Chapter 45:

Chapter 45:

Chapter 45

Huh?

Whats happening to me right now?

Without any time to think, the scenery in front of me changed.

The emergency room.

The smell of medicine and the chilly winter air, the noisy sounds of the emergency room.

It felt like I was experiencing VR.

I could perceive everything, but my body was sitting on a chair and couldnt move.

Whats going on here?

Before I could even ponder, there was a familiar face in front of me.

An old man lying on a hospital bed.

It was Grandpa Choi Ik-hyun, the one I saved on the day of the college entrance exam last year.

What?

Is this real?

If I could move my hand, I would have pinched my cheek.

It was so vivid.

Everything around me was realistic. Because it was literally reality.

Did I somehow go back to the past like in a movie? It was when I had such an absurd imagination.

-Cough!

My eyes turned to the old man who coughed and curled up.

The focus was on his ribs.

The area I pushed hard to save him.

At that time, I felt sorry for him when I saw that.

What did I say then?

-Im sorry you seem to be in a lot of pain because of me.

Even though I didnt move, my mouth moved and spoke on its own. It was a very amazing experience.

The lady next to me waved her hand at my words.

-Oh, dont say that.

And the husband next to her nodded.

-If it wasnt for Seon Woo-ju, my father wouldnt have been able to lie on this bed, really.

-Thank you for thinking that way.

He said, handing me a business card.

There was this writing on it, along with the hospital logo.

[Professor Choi Yong-jae, Pediatric and Adolescent Cancer Center]

Huh?

While I was feeling bewildered, the past me chatted with the other person.

-If your grandmother is uncomfortable or if you need anything at the hospital, please contact me. Ill help you as much as I can.

Just by looking at that, the scenery around me started to change again.

It was reality again.

The hallway leading to the ward where Bi-jus younger brother was hospitalized,

I tried to move my hand as a test, and I could move it as I wanted.

It felt like I had been watching some kind of memory for a minute, but the time in reality didnt seem to flow that way.

Hyung?

Bi-ju, who was walking ahead of me, turned his head to me. He asked me with a puzzled look, and I handed him the bag.

Bi-ju, you said Minjun had to have another surgery, but you couldnt find a good professor, right?

Ah, yes.

Maybe

I swallowed my saliva and said.

There might be a good way.

Huh?

Take this. Can you go back to the ward first?

Brother, I dont know the way

Go left!

I shoved the bag of apples to the bewildered Bi-ju and headed towards where Professor Choi was.

Bi-ju was going to the right.

Bi-ju, left!

Ah, yes!

After confirming that he was going to the left, I approached the other person.

Hello!

He looked puzzled as I greeted him with a bright smile.

He did that for three seconds.

A hearty smile bloomed on the tired face of the middle-aged man.

Seon Woojoo?

Yes, its been a long time. Professor.

My mind is still in chaos.

I dont know why the sudden flash phenomenon occurred.

But that wasnt important right now.

Do you have some time? I know it might be a bit sudden, but Id like to buy you a cup of coffee.

I decided to try my luck.

***

The hospital room was quiet.

My parents had quietly left the room to have a meal, and Minjun, who had a fever all night, was asleep.

My one and only brother in the world.

Every year, when the new year came, Kim Bi-ju made a wish.

Please make my brother better. I dont care if he doesnt become an idol, just make him happy.

But his wish came true in the opposite way.

He had won the music show even before his debut, and he had a dream-like happy time.

On the other hand, his brothers health worsened as time went by.

Lately, he had to be hospitalized several times a month because of his high fever.

He didnt know his exact condition, but he could tell from the shadow on his parents faces that the situation was not good.

Today was a bit better than usual.

His fever had gone down a lot, and he had a good time with his members.

Bi-ju!

The sound of the door opening and the scream startled everyone.

The one who opened the door and came in was his mother.

Mom?

His mother, whose face was flushed, ran towards him. And then she hugged him tightly.

He was confused.

What was going on?

He wiped the tears from his mothers eyes and asked.

Mom, whats wrong?

Minjun, Minjun

She couldnt finish her sentence, as if she had a lump in her throat. Kim Bi-ju calmly waited for her to speak.

Minjuns surgery date has been set!

What?

They said they could schedule the surgery!

What did she mean?

Not only the members, but he also stood there with a bewildered expression.

Then three men appeared at the door.

Seon Woojoo, who had a faint smile on his face, his father, who had tears in his eyes like his mother, and the doctor he had seen earlier.

His mother wiped her tears and smiled.

Bi-ju, this is Professor Choi Yongjae.

Ah.

It was a name he had heard before.

He was an authority in pediatric cancer surgery. He heard that it would take at least three months to get a surgery from him.

He was thinking that when it happened.

Professor Choi said he would supervise our Minjuns surgery.

Really?

I would not have been more surprised if the world was going to end tomorrow. Kim Bi-ju opened his eyes wide and looked at his father.

He nodded.

And the calm-looking professor standing in the middle.

Kim Bi-ju awkwardly greeted him and then looked at Seon Woojoo.

He felt an indescribable heaviness as he saw him nodding with a smile.

***

I thought of the characters from Toy Story.

The green aliens.

The cuties who waited in the claw machine and said ooh whenever something happened.

The people in front of me were like that.

Every time Professor Choi Yongjae continued to speak, the people in the room said oh, ah, and um.

The surgery schedule will be like this. I dont mean to be rude, but you must not tell anyone about what happened today. It could cause trouble if the word gets out.

Yes! Yes! Of course.

Bi-ju mother kept nodding.

Bi-ju father took off his glasses and wiped his tears with his sleeve.

How can we thank you for this You gave up your vacation for us

If you want to thank someone, you should thank Seon Woojoo here.

Professor Choi pointed at me.

Hes the benefactor who saved my fathers life at the risk of his own. How can I refuse his request? I have to help him as much as I can.

They all looked at me with pressure.

Professor Choi added.

Of course, I cant guarantee that the surgery will go well. But I can tell you this. I will do my best to supervise it.

He didnt give the patient any false hope, as doctors do.

But his sincerity was conveyed by his best.

Bi-jus parents and our members bowed their heads repeatedly.

Finally, when Professor Choi left the room, my siblings ran to me.

Hyung, whats going on?

Did you know that professor?

Is this real?

I explained to them slowly.

He was the son of the grandfather I saved on the day of the college entrance exam, and I happened to run into him today and asked him for a favor.

I cautiously asked for his help, but he counter-offered to supervise the surgery himself.

Bi-jus parents met him on their way up to the ward.

When the short story was over, Bi-ju couldnt continue.

Hyung

But I couldnt say anything either.

Bi-jus father came up to me and hugged me.

Thank you, really.

I heard his voice, which sounded just like his sons, in my ear.

Before I could come to my senses, his mother and Bi-ju joined us. I dont know why I was in the arms of this crying family.

I didnt feel bad.

Rather, I felt good.

Mom, whats wrong?

Minjun, who was asleep when the professor came, woke up from the noise. He looked at us with a bewildered face.

Bi-ju quickly explained the situation to him.

And that day.

In my hand, as I returned to the hostel, was a trophy model of a board game.

It was the trophy Minjun gave me.

It was much smaller than the trophy I received for winning the music show, but it was a more precious gift to me.

***

And a little later.

We were in the practice room, sitting around the phone, listening to the news.

It was the result of Minjuns surgery.

My mother, who was sobbing, told us what the professor had said.

It went very well.

So buy him a backpack and school supplies before next spring.