Dr. Shin Seonhan: The Doctor Who Sees the Future

Chapter 9
I Can See the Future (2)

My vision is blurry.

Soon, a scene like an old film unfolds before my eyes.

It’s exactly the same as before!

A few of my fellow interns are gathered in front of the pub.

Does this mean… the scene is from today?

I focus my attention on their conversation.

The interns light their cigarettes.

“Why is Jo Jinki acting like that towards Seonhan?”

“I don’t know.”

“He’s always been a mess when he drinks, even back in university.”

“But acting like that is too much. Does he have a grudge against Seonhan?”

Everyone seems to disapprove of Jinki’s behavior.

Then, Joongwon, who is in the group, speaks up.

“He’s doing that because he likes Yeonseo.”

“Huh?”

“Don’t you guys know? Jo Jinki confessed to Yeonseo three times in university and got rejected every time.”

“We know. It’s famous.”

“And as you all know, there’s a rumor going around the hospital these days. That Yeonseo and Seonhan are seeing each other.”

“Ah…”

The interns nod in understanding.

Listening in like an invisible man, I’m dumbfounded.

So that’s what it was?

‘This is ridiculous.’

He’s acting like a ten-year-old.

So he attacked me out of jealousy.

It’s the same everywhere, I guess. Even in the medical field, not everyone is mature.

There are plenty of guys who are socially inept because they spent all their time studying during high school and medical school. CSAT scores and personality aren’t proportional.

It seems Jo Jinki is one of those guys.

‘By the way…’

I didn’t know there was such a rumor about Yeonseo and me.

I should keep that in mind during my internship.

It could become awkward for both of us if the rumor spreads.

“What time is it? I think it’s about time to wrap up.”

“It’s 10:00 PM. Let’s go.”

Just as the interns put out their cigarettes, a loud voice comes from inside the pub.

“Hey, hey, grab that guy!”

“Whoa!”

Crash!

Someone seems to have fallen down the stairs while coming down from the second-floor pub. And quite badly, too.

“Jo Jinki, you idiot! How can you drink so much that you can’t even walk straight?”

“Ugh…”

The drunken Jo Jinki groans from the bottom of the stairs.

Oh great, what a mess.

This is the kind of scene you’d only see in a university district.

“Did he break something?”

“Seems fine.”

“Get a taxi!”

The scene of the interns helping Jo Jinki into a taxi is the last thing I see before my vision returns to normal.

***

“……”

I quietly return to reality.

The glass of alcohol I filled remains untouched in front of me.

As if nothing happened, the conversation among my colleagues continues.

It’s like someone pressed the pause button and then released it.

Sweep—

I take out my phone and check the time.

9:50 PM.

If the dream comes true this time, I’ve just seen the future about ten minutes from now.

Will the same thing really happen again?

I calmly gather my belongings and get up from my seat.

“I’m going to get some fresh air.”

“Oh, okay.”

The interns nod, watching me carefully.

“Whew.”

The outside air is chilly.

The cold wind clears my head a little.

I sit alone on the roadside divider and catch my breath. I need a moment to process the situation.

…Let’s think.

Last time, I saw the future 20 hours in advance.

But this time, it’s only ten minutes.

There’s no consistency.

‘If I had to find a commonality…’

.

That’s the only commonality.

Of course, last time it was a major incident with a patient dying, but this time it’s a minor incident of someone slipping on the stairs.

It’s relatively trivial in comparison, but there’s still a common thread.

‘This is driving me crazy.’

I run my fingers through my hair.

Why is this happening to me?

It’s not like I got bitten by a spider or exposed to radiation like in a movie.

I haven’t been hit by a truck, found a mysterious object, or encountered any supernatural events.

So why?

I slowly take a deep breath.

Calm down.

It’s too early to jump to conclusions before I see it with my own eyes.

Maybe it’s all in my head, and the future won’t repeat itself this time.

Just as I’m thinking this…

As if to mock my thoughts, my fellow interns walk out of the pub and light their cigarettes.

“Why is Jo Jinki suddenly acting like that towards Seonhan?”

“I don’t know.”

“He’s always been a mess when he drinks, even back in university…”

Damn, it’s the same lines, word for word. It’s giving me goosebumps.

There’s no room for doubt at this point.

I sigh and approach them.

“Don’t you guys know? Actually, back in university, Jo Jinki… Oh, Seonhan, you were out here.”

Joongwon, about to launch into his story excitedly, trails off and looks at me cautiously.

I cut to the chase.

“Joongwon.”

“Yeah?”

“Is Jo Jinki acting like that because of Yeonseo?”

“Huh… How did you know?”

His eyes widen.

How did I know? Because you told me in my dream, of course.

Joongwon scratches his receding hairline and says,

“I guess you heard it from somewhere. Anyway, please be understanding. We’ll be seeing each other for the next year.”

“Yeah, sure.”

I lie.

Be understanding?

Why should I?

I have no intention of doing that.

I’ll never be friendly with Jo Jinki.

I’m not nice enough to extend a hand to someone who has openly shown malice towards me.

—Don’t associate with people who have rotten personalities!

That’s what my father, who has met all sorts of people during his 30 years at Garak Market, always emphasized.

Joongwon puts out his cigarette and asks playfully,

“But is there really something going on between you and Yeonseo?”

“No, we just became close because we were both in internal medicine during our first rotation.”

“Really?”

“It was difficult for me to adjust to Yeonguk University Hospital, so she helped me a lot. Yeonseo is naturally friendly to everyone.”

As if waiting for this cue, everyone nods.

“That’s true.”

“She is quite kind.”

“I heard Yeonseo is even close with the assistants who work at our hospital.”

Everyone seems to agree.

I drive the point home.

“I’m from another university, so I’m busy just trying to survive here. If anyone asks, please tell them that.”

“Okay, okay.”

Joongwon and the other interns nod, seemingly relieved.

What’s with their expressions? It seems like they’re all interested in Yeonseo.

I chuckle inwardly.

Yeonseo will have a hard time in the future. Being too popular must be tiring.

Anyway, I’ve cleared up the misunderstanding about Yeonseo and me.

It’s a relief that I could address it before any unnecessary rumors spread.

And now for the main event…

Just then, a loud voice comes from inside the pub.

“Hey, hey, grab that guy!”

“Whoa!”

Crash!

Seeing Jo Jinki groaning at the bottom of the stairs a moment later, I’m certain.

I have the ability to see the future.

***

“Apparently, his wrist is messed up.”

“What?”

“They said he’ll probably need a cast and will be out of commission for a month.”

Back in the dormitory, I’m shocked by what Geun-uk tells me.

Of course, it’s true that when you drink alcohol, your reflexes are impaired, and you’re more likely to get seriously injured.

A one-month cast?

That’s a bigger injury than I thought.

“His internship is over.”

“It is. His first career as a doctor is off to a terrible start. Hahaha!”

Geun-uk bursts into laughter.

Hands are crucial for a doctor.

An intern who can’t use their hands can’t perform any tasks, like drawing blood or changing dressings.

Maybe they could just about get consent forms signed?

“Even the emergency room staff were dumbfounded. They said it was the first time an intern came crawling into the ER after drinking.”

“I can imagine.”

“The whole hospital will probably be buzzing about it tomorrow, hahaha.”

For at least a month, Jo Jinki is bound to be treated like a cancer cell.

He’s ruined his reputation by failing to manage himself at such a crucial time.

“Well, what can you do? It’s his fault. I never liked that guy anyway. Serves him right.”

Geun-uk snickers and lies down on the bed.

“…”

I, on the other hand, fall into deep thought.

As Geun-uk said, Jo Jinki dug his own grave.

He’s not a college student anymore; he should know his limits and not get blackout drunk. He has no one to blame but himself for the accident.

And considering his behavior towards me, I feel no sympathy for him.

‘But…’

If I had intervened, I could have prevented the accident.

Should I have done that?

I don’t know.

Honestly, even if I could go back an hour, I don’t think I would help Jo Jinki.

But I’m confused about how I should think about this ability.

“Seonhan, where are you going?”

“Just to sober up a bit.”

I head to the lounge.

After making sure there’s no one around, I pick up a pen and start writing in my notebook.

[1. The premonitions occur suddenly.]
[2. Time seems to stop in reality while I’m having a premonition.]
[3. The premonitions show accidents or incidents happening around me.]
[4. The timing of the premonitions is irregular. It could be ten minutes later, or 24 hours later.]

‘Is that… all for now?’

I stare at my notes.

This is all the information I can gather so far.
Although I can’t be certain yet, as I’ve only experienced it twice…

If my thoughts are correct, this phenomenon might occur frequently in the future.

Accidents and incidents happen all the time in a hospital.

‘And if I see the future again next time…’

I’ll have to make a choice.

Whether to change the future with my own hands, or to turn a blind eye and let it unfold.

Thinking about this makes life suddenly interesting.

I pick up my pen and add the last item to my notes.

[5. I can change the future with my actions, and if I do nothing, the future remains unchanged.]

Well, whatever.

At this point, I might as well enjoy it.

My optimistic personality, inherited from my father, comes in handy at times like these.

“Will it tell me the lottery numbers?”

Of course, there’s no answer when I mutter to the empty air.

***

The first rotation passes quickly.

Just as I’m getting used to it, it’s time to prepare for the next department.

“Dr. Shin, is it true that today is the last day we’ll see you?”

“Oh, how did you know?”

“I heard from the nurses. I’m so sad to see you go.”

The elderly patient holds my hand with a regretful expression.

I smile and hold her hand in return.

The last week of March.

Today is my last day as an intern in the internal medicine department.

Internal medicine has many elderly patients and long-term hospitalized patients.

Some doctors dislike internal medicine for this reason.

They say it’s because there are only “decrepit patients.”

But I didn’t mind.

Perhaps it’s because I practically grew up being cared for by the elderly in the marketplace.

Their frailty doesn’t feel distant to me.

Seeing elderly patients who worked their whole lives, only thinking of their children, and are now suffering from illnesses makes my heart ache.

I’ve grown attached to the patients in our ward.

“Alright, let’s draw some blood for the last time, Grandma.”

“You keep taking my blood… I’m going to die from lack of blood at this rate.”

“You need to recover quickly and get discharged.”

I coax the grandmother, who is whining like a child, and roll up her sleeve.

Drawing blood is one of the most basic intern tasks, like changing dressings or taking electrocardiograms.

Since it involves painfully sticking a needle into someone’s flesh, failing even once can ruin your relationship with the patient.

Therefore, no matter how many times you do it, you always have to be careful.

The grandmother stares at my hand and says,

“Why are your hands so smooth? They’re like a woman’s hands. Maybe that’s why it doesn’t hurt at all when you draw my blood.”

“Really?”

“It hurts when other doctors do it.”

“I’ll make sure it doesn’t hurt, even for the last time.”

I say as I insert the needle into the patient’s wrinkled arm.

Thankfully, I succeed in drawing blood on the first try.

The grandmother asks regretfully,

“So you won’t come anymore?”

“I’ll be busy in other departments. But I’ll try to visit when I have time.”

“Oh dear, that’s a shame. I wanted to marry my granddaughter to you…”

“If she resembles you, she must be very beautiful.”

“Of course, she’s just like me.”

“How old is she?”

“Eleven.”

“Oh, Grandma. I’ll get arrested.”

When I reply with a groan, even the patients in the neighboring beds burst into laughter.

After saying goodbye to the patients I’ve grown fond of, I leave the room.

Just then, the head nurse approaches me discreetly.

—————–

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