The grumbling sound of the discontented grandfather filled the air as he waited for the surgery to finish, oblivious to the noise.
When Kim Yoon-seok, the assistant, had been lying on the operating table for 16 hours, the hospital director and the head surgeon entered with bright expressions.
"Chairman, the surgery just finished. Thankfully, it was successful."
At the mention of success, tears nearly welled up in his eyes.
The grandfather also applauded and got out of bed.
"Thank goodness. You've really worked hard."
"Thank you, doctor. Thank you very much."
When I tightly held the hand of the head surgeon, it seemed like I knew how difficult it had been. My strength had completely drained, and whether it was due to the overwhelming fatigue or not, my hands were trembling.
"No, I just did what I had to do."
"Mr. Kim Yoon-seok has been moved to the recovery room. Fortunately, internal damage is minimal, so his recovery should be quick. We'll let you know when visiting is possible."
The head surgeon was modest, and the hospital director was indifferent. Their roles were clear.
"I don't need to express my gratitude separately. You must be tired, so go rest."
"Oh, Chairman. We haven't contacted the patient's family..."
"They've probably taken care of it already. By now, the family should be on their way here."
As the two of them bowed their heads and left the room, I let out a deep breath.
"It's truly fortunate, isn't it?"
"Yes. I almost lived my whole life burdened by a heavy weight on my shoulders."
"It won't be your whole life. Hehe."
"What do you mean?"
"Gratitude is easily forgotten, while grudges last a long time. That's how humans are by nature. They'll never forget the money they lent but was never returned, but they won't remember when, to whom, or how much they borrowed when they've spent it all."
Maybe that's true. But isn't it also human nature to try to preserve that memory so as not to forget the favor?
The grandfather stopped the serious conversation and returned to the topic of drinking.
"Now, can we have a drink? What do you say?"
"Yes. We should celebrate the successful surgery. What would you like to drink?"
The grandfather thought for a moment, considering his appetite, and then clapped his hands lightly.
"We haven't eaten anything today. Let's have something hearty. How about some boiled chicken and a glass of dongdongju?"
"At the hospital, it's not boiled chicken but fried chicken that's appropriate."
"Fried chicken?"
The grandfather had an unpleasant expression. It seemed that as an elderly person, he wasn't inclined towards greasy food.
"Alright, let's have both boiled chicken and fried chicken. But for the alcohol, let's go with a light beer. Dongdongju is too heavy."
I asked the staff guarding outside the room to arrange for the delivery. It took quite a while for the food to arrive, well past 10 PM. It's impressive how they managed to get boiled chicken at this hour.
When grandfather saw the delivered chicken, his eyes widened.
"What's this? Why is this fried chicken so soggy?"
"It's soy sauce marinated chicken. Have you never seen it before?"
"What kind of nonsense is this with chicken soaked in soy sauce?"
"This is a delicacy. Would you like to try the taste?"
The grandfather reluctantly reached out his hand.
"Alright, you eat your fill. I want boiled chicken."
They raised their beer cans and started tearing into their respective chickens. However, when the savory aroma filled the room, the grandfather couldn't resist his curiosity any longer.
"Give me a piece of that. The smell is... interesting."
I handed over a chicken wing with a smile. I observed him with curiosity to see his reaction.
As the flavorful taste stimulated his palate, his expression changed.
"Let me have more."
As expected, after avoiding spicy foods for health reasons, this new flavor was like a whole new world to him.
"Do-jun."
"Yes?"
"Let's switch."
As expected.
The taste of chicken after a sip of beer is unmatched.
Grandfather's expression had already transformed into that of a child.
"Don't eat too much. It's not easy to digest."
I handed over the marinated chicken, the boiled chicken dish was placed in front of me.
Again.
Boiled chicken and beer aren't a great combination.
The truck driver was lost in thought due to the pressure emanating from the three well-dressed individuals.
"We still don't know. But there's something I want to hear. Did anyone instruct you to hit the truck?"
"Oh, no. It was really an accident. I just dozed off while driving overnight. Please believe me."
"Whether we believe you or not is up to us. If you tell the truth, it'll all end here as if nothing happened, but if we find even the slightest lie, your life is over."
The truck driver suddenly got off the bed and knelt down.
"Please, have mercy. These days, there's hardly any work, and I had to come with an empty truck. Gas prices haven't dropped either. I was so frustrated that I had just half a bottle of soju with dinner, and it got me in high spirits... I've committed a grave mistake." The truck driver was sobbing uncontrollably while banging his head on the floor.
Watching this scene in silence, Director Lee Hak-jae quietly left and told his secretary, who was following him. "Stay with him to the end. Report immediately if he says anything."
"Yes, Director."
Even though the truck driver's words, accompanied by tears, seemed plausible, suspicion still lingered. His words felt somewhat awkward.
"By the way, when the person who caused the accident first checked the victim's condition, did they ask if he had died? Did they inquire if he was seriously injured? Did they ask if he had passed away?"
"Well... I mean, when you feel intimidated, doesn't it make you speak politely?"
"Is that so? Okay, go and take a look."