Chapter 84 – Devoted Couple (5)

‘Why did this person come to find me?’

“First, please come inside. Since your wife is at the clinic, let us go to the official residence.”

Kim Ji-hyuk guided the man to the official residence instead of the clinic.

“Yes, Doctor! Thank you.”

“Do you have something to say to me?”

“Yes.”

Although it was dark and he could not make out the face well, Go Min-guk’s face became clearer as the man entered the room.

His appearance of being soaked in alcohol from a few days ago was nowhere to be found.

“How is my wife doing?”

“She is probably sleeping right now. I did not tell the patient that I was going to meet you.”

Kim Ji-hyuk had already figured out Go Min-guk’s intention without being asked separately.

“Thank you! Thank you so much, Doctor!”

Go Min-guk bowed his head deeply. He was indeed polite to a degree that could not be compared to when he poured out harsh words a few days ago.

“Looking after patients is my duty, after all. By the way, what brings you here at this hour? Do you have something to say to me?”

“Sigh, before that, I would like to apologize first for acting rudely last time. I was really sorry at that time, Doctor!”

Go Min-guk bowed his waist once more and bowed politely.

“It is fine. If you have something to say, please speak comfortably.”

“Sigh, I do not know where and how to start speaking.”

Go Min-guk rubbed his hands, not knowing what to do.

“…”

Kim Ji-hyuk nodded slowly.

He waited with a relaxed expression so that the man could easily start speaking.

“Yes! Then I will tell you!”

With that, Go Min-guk’s story began.

Just as Park In-seon had said, he had started a military procurement business a few years ago. He said that he was able to achieve some success at first when he went into partnership with a close friend.

However, should it be called a misfortune in the midst of prosperity?

As the business prospered quite a bit, the relationship with his friend, who was his partner, gradually drifted apart. The friend recklessly spent public money, made incoherent excuses, and even told incomprehensible lies. The reason was soon revealed.

The root of the trouble was that Go Min-guk handled the overall military procurement business while leaving all fund management to his friend.

The friend he trusted embezzled all the company money and vanished.

While leaving a significant amount of debt under Go Min-guk’s name.

The faltering business naturally led to bankruptcy.

Thus, Go Min-guk had to bear all the financial problems that arose alone.

Since then, Go Min-guk had searched frantically for his partner friend, but could not find a trace of him anywhere, and the debt grew day by day to an unmanageable level. In an instant, he lost everything and fell into the abyss.

“So you put on that kind of act? You deliberately acted harshly and treated your wife badly?”

“I thought you would know.”

Go Min-guk dropped his head weakly. The tears forming in the corners of his eyes sparkled in the reflection of the light.

“In the end, your goal was to divorce your wife.”

“Was there any other way? Only if she separates from me as quickly as possible will my wife find a way to live. But my wife…”

Go Min-guk wiped away the tears flowing down with his sleeve.

Go Min-guk’s story continued.

As the situation became difficult, Go Min-guk continuously demanded a divorce from his wife. However, Park Mi-yeong refused to divorce, saying she could not leave her beloved husband alone, and Go Min-guk had no choice but to decide to become an abusive husband.

“Were there no other methods? Was there really no choice but to hurt her so harshly? From my point of view, it does not seem like a good choice.”

Kim Ji-hyuk still could not understand his actions.

“Then what should I have done? Only if she completely cuts off her affection for me will she turn away without lingering regrets. And the fault must lie with me so that the creditors will not suspect the divorce from my wife either.”

Go Min-guk’s voice carried his sincerity.

‘Foolish man! Did you think your wife would abandon you just because of that? Love is more precious than money. They cannot be compared. How can you know your wife so little?’

“So, did your wife say she would divorce you?”

Kim Ji-hyuk, who guessed the outcome, asked with a bitter face.

“Yes. Mi-yeong probably had no choice either. How hard must she have had it hounded by creditors all this time? That delicate woman!”

“…”

“So we decided to get a consensual divorce.”

The man dropped his head with a vacant expression.

“However, there is something you must know.”

Kim Ji-hyuk, who was looking at the man, slowly shook his head and spoke.

“If your wife decided to divorce, it was probably not because of money.”

“Yes? What does that…?”

Go Min-guk had a flustered expression.

“Your wife is very sick.”

“Yes. I know that too. Her body often swells and her blood pressure is high, so when we went to the hospital, they said her kidneys are very bad…”

“It is not just to that extent. Not only are her kidneys bad, but she also has hypertension and diabetes, and moreover, there is a high possibility that a tumor has formed in her adrenal gland or pituitary gland. She must undergo an examination at a larger hospital in Seoul immediately.”

“Yes??”

At Kim Ji-hyuk’s words, which were like a bolt from the blue, the man’s eyes widened.

“W-What do you mean by that? They said a simple kidney surgery would be enough, so I-I brought this…”

Flustered, Go Min-guk pulled out the bag he had been cradling like a sacred object and showed it.

“What is this?”

“It is money! It is more precious than my life. I saved it little by little without the creditors knowing. To use it for our Mi-yeong’s treatment costs… That is why I asked to see you, Doctor!”

The inside of the bag was filled with crumpled banknotes.

Both of Go Min-guk’s hands that were clutching the money bag trembled.

“I do not know where she was diagnosed, but it is not a disease that can be resolved by simply undergoing kidney surgery. If she does not receive proper treatment right now, her life cannot be guaranteed.”

“I-Is it to that extent? W-What on earth is the disease my wife caught?”

Go Min-guk asked Kim Ji-hyuk, crying.

“It is highly likely Cushing’s syndrome. It is a rare disease that occurs in about one in a million people.”

“H-How can that be! I-I am the bastard who should be killed! I am a man who wouldn’t be enough if struck by lightning and killed! To leave that good woman to catch such a terrible disease!”

Go Min-guk wailed with a devastated expression.

“It is not the stage to despair yet. My thoughts could be wrong too. In any case, she must receive an examination and appropriate treatment as soon as possible. As you mentioned, your wife’s kidney condition is also not good, so she must receive joint treatment!”

“Sob, sob, does my wife know about this fact too?”

“Probably. This must be the reason why your wife decided to divorce. Not because of money.”

“I did not even know that! In the end, I thought my wife had given up on me!”

Wail, wail, the man began to weep loudly.

“…”

Kim Ji-hyuk looked at Go Min-guk with a pitying gaze.

After a short while.

“T-Then what should I do? If we go up to Seoul, those vicious loan sharks will not stay still. They will storm into the hospital and take all of this money too. It is certain!”

Go Min-guk trembled with fear.

“Let us find a way.”

In contrast to Go Min-guk, Kim Ji-hyuk seemed to have some other thoughts.

“Another way?”

Go Min-guk wore an expression that wondered if such a thing could exist.

“Anyway, cheer up. Because if you give up, everything is over.”

Kim Ji-hyuk spared his words and encouraged Go Min-guk.

“W-Will there really be a way for our couple to live?”

“It is fine as long as you do not give up. First, both of you, reside at the clinic for the time being. It will be much safer than staying at home.”

“At the clinic? Both of us as a couple?”

“Yes. Let us do that.”

As if he had some plan, Kim Ji-hyuk nodded.

* * *

The clinic.

“Nurse, it seems I must go out for a few days.”

“Go out?”

“Yes. I have to meet an acquaintance. It won’t take long. I have put the necessary measures in place according to the schedule, so you can just follow them.”

“Hmm, is it because of Sister Mi-yeong?”

Nurse Park In-seon asked.

“Hmm, yes.”

“I know you are working hard, but will things really work out well?”

Since Nurse Park In-seon was quick-witted, she could guess the reason for Kim Ji-hyuk’s outing.

“I must go and see first. Please request another test for patient Park Mi-yeong’s blood and urine samples from the provincial hospital. We need to check if her condition has worsened.”

“I understand. I will prepare it right away.”

“Yes. And while I am gone, please take good care of the Park Mi-yeong couple.”

“Do not worry. The villagers decided to take turns watching over them.”

It seemed that the story of the Park Mi-yeong and Go Min-guk couple had become known to the villagers as well.

“Yes. Then keep up the good work.”

“Yes! Have a safe trip. And Doctor! Thank you so much!”

Nurse Park In-seon was infinitely grateful to Kim Ji-hyuk for sincerely taking care of her village people. Speaking clearly and with force, she expressed her gratitude.

“Fufu, I am just doing what I should do as a doctor. So there is no need to thank me! Ah, and since Grandfather Dol-seok has high blood pressure, please make sure he takes his blood pressure medicine, and stop him from working in the coal mine.”

Kim Ji-hyuk quickly changed the subject, feeling embarrassed.

“Yes, yes. I will do that.”

Nurse Park In-seon was only grateful to Kim Ji-hyuk, who took care of the villagers’ affairs like his own.

“Please take care. While I am away.”

“Yes! I have many shortcomings, but I will do my best. By the way, how long will the outing take?”

Park In-seon did not ask in detail about Kim Ji-hyuk’s destination.

“I do not know that well. If things go well, I think one day will be enough…”

“Yes. I understand. Have a safe and careful trip. Ah! And please take this with you. It is sesame gangjeong and peanut gangjeong. You seem to be going a long way, so eat them if you get bored in the car. I made them to eat for fun, and it turned out well.”

Nurse Park In-seon held out a carefully packed box.

“Kuku, if it is sesame gangjeong, I cannot possibly refuse. Yes! I will eat them gratefully.”

With that, Kim Ji-hyuk packed his things.

* * *

2nd Corps Artillery Command, Commander Park Jeong-ui’s office.

The place Kim Ji-hyuk visited was the 2nd Corps Artillery Command where Brigadier General Park Jeong-ui was working.

“Hey! Kim Ji-hyuk! How long has it been?”

The man, Park Jeong-ui, welcomed Kim Ji-hyuk warmly.

“Brother, have you been doing well?”

Kim Ji-hyuk waved his hand happily as he looked at Brigadier General Park Jeong-ui.

“Of course I have been doing well! What is going on? To come all the way here? When I heard you came, I wondered if this was a dream or reality!”

Brigadier General Park Jeong-ui welcomed Kim Ji-hyuk intensely.

“I have been assigned to the clinic in Moeundong and am working there. Your unit is not far from Moeundong, is it? So I took some time to come see you, Brother.”

“Really? Anyway! I am extremely glad to see you!”

“You must be very busy.”

“Well, not that busy, and I am planning to go to the US Artillery School for training soon. I was preparing for that. Ah! Drink this first. It is American cola.”

Originally scheduled to enter the Army College, Park Jeong-ui stayed at the 2nd Corps Artillery Command after changing his plan to training at the US Artillery School.

Rattle—

Park Jeong-ui pulled out a plastic crate containing cola bottles from the floor.

“Thank you! I was actually a bit thirsty…”

“Is that so? I will open the bottle for you.”

Click—

When Park Jeong-ui opened the cola bottle and handed it over, Kim Ji-hyuk drank it in one go.

“Ah, that is refreshing!”

“Fufu, yes. By the way, you did not come just to visit, did you? There is no way a stiff fellow like you would come all this way just to see me, is there?”

Park Jeong-ui rolled his eyes at Kim Ji-hyuk.

“Yes, actually I came because I have a favor to ask.”

Kim Ji-hyuk nodded and looked straight into Park Jeong-ui’s eyes.