Chapter 116

“No…”

Jaewon shook his head as he followed Kang-hyuk onto the elevator.

One way or another, he had no choice but to obey Kang-hyuk’s orders.

“Then are we having our team dinner in the Deputy Director’s office?”

Gyeongwon, who had gotten on the elevator first, asked.

He hadn’t been with the team long.

No—he hadn’t even officially been appointed yet.

But he was more loyal to Kang-hyuk’s commands than Jaewon was.

“That’s right. That place has a private elevator, so if something happens, we can get down right away.”

Kang-hyuk responded while scanning his card at a barcode panel on one side of the elevator.

The elevator began ascending to the 17th floor automatically.

“Huh…”

Jang-mi tilted her head at the sight.

It occurred to her that one usually needed to take a different elevator to reach the Deputy Director’s office.

This particular elevator was reserved for board members, the director, vice directors, and Deputy Directors only.

It wouldn’t even move unless it scanned an authorized card.

“Oh, this card?”

Kang-hyuk waved the card in his hand as if he knew exactly what she was thinking.

“Ho… Isn’t that Professor Hong Jae-hoon’s card…?”

Jaewon turned to look at Kang-hyuk with a horrified expression.

Even Gyeongwon, who had followed all of Kang-hyuk’s orders without question, looked shocked.

“W-Wait, don’t tell me?”

“D-Did you steal it?”

Jang-mi asked with wide eyes.

If someone else were holding it, she might’ve tried to think more charitably.

But since it was Kang-hyuk, no other explanation came to mind.

The only question was how he had stolen it.

“What do you all take me for?”

Kang-hyuk scowled at his team.

No one said anything aloud, but they all thought the same thing.

‘You’re a thief…’

He had been consistent in his behavior until now.

Especially when he was driving the ambulance earlier today—it was a standout moment.

He drove like someone who had never heard of traffic laws.

Thanks to that, they arrived slightly earlier.

But had things gone even slightly wrong, everyone except Gyeongwon would probably be knocking on death’s door by now.

When the suspicion in their eyes didn’t fade but only grew stronger, Kang-hyuk raised his voice.

“I said I picked it up! Picked it up!”

“H-How would someone drop that card…?”

Normally, one would wear it around their neck.

Without an ID card, you couldn’t even enter most hospital facilities.

It was that important.

“It fell right in front of my eyes, I’m telling you!”

“You didn’t make him drop it, did you?”

Jaewon mimed snatching something.

For a moment, he wondered if Kang-hyuk had physically harmed Professor Hong Jae-hoon.

“Uh… where is Deputy Director Hong now? Is he still alive?”

“What the hell are you saying, you bastard?”

The foul language that spilled from Kang-hyuk’s mouth instantly froze the air inside the elevator.

He was a terrifying man—and one who knew how to terrify.

‘100% this guy did something…’

Jaewon couldn’t help but feel like he’d be roped in as an accomplice if he stayed still.

So he turned toward the CCTV installed in the corner of the elevator and shouted.

“I-I’m innocent! I didn’t do anything!”

“Is this guy nuts?”

“You saw that, right? I’m a hostage too!”

“You punk, I really did pick it up.”

“Then why haven’t we seen Deputy Director Hong all day… Not even the Director?”

At Jaewon’s words, Jang-mi clutched her face.

Now that she thought about it, the usual daily rounds by the director group hadn’t happened today.

They might’ve come when the team was dispatched to Bukhansan.

But if they had, someone would’ve said something.

The Severe Trauma Center was already on the directors’ blacklist lately, and they nitpicked everything.

“Uh… now that you mention it, neither of them has been at the hospital today?”

Both of them looked at Kang-hyuk, now fully convinced he was involved in the disappearance of Director Choi Jo-eun and Deputy Director Hong Jae-hoon—and that he was the culprit.

“You punks. I told you I picked it up. He was getting into a car to go on a business trip, and it snagged on the door and snapped off.”

“Business trip?”

“Yeah. Looked like he was heading out with the Director.”

Gyeongwon, who had remained quiet until now, joined in.

“Oh, come to think of it… There’s a regional branch hospital meeting today.”

“Oh? How do you know that?”

Even though Kang-hyuk was both a department head and team leader, he had never heard of it.

Partly because he had no interest in trivial matters like that.

And also because he was practically ostracized in the hospital.

The fact that Gyeongwon, a mere resident and soon-to-be fellow, knew about it was strange.

“Ah… I’m still technically part of Anesthesiology. My attending forwards departmental emails to me.”

“Ah. Jin Tae-rim.”

Kang-hyuk recalled Jin Tae-rim’s sharp face.

He had heard Tae-rim was quite competent, but his personality didn’t quite match his skills.

Driven by ambition for an executive position, he was clinging tightly to the director group and leading efforts to obstruct the Severe Trauma Center.

“Yeah. Well… I’ll be transferring departments in a few days anyway.”

Gyeongwon felt a bit of regret.

The Anesthesiology Department was practically untouchable within the hospital hierarchy.

They rarely had to ask anything of other departments.

But every other department had to ask favors of them.

‘This place is basically the opposite.’

Especially at the Severe Trauma Center, they had to ask for everything.

They needed to coordinate with hospital security for ambulance or helicopter dispatch, and for patients without guardians, they had to work with administration and the admissions office, not to mention Emergency Medicine for patient beds.

‘There’s always someone else to ask…’

Meanwhile, no one really asked the trauma surgeons for anything.

After all, hospital patients weren’t likely to suddenly suffer trauma injuries.

“Alright, let’s get off.”

While Gyeongwon was lost in thought, the elevator arrived at the 17th floor.

The Deputy Director’s office was practically right in front of the elevator.

And since Hong Jae-hoon wasn’t there today, there was no secretary either.

“Nice. Let’s head in.”

Kang-hyuk grinned as he entered the office, relieved that he didn’t have to make up an excuse.

Beep.

The door opened as soon as he scanned the ID card.

“Wow…”

Jaewon let out a country bumpkin-like gasp as he stepped inside.

He’d been to Professor Han Yoo-rim’s office—a fairly large one given that he led General Surgery—several times.

That office had a sofa and a table too.

But this wasn’t even close.

“This is… really nice.”

Jang-mi wandered toward the window as if hypnotized.

Just like Kang-hyuk had said, the view was incredible.

With no buildings blocking the way, they could see all the way to the Han River.

And the office windows were floor-to-ceiling glass.

It felt like looking out at a panoramic view.

“Nice, huh? Take a seat.”

Kang-hyuk plopped down on the sofa like it was his own room.

Then gestured for the others to join him.

“Yes, Professor.”

Gyeongwon was the first to take a seat across from Kang-hyuk.

Jaewon and Jang-mi followed suit.

“Um, but.”

Jaewon was the one to break the silence.

Kang-hyuk looked at him as if to say, ‘Of course.’

“What is it, punk?”

“It’s a dinner party… but is there nothing to eat?”

“Ah. Food.”

As Jaewon said, there were only some mints on the table, probably left for refreshment.

Kang-hyuk chuckled as he tapped away on his phone.

“I already told Team Leader Jung-heon. He’s bringing the food.”

“Huh? Team Leader Ahn Jung-heon?”

“Yeah.”

“Wait… you asked him to bring the food?”

“I’m paying him back. What’s the issue?”

“Well… that’s not really the point…”

Technically speaking, Jung-heon was the guest.

But to have the guest bring the food?

That was shameless on another level.

Of course, Kang-hyuk wasn’t the kind of person to think that way.

“I’m giving him the rest of this to drink. That’s good enough. He’ll be grateful.”

In fact, Kang-hyuk thought Jung-heon should be thankful.

It was a 30-year-old Ballantine, after all.

It might’ve been true, but thinking that far ahead was still shocking.

Knock knock.

Just then, someone knocked on the door.

A sudden awareness that they were in someone else’s office hit them, and everyone fell silent.

Only Kang-hyuk stood up confidently.

“You’re here?”

“Yes, Professor. I’m here.”

“Phew.”

The voice outside belonged to Jung-heon.

Only then did the others let out a sigh of relief.

Kang-hyuk passed by them and opened the door.

“I didn’t know what everyone liked, so I brought a bit of everything.”

Jung-heon entered holding chicken and pizza in both arms.

“Good, good. This is perfect.”

Kang-hyuk placed the chicken on the table.

“Right? Chicken’s the best for Koreans.”

Jung-heon smiled warmly as he placed the pizza down as well.

“Alright. Take a seat. Let’s pour some drinks.”

Kang-hyuk handed out paper cups.

Naturally, they weren’t ordinary paper cups.

They had “For Urine Test” written on them in bold letters.

But no one found it strange.

People who worked in hospitals were used to drinking out of things like this.

“Wow… this liquor, it’s really good.”

Jung-heon cracked a joke as soon as he saw the Ballantine.

Kang-hyuk laughed heartily.

“Right? I used to drink it once in a while overseas, but haven’t had a drop since coming here. Got this a month ago, and I’m only opening it now.”

“You’re always so busy.”

“Well, we get nights like this too, right?”

At that, Jaewon tilted his head slightly.

‘Didn’t we just come back from a dispatch…?’

They had just finished treating a patient moments ago.

Kang-hyuk really seemed to think that even a short break was for his own comfort.

‘I mean… even I think today wasn’t too bad.’

Jaewon shivered at how naturally he was falling into step with Kang-hyuk.

Meanwhile, Kang-hyuk filled everyone’s cups with alcohol.

“Alright, let’s make a toast. To the Severe Trauma Center!”

“H-Here’s to us!”

A toast coming from Kang-hyuk?

That was awkward.

But Jaewon was already used to these kinds of gatherings in General Surgery.

Gyeongwon, who belonged to Anesthesiology—a department known for going from anesthesia to intoxication—was no slouch either.

Jang-mi was a heavy drinker by nature.

Thanks to that, they were able to drink in rhythm.

Though they had to stop midway.

“Ah, right. Don’t eat too fast. You’ve got to make that one drink last all night. Ah, Team Leader Ahn, you can keep drinking though.”

“Just one drink?”

“What if a patient comes in? You want to go down there blackout drunk?”

“Ah…”

It made him question why they even brought out the liquor—or called it a dinner party at all.

As the others looked at him with questions in their eyes, Kang-hyuk opened his mouth.

“Anyway, the reason I said we should drink today is…”

It was the first time he’d ever said anything like that.

So everyone instinctively gulped.

“You remember what you said, about how everyone else gives up on severely injured patients, but we’re the only ones fighting tooth and nail to save them?”

Jaewon quickly waved his hands in protest.

“P-Professor, that was just me getting emotional.”

“No, no. It’s a valid question. And I’ll tell you my thoughts on it. It’s purely my personal experience, but… if you want to become a trauma surgeon, and a member of a Severe Trauma Team, it’s something you’ll have to think about at least once.”