-We will now start boarding. As there is only one boarding gate, passengers with seats at the back of the plane should board first.
More than 100 members of the delegation who were gathered at the airport lounge heard the announcement made by the flight attendant.
Dowook stood with Prof Lee Il-soo around the middle of the lounge.
‘One should not be too curious.’
Dowook repeatedly apologized to Prof. Lee for the sudden push as they waited to board the plane.
He’d been careless.
Dowook sneaked a glance at the interpreter who caused the problem.
He’d once experienced a similar sense from a detective from the police investigative team. A tendency that popped up because of a sense of danger ingrained in their life. He figured that man wasn’t a simple interpreter, but there was no reason for him to look into things since he didn’t know the MInistry of Foreign Affairs’ criteria for selecting staff.
Dowook turned to Prof. Lee and saw that his glass was empty.
“Professor, I’ll return your glass with mine.”
“You don’t have to.”
“Please, allow me. It’s because I feel sorry.”
Dowook figured he’d be forgiven if he showed how sorry he was by taking care of the professor. He didn’t seem upset but Dowook couldn’t know for certain.
Once he returned from the lounge bar, he saw that people in the row before theirs were heading down the stairs.
Generally, the delegation members went down a runway prepared to allow reporters to take pictures first before getting on the actual plane.
Soon, Dowook also went down the stairs.
Click. Click.
Walking about 50m down the runway which was bright from the flashes of the camera,displaying their future return after a job well done. It was a massive promotion event.
Dowook boarded the plane and sat in the middle row.
While different members of the delegation filled the plane, a government car arrived from the other side of the runway.
Dowook looked out a window of the plane. The middle-aged man with gray hair who exited the car seemed to look familiar.
‘That’s the prime minister, right?’
The prime minister of Korea, who he’d only seen on TV, stood in front of the plane heading to the G20 event. And the key figures of this trip began to appear from the lounge.
They were followed by the directors from each ministry, led by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and Ministry of Strategy and Finance. Among those people was Director Seo Jung-Hee who gave him a ride to the airport.
The reporters standing to one side took pictures of the Prime Minister shaking hands with everyone and saying a few words of encouragement.
That was when Dowook felt it.
That was the true promotion event and showed that this was important to the whole country.
‘I think it’s starting to feel real now.’
He was starting to understand a little bit about how valuable this experience as the minister’s doctor was and why Chief Ha almost foamed at the mouth when he said he was going to reject it.
Everyone boarded the plane after greeting the prime minister.
As the government car left, the reporters stepped away and the in-flight broadcast appeared on the screen.
-To all passengers, this special flight to Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport…
2 hours later.
Dowook was looking out of the plane as it landed in downtown Shanghai.
It was drizzling and the sky was gray.
The weather was not very good. He turned on the roaming function of his phone and searched about the concentration of fine dust particles in Shanghai and saw that it was a little high. It made him wish he thought of bringing a mask.
During the flight, continuous texts made his phone vibrate. Since they were about the patients in his care, he forwarded them to Chief Ha, who was standing in for him for three days.
Vrrrr.
At Chief Ha’s reply of [Hey, you bastard!] Dowook laughed even though he felt sorry.
‘I don’t know if the chief can withstand Prof Choi’s pressure when he’d stopped going into surgery for quite a bit of time.’
As he was thinking so, Prof. Lee stood in the hall of the plane.
“Everyone in front of us is almost done getting off. Let’s get off as well.”
Since the larger luggage bags were to be delivered to the designated hotel, Dowook got off with only a briefcase containing his laptop and headed inside the airport..
Was this because he was part of a diplomatic mission or was it always like this at this airport? It seemed like there were absolutely no arrival procedures.
Dowook reached an area filled with people after passing several passages quickly. While waiting for further instructions, he heard someone calling him from somewhere.
“Dr. Park Dowook! Is Dr. Park Dowook here?”
“Here.”
Dowook raised his hand slightly to reveal his location.
A man in his early thirties with straight hair approached him with a group of attendants.
“I’m Minister Kim Jin-hoo’s secretary, Oh Seo-jin. If I could have a moment of your time as I have something to inform you regarding the minister’s checkup schedule.”
An assistant secretary said that should there be any problems after the morning checkup over the next couple of days, he should cooperate with the doctors at the designated Chinese hospital.
And–
He was assigned as an interpreter to help him before leaving him alone.
The interpreter stood beside Dowook.
“My name is Jin Dae Young.”
“Umm…….”
Of all the people here, why did it have to be him? Dowook quickly hid his embarrassment.
“I’m Park Dowook. I’ll be in your care.”
“This is my number. Assisting you with accommodations is also part of my job so please call me at this number whenever you need assistance.”
“Oh.”
Nodding his head while saving the number on his phone, Jin Dae Young added.
“Please keep in mind that on the spot interpretation will be difficult should you use complex medical terms.”
“That part has a lot of international standard terms so the other party should be able to understand if I speak in English.”
The conversation ended abruptly after the introductions.
Quiet, expressionless, short hair. Recalling the sense he’d experienced before leaving the country, Dowook had a strong suspicion this man was from the military.
‘Maybe he was chosen because of his Chinese skills even though he’s a soldier? No, no. It’s none of my business.’
Shaking his head, Dowook inconspicuously took a step away from Jin Dae Young.
A moment later.
Dowook boarded the limousine he was guided to by a foreign ministry official and paused when he noticed that there were foreigners inside.
Prof. Lee explained to him with a light smile once he noticed Dowook’s surprise.
“They’re doctors from the other participating countries. I guess they sent one car since everyone needs to head to the same hospital.”
Prof. Lee pointed to a man with long hair in the front and whispered.
“He’s a French Gastroenterologist and an infamous drinker so be careful. If you’re with him, he’ll continuously invite you to drink wine.”
“Aha.”
As they got on, the french doctor waved at Prof. Lee.
『Dr. Lee! It’s nice to see you.』
『It’s been a while. Dr. Cassel. This is Dr. Dowook Park.』
At Prof. Lee’s greeting, the French doctor stretched out his hand.
『Oh, Dr. Park. I’m Claude Cassel. It seems there are two doctors from Korea? Very thorough. Hold on. Let me guess. Dr. Lee is a gastroenterologist so Dr. Park is a surgeon! Emergency surgery?』
『I’m a neurosurgeon.』
『Eugh, I got it wrong.』
Dowook shook hands with the French doctor who was very friendly even to someone he’d just met and moved further into the car. Looking for a vacant seat. Then, his gaze landed on a person who stood out in the crowd within the car without realizing it.
A young brown-haired woman with a mysterious aura as if she had just popped out of a European movie. She was exceptionally eye-catching since she was in a crowd of people in their 40s and 50s.
Feeling his gaze, the woman turned to Dowook. Then she looked at Prof. Lee Il-soo who was following behind him.
『Dr. Lee?』
『Dr. Ellie. Nice to see you.』
Unlike with the French doctor, Prof Lee turned away from her with a short greeting and pointed to two empty seats. Then he explained as soon as they sat down.
“That doctor just now is always the doctor attached to the Spanish delegation and is quite feisty. I’ve seen her baptize several men with champagne at banquets. She’s a psychiatrist. Many Europeans suffer from insomnia and headaches.”
“Aha.”
Until they left the airport, Prof. Lee continued to inform him what he knew.
Each country brought doctors with a different field of expertise. From France, a gastroenterologist was required for the members with hangovers and indigestion. Spain brought a psychiatrist to manage work stress. The UK and US brought emergency surgeons who were responsible for immediate treatment.
“Were there a lot of people with hangovers in Korea?”
“About the same as France. There’s a banquet every day. Hangover cure accounts for most of the medical supplies we brought.”
Since Dowook came thinking about being responsible for the care of only Minister Kim Jin-hoo, these facts felt very interesting.
“Hi, everyone!”
While they were talking, a cheerful voice came from the entrance of the bus. A man in his mid-30s waved at everyone in the car.
The man’s hair was slicked back with gel and it made his hair look oily. Dowook couldn’t help but stare as the man’s hair reminded him of Seong Chang Soo. It seemed such a sleazy look was universal.
‘Is it because of everyone’s good body proportion? All the doctors are quite good-looking.’
The man by the door looked around the interior of the car and proudly walked to the back and stood next to the Spanish doctor.
『It’s nice to meet you. My name is Garrett Greer. An emergency surgeon from Johns’ Hopkins. And you are, Dr. Beautiful?』
The Spanish doctor looked at the man for a moment and turned away signaling her reluctance to talk. However, the American doctor did not give up and continued to speak..
『Would it be alright if I sit beside you?』
『It’s not like this is the only empty seat here.』
『How could it be for the seat? It’s because of a beauty like you.』
Dowook’s eyes widened as soon as he translated their conversation since the speed of the man’s pick up lines was lightning fast.
『Don’t you think I put my bag here on purpose due to people like you? I’m sorry but please sit somewhere else.』
There was a coldness attached to the Spanish doctor’s words.
『Well, if that is the lady’s wish. Excuse me.』
The American doctor smiled and sat behind her. Dowook received culture shock over how confident the other man was in the face of a rejection.
After a while, the British doctor got on the bus and expressed interest in the Spanish doctor, but was coldly rejected. Perhaps because she was used to such things, but the Spanish doctor was cold and calm.
"Professor, did those people who got splashed with champagne come on to her like that?….”
Even before he finished his sentence, Professor Lee, he nodded silently.
The person in-charge in China got on, checked everyone’s passports once, and the car departed.
As they left the airport, Dowook could see a lot of people holding pickets standing outside the window.
Dowook raised his head, wondering if it was a crowd welcoming the G20 Ministerial Meeting, and suddenly flinched back at the water balloon flying to the window.
"What was that?"
Red paint left a mark on the window.
Puck. Puck.
The other windows were also covered in paint due to the water balloons.
The other doctors who were surprised like Dowook tried to look out the window when the Spanish doctor quietly spoke.
『ALF. They’re animal liberation protesters.』
At those words, Dowook took another look at the pickets.
《Say no to antibiotic research using animal testing!》
《Abuse of antibiotics is a human sin! Animals are innocent!》
The ones who continued to throw paint-filled water balloons at the attendants’ buses were from different races.
The French doctor tsk’ed while looking at the bright red window.
『Jeez. I didn’t think I’d see these disgusting people in Shanghai as well.』
『Aren’t protests against the law in China? Once you do protest you get bulldozed by a tank.』
『It would be hard to touch the foreigners. Especially now when the media from all over the world are focused on Shanghai. That’s probably why they decided to start making a fuss from the airport.』
『We should pay more attention. If it’s the ALF, they won’t hesitate to turn to violence.』
Dowook couldn’t help but be surprised by the concern in the doctors’ tones.
‘Wasn’t this supposed to be a peaceful event?’
Buses covered in paint left the airport.
The cloudy gray sky mixed with the red paint on the windows created an ominous atmosphere.
