Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Yes! Of course I do."

A 120 million won deposit.

And no rent for the first month.

There was no reason to keep looking elsewhere.

Gain smiled brightly.

"I'll take it."

After signing the contract, Im Gain posted on the Cyworld community used by female OB-GYN residents.

[DoctorG: Does anyone know somewhere near Somang City where I can get clinic equipment cheaply?]

It was a short post.

Several people replied.

[DriedRose80: Check the used-equipment board on the private-clinic doctors' forum. The cheapest option is usually buying an entire set from a senior who's closing their clinic.]

[Stripe79: Check the interest rate on your clinic-startup loan carefully too. A lot of seniors regret not looking properly.]

[Skyblue80: You failed to get the fellowship, so now you're opening a clinic? ;;; If you open one right now, you're seriously going to fail.]

Just then, her phone rang.

It was a former classmate from the Second Campus who had gone to the OB-GYN department at another university hospital after losing out to Gain because of grades.

"Gain, DoctorG is you, right?"

"Yeah."

"You're opening a clinic? You're not staying as a fellow?"

"Yeah."

"I know a senior who's closing his clinic and moving to America. He said he wants to sell everything together. The examination chair, ultrasound machine, X-ray machine... basically all of it. He hasn't posted it anywhere yet. Want me to connect you?"

"I'd really appreciate that!"

Gain nodded.

It's Saetbyeol.

They hadn't spoken for a long time, but they'd been close during medical school.

"Saetbyeol, give him my contact information and tell him I'll call."

"Okay!"

Gain received the closing doctor's contact information and called immediately.

She had already hired cleaners for her new clinic.

If possible, she wanted to move equipment in today or tomorrow.

She also needed to know exactly what the man was selling.

The moment she called, he picked up as though he'd been waiting.

"Dr. Im Gain? Saetbyeol told me about you."

"Yes."

"I'm currently using a GE Logiq 100. It's a black-and-white ultrasound machine, but it's more than enough for outpatient work. And the other equipment is... Actually, I'll hang up and send you a text. Look at the list, then call me back."

When the list arrived by text message, Gain nearly cheered.

Diagnostic ultrasound machine: roughly five to seven million won.

Examination chair and delivery table: three to four million.

Autoclave: one to two million.

Blood pressure monitor, stethoscope, and thermometer: three hundred to five hundred thousand.

Wall-mounted oxygen and suction equipment: eight hundred thousand to one million.

Speculum and vaginal examination instrument sets: two hundred to three hundred thousand.

Electronic medical records and computer system: usually five hundred thousand to one million.

He was asking only nine million won for everything.

Normally, equipment like this would cost at least fifteen to twenty million won used.

But because he needed it removed that same evening, he was selling it cheaply.

That's actually better for me.

Buying all of this new would've cost roughly seventy million won.

Nine million was almost unbelievably cheap.

At this point, he's practically giving it away.

Gain smiled.

Meanwhile, back at the Hanguk University OB-GYN department office, Han Seongyeon was furious.

"She acted like she was going to stay as a fellow, then the moment she failed, she took all her remaining leave and stopped coming to the hospital. Seriously!"

Because of Gain, the remaining residents had to cover all the leftover night shifts.

"Doctor G... Let's see. She's opening a clinic? Ha. The more you run a private clinic, the more important it is to have friends at major hospitals backing you up. Just try sending patients here."

Kang Taehun laughed.

"Is anyone opening it with her?"

"Looks like she's doing it alone. Opening a clinic alone as a female doctor without even a male doctor as a partner? That's reckless."

"But Seongyeon, you're not staying at our hospital either."

Kang Taehun teased her.

Han Seongyeon jabbed him with her elbow.

"I'm doing my fellowship at the Second Campus!"

"Yeah, yeah. Our Dr. Han is different."

Kang Taehun spoke almost to himself.

"I heard a doctor's appearance matters at a neighborhood clinic. Didn't she suddenly get weirdly pretty? Maybe she'll actually do well."

"Don't be ridiculous. It'll make people trust her less."

Han Seongyeon shook her head.

"If it were me, I wouldn't go back. You're a man, so you don't understand how women think. It's not dermatology. What good does it do for an OB-GYN doctor to be pretty?"

Gain mentally reviewed the price of each machine one more time.

Then she decided to make the deal.

She needed to secure these items immediately.

Gain pressed the call button.

"I'll come pick everything up tonight. What time works for you?"

Her voice was decisive.

The man on the other side gave a quiet laugh.

"You're Dr. Im, fourth-year resident at Hanguk University, right?"

"What? Ah, yes."

"I've heard you're hardworking. My niece was once treated by you."

"...!"

He spoke calmly.

"She didn't want her uncle doing her gynecological examination, so she went all the way to the university hospital instead. She said you were the kindest doctor there. If it's you, I think you'll put this equipment to good use."

A quiet laugh came through the phone.

Gain smiled.

"...Thank you. I'll take good care of it."

"I'm selling it for money. There's no need to thank me. Then I'll wait for you at nine."

Gain immediately arranged a medical-equipment moving company and hired a technician for temporary installation.

The clinic that was about to close was on the second floor of an old building on the outskirts of Seoul.

Its sign had already been removed.

Only a newly hung banner beside the entrance remained.

[CLOSING DOWN]

For some reason, the sight felt sad.

Ding-dong.

Gain pressed the bell.

A moment later, the door opened from inside.

A middle-aged male doctor appeared.

He hadn't shaved properly.

He looked tired and exhausted.

"Dr. Im, thank you for arriving on time."

He held out his hand.

Im Gain shook it.

"You've been through a lot. Are you leaving for America immediately?"

"Yes. Because of my visa, I have to leave sometime next week. Honestly, it was a huge relief when you said you could take everything immediately."

He smiled as he answered.

Then he invited Gain inside and showed her every piece of equipment one by one.

There was an examination chair covered in plastic.

A sterilizer whose glass had become slightly yellow with age.

An EMR computer with a keyboard that had also yellowed.

The doctor tried to turn the computer on, then frowned.

"The power has already been disconnected, so I can't turn this on."

"It's fine! I'll connect it once I get it there."

"The ultrasound was serviced a few months ago, and I replaced the power unit with a new one. The examination chair and delivery table are fine too, though you might want to replace the rubber on the handles."

Im Gain placed her hand on the machines.

They were all in good condition.

Someone had clearly maintained and used them carefully for many years.

This man is a good person too.

The fact that he felt guilty about not replacing something as small as the rubber handle already told her plenty about his personality.

There was no need to inspect every machine suspiciously.

Gain smiled.

"Thank you."

After everything had been loaded, the man stood at the clinic entrance and stared regretfully at the equipment on the truck.

"This may sound strange, but I feel relieved knowing my equipment is going to you."

Im Gain sincerely bowed her head.

"I'm relieved to have these machines too."

"Please use them well. And take good care of your patients."

"I will. Please give my regards to your niece too."

The man stood there like a statue, unable to tear himself away from the truck.

The driver shouted toward Gain.

"Doctor! Aren't you getting in?"

"I'm coming!"

Im Gain climbed into the passenger seat.

The truck started moving again.

The doctor remained standing there.

He didn't turn around.

He watched until the truck carrying his equipment completely disappeared.

His expression looked like someone saying goodbye to a part of his own life.

Watching him through the side mirror, Gain smiled faintly.

I'll take good care of everything.

After the truck arrived, the installation technician worked through the night setting everything up.

Once he finished, Gain looked around her clinic.

Honestly, this isn't the ideal location.

A friend had once explained what mattered most when opening a clinic.

First, it was best to choose an area with a large population of women in their thirties and forties, especially somewhere that continued attracting new residents.

Having lots of newlywed couples or families with young children was also a bonus.

An ideal area would have apartment complexes, shops, and private academies all together.

A location in a new town that was easy to reach by public transportation would be even better.

And naturally, it was best if there were no other OB-GYN clinics nearby.

But those places demanded enormous goodwill payments.

Places with low goodwill payments and reasonably good foot traffic had already been occupied by other doctors.

All the senior graduates already opened clinics in those places.

Every year, plenty of doctors graduated.

Only a limited number remained at university hospitals.

Most became employed doctors.

Some opened their own clinics.

Hmm.

If Gain opened a clinic within roughly five kilometers of an OB-GYN clinic owned by a senior from her university, she could be kicked out of the online community reserved for private clinic owners.

After that, she wouldn't be able to use the school alumni network either.

So she had to avoid places where seniors had already claimed their territory.

That means this is almost the only area left in the capital region.

She didn't have many choices.

In a way, that was convenient.

There was no need to overthink the decision.

That was why she'd come to look at properties here.

Having no choice can actually be a good thing.

A very senior doctor who had operated an OB-GYN clinic in this area had passed away, forcing the clinic to close.

The doctor who came after him hadn't lasted long and moved away.

That had created an opening for Gain.

During her days as a Saintess, the Queen had built a clinic for Gain in the best possible location.

Right in the center of the royal palace.

But that had made it difficult for people of low social status to reach her.

It meant she had unintentionally been selecting which patients she treated.

That wasn't the kind of medicine Gain wanted to practice.

It's better to be somewhere people can easily reach.

Her clinic was inside an alley, but it was only a short walk from the entrance.

The accessibility wasn't bad.

Gain liked that.

The next morning, Im Gain headed toward the clinic early.

She left slightly earlier than normal commuting hours.

Even in the early morning, Somang City's traditional market was already busy.

At every stall, seasonal herbs and vegetables had been stacked into cone-shaped piles.

Beneath orange tents rose the smell of cooking oil, fresh fish, and freshly warmed rice cakes.

A radio played quietly inside one shop.

It feels like a place where people really live.

Gain smiled.

Old signs crowded both sides of the alley, almost pushing against one another.

Fluorescent-colored notes carried handwritten messages in different styles.

[50% OFF TODAY]

[ONE BUNDLE OF WILD GREENS — 5,000 WON]

People passing by talked on flip phones.

Merchants carrying supplies and early customers moved busily through the market, bargaining over prices.

Then, without warning, a scream sharper than even the sound of oil popping from a frying pan tore through the center of the market.

"Oh my goodness! Someone collapsed! She's pregnant!"