The Real Patient 1
“Hyungnim, can we talk for a moment?”
Jin Dong-ki glared at Vice Chairman Jin Young-gi as he spoke.
“Sure, I have a few questions myself.”
Sensing the tension in the air, Jin Yoon-ki sighed deeply.
“Hyungnims, do we really have to do this here? Can’t we just let it go?”
“It’s not what you’re thinking. Stop worrying about nothing.”
Jin Dong-ki patted his younger brother on the shoulder and walked towards a rest area designed like a small park.
The cool night breeze and the soothing sound of crickets calmed the two men’s hearts.
“Hyungnim, what about Sang-ki?”
“He’s on a business trip in Europe. I haven’t contacted him yet. I’ll let him know if Father’s condition worsens.”
“You know, right? I’m not the only one who got the call…”
“Yeah, I heard. You were on your way to Gunsan with Do-jun.”
“What do you think?”
“Are you asking for my opinion, or do you want to share yours?”
“Do you even care what I think?”
“No, I already know what you’re thinking, so I’m not curious.”
Jin Young-gi’s cold gaze made Jin Dong-ki’s eyes narrow.
“You’re suspecting I might have caused this, aren’t you? If Father passes away suddenly without settling the succession, I’d be in the best position. No need to deal with someone like Do-jun.”
“Who knows if you’d really be in the best position? It’d take at least six months to reassess the share structure.”
“I’m the eldest son. If Father passes, I’m the chief mourner. My face will be all over the newspapers and news. Everyone will assume I’ll be the chairman. Naturally, the shareholders and institutions will back me.”
Jin Dong-ki’s face twisted. In a wealthy family, the eldest son carries a premium, unlike in a poor family where he’s just burdened.
At a funeral, everyone with influence seeks out the chief mourner to discuss future plans. The group’s executives will see this and decide who’s in charge.
The eldest son has a clear advantage.
“So, did you really do something drastic?”
The question he struggled to ask came out easily. After all, his brother had set the stage.
Jin Young-gi smirked and glanced at his brother.
“You already know my answer, don’t you?”
“Stop dodging the question.”
“If Father doesn’t wake up, it would be unfortunate and sad, but it wouldn’t be bad for me. That’s my answer.”
True, even a fool wouldn’t be careless enough to cause such an incident. It’s more reasonable to think it was an accident of coincidences.
“What about Do-jun?”
“Are you worried?”
“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t.”
“Handle it yourself. You’re good at winning people over.”
Jin Dong-ki was annoyed by his brother’s snarky tone but didn’t want to argue.
“Just promise me one thing. Don’t mess with the kid.”
“Don’t pretend to be noble. If Do-jun becomes a threat, you’ll be the first to act, not me.”
Jin Young-gi spoke with a hardened face, pointing at his brother’s bulging shirt pocket.
“Looks like you’re anxious, picking up smoking again after quitting. Heh.”
Jin Dong-ki began fiddling with the cigarettes in his pocket.
I know my father is anxiously waiting outside, but there’s nothing I can do right now. Waiting in tune with my grandfather’s rhythm isn’t necessarily a bad thing for me.
When my mind was restless, my grandfather kept asking the same question.
“What was that girl’s name again?”
“Ok Joo-hyun.”
“And the one with the big eyes?”
“Sung Yu-ri.”
“Hmm.”
Grandfather kept tilting his head.
“What’s there to think about? It’s obviously Lee Hyo-ri. She’s got the looks and the figure. She’s visually stunning, outshining the others.”
“But it’s embarrassing to watch. They’re not kids at a kindergarten talent show. What are they doing…?”
He seemed displeased with the girls in their green and pink outfits jumping around. I wonder what he’d say if I told him that girl groups have been milking the sexy and innocent concepts for over twenty years.
“Alright, I’ve decided.”
“Who is it?”
“I’m going with Ok Joo-hyun.”
Grandfather laughed heartily at my disappointed expression.
“What? Do I seem to have low standards for women?”
In their early days, the members hadn’t yet received the camera’s magic touch, so they lacked that glow. Plus, Ok Joo-hyun, the main vocalist, had a powerful voice. Naturally, she drew less attention compared to the others.
“Kid, the way they look on TV is completely different from reality. I’ve met all the beauties in this country. I can tell at a glance.”
True, how many beauties would refuse a meeting with Grandfather? But this is a different matter.
“Let’s just say your standards are different because you’re from an older generation. Hehe.”
“Oh, really? You don’t believe me? Fine. When you see them in person, you’ll realize this old man’s right.”
Grandfather reached for the phone.
“Grandfather! I believe you, so please put the phone down.”
I was so startled that I grabbed the receiver.
“What do you think will happen if you call them here now? Do you know how many people are waiting for us to wake up outside?”
“Oh, right.”
Grandfather reluctantly put the receiver down.
“When I go up to Seoul, I’ll definitely invite them. We’ll have a meal together, and you’ll be amazed by your grandfather’s eye for beauty. Haha.”
Grandfather seemed like someone who had forgotten everything and was enjoying a vacation. He used to deal with dozens of major issues daily, making constant decisions. Now, he was enjoying the delightful dilemma of choosing the best girl group member. How relaxing it must be for him.
He’d have at least a week of such leisure, so the smile never left his face.
But fate never allowed Grandfather, who was always making important decisions, to have a moment of peace.
The hospital director and a doctor entered the room cautiously, their expressions a bit somber.
It wasn’t just my imagination. Grandfather’s smile vanished as soon as he saw the director’s face.
“Is there bad news? Has Kim Yoon-seok’s condition worsened?”
“No, Chairman.”
The flustered director glanced at the accompanying doctor.
“Mr. Kim Yoon-seok is recovering much faster than expected. Judging by his bio-signals, he should regain consciousness soon.”
“Then why do you look so grim?”
The surgeon took a deep breath and spoke slowly, carefully choosing his words to avoid any misunderstanding.
“The results of your tests are in. We re-examined to clarify what was missed while focusing on the trauma from the initial accident… and we found a very small tumor.”
“A tumor? Are you saying it’s cancer?”
I was shocked, but Grandfather calmly reassured me.
“Do-jun, let the doctor finish.”
“Sorry.”
I bowed my head slightly, and the doctor continued.
“It’s nothing to worry about. Judging by its size, it seems to be in the early stages. It can be completely removed with surgery.”
“Then why do you look so grim?”
“The tumor is located in the brain. It’s quite sensitive.”
The mention of a brain tumor darkened Grandfather’s previously calm demeanor.
And I was speechless for an entirely different reason.
I still don’t know why the real Jin Do-jun from the past died. All I know is that it was an accident.
This is still ongoing. I’m still alive, which means I could still die from an accident.
But Grandfather’s brain tumor is a different matter entirely.
In my past life, Sunyang Group’s founder Jin Yang-cheol died at the age of 78. That’s next year. As far as I remember, it was due to illness.
Could it have been a brain tumor?
Did the car accident a few hours ago change Grandfather’s fate? Assuming the surgery is successful, that is.
“There’s no sign of metastasis yet, but the tumor is too small to determine if it’s malignant or benign. But it’s a relief we found it early.”
“I had a full check-up about a month ago, and they said there was no tumor.”
The doctor seemed to be calculating the tumor’s size and the one-month timeframe.
“Hmm… In that case, it could be malignant. Anyway, the sooner the surgery, the better.”
“Then prepare for it. I’m ready anytime.”
Does he think the tumor is just a wart? He speaks so casually. The doctors were more taken aback by Grandfather’s reaction.
“Here, sir?”
“Yes. Is there a problem?”
The hospital director quickly confessed their difficulties.
“This is a provincial national medical center, so the facilities are somewhat lacking. We can’t provide perfect care.”
“Also, the weight of the name ‘Chairman of Sunyang Group’ can’t be ignored. Our medical center has never handled a VIP patient. If the pressure gets to us, mistakes can happen.”
The surgeon accompanying the director candidly shared the reality. If the surgery went wrong and something happened to the Sunyang Group chairman, they might face a massive medical malpractice lawsuit led by a formidable legal team.
It’s too much for a provincial medical center to handle such a risk.
In the end, the hospital must be changed.
Grandfather looked at the two doctors alternately, then showed a hint of regret.
“I wanted to rest easy, but I can’t even do that. Oh well. Who’s the best doctor in the country? I need to live long enough to see this rascal get married.”
Seeing Grandfather smile brightly at me made my heart ache.
“They said it’s a simple surgery, right? Don’t worry too much.”
It pained me that all I could do was downplay it as if it were nothing.
“The best surgeon, without a doubt, is Professor Jang Jun-hyuk from Myungin University Hospital. If it’s him, even a malignant case will be handled flawlessly, with no risk of recurrence.”
The doctor, not from Sunyang Medical Center, spoke without hesitation. It was a testament to the surgeon’s exceptional reputation.
“Understood. You can discuss the details with our Chief Lee.”
Once the director and the surgeon left, my grandfather held my hand tightly.
“You really are a lucky charm, aren’t you? You’ve saved me more than once.”
“Me? How?”
“Your loyal friend saved us, and you protected me during the accident by holding me tight. And thanks to this accident, we discovered my condition before it became irreversible. Isn’t that fortunate? Ha ha.”
Seeing how he attributes all his good fortune to me, it’s clear my grandfather is wearing rose-colored glasses.
“No, Grandpa. It’s just your destiny to live a long life. The surgery will be a success.”
“It better be. I haven’t even seen them in person yet, so it can’t fail.”
Seen who in person?
No way…
“Grandpa, are you really going to invite Fin.K.L?”
“Of course! I need to refine your taste in women, don’t I? Consider it my final lesson to you. Ha ha ha.”
Just then, Chief Lee Hak-jae, who had been informed by the director, burst into the room without knocking.
He was met with my grandfather’s hearty laughter and my smile, leaving him looking utterly bewildered.