Level Up Doctor Choi Kiseok Chapter 3

Chapter 3. Return

Pa.s.sive skill

NEW [Frozen heart Lv.1] You can a.s.sess and diagnose the patient and disease state without involving emotion. Your skill level is not affected by emergency or unexpected situation Your level can go up to 5.

"What's this?

Taesik's pa.s.sive skill appeared to Giseok as well.

Cardiology ward.

Giseok was getting ready for his meal using his tabletop attached to the bed.

Usually heart transplant patients stay in the sterile room at least for a week, sometimes for 2 weeks. But Giseok's progress was excellent so he was discharged from the sterile room only in four days.

When he went out of the sterile room, he savoured the excitement as if he found an oasis in the middle of the dessert. But that was only for awhile.

Now he is getting bored and counting days until the discharge.

"Here's your meal."
Male nurse served a meal tray.

He took the tray and started eating.

Noisy ward became quiet.

Hospital meals are not tasty.

But that was not the case in Jinseong university hospital.

He took a meal tray aside and sat on the bed.

He opened his personal drawer, filled with different snacks brought by family and friends.

They visited him yesterday and bombarded him with much snacks.

"Hey, are you eating again?"

His bed mate, Moonjae Yoon, looked at Giseok eating nuts.

"I'm bored."

"Just you?"

"Of course not. I checked before you to make sure it is not poisoned."

Giseok handed some nuts out to Moonjae. Moonjae's face become bright by then.

"You are getting discharged in two days, right?"

"Yes."

"If you have leftover snacks, leave it here. My wife is no longer visiting me. And she stopped giving me money for snacks."

Moonjae was murmuring while eating nuts.

"I need to get out of here soon. This dude, Chulho, is going to take all my characters."

Moonjae is an actor in musical industry.

He has been acting for last 20 years. He never was a main character, but he is known for popular supporting actor.

"what are you guys eating so deliciously?

"I guess there are only two living mouths in this ward."

Other roommates, Giyoung and Junha, came to them like hungry hyannas

"How could I forget you two?"

Giseok gave them snacks as well with smile.

He gave Giyoung a packet of nuts, Kiwi for Junha and sweet potato for Jinwook who was absent now.

"Giseok's drawer is a well-stocked fridge."

Said Giyoung, chewing nuts.

Junha was peeling the kiwi, tilting his head.

"Giseok"

"Yes."

"Why are you giving different snacks for each person?"

"Are you dumb? That's because his drawer is full with different snacks. Lots of variety"

Giyoung said to Junha, telling him off.

"Well, that's one reason. It's better to have snack that's good for your body you know. Like killing two birds with one stone?"

"Killing two birds with one stone?"

"Yes."

Giseok continued, nodding.

"Giyoung, I gave you nuts which is good for your blood vessel. For Junha, I have him kiwi as he has high blood pressure. For Jinwoon, I gave him sweet potato for his constipation."

All three middle-aged men was in awe, impressed by Giseok's smart answer.

"Wow, you are definitely a medical student."

"Our future medicine is promising."

Giseok smiled with their compliments.

After snack time, here came the free time.

Giseok leaned on the bed, watching medical drama on his phone.

People say that medical drama is full of fantasy and selling people's emotion. But, sometimes even it's rare, more miraculous and fantastic thing happens in real life.

Because it is human who makes a miracle.

While absorbing himself in the episode, Giseok noticed Moonjae, who is pacing the room anxiously with his legs shaking.

Giseok jumped out of his bed as he knew the reason so well.

"Hey"

"What's up?"

"You are worried about the surgery tomorrow, aren't you?"

Moonjae froze at the spot like a stone when Giseok pointed out the real reason.

"Well, I think so but at the same time, I don't think so. I don't know."

Moonjae hesitated and gave confusing answer unlike himself.

"Don't worry too much."

"This hospital, Jinseong University hospital, is one of the best cardiology hospitals in the country. And I understand how you feel as I also had a surgery."

Giseok continued slowly.

"You are worried what if you wake up in the middle of the surgery or die in case the things go south?"

"Right! Right!"

Moonjae nodded his head violently.

"Your surgery is very unlikely to fail and it is really rare to wake up during anesthesia. So relax."

"Are you sure?"

"If you are still worried, look at me. I'm completely okay while having someone else's heart."

"That's ture."

Moonjae's face began to relax slowly.

It was that moment.

[Bing!] [You acquired a new skill]

Active Skill

NEW [Encouragement LV.1] One sincere encouragement improved patient and physician's emotion, immunity, resistance, and reproduction capability The higher level you get, the more skills and faster improvement. The number of people you can encourage increases. You can go up to level 5 [Would you like to use Encouragement skill?]

He thought to himself to use this skill. Then suddenly his right hand cupped Moonjae's hand involuntary.

"Everything will be alright."

He even said involuntary as well.

Suddenly, the white glow around Moonjae began to appear to Giseok. Only him can see.

[Person you encouraged became lighter.] [Immunity, reproduction and resistance improved slightly] [You acquired bonus. Your reason to live became stronger]

"Well, I was worried to my death at something not serious. Thank you Giseok."

Moonjae patted Giseok's shoulder with big grin. Standing up from his bed, he poked Giyoung's side jokingly.

"Hey, follow me to the recreation room. Let's play a chess"

"I'm watching TV, you know."

"You were nodding with sleep."

Giyoung followed Moonjae.

The ward became quiet as two people left to the recreation room.

'This is unexpected'

Giseok tilted his head.

He thought only medical performance would improve skill levels. But it was a big mistake.

He just gained encouragement skill.

There are many more ways to improve skill levels.

Giseok studied himself with the eye of Hippocrates.

Job/Career: Resident/Cardiology

Physical: 8/10

Diagnostic ability: 5/10

Surgical ability: 4/10

Clinical ability: 3/10

Reputation: 1

Active Skill

[Encouragement Lv.1: Available (1/3)] [Must save Lv.2]: Unavailable/No target available

Pa.s.sive Skill

[The Eye of Hippocrates Lv.1]: In Use

[Cold-hearted Lv.1]

He was pleased to find so many skills he possessed.

Giseok came out to the hallway and drank water. He ran into Miae, who's walking towards him across the hallway.

The sad reality of acting nurse.

It looks like sad, dark and grey energy revolving around her.

"h.e.l.lo."

Giseok used his encouragement skill while saying h.e.l.lo.

This time his body moved on its own mind.

The problem is that it moved much more than the last time.

Giseok winked at Miae and made a V gesture with his right hands. As if little boys being cute.

[Crucial Encouragement] [Immunity, resistance, and reproduction ability improved greatly] "Hahaha, Giseok. What is that about?"

Miae's face became brighter with smile.

"N…nothing! Don't mind me."

He raced back to his bed and covered himself up to the head with the blanket.

His face was burning with embarra.s.sment.

"c.r.a.p… this is too much"

After rounding and breakfast, the free time came.

Giseok looked at the calendar, leaning on his bed.

Looking at today's date circled with red pen, his face was full of smile.

The discharge day. Today is the day.

Giseok began to pack with grin on his face. Various items including toiletries are packed inside the backpack. He was giving out his snacks to his roommates.

"I'm jealous."

"When would I get discharged too?"

Giyoung and Junho started whining while watching Giseok packing his stuff.

"Are you already getting ready?"

Moonjae came back from the washroom, his face washed.

"Leaver gotta leave."

"Why don't you take me with you?"

"You have to be here little longer."

"I'm alright and strong!"

"I know your mind is strong, but here has to be strong as well."

Giseok pointed to his left side of the chest.

"The surgery went well. Everything is great. I'm normal."

Moonjae complained.

"Are you sure?"

"What do you mean?"

"That you are normal."

Giseok's gaze became little harsh. Moonjae only blinked with surprise.

"You still have chest pain and soreness."

"That's because it only has been a couple of days after surgery. Hey, how do you know I have a pain?"

"I heard you murmuring yesterday."

Giseok closed off hastily.

In fact, he a.s.sessed Moonjae with the eye of Hippocrates.

Despite the successful surgery, Moonjae's progress wasn't that good.

Either the surgeons made a small mistake while surgery, or the cause of pain could be his artery getting harden. It is more likely for the latter case.

"You lied that you feel perfectly fine today's rounding. Didn't you?"

"Well…that is.."

"Tell them you don't feel good at this afternoon's rounding. Doctors are not G.o.d. They don't know everything unless their patient telling them. And.."

"Treatment is not just done by doctors. It's two-way, patients and doctors."

"You are more nagging than my wife"

Moonjae put his hand on Giseok's shoulder with smile.

"Alright. I will follow your advice."

"Okay."

Giseok went to the nurse's station, half of his things packed.

Miae was sitting at the entrance, typing into her computer.

"Nurse, could you pa.s.s me the scale?"

"Do you want to weigh yourself?"

"Yeah, I gained much weight these days."

He scratched his head.

After getting out of sterile room, he was in general ward about ten days.

With frequent snacking, he gained weight.

Slipped out of his slippers, he stood on the scale and the needle went up crazy.

The final weight is 72kg.

He gained 5kg since his stay in sterile room.

His forehead became wrinkled with concern.

"No wonder my stomach is getting larger."

"Really? I think you look better now"

Miae continued with smile.

"With your height, you are in normal weight range."

"And you know what, Giseok?"

Hesitated, but Miae finally continued.

(Continued)