Episode 7: Emergency Rescue
The interior, spanning over almost 100 pyeong, was packed with customers.
Jin Seon-ah marveled at the bustling restaurant with no room to step.
“Wow, there are so many people! It’s my first time here. Is it always this popular?”
“Yes. This place has been around for three generations, and it recently got more popular after being featured on TV. On weekends, people even line up to eat here. The turnover is quick, so we won’t have to wait long.”
Just as Lee Chang-jin said, after waiting for a bit, two seats became available.
Lee Chang-jin courteously pulled out a chair for Jin Seon-ah as they approached the vacant seats.
“Ah, thank you.”
Seated, Jin Seon-ah carefully examined the menu.
There were many dishes like soup, boiled pork, dumplings, and kimchi pancakes, but everyone seemed to be eating seolleongtang.
Seeing Jin Seon-ah in thought, Lee Chang-jin subtly whispered.
“The seolleongtang here is the best. If you order it, they even give you head meat as a service.”
“Alright. Then, seolleongtang it is…”
As Jin Seon-ah made her decision, Lee Chang-jin raised his hand to place the order.
“Ajumma, two seolleongtangs, please.”
Perhaps because he was a regular customer, the restaurant owner recognized him.
“Oh… I wondered who it was, and it’s Manager Lee.”
Lee Chang-jin greeted her warmly.
“Yes, Ajumma, it’s been a while. How have you been?”
“A while? It’s only been a week. But what’s gotten into you? Bringing a woman here. Is she your girlfriend?”
“Ha ha. Don’t misunderstand. She’s someone I’m meeting for work. This is only the second time we’ve met.”
The owner alternated her gaze between the two, scrutinizing them.
After a moment, the owner snorted in disbelief.
“No way. Even if you can fool a ghost, you can’t fool me. She looks like your bride-to-be.”
“I’m telling you, she’s not.”
“Oh, don’t be shy. Manager Lee, you’ve got a great catch here. She could be a Miss Korea contestant.”
The owner joked, patting him on the shoulder.
Having been a regular for ten years, there was no formality between them.
Lee Chang-jin checked Jin Seon-ah’s reaction, but she seemed to be enjoying herself.
“Hoot, Ajumma, you’re too flattering. Chang-jin, I look forward to working with you.”
“You have a beautiful smile. Hey, Manager Lee, don’t let your guard down. You’ll have a lot of competition.”
“Yes, absolutely.”
Lee Chang-jin inwardly smirked.
Would she still say that if she knew she was the daughter of Jin Tae-chun?
Lee Chang-jin, feeling he had nothing more to say, just kept his mouth shut.
How much time passed? One serving came out first.
The seolleongtang, bubbling and steaming in a stone pot, looked truly appetizing.
Seeing the seolleongtang topped with finely chopped green onions and red chili paste, Jin Seon-ah couldn’t help but swallow her saliva. The owner, who brought the pot, spoke gently.
“It’s already seasoned with salt, and you can add shrimp paste to your taste.”
Jin Seon-ah’s expression changed as she looked at the food.
Her lips moved subtly, indicating that she wanted to eat it right away.
Noticing, Lee Chang-jin suddenly handed her a spoon.
“Please, go ahead. You seem hungry.”
“But that’s not polite…”
“Hungry people eat first. Manners can wait. Mine will come out soon.”
“Alright then, I’ll start first.”
She clasped her hands together and, with a reverent attitude, picked up the spoon.
She carefully blew on a spoonful of broth and then cautiously took a sip.
After a moment, her face brightened, and she exclaimed.
“Wow! It’s delicious!”
She immediately mixed her rice into the soup and began eating in earnest.
Her eating manner was very hearty and genuine.
Worried she might choke, Lee Chang-jin quickly poured some cold water.
“Here, no one’s chasing you. Take your time.”
Engrossed in eating, Jin Seon-ah blushed, feeling embarrassed.
Feeling awkward due to his thoughtfulness, she covered her mouth and explained.
“Sorry. I actually haven’t eaten since last night…”
“It’s fine. Everyone’s like that when they’re hungry. Here, have this as well.”
Lee Chang-jin cut the radish kimchi into bite-sized pieces with scissors and placed them in her bowl.
His kind gesture made Jin Seon-ah’s cheeks flush.
Though it may seem trivial, women are often moved by small gestures.
Especially in the macho-dominated 70s, a considerate man was rare.
Unaware, Lee Chang-jin’s small action greatly increased her affection for him.
“What are you doing? Eat up.”
“Alright.”
After a while, Lee Chang-jin’s portion came out, and he also picked up his spoon.
The taste was just as he expected, bringing a smile to his face. The deep-flavored broth had always invigorated him in tough times. Even though the times had changed, the broth, simmered with bones and meat for 24 hours in an iron pot, still had that depth.
Reminiscing, Lee Chang-jin finished the last drop cleanly.
Jin Seon-ah, having filled her stomach, also looked satisfied.
“Phew, that was good. This place is a gem. I’ll come here often.”
“I’m glad you liked it, Miss Jin.”
Rolling a peppermint candy in her mouth, Jin Seon-ah spoke.
“I’m full, but I’ve got room for dessert, right?”
“Of course. Do you have a place in mind?”
“I know a place with fantastic cakes. Since you treated me to the meal, dessert is on me.”
“Understood. Please, go on ahead.”
Jin Seon-ah walked out quickly.
As Lee Chang-jin approached the counter to pay and was about to take out his wallet…
Suddenly, the sound of something breaking and a bowl shattering echoed.
Startled by the unexpected noise, people’s gazes turned toward the sound.
An old man, seemingly dizzy, grabbed his chest as if he couldn’t breathe.
The old man, whose face turned pale, soon collapsed beside a chair with a thud.
The restaurant owner, shocked by the sudden event, didn’t know what to do.
“Hello? Grandpa, are you okay?”
“Oh my goodness, what do we do?”
The old man, lying stiff as a log, seemed lifeless.
Someone checked the old man’s nose and, startled, called for help.
“This is bad! He’s not breathing.”
People murmured, but no one seemed to have a solution. They were all flustered and unsure of what to do.
Lee Chang-jin looked around and shouted.
“Is there a doctor here?”
Coincidentally, no one stepped up.
Unable to stand it any longer, Lee Chang-jin stepped forward.
“Move aside.”
He checked the old man’s pulse with his fingers, but there was no response.
He checked the pupil reaction by lifting the eyelid, but only the whites of his eyes were visible.
Lee Chang-jin knew exactly what this reaction was.
‘Acute myocardial infarction!’
If nothing else, he couldn’t fail to recognize his cause of death in his past life.
Rolling up his sleeves, Lee Chang-jin first secured the airway and removed the foreign object blocking the throat.
Spotting Jin Seon-ah returning, Lee Chang-jin quickly spoke.
“Seon-ah, call 119, or contact the nearest hospital to get help.”
“What are you going to do?”
“We need to save this man first. Please make the call quickly.”
“Okay, got it.”
The situation looked dire, and time was running out.
Lee Chang-jin unbuttoned the old man’s shirt, revealing his bony chest.
Lee Chang-jin interlocked his hands and mechanically compressed the chest.
How many times did he repeat this?
Sweat began to bead on Lee Chang-jin’s forehead as he performed CPR.
Please…
People held their breath, watching Lee Chang-jin. Perhaps their collective hope worked.
With a gasp, the old man finally coughed.
The old man’s ashen face regained some color, and his breathing returned.
His intermittently moving heart signaled the return of life.
“He… he’s alive!”
People watching finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Though the old man had avoided immediate death, he was still unconscious.
Taking a moment to catch his breath, Lee Chang-jin quickly took out a medicine bottle he carried.
“Slowly dissolve this in your mouth. It will help ease the pain.”
Lee Chang-jin placed a sublingual tablet under the old man’s tongue.
The medicine he gave was none other than nitroglycerin.
It was used to treat angina and worked by dilating blood vessels in emergencies.
Having died from myocardial infarction in his past life, he carried it just in case, never expecting to use it like this.
After a while, the old man’s face visibly relaxed, likely due to the medicine.
By the time his breathing steadied, an ambulance from the hospital arrived.
The paramedics checked the old man and moved him to the ambulance.
“Alright, lift him carefully, quickly!”
Lee Chang-jin also got into the ambulance to handle any further emergencies.
Fortunately, they reached the hospital in time without any traffic delays.
The medical team in the emergency room quickly checked the old man’s condition and attached an oxygen mask.
After finishing the examination, the doctor came out, and a cautious Lee Chang-jin asked.
“How is the patient? Is he alright?”
“Yes, he’s out of the critical phase. Thanks to the excellent first aid, there were no major issues. He should recover soon. It was truly fortunate that you had an emergency medication with you.”
Lee Chang-jin sighed in relief.
Feeling the tension drain away, he felt exhausted.
“Thank goodness. Have you contacted his family?”
“Yes. We called the number in his notebook, and they said they’re on their way. They should be here any moment… ah, here they come.”
Someone, perhaps notified, rushed into the hospital.
A man in a black suit, drenched in sweat, caught his breath and quickly asked the doctor.
“What happened? Is my father… is he alright?”
The doctor, having finished his tasks, smiled faintly.
“He’s fine. He’s passed the critical phase, so there’s no danger to his life. As long as he stays hospitalized for a few days, he’ll be fine.”
“Thank you, doctor! Thank you so much.”
The man bowed repeatedly, expressing his gratitude, making the doctor shake his head awkwardly.
“You shouldn’t thank me. If it weren’t for this gentleman here, your father might not have made it. So, you should thank him.”
Only then did the man turn to Lee Chang-jin and bow deeply again.
“You are a savior. I truly thank you.”
The man repeatedly expressed his gratitude.
“I don’t know how to repay this debt.”
“No need. I just did what anyone should do… there’s no reason for such gratitude.”
With the family now present, it was time for him to leave.
Sensing the situation, the man handed a business card politely.
“If you ever need help, please contact me. I will gladly assist.”
[Buyeon Trading Company, Export and Import Manager, Seong Gong-cheol]
Lee Chang-jin took the card and checked its contents.
The name was so unique that it was easy to remember after hearing it once.
“Oh, you work for a trading company?”
Buyeon Trading? He couldn’t recall the name.
As he was putting the card away absentmindedly, a low voice pierced his ears.
“Actually… I work in the Namsan area.”
At that, Lee Chang-jin paused for a moment.
It didn’t take long for his brain to process the information.
Namsan was where the National Intelligence Service was located.
The man standing before him was no ordinary person.
With a meaningful look, the man spoke in a serious tone.
“In life, there may come a time when you need my help. If you ever find yourself in trouble, don’t hesitate to contact me. I’ll be of assistance.”
“Thank you. I hope your father recovers soon.”
“Thank you. Take care.”
Lee Chang-jin shook hands with him.
Meeting such an unexpected connection, he gripped the man’s hand firmly.
Feeling relieved, Lee Chang-jin stepped out of the hospital to find Jin Seon-ah waiting.
– Continued in Episode 8 –
