24 Hours of Miracle - Guardians Awakening #2

 

When the emergency room doors open, people standing at the crossroads between life and death enter. Medical staff fight with everything they have in those brief moments to save lives. But sometimes, even with medicine and their utmost efforts, there are moments that cannot be undone.

What if those moments could be reversed? What if you could go back in time to before the last ember of life was extinguished? But what if even that miracle came with a price?

Kim Sora, a 25-year-old emergency medicine resident, finds herself facing exactly such a choice. A single miracle in the emergency room of Seoul National University Hospital in 2030 completely changed her life.

After the worldwide "Awakening Event" of 2025, a very small number of people gained supernatural abilities. The medical field was no exception. But what does it mean to use abilities in medical settings where lives are at stake?

This is the story of a doctor torn between her desire to save patients and her own well-being, between medical limitations and supernatural possibilities. Sora's choice becomes not just a personal matter, but something that will impact the entire medical community and awakened society.

If you've ever worried about your family's health, if you've ever felt grateful for the dedication of medical professionals, this story will resonate even more deeply. We hope this becomes a time to reflect together on the weight of life and the preciousness of time.

Estimated reading time: 25-30 minutes

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24 Hours of Miracle

Chapter 1: The Beginning of a Miracle

November 2030, Seoul National University Hospital's emergency room was as busy as ever. Holographic charts floated in the air while AI diagnostic systems chimed softly with gentle alerts.

Kim Sora was examining a patient in bed 3, wearing her white coat. At 25, she was a third-year emergency medicine resident known among her colleagues by the nickname "Miracle Hands."

Sora: "How are the vital signs?"

Choi Mi-young: "Blood pressure 120 over 80, pulse 72. Stable."

35-year-old head nurse Choi Mi-young was a veteran with 15 years of ER experience. She knew better than anyone that Sora's treatment success rate was unusually high.

Mi-young: "Patients always get better quickly once Dr. Sora touches them. It's really amazing."

Sora: "I've just been lucky."

But is it really just luck? Sora thought to herself. Lately, she'd been having strange intuitions when treating patients. A feeling as if time moved slowly, and a certainty as if she knew beforehand that the patient's condition would improve.

Just then, the emergency room entrance burst open as paramedics rushed in.

Paramedic: "Multi-vehicle accident victims coming in! Three adults, one child!"

Sora's heart raced. Dr. Lee Jun-hyuk began taking command.

Lee Jun-hyuk: "Sora, you take the pediatric patient. Nurse Mi-young, prepare trauma room 1!"

Jun-hyuk: "8-year-old female, Park Ji-min. Multiple trauma, unconscious!"

Sora immediately rushed to the stretcher carrying Ji-min. The small body was covered in blood, and her breathing was very weak.

Sora: "Ji-min, can you hear me? You're going to be okay."

But the monitor signals were getting weaker. Her heart rate was dropping rapidly.

Mi-young: "Doctor, heart rate dropping to the 30s!"

Sora: "Prepare the defibrillator!"

Jun-hyuk: "Sora, I'm afraid..."

Jun-hyuk's expression darkened. Ji-min's condition was critical. With multiple internal bleeding and increased intracranial pressure, there was medically little they could do.

At that moment, Sora felt something strange in her mind. It was as if time had stopped.

It's not too late yet...

Sora unconsciously placed her hand on Ji-min's chest. Suddenly, she felt as if the world was spinning backward.

The heart rate on the monitor began to rise from 30 to 40, 50, 60. The blood flowing from Ji-min's wounds seemed to flow back in reverse.

Mi-young: "How... how is this possible?"

Jun-hyuk: "What in the world...?"

Sora herself didn't know what was happening. But what was certain was that Ji-min was coming back to life.

Sora: "Heart rate back to normal!"

Ji-min opened her eyes.

Ji-min: "It... it hurts..."

Sora: "It's okay, Ji-min. You're safe now."

But Sora suddenly felt dizzy. Her knees wobbled, and cold sweat broke out.

Mi-young: "Doctor, are you alright?"

Sora: "I'm fine. Just... a little tired."

Jun-hyuk checked Ji-min's condition once more. The child who had been in danger just minutes ago was now in stable condition.

Jun-hyuk: "Sora, did you do some special treatment?"

Sora: "No. I just... did what I normally do."

But this wasn't normal. Sora couldn't understand what had happened to her, but she could feel that something special had definitely occurred.

Jun-hyuk: "Well done anyway. We can give Ji-min's parents good news."

As treatment of other patients continued, Sora went to the break room. Looking at herself in the mirror, she seemed a bit paler than usual.

What just happened?

But the fact that Ji-min was alive was certain. And the intuition that it was connected to her.

Chapter 2: Exploring the Ability

A few days later, Sora visited the pediatric ward to check on Ji-min's recovery.

Ji-min: "Doctor! Thank you!"

Sora: "You're all better now. Thank goodness."

Ji-min's mother: "Thank you so much. The doctors said it was a miracle."

Sora: "Not at all. Ji-min was strong and overcame it herself."

But Sora knew. This wasn't just medical recovery.

That night, another emergency patient was brought to the ER. A man in his 60s showing symptoms of myocardial infarction.

Jun-hyuk: "We've already missed the golden time. He's been in cardiac arrest for 10 minutes."

Sora: "Let's try once more."

Jun-hyuk: "Sora, be realistic. The possibility of brain death..."

But Sora approached the patient. And once again, she tried to focus on that strange feeling.

Let me reverse time.

As she placed her hand on the patient's chest, once again she felt the world spinning backward. The ECG graph seemed to move in reverse.

The patient's heart began to beat again.

Mi-young: "Doctor... you're truly amazing."

But this time Sora felt more severe dizziness. Her vision blurred and strength left her legs.

Jun-hyuk: "Sora! Are you okay?"

Sora: "Yes... I'm fine."

But she wasn't fine. Looking in the bathroom mirror, she saw a few gray hairs that definitely hadn't been there yesterday.

Could it be...

The next day, Sora decided to carefully experiment with her ability. She brought a broken cup from the break room and tried to reverse time.

The cup returned to its original form. But at that moment, Sora felt sudden fatigue.

Every time I reverse time... is my own time being shortened?

Jun-hyuk entered the break room.

Jun-hyuk: "Sora, you've been strange lately. Your patient treatment success rate is close to 100%. Is that medically possible?"

Sora: "I've just been lucky."

Jun-hyuk: "Lucky? Saving 10 consecutive critical patients is luck?"

Jun-hyuk's gaze sharpened.

Jun-hyuk: "Sora, are you... an awakened one?"

Sora hesitated for a moment. Jun-hyuk was a trustworthy senior, but it wasn't easy to confide something like this.

Sora: "If I were... what would you think?"

Jun-hyuk: "Honestly, it would be surprising, but... wouldn't it be good if you could save patients?"

Mi-young rushed into the break room.

Mi-young: "Doctors, emergency patient coming in!"

This time it was a man in his 20s injured in a construction accident. His condition was very serious.

Sora used her ability without hesitation. But this time the side effects were more severe. Along with dizziness, she became short of breath.

Jun-hyuk: "Sora, your face is pale."

Sora: "I'm fine. The patient is alive."

But on the way home, Sora was shocked when she looked in the mirror. More gray hairs had appeared, and fine wrinkles had formed on her face.

Every time I save a patient... my life is being shortened.

Chapter 3: Discovering the Price

The next morning, Sora was called to the hospital director's office.

Yoon Sung-ho: "Dr. Sora, please sit."

55-year-old hospital director Yoon Sung-ho was a former cardiac surgeon, conservative yet rational.

Yoon Sung-ho: "I've received reports about recent events in the emergency room."

Sora: "What kind of events?"

Yoon Sung-ho: "Dr. Sora's patient recovery rate is at a statistically impossible level."

Yoon Sung-ho displayed a holographic chart. Records of patients Sora had treated appeared.

Yoon Sung-ho: "The government is implementing management policies for awakened medical staff. If there's anything to report..."

Sora: "Director, if... if I were an awakened one, what would you do?"

Yoon Sung-ho: "If you can save patients, I welcome it. But medical ethics and safety issues are separate matters."

Sora explained her ability and its side effects.

Yoon Sung-ho: "Then you must use it carefully. Your life is precious too."

That afternoon, a major fire accident occurred. 15 patients were brought to the emergency room at once.

Jun-hyuk: "Sora, don't overdo it this time."

But the patients' conditions were too critical. Among them were pregnant women and children.

Sora faced a dilemma. Using her ability could save more lives, but her own life would be shortened even more.

Who should I save and who should I give up on?

The first patient was a pregnant woman in her 30s. Sora used her ability to save her. But soon the second and third patients arrived.

Each time she used her ability, Sora aged more. Age spots began appearing on the back of her hands, and more than half her hair turned white.

Mi-young: "Doctor, are you alright? Your face..."

Sora: "I'm fine. Let's continue."

Jun-hyuk: "Sora, stop now. We can't have you collapse too."

But two children still remained. Sora squeezed out her last strength to save them.

After saving all the patients, Sora collapsed.

Jun-hyuk: "Sora!"

Before losing consciousness, Sora thought:

This is the path I chose...

Chapter 4: Finding Balance

Sora opened her eyes in a hospital bed. Jun-hyuk and Mi-young were beside her.

Jun-hyuk: "You were unconscious for three days."

Sora asked for a mirror. Her reflection looked like someone in her late 30s.

Sora: "I've aged... a lot."

Mi-young: "But you saved 15 lives."

Jun-hyuk: "Sora, you need to change your thinking now. If you collapse, you can't save more patients."

Sora: "But if I don't save them..."

Jun-hyuk: "We're here too. Ability isn't everything."

Hospital Director Yoon Sung-ho visited the room.

Yoon Sung-ho: "Dr. Sora, how are you feeling?"

Sora: "I'm fine."

Yoon Sung-ho: "From now on, we're going to limit your ability use. Maximum twice a day, and only after consulting with other medical staff."

Sora: "But then there will be patients I can't save..."

Yoon Sung-ho: "If you work as medical staff for 10 years, you can save more lives. But if you push yourself like now, you won't last a year."

Sora realized Director Yoon was right.

Starting the next week, Sora began working in a new way. She only used her ability in truly desperate moments, and instead relied more on general medical knowledge and experience.

Cooperation with Jun-hyuk also became more systematic.

Jun-hyuk: "Sora, this patient seems manageable with regular treatment."

Sora: "Yes, let's proceed with standard protocol."

In some cases, she learned that patients could be saved without using her ability. Medical staff cooperation and proper judgment were sometimes more important than abilities.

A month later, Ji-min came to visit Sora.

Ji-min: "Doctor, I'm completely better!"

Sora: "I'm so glad you're well."

Ji-min: "Mom says you're my lifesaver."

Sora: "You overcame it because you were strong, Ji-min."

But Sora knew. The price she had paid to save that child. And that she didn't regret it.

Mi-young: "Doctor, you seem very different lately."

Sora: "How so?"

Mi-young: "You seem wiser. Before, you tried to save every patient with your ability, but now you make situational judgments."

Sora looked in the mirror. She still looked older than her actual age, but her eyes seemed deeper.

Thinking about my parents' accident in childhood... Sora recalled the past. The moment she decided to become a doctor. Her childhood resentment toward the medical staff who couldn't save her parents.

But now she knew. That doctors are humans, not gods. That while you must do your best, you must also know how to accept the impossible.

Jun-hyuk: "Sora, you've really become an excellent doctor now."

Sora: "Thank you, senior."

Epilogue: A New Medical Professional

A month later, Sora's ability was officially recognized within the hospital. She also joined the government's awakened medical staff program.

Sora: "Do you think there will be more awakened medical staff in the future?"

Yoon Sung-ho: "There will be. But they need to be people who can use their abilities as carefully as you do."

One day, Sora heard interesting news on TV.

News: "Reports say a detective with the ability to read others' memories is active..."

There are other awakened ones too. Sora thought.

Mi-young: "Doctor, might there be opportunities to cooperate with that detective? It could help with trauma patient treatment."

Sora: "That's a good idea."

That night, Sora was working the night shift in the ER. A new patient came in, but this time regular treatment was sufficient.

While caring for the patient, Sora reflected. She didn't know if her ability was a blessing or a curse, but now she had learned to use it wisely.

Her reflection in the mirror still looked aged, but her heart was more peaceful.

I feel like I've become a real doctor now.

Through the window, drones flew peacefully through Seoul's night skyline. The world of 2030 continued to advance, and within it, Sora was saving lives in her own way.

In the future, more awakened medical staff would appear, and together they would write a new history of medicine.

But most importantly, Sora now knew for certain that what mattered wasn't ability, but a heart that cherishes life.

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To Our Readers

Kim Sora's awakening story ends here. It was a tale about the ability to reverse time, its consequences, and making wise choices.

Would you sacrifice your own life to save patients? What standards should guide the use of abilities by medical professionals? What help might the colleagues Sora will meet provide?

In the next story, Park Jin-woo's awakening story awaits you - a man who can gather information from around the world through shadows. We hope you'll join us for the third journey in the Guardians Universe.

Previous Episode: Truth in Memory - Guardians Awakening #1