Fire.

James approached them and slowly lowered himself.

Taesu, Jeong Minsu, Kim Hyeokgwon.

He looked at each of the three in turn and spoke in a gentle voice.

“A lot must have happened. There must have been many heartbreaking moments, too.”

“……Yes.”

“Let it all go for a while. You deserve that, so it’s all right.”

“Ah……”

“You’ve all been through so much.”

James’s soft voice reached not their ears, but their hearts.

In that moment, every single moment from when they had arrived in Malnoi until now came flooding back to the three of them.

So much had happened.

There had been things so joyful their hearts felt ready to burst, and things so sorrowful their chests had gone numb.

As those situations rose to mind, all the emotions they had pushed aside came rushing in at once.

Overwhelmed by the storm of feeling, none of them knew what to do.

And then it happened.

Drip.

Tears silently rolled down their cheeks.

Just like that, the tears fell.

They didn’t even know why they were crying.

They simply flowed.

A little while later.

Taesu, Jeong Minsu, and Kim Hyeokgwon each lay on an operating table.

To be exact, they were hospital beds disguised as operating tables.

The emergency patients Brad Kim had urgently mentioned at the end had, as expected, been them.

Taesu looked at the IV connected to his arm and smiled bitterly.

“What an embarrassing thing this is.”

Dr. Jonathan approached him.

Step.

Perhaps because Taesu had muttered in Korean, he asked for the meaning right away.

“Patient, what were you mumbling about?”

“I said I feel like I’m getting better already.”

“Heh. Don’t try to be clever and close your eyes. You’re not planning to defy the doctor’s orders, are you?”

Dr. Jonathan glanced at him in warning.

Taesu answered with an awkward smile.

“Of course not. I suppose my heart’s still pounding too much for me to fall asleep.”

“Did Dr. Jeong and Mr. Kim have an easier time, then, since they’ve already fallen asleep?”

“Everyone’s constitution is a little different.”

Taesu gave a vague answer.

In truth, Taesu was exhausted to the bone as well. But perhaps because he had overused his brain, the throbbing in his head would not easily subside.

That headache was keeping him from sleeping.

There was no need to say that out loud.

Dr. Jonathan did not doubt him.

“Well, that can happen.”

“But weren’t you and James at headquarters?”

“That’s right. That’s why we sent extra supplies with Brad.”

“Then how are you here?”

When Taesu asked curiously, Dr. Jonathan answered at once.

“We finished up the scheduled surgery, and only the doctor and I flew here by helicopter.”

“And the others are in other surgeries?”

“That’s how it always is for us. But are you really not going to sleep?”

Dr. Jonathan asked, giving him a sidelong look.

Taesu answered shamelessly and openly.

“Talking with you, Jonathan, is making me sleepier by the minute.”

“That just means you want to keep talking.”

“It means you’re putting my mind at ease.”

At Taesu’s smooth talk, Dr. Jonathan gave a faint smile.

“Well, fine. But is there anything to talk about?”

“If you think hard enough, something will come up.”

“Do you have anything, Dr. Choi?”

“I’d like to find a topic too, but honestly, my head isn’t working at all.”

Taesu put forward a ridiculous excuse.

It was the youngest acting spoiled.

Dr. Jonathan, having spent a long time as the youngest himself, understood immediately.

“Fine. This is your springtime.”

“I think so too.”

“Then something to talk about…… Ah, right. Did I tell you about when I went to the Korean village?”

At that, Taesu’s eyes flew open.

“No. You haven’t.”

“That’s right. By the time I got back to headquarters, you were undergoing rappel training.”

“I can hear it now. You went with Dr. Wallik, right?”

Taesu forgot his fatigue and his eyes shone.

As if he had expected it, Dr. Jonathan began telling him about the visit.

“It wasn’t mountain climbing, but the road was a complete mess.”

“It does have that sort of feel.”

“It was serious. Anyway, we arrived at the village, and their vigilance was no joke.”

At that, Taesu smiled bitterly.

“I suppose they’re still wary of the whole world.”

“I thought at this rate we wouldn’t even get to see the village, so I shouted Dr. Choi’s and Dr. Jeong’s names.”

“Taesu, Minsu, like that?”

When Taesu said it for him, Dr. Jonathan nodded.

“That’s exactly how I shouted it.”

“And then?”

“All of a sudden, we were guests.”

Dr. Jonathan’s face seemed to recall the absurdity of that moment.

On the other hand, Taesu could vividly picture the change in their behavior.

“Hahaha. Did they suddenly welcome you to the village?”

“A few people really did. They were glaring and on guard, and then suddenly they went, ‘Welcome.’”

“And after that?”

“They showed us to the lodgings and the hospital.”

“A special hospital where everything from the examination room to the operating room can be handled in one space.”

When Taesu answered as if he could see it clearly, Dr. Jonathan agreed fervently.

“And the fireplace there was truly something new.”

“On the second shelf in the hospital, third drawer, there are charts for the villagers. Did you see them?”

“Who was it again? Mr. Jo?”

“Jo Jeongmin?”

When Taesu supplied the name, Dr. Jonathan snapped his fingers.

Snap.

“That’s right. That sharp kid. He found them for us.”

“He’s good-natured and kind.”

“He really was. He kept looking after us too……”

Dr. Jonathan smoothly continued his account of visiting the Korean village.

At first, it was about their everyday life, but gradually the topic drifted toward medicine.

Taesu also had someone on his mind, so he watched for an opportunity and quietly asked.

“There’s a patient there, Park Huinam.”

“Bakwinan…… Oh, I remember the leg cast.”

“I had set the treatment period at one year, but because we suddenly left, I couldn’t properly make a plan.”

Since it was what weighed on him most, Taesu asked carefully.

Dr. Jonathan answered without hesitation.

“It was written in detail in the chart, so I discussed it a bit with Dr. Wallik.”

“And?”

“It’s long-term treatment for one person, but honestly, it’s a little much to stop by every time we go back and forth.”

Dr. Jonathan let the end of his sentence trail off slightly.

Taesu also sensed that there was more to come and calmly urged him on.

“Please continue.”

“So we were wondering what to do, and then a merchant came all the way into that village.”

“Raku? Ah, Raj Kumar.”

Taesu said his real name rather than his nickname.

Since nicknames were used between people who were close, Jonathan might not know it.

Dr. Jonathan nodded at once.

“You really know everything, Dr. Choi.”

“But why Raj Kumar all of a sudden?”

“They said that merchant comes by the NGO from time to time.”

“Then is Raku going to bring him?”

When Taesu asked, his eyes brightening, Dr. Jonathan looked at him in surprise.

“Had that already been arranged?”

“I told you, we left suddenly.”

“Then how do you know all this?”

Dr. Jonathan found Taesu fascinating.

Taesu, meanwhile, raised one corner of his mouth slightly.

‘Raku’s pretty crafty himself.’

From Raku’s perspective, he now had an excuse to regularly cross the PKO’s fence under the pretext of Park Huinam.

Since it was for Park Huinam’s checkups, it was only right to overlook that much trickery.

Taesu first brought the conversation to a close.

“I find it a bit fascinating too, but I can read what those people are thinking pretty clearly.”

“That must mean you’re that close. Anyway, we decided to resolve Mr. Park’s case that way, and there were no particular problems with the others.”

“If someone gets sick later, we’ll have to tell them to send them with Raku.”

At Taesu’s words, Dr. Jonathan suddenly held out a finger.

Wag, wag.

Waving it left and right, Dr. Jonathan smiled broadly and said,

“No, no. There’s no need to tell them. We’ve already agreed to do it that way.”

“Really? Jonathan, thank you.”

“Honestly, we’re the ones who should be grateful if they come to us. We can look after them in a safe place with good facilities.”

“That’s what I think too.”

When Taesu answered with a smile, Dr. Jonathan looked pleased.

“Looks like you’re finally relaxing a little. Your eyes are starting to puff up first.”

“Oh, you’re right. They’re getting gritty.”

“To help you relax even more, the merchant will bring Mr. Park sometime next month.”

“I might be able to see him then. No, I should be the one to examine him.”

Taesu smiled softly.

After saying that much, his eyes really did begin to feel dry and heavy.

Even the headache subsided.

It was strange.

He hadn’t known that peace of mind could have such a good effect.

Perhaps seeing that, Dr. Jonathan quietly stood.

“Then get some real rest now. I need to go out and get moving too.”

“Just one more…… thing.”

“The Korean medical team? They’re resting in another tent, so don’t worry. The patients are undergoing surgery in order. Anything else?”

“……Good night.”

Taesu gave an incongruous farewell and slowly closed his eyes.

Dr. Jonathan lightly pulled the blanket up for him and smiled.

“Young brother. You really worked hard. Rest well.”

Only then did Dr. Jonathan quietly leave the medical tent.

In truth, it was surprising that someone of Dr. Jonathan’s skill had taken this much time for him.

Taesu fell into a deep sleep without thinking that far.

Once he woke, both the weight in his chest and the tangled thoughts in his head would surely be a good deal lighter.

A few hours later.

The eyebrows of the sleeping Taesu trembled faintly.

Then he slowly opened his eyes and looked around.

He was inside the familiar medical tent.

Only after confirming that did he remember why he was lying there.

“Ah, right…… Ugh.”

As Taesu tried to get up, a sudden headache washed over him, and he sharply furrowed his brow.

Someone quickly approached him.

Tap, tap.

“Dr. Choi, what’s wrong? Do you have a headache?”

“Who…… Ah, Casey.”

Taesu recognized her right away, but Nurse Casey’s face was filled only with concern.

At this moment, there was none of her usual playfulness in it.

“I asked if your head hurts.”

“I’m fine. I’m fine.”

“Are you really okay?”

“Yes. I’m really good.”

Taesu answered with a pleasant smile.

But the headache had not completely disappeared.

The stabbing pain in his head was gone, but a dull sensation remained like an aftershock.

He could roughly guess what that feeling was.

It was surely the aftermath of having used Caprene’s knowledge excessively.

This was Taesu’s first time experiencing something like this as well, so he could not predict what would happen.

‘Still, if it’s only this much.’

It did not matter, since it was pain he could keep from showing.

Taesu was thinking for a moment.

Whoosh, whoosh.

When something flickered in front of his eyes, he came back to himself with a start.

Nurse Casey was waving her hand.

Taesu first briefly explained why he had been like that.

“Ah, I was just thinking about something else.”

“What were you thinking about? A patient?”

“I suppose so.”

Taesu gave an awkward excuse.

Fortunately, perhaps because of what he had shown until now, Nurse Casey did not doubt him.

“They’re still operating and treating patients.”

“Now that you mention it, I don’t even know the time. How long did I sleep?”

“About three hours.”

Nurse Casey answered at once.

Meanwhile, Taesu confirmed that the IV was gone.

A cute adhesive bandage covered the injection mark.

Taesu lightly clenched and opened his fist, and a smile appeared on his face.

“Maybe it’s because I got a bag of nutrients, but I feel much better.”

“Everyone said you wouldn’t wake up until dawn.”

“I woke up earlier than expected. I must have good stamina.”

Taesu smiled softly.

Just then, from behind Casey, Kim Hyeokgwon’s sharp tone rang out.

“You can’t be falling apart already at your age, Dr. Choi.”

“Oh, you’re awake?”

“No. I’m still not awake.”

Kim Hyeokgwon’s reply was biting.

It was definitely the kind of tone that made conversation worthwhile.