Golden Time (JungYong)

83

Click, click.

Never-stopping camera shutter sounds and camera lights that popped up here and there seemingly looking like stars.

Suhyuk looked around. 

There were more than 100 people seated down, looking at him. Then they all stood up in unison.

He heard a muffled applause from someone, and then everybody there clapped their hands at him.

"What's this all about…"

When Suhyuk made a blank expression, he heard William's voice from the side.

"Let me introduce to you, Dr. Lee."

Suhyuk turned his head to William, who was now standing on the podium.

He was dressed in a black suit. Though his dishevelled hair was the same as always.

With a smile, William looked over at him, asking him to step up to the podium.

Suhyuk slowly walked up to William, with all the people inside now casting their eyes at him.

He could not understand the whole situation at this moment.

"William, what the heck is this…"

"They have lots of questions now."

At that moment one reporter asked, raising his hand,

"You solved quite a big conundrum. Does this now mean that you can revive dead nerve cells by using stem cells?"

Suhyuk opened his mouth, with a puzzled look, "Yes..."

"Dr. Lee, what do you think about the costs of stem cell transplant, which must be very high?"

"Dr. Lee! Look this side!"

Reporters asked questions here and there, but Suhyuk answered each question calmly.

The question and answer session lasted about one hour.

William stood quietly next to Suhyuk.

Now he could treat his mother who had a limp caused a traffic accident.

William smiled, murmuring to himself, "Thanks, Dr. Lee. I owe it to you."

When there were no more questions and the camera flashes diminished, Suhyuk let out a long sigh.

***

The next day.

Waking up from the bed, Suhyuk again found himself embarrassed.

For Prof. Han came into his room early in the morning.

Han opened a newspaper suddenly, with its front page showing a big picture of him standing at the podium.

Han said, "You're on the TV news too."

Suhyuk headed to the living room as if he was absent-minded. 

Yes, it was true that he was on the TV news, and at that, on the news hour of a  network that has considerable global influence.

Was he not completely awake from sleep? He rubbed his eyes with his hand.

Suhyuk threw himself on the sofa.

"You're really a wonderful guy." 

Han shook his head after watching him.

He had heard from the start that he and William were working on stem cell every night.

And he expected that Suhyuk might come up with some astounding result.