The same went for Kim Hyeokgwon.
When he decided to do something, he did it.
Because he had said it himself, he never went back on his word.
“The basics for nurses are……”
Even internal medicine nurses had plenty to do, openly and obviously.
Taesu, Jeong Minsu, and Kim Hyeokgwon had no time to rest.
There were many types of internal medicine.
Cardiology, circulatory internal medicine, gastroenterology, and so on.
They had to learn the symptoms and diseases handled by each department.
Uniquely, Internal Medicine Team 1 and Internal Medicine Team 2 were able to provide comprehensive care.
It was a case similar to James’s surgical team.
That was an enormous gain for Taesu and Jeong Minsu. But in exchange, there were endless moments when it felt as if their heads would burst.
Still, it was an opportunity they had obtained with difficulty, so they gritted their teeth and learned and mastered it.
Were they tenacious?
No, they were desperate.
So much so that the doctors teaching them were the ones who became fed up first.
In the meantime, Lee Changgyu woke up.
But perhaps because of the rote education drilled into him by the adults, he showed considerable wariness.
Taesu did not try to force himself closer to Lee Changgyu.
“There’s no need to hover around him for nothing.”
“Right. He’ll understand when the time comes.”
Jeong Minsu agreed as well.
After that, they focused on learning.
Time passed steadily.
Kang Yeonghun grew confused by the doctors’ indifference.
He also seemed to feel anxious that the dispatch schedule might be disrupted at this rate.
So he even approached them first.
“When will Changgyu be able to go to the village?”
“It won’t be long.”
“So how long is that……”
“Soon. I’m sorry, but I’ll excuse myself first.”
Taesu answered briefly and headed elsewhere.
But he was not being indifferent.
‘There are times when the contrarian strategy works.’
If a door would not open no matter how much one knocked, there was no need to insist on trying.
***
Before dawn.
Headlights flashed along the mountain road.
They were the vehicles carrying Taesu and the others, who had departed from the NGO headquarters.
It was an extremely rough road.
It was the road leading to the village, but it was doubtful whether human hands had ever touched it.
The jeeps and trucks that had been driving for quite some time came to a stop at a certain point.
Screech.
At the same time.
Soldiers poured out from the cargo bed of the military truck at the very front.
They scattered in an instant and hid themselves in the darkness.
“……”
Not even the sound of breathing could be heard.
With the engine noise gone as well, the pitch-black mountains were filled with silence.
After that silence continued a little longer.
The sound of a radio broke it.
Beep.
—No threats at six o’clock.
—Same at three o’clock.
—Same at nine o’clock.
Similar reports followed one after another.
Only then did the tautly stretched air soften a little.
Then Squad Leader Sam appeared from behind a tree.
Step. Step.
As he headed toward the truck, he issued an order over the radio.
“The sun will be up soon. Maintain all-round security until then.”
That was all he had to convey.
No answer came back, but he did not mind.
Squad Leader Sam approached the truck stopped at the very rear and opened the passenger-side door.
Clunk.
Inside sat Taesu, his face deathly pale.
Squad Leader Sam smiled gently and said,
“Doctor Choi. You may get down now.”
“I told you this isn’t that kind of dangerous area.”
Thud.
Taesu nimbly jumped down.
Then, stretching his cramped body, he said,
“Wow. This road is really no joke.”
“It can hardly be called a road.”
“I know. More importantly, are we really in the right place?”
“Yes. According to the civilian riding in the lead vehicle, this should be the entrance to the village.”
The moment Squad Leader Sam answered.
Rustle.
Kim Hyeokgwon appeared from the side with a lumbering gait and spoke with hollow eyes.
“How on earth did those people make it all the way in here?”
“That’s not something you should ask Sam.”
“You think I’m asking because I want to? Ugh. I really didn’t sleep a wink.”
No sooner had Kim Hyeokgwon grumbled than Jeong Minsu, who had ridden in the jeep, approached while holding his lower back.
“Oh, my back. It’s stiff.”
“Put on a pain relief patch later. What about Changgyu?”
“No particular problems. He’s just tired from being jolted around for so long.”
Even with a sullen expression, Jeong Minsu said everything that needed to be said.
Then Taesu looked past Jeong Minsu and said calmly,
“Yeonghun has gotten out too. I’ll be right back, so start unloading the supplies.”
Step, step.
Taesu immediately passed them and headed toward Kang Yeonghun.
Everyone began their own tasks.
Kim Hyeokgwon headed toward the cargo bed of the truck.
“The sun’s about to come up. Let’s set up the tents first.”
“I’ll keep looking after Changgyu a little longer.”
Jeong Minsu returned to Lee Changgyu, whose vitals were still unstable.
Squad Leader Sam also gathered his scattered subordinates again.
“Except for the minimum security detail, put everyone into establishing the encampment.”
“Received.”
Rustle.
As if by magic, soldiers appeared from the darkness.
Then they began unloading the materials loaded onto the trucks.
At the same time.
Taesu arrived beside Kang Yeonghun.
Perhaps because he had experienced several transfers, he did not look too exhausted.
Still, Taesu asked out of courtesy.
“Are you all right?”
“You look worse than I do.”
“I’ll be better once I rest. More importantly, is this the right place?”
When Taesu asked, Kang Yeonghun raised a hand and pointed to one side.
“If we go up a little that way, it’s the village.”
“The sound of the trucks must have reached them.”
“It probably did.”
“Then they’re being rather cold.”
Taesu was referring to the fact that he could not sense any sign of people.
Kang Yeonghun answered calmly.
“I don’t expect you to understand us.”
“We all have our own positions.”
“That’s right.”
“But this is as far as we go.”
Taesu abruptly drew the line.
Not understanding what he meant, Kang Yeonghun furrowed his brow and asked,
“What do you mean?”
“We won’t go any closer.”
“Pardon?”
“We’ll stay here, in this spot.”
Taesu was still smiling.
But his gaze had hardened firmly.
It meant he would no longer make any effort to approach the village.
At this, Kang Yeonghun became flustered.
“Then what about Songhui’s treatment?”
“Bring her here.”
“Mm. Understood.”
Kang Yeonghun answered briefly.
He seemed to have grasped Taesu’s intention.
It meant they should at least respect each other’s minimum pride.
At that moment, Taesu pointed toward the village and said,
“The ward tent where Changgyu will stay will be set up over there.”
“That’s the side closest to the village.”
“A mother shouldn’t be unable to see her son.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
That was all Kang Yeonghun could say.
Taesu did not mind.
“Then I’ll go help set up the tents.”
Rustle.
Taesu gave a faint smile and turned around.
He showed no regret or lingering attachment toward Kang Yeonghun left behind.
Then Taesu headed straight to the tent installation site.
The mountain, which had been dark and dim, had brightened before they knew it as the sun rose.
Thanks to that, everyone’s figures were visible at a glance.
“Heave-ho, heave-ho.”
“Pull gently. The frame has to be balanced.”
“You think this is my first time pitching a tent?”
“Please check properly whether it’s vertical.”
The soldiers had slung their rifles behind their backs and were focused solely on the work.
That was how much they trusted the scouts’ all-round security.
After looking around, Taesu hesitated slightly.
‘I should……’
Just as he was searching for a place where he could be useful.
Rustle.
Kim Hyeokgwon approached and immediately informed him of the situation.
“That tent over there is the lodging, and the surgical tent will be set up a little to the side.”
“The ward tent should be set up over there, toward the village.”
“Let’s do that. By the way, there’s a stream flowing under that big tree over there.”
“Wow. That must be pristine water. Let’s put up the tents quickly and taste the water first.”
Taesu answered energetically and was about to pass by.
Thump.
Kim Hyeokgwon quietly blocked his way.
It seemed he had seen Kang Yeonghun’s expression stiffen behind Taesu.
Keeping his gaze in that direction, Kim Hyeokgwon casually asked Taesu,
“What sort of conversation did you have?”
“I told him to come to us if anyone was sick.”
“Turn that around, and it means you won’t go to them first.”
“That’s right.”
“What’s gotten into you?”
Kim Hyeokgwon asked, full of wonder.
It was because he knew Taesu well, the man who would rush in without hesitation for a patient.
Taesu answered while reminding him of that very point.
“It seems unrequited love doesn’t suit our personalities.”
“You mean you don’t want only us to be anxious and suffer over it?”
“Correct.”
“Then what’s the plan from now on?”
When Kim Hyeokgwon asked with an intrigued expression, Taesu said indifferently,
“They say it takes two palms to make a sound.”
“Oho. You’ve made quite the decision.”
“I think so too. Let’s get started ourselves.”
Taesu moved first.
Kim Hyeokgwon watched him with a faint smile.
“How commendable.”
It felt as if he had grown a little.
Kim Hyeokgwon respected Taesu’s decision.
In the end, medicine too was something done by people.
If only the doctor approached, it could not become medicine, and if only the patient approached, it could not become treatment.
That was an unchanging law.
Two hours later.
All the tents had been set up.
They had even built a storage area and completely organized the auxiliary equipment.
The tent positions were exactly as planned earlier. And since the weather was what it was, a stovepipe protruded abruptly from each tent.
And now, Taesu was inside the ward tent.
Lee Changgyu was lying on a field bed, and an IV was connected at length to one of his arms.
There was no ECG in sight.
He had recovered enough that there was no need to observe him in real time.
Rustle, rustle.
While Taesu quietly checked his vitals.
With his home right in front of him, Lee Changgyu watched his expression and asked carefully,
“Can’t I…… go home?”
“No, you can’t.”
“But I’m not sick anymore.”
Lee Changgyu did not give up and showed lingering hope.
At that, Taesu gave him a weighty warning.
“Just because you don’t hurt right now doesn’t mean you’re completely better.”
“Yes.”
“Mr. Kang will bring your mother here, so don’t even think about moving.”
When Taesu gave him that opening, Lee Changgyu’s eyes sparkled.
“Really?”
“That’s why we built this here.”
“Yes. But……”
When Lee Changgyu glanced at him, Taesu understood and answered.
“I won’t be here.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m fine. But if your eyes start feeling stiff or it becomes hard to speak, you have to rest then. Got it?”
Taesu deliberately spoke loudly.
It was because he was not speaking only to Lee Changgyu.
It also carried the meaning that Kang Yeonghun should hear it and act accordingly on his own.
Lee Changgyu showed only an expectant look in his eyes.
“I definitely will.”
“And this. It’s a call bell.”
Tap.
Taesu took a rough-looking button out of his pocket and held it out.