Chapter 100: Laboratory One (2)

Chapter 100: Laboratory One (2)

Young-Joon, who had a good rest at home, something he hadn’t done in a while, spent the weekend morning lazily. It wasn’t until eleven o’clock that he slowly got out of bed and came out into the kitchen. He saw Ryu Ji-Won, who was watching the TV while laying on the living room couch, laughing.

“Oh, you’re up. Mom made kimchi-jjim[1] before she left. Have some,” she said after briefly glancing at him.

“What about you?”

“I had some before.”

“Where’s Mom?”

“She went out on a date with Dad.”

“Ha. You’re not going anywhere today? You don’t have any plans?”

“No? Should I have some?”

“Shouldn’t you be going on blind dates and meeting boys at your age?” Visit no(v)eLb(i)n.com for the best novel reading experience

“It’s so bothersome.”

“If you have a mutation in the SLC35D3 gene, the dopamine receptors in your brain get dull and you get lazy. You don’t get any activity and only eat chips while sitting on the couch.”

“It doesn’t apply to me since I’m laying on the couch.”

“...”

“Oh!” Ryu Ji-Won suddenly got up.

“Right, I had something I wanted to ask. Who is Doctor Song Ji-Hyun? Are you guys dating?”

“What kind of nonsense is that?”

“Hehe.”

Ryu Ji-Won squinted and stared at Young-Joon. “What?”

“You know that you smelled like women’s perfume when you came in yesterday night?”

“Did I?”

“I heard that the clinical trial succeeded. From what I suspect with my detective skills honed by watching Detective Conan when I was younger, you went on a date with Doctor Song to celebrate the success. Right? Hehe. Tell me about it.”

“Stop joking around and keep watching TV. Is this the kimchi-jjim?”

“Yeah. And look at this.”

Ryu Ji-Won ran towards him with her phone. On it were posts on Young-Joon’s fan club. It talked about Song Ji-Hyun as much as Young-Joon.

—It’s great to see two geniuses cooperate and research together while respecting each other. I’m rooting for you.

—Unnie[2] marry me...

—Ryu Young-Joon and Song Ji-Hyun. These people are driving me crazy.

—They cured end-stage liver cancer that spread to the bone marrow in the pelvis... And in a nine-year-old? It’s like a movie. Insane.

—I know I shouldn’t be doing this with actual people, but I hope they get together.

—What kind of genius would be born if those two get married and have kids?

“Stop reading useless things,” said Young-Joon as he gave the phone back to Ryu Ji-Won.

“Who did you have dinner with yesterday?”

“Doctor Song.”

“See! I knew it.”

“She is just a research partner.”

“Are you sure she’s not a life partner?”

“Phew. You’re such a kid. Getting all excited about dating.”

Young-Joon poked Ryu Ji-Won’s forehead.

“Doctor Song and I aren’t like that. Mind your own business.”

Young-Joon turned his head towards the pot again.

“Oh,” he said in surprise.

Rosaline was on top of the kitchen counter beside the sink. She was looking straight down at the kimchi-jjim inside the pot and examining it while on her knees.

‘I really can’t get used to this.’

Rosaline had to recover for at least six hours in Young-Joon’s body after spending thirty minutes outside. It meant that she could only go outside for less than two hours a day.

—This is a very fascinating food.

Young-Joon’s eyes widened.

“Leaving?”

Park So-Yeon's face had a faint smile on it.

“What do you mean you’re leaving?” Young-Joon asked.

“That is... Can we... think that this is our last time together and... go back to the past?”

“...”

Park So-Yeon bit her lower lip. She played with her pants near her thigh, clenching it and letting go repeatedly.

“Okay, go on,” Young-Joon said.

“...”

Park So-Yeon cautiously spoke.

“I thought about it a lot as I watched you work. I wondered what it would feel like to constantly challenge and run towards your dreams and goals so passionately and how much fun it would be. I just get my pay by doing a few experiments every day while trying to please my seniors.”

“Um...”

“And you were so different compared to me. The happiest I’ve been at this company in the past year and a half was when I was developing the diagnostic kit. Working was really fun. It was hard to stay up and research, but it was fun. So, I’m going to try and look for something like that. I’m going to quit my job and find something that I like... Something like my dream. So, I told Lab Director Kim Hyun-Taek that I’m quitting.”

“...”

“It’s funny when I think about it now. I could have quit this company this easily. I thought I’d be in trouble if I kept dating you. Why was I so stupid? What was I so scared of that I betrayed someone who believed in me? And it was when things were the hardest for you. When there was someone who pointed out the unethical behavior of the company and fought with the director, I was just afraid of getting on their bad side and having problems with promotions...”

“... No, it’s understandable. I didn’t think of you and acted rashly. I don’t regret it, but I still feel bad. So, don’t feel guilty.”

“... Things are so ironic, aren’t they? I saw that Doctor Song, the one who developed Cellicure, is famous these days.”

Park So-Yeon smiled.

“Yeah. She was already talented and she has passion, too. She should get famous.”

“You look good together,” said Park So-Yeon. “I wasn’t good enough to be by your side. The reason we broke up is because I couldn’t measure up to you.”

“...”

“That’s why I’m quitting. You get what I’m saying, right?”

“... Yeah, I think I know what you mean.”

There was a moment of silence. Park So-Yeon bit her lip.

“Phew. I wasn’t going to talk about this first. I started off so weird.”

She chuckled. In contrast, her eyes were full of tears. She lowered her head.

“I’m sorry...” she said. “I’m really sorry. And congratulations on everything you achieved after leaving Lab One. I am sincerely happy for you, and congratulations.”

“...”

“I know that you don’t have any feelings towards me now. I’m not asking you to take me back or anything. I just wanted to apologize and congratulate you.”

“... Okay.”

Park So-Yeon sniffled, then smiled.

“I should get home now. I’ll make sure to finish the remaining kits, so don’t worry. And you have to be professional with me like usual if you meet me in the few weeks I have left, so you don’t have to care about that.”

Park So-Yeon got her things and left.

“I’ll be on my way,” she said. “Mr. Ryu.”

* * *

Click.

Park So-Yeon felt like her heart, which was drenched in sadness, was beating out of her chest as she closed the office door behind her. She let out a deep breath. It was over now; it was a clean ending. She felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

‘Should I go to the United States after I quit... Or maybe Europe... Should I apply for the WHO?’

A smile appeared on her face. She came down from the office with light footsteps.

‘Did he say that he was going to get authority of the Diagnostic Device Department for a few years?’

Park So-Yeon tilted her head in confusion. Recently, Kim Hyun-Taek had been planning a new national project for the Diagnostic Device Department. Even she didn’t know what it was yet in detail. All she knew was that Kim Hyun-Taek was making it a large project with all the department members participating one hundred percent. Park So-Yeon had told him that she was quitting in the process of writing the list of participants for the project as it could be a problem if she quit after the project started.

‘But can they transfer the authority over the department after this kind of thing starts? When Kim Hyun-Taek is doing a national project with this department?’

Of course, it was going to take a while for it to be selected as a national project as it was just in its planning stages right now. And there wouldn’t be any problem if Young-Joon got the departmental authority in the meantime; there was a high chance that that would happen.

‘But something feels off for some reason.’

Park So-Yeon thought as she got on the bus.

‘I should find out more about this project when I go to work tomorrow.’

1. a steamed kimchi stew, typically with pork ?

2. How a younger woman refers to an older woman informally. ?