Gi Hoon had accomplished his task admirably. Within a mere two hours, he had returned with her to the hospital. Yet, although the elderly woman tried her utmost to conceal her emotions, everyone could see how deeply moved she was. The trio once again visited the information desk to inquire about Park Dong Hoon’s condition, but there were no new updates. They were directed to the surgical ward, where a doctor or even the entire surgical team might emerge at any moment.

Thus, they left Dong Hoon’s colleagues behind and positioned themselves outside the operating room to await the end of the surgery.

„I feel sorry for the boss’s mom,” admitted Seok Beom, „Actually, I sympathize with all of them,” he quickly added.

„Well, they are all so closely knit, and the boss always seemed to be the apple of his family’s eye. Now, suddenly, this tragedy…” Dae Ri observed somberly.

„Stop wallowing in gloom!” Hyung Kyu, though he was also a victim, tried to maintain a positive attitude in this overwhelmingly depressive situation. „You moan like old women!” he added.

„You’re right, young man,” Seok Beom agreed, „let’s focus on the fact that the boss survived, and our Korean doctors are truly excellent. If they are still fighting for him, there must be a chance that things will turn out well.” He got up from his stool to stretch his legs. „And how are you feeling now? Oh! Your IV is almost done!” he noted.

„After seeing the boss’s family, I forgot about my own trauma. Really, nothing happened to me; I just got scared, so I’ll manage somehow. I don’t know what they’ve pumped into me, but yes, I do feel better,” he declared in a quite normal voice.

„But you know what I’ve been thinking about?” Dae Ri chimed in.

„What?” the other two asked.

„Shouldn’t we also inform Lee Ji An?” he blurted out unexpectedly—after all, she was his close friend, or something like that. Don’t you think?”

„Hmm, I hadn’t thought of that,” Seok Beom confessed. „It’s been so long since I last saw her, and we’ve hardly mentioned her, that she slipped my mind.”

„Do you know if the boss kept in touch with her after she moved to Busan?” asked Hyung Kyu, the youngest of the trio.

„Exactly!” Dae Ri got excited. „The boss never talked about her. I don’t remember anything, do you?”

„We haven’t heard anything either,” they confirmed.

„Still, I think she would want to know about this accident and the condition of her former boss and friend,” Seok Beom pondered aloud. „But I don’t have her contact, do any of you?”

In these circumstances, it turned out that the men, who had once been so impressed by the demeanor of this extraordinary woman, had simply forgotten about her as soon as she was out of sight. Now, suddenly, any contact information would have been useful, but none of them had maintained the acquaintance, and it wasn’t possible to ask the boss. Once again, somber expressions returned to their faces, and a poignant, heavy silence fell around Hyung Kyu’s bed.