Chapter 207.1: What’s The Purpose? (1)
‘This must be what happiness feels like,’ Kang Chan thought. He was still in the coffee shop at the intersection with Seok Kang-Ho and had a cup of coffee in front of him.
“The National Intelligence Service is full of scary people,” Seok Kang-Ho suddenly remarked.
“I didn’t expect them to take care of it that way either,” Kang Chan replied in agreement.
After taking a sip of the hot coffee, Kang Chan began to explain the recent events, including what happened while he was dealing with the Blackhead.
“What? Is everything over now, then?” Seok Kang-Ho asked in surprise.
“For now, at least.”
“What do you mean ‘for now?’ We won’t be seeing more earthquakes any time soon, will we?”
Kang Chan tilted his head in thought for a moment before giving a slight shake.
“No, that’s not what I meant. All I’m saying is that you also have one of the missing energy sources, and either Sharlan or Smithen has the other one. That’s why I doubt this will be the end of it. There could be aftereffects, too, which I’m quite worried about.”
“Let’s be optimistic. You stopped the earthquakes, and the issues with the prosecution have been taken care of, so you never know. This could really just be the end,” Seok Kang-Ho replied.
“I guess you’re right,” Kang Chan agreed.
It would’ve been nice if Kang Chan brought the goggles, but he didn’t see them among the clothes that he had changed into earlier in the hospital.
“Are you heading home for now?” Seok Kang-Ho asked.
“I don’t know. Don’t you think it would be even more strange to my parents if I suddenly appeared and then left just as quickly the next day?”
“What time will you be heading back, then?”
“At dawn, probably.”
“If so, then I see your point. Even I would be worried if my son who was supposed to be in France suddenly came back home in the middle of the night just for him to tell me that he was leaving again at dawn,” Seok Kang-Ho mused.
While they were on the subject, Kang Chan told Seok Kang-Ho that the United States could be targeting North Korea. The chances of it happening were low, but Kang Chan still wanted Seok Kang-Ho to at least be aware of it.
“How are the men in Jeungpyeong doing, by the way?” Kang Chan asked.
“You should’ve seen them, Cap. Cha Dong-Gyun came and cried so miserably that just watching him broke my heart. It was also one hell of a struggle trying to stop them from causing trouble because they said they wouldn’t let you be taken by the prosecution,” Seok Kang-Ho replied.
Kang Chan would always feel as if he was indebted to them whenever he heard about moments like this. He tried so hard not to open his heart, but the soldiers still managed to break through his walls. This sense of camaraderie was such a rare sight in Western cultures.
“Let’s go to a sauna and have a soak in warm water,” Seok Kang-Ho suggested. “That should help you sleep soundly on the plane later.”
“We still have time. I was thinking of meeting up with Choi Jong-Il for a bit before leaving too,” Kang Chan said.
“Oh, right! Why don’t we call Hee-Seung to take us to him, then?”
“Let’s do that.”
They still had around three hours before midnight, so they had plenty of time left.
Kang Chan asked Woo Hee-Seung to come over, then asked him where Choi Jong-Il was.
“He’s at the hospital, sir,” Woo Hee-Seung replied.
“Which one? The police hospital?” Kang Chan asked.
“Yes, sir,” Woo Hee-Seung responded.
“Let’s head over there, then,” Kang Chan said.
Kang Chan stood up and got in Lee Doo-Hee’s car. They then went straight to the police hospital. It wasn’t too far, taking only thirty minutes on the road before reaching it. Fortunately, it didn’t have visiting hours restrictions or other rules that would prevent them from seeing a patient.
The room that Choi Jong-Il was staying in was a four-person ward.
When Kang Chan opened the door and entered, Choi Jong-Il, who was lying down on a bed, shot his head up to look. He then gritted his teeth through the pain and forced himself to sit up. Approaching the bed, Kang Chan saw a friendly and soft-looking woman in her early thirties standing next to Choi Jong-Il.
“This is Mrs. Choi. Mrs. Choi, this is our captain. And this is Mr. Seok Kang-Ho,” Woo Hee-Seung introduced everyone to each other.
The three awkwardly exchanged greetings.
“How are you feeling?” Kang Chan asked.
“Bearable if not for my wife,” Choi Jong-Il joked with a glance at the woman. He then quickly turned back to Kang Chan.
What is it with men becoming so powerless when they’re around their wives?
Kang Chan just grinned.
“Thank you, sir,” Choi Jong-Il’s wife told Kang Chan with a solemn expression.
What? Her husband returned home with a bullet in him, didn’t he?
Even, so, she didn’t look like she was being sarcastic.
“This man has always been anxious whenever he’s at home recently. I even thought he had a death wish and was cheating on me at first,” she said.
Kang Chan initially thought she was soft-looking, but her eyes were anything but.
“When I learned that it was because he was obsessing over something for the country, I couldn’t help but feel proud that I married him,” she added.
First, it was Kim Hyung-Jung, then Song Chang-Wook. Now, even Choi Jong-Il’s wife was moving Kang Chan’s heart as if they had rehearsed it beforehand. The reason South Korea was still standing was these kinds of people silently fulfilling their roles.
“If there’s ever a dangerous mission that has to be done in the future, please choose my husband first. I’m not saying this just because he’s my husband, but I wholeheartedly believe that he will do what’s asked of him as a member of the special forces,” Choi Jong-Il’s wife politely requested.
Choi Jong-Il and Woo Hee-Seung just silently listened, waiting for Kang Chan’s response.
“Oh, right! Let me offer you some tea,” she said.
“No need. We already had some before going here. I’m thinking of having a smoke outside together with your husband before I leave, though. Is that okay?” Kang Chan asked.
“Of course!” Mrs. Choi replied goodnaturedly before quickly turning her head to Choi Jong-Il. “What are you doing? Hurry up and escort him outside.”
Kang Chan smiled at the humor of the scene. It was nice to see that Choi Jong-Il had a wife who understood his work and firmly stood by his side. Having such a woman in life didn’t seem too bad.
Lee Doo-Hee brought over a wheelchair, and the group went behind the hospital and settled themselves in a corner of the parking lot.
“When will you be leaving, sir?” Choi Jong-Il asked.
“I’m going back in at dawn,” Kang Chan replied.
“You must be busy. You didn’t have to stop by…”
“It’s fine. I just wanted to see you for a bit before I leave again.”
Now that they were together, the memories they had of the operations they participated in and completed seemed so vivid that it was as if they had just taken place yesterday.
“Your wife’s personality is no joke, huh?” Seok Kang-Ho mischievously said with a grin. Choi Jong-Il just smiled abashedly.
“Mrs. Choi was incredible in the 606,” Woo Hee-Seung chimed in.
Kang Chan did remember hearing they used to be in the special forces together.
Woo Hee-Seung was about to continue, but catching Choi Jong-Il’s gaze, he decided to keep his mouth shut. Kang Chan didn’t think it was right to keep asking about someone else’s wife if the husband didn’t want to speak of it any further, so he dropped it.
The conversation naturally shifted. They discussed how grave Choi Jong-Il’s injury from the operation was and how much support he was receiving from the hospital.
Some time had passed when Kang Chan’s phone began to ring.
“Hello?” he answered.
- Where are you? Do you have time to talk right now?
Kang Chan unknowingly smiled upon hearing Jeon Dae-Geuk’s gruff laughter.
“I’m at the police hospital.”
- Ah, so you went to see Jong-Il. When are you going back?
“Probably at daw.”
- I get off duty around the same time tomorrow. Can’t you stay just a day longer?
“I’ll be back before you know it anyway,” Kang Chan reassured him. “I’ll see you then.”
Jeon Dae-Geuk sounded as if he regretted not getting to meet with him.
“Mr. Jeon, I’m already grateful enough for what you’ve done for me. There’s absolutely nothing I’m upset about, so you don’t have to worry about anything.”
- Fine. If you say so. Thank you, though, and have a good time at your training. Don’t forget to use everything you learned for this country.
“I will, sir,” Kang Chan replied.
It seemed as if there were posters that read, “Reassert Kang Chan’s feelings of patriotism,” hanging on a wall somewhere today.
After finishing his call with Jeon Dae-Geuk, Kang Chan went with Seok Kang-Ho to the sauna they usually went to. He soaked in warm water, got a sports massage, and had a facial because Seok Kang-Ho kept on insisting on it.
“The purchase of the building is going smoothly. I heard DI will be moving in next week,” Seok Kang-Ho informed.
Time seemed to fly as they chatted about various topics while wearing the shirts and shorts that the sauna provided.
“It’s already been a month,” Seok Kang-Ho murmured.
He sounded as if he was saying, “There are still five months left,” in the background.
Buzz, buzz, buzz. Buzz, buzz, buzz. Buzz, buzz, buzz.
Amid their conversation, Kang Chan received a call from Lanok. This man really never seemed to sleep.
“Yes, Mr. Ambassador,” Kang Chan answered.
- Mr. Kang Chan. It seems the National Intelligence Service has properly wrapped things up with the prosecution. I trust there are no other issues.
“No, sir. I think everything’s been taken care of.”
- I see. Are you ready to depart?
“Yes. I’ve been waiting.”
- Then I’ll see you at Exit 3 of the Nonhyeon Station at around four in the morning.
“Thank you, Mr. Ambassador.”
- I should be the one thanking you. You saved Europe, after all. I feel bat that I do not have the capacity to compensate you with something on the same level as that feat.
“I didn’t do it because I was expecting anything in return,” Kang Chan reassured him.
Lanok chuckled. “It’s like you to say that.”
They were currently speaking in French, so Seok Kang-Ho couldn’t understand their conversation. Kang Chan even got a few curious looks from passersby.
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