Episode 5 of "Resident Playbook" kicks off with the OB-GYN department converging for a cozy team dinner, where playful professors egg on the residents to divulge the affectionate, yet playful monikers they've coined for their seniors. Jae-il attempts to steer the conversation elsewhere, but a tipsy I-yeong, unable to contain her giggles, spills the beans. Professor Seo, known for her inquisitive nature, has earned the moniker "Twenty Questions," as she relentlessly probes the residents with an endless stream of inquiries. Conversely, Professor Kong has been dubbed "The Screaming Devil" for her unyielding penchant for shouting her directives across the hospital corridors.
As I-yeong steps away to freshen up, she returns to find the dinner's festive ambiance seemingly dissipated, with her unwittingly munching on snacks meant for none other than Ahn Jeong-won.
The following day, hospital life resumes its hectic rhythm. Jae-il inadvertently mistakes a woman's stool for a tumor during an ultrasound scan, while Sa-bi grapples with disappointment, longing for a role in obstetrics despite Professor Ryu's praise for her gynecological prowess. Pyo Nam-kyung finds herself once again single after breaking up with her long-term boyfriend of seven years, promptly diving into another blind date but secretly hoping for a reconciliation.
Meanwhile, I-yeong, who has been overwhelmed by the workload due to an intern's inexperience, loses her composure and snaps at the intern in full view of patients. Do-won, catching the scene, sternly reprimands I-yeong for failing to rein in her anger.
Later, their paths cross again in front of the elevator to their dorm. Realizing it's past midnight and her birthday has officially arrived, I-yeong playfully asks Do-won to grant her a birthday wish: to say yes to everything she asks while they ride the elevator together. He humorously agrees, and when she boldly asks if she can have feelings for him, he obligation-bound, says yes.
However, once they step out, Do-won swiftly dashes her hopes, coldly informing her that if she wishes to create an awkward tension between them, she's welcome to keep harboring those feelings.
The following morning, I-yeong's family gathered to celebrate her birthday before she embarked on her daily journey to work, their laughter and joy filling the room. Meanwhile, Jae-il persisted in phoning senior doctors to verify his diagnoses, each accurate call inflating his ego further, oblivious to the unnecessary workload he was heaping upon his mentors.
The narrative then pivots to two mothers, their bond forged through the trials of cancer treatment, each with a child of comparable age. They shared stories, hopes, and dreams amidst their shared struggles.
Elsewhere, Sa-bi confronted a delicate situation with a hesitant patient, a grandmother ashamed of her prolapsed uterus and reluctant to undergo surgery due to the fear of gossip. Sa-bi strived to comfort her, his words a soothing balm, but it was Professor Ryu who ultimately prevailed. He framed her condition as a testament to her lifelong dedication and sacrifices for her family, his words resonating deeply. His encouragement shifted her perspective, inspiring her to reconsider surgery with a sense of pride rather than embarrassment.
In another part of the hospital, I-yeong's patient, who had been terrorized by the fear of not waking up after surgery and had implored I-yeong to call her name loudly, successfully underwent the procedure. True to her word, I-yeong shouted the patient's name, her voice a resounding bell that brought her back to consciousness.
Meanwhile, Do-won continued to steer clear of I-yeong, channeling his energy into assisting Dr. Myeong with her research paper. Later that evening, Jae-il boasted proudly about his successful diagnoses to Do-won, only to be rebuked for evading the responsibility of making final decisions independently and placing an undue burden on his seniors. The rebuke served as a stark reminder of the balance between confidence and humility in the realm of medicine.
As the residents bask in the serene tranquility of a much-needed peaceful night, Sa-bi's ill-timed remark about the prevailing calm curses their respite, and soon, an urgent Code Blue disrupts the serenity. One of the bonded mothers, whose health has been spiraling downwards with alarming speed, now faces the inevitable. The grim task falls upon I-yeong to break the heart-wrenching news to the woman's young daughter, an encounter that unearths her own buried sorrow—the loss of her mother during her middle school years.
Just as I-yeong grapples with her rekindled grief, Jeong-won arrives, embodying the compassion of his foundation that supports ailing patients and their families in distress. With gentle reassurance, he wraps the child in solace and guides her to her dying mother's bedside for a poignant farewell.
The episode concludes on a poignant note as I-yeong, half-asleep, stirs to the幻觉 of her mother's voice, only to awaken to an empty room. The harsh reality dawns upon her, and she collapses to the floor, her tears a testament to a grief that, despite the passage of time, remains as raw and poignant as ever.
