On the other hand, Taesu was certain that the favorable impression he had first felt from Dr. Johnson had been genuine.
And staying silent like this now would not help.
Srrk.
The moment he made his decision, Taesu slowly rose from his seat.
It was a moment when he had to put on a shameless face.
At the same time, Brad Kim, seeing Taesu’s action, asked with a puzzled expression.
“Dr. Choe, why?”
“I don’t think we should just gloss over this.”
“Then I’ll introduce you…”
“No. I should introduce myself.”
Brad Kim let out a low exclamation, and his gaze turned to Dr. Johnson.
It seemed to ask what he thought of Taesu’s idea.
Dr. Johnson looked slightly surprised.
It was because Taesu was showing that he would approach those wary people first.
But he could not very well stop Taesu.
Srrk.
He stepped aside.
By opening the way like that, he answered in place of words.
Taesu gave him a slight bow and passed him.
Step.
It was the moment he took one step forward.
He felt every doctor’s gaze converge on him at once.
Taesu did not avoid them.
Meeting their eyes slowly with a calm gaze, he introduced himself.
“I am Dr. Choe Taesu from Korea.”
“I’m Jeong Minsu. I look forward to working with you.”
Jeong Minsu also found the timing and naturally followed with his greeting.
Then Taesu opened his mouth again.
“There is much I lack and much I am insufficient in. I will keep my eyes and ears open and diligently follow in my seniors’ footsteps.”
“Ahem.”
“And as for the part you are curious about…”
Taesu let the end of his sentence trail off slightly.
Their reaction?
Gulp.
Everyone was watching only Taesu’s mouth with tense expressions.
That was how important the matter was to them.
Taesu had no intention of hiding it, so he soon continued with the answer.
“Though I am lacking, I am being called the ‘youngest.’”
It meant it was true.
Everyone’s brows drew together, and sighs escaped them.
“Ah!”
“Phew!”
But it was then.
Taesu immediately added,
“It was by chance that our connection came about. I think ‘apprentice’ team member would be the more accurate expression.”
“Apprentice?”
At someone’s question, Taesu answered right away.
“As you know, I am only a resident. How could someone like me be an official team member?”
“Mm.”
“Even I think it is far more than I deserve. Here, too, I am in the position of the youngest, so please treat me comfortably. I look forward to working with you.”
Bow.
After answering calmly, Taesu bowed politely.
Everyone looked at one another.
Whatever the case, they had received a greeting, so they could not simply pretend otherwise and move on.
“Well, let’s… let’s do our best.”
“At any rate, let’s get along.”
Clap, clap, clap.
Formal responses and applause followed.
Their reaction went exactly that far.
Everyone’s true feelings were quite different.
They believed Taesu would be kicked out of James’s surgical team.
To become a member of the world’s best surgical team, Taesu was far too young and inexperienced.
Of course, that was how it looked to them.
Even after the greeting, their wary gazes remained.
Warmth?
There was none at all.
The distance between their hearts felt farther than that of neighbors.
In the end, Brad Kim said a word.
“Which bastard said NGOs were open-minded?”
They were open to anyone, but they did not accept just anyone.
It was the phrase that best described the nature of an NGO.
A bitter smile formed at the corners of Taesu’s mouth.
‘That’s why I’ve been moving separately all this time.’
It was one of several reasons.
In truth, even now, he did not know why he had been included in the Padum medical service.
Since it was something Dr. Schmidt had done, he was trying hard to understand it.
In any case, he had greeted them.
He was satisfied with exactly that much.
They would be seeing one another every day for a while, so there was no reason to act as if they were complete strangers.
That did not mean he understood everything.
Srrk.
Turning around, Taesu muttered quietly in Korean.
“Damn it. What the hell is this mess?”
“Tell me about it.”
“Minsu. I want to worry until my head bursts over patient problems.”
“Let me in on that too.”
Jeong Minsu agreed with an earnest expression.
Even though they had introduced themselves, the awkward air inside the lodging did not improve much.
An inexplicable heaviness lingered.
It was then.
Creak.
In the quiet, the door opened.
Soon after, Dr. Schmidt entered with a smile, his tired complexion belying it.
“Everyone, you worked hard getting ready.”
“Not at all.”
Srrk.
Everyone quickly brightened their expressions.
It seemed they knew their behavior had not been particularly proper.
Taesu, Jeong Minsu, and Brad Kim also faced Dr. Schmidt.
Once everyone’s attention was gathered, Dr. Schmidt opened the notebook he had brought and began.
“First, after we get a little sleep…”
His solemn voice filled the room heavily.
The main content was the detailed schedule for the medical service.
As they listened to that schedule, Taesu and Jeong Minsu looked a little surprised.
It was because of the variety of medical departments.
“Surgery is being run with thoracic surgery and general surgery as one part?”
“Orthopedics and neurosurgery are one part too.”
“So ophthalmology and dentistry are together with the ENT part.”
“Seeing as everyone accepts it, it must often be run like this.”
Taesu and Jeong Minsu whispered softly, deepening their understanding.
Aside from that, they said they would also operate a pharmacy and an injection room separately.
It could be seen as a scale comparable to a semi-general hospital.
Just from this alone, it was clear that this medical service was not a schedule prepared in a short time.
Just as he was thinking about the scale.
He heard Dr. Schmidt calling for him.
“We’ll proceed that way, and Dr. Choe.”
“Yes, Doctor.”
Srrk.
Taesu raised his hand high.
As if Dr. Schmidt had already located him, he looked straight at him and said,
“Dr. Choe and Dr. Jeong will be in charge of Medical Tent No. 3.”
“That… Understood.”
Taesu had been about to say something, but changed it into an answer.
It was because Dr. Schmidt’s eyebrow had twitched slightly.
There was surely a reason behind any unusual action.
When Taesu meekly accepted it, Dr. Schmidt immediately moved on.
“Our schedule will remain flexible…”
His briefing continued calmly.
But Taesu’s expression as he looked at him was full of bewilderment.
A little later.
Taesu came out into the corridor outside the lodging.
Dr. Schmidt was standing in front of him.
With a gentle smile on his thick lips, Dr. Schmidt asked Taesu,
“There are so many people that it’s hard to get your bearings, isn’t it?”
“It is, a little.”
“That’s why I tried turning you toward the medical tent in my own way. Take your time adjusting.”
“Ah, as expected. Thank you.”
When Taesu thanked him, Dr. Schmidt smiled and shook his head.
“No need to thank me.”
“Um, may I ask one thing?”
Taesu broached the subject cautiously.
As if Dr. Schmidt had expected it, he mentioned it first.
“You’re wondering why you’re with us this time, aren’t you?”
“To be honest, I’m very curious.”
“It was Dr. James’s order.”
At those words, Taesu flinched.
After quickly turning it over in his head a few times, Taesu repeated in a somewhat deflated voice,
“It was Dr. James’s order?”
“You’re taking it calmly… Ah, since that happened at the airport, I suppose you had a rough idea.”
When Dr. Schmidt tested the waters, Taesu nodded.
“It was only to the extent of wondering if that might be the case.”
“Now that you know, that’s enough.”
“But did he perhaps say anything else?”
Taesu asked, thinking there might be something more.
After thinking for a moment, Dr. Schmidt suddenly spoke with a meaningful expression.
“He didn’t give me any separate instructions for you, Dr. Choe. But what he said to me might perhaps serve as a hint.”
“What did he say?”
“He said you had to find it yourself.”
“Pardon?”
For a moment, all strength left Taesu.
On the other hand, as if he found that reaction amusing, Dr. Schmidt drew a smile at the corners of his mouth and said,
“Try to find it well.”
“No, Doctor. Was that truly all he said?”
“That was all.”
“Please don’t be like that…”
Before he knew it, Taesu’s expression had turned tearful. It felt as though Dr. Schmidt clearly knew something more but was hiding it.
However, Dr. Schmidt did not budge.
“I’m telling you, I really don’t know.”
“Ugh.”
“There’s no need to sigh. Try to discover Dr. James’s intentions splendidly.”
Pat, pat.
Dr. Schmidt gently patted his shoulder.
He probably meant it as comfort, but for Taesu, his sense of helplessness only deepened, leaving the road ahead pitch-black.
That thought lasted only a moment.
Taesu moved back toward the lodging.
For the sake of tomorrow’s work going smoothly, he had to sleep first.
A little later.
The lodging was filled with pitch-black darkness.
Snrrk.
Snores of all kinds could be heard.
Taesu alone had his eyes open.
In the darkness, his gaze staring up at the ceiling was complicated.
“He says to find it myself.”
His frustrated thoughts slipped out.
No matter how much he thought about it, it was a riddle with no clue at all.
He could not fall asleep because he was curious about the answer.
But now it was almost time for morning to break.
If his sleep time decreased any further, it would interfere with tomorrow’s schedule.
Patients came before his own worries.
In the end, Taesu scattered his thoughts.
“Let’s sleep for now.”
Flump.
Taesu pulled the blanket up over his head.
Several hours later.
Morning dawned.
The yard between the temporary hospital and the lodging building was bustling.
Within it, Taesu and the others were gathered.
They were waiting because the cafeteria was full.
Among them, Gim Hyeokgwon was looking around at the medical staff coming and going.
At the end of his gaze was Taesu.
“Dr. Choe, with that many doctors here, you residents are going to step out onto the very front line?”
“We’re not the ones who decided that.”
“Hoo.”
When Gim Hyeokgwon smiled meaningfully, Taesu glanced at him and asked,
“What is it?”
“Even in Makut, you were people who had the villagers under your thumb, but here you’re treated like minnows. Wouldn’t that be funny?”
“Minnows, huh. It really is like that.”
At Taesu’s lukewarm reaction, Gim Hyeokgwon pouted.
“You have to give me some kind of reaction for teasing you to be fun.”
“Hmm.”
“Why all of a sudden?”
It was when Gim Hyeokgwon looked at him in puzzlement.
Taesu, who had suddenly fallen deep into thought, soon nodded.
“Maybe that might be it.”
“What are you talking about? Say it so I can understand.”
Gim Hyeokgwon’s expression turned frustrated because he could not understand.
On the other hand, Jeong Minsu’s eyes gleamed lightly as he urged Taesu on.
“What is it? Why do you think he sent us?”
“We’ll return to Korea someday, and when that time comes, we’ll have to go back to living as part of an organization. Maybe he means for us not to lose the feel for that?”
Taesu calmly stated his thoughts.
After mulling over those words, Jeong Minsu soon nodded.
“That might be possible.”
“No. I think Dr. Choe is right. In the end, a hospital is an organization.”