Chapter 1: Baik Ganghyuk, Going To Joseon (1/2)
Ganghyuk was wearing a stiff gown as if it were soaked in the rice glue used for styling in traditional Korean style. He looked very confident while walking in the fas.h.i.+onable robe.
”Good morning, Professor Baik!”
”Yes, Good morning.”
”Are you on rotation?”
”No, I am going to the President's room. See you later.”
”Yes, sir.”
Ganghyuk rode the lift after pa.s.sing by some nurses and residents. His face looked exceptionally good today in the mirror.
He was appointed as a professor in his early thirties, and had a good looking appearance, with wide shoulders and a slim body. He was not very picky, and didn't mind interacting with girls. He would entertain and have a good time with all the girls he met over the years Sometimes, he even went out with two or three girls in a day.
But, the problem was in his heart, as he did not have anyone whom he liked very much. It was as if he had left all thoughts of romantic love in his mother's womb, because he had never fallen in love with a girl. He was not over zealous about the prospect of a relations.h.i.+p.
'I wish it will not be a meeting set up with a daughter of some professor. How can I have a relations.h.i.+p with a girl whom I don't know at all?' If she were a daughter of a professor, it would be hard to say goodbye after a few formal meetings.
He really didn't like any sort of serious meetings.
'Ding Dong'
While he was deep in his thoughts, the elevator stopped at the top floor. There was a small door to the left, with another door inside the room.
He could not meet the president of the hospital until he opened the door.
When Ganghyuk came closer, the secretary sitting on the chair greeted. ”Professor Baik, please wait for a moment.”
”Yes.”
With the secretary reporting his arrival, the door was opened from the inside.
”Professor Baik! Come… Come in” The president said brightly as always.
'Yes, he must have something to tell me.' Ganghyuk sighed as he entered the room. He saw a black doctor's home visitation bag on the way to the President's room.
There was no one who used such an obsolete thing now.
He would have ignored it on any normal day, but he felt that something was strange on that particular day.
The president was standing even before Ganghyuk entered the room.
”Hey, professor Baik… Come on in.”
”Good morning, sir President”
”I am sorry to call you on such a busy day.”
”No, not at all. I do not have a special schedule today.” It would have been better if he had had one. But, he did not have any excuse, which was why he came here.
The president rubbed his two hands; it seems that he wanted to ask for a difficult favor.
'He did that when he asked me to play golf on a holiday.' Ganghyuk thought.
Just now, he had rubbed his hands twice as fast as that time. What would be more irritating than playing golf in the cold wind of a Chinese New Year morning?
Ganghyuk tried to smile as he waited for his next words.
”You know the chairman, right? I mean the chairman of this hospital.”
How could a professor in the hospital not know the chairman of the hospital? So, Ganghyuk nodded his head.
”He wanted you to come to a medical visit. He has some girl to introduce to you.”
”Sorry?”
”I told him that it would be strange that Professor Baik went a visit but the chairman himself persisted it.”
”Ah…” Ganghyuk looked at the president while sighing. 'If it were about the home visit to the chairman and a set-up meeting with a girl, he must have rubbed his hands twice as fast as now…”
It was hard to reject; he really wanted to reject, but it did not seem like a request. It was an order in some way.
Who was the chairman of the Chungmu Hospital?
He was the chairman of Chungmu Group, which was the biggest group in Korea. The group was famous for its patriotism, which was why the group was named after Chungmugong Lee Suns.h.i.+n. (1)
If the chairman wanted to have a home visit, he had better follow the order, even if his home was located in a dangerous place like the DMZ.
”I had already ordered to pack a home visitation bag. There are many medications that the chairman requested. In the bag, there are also other barrels apart from the basic medications. Just give them to him while pretending that you don't know anything.”
It was already a fixed fact that he had to go. He had not said that he would go, but it was already decided just like that.
”When can I go then?”
”You said that you did not have a schedule today.”
”Yes, I did say so.” He said it clearly just now with his own mouth. He could not deny it.
”Then, go now. I will get a car ready for you.”
”Ha, I see.”
”I am sorry, but… it might be good for you. You are not interested in any girl anyway. If you marry a girl that the chairman introduces you to, it would be good for you.”
”What nonsense! Anyway, I understand. I am going.”
”OK. Take your time.”
Ganghyuk got in the black sedan with the black home visitation bag. After a while, the sedan stopped at a private museum in Hannam-dong. The sign was so small that he might have pa.s.sed it without noticing that it was a museum.
The driver pressed a b.u.t.ton, with which, the gate swung open.
”You can go in.”
”OK.” Ganghyuk bent this head and went inside. He was always confident, but today was an exception.
The place was shabbier than he had imagined. As he went inside, he saw an aisle with blinking lights around it.
'It is chilly rather than shabby, to be precise.' It seemed like the angel of death was waiting for him rather than the chairman of the hospital.