Chapter 174: Stylist (2)

"

Huff, huff

." Chae Eun-Byul panted.

Chae Eun-Byul, who had been suffering from respiratory distress, felt better after receiving emergency treatment from the doctor.

As her breathing became even, color returned to her previous pale face.

Having finished the treatment, the doctor approached me.

"I don't know who you are, but thank you. My job is to save lives and I didn't want to do this either."

"..."

I knew that everyone had their own circumstances. It wasn't too hard to guess that the doctor in front of me made that choice because the executives told him to. He had clenched his fists and closed his eyes tightly a moment ago, obviously in distress.

But I couldn't understand why he wouldn't lift a finger when a child seemed to be gasping for breath.

I heard that doctors took the Hippocratic Oath. However, it seemed that the vow to save lives at all costs did not apply to this hospital or this doctor.

For that reason, I didn't say anything and just ignored the doctor as he left.

'

I need to transfer her to a different hospital.

' I thought to myself.

Having witnessed the hospital's refusal to give treatment with my own eyes, I didn't want to leave Chae Eun-Byul here.

At that moment, a sense of clarity came over me as silence enveloped the surroundings.

Turning my head, I saw that all the patients and their guardians in the six-person bedroom were staring at me.

That's when Lee Mi-Ri slowly spoke. "Who... are you?"

Lee Mi-Ri and Chae Sang-Woo were hesitant as they were unable to understand what was going on. They seemed confused as to who I was and why I was paying off such huge unpaid hospital bills for them.

"I'm Team Lead Jung Yoon-Ho from Hoop Entertainment. We can talk more about the details later."

Chae Sang-Woo and Lee Mi-Ri nodded. They seemed like they wanted to ask more, but they were holding back with difficulty.

First, I checked on Chae Eun-Byul's condition. "Are you okay? Can you breathe a bit easier now?"

Perhaps because she had been inside the hospital room without sunlight, Chae Eun-Byul, blue beyond pale, blinked and looked at me. Her face looked more comfortable than before, probably thanks to the medication.

"Yes, it doesn't hurt anymore. But who are you, sir?"

"You can call me Uncle."

Despite being ill, her mature response was somewhat surprising.

"Hmm. Okay. Then who are you, Uncle? Are you daddy-long legs? If so, I'll pay back the hospital bills when I grow up."

She was a bright and clever child.

I shook my head while looking into Chae Eun-Byul's eyes. "Kids aren't supposed to worry about money. And I'll be working with your mom, Eun-Byul."

Lee Mi-Ri and Chae Sang-Woo looked startled, but I pretended not to notice and continued talking with Chae Eun-Byul.

"Working with my mom? But my mom is always with me so she can't work." Chae Eun-Byul replied.

"We're going to start working together from now on. So can I borrow your mom for a bit? I need to talk things over with her in detail. Oh, can I borrow your dad too?" I asked.

Chae Eun-Byul nodded. "Yes. I can be by myself. I'm not feeling sick anymore."

Chae Eun-Byul, still wearing an oxygen mask, clenched her fists. Despite her lips still looking pale, she insisted she was okay and urged me to take her parents.

I knew the pain wouldn't go away quickly even after an injection. Having suffered in the hospital until death and enduring pain to stay alive, I knew that pain better than anyone. But it seemed Chae Eun-Byul instinctively recognized that I was there to help her.

"Alright. Should we do a cheer together before I leave? Don't let this illness beat you!" I said with a smile.

When I clenched my fist and extended it forward, Chae Eun-Byul smiled and brought her fist to mine in a fist bump.

"Fighting!"

Chae Eun-Byul grinned with a smile.

'

I will definitely cure you, Eun-Byul.'

I silently made a promise.

Having already finished the investigation, Eun-Byul's illness turned out to be treatable with proper medical care.

'

It might cost some money, but so what? This is what I've been saving for.

' I thought to myself.

I reassured Chae Eun-Byul with a confident expression.

After exchanging greetings with Chae Eun-Byul, Chae Sang-Woo finally spoke up from the back in a hesitant voice.

"Eun-Byul, Mom and Dad will have a talk with this uncle and be right back. Is that okay?"

"Yes, Dad. I'm okay now."

At that moment, Lee Mi-Ri spoke to a woman in her mid-forties on the next bed.

"Could you please watch over Eun-Byul while we are away?"

"Y-yes, sure. Of course."

Everyone in the room was still bewildered.

When I stepped out of the room after the greetings, Lee Mi-Ri and Chae Sang-Woo followed me.

***

Click.

After closing the door, the couple bowed deeply.

"Thank you so much. We don't understand what this is all about, but we promise to pay back every penny for our child's medical expenses!"

Both of them clung to my hand tightly. Their hands were trembling and tears streamed down continuously from their eyes to the floor as they bowed.

"It's alright. Please, lift your heads," I responded in a gentle voice.

Lee Mi-Ri and Chae Sang-Woo slowly raised their heads. Their faces were a tearful mess. But unlike before, there was a glimmer of hope in their eyes.

"About you saying you would work with my wife...I don’t really understand what you mean..."

As Chae Sang-Woo was about to ask what kind of work it would be, Lee Mi-Ri, perhaps misunderstanding something, hurriedly covered her husband’s mouth.

"No, we'll do anything. Just tell us what to do. You said you are the team lead, right?"

The startled Chae Sang-Woo clarified that he didn’t mean it that way. "No, no honey, I wasn’t saying we get to choose the job. Of course, you’ll do it no matter what. But you’ve never worked in an entertainment company before. We need to know what to do."

"Anything will do. I will do it. No, I have to. He saved our daughter's life. There's nothing I can't do."

After Lee Mi-Ri rapidly fired off her words, she turned to me.

"You mentioned an entertainment company, right? Is it for Idols? Singers? I can perfectly style anyone. I mean, even though I look like this now, I’ve worked with New York Bogue and..."

"I know," I said before she even finished her sentence.

"Excuse me?"

"I’m aware you worked under Editor Rachel."

"How did you know that...?"

"It's a long story, but first, please take my business card."

They took the card with a bewildered expression.

"Let me formally introduce myself. I'm Team Lead Jung Yoon-Ho from Hoop Entertainment. I came looking for you, Mdm. Lee Mi-Ri, hoping you would join my team as a stylist."

"Not a coordinator, but... a stylist?"

"Ah, would you prefer if I called you 'coordinator' instead?"

"N-no, stylist is what I’m used to. It’s just that in Korea, people usually say coordinator."

"Well, people use both terms interchangeably. But these days, 'stylist' is becoming more common. Anyway, could we perhaps talk about the specifics over coffee on the first floor of the hospital? There seem to be too many prying eyes here," I asked while looking around.

"Oh. Of course!"

Just then, Do Ran-Hee came rushing back breathlessly.

"Mr. Jung."

"What is it?"

"They said you need to sign personally because of the large amount."

"Oh? Is that so?"

'

Looks like I might have been too passive-aggressive with the doctor earlier.

'

I headed to the first floor with the three of them toward the administrative office.

The administrative manager with a greasy face continuously bowed his head upon seeing me and then posed a question.

"May I ask what is your relationship with the patient such that you are paying such a large sum all at once?"

"Do I need to explain that too?" I questioned.

"N-no, not at all. So, should I really process it as a lump sum? The limit is..."

"Just swipe the card."

I had heard all the conversations from when Lee Mi-Ri and Chae Sang-Woo were talking in the hallway until they entered Chae Eun-Byul’s room. It seemed this administrative manager was the one who gave an order not to give Chae Eun-Byul a treatment.

The manager swiped the card to the machine with a skeptical look.

The amount due was a staggering 32,220,000 won, which meant the doctor's treatment earlier was worth 100 thousand won.

Once the administrative manager was able to swipe the card without any restrictions, his face brightened. To him who didn't know the situation, I must have appeared as a VIP making a lump-sum payment of 30 million won.

"

Ha ha ha

. I'm relieved now too. Frankly, it feels terrible to be so harsh to the patients."

"Ah, yes. I'm sure it does." I gave a patronizing reply.

Bowing deeply, the administrative manager said, "Here's my business card. Would you give me one of yours too?"

'

How ridiculous. All this over a single lump-sum card payment?

' I rolled my eyes.

But I didn't respond to his greeting and turned my head away.

After all, It wasn't me that he was greeting but my card that could make the lump-sum payment.

***

We arrived at the first-floor hospital coffee shop.

While Do Ran-Hee went to buy coffee, I discussed the salary and conditions with Lee Mi-Ri.

"The salary will start at 50 million won with a hospital bill welfare limit of 2 million won covered by the company. The position is at the assistant manager level."

Lee Mi-Ri's eyes widened. "An assistant manager's salary is that high?"

"

Ha ha

. It’s partly in recognition of your rich experience. It's effectively a team lead-level salary."

Stylists' jobs were tough and notoriously underpaid. But the offer I made her was at least equivalent to a team lead's treatment since I had managed to get her career acknowledged after appealing strongly to Kang Ji-Yung.

Tears welled up in Lee Mi-Ri's eyes again, then she bit her lip and responded.

"I know I'm unworthy of this amazing offer, but I humbly accept it given my urgent situation, Mr. Jung."

Chae Sang-Woo standing beside her also smiled and grabbed my hand tightly. "Thank you. Thanks to you, a great weight has been lifted off our chests. And I too will work hard to repay the money as quickly as possible. My wife isn't the type to shirk her duties or default on debts."

After the conversation with Lee Mi-Ri ended, I asked Chae Sang-Woo if we could talk separately for a moment.

"With me?"

"Yes, I thought Mdm. Lee Mi-Ri might need some time to collect herself. So let's talk, just the two of us."

"Ah, I understand."

In the meantime, Do Ran-Hee brought the coffee.

Leaving the still teary-eyed Lee Mi-Ri with Do Ran-Hee, I went with Chae Sang-Woo to the park located on the first floor of the hospital.

Chae Sang-Woo spoke with a tense expression. "If this is about money, I will definitely repay it. You don't have to worry about that..."

He was prepared to sacrifice everything for his daughter.

"No, that's not it."

Chae Sang-Woo looked puzzled. "Then why did you ask to speak with me alone?"

"I heard you also worked as a fashion editor in the US with Editor Terry at ZQ?"

"H-how did you know..."

Chae Sang-Woo had been an editor at ZQ, a men's magazine in the US. But he was currently uninvolved with that profession, working in transportation at Dongdaemun Market in Korea.

"So I was wondering if you might consider working with me in my team as well."

"I'm sorry?"

"Given the circumstances, we can't offer both of you a special recruitment package at once. So your salary would have to be aligned with that of a regular employee. However, as the team expands, I can assure you a position commensurate with your experience."

Chae Sang-Woo looked flabbergasted as if he hadn't expected a job offer himself.

I was unaware of Chae Sang-Woo's capabilities because I had never met him before in my past life. However, he was also a professional who had worked at ZQ's headquarters in New York for over five years. It seemed perfect for Lee Mi-Ri to handle women's styles and Chae Sang-Woo men's.

But Chae Sang-Woo’s expression suddenly darkened.

"

Sigh

. I'm sorry, Mr. Jung. I would love to accept your offer a hundred, a thousand times over. But... I’ve already committed elsewhere."

Chae Sang-Woo bit his lip as if there were no other options.

I looked at Chae Sang-Woo and said, "You're planning to go on a deep-sea fishing boat, aren’t you?"

"How...how did you know?"

"You spoke too confidently about paying the hospital bills, so I took a guess. There aren’t many places that offer such large upfront payments unless it’s a deep-sea fishing boat."

Since he had died on a deep-sea fishing boat in my past life, that was the only place I could think of.

Seeing Chae Sang-Woo's shocked expression, I asked again. "You haven't received the advance payment yet, have you?"

"I've only met with someone who offered to introduce me to the captain and made a tentative agreement."

"That's fortunate. It should be easy to cancel that contract then. We'll provide a lawyer to assist you with the cancellation process."

Chae Sang-Woo looked bewildered but nodded repeatedly. "But I heard you can't back out once you sign up..."

"Where did you hear that?" I asked him.

Then, I sent the contact information of the broker who arranged for Chae Sang-Woo's deep-sea fishing boat contract to Kwak Moo-Hyuk.

As expected, Kwak Moo-Hyuk wasn't particularly concerned.

-Don't worry. These brokers are less powerful than you think. I'll handle it, so just relax.

"Thank you, Mr. Kwak."

Chae Sang-Woo was surprised after overhearing the conversation.

After hanging up the phone, I checked my planner. However, the schedule still showed that Chae Eun-Byul would pass away.

[Everyday V10]

[Date: February 1, 2021]

-08:00 p.m. Stylist Lee Mi-Ri's only daughter, Chae Eun-Byul. Hanmaum Hospital Funeral Hall. Wreath delivery.

'

As expected. It hasn’t disappeared.

'

In that case, it seemed there was only one option left.