Clomp, clomp.
The two walked side by side, exchanging trivial conversation.
In the midst of that, Taesu showed puzzlement.
“The Raku truck is gone?”
“Yeah. You’re right. Did it already go to another village?”
“I couldn’t even say goodbye properly.”
“That’s a bit regrettable for me too.”
The two’s expressions turned bitter.
Though they had only briefly met in Makute, they were concerned because they had received help during a difficult time.
“We’ll meet again.”
“Right. But are you going to see Changgyu right away?”
“Hmm, no. I think it’d be better to visit after he wakes up.”
“I agree. He’ll be confused too.”
When Jeong Minsu agreed, Taesu asked.
“So how did it feel to hold a liver for the first time?”
“It was twice in a row, even with the Shanmeheum?”
“It must have been even more meaningful.”
“It really was. The first time, with Changgyu….”
Chatter, chatter.
The two’s conversation continued all the way to the lodging.
It was surprising that they still had things left to say even after spending the entire day together.
Back then, it had been an emergency with a patient in front of them.
It was the only time to have personal conversations they had kept putting off.
Even those personal conversations were focused on the patient, or on medical treatment.
For the two of them who met new patients every day, it was a natural sight.
That peaceful time did not last long.
It was the moment they entered the lodging’s yard.
Taesu and Jeong Minsu were startled and even stopped walking.
“Huh.”
“What?”
In the surprised gazes of the two, the NGO medical team gathered in the yard could be seen.
It was late at night.
Yet those who had not slept shouted and gestured upon seeing Taesu and Jeong Minsu.
“It’s Doctor Choe and Doctor Jeong!”
“The surgery ended a while ago, why are you only coming now?”
“But still, they say you finished the surgery brilliantly.”
“We’re waiting so long our necks might break. Hurry over here. There are snacks too.”
It seemed they hadn’t just waited, but had prepared thoroughly as well.
Meanwhile, Taesu and Jeong Minsu were bewildered by the unexpected situation.
“Why are those people waiting for us?”
“What on earth did the people who left first say?”
They felt like they were going crazy with curiosity.
But those who had been in the surgery weren’t there.
In front of them were only the NGO medical team members with sparkling eyes.
Curiosity could be felt intensely.
Taesu and Jeong Minsu instinctively intuited.
“This isn’t an atmosphere that’s going to let us sleep peacefully.”
“They won’t make us stay up all night, right?”
“Can’t be sure of that.”
“This is maddening.”
Taesu and Jeong Minsu’s expressions darkened.
Even making such expressions, there was no way it would work on the waiting medical team.
“Come quickly.”
“Shall we go grab them?”
Even threatening voices were heard.
There didn’t seem to be any way to escape anywhere.
Then there was nothing to be done.
“Minsu, let’s enjoy it.”
“Would it be enjoyable walking into a tiger’s den of my own accord?”
“If you keep your wits about you, it’s enjoyable.”
“I don’t think I can keep my wits about me.”
Jeong Minsu seemed to find the intense gazes directed at him burdensome.
Tap.
Taesu nudged him and said.
“Hang in there as best you can.”
“That’s your consolation?”
“To sleep, we have to get through there.”
“Really nothing we can do about it.”
Having realized the important fact, Jeong Minsu didn’t resist anymore either.
Clack, clack.
Taesu and Jeong Minsu’s expressions were grim as they closed the distance with the medical team.
The prediction was spot on.
As soon as the two arrived, the medical team reached out and pulled them down to sit.
“Sit down quickly.”
“Wet your throat with a drink here.”
Swish.
Taesu, who had taken a drink in a daze, greeted them first.
“It’s late, thank you.”
“What thanks. But you know….”
Someone subtly trailed off.
It wasn’t a troubled expression at all.
Rather, it was a signal flare that the barrage of questions was starting now.
Immediately, questions poured from all sides.
But the content of those questions was utterly absurd.
“Doctor Choe, the patient’s heart was thrashing around, but you solved it with your fist?”
“I heard that when you thumped it, the heart went ‘ugh’ and surrendered?”
“They say Doctor Jeong’s suturing is at sewing machine level?”
“They say someone clearly saw blood vessels anastomosing with one move of his hand?”
Taesu and Jeong Minsu grew more absurd the more they listened.
This wasn’t at the level of distortion, but questions close to mythology.
If left alone, they would be talked about as legends.
That was something that made no sense.
They had to correct this clearly right now.
Taesu and Jeong Minsu began clarifying the misunderstandings respectively.
“How could a heart surrender from being thumped?”
“Saying I’m at sewing machine level. No, how can a human hand move like that? It’s nonsense.”
They protested, but no one believed those words.
“Doctor Yun clearly said so. We all heard it together.”
“Doctor Jeong, are you saying Nurse Chu lied?”
“Let’s be honest now. How long have you been hiding your skills?”
As the questions changed in a strange direction, Taesu and Jeong Minsu grimaced and raised their voices.
“You know our skills.”
“We were asking around like that yesterday too.”
“Hiding our skills? That’s nonsense.”
Taesu and Jeong Minsu were now even feeling wronged.
Still, the public opinion that didn’t believe them had solidified and wouldn’t easily turn around.
Taesu and Jeong Minsu inevitably settled into their seats.
If they answered simply and moved on, the rumors seemed like they would swell and become mythology.
“Everyone please calm down and listen. So….”
“Just as Doctor Choe said, we….”
Taesu and Jeong Minsu explained one by one from the very beginning of the surgery.
Bedtime grew increasingly late.
Their eyes were dry and their necks stiff from fatigue.
But they couldn’t stop.
If they didn’t clarify now, it would be a big problem.
False rumors were already coming to mind.
- The legend among residents.
- The legend of volunteer medical service in Padum.
- Doctor Choe’s gesture tames a rampaging heart.
- Doctor Jeong’s suturing is already top-tier.
It was horrifying.
Rumors with falsehood piled upon falsehood were that much scarier.
That was why they couldn’t leave their seats first.
In the end, Taesu and Jeong Minsu couldn’t sleep until they had cleared up all misunderstandings.
The next morning.
Taesu and Jeong Minsu’s complexions were haggard.
It seemed the aftereffects of suffering until dawn yesterday had properly struck the two.
Shuffle, shuffle.
They forced their stiff bodies to move and were heading to the school.
“….”
“….”
Without conversation, they just walked looking straight ahead.
There was no life in their eyes.
They were walking instinctively with an expression devoid of even thought.
Before long, it was around the time they arrived at the school.
Squeak.
The entrance opened, and Yun Juseong and Nurse Chu Gangik walked out side by side.
It was at the same time.
Flash.
Fire flashed in Taesu and Jeong Minsu’s eyes.
That wasn’t all.
Energized from who-knows-where, they shouted and quickly closed the distance.
“Doctor Yun.”
“Nurse Chu.”
Rush, rush.
Perhaps misunderstanding the two’s fierce appearance, Yun Juseong waved his hand and welcomed them.
“Doctor Choe, Doctor Jeong, did you sleep well?”
“Sleep? Did you just say sleep?”
Taesu growled the moment they arrived.
Jeong Minsu’s eyes were also on the verge of firing lasers.
Yun Juseong and Nurse Chu Gangik were flustered by the two’s intense reactions.
“Why is the atmosphere like, like this?”
“That’s what I’m saying. Why are you all like this from early morning?”
They were full of incomprehensible expressions.
Taesu and Jeong Minsu went straight to the point without delay.
“What on earth did you say about the surgery?”
“Since when did we become such amazing doctors?”
It was simultaneous with the ensuing question.
Yun Juseong and Nurse Chu Gangik smiled faintly as if they finally understood the situation.
Representing them, Yun Juseong answered.
“Seems like it was chaos.”
“We were held up until three in the morning.”
“Until that late?”
When Yun Juseong was surprised, Taesu strongly showed his frustration.
“I thought I was going crazy. Really…. Whew.”
“I didn’t say anything that wasn’t true. I definitely only said the facts. So….”
Yun Juseong quickly began making excuses.
To that extent, Taesu and Jeong Minsu’s gazes directed at him were fierce.
Listening all the way through, it was nothing much.
He really had only spoken the truth.
Still feeling wronged, Taesu and Jeong Minsu asked questions intermittently.
“Me, and the heart….”
“Thump? I’ve never said that.”
“Me, the god of suturing….”
“I said it was very fast.”
Yun Juseong calmly entertained the two’s questions.
As that time showed signs of growing long, Nurse Chu Gangik stepped in to mediate.
“Doctor Yun didn’t say anything over the top.”
“Then?”
“They must have exaggerated among themselves.”
“Could it become this distorted?”
“If someone is determined to exaggerate, what words can’t they make up? Anyway, you worked hard until late.”
Nurse Chu Gangik spoke calmly, consoling them.
Only then did Taesu and Jeong Minsu’s blazing eyes slowly subside.
Listening, it wasn’t entirely wrong.
Especially, the two had received such misunderstandings several times in Korea.
Whether good or bad.
Regardless, misunderstandings tired people out.
This situation too arose from another misunderstanding called forth by misunderstanding.
Taesu acknowledged that point neatly.
“Ahem. I misunderstood too. I’m sorry.”
“Me too.”
Jeong Minsu immediately apologized after.
Yun Juseong waved his hand and stopped them.
“It’s fine. This isn’t something to that extent.”
“We did suspect a bit, thinking surely not.”
“Oh my. Was it because of the trouble between us?”
When Yun Juseong immediately asked, Taesu gave an awkward smile.
“Well, that’s part of it too.”
“We resolved everything in the operating room.”
“That’s what I thought too.”
Taesu nodded heavily in agreement.
Yun Juseong smiled faintly and steered the conversation to a mature one.
“What petty grudge would I have left?”
“R-right.”
“But didn’t they say they respected you?”
When Yun Juseong tilted his head in confusion, this time Taesu asked back.
“Respect?”
“I clearly said at that gathering that I respected Doctor Choe and Doctor Jeong.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Taesu, and of course Jeong Minsu too, opened their eyes wide.
At that time, Nurse Chu Gangik, who had been listening to the exchange, stepped forward slightly and spoke.
“I lay down to sleep, but many thoughts came to mind.”
“Because of that, we talked among ourselves.”
“The conclusion was one.”
“That if we had performed the surgery among ourselves, we couldn’t guarantee the same result.”
Yun Juseong and Nurse Chu Gangik spoke alternately.
There was no room for Taesu and Jeong Minsu to interrupt.
To that extent, the two’s words continued immediately.
“To speak frankly, this isn’t even Korea.”
“Where are school ties, regional ties, blood ties?”
“Everyone’s just starting from scratch.”
“Us, and you two in front of us too. Isn’t that right?”
Nurse Chu Gangik subtly asked.
Taesu and Jeong Minsu, who had been concentrating on the conversation, couldn’t help but agree.
“That’s probably true.”
“That’s why you’re even more amazing.”
“We’re not that amazing.”
“No. We respect you as people with wise minds who know how to utilize knowledge as wisdom.”
Listening, it wasn’t merely words spoken in excitement.
Utilizing knowledge as wisdom?
In fact, Taesu had modified and utilized Kaprene’s knowledge to suit himself.