“It’s already been nearly a year living like this.”
“You’ll be going back soon, then.”
“Well, I’m planning to stay for about two more years.”
At that, Kang Yeonghun blinked.
“You’re planning to stay quite a long time.”
“Yes. But should I call it a kind of homesickness? I think I may have developed a bit of that.”
“Hmm.”
“But it’s gradually disappearing.”
At Taesu’s unexpected reversal, Kang Yeonghun’s face turned puzzled.
“I suppose doctors can control even illnesses.”
“No. It just so happened that the medicine I needed appeared.”
“Congratulations.”
“Yes. Thank you for appearing.”
Bow.
When Taesu suddenly greeted him and even bowed his head, Kang Yeonghun was startled.
“Us?”
“Yes.”
“No, what could we have done, showing up with a sick child in our arms?”
Kang Yeonghun’s face was full of bewilderment.
Taesu smiled gently at him and said,
“We’re talking like this, without going through anyone.”
“Just this?”
“Yes. I think I was hungry for a conversation like this.”
With those words, Taesu fell silent for a moment.
Kang Yeonghun also seemed to be thinking about something.
“……”
“……”
The conversation between them disappeared.
It felt awkward, but not enough for either of them to spring up and leave.
Of the two, Taesu was truly being comforted.
All he was doing was speaking directly with a guardian.
And yet, his stress was slowly easing.
The silence continued a little longer.
Scrape.
Taesu rose from his seat and said,
“It’s late. Please rest.”
“You’re just… leaving?”
“Is there anything more you’d like to say?”
Taesu asked in return.
Kang Yeonghun hesitated, then shook his head.
“No, not really.”
“Then I should go.”
“R-rest well.”
Kang Yeonghun said goodbye with a dazed expression.
Taesu returned the farewell and headed for the ward door.
Rattle.
Taesu opened the door and was about to step outside.
But then he suddenly stopped there.
After thinking about something, Taesu spoke in a low voice.
“Thank you.”
“Yes?”
“I said thank you for listening to me. Well, then.”
Click.
Taesu closed the door and came out.
Standing in the hallway, Taesu glanced back at the ward door.
He had meant it when he thanked him for being someone to talk to.
Aside from that, they were the patients from the village he had seen in the photographs.
Putting everything else aside, what came first was the pity he felt that they had lived in seclusion in the mountains and had not received proper treatment.
‘That’s right. The patients come first.’
As he treated them, the next matter would naturally move forward.
What if it was true?
And if, conversely, it wasn’t?
Once again, his thoughts split into several strands and stretched out mercilessly.
Tap, tap.
Taesu tapped the side of his head, shaking off his thoughts.
At the same time, he remembered the important thing he absolutely had to do now.
His gaze hardening with solemn resolve, Taesu murmured quietly,
“Let’s go sleep.”
Because of the aftereffects of yesterday’s surgery, he had decided to take a break from studying through today.
The pinnacle of rest was, without question, sleep.
He couldn’t waste such a precious opportunity, so he hurried toward the lodgings.
Time flowed diligently forward.
And three days later.
It was the fourth day since Shanmeheum had awakened.
During the afternoon clinic hours, Taesu and Yun Juseong were coming out not from the medical tent, but from the school.
As if they had forgotten it was clinic hours, their expressions were bright and relaxed.
“It’s a relief that everyone’s progress is good.”
“Especially Shanmeheum. He’s holding up well.”
“Yes. He’s completely past the crisis now.”
“His mother’s immune system is slowly returning to normal, too.”
Their faces were bright, and there was plenty of good news to match.
The two of them were on their way to the medical tent.
But even their steps were leisurely.
They even talked while looking at the scenery unfolding before them.
“It really has gotten a lot quieter.”
“We were dying until yesterday.”
“And yet, maybe because it’s so quiet now, yesterday feels far away.”
Taesu even had the leisure to take in a deep breath.
Just as the two said, the area in front of the medical tents was quiet.
Even inside each medical tent, only about half the medical staff were present.
Medical Tent 3 was the same.
Yun Juseong, who had been listening quietly, said,
“I wonder if it’s all right to get time off during a medical volunteer mission.”
“Technically, it isn’t time off. It’s split shifts.”
“The first day we got here was really dynamic, though.”
As Yun Juseong recalled it, Taesu also brought that time back to mind and said,
“It was only quiet until the morning of the day we arrived.”
“Right. We should say it was quiet, at least. Starting at lunchtime, Changgyu and then Shanmeheum—bombs started appearing one after another.”
“Changgyu, yes. That was the day we first saw Changgyu, too.”
Taesu’s answer was bitter.
Knowing the reason, Yun Juseong offered comfort.
“He still hasn’t woken up, but his vitals are improving.”
“Even with the same physical condition, whether someone wakes up or doesn’t makes a considerable difference.”
“That’s true.”
A shadow fell over their bright faces.
In the meantime, the two, who were off from the afternoon clinic, headed toward the lodging building.
But the area around the medical tents had a strangely bustling atmosphere.
Yun Juseong spoke first with a puzzled expression.
“Why is it so unsettled?”
“I know. It does seem a little strange.”
Taesu was just as curious.
It was true that the medical volunteer work had grown more relaxed.
But this kind of commotion was hard to understand.
Just then, Doctor Hassan came into view.
He must have seen them as well, because he waved broadly at the two and shouted,
“Doctor Yun, Doctor Choi!”
The way he called out felt unusual.
“Let’s go.”
“Let’s.”
Tap-tap.
The two immediately headed that way.
And as soon as they faced Doctor Hassan, Taesu asked,
“Doctor Hassan, has something happened?”
“You haven’t heard?”
“Heard what?”
“The order for all medical staff and volunteer members to gather in the cafeteria.”
At Doctor Hassan’s words, Taesu shook his head and answered,
“We’re just coming from the school, so we didn’t hear.”
“Same for me.”
It was then.
Ding, ding.
Taesu’s and Yun Juseong’s phones rang at the same time.
Each of them took out his phone and quickly checked.
The text that had come to Taesu was from Jeong Minsu.
—To the cafeteria, quickly.
After checking it, Taesu spoke in English because Doctor Hassan was with them.
“Doctor Jeong just sent a summons now.”
“Nurse Chuga sent one to me.”
“We should go, shouldn’t we?”
“Of course.”
After their brief agreement, Taesu guided Yun Juseong and Doctor Hassan.
“Let’s go.”
“Doctor Hassan, let’s go.”
“Right.”
Taesu and the two men set off first.
Soon, the other medical staff also began moving.
Only the minimum number of personnel remained in the medical tents and continued treating the patients.
Basic order was maintained thoroughly.
But the atmosphere was somewhat buoyant.
That atmosphere continued in the cafeteria as well.
Murmur, murmur.
The moment they entered, the sound of conversation filled their ears.
With the medical staff joined by the volunteer members, the cafeteria was packed.
Looking at the large crowd, Taesu said briefly,
“If we handed out a glass of water to everyone, our arms would fall off.”
“We should put up a sign saying water is self-service.”
“That’s a good idea, but what on earth is going on?”
Since they had never gathered like this before, he tilted his head.
It wasn’t just Taesu. Yun Juseong and Doctor Hassan felt the same.
First, they had to find their group.
Fortunately, the black hair that was a characteristic of Koreans stood out all the more among foreigners.
Taesu immediately found the place where their group was gathered.
“That spot over there looks gloomy.”
“Let’s go. Doctor Hassan, we’ll see you later.”
With that farewell, Taesu and Yun Juseong moved at once.
When the two approached, Jeong Minsu waved to let them know.
“Teacher Yun, Taesu.”
“Let’s make some room.”
Rustle.
The Korean medical staff hurriedly shifted their bodies.
Taesu and Yun Juseong took the seats that had been made.
Taesu asked Brad Kim, who had the most pull among them,
“Brad, haven’t you heard anything?”
“Heh heh.”
“What is it?”
“You’ll find out soon.”
Brad Kim only smiled broadly.
Taesu glanced around at the others.
Just then, Kim Hyeokgwon met his eyes and said curtly,
“Only Doctor Kim has been grinning nonstop.”
“Then I guess we’ll find out soon. More importantly, Shanmeheum is…”
Taesu first shared the conditions of the patients he had checked on.
Everyone put the noisy surroundings behind them and listened closely.
A short while later.
A loud voice suddenly rang out from the other side.
“The doctor is coming.”
At the same time as those words,
“……”
“……”
The room became as quiet as a lie.
Every gaze turned toward the cafeteria door at once.
Step, step.
Doctor Schmidt and Volunteer Leader Briner walked in side by side.
Their mood looked quite good.
Good news?
What news?
Curious gazes spread in every direction.
In the meantime, Doctor Schmidt and Volunteer Leader Briner reached the prepared seats.
After briefly exchanging glances, Doctor Schmidt spoke first.
“You must have been surprised by the sudden order to gather.”
“……”
When everyone remained silent, Doctor Schmidt immediately continued.
“First, I would like to say that every one of you has truly worked hard.”
“Yes?”
“As of this evening, the medical volunteer work in Padum City will come to an end.”
Doctor Schmidt delivered the weighty news.
From the flow of things, it seemed everyone had expected it to some degree.
But they had not expected it to happen today, and their eyes widened.
“Huh? What?”
“Thanks to all of your efforts, we were able to move it up by several days.”
“Ah.”
“Now, let us give a powerful round of applause to everyone who has worked hard together until now.”
Doctor Schmidt urged them on vigorously.
Everyone’s surprise gradually turned into joy.
“Waaah!”
“Hey, wahaha!”
“It’s over!”
“You worked hard.”
Clap, clap, clap, clap.
A storm of applause burst out endlessly.
They also shared the joy of celebration by shaking hands and hugging the people seated around them.
However, the expressions of Taesu and the Korean medical staff were a little dark.
“It’s good that it’s ending. We like that, too.”
“But Shanmeheum still isn’t at the point where he can get out of bed.”
“There’s Changgyu, too.”
“And the other patients. Don’t tell me they’ll be moved to another dispatch site?”
Worried voices sounded here and there.
At that moment, Brad Kim calmed everyone down.
“That topic will come up soon, so let’s wait quietly.”
“……”
Everyone closed their mouths.
Brad Kim seemed to know.
But the fact that they didn’t press him was because he was the sort of person who was quietly tight-lipped.