Justice in the Practice Room
Suhyeon stomped down forcefully, a faint memory from his past life flashing through his mind.
"What is a meridian? It literally means 'to pass through.' All the obstacles blocking the path to your target—whether armor or human muscle—must be pierced to reach your goal and unleash your power there. Only then have you mastered the meridian..."
Suhyeon focused his mind intensely, gathering it into one point. He channeled the fierce rebound from his powerful stomp, twisting his flexible waist to guide it toward his shoulder, then straight to his forearm.
The target is the liver.
Like a spring breeze, he extended his hand softly, lightly striking the man's abdomen before surging the power gathered in his palm deep into the opponent's gut in an instant.
- Thud.
It sounded like tapping a 1.5-liter water bottle full of liquid with the palm. The man charging at Suhyeon seemed to freeze in place for a moment.
After two or three seconds, the man's face turned bright yellow. He dropped to his knees on the floor, foam bubbling from his mouth as he gasped and choked.
The onlookers erupted in shock.
- Kyaaak! Manager oppa!
- What the hell? What's going on?
- Oh no, he can't breathe!
- Suhyeon! What did you just do?
"Quiet. He's not dying, so don't worry. It's just extreme pain from the shock to his liver causing his body to lock up. The bile ducts and blood vessels near the liver are twisted up... Sigh. Why am I even explaining this?"
Suhyeon stopped mid-sentence, shook his head briefly, and turned to the leader, Jiyeong.
"Is that guy Pink Berry's manager?"
"Yes, oppa."
"How long has he been your manager?"
"Four days."
"What? Four days?"
Only four days on the job? And he pulls this shit? This isn't something we can just brush off.
"Gyeongbin, call Seongcheol hyung right now and tell him to come here. Seongbin, find out where our Yoo Team Leader is. If he's nearby, call him immediately... Got it?"
- Yes, hyung.
- Got it.
After issuing orders to Gyeongbin and Seongbin, Suhyeon immediately called Actor Team 1's Park Siljang.
[Suhyeon?]
"Yes, it's Suhyeon. Park Siljang-nim, can you come to the BBG practice room right now? There's a problem."
[Problem? Got it. I'm coming down right away.]
Suhyeon hung up and approached Erika, offering a gentle smile as he knelt on one knee. Meeting her eyes, he called her name in a low, calm voice.
"Erika."
Her voice trembled as she replied.
"...Yes... oppa."
"There are a lot of great adults in this company. I've just called the one person here I trust and rely on the most. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
Erika nodded without a word.
"How old are you this year, Erika?"
"16."
"I see. You're still so young. When you're as young as Erika, if something tough happens, just leave it to the adults you can trust and follow. Oppa is much more of an adult than you, so there's no need for you to worry or stress at all. Got it?"
"Yes."
At that moment, Suhyeon's senses picked up the manager rising from his spot as the pain subsided. He felt the man roaring and charging at him again.
- Uwaaak!
Suhyeon turned, glaring at the manager as rage boiled in his chest.
This trash. I'll kill him.
From his sideways stance, Suhyeon lifted both heels slightly, extended his hands forward, clasped them together, and assumed the cradling egg position. He sank his body low, slamming his heels into the floor, then bent his right arm to thrust his elbow forward.
One of the secret techniques of Six Harmonies Fist—a killing blow that could crumple half-inch steel plating if struck true.
Suhyeon kicked off the floor with his left foot extended straight, sliding his right toward the manager. He aimed to drive his right elbow hard into the man's solar plexus but suddenly realized he'd gotten too heated.
I can't kill this bastard right here. Sigh. There are too many things to consider in this world.
Quickly composing himself, Suhyeon released the cradle, eased the power from his elbow, and struck.
- Bam!
The manager, hit square in the solar plexus by the elbow, collapsed sideways. Curled like a shrimp, hands clutching his chest, he writhed on the floor like a worm, groaning pitifully.
Just then, the practice room door opened, and Park Siljang entered.
A short while later, after everything was sorted, the two spoke in Park Siljang's office.
"That manager bastard threatened to bench Erika from tomorrow's event. Used it as an excuse to grope her legs, claiming he was checking for injuries. Sigh. What a piece of trash... Luckily, it didn't go further than that."
"And?"
"We're transferring him elsewhere. He won't set foot near this building again."
"And?"
"Hm? What more do you want? You want to report him to the prosecutors or police? You know that's not feasible."
"Hm. Park Siljang-nim, you're suddenly playing dumb."
"What are you talking about all of a sudden?"
"I heard you told the PD in charge of Problematic Human that I'm a genius when I went on the show. Are you testing me now?"
"......"
"A guy no one's seen before becomes the manager for the girl group the company's pushing hard. And just four days in, he causes this mess. I can't imagine a scumbag like that has any real talent. Doesn't that lead to an obvious conclusion?"
"Sigh."
"Who's the backer? Who puts trash like that into YK, one of the top three agencies, gets him assigned to the new girl group, and even after this incident, just transfers him instead of firing him? Who?"
"Whew. You're sharp as ever, Suhyeon. Can't hide anything from you. That trash is the nephew of Jeong Gi-ho, team leader of the AR team. That's why we're settling it at this level. Jeong Team Leader has big influence in the singer division, so we can't escalate further."
Hearing that, Suhyeon looked up at the ceiling in disbelief and let out a scoffing laugh.
Birds of a feather. 'Like attracts like' fits perfectly. The Jeong Team Leader who stole Kevin's lyrics and this manager are relatives.
"Hm. I understand. You had no choice, Park Siljang-nim."
If I could, I'd sweep them all away, but not yet. I don't have the power. Back then, I'd just neatly sever their necks and be done. Sigh. Complicated world.
After the meeting with Park Siljang, Suhyeon returned to the practice room. Pink Berry members were dancing on the floor to the music, while Erika, looking much calmer, sat leaning against the wall watching. BBG members sat beside her, watching too.
As Suhyeon entered quietly and approached Erika, everyone stopped and gathered around.
Suhyeon sat in front of her and asked carefully.
"Erika, you okay now?"
"Yes, oppa. I'm fine now. But..."
"But?"
Erika looked at Suhyeon with teary eyes, her voice weak.
"My ankle hurts, so I don't think I can go to tomorrow's event... I feel bad."
"Missing one event like that isn't a big deal. You should go to the hospital and get it treated."
Erika shook her head.
"It's just a slight sprain. It'll heal in a few days. I don't want to go to the hospital since it'll get better quick if I don't practice dancing."
Sigh. Definitely still a kid. She's upset about it. After that shock at her age, forcing her to the hospital might be too much. She looks fine on the outside, but she's probably scared inside.
Suhyeon made up his mind, stood, and looked at the members.
"Seongbin, do you know where the first-aid kit is? Something like acupuncture needles would be great, or even just regular needles."
"Hyung, I know where the first-aid kit is. Not sure about acupuncture needles. What for?"
"To temporarily treat Erika's sprained ankle."
At the mention of treating Erika's ankle, Jiyeong jumped in.
"I have needles in my sewing kit, oppa. Should I get them?"
"Yeah, bring that."
Moments later, Suhyeon sat beside Erika, heating the needle with a lighter and disinfecting it repeatedly with alcohol-soaked cotton.
"Erika, oppa will treat it temporarily, so rest completely today—no moving. Tomorrow, we'll check how it is. If you can dance, you go to the event; if not, you skip. Promise oppa?"
A spark of hope for the event lit her face, and Erika smiled brightly.
"Yes! I promise."
Marvin, watching worriedly, asked.
"Suhyeon, you know acupuncture too?"
"Yeah, man. Every winter break in middle and high school, I learned martial arts and acupuncture from this long-bearded grandpa in the mountains. Better than any quack."
"Ah, I see."
Marvin replied brightly, as if it all made sense. Suhyeon sighed inwardly.
He buys it completely. So innocent. Well, it's not total lies. After getting my incurable disease in my past life, I focused solely on medicine until I died—better than most doctors. Couldn't cure myself, though.
Moments later, Suhyeon carefully probed Erika's ankle, tracing the meridians by hand.
If I had Microcosmic Orbit, I could just push in some neigong and know instantly... Have to check manually. Need to find a way to build qi faster.
After mapping the meridians, Suhyeon inserted the needle deeply into the Ashi acupoint on the Foot Taiyin Spleen Meridian. Black blood immediately flowed out. He wiped it continuously with alcohol cotton until the black blood stopped and bright red flowed. Then he removed the needle, pressed with cotton, and told her.
"Press here firmly. Just for a bit."
"Okay."
Got all the stagnant blood out. Now, just activate the meridians a bit.
Suhyeon inserted a few more needles into the Foot Taiyin Spleen and Foot Yang Brightness Stomach Meridians, then picked up the bandage. After telling her to release, he wrapped and secured her ankle firmly.
"No using this leg until tomorrow. Oppa will check again—if it's good, we go to the event together; if not, you skip. Got it?"
"Yes, oppa. Thank you."
The next day, Suhyeon headed to the practice room during lunch. BBG and Pink Berry members were gathered to head to the event.
"Hm? Am I late every day? Weird. I came on time."
"We came early. You're not late."
Suhyeon nodded at Marvin's words and looked at Erika.
"How's the ankle?"
"Oppa treated it so well yesterday—doesn't hurt at all now!"
"Don't lie... Sit. Let me check."
After unwrapping and pressing a few spots, Suhyeon said.
"Healing well. Maybe 'cause you're young. Better to rest more, but you can go to the event like this. But!"
"Yes, oppa? But?"
"After the event, rest 2-3 days—no overdoing it. Got it?"
"Yes!"
Soon after, BBG and Pink Berry boarded their vans and headed to the event venue. Suhyeon, who had barely slept pondering ways to rapidly increase his qi, dozed fitfully in the car.
Suddenly, Suhyeon jolted awake in shock, springing up so hard that without his seatbelt, he'd have hit the roof.
What the hell? I've never felt anything like this since coming to this world.
His face pale with alarm, Suhyeon scanned all around.