’t brought me to Internal Medicine during his visit for cooperation, I would still be suffering without any diagnosis. Thank you very much.”

“You’re welcome.”

“If there’s anything I can help with in the future, please let me know.”

“Huh? What do you mean by that…” Suhyuk feigned ignorance while looking at Da-hyun. His acting was so convincing from the start that it gave Baruda chills.

“Wow, he’s like a method actor.”