Sense

A/N: Thanks to EY for the donation! 8 chaps this week! Also, important announcement at the end!

"Yes, Professor Choi. The surgery has been scheduled for the first slot in a week. Due to the equipment requirements for the procedure, we decided to proceed in the D-Rosette operating room."

Cancer center hallway.

Dowok reported the results of the meeting and yawned with exhaustion. It felt like his head was spinning because he still had night duty after an emergency surgery. Even in his first year of residency, he didn't have such a packed day.

Hong Yoo-sun, head of the center, approached Dowook, who was thinking of going to the staff room and getting some sleep. She was the only woman among the center directors and a professor from the Department of Hematology and was around Chief Ha’s age.

"Today's meeting was impressive, Dr. Park."

"Thank you for allowing me to cooperate in this surgery, director."

"We should be the one’s thanking you. Dr. Park's role is the key."

Hong Yoo-sun, who smiled brightly, hinted at this.

"The neurosurgery position on the high-level cancer surgery team is currently vacant. If Dr. Park wants, you can come over. I'll treat you like Professor Min."

An unexpected proposal. She didn’t approach him for nothing.

Dowook knew that the annual salary of the team leader of such a special department was considerable, but he expressed his intention and refused.

"Thank you, but I can't. I’m still under training, and Professor Choi is going to create a specialist team."

"Oh no. That's too bad."

"If such a case occurs, cooperation is always welcome at any time. Professor Choi is also actively interested, so team-level cooperation will be possible in the future. Of course."

Dowook said good-bye and left the hallway of the cancer center.

Chief Kim Byung-seop, who was walking out of the office, saw Hong Yoo-sun standing still.

"What are you doing here?"

"My proposal was rejected so easily and I am trying to deal with the shock."

"Proposal?"

"I don't know if the signature surgery team at the hospital will be replaced in the future. Professor Min needs to work harder.”

Kim Byung-seop looked confused at her comment.

Dowook lay down on the bed in the staff room. And he thought that he had closed his eyes for a very brief moment.

Beep beep beep.

When he heard the alarm, it was 5 p.m.

‘Already?’

He passed out for six hours. Instead of sleep, it should be called a coma-like state.

He got out of bed and stretched. His mind was clear, but his body creaked everywhere.

"Uh. Should I adjust my pace a little bit?"

Dowook reflected on his workload, kneading his stiff shoulder muscles and carrying on with his unreasonable New Year's schedule.

Fortunately, there wasn’t anything special on his schedule this evening. He just needed to check Lim So Yool’s health status…….

"Oh."

Recalling what had happened a few days ago, Dowook sat back on the bed.

‘Why did she have to say something like that’

Come to think of it, Lim So Yool only revealed her thoughts without filtering as usual. The decisive problem was that she didn't even know it was a confession.

When he would meet her, Dowook couldn't help but worry about how to treat her. It was a problem that he wished he could get a second opinion on.

‘Hold on. Advice?’

Dowook thought and searched his gown for his wallet. He took out a business card coated with gold and held it in his hand.

The only person who could give an appropriate answer to this situation was her sister who knew her very well.

Dowook called the number on the business card. Not long after, someone answered.

-Hello?

"This is Park Dowook, ma’am."

-Dr. Park? You finally called this number.

"I have something to ask because of Director Lim So Yool."

-If it's because of So Yool's silly behavior, you don't have to talk about it in detail.

The knowing tone of voice. Lim So-hee first asked a sensitive question.

-Our Semdeok. You called me first because you were serious, right?

"Yes."

-Oh my. You're honest.

"Not as much as Director Lim So Yool."

– Since it’s you, I believe you'll understand what I'm about to tell you and choose wisely.

The silence that followed lasted for a while. And a more serious voice continued.

-So Yool was a child trapped in her own world. She was diagnosed with HfA around the age of four. This is a developmental disease that enables one to possess much higher intelligence than ordinary people, but the person becomes excessively obsessed with one field or does not properly recognize the psychological state of others. Do you understand?

High-functioning autism.

"I've heard of it."

-So Yool had to get used to accepting all situations she hadn't experienced through numbers. Dictionary definition is just a list of words that are meaningless to So Yool. That made today's Semdeok, and now as the doctor knows, she’s stable enough to proceed with social life without difficulty. Sometimes I even forget that she has HfA.

The obsession with numbers, which Dowook had regarded as obsessive-compulsive disorder, was a window for her to communicate with the world.

Dowook felt like he had put together a unique puzzle with regards to Lim So Yool.

-I think that's all I can say. Did it help?

"I think it's enough."

-Okay. I gave you some information, so you should give me some, too. Professor Choi. Is he single?

"What?"

-Why are you so surprised? We’re all grown-ups.

"Uh… I think so."

-As expected. Thank you for the information.

After the call ended, Dowook got up from his seat.

What happened a few days ago was now understandable. Then the answer was simpler than he thought.

Standing in front of Room 2007, Dowook knocked on the door.

Click.

Secretary Ok opened the door and welcomed him inside.

"Welcome, doctor."

Behind Secretary Ok, who seemed to be acting as usual, were also employees of the ZQ Group's accounting adjustment team. Manager Choi Jae-woon waved first.

"Oh, Dr. Park. Welcome."

Dowook, who was looking around, turned to Secretary Ok because he couldn't see Lim So Yool. Secretary Ok immediately answered.

"She’s in the bathroom."

"Oh."

"Would you like some coffee?"

"Please."

When he approached Manager Choi, Dowook saw a bunch of accounting books filled with numbers that were hard to understand.

"What are you working on today?"

"It's just to prepare for the meeting. When a tax audit is conducted, the investigator meets the tax cut line to an acceptable level."

"It sounds complicated just by listening to it."

"We've all given up on going home until next week. Even if I fall down while working, I'm not worried because it's a hospital. Haha….”

Manager Choi's bitter expression showed he had given up in the face of the hell of overtime work.

While waiting for Lim So Yool, he took a sip of the coffee handed over by Secretary Ok. Then, the door to the bathroom dedicated to the VIP room suddenly opened.

And she walked outside with a towel around her neck with her dripping hair.

Lim So Yool, who was wiping her hair with a towel, made eye contact with Dowook.

Flinch.

It was obviously a very flustered reaction.

Looking around, and then glancing at Dowook. Lim So Yool, who seemed to be thinking over and over again, threw away the towel and came to Dowook. She grabbed his arm.

"Outside."

Dowook headed to the door, led by Lim So Yool. Those who were inside watched as their role was switched from last time and focused on their interaction with interest.

After coming out to the hallway and closing the door to Room 2007, she looked up at Dowook.

"You told me to realize it on my own. Why are you here already?"

"I realized something too… Should I come back later?"

"No."

Lim So Yool shook her head firmly and looked up at Dowook with clear eyes.

"I apologize. I found out a little late that it would be rude to say that all of a sudden."

"You didn't finish calculating the meaning behind it?"

"I finished. It's a confession that I want to be closer than your friend."

To define it, she felt that she now fully understood it.

"Then what kind of situation will arrive next? Did you calculate that?"

"I know. If I fail, we won't be friends."

The murmured words really struck him to the heart.

"You've calculated more than I thought."

"It's still on-going. Because I didn't hear the doctor’s answer.”

Dowook looked at her always clear gaze focused at himself, without being confused. To her who showed her heart as it was, Dowook also spoke without embarrassment.

"I also get excited when I see the director. Especially when you don't force a mathematical theory that only you can understand in five minutes."

Lim So Yool's eyes sparkled. Dowook was calm, but he continued to talk, feeling his pounding heart.

"I couldn't say this that day because I didn't know how to deliver it. Do you want to go out with me?”

"Yes.”

An answer without hesitation. Lim So Yool, who smiled brighter than ever, was pretty and sentimental.

How long had it been since he felt like this?

He didn't have enough time when he was a resident. As an intern, sleep was more important. And he always needed to memorize something when he was a medical student. He didn't even remember the time he had a crush on a student teacher because it was so long ago.

"How do you start a relationship?"

Lim So Yool's pure eyes made Dowook realize that he wasn’t too sure himself.

“…You don't know?”

With a nod, she looked at him with innocent eyes.

She agreed to date but didn't know the process.

Now that this happened, it was questionable whether she was dating him or learning how to date him.

‘This relationship won't be easy, right?’

Round and round but back to the starting point again. Nothing had changed, but his heart was ticklish. Still, they took a step forward. First of all, that alone was overwhelming, so let us move on.

"Take your time and think about it. It's not a difficult calculation."

"Shall we?"

Dowook pointed to room 2007.

"First of all, let's start with the urgent fire. You have to let the people in there go home."

"Will you calculate with me today?"

"Yes."

Lim So Yool smiled like a flower in full bloom.

* * *

A week later.

A large car parked in the underground parking lot of the hospital. Two people dressed in suits exited the car and stopped in the VIP parking area.

Heo Young-rok, chairman of the medical committee at Myeong Sae Hospital, who was walking in front, asked executive director Jung Nam-soo.

"How many chiefs expressed their intention to join?"

"There are 13 people for sure."

"13 people? How come that's all you have? I heard that the internal medicine department is united.”

Jung Nam-soo looked ashamed at Heo Young-rok’s almost reprimanding comment.

"It's… The internal managers related to the cancer center are still undecided. I think there's some kind of pressure."

"Hong Yoo Seon stabbed you in the back? Who does she think made her the center director!"

Heo Young-rok, who burst into anger, asked back.

"Call Hong Yoo Seon before the meeting. If I say something harsh, she'll listen.”

In front of the elevator.

Jung Nam-soo, who was holding his cell phone and talking carefully, reported in a surprised voice.

"It's hard to move because of the surgery. She said to meet at another time."

"What? Give that to me."

Heo Young-rok, who took the cell phone, shouted.

"Hey, Hong Yoo Seon! Surgery? The meeting deciding the hospital’s future is just around the corner. What kind of trick is this? Take care that you don’t ruin your future!”

-I'm thankful for your consideration.

"What?"

-This surgery will be observed by the chairman of the head of the pancreatic surgery clinic and the chairman of the oncology clinic from the medical association. The chairman of the medical committee who tells us not to do this is going to ruin the future of the hospital.

"What kind of surgery is this? Why are two chairmen observing?"

-If you're curious, come to D-Rosette. Oh. The observation room is full, so you have to look from outside.

The phone was hung up.

Heo Young-rok looked at Jung Nam-soo.

"Director Jeong. Send someone to the operating room to find out what Hong Yoo Seon is up to."

"Yes, Chairman."

Dowook stood in front of D-Rosette No. 1 operating room.

Complex surgery with a high-level cancer surgery team. He saw that the patient was put under anesthesia on the operating table.

Drrrk.

He opened the door and checked the preparations. Looking toward the observation room, he could see a lot of faculty members from the conference and cancer center watching.

‘It must be noisy. I hope they don't bother Professor Choi.’

It was fortunate that the five senior members of the Neurology Society were not here since the main part of this surgery was the pancreatic department.….

-Dr Park!~

Namgoong Seok's bright gaze met Dowook’s, causing Dowook to sigh and greet him with a nod.

Anyway, he’d already expected this.

It was not the time to worry about the troublesome things. Now he had to focus only on completely removing that patient's tumor.

‘Shall we start?’

Lim So Yool stood at the entrance of the public conference room.

The answers she had steadily calculated and searched for about three months since October last year. Today was the day when she had to sharply confront the forces that refused this answer.

Click.

It was noticeable that the chiefs were gathered in one place around the U-shaped conference hall in the center.

Selfish or honest.

The deeds of the numbers each person did flew through her mind as if turning over pages of a book.

3 minutes before the meeting started!

People sat one by one at the secretary general's announcement.

And

Chairman Heo Young-rok, who would be today's key variable, sat in the center of the U-shaped desk.