Trauma Center : Golden Hour - Chapter 115

“Hmm?”

Baek Kang-hyuk remembered having several phone conversations with Ahn Jung-heon, the team leader.

But they were all about deployments.

Never anything personal.

‘And now I heard he’s been moved to a desk job…….’

It was considered a “sweet” position.

So Jung-heon had said he couldn’t say a word about the transfer.

If he complained, he’d get cursed out by countless colleagues and seniors still out in the field.

“Team Leader Ahn, it’s been a while.”

Kang-hyuk tilted his head briefly before answering the call.

Jung-heon’s voice, low and heavy, came through.

“Yes, it’s been a while, Professor.”

“Are you sick? What’s wrong with your voice?”

Jung-heon was always so full of energy.

Even on all-night callouts, it was the same.

But now he sounded completely drained.

“I heard about what happened today.”

Apparently, word had gotten around that the Central Rescue Team’s helicopter request was denied.

A lot of people were glad Jung-heon was no longer team leader.

But many also missed him.

Especially those who felt genuine satisfaction saving people.

One of them had experienced today’s events, called Jung-heon in frustration, and he immediately called Kang-hyuk.

“Ah. You mean the helicopter.”

Kang-hyuk’s voice dropped as well.

After all, it was a situation where a patient’s life could have changed because of that.

The two old colleagues spoke in voices heavy with regret.

“What happened to the patient……?”

Jung-heon had always done his best as an emergency responder.

Even though he’d become an old bachelor because of it.

So naturally, he asked about the patient.

Kang-hyuk hesitated for a moment.

Medical staff revealing information about a patient violated confidentiality.

‘No, that’s not it. Team Leader Ahn counts as medical staff.’

Not just any staff, but the one he could rely on most.

Someone who would go anywhere, anytime, with him.

“We’re facing brain death.”

“Brain death……. Was it……. at the scene…….”

Jung-heon couldn’t finish the question.

But Kang-hyuk understood perfectly.

He was asking if the diagnosis had already been made at the scene.

In other words, he was hoping the delay from the helicopter not being dispatched hadn’t been the cause.

Kang-hyuk couldn’t bring himself to say “yes.”

He was not the type to sugarcoat things for others.

But lying to Jung-heon felt wrong.

It was different from messing with the director or chief administrator.

“No. At that point, he was okay. The transport took too long……. We missed the golden hour.”

“Ah……. So it was like that…….”

“Why are you asking? It only makes you feel worse. I heard your new position is good. Take it easy for once.”

Kang-hyuk shook his head at Jung-heon’s discouraged tone.

Kang-hyuk was committed to this work for life, but why did this guy have to be the same?

He was a civil servant—he just had to do his job as ordered.

“No, I can’t do that.”

“Why not?”

“Do you know when I felt most fulfilled in nearly twenty years as a rescue worker?”

“How would I know that?”

A normal person might have pretended to guess.

But Kang-hyuk just replied bluntly.

Unless it was about diagnosing hidden conditions, he had no interest in guessing people’s feelings.

“When I went out on deployments with you, Professor. If we got the patient out on time, you always saved them. No matter if it was helicopter or boat…….”

“Hmm.”

“But now, that’s all been upended.”

“Yeah, I know. But……. It’s not something we can fix right away.”

“Will it ever get fixed?”

“We’ll just have to see.”

Kang-hyuk had no immediate answer.

The opponent was the whole country, and his allies were scarce.

‘Still, I have to try.’

He’d come back to Korea, after all.

Whether he’d been sweet-talked into it or not.

Now that he was here, the Severe Trauma Center couldn’t remain just an empty name.

“Professor, do you have time?”

Jung-heon went quiet for a moment, then asked suddenly.

He half-expected a “no.”

Of all the people he’d met, Kang-hyuk was the busiest.

Jung-heon had never seen him go home.

There were even rumors he ate and slept in the hospital lab.

Maybe it was true.

“Yeah, I have time.”

“Yes, of course……. What?”

“I said I have time. I’m having drinks with the team tonight. Want to join?”

“Uh…… Isn’t that a team dinner? Am I even allowed?”

Jung-heon sounded completely flustered.

It was surprising enough that Kang-hyuk said yes.

Inviting him to a team dinner was just as shocking.

But Kang-hyuk’s voice was completely calm.

“If we save people together, we’re a team.”

“Together…….”

“You said earlier that saving people with me made you feel fulfilled. I felt it too. Especially today, it really hit me.”

Kang-hyuk glanced at the patient being hooked up to ECMO.

Jaewon was handling the machine expertly, all by himself.

Normally, he would have felt proud.

But today, he only felt regret.

“Ah……. I see.”

“Anyway, I’m expecting you. We can’t go far, you know?”

“I know.”

They were the kind of team that was always on call, 365 days a year.

No matter what they were doing, if a patient came in, they’d have to go.

So the dinner couldn’t be far from the hospital.

“So just come to the hospital. As soon as we finish with this patient, we’ll head out.”

“Right now?”

Jung-heon glanced at the wall clock as he spoke.

It was only 4 PM.

“Yeah. Gotta go when there’s no patient. Can’t do it?”

Jung-heon bit back the words about official working hours.

He had a feeling he’d never get a chance to meet Kang-hyuk privately otherwise.

“No, I’ll be there.”

“Good. See you soon.”

Kang-hyuk hung up.

Then he called out to Jaewon.

“Slave, how much longer?”

“Sorry? Oh, I’m almost done. Here, take a look.”

Just as Jaewon finished hooking up the machine, he stood up.

Vmm.

Soon, the ECMO started running.

It’s a machine that brings a body that can’t breathe or beat its own heart back to life.

“We don’t need this anymore.”

Kang-hyuk pulled out the tube Jaewon had inserted during the tracheostomy.

Normally, phlegm would pour out.

But not now.

There was only silence.

Because the patient wasn’t breathing on his own.

‘You’d have to call this half-dead.’

Just being on ECMO meant the chance of survival was slim.

“Vital signs are coming back.”

Jang-mi muttered as she watched the monitor.

Just as she said, the vital signs were almost normal.

Blood pressure was 120/80, oxygen saturation 99.

Now they could use any medication needed to lower intracranial pressure.

“Now give him mannitol. More steroids.”

“Yes.”

“And……. since the head is swollen, start triple antibiotics.”

“Yes.”

Triple therapy meant using broad-spectrum antibiotics like ceftriaxone, levofloxacin, and metronidazole.

In other words, it was blasting every possible germ that might get into the brain.

Completely opposite from the kind of precise surgery Kang-hyuk preferred—it was all-out bombardment.

“Good. Now I can relax.”

Kang-hyuk nodded as he saw the stabilized vital signs and the drugs pouring in.

There was no way to know how effective it would really be.

Once the brain is damaged, it doesn’t recover.

He could only hope the damage wasn’t total, but more like large parts in a coma, and treat accordingly.

“At least nothing will happen today or tomorrow.”

Jaewon said, watching the stable vital signs.

“Then let’s take Gyeongwon and go for dinner.”

“But, Professor.”

Instead of just going along, Jaewon pushed back.

Kang-hyuk knew he could be unexpectedly bold despite seeming meek.

He didn’t mind—after all, in Korea, you had to have a rebellious streak to be a trauma surgeon.

Otherwise, the endless hospital demands would grind you down.

“What.”

“The inpatients are okay, but…….”

“Right, so let’s go.”

“But if a patient comes to the ER, we have to go, don’t we?”

Jaewon was no longer on call 365 days a year, thanks to Han Yoo-rim.

But fate had other ideas.

Now the hospital director had decreed all trauma calls would go to trauma surgery.

And that they could split the calls between the professor and fellow—a “merciful” phrase with zero real meaning for a department with only two people.

“Yeah, of course.”

“Then how do we…….”

“We’ll just go somewhere close.”

“And the drinks? You said we’d have a drink.”

“Yeah, we will.”

“Don’t tell me…….”

Jaewon wondered if “a drink” meant literally just one drink.

While he paused, Gyeongwon walked into the ICU.

As always, he wore scrubs and a short, dark blue coat.

“Oh, Gyeongwon’s here. Let’s go.”

“Yes, Professor.”

Gyeongwon never argued—he just followed wherever Kang-hyuk led.

“Where are we going? Aren’t we changing clothes?”

This time it was Jang-mi who asked.

Kang-hyuk laughed.

“It’s so close, we don’t need to. Let’s stop here first.”

He walked into his office right in front of the ICU and came out with a paper bag.

It looked pretty hefty.

“What’s that……?”

“A patient gave it to me.”

“A patient……. This is Ballantine’s 30-Year.”

“Yeah, I found it after clinic one day. Don’t even know who left it.”

Kang-hyuk’s outpatient clinic was always crowded, unusual for trauma surgery.

He saved everyone who came, so patients kept piling up.

Some of them came back even after being told they didn’t need to.

Saying they could only relax after seeing Kang-hyuk’s face.

Th𝐢ʂ 𝘤hɒp𝐭ɛr 𝘪𝙨 p𝟬𝕤𝖙ℯ𝙙 b𝖞 𝒌𝗶𝖙ҽη𝑜νꬲḷ

“This would violate the Kim Young-ran Law.”

“There’s no problem since I didn’t ask for anything.”

“But…….”

“Just keep your mouth shut.”

“But…….”

“Are you going to report me?”

“No…….”

“Then it’s fine. Come on.”

Kang-hyuk swung the paper bag and headed for the elevator.

Everyone looked puzzled.

After all, they were on the first floor.

“Uh……. Don’t we have to go outside to eat?”

“No, we can do it here.”

“What……?”

Kang-hyuk dangled a key in front of everyone.

“I’ve fought my way into that office a few times. The hospital chief’s office has a great view.”

(T/N: So another big change. Instead of just the 3 of them eating dinner Kang-hyuk also invited Gyeongwon and Jung-heon.)Chapter 115 : Smiling Bitterly (2)