A little later.
Raku’s flamboyant truck pierced the darkness and entered the village.
Around Taesu and Kim Hyeokgwon, people who had come out to greet them after hearing the truck gathered.
The medical team was there, of course.
In front of them stood Kim Yeongseon, site foreman Go Jiyong, Mo Sangdu, and Bong Yunju.
Behind them were several locals, including Himan.
Raku’s truck slowly approached and came to a stop.
Screech. Bang!
The passenger door flew open, and President Gu Seungheon nearly spilled out of the cab.
Unable even to keep his balance, he staggered toward the people.
As he closed the distance, he suddenly threw himself flat on the ground.
Thud.
“I’m sorry. I’m truly sorry, coming only now.”
President Gu Seungheon began by begging for forgiveness.
Everyone was startled at the sight.
Taesu and the medical team were greatly shaken as well.
“I didn’t think he’d go that far.”
“This is a bit embarrassing.”
Brad Kim and Jeong Minsu quickly looked away, feeling awkward.
Just then, Kim Hyeokgwon spoke with a frown.
“Tch. He’s a man who’s lived without ever being able to straighten his shoulders.”
“You’re right.”
Taesu agreed with a bitter expression.
It was plain to see that the pride that had been endlessly battered in Korea, beaten down to the very bottom, was still right where it had been.
The medical team could look at it somewhat objectively.
But his wife and colleagues could not.
“Honey!”
“President, what are you doing?”
“Please get up. Don’t do this.”
They rushed over.
Kim Yeongseon and the Koreans ran to him in one breath.
At the sight of President Gu Seungheon lying prostrate, they had no idea what to do and stamped their feet in distress.
Then it happened.
The locals followed and crowded around President Gu Seungheon.
In a rush.
“Sajangnim!”
Himan, who arrived first, called out in rough Korean.
Still lying face down, President Gu Seungheon repeated his apology in English.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t come running the moment I heard the news. I’m sorry to everyone who was hurt and frightened.”
“No. You were at the NGO, so the doctors…”
“I should have come sooner…”
“Don’t say that. First, please get up…”
Even as Himan pulled at his arm, President Gu Seungheon could not easily rise.
But it was not only President Gu Seungheon and Himan speaking.
“@%#$%.”
“@$#@.”
All around them, the locals continued raising their voices.
Beside him, Kim Hyeokgwon translated a few lines.
“What wrong did you do that you’re acting like this?”
“Why do you always only say you’re sorry?”
“Get up. Otherwise, our hearts won’t be at ease.”
Kim Hyeokgwon relayed it bluntly.
Taesu, Jeong Minsu, and Brad Kim nodded heavily.
“Those aren’t words said while watching the mood around them.”
“They’re sincere. They’re really worried about him.”
“This is why a person’s true worth shows in a moment of crisis.”
Brad Kim spoke deeply at the end.
Just then, Raku approached.
The fatigue from driving for so long was written plainly on his face.
Taesu was the first to extend both hands to greet him.
“You’ve worked hard.”
“Phew. Coming here nonstop is rough.”
“Mr. Gu must have pestered you a lot.”
“At first, I thought he needed to pee.”
Raku said something silly, trying to lighten the dark mood even a little.
Taesu, looking in that direction, added a word as well.
“Brad just said something.”
“He said a person’s true worth shows in a moment of crisis.”
Brad Kim suddenly cut in.
Since they were conversing in English, he had a broader choice of words than Taesu.
That also gave him the advantage of conveying the meaning more clearly.
At that moment, Raku’s eyes glinted strangely.
At the same time, he turned those words back toward the medical team.
“You’re right. Their true worth did show.”
“Why are you looking at us like that?”
“Because you seem to know very well what those words mean.”
“What do you mean?”
Taesu, and the entire medical team as well, tilted their heads.
At that moment, Raku lightly jerked his chin toward the truck and said,
“They packed us a gift.”
“What kind of gift?”
“You’ll know when you see it.”
Raku turned first and walked away.
Taesu and the medical team immediately followed behind him.
But they had no idea what was going on.
“What is this sudden talk about a gift?”
“Why are you asking me?”
“If it’s a gift from the NGO, there can only be so many things.”
Each of them said a word.
Taesu, who had been listening while thinking quietly, suddenly made his eyes shine.
Tap!
He immediately approached Raku’s side and asked cautiously,
“Is it medical supplies, by any chance?”
“You caught on.”
“Don’t tell me James did it?”
Taesu asked, his eyes wide.
It had been James himself who gave the order for the helicopter medical team to deploy immediately.
There had been no one else there.
Raku smiled gently and answered.
“That’s right.”
It was only a single-word answer, but the medical team was greatly stirred.
“Ooh. As expected of our James!”
“That old geezer is making us feel good for the first time in a while.”
“Is that any way to speak? Dr. James is someone we can never respect and revere enough.”
Brad Kim praised him almost like an object of faith.
But Taesu’s expression was a little strange.
To be precise, Raku’s mischievous eyes bothered him.
“Raku, is there something else?”
“You’ll know when you see it yourself. We’ve arrived, too.”
Step.
They stopped in front of the truck bed.
A thick tarp covered it, so the inside was completely hidden.
Raku naturally untied the rope securing the tarp.
Rustle, rustle.
Soon one side of the tarp loosened.
Raku stepped back and called out loudly,
“It’s open.”
“Yes. It’s open.”
Taesu answered blankly.
But that was when it happened.
Flutter.
One side of the tarp rolled back on its own, and someone suddenly appeared.
The moment they saw him, the medical team’s eyes widened.
“Uh, uhhh?”
“Th… that…”
“What the hell? What’s going on?”
The three of them could not even speak properly.
They were nothing compared to him.
Taesu’s heart dropped all the way to his feet and came back up.
The person who had suddenly appeared was none other than Squad Leader Sam. Strangely, however, he was not wearing a military uniform, but civilian clothes.
Satisfied by everyone’s shocked expressions, Squad Leader Sam jumped down.
Thud.
Then he slowly looked around and exclaimed in admiration.
“The scenery here is incredible, even at night.”
It was a question in a casual tone.
But it was not directed at Taesu, Raku, or the medical team.
He was looking at something entirely random as he admired the view.
Then the tarp rustled once more, and someone answered his question.
It was none other than Sergeant Ryan.
He, too, was dressed in civilian clothes.
Thud.
“It really is nice.”
“Uh, uhhh…”
Taesu and the medical team stood there stammering, unable to speak.
Paying no attention to their reaction, Sergeant Ryan turned toward the truck bed and said,
“Hey. Stop spacing out and come on out.”
At the same time as he urged them on,
Pop.
Corporal Guspia appeared, yawning in civilian clothes.
“Haam. It’s been a while since I got to sleep while moving. Couldn’t you have left me alone?”
“There are people waiting behind you. Please get down already.”
The person who appeared while gruffly urging him on was Private First Class Antony.
Just like that, every member of the escort squad had appeared.
Taesu and the medical team were on the verge of their eyes popping out.
“What the hell?”
“How did this happen?”
“You said the PKO couldn’t come.”
“Did you desert? You shouldn’t go this far for us.”
They were so flabbergasted that they blurted out absurd guesses.
Taesu’s gaze turned toward Raku.
“Raku!”
“Oh dear. It seems there wasn’t only cargo in the truck bed.”
“Don’t say weird things.”
“Hear it from them yourself.”
Raku suggested it with a gentle smile.
Taesu decided that would be best and quickly turned around.
Just then, Squad Leader Sam approached.
He was wearing jeans and a thick knit sweater.
Perhaps because Taesu had only ever seen him in uniform, he looked awkward to his eyes.
Since his clothes were not what mattered right now, Taesu quickly raised his voice and asked,
“Squad Leader Sam, what is going on?”
“No, no. I’m not a squad leader. I’m just Sam.”
“Don’t joke around. Why are you here?”
“I’m on leave.”
At Squad Leader Sam’s answer, Taesu blinked.
“Leave?”
“Yes. Leave. To be precise, furlough.”
Squad Leader Sam used an unfamiliar word.
Taesu quickly looked at Kim Hyeokgwon and gestured.
Kim Hyeokgwon, who had also been shocked, instantly looked dumbfounded.
“Before, you treated me like a tape recorder, and now I’m a translation machine?”
“Hurry.”
“Furlough. It means leave granted to a soldier serving overseas.”
“So anyway, it means leave?”
“Yes.”
Nod.
Kim Hyeokgwon gave a firm answer with a nod.
Only then did Taesu look back at Squad Leader Sam and continue his startled reaction.
“You’re really on leave?”
“Sir. No, wait. Yes. We are on leave.”
“You didn’t say anything about this yesterday. So suddenly?”
Taesu showed sharp suspicion.
Squad Leader Sam shrugged calmly.
“That’s how it is for us. In the case of special leave, we may be notified an hour before departure.”
“Special leave?”
“Yes. Special operat… Ahem. Special leave, that’s right.”
Under Taesu’s urging, who had practically closed in under his chin, Squad Leader Sam finally misspoke.
He hurriedly corrected himself, but of course, everyone had heard it.
The corners of Taesu’s eyes had already lowered.
“I’m grateful to Colonel Clark, and I’m sorry.”
“Since it has come to this, Red Fox told us the precautions to observe while on leave. I’d like to relay them.”
“I’m curious.”
Taesu, as well as everyone else, focused on him.
Squad Leader Sam cleared his throat lightly and opened his mouth.
“While on leave, you do not have to care what anyone thinks, and it does not matter where you go.”
“Ha, haha.”
“He clearly said that, and we were issued leave passes as well.”
Rustle, rustle.
Squad Leader Sam actually showed them his leave pass.
Taesu stared at it intently and discovered a blank.
“There’s no return date.”
“We can write it in when we return.”
“What kind of do-whatever-you-want leave is this?”
Taesu was dumbfounded.
But only for a moment.
Right now, the appearance of Squad Leader Sam and his squad members was more reassuring than an army of thousands.
One hour later.
It was late, nearly midnight.
The village, which had been stirred up by President Gu Seungheon’s arrival, had now quieted down.
The streetlights on the road had also gone out, announcing that it was time to end a long, eventful day.
But there was one place where light still flowed out.
It was the tea leaf storage warehouse.
Makeshift lights illuminated the inside.
On one side of the storage warehouse, boxes of medical supplies and emergency rations were stacked.
There was a considerable amount, enough to have filled the truck bed.
It was a joint work by James and Colonel Clark.
And teacups had been placed here and there on the tea leaf sorting tables.
During the day, they had been used as improvised operating tables. Perhaps because the tables were wide, they were used for many purposes depending on the occasion.
Seated before each teacup were the key people involved in this matter.
Taesu, President Gu Seungheon, site foreman Go Jiyong, Squad Leader Sam, and lastly, Himan as the representative of the locals.