Once Taeho left the conference room, the remaining researchers looked at one another.
No one could bring themselves to speak first.
Dr. Jeong Minsu muttered quietly, as if to himself.
“......Has he lost his mind?”
Until now, he had worked while admiring Director Kang Taeho’s leadership, but today was different.
“What did you say?”
Dr. Park Sehui turned to look at him.
“No, I mean......”
Jeong Minsu glanced around. The other researchers were still in the conference room, whispering among themselves.
Jeong Minsu lowered his voice even more.
“Dr. Park, honestly, don’t you think this is strange? Suddenly pouring five billion dollars into expanding the research institute?”
“I don’t understand it either.”
“Three BSL-4 facilities? A supercomputer center? Producing one billion vaccine doses a year? For an organization of our size, this plan is impossible to handle.”
“That’s not all. Expanding to 1,500 employees within six months? We barely have thirty-three people right now......”
Jeong Minsu let out a sigh.
“I think the director has changed since getting married.”
“Marrying a UAE princess and receiving five billion dollars. Maybe his sense of reality has gone numb?”
“He’s drunk on the five billion dollars.”
Jeong Minsu gave a bitter smile.
“I suppose I’d be out of my mind too, if it were me. But the problem is......”
He looked around, then lowered his voice further.
“What happens to us. If the company goes bankrupt following this plan, we’ll all be unemployed.”
“Exactly. I’d only just gotten used to this place.”
“Me too.”
Jeong Minsu nodded.
“The environment at Geumsan Research Institute is truly good. The salary is higher than at major companies in Seoul, and research autonomy is guaranteed. But if all of that disappears......”
“Should we start looking for new jobs?”
Park Sehui sighed.
“But not right away. Let’s watch a little longer.”
“We should. For now.”
The two rose from their seats with heavy expressions.
***
Gihwan and Sophie were standing in front of the vending machine.
Gihwan bought two coffees and handed one to Sophie.
“Thank you, Kiuhwan.”
“Sophie. What did you think of today’s meeting?”
“Honestly?”
Sophie took a sip of coffee.
“I was surprised too. Investing the entire five billion dollars. I’ve never seen anything on this scale even in Paris.”
“Right?”
“But it seems like you trust the director, Kiuhwan. From what I saw during the meeting.”
“Yes. I trust the director.”
Seong Gihwan answered in a voice full of conviction.
Sophie rolled her eyes with interest and asked,
“Why?”
“When I first met the director, he told me, ‘In three years, we will build the best hospital in this region.’”
“And?”
“I couldn’t say it at the time, but inwardly, I was skeptical. How could a small rural clinic grow so much in such a short period of time? But now, the director has built up Geumsan Clinic, Geumsan Samcheok Hospital, and Geumsan Research Institute. Geumsan Research Institute alone has thirty-three employees and annual revenue of twelve billion won. And now he’s even received a five-billion-dollar investment.”
“That is impressive.”
“And that’s not all. The director has never once lied. He has never made a reckless decision either. He always had a plan, and that plan always succeeded.”
“So you think it’ll be the same this time?”
“Yes. This time too, I’m sure the director knows something. There must be information we don’t know.”
Gihwan drank his coffee.
“And to be honest, I owe the director a debt.”
“A debt?”
“Yes. In the past, after leaving the Hexagen Research Institute, I once wandered blindly through the mountains. I nearly died as a wreck of a man. It was a time filled with despair. The one who saved me then was the director.”
Sophie looked at him in surprise.
“The director was the only one who believed in me. And then he built Geumsan Research Institute and gave me the position of deputy director.”
“So something like that happened.”
“Yes. That’s why even devoting my whole life to the director wouldn’t be enough.”
“......I don’t know the director very well. But I’ll trust your perspective. If you speak of him to that extent, there must be a reason.”
“Thank you, Sophie.”
Gihwan smiled.
***
Dr. Lee Dongjin was sitting alone at his desk. On his laptop screen was the investment plan Taeho had presented.
“Five billion dollars......”
He muttered as his fingers tapped at a calculator.
Supercomputer center: 200 million dollars.
Three BSL-4 facilities: 600 million dollars.
Vaccine production facility: 800 million dollars.
......
“Total, five billion dollars. Six point five trillion won.”
A sigh escaped him on its own.
“If we include three years of operating costs, that’s another two point five trillion won. But current revenue is five hundred billion. A two-trillion-won deficit. This makes no sense.”
Just then, there was a knock.
“Come in.”
The door opened, and Dr. Jo Sang-o entered.
“Dr. Lee, I brought the experimental results.”
“Ah, Dr. Jo.”
Lee Dongjin raised his head.
“Did you run the numbers?”
“The numbers? Ah, the investment plan the director mentioned?”
“Yes.”
Jo Sang-o came to his side.
“How does it look?”
“Honestly, it makes no sense. Financially speaking, it’s suicide. The company will go under within three years—no, within one year.”
“I think the same.”
Jo Sang-o turned to leave, then hesitated for a moment.
“Dr. Lee, but while working here, I’ve had the thought that the director seems to see things we can’t.”
Lee Dongjin nodded.
“Hmm...... That’s true. But honestly, I’m anxious. What if he fails?”
“If he fails, it’s the end for us too. But if he succeeds?”
“If he succeeds?”
“We’ll go down in history. As people who changed the world.”
Jo Sang-o stood up.
“Well, the choice is up to each person. I’m curious what the other researchers will think.”
After Jo Sang-o left, Lee Dongjin looked at his laptop screen again.
The silence deepened.
***
A suite at the Samcheok Grand Hotel.
Taeho opened the front door and stepped inside.
“I’m back.”
Amira, who had been sitting on the living room sofa, lifted her head. She was holding a tablet, and a WHO report was displayed on the screen.
“Welcome back, habibi.”
Amira smiled and rose. She quickly examined Taeho’s face.
The faint wrinkles on his forehead, lips pressed a little more tightly than usual, the tired shadows around his eyes.
“How was the atmosphere at the institute today?”
Amira asked carefully.
“Well, it was all right. Everyone’s working hard. How’s your headache, Amira?”
“I took medicine and slept for a bit, and now it’s cleared up.”
“That’s a relief. Did you have dinner?”
Taeho loosened his tie and sat on the sofa.
“Not yet. I was waiting for you, habibi.”
Amira slowly stood and went behind Taeho. Then she placed her hands on his shoulders.
“You must have been too tense. Your shoulders are completely stiff, like stone.”
She began gently massaging his shoulders.
“Amira. I’m okay.”
“Stay still. I’ll loosen them for you.”
Amira’s touch was warm. Slowly, rhythmically, she pressed and released his trapezius muscles.
Taeho felt awkward at first, but soon he felt the tension gradually ease.
Amira carefully spoke.
“Habibi, don’t try to shoulder everything alone.”
“Hm?”
“The research institute, or anything else. Don’t try to carry it all alone. We’re husband and wife. We should bear it together.”
Taeho slowly turned his head to look at her.
Amira smiled.
Taeho pulled her into his arms. Amira hugged him tightly as well. For a while, the two held each other without a word.
“Now all my fatigue is gone. It’s all thanks to you, Amira.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
Taeho nodded with a smile.
“Amira, I have a favor to ask.”
“What is it?”
“Could you informally contact the G20 health ministers, the ones you know?”
“What should I tell them?”
Taeho looked straight at her.
At the heavy, serious look in his eyes, Amira’s heart trembled despite herself.
“That a new pandemic is coming. One far more dangerous than COVID-19......”
“How much more?”
“A fatality rate of over fifty percent. Twice as contagious as COVID-19.”
The color drained from Amira’s face.
If it had a fatality rate of fifty percent and twice the infectiousness of COVID-19, how many people would die?
“When?”
“Within six months to a year.”
“Hah!”
Amira covered her mouth with her hand.
Only the ticking of the wall clock in the living room could be heard.
Taeho placed his hands on her shoulders. The warmth of his palms calmed her trembling.
Amira emerged from her shock and looked at Taeho.
“How do you know that?”
“I can’t tell you yet, but I’ll let you know soon.”
Amira spoke in a trembling voice.
“If someone else had said this, I wouldn’t have believed them. I would have thought it was a conspiracy theory. But it’s you saying it. That’s why I believe you.”
“Thank you.”
“You are my husband, and the person I trust most in the world. If it’s something you say, I’ll believe it unconditionally.”
“If we send a warning to the G20 health ministers, they’ll ask for evidence. What should we do then?”
“For now, just say it’s ‘reliable information.’ Tell them the specifics will be disclosed later.”
Taeho explained.
“Since it’s an unofficial warning, it won’t be an official document. Just a heads-up.”
“All right.”
Amira nodded.
“Thank you so much, Amira.”
“You’re welcome.”
Amira smiled.
Even if a pandemic was coming, they could not simply go without dinner tonight.
“Then let’s eat now. I’ll cook.”
“You?”
Taeho looked at her in surprise.
“I make one incredible pasta. I learned from the palace chef.”
“Oh, then can I look forward to it?”
“Of course! Look forward to it!”
Amira cried out confidently, then took a whole bulb of garlic from the refrigerator and placed it on the cutting board. The way she held the knife was cautious, like a beginner. Amira began peeling the garlic with all her heart.
It took thirty seconds just to peel the first clove.
“Mm.”
Amira let out a small groan as she wrestled with the second clove of garlic.
A smile spread across Taeho’s lips. The sight was strangely endearing.
After peeling garlic for quite some time, Amira stopped the knife and looked down at her handiwork. Her brow furrowed slightly.
Taeho bit his lip to hold back his laughter.
Amira turned her head slightly and glanced at him.
“What are you laughing at?”
“Nothing.”
Taeho quickly hid his expression, but he could not hide the laughter in his eyes.
Amira pouted and turned back toward the cutting board. Her ears had turned slightly red.
As Taeho watched her with a smile, the research institute came to mind.
To prepare for the pandemic, they had to develop a vaccine quickly, and they had to manufacture and supply the developed vaccine in a short time. In the end, everything would become a battle against time.
Geumsan Research Institute had to grow in scale in preparation for that. But to achieve explosive growth in such a short period of time, the researchers’ cooperation was absolutely necessary. He had to persuade them, no matter what.
A sizzling sound came from the kitchen. The smell of frying garlic spread through the room.
Amira looked back and smiled.
“It smells good, doesn’t it?”
“Yeah, it smells nice.”
“Hurry and wash up. I’ll have a wonderful table set by then!”
Amira gestured for him to hurry.
Taeho smiled and turned around.
It was time to set down the weight of the world for a moment, rest, and fill his stomach.