Dream Breaker

Chapter 22

This place is the world-renowned Elmorangs University Hospital.

It's a mecca of medicine, gathering only the best in each field among professionals with medical aptitude.

It's said, if Elmorangs Hospital can't cure you, you might as well give up!

The facilities are top-notch, but the reputation is so killer that ordinary people like me can't dare to afford it.

In other words,

"Wow..."

Despite not being far from the neighborhood, this is my first time here.

'Is this the future?'

At the entrance, machines sprayed liquid like humidifiers to disinfect visitors and patients.

Whirring-

I also saw robots that followed doctors and nurses to assist or clean...

But if that was all, I wouldn't have been so surprised.

Beep-!

"You are healthy!"

In the short time passing through the entrance, it examined my health status and even reported the results!

Is this even possible?

I couldn't believe it, including the test results.

'Me, healthy?'

I'm a severely malnourished skinny bone.

I looked at other people's results with suspicious eyes.

"You are healthy!"

"You are healthy!"

"Your blood pressure is low!"

"You are healthy!"

"Your body temperature is high!"

"You are healthy!"

.....

'Hmm... It can only do basic tests.'

But it was still amazing. It's just passing through one entrance like entering a department store.

While I was surprised and amazed at the scientific marvel I saw for the first time,

"Hyung! Over here!"

Choi Kang-hoon, familiar with this hospital, had already finished the registration and called me.

"I'm coming."

"It's room 1906."

"So, the 19th floor?"

"Yes!"

Should I say that's obvious.

Looking at the floor descriptions written on the guide board in front of the elevator, the 18th and 19th floors were VIP wards.

"I wish he could recover quickly and help with Dad's work."

"Why?"

"I find this work too boring, I can't do it."

"Well..."

How many people truly enjoy their work, even if it suits their aptitude?

Still, I listened quietly. Because there was more to it.

"People at work keep comparing him and me. Saying how he used to be."

"That's wrong of the adults."

I don't have a sibling, but there are few things as stressful as being compared to others.

"So I thought. This is not a job that suits me, it's not my aptitude."

"I see..."

"Moon-soo hyung. Please treat him."

"Don't get your hopes up. I've never treated a person before."

"Okay. It's okay if you can't treat him. I just wanted to come here with you."

"That's a relief then."

Ding! Whoosh-

Using the VIP-only elevator, we quickly arrived at the 19th floor and walked through the bustling hallway.

'Wow!'

Politicians, celebrities, singers, and others who could only be seen through broadcast media were wandering around like ordinary civilians, for treatment or visiting.

On the conspicuous wall, there were many red warning signs.

"No interviews."

"No filming."

"No autograph sessions."

......

It felt like a rest space separated from the world interested in other people's private lives.

Proving that, there were no people conscious of the surrounding eyes.

Eventually,

"Room 1906: Mr. Choi Kang-min"

We arrived at the hospital room with the name of the patient we were looking for.

"Just a moment."

Choi Kang-hoon swiped the card key issued at the reception under that nameplate.

Beep!

The automatic door without a handle gently opened, revealing the interior of the hospital room.

'Wow!'

Choi Kang-min was alone in a very spacious and clean hospital room.

Refrigerator, water purifier, desk, computer, television, bathroom, humidifier, air conditioner, plant, air purifier, sofa...

The interior decorations and facilities were all top-notch, and various medical devices were displayed on one side in case of emergencies.

And on the bed, spacious enough for three to sleep,

"Ah..."

There was a man as skinny as a rotten old tree lying perfectly straight.

I understood why the tester installed at the entrance of Elmorangs Hospital diagnosed me as 'healthy!'.

Everything is relative.

Choi Kang-min, who was lying on the snow-white bed, was in such a serious condition.

"Oh my God..."

His wrists were full of needle marks, with several IVs inserted, and he was wearing an oxygen mask on his skull-like face.

Is that the reason?

"This is my brother."

"...I see."

Even I, who remembered Choi Kang-min's face when he was healthy in the past, couldn't recognize him at all.

'Is he still alive...?'

His skin clinging to his bones reminded me of an Egyptian mummy. I would believe it even if he was already dead.

Beep, beep, beep...

The regular machine sound measuring the heartbeat was the only evidence that he was still alive.

Then,

Beep!

The automatic door of the hospital room opened again, and a woman in a white gown came in.

"You're here again, Mr. Choi Kang-hoon."

She greeted Choi Kang-hoon with a pleased face.

"Hello! Doctor!"

"You look good. It mustn't have been easy to make time at an age when you should be running around with friends."

"Hehe."

"Mr. Choi Kang-min is lucky. To have such a bright and kind younger brother."

"You're too kind!"

I carefully observed the two people's conversation, making sure it wasn't rude.

Firstly, since Choi Kang-hoon called her 'Doctor', she must be a doctor.

As a doctor affiliated with Elmorangs Hospital, which boasts the best in the world, she had an intellectual atmosphere.

If not for the power of medicine, she would be in her early 30s? Her slightly wavy dark brown hair flowed down to her waist.

"And you are...?"

The doctor, who had finished her conversation as a greeting, showed interest in me.

"Hello. My name is Kang Moon-soo. I've known Choi Kang-hoon for a long time as a neighborhood friend. I also know Choi Kang-min, who is lying here."

We're not close though!

"Doctor. Moon-soo bro is not an ordinary neighborhood. He's a shaman!"

"A shaman?"

The doctor's eyebrows furrowed at once upon hearing the introduction Choi Kang-hoon added without any consideration.

"Ha, ha, ha... Don't mind it."

This guy is talking nonsense.

"I see. I am Mr. Choi Kang-min's primary doctor."

"Nice to meet you."

"Upon examining Mr. Choi Kang-min's brainwaves in detail, we concluded that he is in a very deep sleep."

"I see."

"So far, numerous shamans have made various attempts to wake him. They didn't hesitate to do crazy things like hammering nails into the patient's body."

"Really?"

Drip.

Cold sweat ran down my back as I listened to the doctor's explanation.

'What a predicament.'

The atmosphere became very awkward due to the thoughtless younger brother.

"Mr. Choi Kang-min will not wake up by any external physical shocks. Since you are a trusted acquaintance of his younger brother, I'm not too worried."

"Yes. There's no need to worry. I will never do such a thing."

"I still want to say this just to be safe."

"Please, go ahead."

"As you can see from the patient, his body has reached its limit. He's in a state where it's hard to breathe without the help of a machine. Therefore, he could die from even a very small shock."

"I see..."

It wasn't a distant story for me, who had experienced my father's death.

"It means you could be charged with murder if you carelessly cause harm."

"Gasp!"

This was a bit of a stretch!

Murder.

It was a scary warning just to think about.

'I should stay quiet!'

I was planning to do so from the beginning, but from now on, I should not even look at Choi Kang-min.

Thank you for the advice, doctor!

"Doctor! Moon-soo hyung is not a scammer!"

Choi Kang-hoon got angry.

'Little brother. Why are you angry?'

The doctor calmly responded, putting her fingertip to her lips.

"Shh! This is a hospital where patients are. Please speak softly. And I never called Mr. Kang Moon-soo a scammer. I was just explaining the patient's condition as his primary doctor."

"Hyung is a real shaman with shaman aptitude...!"

However, Choi Kang-hoon continued to speak loudly, not caring about the place.

"......"

"Really! I saw my brother's aptitude test!"

"...Wait a moment, Mr. Choi Kang-hoon."

"Yes."

The doctor, whose expression had dramatically changed, asked a question instead of scolding him.

"Are you referring to P's aptitude test when you say that aptitude test?"

"Yes!"

"...Mr. Kang Moon-soo."

The doctor looked at me as if she had discovered an interesting creature.

"I won't do anything foolish!"

I anticipated what she was going to say and responded.

Murder charges are a problem!

"Thank you for understanding. I'm not doubting your aptitude, but Mr. Choi Kang-min's body is so weak that it's impossible to lay a hand on him. He's in a state where even if we want to operate, we can't."

"Then there's nothing we can do. We can only hope for a miracle."

"That's right. Miracle. I only told his father, but Mr. Choi Kang-min doesn't have much time left. With the power of modern medicine, at most 100 days. If he doesn't wake up within that, he will die from accumulated complications."

"......"

I naturally became solemn at the doctor's assertion that the family of a close younger brother was about to die.

"Mr. Kang Moon-soo."

"Yes."

"I would like to have a brief conversation before you finish visiting and leave, would that be possible?"

"Um... I'm sorry. It's difficult today. I have to organize the stuff I've moved."

"That's a shame. Please don't worry about Mr. Choi Kang-min and take your time. I'm busy, so I'll leave now."

The doctor, who didn't sound regretful at all, left the hospital room.

"That's really too much!"

"What?"

"The doctor! I thought she was nice, but as soon as she heard you're a shaman, she ignored you!"

"It's okay."

It was advice given out of concern for me. I can receive such disregard with a smile a hundred times.

"Hyung. Thank you for coming."

"No need to thank me. I just followed you empty-handed."

Choi Kang-hoon helped me move the heavy luggage.

And he didn't laugh at the shabby one-room apartment I was living in.

'That was really touching...'

But no matter how touching it was, I regretted promising to help him with anything.

"Hyung."

"I won't treat him."

"I know. But it would be a shame to just leave after coming all the way here. Let's at least greet him."

"...Kang-min. It's been a while. I hope you open your eyes soon."

This is my sincere wish. I think it's better to postpone the experience of losing a family member as much as possible.

* * *

"Kang-hoon. That's enough- Huh?"

After saying hello and turning around, I had no choice but to be confused.

'Where did this guy go in the meantime? Surely, he didn't go to the bathroom after having me say hello?'

If so, that's a little cheeky.

"Kang-min bro. If we get a chance later, Kang-hoon and I will come...

When I turned my gaze back to the bed, I couldn't continue speaking. The patient who was lying there had disappeared!

It was something that happened in the blink of an eye.

"Kang-hoon! Kang-hoon!"

I was so surprised that I ran to the bathroom, calling Kang-hoon. And then, without knocking,

Bang!

I flung the door open.

'What, what?!'

Choi Kang-hoon, who I assumed had gone to the bathroom, had also disappeared.

"No way..."

I ran to the entrance of the hospital room, thinking that couldn't be possible.

"Room 1906: "

'Gone!'

It was gone.

The patient's name slot for the hospital room was empty!

"What on earth is..."

"Excuse me, are you looking for a patient's room?"

A passing nurse approached me in confusion and started a conversation.

"Ah, yes."

"What's the patient's name?"

"It's Choi Kang-min."

"Just a moment."

Beep, beep-

The nurse began to manipulate the screen of the robot following her.

"......"

I waited calmly.

"I'm sorry, but there's no Choi Kang-min among the admitted patients."

"But that can't be..."

"Mr. Choi Kang-min last visited the urology department 12 years ago."

"12 years ago...?"

"Yes. There are no recent records of admission or visits."

"......"

Thanks to the nurse's explanation, my confusion only deepened.

"Sir. The 19th floor is a VIP ward. I'm sorry, but I have to accompany you to the first floor as you are suspected of unauthorized entry."

"...Okay."

I felt wronged as I had followed Choi Kang-hoon, but I decided to obediently follow the nurse's instructions.

'Hmm?'

People are flying?

While waiting for the elevator and looking out the window, I witnessed a strange sight.

'No, not now!'

"Get down...!"

Crash!

Shortly after warning and lying down on the floor, a nearby glass window shattered.

"Eek?!"

"What?!"

The screams of surprised people!

And I heard the angry shout of the person who broke the window and broke in.

"Magical boy! You'll pay for this...!"

Crash!

Immediately after, I heard another window break.

'No way... Did he jump from this height?'

Thinking that it couldn't be, I cautiously got up and,

"Oh... Did I lose him again...”

"Huh? Kang-min?"

I spotted Choi Kang-min bro in a strange outfit.

"...You've mistaken me for someone else."

Flap~

But Kang-min, who denied his identity, fluttered his red cape and jumped out of the broken window.

"Hmm..."

'Did I see wrong?'

The healthy Choi Kang-min I remember was unmistakable. But he should be a miserable skeleton with only bones left...

"No way!"

I risked danger and stuck my head out of the broken window.

Bang! Wham!

Two men without wings or jet engines were flying between buildings, chasing each other.

A sight impossible in reality!

Thanks to that, my confused mind was sorted out in one go.

"Where am I?"

This is not the Earth I know.

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