Do You Believe Me?
Do you believe me?
Right after declaring in the Korea University Hospital lobby that I'd provide free treatment to three people every day. That's when I spotted Assistant Manager Kim Seon-ha there.
She took a day off just to come here? I'd figured she'd be off goofing around somewhere. This was a total surprise.
From a distance, her expression matched the other onlookers'. Desperate and anxious. She was struggling to push forward through the crowd.
First things first—let's wrap up today's show. Spotting Kim Seon-ha was unexpected, but right now, I had to play the savior.
I picked up the mic again.
"Alright, I'll select three people now."
And I pointed to three people right up front in the crowd.
"You there, you there, and you over there—let them through."
Security cleared a path, and the three I picked rushed up to me, dropping to their knees.
"Th-thank you…! Thank you so much!"
"Doctor…! This is my mother—can you treat her…?!"
"M-me, my child is sick…! Doctor…! If I bring them now…?!"
They all had compelling stories. For those who weren't sick themselves, I told them to fetch their patients while I treated the others.
"Cough… Doctor, I have… pancreatic cancer… Can you treat this too…?"
"Yes, just stay still."
The first patient: pancreatic cancer. I placed my hand on his shoulder and activated Disease Cure Magic.
Magical light burst forth, and I scanned his condition.
Cancer's a breeze now that I've done it before.
Click! Click! Nearby, a broadcaster—probably contracted with the hospital—was filming up close, exclusively.
"All done."
"Ah, ahh…! Th-thank you! Thank you!"
"Patient? How are you feeling? Could we do a quick interview over here?"
"Sob, yes…! Truly…! Thank you so much…!"
Next, the second one.
"This is my mother."
"What's wrong with her?"
"Well, actually…"
The man who'd brought his mother hesitated, then looked at me with tears in his eyes.
"She has dementia…"
"Dementia?"
"Yes…! Doctor, please…! Tell me you can treat it…!"
"Sigh… Alright, let's see."
Dementia, huh. Would the magic even recognize it as a treatable disease?
Click! Click-click-click! The reporter went wild with the camera at the word "dementia."
I looked at the mother fussing at her daughter and placed my hand on her shoulder.
This is…
I cast the spell.
Vmmm…
Light poured out. I closed my eyes and focused.
After a moment of concentration.
"Whew… All done."
I smiled at the dementia patient's daughter. The mask hid it, of course.
"Mom…? Mom, do you recognize me…?"
At my words, she gently stroked her mother's cheek with trembling hands.
And then.
"Seo… Young-ah…"
"Mom…!"
The mother's expression had clearly changed from before. She looked at her daughter and cried.
The two shared a tearful reunion before heading off for the broadcaster's interview at their request.
"Alright, next. You, ma'am?"
"Y-yes…! Doctor…! This is my child…!"
The elderly woman had wheeled over a man who looked about thirty. I'd assumed "child" meant a kid, but she was calling her son that.
"It's… Lou Gehrig's disease, Doctor…! Please…! Heal my child too…!"
"Hmm…"
Having cured dementia gave me confidence. I grabbed the wrist of the man in the wheelchair. He was paralyzed, unable to speak or walk.
And then.
Disease Cure Magic
Fwaaah…!
"All done."
The treatment finished in an instant.
"M-Mom…"
"Tae… Taesik-ah—!"
Magic brought life back to the patient's eyes. I couldn't fully restore lost muscle, but fixing the paralysis let him slowly move his arm.
I could regenerate the lost muscle with magic too, but that wasn't my role. I handled diseases modern medicine couldn't touch. Rehab afterward was the hospital's job.
"Whew… That wraps up today."
Even the Lou Gehrig's patient left for an interview. I stood up.
That's when.
"Y-yes…! What?!"
The hospital director's voice came from behind.
"Ch-Chairman…? Right now? Understood!"
He hung up and approached me immediately.
"Doctor…!"
"Yes?"
"If you're done treating, could you spare a moment to talk? It's just…"
"……"
"Someone insists on meeting you…"
Looking down at the 2m-tall director as he trembled and made his awkward request.
Already coming? The person he meant was probably one of my targets who'd seen the live broadcast. Could be a major CEO or a political heavyweight. Someone with enough wealth to buy anything.
One of them was already reaching out.
I smirked behind the mask.
"Sorry, I'm busy today."
"Pardon? What do you…"
"Tell them I'll see them tomorrow."
"W-wait! Doctor! The person coming now is from Hanlim Group…!"
"Fast Travel Magic."
Fast Travel Magic
Whoosh!
Before the director finished, I teleported from right in front of him to my studio apartment.
"Whew… What a madhouse."
From the noisy, packed hospital lobby to my cramped, quiet studio in an instant. It almost felt like an illusion.
"Pancreatic cancer… dementia… and Lou Gehrig's…"
Creeeak.
I slumped into my chair, recalling today's patients. My 2m frame made the chair groan.
"Didn't expect dementia to be curable too."
Today's results were hugely significant. Plus the hospital-arranged patient interviews. The world would know now: incurable diseases could be cured. And only by one person.
"Hanlim Group, was it…?"
The identity of the person the director said wanted to see me. One of Korea's top conglomerates.
But no matter how big the company, I held the power now. I decided when to meet—not them. That's why I'd refused and bailed today.
Speaking of which…
Creeeak.
I leaned the chair back further and stared at the ceiling.
More memorable than Hanlim Group: spotting Kim Seon-ha in the hospital lobby.
Her words from the break room recently came back.
"You know about that story…?"
"What story?"
"…The news about someone healing people and vanishing."
"Oh… that? You believe it?"
"Is it real…?"
"…Dunno. What do you think, Seon-ha?"
"……I."
"I hope… it's real."
"……"
That subtle expression on her face back then.
And today, she'd come to the lobby where I appeared. Taking a day off from work to do it.
"Hmm… Guess I can just ask."
Creeeak.
I got up from the chair. Switched back to my original Lee Ji-hoon preset from customization.
Showered, then crashed into bed.
The next day.
"Good morning."
"……"
"Assistant Manager Kim Seon-ha?"
"……Ah, yes. Good morning, Ji-hoon."
I'd come into the office earlier than usual. The empty space had only Kim Seon-ha, already at her desk handling yesterday's backlog from her day off.
Her face was dark. Not from work stress, but like she'd hoped for something and been disappointed.
Thud.
Step, step.
I set my bag down and approached her.
"……What's wrong?"
"What's wrong with you?"
Smooth.
I gently placed my hand on her shoulder as she sat.
Zing.
She glared sharply at my hand.
"…Why do you ask? Go do your work, Assistant Manager Lee Ji-hoon."
"……"
She was in a foul mood. Until recently, she'd let me grope her tits out of fear. Now even a shoulder touch was off-limits.
Thud.
She brushed my hand away and turned back to her monitor.
Still ice-cold. I'd thought our skinship had brought us closer.
Tap, tap.
"……"
"……"
I stared at her back as she typed away, ignoring me completely.
…But somehow, it overlapped with how I'd been not long ago.
Why? She's pissing me off with her attitude.
Dad fled leaving debts. Loan sharks hounding me for 2 billion won. Shitty boss and colleagues. Hard work. Miserable life.
That old version of my back view felt just like Kim Seon-ha's now.
Maybe that's why.
"Seon-ha."
"……"
I spoke to her, refusing to be ignored. I could have, sure. She was the one building walls anyway.
But they say even brushing sleeves makes a bond. We'd groped tits and ass—we were past that.
"Seon-ha?"
"……Lee, I told you…! Just go do your…!"
"You were at the Korea University Hospital lobby yesterday, right?"
"……"
I decided to extend a helping hand.
"…How did you…"
"Who knows."
Smooth.
I leaned in close, facing her. Placed my hand back on the shoulder she'd shaken off.
"It doesn't matter how I know, Seon-ha."
"……"
"What matters… is whether you choose to believe me."
"What the hell does that…"
"It's a major turning point in life. Choose carefully."
I smiled at her.
"Do you believe me? Or not?"
"……"
I'd offered my hand. Whether she took it was up to her.
Kim Seon-ha stared at me with trembling eyes.