Seon-ha's Gratitude and Hanlim's Call
"Kind person." "Thank you, Ji-hoon..."
Kim Seon-ha's first genuine words were ones of thanks. Her younger brother had just woken up after seven years and was off getting various tests done.
Afterward, Seon-ha and I headed up to the hospital rooftop, sipping coffee together as we calmed our nerves.
"Really... how am I ever going to repay this kindness..."
"I'm doing it for free anyway, so no big deal. You just got lucky, Seon-ha."
"...Still."
Kim Seon-ha sniffled and looked at me.
"I'll definitely pay you back."
"..."
Her eyes were puffy from all the crying, but the look in them was dead serious. She clearly hated just being on the receiving end.
The mood was getting a bit stiff, so I flashed a playful grin and said,
"In that case, how about paying me back a little right now?"
"Pardon...?"
"I wanna cop a feel right now. Let me, and I'll give you a special half-off discount."
I grinned and made a subtle squeezing gesture with my hand. Seon-ha just stared at me blankly, her face expressionless.
"..."
"Ha, haha... sorry. My sense of humor sucks."
"You wanna touch them...?"
"...Huh?"
At my words, Seon-ha shyly averted her eyes and turned her body toward me. Her massive breasts, barely contained by her shirt, came into view.
Caught off guard by her earnest reaction, I waved my hands awkwardly with an embarrassed laugh.
"N-no! Sorry! It was a joke. Just a joke."
"But... you touch them all the time at the office."
"...True."
Looked like the Enemy Reset Mod had skewed her sense of normalcy a bit. Normally, even from a benefactor, that joke would've earned me a slap.
"Hey, Seon-ha."
"Yes."
"Just to be sure... if someone else said they wanted to touch you, that'd be sexual harassment."
"I know that?"
I explained out of worry, and she gave me a puzzled look. When I looked flustered in response, she read my mind and continued,
"Of course, I know groping someone without permission is harassment. But..."
"But...?"
"When you touch me... it just doesn't feel like a problem. Though if you overdo it, it does get annoying..."
"..."
"Why is that? Now that I think about it, it's kinda weird..."
As she explained, even Seon-ha seemed to sense something off and rested her chin on her hand, lost in thought.
Good thing her common sense isn't totally warped... but no more random groping from now on.
I vowed to myself as I looked at her. Before, it had been a mix of resentment and revenge, but now that I knew her situation, even that was gone.
"A-anyway!"
"Yes?"
I quickly changed the subject before she dwelled on it too much and figured out the mod.
"What're your plans now? Your brother's awake."
"For now... I'll keep going to work."
She answered my question, glancing at me.
"He's awake, but after seven years in bed, he'll need time to recover. Gotta cover hospital bills and living expenses."
"Oh, don't worry about that."
"Huh?"
"I restored all his atrophied muscles when I healed him. No rehab needed."
"..."
Normally, as the masked Fixer, I only cured terminal illnesses to play the hospital's role. But Seon-ha wasn't a stranger.
I'd given her full service recovery.
"Ji-hoon..."
She spoke cautiously.
"I know I might not have the right to ask, but..."
"Go ahead."
"How the hell is that even possible?"
"..."
I'd expected the question. I'd revealed my identity factoring that in.
No need to explain the mods.
Honestly, the reason I hid behind the savior act was simple: I didn't want my face plastered everywhere.
Seon-ha wouldn't spread it around, so no issue there.
"Dunno... at some point, I just could."
"Out of nowhere...?"
"Yeah, pretty wild, right?"
"..."
She stared blankly at my face for a moment before smiling softly.
"You're a kind person, Ji-hoon."
It was the first smile I'd seen from her since starting at the company. I'd only seen her hating me or looking gloomy before.
With that smile, her face was about ten times more beautiful.
"Me...?"
"Yeah, that's what I just thought."
"Why...? I'm not that good of a guy."
I was the type who'd smash my boss's rice bowl with a keyboard over revenge. No reason for good guy praise.
"But... you got that power and immediately started doing free treatments."
"Ah."
Then she explained something I hadn't considered.
"If it were me, I'd be embarrassed... but I'd charge money. That's impressive, Ji-hoon. Using your power to help people right away."
"..."
"It's... kinda admirable."
She glanced at me shyly. Her eyes held a warmth I'd never seen before.
My conscience is gonna get shredded.
Truth was, the free treatments were just strategy. Not some noble mission like she thought.
"Anyway, I'll cheer you on, Ji-hoon."
"Yeah, thanks..."
"Hehe, shall we head back?"
"...To the company? What about your brother?"
"I called Mom. She's on her way after telling her shop boss."
"Still, it's been so long since the three of you reunite..."
"It's fine. Come on."
Seon-ha stood, gently grabbing my wrist.
"If we get fired... you'd have to take responsibility, right?"
"..."
I chuckled at her joke and stood up. Getting fired would suck.
"Sorry for stepping out suddenly, sir."
Back at the company, Seon-ha bowed to the president alongside me. No need, but I joined in for her office life.
She explained her situation to his questions—minus my identity. Focused on her comatose brother waking after seven years.
"Jeez, you could've just told me! I'd have let you go anytime, no need to call it fieldwork...!"
"..."
"A-hem..."
Let us go if we asked? I shot him a glare, and he cleared his throat awkwardly. His conscience probably stung.
Normally, he'd say go after work.
"A-anyway, congrats, Kim."
"Thank you."
"But..."
The president, patting Seon-ha's shoulder, glanced between us.
"...Your brother's awake, so why'd Lee tag along?"
"..."
"..."
Silence hit the office. Other employees, eavesdropping under pretense of work, stared.
"You two... no way..."
"Sir, it's not like that."
"Wh-what?"
"Seon-ha was too shocked to move, so I just helped."
"Oh, r-right. If Lee says so, then sure. Haha! Back to work, everyone? Congrats again, Kim!"
His weird assumption got cleared without fists. We resumed work smoothly.
That day, I got more jealous glares from coworkers than fear of violence. Understandable—I was the only one who'd groped her tits.
Time passed. At quitting time, I naturally stood.
"See you tomorrow, everyone."
"Yeah, Lee! Head out!"
They'd grown used to my prompt quits. I finished work perfectly anyway. Felt sorry for the overtime crowd.
...Huh?
As I dressed to leave, my eyes met Seon-ha's. Same blank face, but not ignoring me—warm, friendly even.
She waved lightly.
Living the dream.
I waved back with a smirk. Never dreamed I'd greet Seon-ha warmly.
Anyway, in that unusually pleasant mood, I clocked out and hit the first-floor bathroom for my routine change.
"Fast Travel."
Fast Travel Magic
Ding!
Whoosh!
My body teleported to Korea University Hospital's lobby.
"You're here━!"
A shout rang out immediately, followed by cheers, sobs, reporters' questions, and camera shutters.
Then,
"Ah, Doctor! You've arrived!"
The familiar voice of Korea University Hospital's director approached.
"We've selected the patients on our end. This way."
He beamed and beckoned me. I asked curiously,
"...The hospital selected them?"
"Yes, you said first-come-first-served last time."
Ahead, where he gestured, three people stood. Desperate smiles, eyes on me.
My gaze went to their wrists—luxury watches.
"Fancy watches."
"Pardon...?"
"They were really first-come?"
"Y-yes? Of course!"
"..."
He smiled affirmatively, but I caught on quick. His stiffening face gave it away—honed from office life, side gigs, labor.
"Send them back."
"Pardon...? N-no, Doctor! Wait...!"
"And."
Thud. I slung an arm around his shoulder, muttering low. At 2 meters tall, he looked middle-school-sized.
"Don't lie to me."
"..."
"I don't just heal people."
"N-no... Doctor, what lie...?"
"Can you handle getting caught...?"
"..."
His eyes trembled in fear. He nodded cautiously.
Satisfied, I released him and scanned the crowd watching us.
"You three in the front row. Yeah, white clothes, black, yellow. Come forward."
I picked three who stood out. Treating the director's picks wouldn't hurt, but they might snag my paying clients.
More than that.
'You're a kind person, Ji-hoon.'
I'd just heard that. If I'm volunteering, might as well do it right.
Should tell the hospital to set up a proper first-come system. Or switch to lottery.
Anyway.
"All done."
"Ahh...! Th-thank you! Thank you!"
I treated three patients as usual.
"Whew..."
I stood amid familiar thanks and noisy crowd, when the director approached again.
"Um, Doctor! Wait!"
"...What?"
"Don't go yet! Someone's been asking to meet you since yesterday!"
"Ah..."
I recalled his shout as I vanished from the lobby yesterday.
Hanlim Group. I'd forgotten amid Seon-ha stuff, but thinking of the big corp made me grin.
"Sure, lead the way. They're here now, right?"
"Huh? Oh, yes! Thank you! This way...!"
I followed the beaming director, security escorting us as cheers faded.
Finally, time to use my powers for real profit.
My original goal—making bank with mods—was about to hit.