Chapter 117
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 117
Chapter Title: Jeju Fan Doctors
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Kim Taeyoon left, and I opened the prescription file.
I first filled in the ingredients and dosages for the original Aromatic Stasis-Dispersing Pill formula, then added what needed adding and removed what needed removing.
Normally, sending the file to An Juhee would be the end of it.
Just noting in the reference section to make it into pills would ensure no mistakes.
But for some reason, I got curious about how she was doing, so I printed out the prescription and headed down to the second floor.
"Juhee, can I come in?"
"Oh? Hold on a sec!"
Crash, bang, clatter!
I knocked politely, and something inside came tumbling down.
...What on earth is she doing?
"Come in!"
The decoction room management was entirely in An Juhee's hands.
I'd checked the cleanliness a few times at first, but when it came to preparation, she was meticulous to the point of obsession.
If someone like that was hiding something she'd been doing on the sly...
"Oh, it's nothing. I was just doing some experiments."
"Experiments?"
"The buck deer you processed yourself last time was so amazing. I've been tweaking the temperature and pressure bit by bit to experiment. Oh! Of course, the experimental buck deer was bought separately with my own money!"
"...If it's something like that, you don't need to hide it. Use your free time however you like."
Seo In-ae had even run an online shopping mall before—what was this about experiments?
An Juhee handled every task I assigned perfectly anyway, and increasing her workload was up to me.
The current setup didn't even allow her to make up extra work, so telling her not to do other things would be ridiculous.
"Work will pick up gradually anyway. Even if we add one or two more doctors, you could probably handle it alone, right?"
"Of course! I love it when it grows. Finally leaving the academy? Expanding the first branch?"
"No. That's set for February, but some people want to open a fourth branch."
"Ahh~."
I'd have to discuss the contract, but I'd given them a heads-up for now.
"This time it's pills."
"Yes. Might be a bit of a hassle to make?"
"No way! I love making pills too! They have their own charm, different from decoctions!"
An Juhee closed her eyes and inhaled deeply through her nose.
I mimicked her without thinking, but all I smelled were the strong scents of the herbs.
...Well, if she likes it, that's fine.
"You still have some leeway working alone, right? If you need more machines or help, just say the word."
"I'll let you know right away about machines. No worries about manpower at all."
For some reason, her shoulders twitched at the word "manpower."
"Doesn't it get boring working alone?"
"I love it. Just me and the herbs in this space."
"... ."
"Even if prescriptions double—no, triple—I can handle them alone, so please don't hire another herbalist. I'll cover up to the tenth branch by myself."
An Juhee's eyes shone with the straightest sincerity I'd ever seen.
"I'll make the Aromatic Stasis-Dispersing Pills right away and ship them to the patient's address."
Yes, she'd found her calling.
Kim Taeyoon gently rolled the prescribed Aromatic Stasis-Dispersing Pill in his mouth.
It had a charm different from deer antler candy or powdered meds from the pharmacy.
He savored the full herbal taste and aroma as it slowly melted and slid down his throat.
Honestly, it wasn't delicious, but thinking this bitterness was healing his throat made his heart race a little.
He diligently took his meds while maintaining vocal silence.
For a whole week, he hadn't spoken a word, and the only singing was a single light jam session.
Then came performance day. During rehearsal, he finally tried making proper sound.
"Wandering the misty streets~ I don't know where to go, but..."
His voice somehow sounded clearer.
Was it because it had been so long?
There was none of the fragility that had crept in since his throat started giving out. He felt like he could belt out as clear and loud as he wanted.
But he held back.
For the main show.
Or more precisely, for the live performance.
His vocal silence continued even during the show.
[Hello, everyone? This is Melon Soda Horizon.]
When Kim Taeyoon held up his sketchbook, the fans who came weekly just to see him were stunned.
"What? A sketchbook? What's the event?"
"Gasp, no way...!"
Casual visitors to the live club or fans of other bands gave light cheers, but Kim Taeyoon's fans looked grave.
Drummer Kang Jaekyung grasped the situation first.
"Everyone! It's not Taeyoon's confession event, so relax!"
"Ah~!"
Kim Taeyoon promptly raised his sketchbook.
[My throat's not well, so I prepared this instead of talking.]
Reactions erupted from the audience.
"Ah, what! You scared us!"
"I thought it was a proposal!"
"No, Taeyoon's throat is bad now...!"
"Can't do the show today then?"
Kim Taeyoon snapped his head up.
Proposal? He hadn't even imagined that misunderstanding.
He grabbed a marker and wrote on a blank page.
[I love you all for the music only.]
"Ouch!"
"Taeyoon~ Just say you love us at times like this!"
"Wait, so no singing today?"
As a fan's voice piped up about the performance, his sketchbook flipped.
[But I'll sing at my absolute best. I haven't said a word in a week for today.]
"For real."
"I thought he'd lost it."
Kang Jaekyung sighed deeply, and the other members vouched for Kim Taeyoon's antics.
The show started right away.
No need to drag out MC time when the leader couldn't speak.
Wandering the misty streets—
I don't know where to go
As Kim Taeyoon's voice flowed out, the crowd's buzz died instantly.
His pure, clear tone had always been his strength, but today it rang especially crisp.
It's okay—hope is still there
I can find the light—
He'd skipped practice for a week for this day, which made him anxious too.
But it felt good.
The song he'd longed to sing.
Should he scream it? Or not?
Such doubts vanished at some point.
He melted into the melody, lost in song, feeling total unity.
I'll find my own path—
Until my voice echoes everywhere—!
He unleashed a shout.
His voice cut through clearer and freer than ever.
Like a flute unblocked after being clogged with dirt, it dominated the live club.
"Whoa...!"
Melon Soda Horizon fans and casual drinkers alike gaped.
They lost themselves in the music before cheering late.
"Wooooah~!"
"Best ever today~!"
Encore calls boomed before the song even ended.
"Encore! Encore! Encore!"
Cheers shook the club.
Thrilling euphoria as his voice pierced through.
Kim Taeyoon delivered his most perfect live yet.
"Whoa, Taeyoon was insane today."
"All that overkill silence paid off."
The members, fed up with his quirks before, forgave it all with the musical catharsis.
"After-party! After-party!"
"What're we eating?"
"Found a killer spicy chicken stir-fry spot!"
As the members left the club...
"Excuse me! You're Melon Soda Horizon, right?"
A sharply dressed man suddenly stopped them.
Who was he? Not a fan...
"I'm Shin Yeonho, A&R manager at Blue Dragon Entertainment!"
"Ah?"
"Your singing and concept were amazing today. If you're interested in bigger stages, please give me a call."
An A&R scout hunting new talent.
He left his business card with a "call me" and vanished.
"No way, for real?"
"Blue Dragon scouting in person like this...?"
Seeing the big entertainment name on the card, they couldn't help but get excited.
"When should we call without seeming desperate?"
"Who cares about that!"
As members buzzed over the card, Kim Taeyoon never opened his mouth.
[Guy knows his stuff.]
But his tightly shut lips twitched upward on the right.
[Seems all better, but can I start talking now? Please check.]
I'd thought he might really not say a word to this guy.
"You seriously haven't talked at all until now...?"
My faint hope was dashed.
Kim Taeyoon nodded.
"Open your mouth."
Like last time, I pressed his tongue with a stick and checked his throat.
The swelling and congestion had subsided plenty.
"Looking great. Visually, it's fully healed—no exaggeration. Try speaking?"
"...Feels weird to talk suddenly."
Come to think of it, second time seeing his face, first hearing his voice.
As a singer, it had real resonance.
"No hoarseness at all. This right after the show?"
"Yes. Performed without issue this time, and no foreign sensation after."
"Good enough. You can stop the meds."
"Ah... ."
A troubled low voice.
"If you want to keep taking for maintenance, I'll adjust to a lower dose without the anti-inflammatory herbs—safe for long-term."
I nailed Kim Taeyoon's needs right away.
He beamed.
"Can I? After the Aromatic Stasis-Dispersing Pills, my voice came out even better than before. Hate to stop."
"Of course. I'll represcribe considering your constitution—safe for a whole year."
"Thank you. Thanks to you, the show wrapped perfectly, and a great opportunity came up."
He hesitated, then spilled about the business card from a major agency.
No wonder he seemed in high spirits today.
"What'd I do? It's your talent, Taeyoon."
"...Without you, I'd have panicked and bombed it. Truly grateful."
Good news lifted my mood too.
"Come to our show sometime when you're free."
"Will do. Before you get too famous to see easily. Fighting!"
I'd promised to go soon, but this week was impossible.
Prior commitment.
Last year, after the Daegu fuss made Seongsu Clinic famous, Korean medicine doctor communities often posted about joining our network.
But this was the first direct inquiry.
They offered to come to Busan, so I booked a cafe meeting room.
"Hello!"
"Whoa, Director Han Yeowon! Huge fan!"
Two arrived on time.
Usually... in this situation, wouldn't it be "Are you Director Han Yeowon?" or "Nice to meet you"?
Fan? What?
I'm no celebrity.
The woman at least greeted normally, but the man made a weird fuss.
"...What fan?"
"Ah, we saw the Mancheon Hwa-u video!"
"Pardon?"
I blanked for a second.
Manchen Hwa-u video? Where?
"NewTube...?"
Then I remembered.
Right. There was that.
Forgotten and buried in memory.
Ancient history!
"It was an unimaginable promo strategy. Shocking, even."
The man said gravely.
"Deepest impression of any Korean doc video on NewTube. We want to do something like that too!"
The woman... I'd thought she was normal until the greeting.
Birds of a feather, indeed.
What? What do they want to do?
I'd assumed they knew me from the Daegu incident via a branch director's connection.
Reality was way off.
This couple wanting to open a clinic on Jeju.
Were hooked on my first and last drunken mistake.