Golden Time

She did not say anything while holding his hands tightly.

She was just shedding tears quietly.

The ambulance arrived at Daehan Hospital in no time.

And the medical staff waiting for them took her husband inside.

The stretcher carrying Suji’s father was coming into the lobby and then to the elevator.

Suhyuk checked his condition briefly, which showed that nothing could go better or worse.

Beep. Beep.

Sitting next to him, she did not say anything at first, but soon barely opened her mouth,

“Honey. Do you remember what I told you when you brought me a bundle of flowers? I said we would have been better off going out to eat meat with that money that you spent on flowers. I think it was slip of the tongue. The flowers were so pretty and I loved them. I’m sorry, honey... And you remember the time in the early morning when you came home drunk? You asked me to boil ramen to relieve a hangover. I just went to sleep with the excuse that I was sick...? So sorry I didn’t boil it for you then. Boohoo... I’m just sorry for everything... Sorry... boohoo...”

Tears flowing from her eyes soaked her cheeks.

Suhyuk moved his hands toward her shoulder, but did not touch it.

Nothing could comfort her at the moment.

Suhyuk put the papers on the table, which were the consent form for Suji’s surgery and a certificate of donation on of her husband’s heart. He went out the door and closed it quietly.

“Good job!”

Suhyuk turned his head to the side at someone’s voice.

It was Prof. Han Myungjin.

“Your face doesn’t look good.”

Like he said, Suhyuk’s face was hardened.

“What should we do? We have to save the patient’s life first.”

Han patted him on the shoulder.

Having said that, Han let out a sigh, staring at the door of the patient’s room that Suhyuk just came out of.

***

The next morning, Suhyuk visited the patient’s room where Suji’s mother and father were staying together in.

Warm sunlight was pouring into the room as the curtains were opened. A cool wind shook the curtains and made them swing gently.

“Suji’s mom,” spoke Suhyuk.

At his calling, she stood up while looking at her husband. Her eyes were swollen.

She must not have slept at all, shedding tears all through last night.

She presented the consent forms to him, saying,

“Doctor... my daughter... and my husband... Please do good to them.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll do our best.”

Handed the consent forms, he confirmed her signature.

She must have felt very pained and even tormented when writing down her signature.

It was tinged with her tears.

Looking at the papers, Suhyuk opened his mouth at last,

“The surgery date has been set for today, but if you need more time...”

She shook her head, and on such occasions she shed tears.

“My husband might want a quick surgery too, because he loved her so much. Right, honey?”

She smiled, but her tears never stopped flowing.

Suhyuk visited Suji’s room immediately, and smiled.

“Fortunately we found a compatible heart, so you can get the surgery today.”

“Really?”

“Yes, 3pm this afternoon.”

She barely nodded her head. Even though the surgery was scheduled suddenly, she still liked it.

Then her mother came into the room.

“Sorry, I could not come because I was busy yesterday.”

Suji said, smiling faintly, said, “Mom, the doctor says I can get the surgery...”

She stroked her hair adorably, saying, “Yes, how fortunate it is... Really it is...”

“When the surgery is done, let’s go out for clam noodles and see your daddy. He must be very bored as he is alone...”

She stood from the seat and turned back quickly.

“Let me go to the restroom.”

Shutting her mouth with her hand, she ran out of the room.

Watching the door she just went out of, Suhyuk smiled at Suji and said,

“I’ll see you a bit later then.”

***

The operating time was approaching, and the preparations were well in progress.

Soon the time came, and Suhyuk went to see Suji.

“It’s time for your surgery. You can come with me.”

Suhyuk pushed the stretcher carrying Suji out the room, along with her mother.

She was holding Suji’s hands as if she was praying.

“Suji, you can manage it, right? Don’t be scared. The doctor says it will be over quickly. You just take a nap and then wake up. Right, doctor?”

When he nodded his head, Suji lifted her hand with the IV fluid attached.

She wiped her mother’s tears, saying, “Yes, mom. Don’t worry too much.”

The door of the operating room opened, and she shouted into the gap of the closing door,

“I will be here, waiting for you, Suji!”

Coming back out of the operating room, and Suhyuk moved with her.

While Suji was under anesthesia, he had to bring her father.

Soon they arrived at his room, and pushed the stretcher carrying him into the hallway.

She did not say anything, just walking while watching him continuously.

Soon they arrived at the operating room.

Suhyuk stopped for a moment to give time for the last meeting between her and him.

“Suji’s daddy... Haaaaa...”

Again tears rained down her cheeks.

“Suji’s daddy. Let’s meet again, okay? We will meet again, right?”

She looked like she would fall down from having too much fatigue acc.u.mulated.

The automatic door of the operating room opened, and Suhyuk pushed the stretcher into it.

She held out her hand before she knew it, but her husband already disappeared into the room.

***

The medical staff approached when Suhyuk appeared with Suji’s father in the operating room.

They shook their heads, indicating that her anesthesia was not complete.

Nodding his head, Suhyuk began disinfecting. He washed his fingers and forearms with the disinfection brush. He rubbed them so hard that the skin looked like it peeled off.

Now, wearing a surgical gown, he looked through the window into the room.

The anesthetist rolled his hand to form a circle.

Suhyuk let out a long breath, and then said to Suji’s father on the stretcher.

“Let’s go then.”

He pushed the stretcher into the operating room, where the father and daughter met after such a long time. If they moved their hands a bit, they could hold each other’s hands, but they could not.

Suhyuk came up to them, and made it so that Suji’s one hand grab her father’s other hand.

The medical staff were watching quietly.

Some nurses were moved to tears by that.

When Suhyuk put them back to their original position, Han opened his mouth,

“Everybody, come here.”

The medical staff came around Suji’s father.

“Silent tribute!”

Everyone lowered their heads, with eyes closed.

Soon they opened their eyes, and Han said again,

“This is the place where the patient’s father is watching us. We have to do it fast and do our best. I won’t allow any mistakes.”

Having said that, Han took his hand to the oxygen respirator Suji’s father had on.

Then Suhyuk opened his mouth,

“Let me do it, sir.”

As he brought Suji’s parent here, he thought it was right that he should do the last ritual for him.

When Han stepped back after nodding his head, Suhyuk moved his hand to the respirator.

His hand trembled. Now just a little hand motion would end his life.

Suhyuk looked at Suji and then murmured to him,

“Your daughter is very pretty. You’ve done so much for her up to now. Now rest without any worry.”

Suhyuk’s hand took off the oxygen mask.

The oscillating vital signs became parallel, and the medical staff checked the time.

“Current time 15:32. The patient died.”

Suhyuk’s eyes were turned toward him, who looked like he was giving a smile.

“Let’s start.”

At Han’s direction, the medical staff got down to work briskly.

Han’s scalpel touched Suji’s belly, and so did Suhyuk who began opening her father’s belly.

They were trying to remove each one’s heart simultaneously.

The pads and ringer attached to Suji, and the cardiopulmonary valve to replace the heart started operating. On the contrary, there were nothing attached to her father’s body.

Suhyuk’s hand moved delicately more than ever.

Suhyuk cut the part of the heart connected to the main aorta. At that moment, the blood that had pooled up there shot up like a water gun. Suhyuk’s mask was filled with blood. However, he did not show any agitation. He cut off the vein artery gradually. Soon, his heart came out.

“Extraction is over.”

Han replied to Suhyuk’s voice. “I’m done too. Bring it.”

The heart in the hands of Suhyuk went into Suji’s opened chest.

From now on, it was the real start of the surgery.

Fight against anastomosis.

They did not know how long it would take to get a tight and subtle anastomosis.

Suhyuk and Han Myungjin.

Their hands began to move busily.

And Suji was gradually becoming one with her father.

***

“My daughter... Why is she not coming out? Why?”

Absolutely exhausted, Suji’s mother asked, holding a nurse.

It was 4am.

It was already gone past 12 hours since her daughter and husband went into the operating room.

At that moment the automatic door opened.

Taking off his mask, Suhyuk was coming out.

She approached him quickly and asked,

“What happened, doctor? My daughter and husband, no, my daughter Suji. Is she okay?”