"Did you supervise it yourself?"
"Dr. Ijakson dragged me to the patient. Said I should make sure there were no complications, since it was the team's maknae who performed the surgery."
"Ah, Dr. Ijakson."
When Taesu made an expression full of emotion, James lightly uttered empty flattery.
"I do the work, but it seems the glory goes to him."
"Not at all. Thank you for taking an interest."
"I'm just saying. But when you return, go visit the patient once. He keeps asking to see you."
"Understood."
Taesu wrapped up the conversation at that.
Meeting James was more than welcome.
But he wasn't in a position to ask to be looked after alone.
So he motioned toward Bread Kim, who was standing anxiously by his side.
"Doctor James, this is……"
"My memory isn't that bad yet. Bread Kim, was it?"
James said the name clearly.
At that moment, Bread Kim's eyes shook slightly, and he quickly covered his mouth.
"D-Doctor, you know my name. It's an honor."
"What's so honorable about that? More importantly, I heard this kind of dispatch is your first—how do you feel?"
"I, well…… What I felt was……"
Bread Kim stammered out the words.
Having faced the person he so longed for and respected, he must have been overcome with emotion.
The conversation between James and Bread Kim continued a little longer.
Meanwhile, Taesu gestured behind him and quickly called Jeong Min-su and Gim Hyeokgwon.
Swish, swish.
The two, seeing the signal, quickly approached.
Gim Hyeokgwon immediately asked.
"Who is he?"
"It's Doctor James."
"Who?"
"You don't know him?"
Taesu asked back in bewilderment, but Gim Hyeokgwon retorted indifferently.
"Do I know every person in the world?"
"The head of the NGO."
"Oh my, then he's a VIP client."
Gim Hyeokgwon's waist, which had been stiff, bent halfway on its own.
Taesu shook his head at the sight of him switching postures without even having greeted him yet.
"Goodness. Min-su, isn't Hyeokgwon amazing?"
"……."
When there was no answer, Taesu looked over and asked.
"Jeong Min-su?"
"Th-that person……"
It seemed to be dawning on him only now.
Taesu smiled awkwardly and nodded.
"That's right. Him."
"Why did he come here?"
"Well, I'm not sure."
Taesu had a guess, but he avoided answering.
But then James looked their way and asked.
"What are you whispering about in Korean?"
"Ah, first, here is……"
"I heard from Dr. Kim just now—Doctor Jeong. But I'm more curious about what you were talking about."
When James asked again, Taesu had no choice but to relay it.
"We were talking about how James came all the way here."
"Did you reach a conclusion?"
"No."
Taesu replied awkwardly.
James, guessing the reason, looked directly at Jeong Min-su and answered.
"The reason I came here is to meet Dr. Choe."
"Gasp."
Jeong Min-su opened his mouth wide involuntarily.
The world's greatest surgeon had mentioned Taesu directly, astonishing him.
But James paid no heed and extended his hand to Jeong Min-su.
"Nice to meet you."
"N-nice to meet you. No, I look forward to working with you."
Jeong Min-su quickly changed his greeting and politely shook hands.
At that moment, James asked in a low voice.
"But is it okay to use someone else's operating room as you please?"
"Hup. M-my apologies."
"You have an innocent side. Hoho."
James figured out Jeong Min-su with just a few light words.
'Wow.'
Taesu also opened his eyes wide in surprise.
In the meantime, James was already looking at Gim Hyeokgwon.
Perhaps because Gim Hyeokgwon wasn't with the NGO, the way he was treated was different from the start.
"So this is the all-weather interpreter I heard about in rumors. Mr. Gim, nice to meet you."
"Oh my, my hands, oh my."
Rub, rub.
Gim Hyeokgwon quickly wiped his hands on his pants and carefully shook hands.
James smiled brightly and continued the greeting.
"Thank you for helping our NGO in many ways thus far. We look forward to your continued cooperation."
"Knowing that I am of even meager help to the noble cause of the NGO, I am at a loss. I am the one more grateful and honored. Yes, indeed."
"Please just be yourself."
James suggested it so calmly and softly.
Having heard so much from Taesu.
He naturally saw right through him.
Gim Hyeokgwon hesitated for a fleeting moment, but his usual composure was no joke, so he responded calmly.
"What do you mean? This is my true self."
"Shall I withdraw your stipend support?"
At those words, Gim Hyeokgwon's eyes suddenly changed.
"What? This old man, right now……. Oops."
"Huhu."
"Kuh, kuhum."
Gim Hyeokgwon cleared his throat and even averted his gaze.
At that sight, James laughed out loud.
"Haha. That's much more natural and better."
"Oh my, making a person feel embarrassed."
Gim Hyeokgwon's face flushed red, a rare sight.
James was enjoying that reaction as well.
Then Taesu, who had been watching, subtly stepped forward.
"Let's go inside for now. I don't think we should stand here talking like this."
"Hmm. No, no."
"Pardon?"
Taesu's face turned awkward at the refusal.
Meanwhile, James looked around the surroundings widely and spoke softly.
"I think the proper order is to first look around at how you've been getting on."
"How we've been getting on?"
"Yes. Isn't there a way to confirm that most surely and simply?"
"What……. Ah."
Taesu, looking around widely following James, let out a low exclamation.
Before they knew it, the village residents had come out to the square.
They seemed to have realized they would be leaving soon.
It was a slightly early morning hour.
Nevertheless, so many people had gathered that the square was packed to the brim.
James slowly looked around at the villagers and said.
"They are faces full of regret. Faces that don't want to believe this moment of parting."
"……."
"In a situation like this, is there more to ask and answer?"
"……."
"You've truly worked hard."
James praised softly.
It wasn't just words.
Tap, tap.
He gently patted shoulders and arms, adding encouraging gestures.
It wasn't just Taesu.
From Bread Kim to Jeong Min-su, and Gim Hyeokgwon.
James approached each one and showered them with encouraging gestures.
At those gestures, the expressions of Taesu and his colleagues changed rapidly.
It was praise from none other than James.
The string of tension they had held until the very end loosened in a rush.
"Hmm."
"Ahem."
Their noses stung.
This hadn't been a journey undertaken to receive recognition from anyone.
Still, because James acknowledged them, their heated hearts quivered.
James looked at Taesu and his colleagues in turn and added.
"Let's wrap up and get going."
"But you just arrived."
"Dr. Choe, you know it's time to leave."
James softly advised.
His words were right.
If they went inside the building now, the villagers would have made their trip for nothing. And not knowing when they would leave, they would keep waiting.
That was something they simply couldn't do.
Taesu surreptitiously asked James for understanding.
"May I go over for a moment?"
"By all means."
"Excuse me."
Taesu finished speaking lightly, looked around at his party, and moved his steps.
Bread Kim, Jeong Min-su, and Gim Hyeokgwon, receiving that gaze, followed together.
Soon Taesu and his party stood before the villagers.
Smiles hung on their faces as they looked at each other. But some villagers' eyes were burning hot.
They were the benefactors who had pushed away the fear and confusion that filled the village.
It wasn't something the medical staff had accomplished one hundred percent, but it was true that they had added their strength.
They were conveying that gratitude with such heated gazes.
But then.
"%^.#$."
A booming voice was heard from behind the people.
At that sound, people stepped aside left and right, and Karhaban walked through.
Gim Hyeokgwon frowned upon seeing that.
"That guy still hasn't come to his senses."
"What is he saying?"
"He said clear the way, hurry up and move aside."
At those words, Taesu's face turned incredulous.
"Why is he doing that again at the very end?"
"Exactly what I'm saying."
Then Karhaban quickly approached and said something.
Gim Hyeokgwon quickly interpreted it.
"Well, Sarubia……"
Before the interpretation was even finished, the eyes of Taesu, Jeong Min-su, and Bread Kim sharply changed.
Taesu was the first to ask in a sharp voice.
"Why did Sarubia come?"
"She says she's brought a gift."
"Huh?"
"Sarubia is coming with a gift, so she says wait."
Gim Hyeokgwon repeated the same words again.
The moment they heard those words, the doctors' tension quickly relaxed.
"Ah, come on."
"Mr. Hyeokgwon."
"Ugh. My heart."
As they chimed in, Gim Hyeokgwon said bluntly.
"I'm just saying what I heard. More importantly, the star of the show is appearing."
"……."
Everyone stopped groaning and turned their gazes.
From behind, people began parting left and right.
Along the opened path, Sarubia walked.
It was not a face hidden from the world.
There were no traces of such.
Step by step.
On Sarubia's slowly approaching face, a smile was drawn.
And she was holding something in both hands.
Eventually, Sarubia stopped before Taesu.
Swoosh.
Sarubia, looking up, began to say something calmly in a soft voice.
"@#$%@#$."
Gim Hyeokgwon, listening intently, flinched and interpreted.
"She says she doesn't cry anymore even without her mother."
"Hmm."
"And……. She says she prays every day for the repose of her father, mother, sisters, and brothers."
"……."
No one could speak.
But they intuitively knew that Sarubia wasn't just saying such things lightly.
Taesu slowly lowered his body.
Meeting eyes with Sarubia, Taesu gently swept back her hair and said.
"Don't just stay home; go for a walk once in a while."
"She says she was in the workshop because of this."
"What do you mean by 'this'?"
"She says she made it the way her mother taught her."
It was the moment Gim Hyeokgwon's interpretation ended.
Swoosh.
Sarubia held out what she had been embracing.
There wasn't just one.
There were four neatly folded garments.
The fabric was cashmere.
There was no way Taesu, who had spent time in Makut, wouldn't recognize it.
It wasn't just any cashmere.
The clothes gleamed smoothly with luster.
The threads were so thin and fine they were hard to see with the naked eye.
Of course, since the fabric was born from a child's hands, imperfections were also visible.
But that wasn't important.
The reason Taesu was surprised was different.
"Could this be?"
"Made from a baby goat's first fleece……. Then it's top-grade cashmere."
Gim Hyeokgwon, who was interpreting, shouted in even greater surprise.
Then Karhaban quickly approached and lifted Sarubia into his arms.