Taesu stared at him in disbelief.
The moment Kim Hyeokgwon met his gaze, he asked urgently.
“Is there anyone else you need?”
“No.”
“If you want, I’ll even go grab Doctor James.”
The look in his eyes as he asked was no ordinary one.
If he truly needed him, he was the sort who would somehow drag James over too.
If they stalled any longer, that might actually become reality.
“Let’s go. We’re going.”
“Let’s do that. Now, hurry.”
Kim Hyeokgwon urged him on and yanked Taesu without mercy.
Taesu didn’t resist any further.
The atmosphere made it clear that if he tried to hold out, only his ears would suffer and his body would get more exhausted.
It seemed wiser to just settle it quickly and escape Kim Hyeokgwon’s pestering.
Taesu’s guess proved exactly right.
In the brief moments when the other two got distracted, Kim Hyeokgwon glared at them with hawk eyes and snapped at them.
“Doctor Jeong, what are you doing? Why are you staring at the ground?”
“Huh, yes. Ah… I’m going. I’m going.”
“Doctor Kim, don’t doze off leaning against the wall. Hurry up and come.”
“Haaahm. My eyes won’t open… Ack. I’ll walk on my own. On my own.”
Kim Hyeokgwon led them along while keeping a firm hold on everyone, to the point that it almost felt like a sense of duty.
Taesu, Jeong Minsu, and Brad Kim let everything go and moved their bodies.
It was a matter related to money.
Trying to withstand Kim Hyeokgwon’s pressure was absolutely not a wise course of action.
About thirty minutes later.
Creak.
The door to the Good Morning Earth office opened, and the four of them came out one after another.
Kim Hyeokgwon, who came out first, had his mouth stretched wide enough to reach his ears.
Then he pulled a bundle of cash from an envelope and counted it vigorously.
Rustle, rustle.
“Uhahaha. Uhahahaha.”
Instead of numbers, only laughter filled the air.
The expressions Taesu, Jeong Minsu, and Brad Kim directed at him were varied.
Dark circles filled their faces, but they did seem to have woken up.
Among them, Brad Kim was the first to speak.
“Mr. Kim was so tired, so how on earth did he wake up?”
“With an ordinary mind, it would’ve been impossible. Taesu and I didn’t even think about it and were just sleeping.”
“Same here. But they say Mr. Kim will fight tooth and nail over anything to do with money. That’s some truly incredible mental strength.”
“In a way, it’s even admirable.”
Thump.
Jeong Minsu even gave him a thumbs-up.
It was not sarcasm, but an expression of genuine acknowledgment of Kim Hyeokgwon’s obsession with money.
Taesu felt the same.
So, as he always did, he cleanly split off half of his allowance and handed it over.
“Hyeokgwon.”
“Oh my, the children next door are moving in. Well now, thank you every time.”
Whoosh.
He took it along with a sly greeting.
Seeing him look even happier, Taesu smiled lightly.
Then Jeong Minsu handed over his allowance in the same way.
“Me too.”
“Thank you. Thank you very much. Wow, this is a bumper year, a bumper year.”
Kim Hyeokgwon writhed with happiness until his mouth was in danger of splitting open.
But he was not the end.
Slide.
Brad Kim also handed over part of his allowance in the same way and said,
“Mr. Kim. There’s some here too.”
“Huh? Doctor Kim, why you?”
“It’s a bribe asking you to look kindly on me from now on.”
Brad Kim spoke good-naturedly.
At that sight, Taesu was the one who was surprised.
But when he saw Jeong Minsu wearing a meaningful smile, he understood what had happened.
“Mm? Ah.”
Unlike Taesu’s exclamation, Kim Hyeokgwon did not accept it right away.
He stared intently at Brad Kim and spoke calmly.
“It’s true that I like money, but it’d be a little troublesome if you think I just accept anything.”
“I told you, it’s a bribe asking you to look kindly on me.”
“Oho. Depending on how you interpret that, it can mean quite different things.”
Slide.
Kim Hyeokgwon stroked his chin and sent him a complicated look.
However, Brad Kim’s faint smile did not fade.
“I’m thinking of going around with you from now on.”
“That’s not for me to decide.”
“It’s what I want.”
Brad Kim answered with firm resolve.
At the same time, Kim Hyeokgwon’s gaze turned toward Taesu.
Taesu was blinking at the string of unexpected remarks.
That only lasted a moment, and after quickly gathering himself, Taesu asked Brad Kim,
“Brad, do you really mean that?”
“Of course.”
“Makut Village was an extremely mild case. I don’t know how much more dangerous the next place will be.”
Taesu spoke the truth seriously.
It was because he did not want to become estranged from someone who had shown him kindness like an older brother.
Whether he knew Taesu’s feelings or not, Brad Kim’s answer followed immediately, as if he had been waiting.
“I don’t know that either.”
“Then…”
“But I’m not doing this with a half-hearted mindset.”
“……”
At the strange nuance, Taesu closed his mouth.
Beginning with Taesu, Brad Kim met Jeong Minsu’s and Kim Hyeokgwon’s eyes in turn and added,
“As you all know, joining Doctor James’s surgical team was my dream and my goal.”
“We know that.”
“But after seeing reality there, this is the decision I made after a lot of thought. That now isn’t the time to dream.”
“Hmm.”
Someone’s soft groan served as a reply.
The atmosphere had already grown heavy.
At that moment, as if attempting a reversal, Brad Kim winked and opened his mouth again.
“And I get bonuses like this too.”
“That’s important.”
Kim Hyeokgwon expressed his agreement in an absurdly serious tone.
But Taesu, still serious, calmly said what he thought.
“This may be a path that takes you very far from your dream, Brad.”
“I know.”
“Pardon?”
“I think so too. But while I was chasing only that dream, I briefly lost sight of something more important.”
The meaning contained in his answer was significant.
At that moment, Kim Hyeokgwon, who had been silently listening, asked,
“What is that?”
“Hehe, it wouldn’t be fun if I told you right away.”
“What?”
“In any case, Mr. Kim. Are you going to take this or not?”
As if deliberately changing the subject, Brad Kim lightly shook the allowance he had been holding out all along.
But Kim Hyeokgwon’s gaze went to Taesu.
“Should I take this or not?”
“Decide for yourself.”
“Well now, that is quite an irresponsible and insincere answer.”
Glare.
Kim Hyeokgwon gave him a slight glare.
His hand remained where it was.
That meant he was demanding a clear answer from Taesu.
Though he habitually said money was everything, he was the type to refuse things without a reason.
It was a contradictory stance, but he clearly had his own philosophy.
Now was not the time to listen to a lecture on that philosophy.
Nor did Taesu intend to hear anything deeper from Brad Kim.
Before he knew it, everyone was looking at Taesu.
It was proof that, whatever anyone said, the one they thought of as the leader was Taesu.
Taesu did not think about it much.
Because no matter what thoughts he considered, the answer converged on one thing.
Taesu lightly called Brad Kim.
“Brad. Have you ever heard this phrase?”
“What phrase?”
“Welcome to hell.”
Wink.
When Taesu said it with a wink, a deep smile spread across Brad Kim’s face.
“Hell? Good. Let’s try going there.”
“Brad, you answered. You can’t take it back.”
Jeong Minsu brightened and quickly drove the nail in.
That was not all.
Kim Hyeokgwon’s hand, which had been still all this time, finally moved.
Not stopping there, he tucked away the now even thicker allowance and began counting it.
“Wow, this… I’m going to become rich in no time. Hahaha.”
Kim Hyeokgwon’s hearty laughter echoed through the corridor.
Taesu felt a little amazed.
Timid Jeong Minsu was always severely shy around strangers, and Kim Hyeokgwon’s personality was pricklier than anyone’s.
Yet those two were welcoming Brad Kim without a single objection.
Of course, the time they had spent together in Makut must have been the decisive factor.
The same was true for Taesu.
Brad Kim’s amiable personality would be helpful in many ways.
And needless to say, his skills were absolutely necessary. On top of that, he was also the perfect person to greatly ease their shortage of hands.
Just like that, their companions increased to three.
Taesu calmly looked around at everyone.
‘I thought I was alone.’
But as if proudly overturning that expectation, they had gathered like this.
His confidence was gradually growing.
With these people at his side, he was not afraid of anywhere.
While Taesu was carefully nurturing that confidence in his heart—
Thump.
After tucking away the added allowance, Kim Hyeokgwon shouted with great vigor.
“I’m in a damn good mood. Really good. Then let’s go have a meal.”
“Huh? Hyeokgwon, you’re treating us?”
“Do you think I only know how to receive? What are you doing? Aren’t you going?”
The moment he urged them on,
Everyone quickly got over their surprise and answered.
“Of course we’re going.”
“Don’t just say it, we should guide him. Hyeokgwon, it’s this way.”
“Mr. Kim is treating us? This isn’t a dream, is it?”
After each of them said a word about how they felt, they moved with pleased expressions.
An hour passed in the blink of an eye.
Taesu and the others were seated on an outdoor bench where pale sand dust had settled.
The place was somewhat unique.
Judging by the many similar benches around, it seemed to be a rest area.
Not only doctors, nurses, and members of the medical volunteer group were mixed together there, but soldiers as well.
It was because it was located between the NGO medical camp and the PKO headquarters.
The quiet atmosphere was good for feeling at ease.
However, not much ease could be seen on the faces of Taesu, Jeong Minsu, and Brad Kim.
On the other hand, Kim Hyeokgwon offered the drinks he had handed to each of them in a vigorous voice.
“I’m telling you to drink. Why are you all just staring at them instead of drinking?”
At that sound, Taesu was the first to take hold of his drink and said,
“This is a drink from military supplies.”
“When on earth did you win over the mess cook?”
“You said you were treating us, but I didn’t expect us to eat at the joint mess hall and then get supply drinks for dessert.”
Jeong Minsu and Brad Kim each added a remark in dumbfounded voices.
They had certainly eaten plenty and even received dessert. Nevertheless, Kim Hyeokgwon had shown them the miracle of not spending a single penny.
To Taesu and the others, who were looking at him in disbelief, Kim Hyeokgwon said a word.
“Did I lie or something?”
“You said you were treating us.”
“When did I?”
When Kim Hyeokgwon responded sullenly, Jeong Minsu’s expression went blank.
“You definitely…”
“I said let’s go eat. I never said I was buying.”
“You said you wouldn’t only receive…”
When Jeong Minsu cautiously added that, Kim Hyeokgwon asked back confidently.
“So I gave you drinks, didn’t I? What else?”
“Nothing. I ate well, and I’ll drink well too.”
“Of course you should.”
Fizz.
There was not a trace of wavering in Kim Hyeokgwon’s expression as he opened the drink.
Brad Kim soothed the dumbfounded Jeong Minsu.
“In any case, we filled our stomachs.”
“And we even got drinks.”
“Then that’s enough.”
“Yes. I think it is.”
Jeong Minsu answered as if he had let everything go.
They were each taking a sip of their drinks when
Taesu’s gaze turned toward their surroundings.
“Why do their stares feel so sharp?”
“Mm? Oh, you’re right.”
Jeong Minsu glanced around and was surprised.
Most of the medical staff were shooting sharp looks in their direction.
Taesu, and everyone else as well, found it strange.
They thought back over whether there had been anything that would draw this much attention.
Then Taesu suddenly recalled something.
“Ohamed.”
“Mm? Ah. Ah…”
It was the incident where they had occupied James’s surgical tent without permission.