A competent doctor can cure everything

“Oh my, why?”

“I’m curious about the expert’s analysis!”

The people around me were making more noise than I was.

Then Mika opened her mouth with a bit of a swagger.

“Unlike the previous videos, the thumbnail really stands out this time. You can tell that this video focuses on being entertaining.”

“True. Just looking at the thumbnail, it feels like a variety show.”

“Of course. These days, it has to be entertaining above all else. Honestly, the views on the previous videos were largely due to the name of Hanbit University.”

Mika made her point with a joyful expression, continuing her analysis.

“And the character of Lee Joon-sensei was portrayed really well. His bad acting and silly antics were funny, and yet the treatment scenes highlight a professional image, so it doesn’t come off as lighthearted.”

…It seems like a compliment, but for some reason, it makes me feel uncomfortable.

“There are plenty of factors that could make it an issue. If Lee Joon-sensei appears in a gaming YouTuber’s video and that pro gamer ‘Rocky’ gets attention. And above all, a decisive moment just happened.”

“?”

“What is it?”

At the mention of a decisive moment, everyone’s eyes widened.

“I left a comment. With my ID.”

Mika proudly showed us her phone screen.

Next to the ID ‘Mica’ was a badge indicating she was recognized as an official YouTube influencer.

– I enjoyed the video~ I also received great treatment from Dr. Seon Joon at Hanbit Oriental Medicine Hospital

“I gave it a little push. It’s going to blow up soon. Isn’t that great?”

“……”

To say that herself…

But it’s confidence backed by reason, so I couldn’t say anything.

As I was feeling mixed emotions, Mika shouted.

“However!”

“?”

“If you want to become a bigger figure, you need to fix your camera phobia, you know? Can I give you some advice?”

I scoffed at the notion of being a big figure and shook my head.

“Not happening. After this video, I won’t have to stand in front of a camera again.”

“Oh, you never know. These days, even doctors are doing a lot on YouTube.”

Mika placed one hand on her waist and spoke as if giving advice.

“Fame is like a giant megaphone. Even the simplest words become meaningful when shouted out loudly. Popularity is power.”

Power… That word caught my interest.

I had already experienced what happens when you lack the power to protect yourself and those around you.

Seeing my interest, Mika became excited and started her lecture.

“Alright, the first impression is crucial in everything. You tend to listen when an attractive person speaks. If the first impression of the video isn’t great within five seconds, people will immediately hit ‘back.’ So, look at the camera, smile brightly, and start.”

Isn’t this asking for too much right from the start?

I complained.

“How do you even do that?”

“Hmm… Imagine the camera as something you want to see, not just a piece of equipment. Like a friend you haven’t seen in a while, or maybe a pet you used to have. Picture that and start with a smile.”

A person you want to see.

That phrase made me think of my parents again, and my heart ached.

“And whether it’s a variety show or a medical information channel, there’s bound to be a script, right? Forget about memorizing it. Instead, understand the script and think of it as conveying it in your own words. Treat the camera as a friend you want to talk to and imagine you’re having a conversation with them.”

“Hmm.”

“Does it seem impossible? I promise it’s doable. Try to control your mindset like that during the next shoot. Ah, today I’ve shared some really great tips. I don’t just give these out to anyone, you know.”

“…Thank you.”

Suddenly, Mika turned her phone camera towards me.

“Okay, that’s enough theory. Now let’s practice like it’s real. Give me a smile.”

“Do I really have to do it right here?”

“Yes~. You absolutely have to do it right here.”

Who could stop her stubbornness?

I quickly gave in to the resistance and, looking at the lens, made an effort as Mika suggested.

A person I want to see. A person I want to see.

Then I moved my facial muscles to smile.

“Excuse me, Lee Seon-Joon.”

At that, Mika, who was checking my face through the lens, spoke in a blunt tone.

“?”

“Take that wistfulness out of your eyes. Where did you get those melodramatic eyes? Are you thinking about an ex-girlfriend or something?”

* * *

Monday after the weekend.

It’s the day to film the second treatment video for professional gamer Park Seok-jin.

The head of the marketing team couldn’t hide the broad smile spreading across his face as he headed to the shoot.

The response to the video uploaded yesterday was already enthusiastic.

It was gratifying to see the effort of bringing in the marketing team and enhancing the editing pay off.

However, no matter how fun the editing is, it’s all in vain if the material isn’t good.

As expected, the real star of the show is that resident doctor.

The head of the marketing team felt a sense of pride in proving his eye for talent was correct.

Moreover, there was unexpected support.

‘Mika left a comment?’

Of course, it became a hot topic and helped increase the view count of the video.

Curious about what was going on, he found out that she had been a patient of that resident doctor in the past.

‘That doctor… is definitely someone who’s going to make it big.’

While one can manipulate people with money or power, winning their hearts is a different matter altogether.

How did that young doctor manage to win the heart of a high-profile celebrity?

The head of the marketing team realized this obvious truth and chuckled to himself.

That resident doctor must have just worked hard at his job, as he demonstrated during the shoot.

‘By the way, I wonder what the special treatment they’re doing today is.’

As he went to work, the head of the marketing team felt a rare flutter in his chest.

Meanwhile, Professor Yeon Jae-wook arrived at the clinic with a mix of worry and anticipation.

The intern was already there.

“Hey! Lee Seon-Joon!”

After exchanging a few casual remarks, Professor Yeon asked what he was curious about.

“So, what kind of treatment are you planning to do today?”

“If it were the early stages of carpal tunnel syndrome, it could improve with acupuncture and herbal injections, but this patient has had the condition for a long time.”

“Hmm, right. He mentioned he had even been advised to consider surgery.”

“So, I plan to incise the ligament with acupuncture. This will reduce the pressure inside the carpal tunnel and alleviate nerve compression.”

Professor Yeon narrowed his eyes in interest.

This aligned with his own thoughts.

However, he asked a little more challengingly, “Where will you perform the procedure?”

“The main concern for me was whether to stimulate the median nerve. Each method has its pros and cons. Targeting the median nerve offers better treatment results, but I won’t do that today.”

“Why not?”

“I weighed the risks and benefits. I found out through an internet search that this patient has an important competition coming up soon, so I think it would be better to take a safer route, even if it’s slower.”

Professor Yeon blinked in surprise.

“You looked into that as well?”

“I wanted to better understand the patient’s perspective.”

The resident shared the details from the articles and community posts he found online.

The patient is a promising athlete with recognized skills, but he frequently misses competitions due to recurring wrist pain.

Moreover, his team has been stuck in second place for years.

“I even heard rumors that he might soon be kicked off the team or retire if things don’t improve. Knowing that makes me want to help him recover even more.”

“……”

Professor Yeon was momentarily at a loss for words as he collected his thoughts.

‘You even investigated that…’

It wasn’t directly related to the treatment.

It wasn’t something that would bring in money.

What surprised him was the time and effort put into understanding the patient.

He had seen many doctors who wanted to fix patients and earn a lot of money.

And as long as they didn’t use unethical methods, that was not a flaw but something to be proud of.

However, there were not many doctors who genuinely understood and treated patients from their perspective.

“So… what’s next?”

Professor Yeon threw out the question, expecting the resident to be flustered.

Determining whether to stimulate the median nerve was an important part of selecting the procedure site, so he thought the resident wouldn’t have considered anything beyond that.

After all, it was part of his treatment technique.

However, the resident calmly continued to speak.

“I will divide the wrist transverse carpal ligament into three areas: the proximal, middle, and distal. Then I will perform the procedure on the area where the tenderness is the most severe.”

“Then if all three areas have significant tenderness, you can treat them all.”

“No. I will only treat one area today.”

“!”

The resident deftly avoided the trap question that Professor Yeon had casually thrown out.

“The patient is receiving acupuncture treatment for the first time today. Since acupuncture is more intense than regular needles, I will treat only one area to allow the patient to adjust. If all three areas have severe tenderness, we can monitor the patient’s symptoms and treat them over several sessions.”

Typically, many impatient residents try to treat all points in a single day to speed up recovery.

Thus, this choice could be seen as prioritizing the patient’s needs over his own desires.

‘This intern… has a deep perspective.’

While Professor Yeon looked at the intern in surprise, he heard the voice of the publicity team leader.

The publicity team had already finished preparing for the shoot.

“Alright, doctor. Before the patient arrives, let’s film a segment explaining acupuncture. Many viewers may not know what acupuncture is.”

At the team leader’s words, the team members exchanged anxious glances, as if wondering whether they could successfully shoot the solo segment.

However, the resident nodded without changing his expression and then asked a question.

“Should I start looking at the camera?”

“Ah… yes, yes! You can start whenever you’re ready.”

His proactive approach seemed to catch the cameraman off guard.

The resident took a moment to take a deep breath, looked at the camera… and surprisingly smiled.

It was a warm smile that was unimaginable from someone who always appeared so composed.

“……!”

In front of an audience that had temporarily forgotten to breathe, the resident began his commentary.

“…Now, you may be curious about the principles of acupuncture treatment. The first keyword is relief. It alleviates pressure on the tissues, nerves, and muscles, as well as the adhesion of the joint capsule. The second is environmental improvement. Acupuncture improves inflammation and blood circulation, helping tissue regeneration.”

Surprisingly, it felt natural.

“What about safety? Syringe needles are designed to pierce with sharp, round tips, making it easy for them to cut through tissues. However, acupuncture needles are blunt and straight at the tip, which minimizes damage to blood vessels and nerves. So, there’s no need to worry.”

The resident continued smoothly, as if the words flowed like water.

“…Therefore, for those with long-standing pain conditions that haven’t improved with acupuncture or other treatments, it would be beneficial to try acupuncture.”

“…….”

“…….”

“It’s over.”

“Ah, that was… good. I think we can use this cut as it is!”

Once the dialogue was finished, no one spoke.

They stared blankly at the resident, momentarily forgetting what to say.

Then they realized that the shoot had gone well on the first attempt, and the staff were finally amazed.

“Doctor, you seem so much more natural than last week! What happened?”

“Did you receive a special lecture over the past week?”

The resident paused for a moment at the enthusiastic reactions from the publicity team and then smiled faintly as he replied.

“Yes. It seems the special lecture helped.”