Chapter 147: Wait First, I

To conclude, Seo Hyoseok’s request was completely useless.

Instead of going home, Ha-yoon had to go to her duty room at the hospital.

In the van, Suhyuk acted like An Dae-hoon and pretended to be asleep, allowing the salesperson to continuously converse with Ha-yoon during the journey.

“Ah, I see. Professor Woo Changyun…likes Kimbap Heaven? That is surprising.”

“Yes, he once attended his closest friend’s wedding without eating beforehand. Wearing formal attire, he ended up dining at Kimbap Heaven… It opened his eyes, so to speak. Even now, he occasionally goes there alone to enjoy their cold noodles.”

“Oh.”

This information was quite valuable for a salesperson. Knowing someone’s preferences could significantly increase their chances of success when dealing with them.

Squeak.

Contrary to its name, ‘Island Restaurant’ wasn’t far from the hospital. On the way there, it felt like a long walk due to his heavy heart, but the return trip seemed much quicker.

The salesman practically leaped out of the driver’s seat and opened the rear door.

“How should we move him?”

He wore a concerned expression towards Ha-yoon.

“I’ll get out myself.”

“Huh?” At that moment, Suhyuk, who had been lying as if dead, sat up looking relatively fine. Although still flushed, his condition appeared considerably improved compared to earlier. If he hadn’t consumed the soup, this wouldn’t have been possible.

The salesperson, who had honed his persuasion skills over many years, stared at Suhyuk with disbelief that someone could be more skilled than him. Of course, Suhyuk had no intention of answering any questions.

“What’s wrong?”

“No, nothing. Yes. Please step down here. Take my hand…”

“Thank you.”

After stepping off, Suhyuk stretched his neck and looked back at An Dae-hoon. The bald head seemed even more desolate today compared to usual. Additionally, due to falling asleep abruptly, his shirt had ridden up, revealing a horrifying sight - not only was his stomach hairless, but it also protruded outwards. It wasn’t this noticeable when he first joined the team.

Being an internal medicine doctor was not easy.

‘Brat…’

[I’ll keep an eye on him. Among your juniors, he is the most diligent follower.]

‘It’s obvious that I would.’

Not only did Dr. Baek follow Suhyuk diligently, but he also possessed decent skills. He constantly studied to emulate Suhyuk and attended every study group session led by Suhyuk during weekends unless there were patient-related issues. At these gatherings, Dr. Baek always praised Suhyuk, marveling at how he managed to mentor junior doctors amidst his busy schedule.

[Well, managing one’s reputation is crucial when aiming for professorship.]

‘Shut up.’

Suhyuk shook his head at Baruda’s interference and turned towards the sales representative.

Suhyuk wanted to handle everything himself if possible, but he needed support like a crutch. He required assistance.

“Uh…it might be heavier than you think? Could you help me?”

“Oh, yes. Of course. I will assist you.”

“Just lift him up… It should be fine as long as we wake him gently.”

“No, no need for that. If he doesn’t wake up, I’ll escort him to the on-call room.”

“I appreciate your willingness.”

“Yes, Ms. Sellner.”

The salesperson, perhaps impressed by Suhyuk’s youthfulness, helped extract An Dae-hoon from his bed. Dae-hoon was heavier than expected, possibly due to his muscular build, but thankfully, hospital staff nearby assisted them.

“Whew. He’s…”

Despite being quite muscular himself, the sales representative was panting heavily.

“Oh man… I’m dying… Oh man…”

Even after breathing fresh air outside, An Dae-hoon showed no signs of waking up. Instead, he kept repeating that he felt like death, which made Suhyuk uneasy watching him. It wouldn’t have been surprising if Dahoon suddenly threw up right there.

“Sir, let me help you.”

“Huh?”

Suhyuk blinked at Ha-yoon’s unexpected offer with wide eyes. Now that they had moved away from the heavy and cumbersome object, An Dae-hoon seemed dirtier than before. Fluids, whether it be snot or tears, were smeared all over his face. His saliva dripped uncontrollably, and his hair and facial features appeared disheveled.

In other words, Suhyuk was hesitant to touch An Dae-hoon even with his gloves on.

“I can’t let you handle everything alone, upperclassman. You and Professor Seo took care of him earlier.”

However, Ha-yeon, seemingly oblivious to both sight and smell, effortlessly slipped under one arm of An Dae-hoon without any hesitation.

‘Ugh.’

Whether it was sweat or something else, just looking at An Dae-hoon gave Suhyuk chills. However, thanks to Ha-yeon’s assistance, they could move him.

“I-I will help as well.”

“Ah, yes.”

Of course, some support from the sales representative was necessary.

Regardless, the three managed to effortlessly transport An Dae-hoon to the underground on-call room within the Internal Medicine department.

“Firstly, let’s position his head like this.”

Concerned about An Dae-hoon choking on vomit, Suhyuk positioned him to lie on one side.

“Well then, I’ll be off now. It was nice meeting you.”

“Oh, thank you.”

The sales representative disappeared as quickly as the wind after providing minimal assistance. Suhyuk expressed his gratitude towards the departing figure before turning back to Ha-yoon. This time, her eyes were filled with curiosity unlike earlier.

“You can really hold your alcohol, huh?”

“Ah, did you see that?”

“Not from the front, but definitely from the side. I haven’t even had a single drink.”

“O…oh, really?”

Ha-yoon found Suhyuk’s flustered expression amusing and chuckled, her curious gaze returning once more.

“By the way… What was exactly discussed during your call with Professor Seo Hyoseok? Did you record it?”

“Huh? You saw that too?”

Suhyuk’s words immediately irritated Baruda.

“No, you should have lied and denied it. And she saw that as well? Are you crazy?”

Upon reflection, Suhyuk realized Baruda was right, so he could only apologize. However, there was nothing to be done about it now. The cat was already out of the bag.

“Yes, I did see it. What were you saying?”

“Uh…” Ha-yeon asked more assertively this time.

Baruda sighed multiple times at Suhyuk’s flustered state before continuing.

[Fortunately, Ha-yeon is one of Suhyuk’s fans. Since things have progressed this far, let’s work together on our plan.]

‘Plan?’

[We’re trying to bury the professor, isn’t that enough of a plan? What else do you expect?]

‘Well… indeed, it seems reasonable.’

In the past, this situation would have been unimaginable. Previously, she smiled even when criticized by her professor, laughed when he insulted her, and there were instances where he asked her to clean his house or do laundry for him.

However, the world had changed significantly, including the advent of artificial intelligence within people’s minds.

Suhyuk tried to erase his discomfort with these thoughts. Once he made up his mind, the words flowed effortlessly from him.

“Ha-yoon, let’s go over there first.”

They headed towards a doctor’s lounge located away from the on-call room. Although it was called a lounge, its secluded location made it difficult to find. The sofa provided had holes, possibly burnt by someone smoking cigarettes.

Due to its location, people rarely visited this lounge. Moreover, it had become infamous as a spot for confessions, deterring any visitors.

“Oh, sure.”

However, Ha-yoon knew that the upcoming conversation would be extraordinary, so she willingly followed Suhyuk without much resistance. Additionally, she was convinced that Suhyuk wouldn’t be making any romantic confession despite his unusual behavior during their first meeting, such as abruptly holding her hand. Although he acted strangely, she didn’t perceive him as malicious or lacking in any way. Unlike Suhyuk, who had Baru’s insights, Ha-yoon formed her opinion based solely on what she observed about him.

“Firstly…”

Suhyuk observed Ha-yoon sitting opposite him on the worn-out sofa as he sighed.

“As you know, Professor Seo Hyoseok… He is really quite strange.”

“Yes, he is strange.” Ha-yoon nodded without any hesitation. She seemed to believe everything Suhyuk said, and given his accurate assessment, it was understandable.

“Not just strange, but…”

“He’s actually bad. Doesn’t even bother with patients. Honestly, if not for Dr. Baek’s influence, he would have been fired by now. And I bet he’s the only one who hasn’t received tenure despite having so many years of experience.”

“Uh… that’s true. Sounds like you’re quite angry?”

“The rumors about him are worse among female doctors. His behavior towards women isn’t appropriate either.”

“Oh…”

It sounded plausible. People who were unaware might ask why no one came forward despite experiencing such treatment. However, hospitals remained highly closed environments. Especially for residents, obtaining their specialist certification was at stake, making it difficult for them to openly speak up.

“But, why is that?”

“Oh. Well, you see…”

Following Baru’s advice, Suhyuk relayed what he had heard earlier while omitting sensitive details. With some embellishments, Ha-yeon perceived Seo Hyoseok as having embezzled a massive sum outright.

“This… This isn’t just any ordinary issue, right?”

“Yes, exactly.”

“If this news breaks, I doubt the hospital can contain it.”

Though slightly embarrassing to admit, issues related to medical professionals’ misconduct often tended to be covered up. It was said that hospitals with exceptional PR teams excelled at handling these situations, and Taehwa Medical Center boasted one of the best.

In most cases, issues related to the conduct of medical professionals were covered up. Hospitals with excellent public relations teams were known for their proficiency in handling such matters, and Taehwa Medical Center boasted one of the best.

However, Seo Hyoseok had accumulated various problems over time, culminating in this multi-million embezzlement scandal. At this point, it was more beneficial for the hospital to cut ties with him rather than continue protecting him.

“I suspect he might secretly desire that outcome.”

While unsure about the administration’s thoughts, Ha-yoon was confident that doctors like Lee Hyunjong, along with nurses and other healthcare professionals, would share her belief.

“Still, discussing this openly could be risky.”

“Yes. It…it is somewhat dangerous.”

Despite Suhyuk being favored and Ha-yoon’s status as a Royal, they were still mere residents.

“What should we do?”

“Since they mobilized their father…we need to mobilize our fathers too.”

In other words, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Initially, it didn’t resonate with Suhyuk since he was an orphan. However, after hearing more from Ha-yoon, he nodded understandingly.

“I am Woo Changyun, you are Lee Hyunjong. No wait. Actually, there’s also Manager Shin Hyun-tae. Hmm…who else again?”

“Director Kim Da-hyun.”

“That’s right. If we approach through them, it should work. Once the audit team gets involved, everything will be revealed quickly.”

“Thank you… Then we should wait until later?”

“Yes. First, focus on your research and be patient. Once the money comes in from that, then we can use the audit.”

“Oh… By the way, it seems like you are familiar with this process?”

Suhyuk was naturally unsure about what to do with various data collected by Baru. However, Ha-yoon provided clear answers immediately upon hearing his concerns. When I asked her how she knew so much, she smiled briefly before responding:

“I learned it from my father. How else could someone at my age become a board member of a conference?”

“Ah…”

Her explanation made sense.