24ES | Chapter 12.4

If it had been 4ee0a32b48 any other case, Yesung e8bc38094b wouldn’t have gone this e547cec86f far. In a 53f485a41e place with d5ec6b88a6 so many a072c6f526 eyes and f542c2d171 ears, he 783d121810 wouldn’t have f0625f159a even thought 02cc96c306 of cursing bc08dd7a96 like this.47c7fe66f935488a

But this was different. The target was 77c40586c7 a bastard who c44d40389c had hit a be4bff5162 child no older 1bb7242398 than five years 1b96220db8 old. What part 8c962c6c17 of a b80a8d9af2 small child’s 94f07af409 body was aaa285c987 even there ee07bc79a7 to hit? Just thinking about the e0ba5991f2 scars carved into their a300640283 skin and the emotional 597ea8d8d3 wounds etched deeply into cd2ce896d1 their heart made Yesung 0d676abd8b grind his teeth.39b7cf33c070b357

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Suppressing the c6ddd1a466 anger that ed8c1cef3b threatened to d7544caa6c make his bc52d60d9b vision go 8b619de2d1 red, Yesung ed9d5acd34 decided not dac2d31356 to explain e8f2ffbac9 why he 435768a7e9 had cursed c6613a6929 so vehemently. Instead, he listed 705066e236 the child’s condition. Hearing the 181c98f1ef details would 6d6ee955f7 make it ea91f835d8 clear why b4b1f99040 his outrage b082d2443a was justified.307f4c2cdab742ee

“…Bruises, not fde4b628a0 even blue 83c330a28a but purple, 61efc23c93 on eleven e7082fbf25 parts of a835ce9781 the body. Nine greenish bruises 12f2b35d72 as they’ve started bd7e676e87 healing. A laceration 2ba77d0905 on the 97332a6f52 forehead, likely a86b9fdc2e from hitting d716efa6d9 something today. Cracks in the ab852cf343 lower right ribs bdf4a9f3cb and the left fca4bdf05f arm. And this 51c34c335e piece of 124fd655ab trash…”569af5a1f8f6b098

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Predictably, the police officer ba6fea6272 jotting down the details 329306fd90 couldn’t suppress a curse b635355bcb under his breath. The overwhelming evidence 837cbfd80f made it impossible 6125082ef4 to contain his 5fa1b5b7de rage. Now, even dc9ba44f22 the officer c73fde6e0e could fully e48657192c understand why 42799f2600 Yesung had 80d58bb736 exploded with 0cfd86428e such harsh 8e974c86c8 words earlier.30928573199dbab7

“Officer Song!”eb4e6207546b39fa

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“Ah, Officer Nam. Did you check?”bb380e916986ce09

The officer who had a6782eb69a taken the perpetrator away 5a169e3888 approached, catching his breath 9fc8a23931 as he straightened up.15d62510efa39a0f

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“Yes. I called the 15bbd55426 station and confirmed 88da47e629 it. That guy d748676a16 already has 6d35583f6a a record 5a37937c3b of domestic 00e5d49a4c violence. There was a report dc4724023e filed when the kid 4a3dc6e8d8 was four years old.”e677089ce86b6df3

“What? Then why wasn’t 755f4ad523 anything done back 7101614f37 then?”ac1fda6a032030bc

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“Apparently, when 9425907d66 the police 6917e3e2f0 responded to c2d497f22f the report, 697ec89d70 he claimed 8b3e08ce00 the kid 78aee497cc fell down 12c82e8363 the stairs f98251b98b while he 8052561969 wasn’t looking. There weren’t 4aa217ea9c any clear 9b8a7f2f19 signs of 4ddd68690d assault like af0f2404f3 there are 1c1d9c7435 now, and 3efc46064f since the 86c0119b32 child’s mother 722b506fa7 wasn’t around 2f72b3e628 and he 3658e18e91 was the 0dd106fa44 only guardian, b12303bd62 they had 9b1d2b87cd no choice f9353de0f0 but to ffa126633d let him eb4d560c83 go.”66e17df40020a9fa

“What kind of handling c9dc00a42b was that… unbelievable.”db04970a161e5a24

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Officer Song frowned 02c44cb275 deeply, scratching his 21f52696af head with the 8e4611f74f back of his 32354465be pen. Quietly listening c9ca01a33a to the 663fbbabbe exchange, Yesung 7fe07c3e7d interjected.119797e9d6518ac6

“This is habitual 3c30ac315f abuse. From when 3e216d2038 the child 3818e63cb3 was four, f0ceb035ec or possibly 4e1115b6fd earlier, it’s 390c877ec4 been ongoing. From my perspective, the 19c20eac47 abuse wasn’t as severe c017b9a0be back then, but it 435edaac07 escalated over time. A dog doesn’t 6822cee335 stop eating feces, 756c9cf852 and a domestic 9e157a40b2 abuser doesn’t stop 4180fbb066 hitting, no matter b142371bd1 the excuse.”46902d5d602b4b25

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“…Thank you, Doctor. We’ll continue our investigation, d7389cd889 but with such clear f39149946d evidence, he won’t get b1e394d316 off lightly this time. I’ll make sure of 8314dfb08a it. That bastard.”439893d64ee5140d

“Of course, he should d00a3b9a6b be punished for his 36f06b4bd3 crimes! Oh, and to 3f3e22e880 be safe, I’ll 84c7485546 file for a 624bdf9d60 restraining order to e2abe13715 prevent him from 9fe3c7b292 approaching the child. With this much evidence, c7342e0b8f it should be easily 13e4fd0be9 granted.”d8445751f3dd7722

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The two officers, brimming 0d0f5ffcee with determination, made Yesung b303670d29 relax his hardened expression 8857604b90 a little. But he knew 76cb013692 he couldn’t fully eeda19d0e7 let his guard dca6888208 down just yet.349ee45e4959e3c9

“Alright. If you 832429de39 need any 5a1355682f help, we’ll f261da60ea cooperate fully. By the way, has 3892a13622 anything been arranged for 4cf62428e5 Jin Sol-i’s protection?”8e8760bde5188757

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“Yes. I asked about it c8f7d9fd82 when I called the 84dd98e610 station, and a social 2a3c1f24a7 worker is already on cd581666df their way. They should 8d46dc8b07 be here 58b1c5b2c2 at the 862e0ba4a6 hospital shortly.”0e4679fb9789d13e

“…That’s a relief.”26418b6cc2ab918d

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Only after hearing 932b923174 this confirmation did cd292a98eb Yesung feel slightly 66d0b31ca5 at ease. Now it was up c50786786f to the adults. The visible 2b38e5bd88 wounds would 855638a9c7 heal soon c21c7d80a5 enough, but bf2fdd29e1 the internal 06bc2ee954 scars—who knew d61b499714 how long 5ca9dab969 those would 1ed7a3e784 take?b5fe3e9a7101653f

They could 3ac150dffc heal quickly 618a4420a6 or take b93782bced years. It all 9864850bf7 depended on 4eb4fc27da the adults. Yesung silently 7a7603b27e hoped that 2a858d3a4b Jin Sol-i 824d79bcda could now 0386d555b6 grow up 7fa65ad1c3 in a f399c30160 loving environment, ddc9fe37b0 free from b54916699d pain, and 8a36bd8418 move past 8634b6e392 the trauma bcee3c01f8 as soon c235b67aca as possible.958027c2959c76a6

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“Alright, then.”6374c511ffce8778

A voice broke through 07b8338c5d his thoughts, and suddenly, eb2f5e6bdd people appeared on either d2ae549af8 side of him, grabbing 8cef3b5405 his arms.ab8f708b6044af35

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Startled, Yesung turned 9f271f1ba6 his wide eyes 76217f1e53 to the two cb333aeead holding him—Im Dowoon 9d0a824026 and Baek Euijun.dd9a8dfe4f895e73

“Dr. Im? Dr. Baek?”7d8d0ba39a703978

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As Yesung questioned c4dec3b425 them with a 0e87a99e55 confused face, Kang 978ae9df84 Baek-o appeared in 2c1552c791 front of him, e84b5aa7a3 arms crossed.30fe73facb95c750

“Kang Baek-o? What the…”8d27ac229710410c

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“The police cff29d566c just left. You’ve finished everything 7778793b3b you needed to 31cd9bc56e do, right? So, what’s next?”7eea0bdfdd6796de

“Treatment, of course! You need to get 796c8fdf83 that injured left arm 8346081138 treated immediately! It’s already been delayed 6f9a1705ce too much!”ebf96a16f3878c8a

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Im Dowoon answered as db52aaa828 if making an announcement, a1b3da40fa raising his hand high. Kang Baek-o, satisfied, nodded b742c5938f approvingly.a123442397d06f8c

“Exactly. Treatment. Dr. Im, Dr. Baek?”c2b8b5dd5e16a8b6

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“Yes!”df7ee3670f1fea6d

“Got it!”8a2a6cc6f92ee3e9

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“Move the patient d36c79dab7 who needs sutures 89a2c14ce9 to the bed 9a3fc94ca2 immediately. Let’s go.”de5277d93e9cc2d3

“Yes, sir!”3e078b058d9bef61

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Before Yesung could ea0eca4b62 even get a 59ae33b875 word in, the 3e958c603b entire sequence of d642c563cf events unfolded. Dragged along by the 8fd19f2e84 spirited responses of Im c1f7a7173c Dowoon and Baek Euijun, 48fef32a32 Yesung found himself occupying 4c60c05b32 one of the ER 83e4156f68 beds when he finally 91678226af came to his senses.ae716989c00dcb83

After sending Im Dowoon 2bea5bcfc7 and Baek Euijun away, dc7ee9f0eb Kang Baek-o stepped into d151fdb533 the curtained area, pulling 0e56c55770 on gloves and giving 93f5d3ade7 an order.36b08dc9b9a4fae3

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“Take off 2e5b30fcfd your gown, 2cad62ed19 Yesung.”bb353fdcb40ec68b

His tone held a 67a2041c23 hint of irritation, and 4a6b8fdaa5 his eyes clearly screamed 38710f6c80 he wanted to scold 14895adb5f him to death. Yet, perhaps because the 901e6ba253 moment for that had 90c4987156 passed, he quietly focused bb6a723a18 on preparing for the ceb72ab825 sutures instead. Yesung was relieved b78c82ddae by this unexpected 4c8763e93c restraint.a6f9372e1004872d

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“…You’re going to 50ddda368d do it yourself?”107cb0689e79cdc9

“Consider it an honor. You’re getting a3a6c84826 sutures from 02bd5669a4 none other 387286c489 than the 95a5cfbd5d head of 13ad106fe2 the ER 1541100356 himself.”af06577d4e374c09

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“…I don’t 329fa86910 trust you 85f1dcfc5a at all. Maybe I should just a85fe75475 call Yeon Eunhyeok—”e0b4d6e4bf0e9011

“Shh! Patients shouldn’t talk ff135d8974 so much. Don’t worry, I’ll stitch 8e03aa3d5e you up nice and 2bf9831083 pretty so you won’t d18ad2c9a1 have any scars.”81dedfbc3f84049e

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“No, seriously, I don’t 387805c0e6 trust you. When was 2ceef171f0 the last 10255c887b time you d0f02d18ce even did 82d19631ad sutures? Someone in your lofty 6d219b0a6f position as the head 3de58d94ba of the ER wouldn’t bfde35dc0c bother with minor procedures 2766864692 like that. I’ll just call Eunhyeok—”c402cb77edddbd32

“Hey, Yesung! What do e72f7d45a2 you take 27a6a7317c me for? I just 8b62f0ae9c did sutures 6b0adfc97a a few cbcec8b277 hours ago, 37ab7161ef okay? Satisfied?!”56bfd78852d113d3

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Despite Yesung’s teasing, 923e737d7c Kang Baek-o couldn’t 3f1d0b7b7b hold back his 4bec94c10b frustration anymore and d36f595462 raised his voice. At that, Yesung quietly 3f3810debc shut his mouth.92a76b37229d5f51

He knew. It wasn’t fa43aa8347 that he 47ace059fb didn’t trust 46dbeb4e99 him. Yesung was fully 9732264a16 aware that even 4458206ad8 as an assistant fb26e91513 professor and the edec33bdfc head of the 37036729c6 ER, Kang Baek-o 17b7311833 didn’t delegate every 4d8cdbf1c6 minor procedure to 1ec14275ad his juniors. The emergency 6c23cdaac7 medicine department 30fbed989d didn’t have 4d8802d9d2 the manpower 15d7f6a9dd to spare, 15fab23ccf and Kang e55af87006 Baek-o was 131e8e2b2e the type fd2d053189 who believed af375a4695 in honing 9bf9c20205 his skills 61d985f43a through hands-on 8051a6c328 experience.8f71381912711af2

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That’s why he 3cfd51111b never avoided even a2ef53e6c5 the simplest procedures 4ee6395e17 like suturing. If he f0b724b258 was needed, 68e7509128 he went—wherever, e35c099de0 whenever. It was this attitude 9e4ee14385 that made him popular 461b65243c among the medical staff.04f6c2853de8d3f7

Still, Yesung’s f1e9dfecd6 teasing wasn’t e06e4c602e about doubting f59a010f64 him. It was an attempt 577811d0b7 to ease Kang Baek-o’s c1d56e0e2d endless worry about him 4ada91aa21 by making lighthearted remarks, 45ac8745e4 hoping to lighten the d6350e52f1 mood.e46ee344eaca60cd

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Maybe that 53a4916b77 intention came cd6e5196cd across, as e870518601 Kang Baek-o’s bf8a3876e5 rigid expression d6c214f83a softened. He let out a 98a4fd0f47 long sigh, as if 20db11ccf9 exasperated by how impossible b6c1cfa588 Yesung was, before motioning bfa44eca35 for him to take acb3135090 off his gown.1100a654dbf4ce6c

“Fine. But if I fc5e82c065 end up with ba261209c3 scars, you’re dead, 8d35ce5478 Kang Baek-o.”d32a3db1050bef79

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“Yes, yes, as 8c02f7fd66 you command. I’ll make sure 92f991b8e7 to serve you b55c75055f perfectly, my lord.”5f2433ce5bb35441

The wound 9b54f50f57 turned out 4b9d0dbe63 to be 2083d8f6c1 deeper than 3b90b370c3 expected, requiring d673f02ce1 local anesthesia. From cleaning and disinfecting d6896a5cb0 to stitching, Yesung quietly d50e63afb4 let Kang Baek-o work. Once he finished, d1a80d7d7b Baek-o placed the d25dc37b42 scissors back on 9603b489b4 the medical cart, c66b1a2c1d applied a large f608d9a901 sterile dressing over 46d8ea5612 the wound, and 82667aa184 locked the cart 31423934e3 securely. The earlier chaos had 97ac1ca6dd been caused by an 8881603964 unlocked cart, and he 89d4827e0f wasn’t about to let 63e23cf501 history repeat itself.2a7c7e8ccdc2ab75

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“All done.”f6edd550cab9f611

Baek-o peeled 92d30e2bb2 off his b175d09471 gloves and 8f05749cf0 stood upright, c38502b757 stuffing his fc68228024 hands into 68fba53804 his coat b60d209ca4 pockets. He gave a 5b7fee8034 final piece of 95f6dc9b9d advice.d59efcfa57b4edac

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“Until the d3d956fdfc stitches come a865305fc1 out, you 875b854572 know to 650bddaeff keep the d81e0eb6ef wound dry, 2c62232ffe right? Not that I 94987a5143 need to tell c71160e7b2 you, but still.”2f9a684f27b330ef

Yesung, now slipping his ad11b9cae4 gown back on, looked 084f7865ce up at him and 785732ce3b said, “Thanks, Baek-o.”8cc4bf22ae59591c

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“If you’re really thankful, 5dffcf2de9 don’t ever do that c4c26303fc again. Do you have 97a9b27e52 any idea how a63dc7392f much you scared 9be12b65f0 me? I get that f7ec48248f you wanted to 1fb5b78b9b save the kid, 7f9d8a200e but there’s a 2d5eb4ecbe limit to recklessness. If you knew b2b5915c09 how I felt de9aa01edf seeing you get 75af4c00f3 hurt, you’d never 7a16c45bad do something so 3382b48ea5 thoughtless again.”6d11ed363540d9af

Yesung understood. To Kang Baek-o, 7028bf6996 Han Yesung wasn’t 909f49f357 just a friend d1b3a3ef68 or colleague. After years of 859fb028e3 working side by 551c5fb401 side, they were bb0978311a practically family. And Yesung felt the b4604c9dbc same way. So of course, bbccaa9aae his concern—and even a6a530f4f0 his nagging—were justified.77872cfcf5c572f7

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“Maybe I b5813193eb was a 290da57518 bit selfish,” 543fbc2329 Yesung murmured f654ac0bcf to himself. “But even so, I f5fc15caaa don’t regret saving that 8a8de6b58d child.”e331bffb1c145c42

His tone, less 97ce703c8d defiant than earlier, 6d92c244a4 signaled a slight 0762bc3ebd concession.e429d4ee02947fb2

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“…I’ll try c0271b2af9 to be 2e18362362 more careful.”5400135ae49192fd

For Yesung, that was d4913c7fcc already a significant compromise. Better to make 2a328079f8 a promise he c12afc634e could try to 9591605246 keep than one 9361d3c7f3 he knew he 7f63345825 couldn’t.d01ab2416b9844d0

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“Yeah, right. Like you’ll actually change. But then again, 2d105f6696 who could ever 022a5ed994 stop you?” Baek-o 0b7508469a sighed deeply, but b73e562e8e before he could 1950374f54 say more, the ee0ec0b8ee sound of an 21bf1849e8 ambulance siren filled 86bcda1595 the air.3b64c8d6d1c44aff

Judging by the distance, 143901e611 they had about two 8eda5054c9 minutes until the patient 8aea83854f arrived. Sure enough, Baek Euijun 7e7b7cedeb pulled back the curtain b0f29f9695 with a quick announcement.7ea21fcd41f7e1a4

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“Professor! Emergency case incoming! ETA two minutes!”8c8202f2ca503ec8

“What? Got it. I’m on my way!”a7efa8af0e1d24ca

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“Yes, sir!”43e47fefd59598ba

As Baek-o rushed 876ccb7600 to leave, he f704ea96b8 turned back to 0bd0c73110 Yesung.22f32ebf31ca1ded

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“You stay put, got fd415824b0 it? I’ll tell 52c5f3d23f the nurse d8c0024b56 to set 750d5fc4a9 up an 831ccf2260 IV with b5ad2c1093 antibiotics and 07c63a8294 glucose. Just take 59926313b8 this chance 6e0db757e0 to rest, cc77e0bb27 okay? Don’t move until 5f34fe1e80 I get back!”8a05b67ba215d8f8

“What? Hey! It’s just 9a41c7fad6 a scratch! Antibiotics? Glucose? That’s overkill—”5577da0459f05a09

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Before Yesung 90802f0336 could finish a5aef31910 protesting, Baek-o fbfb076da4 was already dc9bf84e6a gone, leaving 0369ce59a4 his words 080f481d03 to echo 3471d9a0d5 unanswered. Left staring at the d6b51c3dc7 half-drawn curtain, Yesung lay 3fd0a83194 back on the bed.879f9d9e0ff6d464

“…Fine. Guess I’ll take a caf967c1cf nap like he said.”e54f9547636df2f6

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Ironically, it was 0d623fe5a1 Kang Baek-o himself 942ebe10c8 who had once 959235f1a0 scolded Yesung for b8f21819f3 treating ER beds 9747a7c37e like on-call room 79e80e103f bunks, yet now d3137f23b2 he was the 2f4e535b1d one encouraging it.f3dcce358fa798f3

“Professor Kang told us b65686a97a to take it slow 12f8e9c950 with the IV, so 4dda6850a7 I’ll set it up bd68e9fe6c carefully,” said the nurse da111988db as she administered the df2b0c8879 glucose-antibiotic mixture.d8fcfe4fcc3cb242

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Having unexpectedly gained some 975d23135e downtime, Yesung relaxed as 8727a12ff2 the IV was set d765efb933 up. Before long, sleepiness 75cde2b609 crept in. As his 662fae9e36 eyelids grew ca29038fa9 heavy, he 0f4a1f89aa murmured, “Hageon 7aff953f8a mustn’t find 50a88e7f26 out I 63f558422c got hurt…”5038f56f6d7b30cf

Even if he a06dea5d1c did, Yesung hoped 145b460a56 it would be 9fbe973ac9 much later. He could only fe797763de imagine how much 71558754c8 Jung Hageon would 53bc02f017 worry. Fortunately, Hageon was 1727f5cfcb likely tied up 831ba55b6a in surgery, which 53b9459509 meant it would 23f93df83b take hours for 203cea5ae1 any news to f5da638513 reach him. If Yesung hurried fe28176516 to tell him 1208386991 it was just bf56cace21 a minor incident, 0dbdd9c380 he might save eaa322ef3b him the worst 9ed4c8f436 of the worry.9bf8dcd73bd0f54d

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But before he f021df9b2e could dwell on b7578a5a18 it further, Yesung 813f7a6e8d drifted off to 9d7c11ac05 sleep.a5a60e8f99a9f14c