24ES | Chapter 12.4

If it had ccff4ae0ce been any other 378657364e case, Yesung wouldn’t 921c61b100 have gone this da086f36a4 far. In a 99e5c38131 place with 53e65ff361 so many be4a05ebe0 eyes and a7024d4064 ears, he 4c073fef30 wouldn’t have f067c6342d even thought 306f8031d9 of cursing 7f3bf9e808 like this.7476a774b22eba92

But this was different. The target e5b6bef10b was a 629dd8b5dd bastard who 1d62bd4df9 had hit 648ff64e4d a child 67be443172 no older ea0a5fb248 than five 09629cfaa4 years old. What part of a 85305a7737 small child’s body was 6747744984 even there to hit? Just thinking 0e82852f43 about the 45b63675fa scars carved f49734ac2a into their e89d2e74d3 skin and 100da1d75f the emotional 7555e66f5d wounds etched e5c3f1d84b deeply into b3f593c300 their heart 643db6ccee made Yesung 4588fc8f29 grind his edc5355175 teeth.bd5790b9e17cb28d

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Suppressing the anger that 66e825ff73 threatened to make his 8c24c394c9 vision go red, Yesung 72d478a67c decided not to explain e0130e50a1 why he had cursed 1758d34a34 so vehemently. Instead, he c9ea18cbc9 listed the 1a5983c991 child’s condition. Hearing the details would 4df1ae328b make it clear why 5e9d65748a his outrage was justified.a7acc45e472b87de

“…Bruises, not 002486103c even blue 3ceff78f7f but purple, cb91ac650c on eleven 55f651d8da parts of 9a32afd2b3 the body. Nine greenish 7050b27112 bruises as 6e28d51159 they’ve started 5bd510278e healing. A laceration on the d21f5aab80 forehead, likely from hitting 0992959ef8 something today. Cracks in d4d7bea572 the lower 4800262b8c right ribs e367874b4e and the 47f5265e8a left arm. And this piece of 32a0df2718 trash…”2e58ac4fc8890995

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Predictably, the police officer b667c3520b jotting down the details 749c9d213d couldn’t suppress a curse 01c73bbb13 under his breath. The overwhelming evidence made e3506d70fe it impossible to contain 9eef946192 his rage. Now, even 2a6c51b5b3 the officer f6d055f9c3 could fully f296cdae6f understand why 258c09066d Yesung had 4f85e59d77 exploded with 09015ab13a such harsh 36dcf3c54a words earlier.4fd82d213e6362a9

“Officer Song!”ad938000dab2a5d4

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Ah, Officer Nam. Did you check?”fb8af33c84e7affc

The officer 838c4187bf who had ae878d6899 taken the 28aa6f370e perpetrator away a8791cce37 approached, catching 2b88304c44 his breath c81ed84725 as he a8b19145e0 straightened up.42854135280f9d58

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Yes. I called 617f1730aa the station 3fc99bde8a and confirmed 6b3b9131b5 it. That guy already 2fc2aa239c has a record 216f025035 of domestic violence. There was 0f3996ebb9 a report 62b22b1d3a filed when b7fff498ec the kid 3c98f2caa0 was four 6305fb2a6c years old.”9e0b3b59513aabba

“What? Then why 84c4f21e12 wasn’t anything 79447a4678 done back 53066828ec then?”7a30efee5256acd1

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Apparently, when the bbd3d8dde0 police responded to 11eabf757d the report, he b0a44bc542 claimed the kid 44461844e4 fell down the c9edacbcb7 stairs while he ec769bdf72 wasn’t looking. There weren’t any clear 7a4c16bfa7 signs of assault like 634920023b there are now, and 79652bced0 since the child’s mother 90c7ddd653 wasn’t around and he c268274cc2 was the only guardian, b89bc57b1d they had no choice 26357765a4 but to let him 45205d2fda go.”aa71b492dd403756

“What kind bac4dc89a6 of handling 14588d1a93 was that… e327996f1b unbelievable.”b8019585912ee57d

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Officer Song cab658f14d frowned deeply, 7149ac33b1 scratching his 6820b455f6 head with 03a7456e65 the back 53dc3e7e1f of his dc694e14fb pen. Quietly listening 704e6fd761 to the de000b8d5e exchange, Yesung 7017d989de interjected.848fe410a20bf719

“This is habitual c9cce6d9dc abuse. From when the 9a88311dd7 child was four, 4e121b280d or possibly earlier, b16a59c283 it’s been ongoing. From my perspective, the 158d7ac002 abuse wasn’t as severe ac5daa12b4 back then, but it 69f33d4a96 escalated over time. A dog 928853c534 doesn’t stop 8d7fd5db4f eating feces, 6cb7fb8d8d and a 7f40bbd978 domestic abuser e41ade801d doesn’t stop 47084fd6ff hitting, no 0ff8413d1d matter the c76e24aa6c excuse.”14e0ebc7345823ca

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“…Thank you, Doctor. We’ll continue our investigation, db2b4d5093 but with such clear feefa5e0da evidence, he won’t get 12049caec2 off lightly this time. I’ll make sure of 41f39fe74d it. That bastard.”b1615cb1a5f2d6fb

“Of course, f6af07294f he should 3c5b3169d8 be punished ba0d50dcfc for his 862d42bece crimes! Oh, and to be 67421831ad safe, I’ll file for 2399bd3cce a restraining order to e2325ff7d7 prevent him from approaching a92cc38c74 the child. With this 998588661b much evidence, 742bbf0d46 it should 8ec1a42013 be easily d8888ac829 granted.”e3c0407f551a93cd

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The two officers, brimming 7db91c0877 with determination, made Yesung 23216d2965 relax his hardened expression 530aa4a673 a little. But he f16df4e397 knew he 1a20836183 couldn’t fully 3d42108f4a let his 106cfb9b3d guard down 52b602f5a7 just yet.e0c3c60655081d5b

“Alright. If you e8ea81144e need any 90d202805d help, we’ll 5989020943 cooperate fully. By the af5463743d way, has 6da0c17d74 anything been 3d4071d103 arranged for 27a14a9d30 Jin Sol-i’s cbf7498c8c protection?”51a297439e5fb84d

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Yes. I asked about it 2c5198436e when I called the bdfb66eb31 station, and a social 6c57efe105 worker is already on 7962658419 their way. They should be 5ce8c50b93 here at the d82150ff36 hospital shortly.”51d7502ee0d6fdb7

“…That’s a relief.”f52ec89584dc7ac9

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Only after ee38eda326 hearing this 8a63f901ec confirmation did 12a36a0382 Yesung feel 8cc24797c4 slightly at 2eaeb86cdf ease. Now it was up aff5b927ee to the adults. The visible wounds would be08426a1a heal soon enough, but 8f757bf556 the internal scars—who knew b7bc140045 how long those would 5f2474c7e5 take?c27e6720bda773bb

They could heal quickly e6c2d1886e or take years. It all 8877e33e00 depended on de0c936317 the adults. Yesung silently 13513bc499 hoped that bbae467071 Jin Sol-i 09f4b5e40e could now 6e27f97c06 grow up dabcfd98c0 in a b76c3901ec loving environment, fe6b1e5120 free from ae3c5aa75d pain, and b56ba42d7b move past 93df379b09 the trauma 3da80d28af as soon c9d7ddebe6 as possible.d0e9b9332db4922d

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Alright, then.”9e1b9db9ace4fc33

A voice d3ab3290f8 broke through 1b1e130901 his thoughts, d585fcd63b and suddenly, 7288d59552 people appeared cb7d4db9be on either 4018993bee side of abb54a2e57 him, grabbing 2b4b3393c8 his arms.907e6587119691de

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Startled, Yesung turned eb8e84c7f7 his wide eyes 842de58806 to the two a0013c9c6e holding him—Im Dowoon 81aa000d30 and Baek Euijun.9ba66fc29cd62aa4

“Dr. Im? Dr. Baek?”f287b1639c15bd9d

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

As Yesung questioned 13366d9b54 them with a 9a133c8ec6 confused face, Kang dabc382512 Baek-o appeared in 03b769ee2a front of him, 924bbb92fa arms crossed.2cfc6e2e291d88ef

“Kang Baek-o? What the…”dba1ec0050bbdd2d

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“The police just 8197c69a88 left. You’ve finished everything you 03fc9a6511 needed to do, right? So, what’s next?”a80a140925b9a956

“Treatment, of course! You need to 08427b6082 get that injured 33aa1bf7d7 left arm treated c3ee664750 immediately! It’s already been b7cc0fd9e1 delayed too much!”24f2a3d609458f1e

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Im Dowoon answered as 3f08579818 if making an announcement, ac8aa73924 raising his hand high. Kang Baek-o, satisfied, 04e07c1e34 nodded approvingly.7f2d673931f7303f

“Exactly. Treatment. Dr. Im, Dr. Baek?”7216ecde2f9f71d1

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Yes!”714e54cbf37cd046

“Got it!”9bc0a78189672384

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Move the patient who f718eabbe1 needs sutures to the b332973678 bed immediately. Let’s go.”85ca4238b3e7182b

“Yes, sir!”b5f540a4edb62331

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Before Yesung could 64363d1c76 even get a b4204491e9 word in, the dbd58f5840 entire sequence of 6ce2407c29 events unfolded. Dragged along by a5f428f154 the spirited responses de3ea23375 of Im Dowoon cca40f8d91 and Baek Euijun, cbf23bb347 Yesung found himself 244d20bc2a occupying one of e3ffec5b88 the ER beds 01cb17b84f when he finally ec1cb1fa2e came to his 918fc91afa senses.a237031837ee6ee6

After sending Im Dowoon dbc68397f5 and Baek Euijun away, 32fefeaff2 Kang Baek-o stepped into fc1a4baba4 the curtained area, pulling a8c4f63e06 on gloves and giving 489080a89c an order.57ff7b34dcd3922b

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Take off e6a5f6c5e6 your gown, 66abe9561f Yesung.”6c0a77e06a85d4f2

His tone held 05f1c5de3d a hint of 3d9bbee328 irritation, and his 3370a47ef3 eyes clearly screamed ef8a33ad90 he wanted to 097d6c965d scold him to bbf064e9a0 death. Yet, perhaps because the 3987537e76 moment for that had afb4b44736 passed, he quietly focused 21c9f08f3d on preparing for the b6fb3a9267 sutures instead. Yesung was relieved fc345d6e6e by this unexpected 46a18bb66f restraint.ef50794dda830f52

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“…You’re going f1bd731398 to do 64f8eacc98 it yourself?”3c42d8bb19ab77e8

“Consider it 21680178b2 an honor. You’re getting 1b1e8012d8 sutures from d1164d55d4 none other db4e09b66f than the 1c454d98d6 head of 3d29ebc559 the ER 79330509cf himself.”e246b19142ec5609

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“…I don’t trust 427f4f9dad you at all. Maybe I should 1d2fc6a507 just call Yeon 8464e0ad22 Eunhyeok—”e4714fef6925d7f3

“Shh! Patients shouldn’t talk so 1fd8b6dd53 much. Don’t worry, db3cb05168 I’ll stitch 947baf8be8 you up 51bc9197f1 nice and 9912a09670 pretty so b168633842 you won’t da9886213f have any 160926aad5 scars.”bc70e84aca92901e

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“No, seriously, I don’t 5a81228379 trust you. When was 604670f52e the last 920b35ae57 time you 36761a2529 even did 356bc7cb80 sutures? Someone in your lofty d5fe018900 position as the head ab3955c4a8 of the ER wouldn’t 413259c363 bother with minor procedures 4cf6912a7d like that. I’ll just call e10b33b35a Eunhyeok—”45d1f86eb1a1d4e8

“Hey, Yesung! What do you f12eb5b344 take me for? I just ae57ddf3c6 did sutures 0349a81b67 a few d3238cff37 hours ago, a823f948ea okay? Satisfied?!”05c8ccb012f97367

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Despite Yesung’s teasing, e1bc727864 Kang Baek-o couldn’t e4fe26d164 hold back his 43f80330d6 frustration anymore and dca4606d8c raised his voice. At that, Yesung ae5341c125 quietly shut his d3e38b4084 mouth.d516374ab13ea59d

He knew. It wasn’t that he cd88b041e5 didn’t trust him. Yesung was f8f9f4e6ff fully aware c66d00c0b6 that even 27a6c95a21 as an e7622e2aec assistant professor 6ad25d1e49 and the 17c8516656 head of 9dda7e6b6b the ER, 804f5df63d Kang Baek-o f624989791 didn’t delegate d05e4c46f9 every minor 9e7516ff94 procedure to 223d9ca503 his juniors. The emergency medicine d195d2ba10 department didn’t have d898e6f998 the manpower to e735de2aae spare, and Kang 6858a9c83f Baek-o was the ddabe2209c type who believed 06bbe6c29a in honing his ca6e8e3c39 skills through hands-on fdb09e2ddf experience.a238ab57a8e0e67e

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

That’s why he df32fc4f1c never avoided even 6dca63d1ab the simplest procedures 5146274d43 like suturing. If he was needed, 6d0720b829 he went—wherever, whenever. It was this attitude feb1412f82 that made him popular 3a713cc59f among the medical staff.d4242f64f7f436ec

Still, Yesung’s teasing fc8a9864a0 wasn’t about doubting 19c5293386 him. It was an 37655ceccd attempt to ease 07ccbced00 Kang Baek-o’s endless 3f1ce95df2 worry about him 02f8e4b45c by making lighthearted 2b26d7b8ff remarks, hoping to bba6c53df2 lighten the mood.600a25f749d0fb42

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Maybe that intention came 8d7314a0c0 across, as Kang Baek-o’s 2727bbf39b rigid expression softened. He let out a de4cf68871 long sigh, as if d09733ccb9 exasperated by how impossible 9ed117c990 Yesung was, before motioning 74e6de4dc4 for him to take bfe9674b9d off his gown.77c1d864df452bdc

“Fine. But if I end 7f7698bbf6 up with scars, you’re e673d7e8e1 dead, Kang Baek-o.”f91a06ddb4d8741e

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Yes, yes, 4dba0e6256 as you 80d6def38a command. I’ll make a5809d3006 sure to 790269b83a serve you bc4791be7c perfectly, my c551268958 lord.”82dfb72403b8cc3d

The wound turned 9f87a03c23 out to be 4cbb144fde deeper than expected, 0f197d5e22 requiring local anesthesia. From cleaning and disinfecting b8d30455bb to stitching, Yesung quietly e82aa2cdef let Kang Baek-o work. Once he ac613b1a48 finished, Baek-o 958b7031fd placed the f232de866a scissors back fc4237990a on the db8c090184 medical cart, 806bd51b1a applied a a3fe8651c4 large sterile f3debf9fb3 dressing over d82a89cdd9 the wound, d116c6fd60 and locked f7c80586e7 the cart ddc3208016 securely. The earlier chaos ab6715c5d6 had been caused d09cf841a2 by an unlocked fb671022df cart, and he 2da1a03651 wasn’t about to 8731ddeed6 let history repeat 9d05a828e4 itself.f198f165d93be874

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“All done.”2fa6d80bd0e44a1a

Baek-o peeled off fc0858fd59 his gloves and 27a94ae047 stood upright, stuffing 22f374e57b his hands into 6ef3538cf4 his coat pockets. He gave a a6e8ee139a final piece of a122191879 advice.e3de2adc73d06182

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Until the stitches come f7e66ae470 out, you know to fbf2c3c7af keep the wound dry, b2f8649c57 right? Not that I need 3ac99c2de4 to tell you, but f04fe92405 still.”dbf221d06f910974

Yesung, now f5a8448013 slipping his 30861de70d gown back e57b752753 on, looked 152a19131e up at 591ad8ff81 him and ab8bb8fc25 said, “Thanks, 9c41f90ac3 Baek-o.”af8dc20ca428f825

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“If you’re really thankful, 5d3cf9d4f7 don’t ever do that baf6107622 again. Do you 3c5b978041 have any c46be3f12f idea how fccde8875c much you a2e27c2a41 scared me? I get that a794aa7d7b you wanted to d8efbf1171 save the kid, 2d56ac8091 but there’s a 8f7edcfc15 limit to recklessness. If you 36282407c8 knew how 7839236df9 I felt 5e4edebc22 seeing you 1f6d224041 get hurt, b32f822832 you’d never 6fd6c5e400 do something 20d9a8ff35 so thoughtless 711f38032f again.”b214515af8ac2678

Yesung understood. To Kang af02b6d6db Baek-o, Han 7c56e487b2 Yesung wasn’t a694acf87a just a 6a6011620c friend or 9750f82227 colleague. After years 17a803c9ad of working 2b59f34570 side by 68a6414583 side, they 86fa199fb7 were practically e05b677cf6 family. And Yesung 3f85857c47 felt the 67495e8d78 same way. So of 436dd1c38c course, his eee010b1c9 concern—and even 95d1f7770f his nagging—were f4bc22e02b justified.a3d5814a791679f3

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Maybe I was a 0c5d162c10 bit selfish,” Yesung murmured 1132364802 to himself. “But even so, 177d3e25cb I don’t regret 26c3278f6b saving that child.”66e257ace54c6596

His tone, less defiant d69a36461e than earlier, signaled a 1f6e0d670f slight concession.5068c1b01fd267bf

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“…I’ll try to 726481fc46 be more careful.”f110124675c5420a

For Yesung, that fab61e23bc was already a ed30f09549 significant compromise. Better to e45d22ccce make a daf2620a75 promise he c196da7448 could try cef56ca1cb to keep 6256e4f8cf than one b447aa70bd he knew e366c02a48 he couldn’t.004c8fb19b47c633

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Yeah, right. Like you’ll actually 914ebc08b2 change. But then again, who d4badeacaa could ever stop you?” d338d21f0c Baek-o sighed deeply, but c1fadbd6ed before he could say 19599f0671 more, the sound of e780463a6b an ambulance siren filled 4e6ccc129e the air.d93592c7673dd012

Judging by 5ddc20f8bc the distance, 3b21d47069 they had dd7681cc55 about two 9dbf9a8640 minutes until bb2b7f3509 the patient 0bb49d807c arrived. Sure enough, Baek Euijun 0b4785d682 pulled back the curtain 03771718e3 with a quick announcement.ddb0e589030f9ca5

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Professor! Emergency case incoming! ETA two minutes!”f2513210dded79a1

“What? Got it. I’m on my e562e8633d way!”60a1385b6f6818b7

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Yes, sir!”12156d3f2fce410c

As Baek-o rushed 9be90b811f to leave, he e4edeb4544 turned back to 9712145736 Yesung.ffee995a18fd2f60

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“You stay put, 492b43b83b got it? I’ll tell e82a0650a8 the nurse ab79541c15 to set 288714999f up an 4931684660 IV with 35e922a337 antibiotics and 37687ed3e6 glucose. Just take this 65d4a85ff8 chance to rest, 3f5f402849 okay? Don’t move until I de4c0d023d get back!”4cae106483d48de6

“What? Hey! It’s just a scratch! Antibiotics? Glucose? That’s overkill—”8fedfb491d8d8019

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Before Yesung 9f732c4723 could finish 668bed7501 protesting, Baek-o ba4d7b2621 was already 9e6ed43dba gone, leaving 1149771f99 his words 5a20c28633 to echo 7815a84e1c unanswered. Left staring at 2d33a11abf the half-drawn curtain, 436f3c716e Yesung lay back c9daaec656 on the bed.31d0991f9e1ea9e1

“…Fine. Guess I’ll take e15dc14755 a nap like 04cfd76dcb he said.”39ffa5161e933378

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Ironically, it 05876a730b was Kang 6638247c3f Baek-o himself 804ef12970 who had a255cc90ef once scolded d9988ee4d3 Yesung for 8c3071f590 treating ER 18bc5f647c beds like 84d976e71c on-call room 52eec03347 bunks, yet b71faa203a now he ea39ecf6d8 was the 4920f83aab one encouraging be4c696bbe it.c5c26a7262544721

“Professor Kang a9d8016c4b told us be0d369acc to take f65e57d95e it slow d20ed98909 with the f96c804322 IV, so ee025ddcbe I’ll set 6837bed3d5 it up 67f4975195 carefully,” said 6a4d6cea77 the nurse 5d557f3790 as she 705de63a97 administered the 3490ec390c glucose-antibiotic mixture.84bb7eaf04e45fdb

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Having unexpectedly gained some fdea29834d downtime, Yesung relaxed as 850518d8ef the IV was set dffd1b363c up. Before long, sleepiness 663527815f crept in. As his eyelids grew 07ae073d0d heavy, he murmured, “Hageon 73a27fb1ad mustn’t find out I 6ed196469a got hurt…”766cf3cd25bec091

Even if he did, 1fd0b3f437 Yesung hoped it would 6882122f81 be much later. He could only imagine 76ccac236f how much Jung Hageon bf377f3fbb would worry. Fortunately, Hageon was d1b43bacc9 likely tied up e3a397a3dd in surgery, which 25d31114c3 meant it would 6506da82a0 take hours for f13479d96d any news to 6988668ace reach him. If Yesung hurried 75c6bf1cd3 to tell him e88d258704 it was just 3bcbca3351 a minor incident, 02508785ee he might save 6bd9f32f33 him the worst c4c6d9a1fe of the worry.632d67e810caff99

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

But before he could 2c801ae5db dwell on it further, fbf422daf4 Yesung drifted off to f1d2bb1d76 sleep.52f4533329b8e7aa