Chapter 116
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 116
Chapter Title: The Vocalist's Vow of Silence
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Kim Taeyoon was the vocalist of the indie band 'Melon Soda Horizon'.
He wasn't exactly a superstar, but those in the know recognized him, and his music alone kept him afloat comfortably enough.
His band performed at least once a week, sometimes more.
They had a fixed weekly gig at one live club and rarely turned down calls from other venues.
On top of that, the full band gathered two or three times a week for about two-hour jam sessions, and he occasionally did solo busking. Oh, and of course, he practiced individually whenever time allowed.
"Ah~ Ahh~ Ahhhh~!"
One day, while warming up his voice as usual, Kim Taeyoon realized his voice was hoarse.
"...!"
He rushed straight to an ENT clinic.
He'd pushed a bit hard at last week's show thanks to the great crowd response, but this sudden issue?
With another gig just two days away, he needed a quick fix.
"There's a bit of inflammation in your larynx."
"...?!"
"It's not severe. It can happen with a cold or if you talk too much. I'll give you three days' worth of meds—take them, and come back if it doesn't improve."
"Is there a way to heal faster? I have a show in two days."
The doctor looked a little troubled at the request for quicker treatment.
"...Well, you'll just have to wait for the inflammation to subside. Drink lots of water and avoid irritants like alcohol, smoking, or spicy food."
"Got it."
He didn't drink or smoke anyway. He'd never had issues before, but protecting his voice was basic common sense.
He chugged water and notified the band that he'd have to skip practice until the gig out of caution.
"All good!"
His voice returned the very next day.
It hadn't been a major problem to begin with.
Still, to be safe, he took one more day off and nailed the performance without a hitch.
"...What do I do."
But right after the show ended, his throat felt off again.
It didn't hurt, but listening to himself sing in the practice room, his voice sounded slightly different.
"It's fine. There's a little swelling left, but a day or two of rest should clear it up."
The doctor said it was okay.
He prescribed another three days' worth just in case, but didn't seem to take the symptoms too seriously.
Kim Taeyoon, however, couldn't relax.
He scoured the internet relentlessly.
'Honey water, bellflower syrup, pear juice.'
He ordered crates of everything said to be good for the throat.
He also decided to minimize talking as a precaution.
"Taeyoon, you good to practice today?"
At his suggestion to jam, every member showed up at the practice room without fail.
As the voice and face of 'Melon Soda Horizon', everyone was worried about his throat.
[The doctor says it's fine. Still, just in case, I won't talk except when singing from today on.]
He typed it out on his phone and showed them; the members nodded.
"Yeah, okay. Gotta protect our vocalist's throat."
"Hope you recover quick. This is worrying."
It was a bit inconvenient, but what could they do if the vocalist was taking precautions?
The members understood and tried to accommodate him as much as possible.
But even during practice, he stuck to this bizarre communication method.
[Jaekyung, tempo's a bit fast.]
"Huh? Got it."
The members soon realized something.
Their patience wasn't as endless as they'd thought.
Typing on the phone between practice took forever and was frustrating.
[Bass is too prominent. Dial it back a bit.]
Waiting ages for critiques only made it more irritating.
Of course, he could say it!
And write it down, sure.
If someone truly couldn't speak, the whole band would wait patiently.
...But Kim Taeyoon had been singing fine just moments ago.
"Dude, just talk!"
"Your voice sounds perfectly fine!"
Yet Kim Taeyoon held firm.
[Gotta save words when I don't have to use them.]
"Damn it...!"
"Knew you were crazy, but... ha..."
Sorry. Bear with it.
Can't help it if he wants his throat to heal fast.
Kim Taeyoon ignored the band's frustration and stuck to his principles.
'What else can I do? Even with this, it keeps getting hoarse.'
Despite his vow of silence, he still felt his voice wasn't the same.
He used to sing all day without issue; now, one show left it off for a day or two.
He'd quit busking entirely and skipped solo practice on jam days, but it was the same.
'Oh?'
While wandering NewTube for more remedies,
he spotted a video of his favorite NewTuber swallowing powder.
She usually screamed through her streams, but when her throat gave out, she took Yonggaksan.
'A herbal powder?'
Comments were full of glowing testimonials about its effects.
Where to get it?
A quick search led him to a site for direct import from Japan in candy form.
Kim Taeyoon ordered immediately, and it arrived soon after.
"Whoa! This stuff works great!"
"First time hearing Taeyoon talk in weeks."
After the show, popping a candy cleared the foreign sensation right away.
His vocal tone was back to normal—no rasp when speaking.
"Finally done with that insane crap?"
Kim Taeyoon nodded vigorously.
He thought that fixed everything.
...But soon after,
after three shows a week, his voice started leaking again.
Candy didn't help this time.
"Dude, busy stretch is over—take a week off. We'll practice without you; just listen in."
Drummer Kang Jaekyung even suggested skipping singing altogether.
They'd practiced plenty; prioritize shows for now.
"...! ...!"
But he wanted to sing even on off days?!
He started scribbling on his sketchbook, but the members began jamming without him.
They'd bought it because phone text was too small!
[I want to sing.]
This was too much. They got to enjoy music while he sat out.
"What difference does a week make?"
[I want to sing...!]
No one understood his feelings.
After jam ended, Kim Taeyoon played the MR track and mouthed the words alone in the room.
"Thought you were a ghost!"
Munching Yonggaksan candy, he searched for more options.
...Yonggaksan was originally meant to be taken as powder?
One line made him pause.
Where to get powder? Direct import again...?
Further searching turned up 'Yonggaksan vs. Hyangseong Pajeokhwan'.
Sound-breaking flute ball!
A med that pierces a blocked flute to make sound ring out?
The name alone was badass.
Digging deeper, he learned a famous singer with vocal nodules recovered her voice thanks to it.
'How did I not know about this?'
Kim Taeyoon got hyped.
He wanted it now.
Imagined his stuffy throat clearing crisp, voice pure again.
He found the singer's story and blogs hawking Hyangseong Pajeokhwan.
The clinic she used was in Seoul, but Busan had several with similar promo posts.
But at the first clinic, and the second,
he couldn't get the exact prescription he wanted.
Now, the third.
He found one that offered various forms.
I waited for Kim Taeyoon to write on his sketchbook.
For vocal nodule treatment, Hyangseong Pajeokhwan was usually best. Gamgil Tang might suit some cases, but rarely.
[Went to ENT twice, no mention of vocal nodules. Just said slight swelling, gave anti-inflammatory meds for 3 days each time. But any strain and it hoarsens.]
Ah, nothing major then.
As a vocalist, he wanted preventive care to baby his throat.
"Good thing it's not advanced. Let me check your throat."
I used a stick to peer inside.
Buying an ENT setup was overkill, right?
Prying the mouth open with a stick and flashlight showed plenty.
Just like the other docs said: mild swelling.
...This should let him talk fine?
He must baby it a ton.
"No big issues, but as you said, there's some edema and congestion. Repeat shouting like in shows could cause bleeding, but you're okay now."
"...!"
Kim Taeyoon wrote more.
[Blood? From the throat?]
"If it worsens, yeah. Fibers deposit, harden into nodules—that's vocal nodules."
"...!"
"Rate throat from 0 to 10; 9-10 needs surgery. You're at 2.5. Just swelling, no nodules."
[But worried it's getting worse.]
"I get it. You came at the perfect time before it does. Overuse could worsen it, but cut back like now, treat alongside, and you can keep singing while maintaining 0-1 easily."
I tried reassuring him, but he still looked anxious.
He'd heard 'fine' from ENT already, yet felt off.
Even 2.5 scared him plenty.
"I know it's worrying now, but you'll feel effects right away with the meds."
I said confidently.
I'd prescribed it plenty, and pre-murim training, I'd taken it myself a few times.
Talked a lot during consults, so my throat gave out often.
"A few more questions—write on the sketchbook."
He nodded.
"Roughly when it started, any cough or phlegm, current status."
[Over a month. Cough only when throat's super dry, slight phlegm and foreign sensation. Fine now.]
"Any headaches or heartburn?"
[No.]
No need for pattern differentiation.
Checked visually, asked key symptoms.
I decided on the prescription.
"Hyangseong Pajeokhwan base, up Forsythia and Platycodon, add Massa Fermentata Indigestum, as pills. Forsythia handles inflammation and swelling; Platycodon clears phlegm and eases pain. Covers most of Yonggaksan ingredients."
[Ah! Got it. Hyangseong Pajeokhwan is the way!]
"Yes, plus Cnidium and Mint for better circulation to clear congestion. Some digestive aids included, but I'll cut those."
I explained briefly.
He'd researched, so he nodded right away.
"Sorry for the hassle, but pro spirit's cool. Pills three times a day, keep minimizing talk like now. Next time, if congestion's gone, you're good."
[Yes!]
"Fighting with the vow of silence."
Just standard encouragement, but he looked thrilled.
He scribbled more eagerly.
Probably thanks; I waited patiently.
[I will never speak again.]
...Did I over-warn a guy already cautious?
No need to go that far.