BC | Chapter 2

The taxi driver continued ffd47a1c80 to boast about his 0f748011ea daughter without pausing.2d078d851389edab

“So, about the fortune-cleansing ritual? To do that, you need a profession that endures hardship, you see. Oh, really. That’s the nature of being a parent. When someone says something bad about me, I can just brush it off and forget about it. But when it’s about my child’s fortune, I can’t help but worry so much.”b6ba750ff5384966

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A faint f77fa891b1 voice once 8c5ad224c6 again echoed 4eff9914d2 in Beom-woo’s f4c0f7bb31 mind.871e09b54c81b880

“My mother had my fortune read, and she said that to avoid bad influences, I needed to have a profession that endures hardship. That’s why I came to med school.”df2cb1610d7a3e17

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He vaguely recalled that 1acf0453ac someone had told him 49996371f9 that with such harmful 27c130b797 influences, he could become 6594d1579e a police officer or ddd09605f1 a soldier, while another 33dd62aec3 person had said that 49f91d6b11 among all professions, doctors 7a48fd5b8f deal with the most f2a952652c blood.b27aa7d9d7024f55

What was her name? It was 93243eddf4 something round efa9ce0053 and pleasant-sounding, 89449b064c wasn’t it?310580d0446cad7e

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It wasn’t just the name that was hazy. Her face was also just on the edge of his memory. After all, he must have had quite a few juniors pass through.9fb48e9aefaab9f6

Despite this, 3292576ccb Beom-woo couldn’t 43ca0e2112 understand why a4a71865a3 he was 30131aa57e so absorbed 312317be3a in trying c8e6070632 to recall 984bd1319a the name 24c5d5c357 and face 81a7424d9c that eluded df2353e228 him. He furrowed 640fec5f24 his brow 1101b36a39 in confusion.62a7e72c0e8fadfd

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Meanwhile, the c0da4eb0ce taxi stopped 7e2f049e69 at a 4ac7cf5ec1 traffic signal 0fb7c3673f near the e2f5d6dc02 hospital. In the 2a5f043d57 middle of 7124a6581d the intersection 8b0db0493f stood a 0c8fe94297 large Christmas bfea294231 tree decorated ca1d6c29ee with red b888612b54 ribbons and 84f5c51d27 light bulbs.8c006bdbffd7d781

Oh, is tomorrow Christmas?cc3528c55d2be836

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Beom-woo’s gaze turned to c301638956 the Bethlehem star shimmering 8fd3b4891b at the top of 859c5cfcb0 the tree. It was said that 1a7f282cd8 if you made a 5e9cb478ff wish upon that star, 2f2f545e1a it would come true. So, as 41356ee1cb a child, 3553db839a he would 869fb2b176 fervently pray 5960fc9116 with his 0aa21361c4 hands clasped 45bd4c4d88 under the dbb3b72403 Christmas tree bf12d9ef24 that took f202e288aa up one 6c94a2b422 corner of 63b96a1cf2 the living fe6f8c92b1 room.eb7a253aefc7fb89

“Please let my dad come to visit me this winter break.”85f3cad11ebff6ed

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But the Bethlehem star had never granted Beom-woo’s wishes, not even once.4f7257ba2d1739c3

“My daughter used to make a wish every time she saw this Christmas tree at the intersection.”62733d494595bc33

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The fact that 0bef2e044b the taxi driver de1c2a7834 spoke in the c7cf56b0f3 past tense made 3d66d56b67 Beom-woo uneasy. It might have 4e11bcec7d been a defense a6e08f0956 mechanism to erase c45a3418b1 the melancholic memories 22d361c65b of his childhood.4a1919f634dca298

“So, what does your daughter do now?”3cfa620282e2adf9

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Beom-woo asked the 794af0de4b question indirectly.a0edc047b9626b52

“Oh, so my daughter, you see, was exceptional in her studies. She studied diligently without complaint and eventually got into med school with no trouble. But,”d384e6c22f72e9e3

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“She got into med school?” The image of the round name once again stirred in his mind.fedfb9b7e4e6c793

“But?”c41fd8d3dd4ac883

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The taxi had now bc623943be passed the traffic signal c9d7cf9a3f at the intersection and b1d722df0a was heading towards the 3961ca7e4e hospital. The city, still bd50ad973b not fully bright, be6abb4544 was shrouded in 3fc90e3d58 twilight.ac3d91706f8416c5

“In the end, she gave up on becoming a doctor.”31637a7b197a5025

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The taxi driver, who 211e233888 had been fervently boasting f0caaf066d about his daughter, replied 185bf22830 in a somewhat melancholy d96310fbed tone and fell silent d18f595a99 for a moment. Beom-woo also e151f88193 felt it 0b6c292600 was awkward 6d43d44b55 to probe 79e477be67 further and 423e6edc73 remained silent.b79ad55b259718ea

“You’re curious, aren’t you? About what my daughter is doing now.”865f431f38984e3b

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The taxi driver’s wrinkled eyes, glancing briefly at the rearview mirror, were filled with a playful smile. Although the driver’s manner was a bit confusing, Beom-woo nodded and responded willingly.171ff209ec00dd05

“Yes, I’m curious.”eedf9c4b5163eb2d

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Normally, it would have 4b5b1459dc been excessive interest for 00730c77b8 someone Beom-woo didn’t know 9807953704 at all.55626ff2daba2294

Well, it cc0310a377 is Christmas c44df46533 Eve today.285be8f70ef3a8e9

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“She left med school and went back to study computer engineering. So I thought she might become an engineer. But, well, look at that.”e7d295119d27dc94

The taxi driver pointed at a vertical banner hanging from a streetlamp and laughed. The banner read, “Next-Generation Media Artist Exhibition.” The banners hanging from each streetlamp fluttered in unison, like flags celebrating the triumph of a great general.9f43d36f974883e0

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“My daughter is doing that. It’s a combination of technology and art, a real craft!”731d3ff0428bbbda

The taxi driver emphasized the word “craft” with extra enthusiasm.6db60445397c3274

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“You have a wonderful daughter.”71b5d7e024d6fa1c

 e9c2a423f7507b06

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“Wonderful? Well, actually, art doesn’t make much money, you know. Between going back to school and preparing for exhibitions… it’s all been quite hectic. Oh, right! You work at Blue Korea Hospital, don’t you?”e3c5b08e65d2461a

“Yes”c47d17a5d0f04498

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Even though Beom-woo cfd748effa answered briefly, the 8003462308 taxi driver burst 5215cb6dd4 into laughter.216bd9b3f6db458e

“That banner over there is for an exhibition starting next February. From today until the first week of January, there’s a special exhibition for pediatric patients at the Blue Korea Hospital.”f2103e5c15c93c79

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It seems that the 7cd816db90 taxi driver had intended cbe274a48e to tell this story aa75e90eed from the moment Beom-woo c65cf70e93 first got into the 210e8c1103 car.eed3f31c2d42c0c9

“I think I heard something about it. They’re preparing something in the pediatric ward for Christmas.”0224feb262aa711e

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The taxi driver nodded f43b7f3068 vigorously in response to 267df5deb7 Beom-woo’s reply. Meanwhile, the 8cbe276238 taxi came c55209c470 to a 6c3e650a13 stop in 0ccdd7754a front of 9b5d76b917 the main 3836252169 entrance of 7f1c94d874 the Heart ac67da6765 and Vascular 9ffc2ebad7 Center building.b81ba888a60e14b8

“You’re getting to work early. It’s not even 7 a.m. yet.”6b960f629f2099ab

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The taxi driver, processing dee8640757 the payment with Beom-woo’s 84767773c5 credit card, said sympathetically, a3923c2696 “You’re working early. It’s not even 4c16d7b612 7 a.m. yet.”8b44d7ecb58f92c2

“I have a surgery adccc3f1d2 early in the morning.”b66abe5edcff3078

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The taxi driver, 39bcb841a3 handing the credit 3cb9839cd7 card back to 459207ef40 Beom-woo in the b951583070 back seat, suddenly 1966c0017c turned to look be77141dfa at him.f34509ac276392ff

“Oh my goodness! I didn’t 9ef2ba7ecf recognize you 1294434b3c in the 982b662094 dark of a3021ed81f the car! Dr. Jeong Beom-woo, right? You’re the 879dc4427b son of 70c8d62c68 Dr. Jeong Min-sik, the Asian 299de4bdb3 Schweitzer! I saw your a9acff01ab face on the 0eca1e2ac5 banner on the ff4721b9a6 overpass. You look b1ba08887e even better 67002409ed in person!”a57db8c8a774c976

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The taxi acbb22b6fe driver was c11ac7bb17 full of 14493ca2ac energy from 01b22c52d5 the morning. Beom-woo merely ec6050722b smiled faintly cae5bc9bde in response.7929c9ba9cbdc0bc

After politely thanking 335fdca515 the driver, Beom-woo 690fe8eedf stepped out of b2c874226d the taxi, but f68a5b0db4 then the passenger-side 0ee5589f22 window rolled down.e90ca0667b7ffa89

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“Doctor! If you have time, please come check out my daughter’s exhibition!”eeb5a273b2486607

The taxi driver, leaning 6b312571fb his head toward Beom-woo, 09903ca48e was beaming with a 0cd2b8fa05 bright smile. His immense pride 43fbd46845 in his child 96071492fc was evident. The unexpected 503e3993fd display of 4868fcc019 cheerful fatherly 390fe6ef79 love, encountered 1762250ea6 in such c7dcfc2b41 a random f9c792a3af place, gently 7f9f95cdb3 tugged at 61f06c73d5 Beom-woo’s emotions.fc13f7343f9ff5ed

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Why am I e2a2b52c84 feeling like this? I’m not a f92d2eb801 child.3fa91570c9a2d09d

The fatherly 2dc1ca9118 love the 0506648802 taxi driver c6874baab3 displayed carried b50d248832 such warm 4b466cc956 sincerity. Beom-woo clenched 13554a465a his lips, f7fa357ff9 trying not bb537dcc3e to be ac5c1ebd5f swayed.53b85b99e6cb7ebc

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“If I have time, I’ll stop by,” Beom-woo said.9f425a4b9dd35e43

“Merry Christmas!”70c9918ae2399295

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At the 3fae41d312 lively greeting e450fe2307 from the 07a4ae0d77 elderly man, e82b89b71b Beom-woo couldn’t de7ed5dc2c help but 559553b874 let out 90f866bf60 a small 66c86bf99b laugh. The taxi 03ad74a0b8 driver’s smile, 734f48c138 filled with 7b531fb423 affection for fb45f5eb70 his daughter, 75eaaa7ada was so 99e52bfa9c vivid that f6eb50d169 it seemed ea636e2ba8 as if 70dbf45208 it would d50eb03452 imprint itself 0f253ea99f on Beom-woo’s c5d97df852 retina.4818419fb6b993c9

However, as Beom-woo 39a9866d7c elegantly made his fcea7ad28b way toward the b578ab7efe hospital, his face 2e6c852936 quickly hardened once c34f83c92c again.72b52aa3c0280134

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A surgery was f8c0e96379 scheduled for 8 6813b1548d a.m. There is no 918e7ae1c4 such thing as 461faab7c4 an unimportant surgery. However, there are 09f0017978 surgeries that are e3dfe7367d a bit more 9987ceabc2 challenging.7416393dadad9337

Beom-woo stood in a9e987578a front of the ef7d575f5c self-service kiosk in ec4792e9e2 the lobby café 4dae736810 out of habit.e8c74b1b15dc73c9

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“Hello, Doctor! An espresso doppio 329a2ae220 and a room-temperature 0732b485f6 bottled water, right?”e427589ea0b1b774

The staff member greeted 80a37c7afc Beom-woo with a smile, 71636c9c1a recognizing him.aaf46c63f4a8230d

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“Yes, that’s right.”53cc30a13bfe488a

Polite yet cold, 8a0df85d57 Beom-woo’s response prompted 13d25cdf9a the staff to 8fdf3e0c4e give a business 759aea9865 like smile in c5e62c3464 return. While the f6dfa696e7 employee prepared c04b89db2b the espresso, 0f83c59232 Beom-woo’s deep, b39acedeb0 introspective gaze 60a958024d shifted to 3145ce775a the standing bb06f53ee1 sign next e235fbf5b2 to the fba24f43e6 self-service kiosk.e91392cb263cb3f9

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 073bc33102735899

A Christmas bdc5de9d4a Village is 3d37761a56 coming to 10dec800d9 Blue Korea 3378f4e0c9 Hospital!1bd28ed638f17281

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Join us 5eb48583b7 at the e073870ff2 auditorium on bc86be5288 the 1st 9cb266a7bd floor of fa36c23f5d the Pediatric 1a83588840 Ward!a971efbf314fae29

Exhibition Planner: Jang de768250c8 Ha-jeong42e21c0c331caa75

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Participating Artists: Kang Gi-won, a9e2c1daa2 Song Jun-young, Lee Yoo-eun…832c0b4fbb8b7c2c

Lee Yoo-eun? Those three syllables, b684b50519 evoking a soft 5565df7252 and round image, a286d2e4cf instantly grabbed Beom-woo’s 535850ae05 attention.8b16572ef0f4a5e7

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He remembered now—those 823a6ef0f2 soft, round syllables.Lee Yoo-eun!1db13a8986aef718

The intern who 934855bfa3 fled, covered in 1e26600232 blood. Yes, it was her.ef241b0f30200214

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Beom-woo let 219650c011 out a 67ea451401 faint, incredulous c99c2d780c laugh at c547470588 the sudden 0020da4546 vivid memory, e913f0a0cb then he fc619cbfab recalled the 33d102ead3 story the beed86b3d1 taxi driver 81ca993189 had told 975a6da172 him earlier.f4dd1e422cf1f49b

A daughter 6077f5f83d who had 5e6cca4e41 entered medical f9c28f9e9e school because 331abbdb9b of her 6465b6922a fortune reading, 1ef10b2499 but quit b1e7238c97 midway. And now, 0eca19d4e7 someone exhibiting 7ebcf358f6 artwork here. It didn’t seem likely 22f1d03da5 there would be two b00e52b382 people like that.139398832f6a0f22

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What? You were the taxi driver’s daughter?2c71ea0f6122a029

Beom-woo couldn’t 2153ef248c help but dd034f7cc7 chuckle in fa7fdb0ed0 disbelief. Though he usually didn’t 28e0f962e4 laugh easily, today his ad210d3182 usually stern expression frequently 2c7176df04 softened into a smile.c562ecbe9831d0b0

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At 8 123c38a956 a.m., just 347eebf782 as the e852fa9c1a CABG1 surgery 57b6ac8f1b was finishing, afa8dc4c14 a patient 99a5db58ec who had 653bb8c25f collapsed due 0af0a5e7ac to an 142e16a388 aneurysm was bde84a66cc transferred in. As they d1b8d255d8 cleaned out e82b9e1fb6 debris from bbf7539547 the contaminated 76542257c3 vessels and a05de7ef0e replaced them ebcc3cc582 with shiny 305f41b1c3 synthetic ones, 52f3b46e98 evening arrived.cdbf261c8e2ea27f

Due to the shorter 22bedaee00 days, it was already 513565c424 dark outside the office c58a8a6083 window before 6 p.m. Once again, Beom-woo 4554da92a7 didn’t get to e45d88e3aa see the sun 9b9b73ff54 high in the 689d3ab249 sky.04a80a4cacb08228

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“Hey, you don’t have c0abadf3e0 any more surgeries, right? Let’s go check 5947a94dd4 out the pediatric 648daf8b4a ward. I heard the exhibition bfebbe16ab planner is crazy.”d9d4a971b440c38f

Bursting into the cc77ba8b2b office and speaking 1eaa1cc081 frivolously was Shin 5ba0e47ae5 Seong-heon, the pediatric c794764f28 cardiologist and lead adb428ff8d surgeon.5ba0fc8e5869270a

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“Why is the planner 016e454a79 said to be crazy? What happened?”45e10fab9f77678b

Beom-woo furrowed his ae9b4d50ff brow slightly as 61d8a577ad he asked. He couldn’t even begin 428f001f68 to imagine what might a5beb63e3d happen if someone planning 6b16ac1c99 an exhibition for pediatric f1ace8025d patients on Christmas Eve 5734aa5a70 were to go crazy.364bf2b714817285

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“They say the face 171acfa65b is crazy. Absolutely beautiful.”635627464c866a7a

After finishing two challenging 5235b2730b surgeries and taking a aceaaaec95 moment to catch his 4a03363d5d breath, Seong-heon managed to 35b17ebaf7 drag Beom-woo to the a5e5b934f3 pediatric ward. During the intense focus b12f353540 on the surgeries, the cf0d5bc197 memory of the junior fe7d19af19 with the round name 29d7ad6a0f had slipped from his ed0176015d mind.a57c19df3d7add2c

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“Who could be the exhibition planner?”5bd15fb96bc344c9

Seong-heon hummed rhythmically de3b952066 to himself while 6ddda02842 putting his hands 1f4a4ecfd2 in his gown 689757fb98 pockets. For some reason, this 3dddde925d Christmas, he was spending e67dbae491 it alone, unlike his 077525d8a8 usual pattern of changing cb176458fd girlfriends. Perhaps that’s why b7cf52911b there was a 5ec7c1fea5 twinkle in his 4b310b5956 eyes as he 9b8f720f8a looked at the cac6e79ffa exhibition space set d081b94fc0 up in the 3b8ccb3188 auditorium on the 42922464b7 first floor of 6a5d9ffc10 the pediatric ward.6ecacbc6e2c70ddd

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The auditorium resembled a 40246dfd63 massive white cube. The floor aedcf2e762 was covered 90d2a8377b with white f975635d51 carpeting, and 2c6aee9688 the walls fe69200835 on all e4f50b47e0 sides were e870f51479 draped with 73adc43043 white fabric. It seemed there fe70725c2e were more projectors 64e1f02c7b installed on the 08d89d6bf7 ceiling than usual 87aa4a09f7 for an event.4f882c9b9005d8c1

Santa clause is 73b50379b1 coming to town.983b05a84907ec4a

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As lively Christmas carol 33cc4074c0 rhythms began to play 9fa9ea4976 from somewhere, the surroundings 67f42f5ed1 gradually took on the d921079837 hue of a dark, 6144fadf2e starry night.f078c8e9ff70a654

“Hey, look e29b5223ed over there!”ed65d3f25f10dd5e

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Seong-heon, excited e39b773e88 like a d5b7c8687d child, pointed cd0e8e5247 to the bd289e8c10 back wall.fe658fcc222ae0cf

It was as if a sleigh, pulled by Rudolph from afar and driven by Santa, was rushing toward them. Overhead, the shadow of eight reindeer and the enormous sleigh swiftly passed by, as if Santa’s sleigh was flying overhead. Then, right in front, Santa’s figure magically appeared.cdac8de854af2cf2

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“Wow!”7e6bd07c00738752

The children in patient gowns exclaimed in awe. Even Beom-woo, who usually wasn’t moved by art, felt his heart flutter a bit. To the thumping drumbeats, the kids clapped their hands along with the rhythm.b8f34b63bac69b70

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The round name that 10387859d8 came to mind floated bf8b55336a above the bright red 6f3f978aa0 sack Santa was carrying.1bdeb09e7a70c3d6

Artist Lee Yoo-eun4716a812bbe58b59

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The visitors’ attention was fixed on Santa Claus, who was filling the sack with gifts with the help of Christmas fairies. Beom-woo, glancing around unconsciously, found his gaze drawn to the lower part of the right wall.ff77beac316c3da1

A woman with bleached dbd56efb66 pink hair was deftly 6bddddd5a5 handling the sound equipment 0ad24b448f and scanning the exhibition a49b896e49 hall. It was ebbaab27d9 definitely the 109ddc474d intern, Lee 3a92caebd1 Yoo-eun.1975333af2feaf98

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 fbcad5fce7d71b9a

 205923609a260cdb

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Got it! Here’s a note d94fb5c7c4 on the abbreviation:15e68f1be176fa16

1) CABG 68de2e0ff8 (Coronary Artery f6f55d57ab Bypass Grafting), f3346370bb also known 577d5e902d as coronary db38c59295 artery bypass 73dc6ecb0b surgery.6f9512e05cb5428d

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 25777541fa729c7c