After sending a message to Eunwoo, when Juheon was organizing his afternoon work, he received a file from his secretary. It was an investigation file on Gaon Medical and Kang Gyuho that he had requested some time ago. The investigation proceeded faster than expected, and Juheon was able to receive it sooner than anticipated.
Juheon’s expression as he focused on the document was more serious than ever. He sat motionless, unable to take his eyes off the file. If not for the subtle movement of his fingers supporting his lower jaw or his narrowing eyes, one might not have known whether he had his eyes open.
The fact that Juheon’s movements were this quiet also meant he was mentally very uncomfortable. Juheon’s secretary, who knew this, was watching him tensely from a short distance away. Though they hadn’t worked together long, the secretary could now gauge what state he was in just from his subtle facial changes or small movements.
Whether aware of the secretary’s tension or not, Juheon was busy concentrating on the document. The fairly thoroughly investigated document had quite a lot of information and the content was satisfactory. Not only Kang Gyumin, who had been with Eunwoo recently, but also information about his family members and even details about Kang Gyuho, whose name had come up several times. There were many interesting contents.
However, the more Juheon read through the investigation results, the more absurd laughter escaped his mouth. Because they were far less significant figures than Juheon had expected.
They weren’t in any great positions—they were just doctors from a common doctor’s family. They were definitely not figures who held a position in the medical field or could exert great influence. Just the title of “doctor,” that was all.
“…I’m speechless…”
Unlike how arrogantly they had acted while looking down on Eunwoo, Juheon was completely deflated by their background that had nothing special to show. Both sets of parents and grandparents were all doctors, so they would pride themselves as being elite in their own way, but such doctor families were common enough to trip over.
“I thought they were a family that had at least produced medical doctors or professors, but this is just like running a neighborhood mom-and-pop shop. The hospital isn’t even a large regional general hospital in scale, but a clinic that exists in every neighborhood. I can’t believe they acted that way toward Baek Eunwoo with just this level. There’s nothing to see beyond the momentum. Unbelievable what I saw…”
Juheon’s face crumpled as he recalled Gyumin treating Eunwoo. He had thought about repaying some of the insult on Eunwoo’s behalf, but the opponent was so insignificant that he lost his fighting spirit and didn’t even feel they were worth dealing with.
“But Executive Director. It’s a bit much to describe a hospital in Gangnam as a neighborhood mom-and-pop shop.”
“What’s wrong with it? Look, my expression is exactly right.”
Juheon snorted at the secretary’s cautious words.
“These days, there are quite a few doctors who prefer opening their own practice over being salaried doctors at university hospitals or general hospitals. University hospitals have heavy workloads with low pay and are physically demanding.”
“But the difference in level widens that much too. It’s not comparable.”
The secretary’s words weren’t wrong either. From ordinary people’s perspective, they wouldn’t be such lacking people.
Perhaps the expression “mom-and-pop shop” isn’t appropriate. It’s not a remote countryside area, and if it’s a hospital using an entire 3-story building prominently visible on Gangnam Boulevard, it can’t be called small in scale. Moreover, if it’s a specialized internal medicine clinic for pure treatment rather than a dermatology or plastic surgery clinic for cosmetic purposes in Gangnam, they wouldn’t be without skill.
People would see their own pride in them, but in Juheon’s eyes, living in such a different world, they just don’t measure up. The only thing Juheon could barely acknowledge was that all the family members were graduates of Korea University’s College of Medicine.
“But even that. It’s only impressive if you open a practice after being a university hospital professor. What’s there to see if you open a practice without any career to show off? Does that inspire trust? Korea University medical school graduate doctors are what you trip over on the street.”
“…I think it doesn’t resonate with you because the people Executive Director meets are such impressive individuals. Korea University medical school graduates aren’t people who should be dismissed like that. It’s our country’s top medical school and everyone aims for it.”
Juheon roughly nodded at the secretary’s words and turned to the next page of the document. There was the person Juheon was most curious about. The person who alone failed to get into Korea University’s medical school that this family took the most pride in.
The problematic Kang Gyuho. Somehow it was a name he’d heard mentioned many places. What Gyuho chose after failing to get into university was escape to America.
It seems he quickly changed direction to a way that could save his pride in the worst situation. Since the family had money, American study abroad would have been the best choice.
The expression “escape” is a bit funny, but it’s not wrong. Still, anyway, since he had basic brains, he would have gotten into an American university in a short time. Though he probably had preparations ready in advance for such a time.
Thanks to Kang Gyuho being a U.S. citizen, he would have had a wide range of universities to choose from. Once he selected a university and strategized well, it seems he was able to enter the biology department of a fairly decent university. His biggest goal would be to graduate from here with excellent grades and smoothly enter a respectable medical school.
“This should be enough to restore his pride.”
From a general perspective, the environment and background Kang Gyuho had weren’t bad. But that doesn’t mean it was outstanding enough to stand out either. Of course, this is Juheon’s personal standard. No matter how much he thought about it, his thought that it wasn’t a family that could look down on Eunwoo like that didn’t change.
Holding onto a common doctor title and looking at Baek Eunwoo with those eyes was strangely unpleasant beyond measure. The tone and gaze as if looking down on someone beneath him. The sight of Eunwoo slightly tense at that was enough to make Juheon frown. It wasn’t very pleasant that his contractor carrying his baby received such treatment.
‘That was the first time my heart felt so comfortable. That small, cramped place was wider than a palace to me. I was so free. I didn’t have to endure heat and cold, I could go in anytime, I could eat prepared food when hungry, I could sleep in as late as I wanted. Most of all, I didn’t have to watch anyone’s mood, so I was so comfortable. To me, it was truly a better place than heaven. Maybe that’s why my studying went well too, and that time was truly a happy time for me.’
Wrinkles formed between Juheon’s brows as he recalled their conversation. Probably received such treatment. He could roughly guess the situation without seeing it. How uncomfortable must the environment have been for him to feel freedom in a goshiwon? If that cramped place felt like a palace, that says it all.
Of course, having one more person added would not have been easy for the existing family members to accept. But that doesn’t mean it’s okay to treat a person that way.
‘Gyuho was just upset because you were the only one who got into Korea University and he failed. Plus, he got into a different department unrelated to music, not even the music school he was originally studying for, so his pride was hurt. Weren’t you two on good terms until you took the college entrance exam together?’
Inferiority complex. That was definitely an inferiority complex. As could be inferred from the cafe owner’s words, if their relationship was good until before the entrance exam and suddenly became bad, there’s a high possibility that an inferiority complex was at work. The words that Kang Gyuho left without saying anything also kept circling in his head.
In the end, Eunwoo was abandoned by the friend he relied on most in a family where he had to watch their moods. Juheon couldn’t bear to see his precious contractor get entangled with these people again and become stressed. From Eunwoo’s attitude that day, it didn’t seem like he would contact them first, but the other side’s thoughts seemed different. He showed an attitude that suggested he would definitely contact him and make Eunwoo uncomfortable again.
Of course, he couldn’t let that happen. How hard was it to find this contractor? Finding a dominant omega, and moreover, being able to have a baby with that dominant omega’s own genes was rare. Literally a precious contractor found with great difficulty.
Only when his body and mind are comfortable can his baby be born healthy with superior genes. These foreign substances were things Juheon could block himself. After all, it’s related to the contract, so it’s not unrelated to Juheon either. So this is a legal and legitimate matter.
“And regarding the previous hospital gathering matter, I received word that it was handled as you wished, Executive Director. They said everything was moved to the location you indicated except for one seminar a few days from now.”
“Really? When I called, they seemed troubled, but they finished quickly? I see. I’ll contact the director separately.”
At Juheon’s initial request, the director didn’t hide his troubled expression. That would be the case since it wouldn’t be easy to understand canceling all gatherings that were fully booked until next year. However, Juheon didn’t unilaterally insist on canceling everything either.
Juheon agreed to pay the hospital the rental fees they would return to them. Also, he told the association side he would move the location to a hotel under better conditions and would grant anything they requested, so it would have been an offer with nothing to regret. It became a good situation for both Baek Eunwoo and them.
“Don’t you need to look at the file on Baek Eunwoo-ssi right now?”
The secretary asked with a puzzled nuance toward Juheon, who was putting down the tablet with a satisfied expression and looking for his phone. At her question, Juheon stared at the tablet placed on the desk. Inside there was additional material on Baek Eunwoo besides information on Kang Gyuho. However, right now he didn’t urgently want to look at the material on Baek Eunwoo. He wanted to check it slowly and leisurely.
“I’ll read it when I have time. I’ll call if I need anything. Go ahead and get back to work.”
There’s no need to rush, is there? There’s still plenty of time, so he decided to look into Baek Eunwoo’s matters slowly without rushing. That was Juheon’s state of mind.
