After the doctor left, Choi Seo-jun sat on the floor for a moment and closed his eyes.

Cold sweat that had gathered on his forehead flowed down.

“It’s truly… a relief.”

Then he soon jumped up from his seat.

The look of relief disappeared, and anxiety toward someone passed by.

He ran somewhere.

On the opposite side of the hallway, the lights of two operating rooms were still not turned off.

One of them was where I was.

Choi Seo-jun walked there quietly.

As he approached, the Taeseong Group family was visible.

Mrs. Kang Ji-yeon was standing as if praying toward the operating room with her hands gathered, and Vice Chairman Lim Do-kyung stayed by her side.

Chairman Lim Man-seok was also sitting.

His back looked heavier than ever.

Chief Secretary Kang Cheol-woo recognized Choi Seo-jun and asked.

“What about Manager Jeong?”

“The surgery ended well.”

“That’s a relief.”

Moon Jong-beom's surgery ended next.

The door opened and the medical team came out.

The woman who was holding the child’s hand approached the doctor.

“Patient Moon Jong-beom's surgery has been completed safely. Fortunately, there was no organ damage, and although the treatment for the fracture site and burns must continue, the condition is positive. Currently, we plan to move him to the ICU and watch him for the time being.”

Hearing those words, Assistant Manager Moon's wife began to sob.

The child followed the mother and cried without even knowing why.

Choi Seo-jun turned his head again.

The light of the operating room where I was had not yet turned off.

The hallway was submerged in silence as if time had stopped.

Mrs. Kang Ji-yeon’s lips were parched as if burning.

She sat down in her seat.

She lowered her head without a word, gathered her hands on her knees, and exhaled a trembling breath.

Vice Chairman Lim Do-kyung was also next to his wife, but he could not bring himself to hold her hand.

He also pretended to be strong, but his inside was collapsing.

The reality that he could do nothing even with his child's life or death before his eyes was making him so small.

Lim Hye-seon stood expressionless, leaning against the wall.

She stared quietly at the operating room and then closed her eyes as if listening to a sound coming from beyond the wall.

Jeong Seo-yeon quietly took a handkerchief out of her handbag and wiped her pooled tears.

She tried to stay calm, but my face kept shimmering before her.

The couple Lim Do-hyun and Shin Seo-yoon were quiet without saying a word.

Time flowed slowly only for them, terribly so.

Then the light they had been waiting for finally turned off.

Everyone's eyes were focused on the front of the door.

In an instant, tension hung over the entire hallway.

Mrs. Kang Ji-yeon slowly raised herself from her seat.

Lim Do-kyung helped her.

Chairman Lim Man-seok was silently closing his eyes while gripping the armrest.

The door opened, and the doctor in charge, who had taken off his mask in blood-stained surgical scrubs, made an appearance.

His forehead was wet with sweat, and his gait was somewhat heavy.

Everyone waited for the words that would flow from his mouth while holding their breath.

“Patient Lim Hyunjun's surgery finished successfully.”

At that one word, the breath of those in the hallway escaped all at once.

Mrs. Kang Ji-yeon almost sat down just then as if her strength had vanished, but Lim Do-kyung caught her.

“There is no danger to his life. However, the amount of bleeding was large and there is damage to the tissues around the heart, so recovery will take some time. For now, he must be transferred to the ICU to watch the progress and receive intensive management for a while. He is not yet conscious.”

The doctor left the spot after bowing his head once.

Mrs. Kang Ji-yeon said while pouring out tears.

“Thank you, doctor. Thank you so much for saving our son.”

At that moment, Chairman Lim Man-seok also opened his eyes and raised his head for the first time.

Everyone expressed their respect to the doctor.

***

I woke up on the third day after the surgery.

From the moment I opened my eyes, my recovery power was amazing.

Even just sitting up was enough to make me out of breath, but I soon tried to get up regardless of the medical staff's dissuasion.

On one side of the hospital room, a table was placed, and a bundle of documents was neatly arranged on top of it.

I was sitting in a chair with even an outer garment draped over my hospital uniform, turning over documents.

I concentrated on work while looking at the tablet with a serious gaze.

My mother, Kang Ji-yeon, was stuck right next to me.

While I was hospitalized, she practically lived in the hospital room.

Kang Ji-yeon organized the fruit basket that came in as a gift.

She took an apple from there and then began to carefully peel the skin.

Shing, shing sounds occurred every time the blade of the knife passed.

She put one piece in her mouth.

“It’s very sweet and delicious. Hyunjun, try eating some of this.”

I answered without taking my eyes off the screen.

“I’ll eat it in a little bit. There’s something I have to check right now.”

Then Kang Ji-yeon quietly shook her head.

She organized the long-stretched apple peel and then placed the apples prettily on a plate.

Then she suddenly thought of the old days when she used to take care of her son’s snacks.

Laughter leaked out.

She spoke while sticking a piece of apple with a fork and pushing it right up to my nose.

“You’re trying to not listen to your mother again. The doctor also said you must eat well and rest for the time being. Company work is also important, but you can only do anything if your body recovers.”

Only then did I put down the tablet for a moment and look at my mother.

The shadow of fatigue buried in the corners of her eyes was deep.

Even though I told her to go home and rest all this time, she absolutely did not listen.

She acted as if something would happen if she took her eyes off me for even a moment.

I also had been a parent, so I knew well what that heart felt like.

“I understand. Look, I put it down here.”

I quietly reached out and put the apple piece in my mouth.

The sweet juice slowly spread inside my mouth.

I muttered while chewing the apple without a word.

“It’s really delicious.”

Kang Ji-yeon regained her smile while staring at her son’s appearance.

The time when she was anxious in front of the operating room was only a few days ago.

Whenever she thinks of only that day, she does not know how happy this moment is.

Kang Ji-yeon stroked my bangs.

“When did you grow up like this?”

“…….”

I quietly waited for her as she reminisced about memories.

The mother of Jeong Taeshik, who passed away in my childhood, came to mind at her warm touch.

If she were alive, she would have stroked my hair in the exact same way as now.

Surely she would have.

At that time, the hospital room door opened carefully and a familiar silhouette was seen.

It was Director Choi Seo-jun in a neat suit.

An envelope of documents and a bag were held in his hands.

Seeing that his complexion was dark, it was certain that there was definitely a troublesome matter.

As Director Choi Seo-jun quietly closed the door and his eyes met Kang Ji-yeon’s, he bowed his waist.

“How are you? Madam.”

“Director Choi, you’re here. Come this way and have some fruit.”

Choi Seo-jun brightened his dark face and carefully moved his steps inside.

Kang Ji-yeon peeled more apples and then offered them to him.

“Thank you. It looks delicious just by looking at it.”

Choi Seo-jun quietly sat down and put an apple in his mouth.

I watched that sight and then soon turned my head toward my mother.

“Mom, I have to talk about something important with Director Choi today. Since it’s a confidential matter related to the company… it seems like we should probably be alone, just the two of us.”

At those words, Kang Ji-yeon looked at me as if surprised for a moment.

“I understand. I won’t interfere and will wait outside.”

She carefully rose from her seat.

I quickly followed with my words.

“Today, the story to talk about is long. So go home and rest, and come tomorrow.”

At Kang Ji-yeon’s hesitant appearance, Choi Seo-jun assisted.

“I will stay here today. So please go in with peace of mind.”

Only then did Kang Ji-yeon quietly pack her bag while putting her mind at ease as if she had no choice.

She gave a firm request to me as she left the hospital room.

“You must not work until too late. Make sure to eat dinner well, and if anything happens, contact me quickly.”

“Yes, I understand. Just go in and rest well.”

As Choi Seo-jun bowed his head toward Kang Ji-yeon, she also shared a short greeting and left the hospital room door.

The moment the door closed, the air in the room changed slightly.

When only the two of us remained, I pushed the tablet aside and slowly opened my mouth.

“Looking at Director Choi’s expression, the situation seems to be worse than expected?”

Choi Seo-jun took something out of the document envelope he brought and handed it to me.

“Contact came from Iraq. They say they caught that woman.”

My brow narrowed as I saw the red letters written as confidential documents.

Choi Seo-jun’s explanation followed.

“According to them, they said they arrested Elina a few hours ago. Thanks to the local police and intelligence agencies joining forces, they found her hiding on the outskirts of the south.”

I muttered while quietly reading the document.

“Does the fact that she didn’t run away mean someone was protecting her?”

Choi Seo-jun nodded his head.

“That’s right. There was no great resistance even at the time of arrest, but the problem is what comes after. Until now, she hasn’t been saying anything.”

I narrowed my eyes and checked the photo on the tablet screen this time.

Differently from when I first met her, a woman stained with disheveled hair and deep fatigue was seen.

Even so, her gaze was very fierce.

“…She intends to hold out until the end.”

“It seems she probably intends to do so.”

Choi Seo-jun nodded his head and shared new information.

“Currently, the Korean government has officially requested the extradition for Elina. They tried to make her receive a formal trial on charges of involvement in terrorism and attempted murder in Korea. However, the UK government suddenly raised an objection.”

My gaze changed sharply.

“From the UK?”

“Yes, the justification is that Elina is a person who holds British nationality and, according to the principle of protecting one's own citizens, they cannot agree to a trial where there is a concern of political retaliation from another country. We already knew she was a British national, but we didn't expect them to come out like this.”

I fell into thought for a moment with an expressionless face and then opened my mouth.

“For the UK to jump in at this point means they will pull her out even if they have to take on a diplomatic burden. It means someone inside the UK has a reason why they must protect that woman.”

Choi Seo-jun nodded his head and added.

“According to what was looked into through local diplomatic channels, she may have some kind of connection with high-level figures in the UK Foreign Office in the past. The exact details are still being identified, but the local atmosphere is one of keeping quiet.”

“Hmm....”

I exhaled a long breath.

Then a stinging pain arose in the chest area.

“Ah!”

“Are you okay?”

When Choi Seo-jun asked with concern, I raised my hand.

“Ah, it’s fine. I accidentally exhaled too deeply. By the way, how do you think the possibility of her being extradited to Korea is?”

“In the current situation, it is opaque. Iraq seems to have not yet reached a decision. Although pressure and conciliation are simultaneously entering through diplomatic channels, if the UK continues to present its claim on the grounds of human rights violations and concerns of political abuse of their own citizen, Iraq will have no choice but to give in to them.”

I quietly nodded my head and leaned comfortably against the back of the hospital bed.

The place where I had been compressed throbbed terribly.

“Iraq will look at which side is more advantageous and match it to that.”