Village Chief Jeon Nosik reacted more strongly than the elders.
"What do you mean? So you're leaving today?"
"I'm not sure about that."
"Not sure...?"
Village Chief Jeon Nosik looked at him with a bewildered gaze, but Taesu answered first.
"We might send the patient off first and come back down to leave tomorrow, or if the patient's condition isn't good, we might leave right away."
"What kind of talk is that? No, how can you suddenly do this?"
Village Chief Jeon Nosik flared up in resentment.
His father, Elder Jeon, raised his hand to stop him.
"Calm down."
"Father. This isn't right. We've spent three months and ten days together. No, I mean, with the people of our village."
"I said calm down."
"I'm sorry, but I can't overlook this this time."
When Village Chief Jeon Nosik came on strongly, Elder Jeon glared at him.
"Hey now."
"You did this before too, doing this again without a word."
Village Chief Jeon Nosik said this openly for Taesu to hear.
He showed grievance that went beyond mere disappointment.
Then Elder Jeon lightly scolded Village Chief Jeon Nosik.
"Perhaps they didn't say anything because they were worried the village chief would act like this."
"What?"
"Why don't you understand the hearts of those who are leaving?"
"That's... sigh."
Village Chief Jeon Nosik eventually let out a sigh and turned his gaze away.
Taesu was filled with nothing but apology at the sight.
Then Elder Jeon asked Taesu,
"So, were you looking for a place where the helicopter can land?"
"Yes. That's right."
"How much time is left?"
Elder Jeon asked with a meaningful look in his eyes.
Taesu checked his wristwatch and furrowed his brow sharply as he answered.
"It's about to..."
He was in the middle of speaking.
Thump-thump-thump.
An engine sound that stimulated his ears pierced through the falling snow.
It had been a while since he heard it, but it was definitely the sound of a helicopter.
It couldn't be seen because visibility was limited by the falling snow.
However, even at this moment, the rotor sound was growing louder.
Taesu's expression rapidly grew serious.
"It seems they're already near."
"Hmm? Hmm... Yes. I can hear it in my ears too."
It was a reaction a few beats slower than Taesu.
Considering Elder Jeon's age, it was perfectly understandable.
It seemed he wasn't the only one who had heard it here.
- Click. Taesu, helicopter sound.
- Click. Doctor Choi, Doctor Jeong. Have you found the landing site?
- Click. I haven't found it.
- Click. Doctor Choi, what about Doctor Choi?
The voices of Jeong Minsu and Kim Hyeokgwon came fiercely through the radio.
Taesu looked down at the hand holding the radio.
He had to answer.
It wasn't easy to say an answer that no one would want.
However, since silence could cause confusion, he had to answer regardless.
Just as Taesu was about to raise the radio,
Elder Jeon's voice was heard first.
"Tell them to land in the field."
Taesu looked at him in surprise at those words.
He had thought of borrowing their wisdom.
But he hadn't calculated that it would be a situation that would undo their efforts.
"Elder."
"A place of that size should be enough."
"There is enough space, but..."
Before Taesu could continue, Elder Jo fiercely revealed his impatient personality for the first time in a while.
"If it can sit there, it should sit there. Why so many words?"
"It's too close to the village. And to the ranch as well."
"So what?"
"Setting aside the sheep getting startled, the houses could be damaged. And children who don't know about helicopters will be anxious."
Taesu showed sincere concern.
In fact, it was the location ranked first choice.
The reason he hadn't decided was because it would cause harm to the village.
It was a village they had worked so hard to cultivate.
It was a place that had finally found stability.
He couldn't throw the village into chaos now just because his own situation was urgent.
For that reason, both Taesu and Jeong Minsu had been deliberately looking for other locations.
Elder Jeon, who had been listening quietly to Taesu's words, asked softly,
"Is that all you're worried about?"
"Yes."
"Then that's settled, so tell them to land there."
"Elder."
Taesu called out worriedly, but Elder Jeon spoke without budging an inch.
"Didn't you say there's an injured person in the mountains in the dead of winter?"
"That is true, but..."
"We may be inconvenienced, but the patient's life is on the line. Must you turn a blind eye?"
"That's..."
Taesu had nothing to say.
It was something he agreed with, but it wasn't something he could force.
Then Elder An, who was usually taciturn, added in a deep voice,
"You said everyone has one life."
"I know, but..."
"If you know, then acting is all that matters."
"Huu."
Taesu let out a long breath.
As if reading the hesitation contained within it, Elder An added,
"If the houses are damaged, we can move to other houses for a while, and if the children are startled, we can calmly soothe them."
"This is, well..."
It was the right thing to say, but Taesu still hesitated.
Unable to wait for such a Taesu, Elder Jo approached and pushed him squarely in the back.
Tap, tap.
"Goodness, making such a fuss over someone with such a fine body trying to leave."
"I know, right."
"Then hurry up and take the guy rolling around in the mountains and get out of here."
"That's..."
Just as Taesu was about to say something.
Elder An finally shouted with an angry face.
"Just as you saved my child, you must go and save someone else's child too."
"Second Brother is right. The guy rolling around in those mountains is also someone's child."
"Are you going to leave him to die a senseless death? Is that what someone who called himself a doctor would do?"
Following Elder Jo, Elder Jeon drove the nail in.
The sound of them shouting in one voice shook Taesu.
Doctor.
A profession where human life is the highest priority.
That was something that must never change.
That conviction was shaking Taesu's deeply rooted stubbornness.
Then Village Chief Jeon Nosik passed by Taesu's side and delivered the decisive blow.
"What more is there to think about? Hurry up and move."
He said that, but he himself moved first.
Clack-clack-clack.
Village Chief Jeon Nosik headed toward the village first.
He was clearly trying to reassure the villagers.
Now it had become a foregone conclusion.
Whir-whir.
The helicopter sound drew near in large strides.
There was no longer any time to scout other locations.
The elders poured out fiery indignation and pressed Taesu.
"What are you hesitating so much for?"
"You've done this much for us—can't we endure this much inconvenience?"
"This stubbornness of that Choi fellow—you need to leave so we can all go home and rest too."
Though their voices were scolding, they contained even stronger affection.
In the end, Taesu lost.
Soon Taesu quietly raised his hand and pressed the radio.
"Guide the helicopter to the cultivated field."
- Click. The field? That's too close to the village.
"I know. Still, tell them to land there."
- Click. So it's been decided... What? Village Chief... Understood... Taesu, Mr. Hyeokgwon. To the field.
It seemed Village Chief Jeon Nosik had already made his way over there.
It was certainly a small village.
Taesu had to go now too.
But instead of moving his feet, he looked at the elders.
Seeing his sunken gaze, Elder Jeon asked in a nonchalant voice,
"What are you looking at instead of hurrying along?"
"I may not be able to return today."
"Didn't you just say that yourself?"
Despite the blunt reply, Taesu continued speaking earnestly from start to finish.
"If I go, I don't know when I'll return."
"Did you think I'd tell you to come back tomorrow?"
"That's why I wanted to... say my goodbyes in advance."
"Hmm."
Elder Jeon, sensing the meaning, let out a heavy sigh.
Elder An and Elder Jo were the same.
"..."
"..."
Both of them closed their mouths.
Whir-whir.
The helicopter sound had now drawn close enough to stimulate the ears.
Taesu didn't mind it.
He was only watching the elders reflected in his eyes.
Soon Taesu slowly lowered his posture and performed a deep bow.
The ground was entirely a snowy field, but it was filled with sincerity and courtesy.
"..."
The elders watched such a Taesu with distant gazes.
Soon Taesu, having finished his bow, stood with his hands clasped respectfully.
Honestly, he wanted to pour out his heart.
But since they had hidden it until the end, he couldn't speak of it first.
In the end, he spoke, excluding their past.
"I'm leaving after causing nothing but commotion. Thank you for watching over us all this time."
"I wonder if we didn't curse you."
"Honestly, we cursed you a lot behind your backs."
Taesu answered without hiding anything.
However, the elders' expressions upon hearing that answer were not fierce at all. Rather, they wore faint smiles.
"It would be strange if you didn't curse."
"Now that we're seeing you off with smiles, let's let bygones be bygones."
"What's gotten into a guy who holds such grudges?"
Even though Elder Jo was being prickly, Taesu answered with a faint smile.
"I want to leave with a light heart."
"Oh my. We were the ones supposed to be seeing you off, yet you've already attained enlightenment first."
"I think the youngest elder needs to attain a bit more enlightenment."
Taesu subtly played along.
At those words, Elder Jeon and Elder An laughed heartily.
"Haha. That's right."
"We thought you'd been quiet lately, but that temper hasn't died."
At their reaction, Elder Jo's face turned bright red.
"Why are you still standing there when I told you to get lost?"
"I'm leaving now. No, I have to go."
"Even if you're about to die, you still talk back, you rascal."
Elder Jo grumbled and let slip words filled with lingering emotion at the end.
It was a relationship filled with both rough and tender affection.
Perhaps because they truly thought it was the last moment, the elders' expressions turned bitter.
On the contrary, Taesu spoke forcefully.
"I promised Elder Wang as well, but I'll come back someday."
"Did you say that?"
"Yes. I'll be much better than I am now by then."
"Of course you should be."
"That's why, perhaps, I don't feel regretful about the road I'm leaving on."
Taesu finished speaking energetically.
Elder Jeon, who had been listening quietly, slowly gestured.
"If you're done talking, go on."
"Yes. I'll see you again then."
Bow.
Taesu bowed once more and turned his body.
But it was then.
Elder Jeon's quiet voice was heard once more.
"When you return, let's have that terribly tasteless soybean paste stew one more time."
"Huh, all right."
Taesu accepted lightly.
But the words that followed from Elder Jeon could not be taken lightly.
"Even if there's no mouth to eat it, just lay it out in front."
"Elder."
"Just do that. We'll huddle together and help ourselves, you see."
"I will do that."
Trudge, trudge.
Taesu moved his steps after answering.
They were feeling so strongly that this was their final meeting.
From behind the departing Taesu, Elder Jo's nonchalant voice was heard.
"But elder brothers, what if he comes back again after we sent him off like this?"
"We'll both be embarrassed."
Immediately after Elder Jeon's answer, Elder Jo's loud voice rang out.
"Hey, you rascal. Take good care of the sick one and get out of here."
"You long-lived bastards."
"Just a bunch of high-and-mighty fellows full of yourselves."
The greetings of the other elders followed as well.
It was no ordinary greeting.
Within voices filled with scolding, each word carried their usual thoughts.
That was their way of expressing themselves.