Since Tyler, one more member from the engineering team and one from the mining team have visited. Excluding those who came purely for cavities and loose fillings, I compiled the statistics of visitors over the past four days and realized that a significant number of people were visiting the dental clinic because of just one person.
If only the head of Engineering Team A could hold out, I could take it easy. Otherwise, if my patience wears thin, I'll have to work non-stop. I searched for Shin Hae-ryang, the head of Engineering Team A, in the staff search bar of the underwater base program on my pad.
[Engineering Team A Head Shin Hae-ryang * On Break]
I thought about sending a chat, but then I wondered if it was really appropriate to contact someone who was on break during working hours. The thought of what to say made me lose my nerve to send a chat.
What would I ask? "Hello, Shin Hae-ryang. I'm Park Mu-hyun, the dentist who has been here for four days. I heard that you've been taking care of the corns of the engineering and mining teams. Is that true?" "What do you mean? I've never done that." "I must have misunderstood." "Sorry. Oh, wait, are you suggesting we go to a back alley? Does the underwater base even have a back alley? I'm the only dentist within a 30km radius, so are you going to hit me in the face?"
I chuckled and shook my head, letting my imagination run wild. Maybe I'll meet him someday. I searched for all the names I had heard over the past four days in the staff search.
[Engineering Team A Member Kang Soo-jung * On Break]
After hesitating for a while, I used the chat program for the first time. [Hello, Kang Soo-jung. Thank you for the carrier. Thanks to you, my bag found its way to my room. I'll treat you to something delicious later. Have a good day.] Then I looked at the posts on the underwater base bulletin board and the restaurant menu, checked the reservation time, and called the next patient.
Overall, women's oral health is much better than men's. The dental condition of teenagers is a mess regardless of gender, but from the 20s onwards, there is a clear difference. While the ratio of males who behave like animals, reeking of alcohol and cigarettes, and not brushing their teeth, is overwhelming, surprisingly, people in the underwater base, regardless of gender, seem to make an effort to take care of their teeth.
Of course, that would be the case. If I were in space, I would brush my teeth diligently. Just being on a spacecraft would make my head spin, and I wouldn't want to add the pain of cavities. Many people try to manage themselves well because it's not easy to receive medical services at the right time in an isolated situation. Of course, there are also many who don't.
The man in front of me, Sato, was one of them. Sato Ryusuke, an engineer in Team A, was one of the few people who flossed properly. The reason was simple: he had two overbites, and there were many areas that couldn't be cleaned with a toothbrush. If he didn't floss, debris would get stuck.
"Is it possible to get braces?"
"Do you want to correct your overbite?"
"Yes, is it possible?"
"There are no set rules for braces. I've already inquired, but it will take about a month to establish regulations. I'll let you know when I get a response. As you might know, it will take at least 2 to 3 years, and it will be inconvenient, uncomfortable, and painful."
Sato Ryusuke is in his early 30s and has severe malocclusion, which requires screws in his gums. It would take at least 2 to 3 years. I explained in detail the general process of getting braces. If he gets braces, he will have to extract healthy teeth and avoid certain foods.
I wondered if it was even possible for someone who repairs the underwater base with a submarine to get braces. It might not be a big deal to walk around the base with braces. I explained how much it would cost based on Korean medical standards. After getting braces, he would have to be careful about everything, and especially avoid fights or accidents, which made the Japanese man snort.
"There would be no reason to fight in the underwater base if it weren't for Team Leader Shin Hae-ryang."
"Team Leader of Engineering Team A?"
"Have you met him?"
"No, not yet. I've only heard his name."
Sato started mumbling in Japanese. It seemed like he was wishing for Team Leader Shin Hae-ryang's physical well-being, but he spoke so fast that even the interpreter couldn't understand.
"What does he do?"
I expected an answer like a farmer harvesting corn in the ocean or a deep-sea Muhammad Ali, but Sato's answer was simple.
"He's a Korean engineer and the head of the team, but his personality is a bit unique."
The pronunciation of "unique" in Japanese came out strangely elongated from my old interpreter. I opened my mouth to ask what was unique about him but stopped. I could see the pent-up hatred in this man, like old gasoline. People who harbor hatred as I do can easily recognize it. He was openly displaying his underlying emotions, which made me uncomfortable, so I slightly shook my head.
"His teeth seem to be in good condition."
Sato laughed, and as his thin lips curled up, his problematic overbite was slightly revealed. His eyes gleamed. Sato, who had been fiddling with an orange whale, said,
"Are you from China? Or America?"
Through the staff search on the underwater base, I learned that no one's nationality, age, race, or gender is displayed. This was to promote a life free of discrimination and prejudice, but in reality, people of the same nationality often form teams, most team leaders are men, and job assignments vary by age, among other quite underhanded practices.
Such questions shouldn't even be asked, but it seems that most of the staff already know each other's nationality and age. They probably think I'm Chinese. They don't know my name. Most of my appearance is that of an East Asian, except for one part. It's probably because of my eyes.
"I'm of Korean descent."
Sato's smile instantly disappeared.
"But your eye colorโ"
"Yes, one eye is bright blue, and the other is black."
I developed heterochromia after a traffic accident when I was young, but fortunately, I didn't go blind. I don't remember it, but I had multiple surgeries. It doesn't affect my daily life much, but my blue iris is visible depending on the light. Sato slightly curled his lips and said softly,
"I'll send Team Leader Shin to you soon to keep you from getting bored."
ยทยทยทยทยทยทI felt a chill down my spine, similar to the fear I felt when I descended 3,000 meters in the central elevator of the underwater base.
According to Elliot, everyone working in the underwater base must undergo a psychiatric evaluation. Only those who pass can work underwater. So, most of the people I meet have been proven to have no significant mental issues by professionals. The madness Sato briefly revealed was well-contained and disappeared. I responded as if it didn't matter.
"ยทยทยทยทยทยทIt's fine. I just want to get paid without working."
The feeling of the damaged iris from the accident made me itchy. I praised him a few times for his good dental hygiene and gave him floss. We exchanged pleasantries about seeing each other again.
When I returned from the bathroom, I saw the floss neatly placed on the waiting table. He must have his own, or maybe he didn't like the one I gave him. I decided to think positively that I still had a new roll of floss in my hand.
It seems that the team leaders of the engineering teams are not that close, or maybe it's just Sato and Team Leader Shin Hae-ryang. Thinking about it, Team Leader Ivan didn't seem very sociable either.
After tossing the floss in the air a few times and catching it, I threw it into the box full of floss. Was his statement a recommendation to see a dentist, or a warning of violence as I suspected? I sighed and called the next patient.