Though the two of them came in together, there were no words of welcome.
Brad Kim, Jeong Minsu, and Kim Hyeokgwon were seated on the sofa with grave faces.
Having already heard the news, they were troubled by it as well.
Among them, Brad Kim asked,
“What about that president fellow?”
“We laid him down in the guardian lounge and put in an IV. He’s out cold now.”
“Tsk. How much must he have suffered?”
“It looked like he’d lost almost ten kilograms in a week.”
Everyone was startled by Taesu’s words.
“That much?”
“You must have been able to see him wasting away in real time.”
“I never knew having something weighing on you could be that terrifying.”
Kim Hyeokgwon seemed bewildered, as though it was his first time seeing such a case too.
In the meantime, Taesu and Raku found seats for themselves and sat down.
Then Taesu asked first,
“Did anyone come up with any good ideas?”
“Can’t you tell by looking at our faces?”
“I guess not.”
When Taesu gave a bitter smile, Brad Kim placed a hand on the back of his head and said,
“I don’t think that’s feasible.”
“If Doctor Choi steps out front, he really might get shot.”
Kim Hyeokgwon added.
Taesu thought the same.
“I only have one life, so that would be a bit troublesome.”
“Taesu. Isn’t this usually when you use connections?”
“What connections?”
When Taesu asked, Jeong Minsu answered with a meaningful look.
“PKO.”
“Huh? Right. We had them.”
“If we head out, Squad Leader Sam and his squad will be with us, right? Are the Indians or Pakistanis going to shoot? What are they going to do?”
Jeong Minsu acted boldly, putting PKO forward.
It was an exceedingly appropriate idea.
With a proud expression, Taesu boasted about Jeong Minsu to everyone.
“Everyone, Doctor Jeong has finally become capable of thinking!”
“Waaah!”
Clap, clap.
Only Kim Hyeokgwon clapped energetically and joined in the emotion.
Brad Kim and Raku looked puzzled.
And Jeong Minsu, the person in question, was glaring at Taesu.
“If someone heard you, they’d think I was some clueless bastard.”
“You’re not allowed to say that.”
“So you’re saying I really am clueless? Wow, that’s harsh.”
Jeong Minsu even became serious as he strongly criticized him.
He didn’t even realize the fact that he had been that clueless.
Seeing that, Taesu’s pleased expression turned awkward again.
“Of course. I’m the only one who gets my hopes up and ends up drained again.”
“What do you mean, again?”
“If you didn’t understand, forget it. I’m going to visit PKO.”
Taesu rose from his seat again.
He had sat down only to stand right back up, but getting a little more tired himself was not a big issue.
He couldn’t coldly ignore a hand extended in desperation.
If he couldn’t take that hand himself, then replacing it with another was only proper.
With that thought, Taesu moved without delay.
The PKO External Cooperation Office.
Contrary to expectations, Colonel Clark refused.
“Doctor Choi, that will be difficult.”
“I’m not asking you to intervene directly.”
“I understand clearly. You’re saying that if PKO merely takes position there, it could deter the fighting.”
At Colonel Clark’s answer, Taesu nodded firmly.
“That’s right. Even so, it’s difficult?”
“In principle, it would be possible, but not this time.”
“Why on earth not?”
Taesu grew frustrated, unable to understand.
To Taesu, Colonel Clark offered unexpected words.
“We have been aware of the situation in that region for some time.”
“Your intelligence network is incredible.”
“Rather than that, both military forces notified us of the situation first.”
“Notified you?”
When Taesu did not immediately understand, Colonel Clark explained in more detail.
“They notified us that they intended to engage in combat, for what reason, and around when.”
“They outright gave advance notice of battle?”
“They have sent us such notices from time to time before. It is to block PKO interference in advance.”
Only after hearing Colonel Clark’s explanation did Taesu understand a little.
“So they’re saying they’ll handle it among themselves?”
“Correct. War involves interests tangled together far more intricately than you think, Doctor Choi.”
“If that’s the case, wouldn’t it be peaceful and nice to roll dice and play a territory-grabbing game?”
Taesu grumbled with a sullen face.
Understanding something in his head did not mean he could accept everything.
Colonel Clark smiled at Taesu.
“If it were done that way, I would wholeheartedly agree a hundred times over, but sadly, there is no great man making such a proposal.”
“I strongly recommend you be nominated for inclusion in a book of great men.”
“I would like that as well, but I suspect it would be difficult.”
Colonel Clark answered mildly.
On the other hand, as Taesu’s expectations faded, his shoulders drooped slightly.
“So PKO support is out of the question, and Squad Leader Sam’s side can’t deploy either.”
“That is correct.”
“What if we go there?”
Taesu quietly tried another angle.
However, Colonel Clark shook his head.
“Under the current circumstances, permission to deploy will not be granted.”
“Even if we go of our own accord?”
“Since we have already received notice, we cannot move.”
Colonel Clark maintained the same stance.
Taesu could no longer press strongly either.
From their standards, the reason for deployment was too vague.
“I understand. I came here for nothing and only interrupted your work.”
“That is not the case. Today is the day the Helicopter Medical Team officially resumes operations. I look forward to your future performance.”
“If any PKO personnel are injured, call us immediately. And this time, watch your bank account, not your pockets.”
“Hoho. Since Squad Leader Sam is looking after the safety of my pockets, I am no longer worried.”
Colonel Clark showed confidence.
It seemed he was pleased with the renewed resolve Squad Leader Sam and his squad members had made.
Taesu also put aside the joke and smiled faintly.
“Now we won’t even be able to get hurt.”
“Mr. Kim will be disappointed, but there is no helping it.”
“We prefer being safe too. Then I’ll stop bothering you and be on my way.”
Taesu let go of his lingering regret and stood up firmly.
At that clean departure, Colonel Clark also smiled softly.
Taesu did not head back to the lodgings.
He turned and went to see James.
Perhaps because surgery had ended just moments ago, James was seated in the treatment tent with a tired expression.
As soon as Taesu entered, James asked,
“What is it?”
“You look tired. I’ll come see you another time.”
“There’s no guarantee we’ll meet then, so just say it.”
James calmly urged him on.
James was right.
He was not someone Taesu could always meet simply because he came looking.
Taesu felt apologetic seeing how tired he looked. So he decided it would be better to ask for his opinion quickly.
“The truth is…”
Taesu told him everything about Gu Seungheon and asked for advice.
“…That’s the situation, so I don’t know what I should do.”
“I agree with the head of External Cooperation.”
“Is that so?”
As if he had expected it to some extent, Taesu’s expression did not darken.
Still, James explained a little more deeply.
“First of all, your reason for going is weak, Doctor Choi.”
“That’s true. He isn’t someone directly connected to me.”
“And I think both sides showed as much courtesy as they could. Interfering in a situation like that would be kicking away their goodwill.”
“That’s what bothers me too. If I hadn’t known, I might have just pushed ahead.”
Taesu honestly revealed his thoughts with a bitter face.
James asked him,
“Do you want to help him simply because he’s Korean too?”
“No. I’m doing this because I saw the integrity he has.”
“Even so, it isn’t something you need to concern yourself with, Doctor Choi.”
“Yes. I won’t think too deeply about it.”
Taesu respected James’s opinion.
When everyone said no, he did not try to stubbornly push forward.
Even so, James did not seem to intend to cut it off entirely.
“It might be different if the circumstances were different. But in the current situation, it isn’t right. When that man wakes up, comfort him properly and send him on his way.”
“I understand.”
“Sometimes I’m surprised by how well you listen, Doctor Choi.”
When Taesu did not insist, James teased him instead.
Taesu answered with an embarrassed face.
“I’m not that reckless.”
“Hoho.”
James merely laughed lightly.
Taesu felt the slightly stiff atmosphere gradually easing.
Taking advantage of that opening, he slipped in a question.
“What will happen to Brad?”
“His name is still on the surgical team.”
“So he hasn’t been pushed out.”
“That depends on what he does from now on.”
James answered somewhat vaguely.
Taesu rolled his eyes, making a guess.
“It seems Brad Kim’s test will continue even in the Helicopter Medical Team.”
“Everyone is interested in what kind of ability he’ll show.”
“That sounds even scarier.”
Taesu recalled the faces of the surgical team members, from Doctor Isackson to Nurse Catherine.
They were all people with clear likes and dislikes.
They were the sort who would have watched Brad Kim volunteer for the Helicopter Medical Team without so much as blinking.
It was impressive that they had not removed him from the surgical team roster.
It seemed Brad Kim had not fallen out of their favor in the meantime.
After that, they continued a few more simple exchanges.
Ttararan.
His cell phone rang.
Taesu checked the name Jeong Minsu, then slightly turned his head before answering.
“Yeah. What is it?”
“Taesu. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry about this.”
“Say it so I can understand.”
“The other side very kindly created a justification for deployment.”
“A justification?”
“They say scouts from both sides clashed around the tea fields.”
“Clashed?”
“One local dead, two seriously injured, and it sounds like there are a few with minor injuries too.”
“How did you find out?”
Taesu asked with a frown, and Jeong Minsu immediately answered.
“They contacted Raku from over there.”
“Is that true?”
“Would I bluff about something this sensitive?”
“Hold on. I’ll call you right back.”
Click.
Taesu hung up for a moment and relayed the matter to James.
“James, at the tea fields…”
He summarized it briefly.
Soon, James narrowed his brow and said,
“Deploy. This is something they brought upon themselves.”
“I’ll be back.”
“Make sure everyone returns safely.”
“I understand.”
Taesu answered with a hardened face.
Bow.
He bowed deeply to James and immediately turned away.
It was at the same moment he left James’s treatment tent.
Holding his cell phone, Taesu called Colonel Clark first.
“…They say there are casualties from a gunfight.”
“Even so, I believe it will be difficult for us to deploy.”
“That’s all right. Please just open the air route for us.”
“I will have the helicopter sent to the headquarters roof immediately. I wish you luck.”
Colonel Clark felt apologetic that he could not offer full help.
Taesu did not mind.
They belonged to different organizations, so he could not insist only on their own position.
Next, he called Jeong Minsu again.
“We’ll move by helicopter from the roof.”
“A deployment on the very first day of resumption.”
“That’s how we are.”
“I’ll pack the supplies and head up. Wrap things up and come.”
Click.
Jeong Minsu hung up first.
Since it was their first deployment in a long time, there would be many things to prepare.
Taesu entered the headquarters building at a run.
Then he headed for the guardian lounge.