Chapter 74 – Welcome Party (1)

‘Whew, I guess I fell asleep!’

Ji-hyuk had fallen into a deep sleep as soon as he lay on the bed.

Gulp, gulp—

He poured and drank water from the kettle placed on the dining table.

Tick, tock—

The clock hanging on the wall.

The clock hands were already pointing to 2 AM. The outside of the window was quiet with deep darkness descended, and only the cries of beasts were heard occasionally.

Ji-hyuk, engulfed in darkness, recalled the patient he had treated during the day.

‘The patient’s disease is Fabry disease! It will take seventy years from now for its treatment to emerge. Since no patient has been reported domestically yet. In that case, I should research a treatment for Fabry disease starting from now! Gene therapy would be difficult, but enzyme replacement therapy is fully worth a try. By the way, when did time flow like this?’

His mind becoming complex, Kim Ji-hyuk slowly walked down to the examination room on the first floor.

A moment later.

“In-seon, what time is it now?”

“Yes. It is two in the morning. Please sleep more, Grandmother.”

“No. I am fine now. I have to prepare meals for our Man-seok…”

“Oh dear, is this the time to worry about Uncle Man-seok? Grandmother, you almost died.”

“As for me… I lived long enough. I saw our country liberated and saw the North Korean communists driven away, so I have no regrets.”

In the deep night, Nurse Park In-seon and the grandmother were conversing quietly.

“Nurse, what are you doing there?”

“Oh my? You should sleep more.”

Startled, Nurse Park In-seon asked. She approached Kim Ji-hyuk.

“Now that I tried to sleep, sleep would not come. How is the grandmother?”

“Following your instructions, Doctor, she seems to have improved a lot. She will have to stay here for the next few days, right?”

“Yes. It seems she should. After I examine her a bit more, it would be good to go to Seoul and receive a detailed examination. Anyway, I will be here from now on, so please go in and rest, Nurse.”

“No. The sun will rise in a bit, and if I sleep now, I will not be able to wake up. You should rest more, Doctor.”

“No. Sleep is out of the question for me too. Well, then let us have a cup of tea together.”

“Good! I will brew it deliciously for you! We happen to have tasty coffee.”

‘Wow, they even have coffee! This really is a wealthy village.’

Kim Ji-hyuk happened to be craving coffee intensely at that moment.

A moment later.

“Here is the coffee!”

Nurse Park In-seon brewed the coffee and brought it in a coffee cup.

“Thank you.”

“It was hectic from the first day, wasn’t it?”

Slurp, Nurse Park In-seon swallowed a sip of coffee and asked.

“It is fine. By the way, there is something I am curious about.”

“What is it? I am not interested in dating for the time being! I have no plans to meet men either.”

“Gasp!?”

“Hohoho, you look disappointed?”

‘This is crazy. Why are the people in this neighborhood all like this?’

“Didn’t you say earlier that it was your son’s birthday?”

“Ah! My Min-cheol?”

“Yes.”

“Mmh, Min-cheol is my nephew. Min-cheol’s parents, during the last war…”

In an instant, Nurse Park In-seon’s expression darkened.

“Ah! I am sorry. I did not know that was the case.”

“It is alright! Those who passed away are gone, but those who are left behind must live!”

Nurse Park In-seon smiled with a bright expression.

“Anyway, have you lived in this neighborhood long? According to Professor Jeong Gi-ryeo, you worked in the military unit during the war.”

“Yes. This is my hometown where I was born and raised. Although not during the war, of course.”

“I see.”

“Yes. It is a poor place, but the villagers are warm-hearted, making it a good place. It is nice that with the mining office established recently, many outsiders came and the village is lively and earning money well, making life affluent, but it is a bit sad that it seems to be losing the old appearance of the village.”

“That is unavoidable. Oh dear! Come to think of it, my formal greeting is late, isn’t it? I am Kim Ji-hyuk, sent on dispatch from the National Medical Center in Seoul. I look forward to working with you!”

Kim Ji-hyuk smiled and extended his hand.

“Hehehe, glad to meet you! I am Park In-seon. Please take good care of our clinic!”

Nurse Park In-seon readily shook Kim Ji-hyuk’s extended hand.

“By the way, the villagers have prepared a modest welcome party! You just need to come to the town hall tomorrow.”

“A welcome party?”

“Of course! It has been so long since a doctor came, how could we just let it pass? So you must come.”

“Ah, I understand.”

‘Sigh, they did not have to prepare something like a welcome party…’

Kim Ji-hyuk found it burdensome to face strangers.

* * *

The clinic.

“Doctor, it is time to go to the town hall now!”

As Kim Ji-hyuk walked out after finishing his examinations, Park In-seon asked.

“Do I absolutely have to go there?”

Kim Ji-hyuk was still reluctant.

“Of course! Do you know how much the village elders are waiting? You must go.”

Nurse Park In-seon nodded her head with a firm expression.

“Then what about the patient’s care?”

“Do not worry about that. The grandmother’s daughter-in-law decided to come! If there is an urgent matter, they can just come to the clinic immediately! The town hall is not very far from here.”

Nurse Park In-seon smiled warmly.

“Hmm, yes… I understand.”

Kim Ji-hyuk had no choice but to accept her suggestion.

A moment later, the town hall.

The place he arrived at with Nurse Park In-seon was a small town hall not very far from the clinic.

‘Heh, what is all that? Surely they didn’t do this just because I am coming?’

Rows of wreaths were decorating the town hall.

‘This seems a bit too much…’

It was a hospitality (?) that felt burdensome just to look at.

“Welcome! Director!”

An elderly man who looked like a roly-poly with a short, stubby height ran toward Kim Ji-hyuk holding a bouquet of flowers in both hands.

‘A bouquet? Phew, I want to go home already…’

Kim Ji-hyuk already began to feel tired at that sight.

“Yes.”

“We sincerely welcome you on your appointment to our village!”

He handed over the bouquet with an incredibly bright expression.

“Yes. Thank you.”

Kim Ji-hyuk, unable to ignore the sincerity, wore an awkward smile at the corner of his lips while accepting the bouquet.

“This person is our village chief. He is the oldest elder in our village, who steadfastly guarded the village even during the war.”

“Ah, yes.”

“He is someone overflowing with affection, so please understand him, Doctor.”

Nurse Park In-seon, reading Kim Ji-hyuk’s embarrassed expression, said with a smile.

“Oh my! He is really handsome!”

In an instant, the villagers rushed over and stared at Kim Ji-hyuk as if he were a curiosity.

“Ah, yes. Hello! Elders.”

“They said Seoul boys look pretty like girls, and it seems that is indeed the case!”

“Hohlhohlhohl, you are right. He really looks like a girl!”

The elderly whispered among themselves while surrounding Kim Ji-hyuk.

“Doctor, you must be hungry, right? Go inside quickly. The food will get cold!”

The village chief tugged at Kim Ji-hyuk’s sleeve.

“Elder, you may speak informally to me.”

“Really? Can I really do that to the doctor?”

“It is fine. Please do so.”

“Alright. Let us do that then. Our Dr. Kim is incredibly polite!”

The village chief immediately began speaking informally, wearing a pleased smile.

Murmuring

And as if they had been waiting, the villagers followed behind Kim Ji-hyuk into the town hall.

—He is tall and handsome. It would be great if we set him up with our Mi-sun!

—Do not even dream about it, lass. Where are you comparing Mi-sun? That is completely out of the question!

The elders counting their chickens before they hatched, while the person in question had no such thoughts.

People whispering as if looking at a monkey in a zoo.

‘I should eat quickly and leave. If I stay here, my energy will be completely drained.’

Kim Ji-hyuk, finding their sharp gazes burdensome, lowered his head slightly.

“It might be awkward, but the villagers are doing that out of gladness, so please understand them, Doctor. It is because everyone sees you as their grandson.”

The quick-witted Nurse Park In-seon crinkled her nose as if finding it amusing.

“Yes.”

A moment later.

A table, food that could make the table legs bend, was brought in.

It was neither high-class cuisine nor a table filled with meat. However, just by looking, clean dishes filled with sincerity were neatly placed on it.

Since it was the 1950s, when people went destitute with nothing proper to eat or wear, preparing this much food would not have been easy.

This must have been the power of black gold, coal.

“It is not much, but please eat a lot!”

‘This is “not much”?’

Kim Ji-hyuk was bewildered. Facing so much food, he did not know where to start his chopsticks.

“Sit comfortably.”

As Kim Ji-hyuk was spacing out like that, the village chief sat him down in his seat.

“Try some of this seasoned bellflower root. A ten-year-old wild bellflower root is not envious of wild ginseng.”

“Yes. I will try it.”

Every single one of them began to chatter while stroking Kim Ji-hyuk’s hand.

Whether his sleeping arrangements were uncomfortable, whether the food suited his taste, and so on.

Although responding to each one was burdensome, he could not turn away from them who welcomed him warmly, just like a grandson returning from the military.

“……….”

Dry and rough hands like tree bark without exception, and frail appearances that looked as if they would have at least one or two chronic diseases at a glance.

Shabby clothing, and deep wrinkles that allowed one to gauge the weight of life.

Despite that, their gazes were as warm as spring sunshine.

“Grandmother, please come to the clinic first thing tomorrow. No matter how I look at it, your liver enzymes seem high. We need to run some blood tests.”

“It is fine. Why bother our doctor? The water is clear and the air is good here, so that is all restorative medicine. Why would an old person waiting for their day to die go to a hospital to seek a blessing?”

“Do not say that, and please do come without fail. It would be good to get a few tests. If it is really uncomfortable to come, I will visit your home.”

Judging by the yellow tint of jaundice, she was definitely a grandmother with a bad liver.

There was no way Kim Ji-hyuk would just pass by such a patient.

“Hohlhohlhohl, your heart is truly as soft as silk. Just like your handsome face!”

“Yes. Make sure to come!”

A moment later.

As he shared alcohol and food with the villagers in that manner, Kim Ji-hyuk’s face also turned flushed red before he knew it.

At that moment, a new face showed up.

“Chief, I am here!”

“Oh! Geum-i! Welcome.”

The chief waved his hand as soon as he saw her.

“Yes, Chief!”

‘Geum-i?’

Drrr—

A woman opened the door and stepped inside. She was a woman with clear skin and a sophisticated feel. Judging by appearance alone, maybe mid-to-late twenties?

At any rate, she was someone with a city atmosphere that somehow did not match this Moeundong mountain valley.

Her outfit looked quite sophisticated, and her eyes beyond the thick horn-rimmed glasses looked quite intelligent.

“Come sit here quickly. Why are you so late? Today is the day our Director arrives, you know?”

Seeing the village chief welcome her warmly, she seemed to have a good relationship with the villagers.

“Oh my, has our Geum-i come? Welcome, welcome!”

Not only the village chief, but the village elders also welcomed her warmly.

“My manuscript is a bit backlogged! I do not know why my writing is not going well lately!”

The woman sat down with a coy expression.

‘Manuscript? Is she a writer?’

Kim Ji-hyuk casually glanced at her.