Tokyo, 1994, starting with medical training

Chapter 55 Tea Party

As for the subsequent suturing work, Takikawa Takuhei, as the chief surgeon, could have already stepped down from the operating table.

"Kiryu-kun, I'll take over from here."

But he took the needle holder from the scrub nurse and began to operate it.

It doesn't make sense for him to learn something and then put on airs, making Kiryu Kazusuke do the finishing touches for him.

"Thanks for your hard work."

Kiryu Kazusuke didn't stand on ceremony and stepped off the stage to take off his scrubs.

He took off his mask, threw it into the trash can, turned around, and pushed open the door to leave the operating room.

The airtight door slammed shut with a "whoosh".

In the operating room, only Takikawa Takuhei, who was still stitching up the skin, and the nurses and anesthesiologists who were tidying up the instruments remained.

The air was eerily quiet.

The only sounds were the rhythmic "beep, beep" of the monitor and the occasional "buzzing" of the electrosurgical unit.

Takikawa Takuhei kept his head down.

The needle holder grips a curved triangular needle, pierces the skin, ties a knot, and cuts the thread.

Once, twice.

While its speed can't match the dazzling fluidity of Kazusuke Kiryu's, it's still quite acceptable.

"Um, Dr. Takikawa..."

The scrub nurse finally broke the silence, casually counting the number of hemostats as she spoke.

"Was that Dr. Kiryu just now really only a trainee doctor?"

Although she had only been at the hospital for a short time, she had worked with many top-tier doctors, but there were very few who could explain such a complex repositioning procedure so clearly and perform it so easily.

"Yes, I just graduated this year."

Takikawa Takuhei paused for half a second before resuming his normal movements.

The circulating nurse also came over, entering the billing information into the computer while chiming in.

"You're kidding, right?"

"I remember that medical trainees should also be learning how to write medical records and tie knots, right?"

"Why does he seem to be performing surgery more... than..."

She was halfway through her sentence when, in the end, considering Takikawa Takuhei's feelings, she swallowed back the part about "being more like the chief surgeon than you are."

But the meaning is already quite clear.

What just happened was truly counterintuitive.

A young, newly graduated medical resident directed a specialist to complete a highly complex repositioning procedure with just a few words.

Such a scene of subordinates defying superiors is simply unheard of in the operating room.

As early as the mid-80s, with the reform of Japan's medical system, the nursing department had already broken free from its traditional status as an "appendage of doctors".

This led to a result—

Although these nurses work with doctors every day, they do not participate in the hospital's internal morning meetings, case discussions, or personnel struggles.

They often miss out on information about who the geniuses are and who the professors' favorites are within the medical system.

They only care about the results.

Whoever performs surgery quickly, has a good temper, and doesn't cause them trouble is a good doctor.

In the common perception, medical trainees are a group of rookies who only know how to draw blood, run errands, and get scolded, and who are clumsy on the operating table and need help cleaning up their messes.

Takikawa Takuhei put down the needle holder.

Normally, he would definitely feel embarrassed and angry.

But today, he didn't have a temper at all.

It's a bit of a shame that they weren't involved in Shinya Suzuki's surgery.

If you see someone daring to scold specialists like Kiryu and Imagawa Ori, you should feel like the sky is falling.

"cut."

A soft snort came from behind the monitor; it was from the anesthesiologist, Ryoji Koura, who hadn't spoken until now.

"What's the big deal?"

"You guys haven't seen what that guy looks like on the operating table as Representative Ōkawara's son."

"Blind C-clamping, preperitoneal packing."

"Back then, even that good-for-nothing from Nancun was too scared to move; it was this kid who held the line."

He took the stethoscope off his ear and swung it around in his hand twice.

Unlike nurses, anesthesiologists are still affiliated with the medical bureau and are under the supervision of professors.

It wasn't until the late 90s that the Department of Anesthesiology gradually became independent as a "Surgical Management Department" or "Perioperative Management Center".

This is why surgeons always feel that they are the main characters in the operating room, and regard anesthesiologists as assistant technicians.

This left Ryoji Koura feeling resentful.

But Kiryu Kazusuke is different.

During the surgery, when Kiryu Kazusuke was instructing on the reduction, he specifically glanced at the monitor to confirm that the anesthesia depth was sufficient and the muscle relaxation was perfect before giving the order to proceed.

This is the greatest respect you can show to anesthesiologists.

They know their stuff.

Therefore, he didn't mind praising Kiryu and Kazuki in front of the nurses.

"Huh?! Really?"

"Wasn't it said that it was thanks to Professor Nishimura and Dr. Imagawa?"

The circulating nurse stopped typing, turned around in her swivel chair, and looked at him with a gossipy expression.

"That's why I say you guys have long hair but short brains."

Koura Ryoji snorted through his nostrils, pulled out the anesthesia record sheet, and showed it to everyone, eliciting a wave of surprise.

The visiting nurse seemed to have developed a great interest in Kiryu Kazusuke.

"By the way, Dr. Takikawa, Dr. Kiryu also graduated from Gunma University, right?"

"yes."

"Is he very famous at school? Is he the kind of academic superstar who gets scholarships left and right?"

"Well... I'm not too sure, I'm several years ahead of him."

Takikawa Takuhei gave a vague answer.

In fact, he had checked and found that Kiryu Kazusuke's grades in school were only slightly above average, not particularly outstanding.

This is also what puzzles him the most.

Is it really possible for someone to be a clinical genius who suddenly becomes a genius as soon as they step onto the operating table?

"So...does he have a girlfriend?"

The scrub nurse suddenly changed the subject, blushing as she asked a completely unrelated question.

She looked to be in her early twenties, the age when she was full of longing for love.

Although the current salary for medical trainees is not high, judging by his skills alone, his future is definitely bright.

If we could make a move at this time...

Anesthesiologist Ryoji Koura, who was standing nearby, was taken aback for a moment, and then quickly perked up his ears.

"Girlfriend?" Takikawa Takuhei was applying a patch when he thought carefully for a moment. "I don't think... I've ever heard of her."

"Normally, he just hangs out with that big-mouthed Tanaka, or he's either writing medical records at the clinic or grabbing discounted meals at the cafeteria."

"I've never seen him get close to any girl."

"She's probably...single, right?"

Upon hearing this answer, both the scrub nurse and Ryoji Koura's eyes lit up simultaneously.

"Very good!"

"Dr. Takikawa, how about we organize a joint event between our nursing department and the First Surgery Department?"

"Invite Dr. Kiryu as well."

The circulating nurse joined in the commotion, clearly noticing that the young girl beside her had feelings for Kiryu Kazusuke in that way.

The operating room suddenly turned into a tea party.

"Ahem!"

Sitting behind the anesthesia machine, Ryoji Koura coughed heavily twice.

"Hey you guys, have you forgotten what time it is?"

"Should we take the patient back?"

"If you keep dawdling, the anesthesia will wear off, and if the patient starts causing trouble in the operating room, let's see how you handle it."

As he spoke, he deftly organized all the pipes.

What's so great about socializing with the nursing department?

If Kiryu Kazusuke wants to drink, he can just go with him and bring along his cousin, who's a third-year student in the Faculty of Education at Gunma University.

(End of this chapter)