Seeing him overcome it so well, Taesu asked Lee Changgyu with a bright face.
"How is it being outside?"
"It's incredible. *Inhale.* I've missed this air too."
"It's no different from the air at home."
Though Taesu scolded him, Lee Changgyu shook his head vigorously.
"It's completely different. Really, completely different."
"If you want to keep smelling this air, don't go climbing jujube trees for no reason."
"No way. And I don't think I'll be climbing up on things anymore."
Changgyu spoke calmly with a bitter face.
A phobia seemed to have developed.
This was a separate issue from the trauma related to his eyes.
Before, that itself had been directly tied to his livelihood.
If that were still the case now, Taesu would have seriously worried and thought of ways to help him overcome it.
But now it was not.
They arrived at the place that would be the reason for that, and Taesu and Lee Changgyu stopped at the same time.
It was the ranch.
A large wooden fence surrounded it.
Inside were cashmere goats, and it was connected to a solidly built barn.
After each of them took a big look around.
Taesu looked at Changgyu and said,
"You won't have to climb trees anymore."
"Yes. I talked with the Village Chief yesterday about learning the ranch work one by one."
"Do you have ambition?"
When Taesu asked casually, Changgyu looked at the ranch with determined eyes and answered.
"I'll fill this ranch with sheep."
"Won't it be hard to manage?"
"By myself?"
"Of course?"
Since it was something he hadn't expected, Taesu immediately asked back.
Their eyes met, and Changgyu answered boldly.
"I have several kids under me. I'll just have the kids do it all."
"You brat, already coming up with tricks. Ugh."
Taesu wrapped his arm around Changgyu's neck and scrubbed his hair with his fist.
At Taesu's sudden horseplay, Changgyu was in pain.
"Ah, that hurts."
"You should get punished for already thinking about bossing your juniors around."
"I said it really hurts. Ugh."
Changgyu seemed to judge that he couldn't escape, so he grabbed Taesu's waist.
It was an unexpected counterattack, but Taesu's smile deepened.
"Grabbing my waist? You brat."
"Aaah."
Changgyu's scream suddenly subsided.
When his pained reaction suddenly vanished, Taesu was startled and released him.
"Changgyu, what's wrong?"
"……."
"Hey, it's a joke. A joke."
Taesu's face was colored with bewilderment.
Then, a low voice came from Changgyu, who had his arms wrapped around Taesu's waist.
"Thank you."
"Huh?"
"Thank you so much. For everything. I'm grateful for all of it."
He even trembled slightly.
It was such a sudden gesture, but it was filled with nothing but sincerity.
Taesu could definitely feel it.
He also noticed the surging emotion on the verge of tears. Yet his reaction to it was less serious than expected.
"What's with the sudden sappiness? Anyone would think I'm leaving today."
"Ahem. It's not like that. Just because."
"Hey. It's not over yet."
At Taesu's words, Changgyu released his waist and looked at him with a surprised face.
"What do you mean it's not over? What else is there?"
"It's only just begun. If you're going to say that kind of thing, say it while showing me something."
"I'll definitely show you."
"If I come to check your homework later and don't like it, know that I'll put you straight on the operating table."
Taesu playfully growled and threatened him.
But jokes should be told considering the listener too.
Changgyu opened his eyes wide and tensed up completely.
"Absolutely. I'll absolutely do my best to satisfy you."
"Relax."
"No. I'll work hard so that you can be completely satisfied."
When Changgyu replied completely frozen, Taesu realized his mistake.
"Kid, do you think just anyone lies on the operating table?"
"Th-that's right? No?"
"Haha. You're funny in a weird way."
"I'm not being funny."
"Forget it. Let's look around a bit more."
Taesu subtly changed the subject and led Changgyu.
After that, Taesu took Changgyu around to the changed areas.
"That's the field over there."
"Whoa, it's huge."
"You know that place over there?"
"It's canola and sunflowers. Weren't you getting rid of them?"
When Changgyu asked, Taesu answered immediately.
"We have to press cooking oil from them, both to eat and to sell."
"But you said it was bad for your health."
"It's bad if you eat a lot, but in moderation, it's also medicine."
"Ah, moderation."
"Right. Moderation is important in everything. And over there is……"
Taesu continued his explanations in brief segments.
While explaining like that, they soon reached the northern part of the village.
A defensive wall was installed up above.
Since it couldn't be seen from here, he explained while pointing with his hand.
"...So that's how the wall was built."
"Hmm. Then I have nothing to do."
"You won't do maintenance?"
"Ah. I'll absolutely do that. Without fail."
Changgyu, who had been watching silently the whole time, burned with passion for the first time.
After finishing the tour of the changed village, they came down along a small path.
The northern mountain path was connected to someone's backyard.
It was precisely Old Man Wang's house.
Taesu and Lee Changgyu's expressions were not entirely gloomy.
Because Old Man Wang had left with a smile, they simply smiled peacefully.
They were walking down the path.
From the front yard, the sound of children singing like chirping birds was heard.
"My hometown is a mountain village where flowers bloom."
"...Two, three."
"Peach blossoms, apricot blossoms…."
The children continued the song to match the hand gestures of Jo Jeongmin standing before them.
Among them, Gang Songhui's figure was also visible.
Now she had removed her bandages and was showing her face.
A scar rested along the bridge of her left nose.
Taesu felt sorry every time he saw it.
With Taesu and Jeongminsu's current surgical skills, they could not reduce the scar any further.
But no one minded.
Especially Gang Songhui—even when shown her own reflection in the mirror, she was full of nothing but smiles.
'I became prettier.'
Those words were everything.
It was likely an answer comparing her face before surgery.
She was overjoyed at the mere fact that her face had become similar to others'.
Of course, the scar would gradually fade as she grew.
That was certain.
While Taesu was watching with a calm gaze,
Gang Songhui seemed to see Taesu as well, and waved her hand widely with a bright face.
It was an impulsive, sudden action bursting out in the middle of singing.
Park Seonggu and Park Seolji, and the other children too, all looked this way and waved their hands the same.
"A riot of colorful flowers…."
Even so, the song continued.
Taesu also waved back at the children in response.
Seeing Taesu like that from the side, Lee Changgyu spoke quietly.
"The teachers seem to like children."
"Because they're pure. And the song is nice too."
"Ah, that song… I was wondering where I heard it; so it was coming from here."
At Changgyu's words, Taesu pointed at Old Man Wang's house.
To be exact, it was the sign hanging beside the front door.
– School.
A sign that clearly told the building's purpose at a glance.
"Isn't it perfect?"
"Yes, that's the school. I heard it from Songhui."
"Well, it's called a school, but really it's about gathering them in one place safely and letting them play."
"What is it originally for?"
Changgyu, not knowing about school, asked.
At that moment, Taesu recalled his own school days and answered.
"A place of learning. Ugh. Even though my mouth runs crooked, let me speak straight."
"Huh?"
"A school is,"
"A school?"
When Changgyu looked at him curiously, Taesu answered gravely.
"A place where you're locked up all day, sitting at a desk studying boring things like crazy."
"What?"
"Anyway, it's that kind of place. Back in my day…."
Taesu grumbled and explained about the days he'd spent running around in the mountains and fields.
One might call such a Taesu a "young fogey."
But his heart, lamenting the educational reality focused solely on academic advancement, was sincere.
The problem lay with Changgyu himself.
He couldn't understand Taesu's words at all.
They were words far too disconnected from the world he was living in now.
"Yes… Ah, I see… Yes, yes."
All he could do was chime in.
Taesu's regretful nagging continued until he saw Changgyu home.
It was the moment they arrived in front of Lee Changgyu's house.
Han Juyeong's face was visible through the window.
"Sir, ah… Hello."
She greeted Taesu first.
To that extent, she was facing the world clearly.
However, her awkward speech did not easily return to normal.
She seemed to need a little more time.
Taesu kept this to himself and bowed his head energetically in greeting.
"Yes. Today is another good day."
"Changgyu, the walk… Thank you."
"No. I had a pleasant time as well."
"I, I still…."
Han Juyeong hesitated awkwardly.
Taesu quickly comforted her.
"Mother, there is no need to rush."
"Ah, yes."
"Just walk at the pace that you can adapt to slowly."
"I will. Th-thank you."
Han Juyeong offered another greeting and even bowed her head.
Taesu also bowed his head in return and turned around.
The smile on his lips remained.
'Everyone has their own pace.'
It was a conclusion he'd reached after seeing many patients.
Even with the same surgery, recovery differed for each person.
One shouldn't blame them for being fast, nor urge them for being slow.
It was also necessary to have composure without being anxious.
After that, Taesu took the path toward the hospital.
Was today some kind of special day?
This time he met An Hyeonguk.
As friendly as he was, he greeted him first by raising his hand.
"Hey, Taesu."
"Hyung-nim, why are you outside?"
"Just because it's winter doesn't mean I stay home. I have to look around too."
An Hyeonguk spoke lightly, but Taesu knew a little of the circumstances.
"Is the elder very worried?"
"A bit. Since my uncle passed away, he seems more worried."
"I've heard the other elders are similar."
"Thanks to that, it seems only the Village Chief is wasting away."
"More importantly, how is your body, hyung-nim?"
When Taesu asked, An Hyeonguk answered with a relaxed face.
"I told you I was fully recovered ages ago, and you still ask."
"It's an illness where the complications worry me."
"I told you during the check-up two days ago that there was no problem."
When An Hyeonguk spoke confidently, Taesu smiled faintly.
"Of course. I examined you, and there was no problem at all."
"Trust yourself a little. You can do that."
"As they say, nothing beats good health."
When Taesu spoke with a maxim, An Hyeonguk also answered with a maxim.
"I agree one should tap a stone bridge before crossing, but if you tap it every time, even the stone bridge gets tired."
"Then I will put my worries aside."
"Yes. If there's a problem with my body, I'll run to you first. See you later."
An Hyeonguk passed by with a bright face.
His steps were full of strength.
He looked so healthy now that one had to strain to remember he had once been a patient.
Taesu also set aside unnecessary worries and continued his steps toward the hospital.
Taesu finished his pleasant walk and arrived at the hospital yard.