Chapter 142
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 142
Chapter Title: The Archer's Dilemma
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6 PM.
Kang Joyun, who had been waiting anxiously for this exact moment, watched his archery club friends leave and trailed after them.
Skipping practice and just staring at the clock had been its own quiet torture.
"Kang Joyun."
But nothing compared to facing his angry mother.
She had been waiting to drag him to cram school and called his name in a low voice.
"You! You said you were sick and skipped practice?"
"......"
It was true.
Kang Joyun attended one of the few middle schools in the Busan-Gyeongnam area with an archery club.
On weekdays, training ran until 9 PM during tournaments, or 6 PM otherwise, like today.
Some kids took evenings off to rest, but Joyun rode with his waiting mother to cram school for sessions from 7 to 10 PM.
But today—no, for the past three days—he hadn't shown up for school practice.
His shoulder and arm hurt so badly he couldn't draw the bow.
"Uh, Coach. Sorry, but......"
Joyun never complained, so when he said he was hurt, the coach let him rest without question.
"Alright, go to class today. Hit the hospital after."
He often skipped classes for tournaments and club training.
His studies had fallen so far behind he couldn't follow lessons, but he nodded vaguely, imagining shooting arrows instead.
He couldn't tell his mom.
He knew exactly how she'd react.
So he'd skipped only school practice and gone to cram school as usual.
"Kang Joyun, are you out of your mind? Do you have any idea how much Mom and Dad have sacrificed to make you a success?"
"......Sorry."
The coach must have called her.
He'd begged to keep it secret.
He thought a few days' rest would fix it, and he'd return to the club soon.
"You're faking it, aren't you?"
"No! I really hurt!"
Whoosh!
His mom grabbed his arm.
"Aak!"
It felt like his shoulder was tearing apart.
Tears welled up.
She's too much. Why is my mom like this?
Compared to the overflowing talents nationwide, he might seem insignificant.
But he was the best at school and cram school.
His friends' parents told them not to even carry their bags.
"Waaah!"
The pain and injustice overwhelmed him, and Joyun burst into tears.
"Seriously, why cry in front of everyone? Get in the car!"
"I said I'm really hurting! How can you hear I'm sick and your first words are to call it fake?"
"You've done it before!"
Even in the car, as he complained of pain, she snapped back.
That was true too.
In kindergarten, he'd hated archery and cried about being sick every cram school day.
In first and second grade, he'd faked illness a few times.
Once, he'd skipped training, snuck to a PC bang with friends, and got caught.
But after youth national team trials, he'd never done it again—especially not as a middle schooler.
"That was ages ago!"
Screech!
The car swerved as his words ended, throwing his body sideways.
"What are you doing?"
Die alone if you're gonna die! The shout nearly escaped.
"You said you're sick. We're going to the hospital."
What whimsy was this?
Anyway, she was taking him, so he shut up.
Joyun entered an orthopedic clinic with his mom, where the sign was visible.
"No bone issues. Overuse strained the ligaments in your arm. Take meds, rest, and use warm compresses."
"How bad is the ligament strain?"
"MRI needs a big hospital. Want a referral?"
"No, we're good."
But orthopedics only gave muscle relaxants and anti-inflammatories.
And mother and son fought again at the pharmacy.
"They said nothing's wrong."
"They said ligaments are strained! Rest!"
"That's just what they say when tests show nothing!"
"Please, folks—other patients here. Quiet in the pharmacy......"
"If you hate archery so much, quit!"
His mom yelled.
"I've wanted to quit for ages?"
Joyun fired back.
"Ha!"
"Exit's this way."
They practically got kicked out and into the car.
He minded his club friends and their parents' eyes, but in unfamiliar places, his mom did as she pleased.
"What can you do besides archery? Study? Learn a trade?"
Her mockery continued in the car.
Rage boiled inside.
How to make her angriest? That's all he thought.
"You forced your dream on me and made me this way! Why didn't you win gold yourself? You never even made nationals."
"......"
She finally went quiet.
"......Sniff."
Crying? Her too?
Joyun regretted it late.
No need to go that far.
"We're here. Go home and rest."
Her first words after long silence.
"Mom, my shoulder."
"I'll find a good hospital that treats properly. Rest."
Everything went his way.
He could rest; she'd take him to another hospital.
But his heart stayed uneasy.
Maybe that's why—despite painkillers, his shoulder throbbed.
"Referred by Director Hwang Sanghun?"
"Yes. Of all days, market day...... Ended up coming on his day off."
The guardian sighed deeply, legs crossed.
"Coincidentally, Director Hwang's on vacation this week. I'll take good care of you today."
I've seen it all.
No trouble from attitudes like this anymore.
Spit in a smiling face? I grinned brightly.
"Yes. My boy says he can't practice because it hurts, so please get him back fast."
The patient, Kang Joyun, shot his mom a glare.
Hmm...... They fought on the way.
I met the son's eyes and asked.
"Precious arm—we'll treat it right. When did it start hurting?"
"It's been on and off for a while. About 10 months."
"Does it hurt drawing the bow?"
"Patching it helped at first. But this week, it got bad suddenly. No strength—hard to draw, throbs even at rest."
Joyun ignored his mom interrupting and continued.
Usually, sons are casual, moms panic—but this was reversed.
"Worse with specific moves? Night throbbing more than day?"
"Yes. Bad when shooting, throbs at night."
"Not enough to lose sleep?"
"Sleeps fine."
Last from the guardian.
Hmm, suspecting malingering?
"Sounds like overuse damaged shoulder ligaments or arm tendons. Other tests or treatments?"
"Ortho two days ago—bones fine, likely ligaments."
"On meds. Night throbs less, but same in morning."
Guardian and son alternated.
"Heard this Korean medicine clinic's good from contacts."
"Good choice. Ultrasound first."
I grabbed the probe.
Didn't seem fake.
If faking, they'd claim unt testable symptoms—like headaches.
Ligament issues show right away.
"Posterior shoulder fine......"
"Front hurts."
"Got it, checking systematically."
Scanning trouble spots, inflammation appeared where Joyun pointed—front shoulder.
"Biceps tendinitis. Not new—days old? Kept training like this?"
Pretty severe.
I screenshot, showed inflammation to Joyun and mom.
"Healthy tendons smooth like this—surface rough here? Black's exudate. Blood rushes in severe inflammation."
Doppler confirmed vessel dilation.
"......Is this serious?"
Mom finally frowned.
"No tear. No degeneration. Raise your arm."
Joyun lifted.
"Ow."
"Hurts there? About 90 degrees abduction. It goes up?"
"Yes, if I force it."
"Press shoulder."
Started at clear joints, pressed spots.
Scream from inflamed biceps tendon.
"Ah!"
I displayed it, explained to guardian.
"Humerus groove here. Biceps long and short heads attach—long head tendon inflamed. Rest and treat 2-3 months, it'll heal......"
"That long?"
She panicked at prognosis.
"Athlete can't rest that long? Treat slower recovery. But minimum—until no night throbbing at rest. Inflammation's too bad now."
"......"
"See? I said it hurts!"
"If it was this bad, you should've said sooner!"
Now she yelled at Joyun clutching his arm triumphantly.
Seconds ago glaring like it was fake—bold woman.
"Calm down. Treat well from now. I'll pay extra for athlete, but patient and guardian—be diligent with care."
"......Got it. Please."
Guardian conceded.
"It hurts so much. Make it stop soon."
The boy teared up.
Pain or mom's reaction? Unclear.
"Ease pain fastest. Acupuncture relieves quick. Minimum 2 weeks rest! Got it?"
Joyun seemed eager anyway, so I stared firmly at mom.
Son nodded; mom's face soured.
"Kang Joyun first for physio."
I sent patient out, emphasized again.
"Steady treatment heals fully. Don't stop early when pain eases—ruins career. Finish for your future."
"......Okay."
"We'll treat right—no worries. I cover till Director Hwang back, then he takes over. Stick with comfy doctor."
Guardian paused.
"No. You keep treating."
She stood.
Even in waiting room, her heavy sighs echoed down hall.
I ignored, went to treatment room.
Saw re-visits, timed for physio end, fetched Joyun.
Could needle now, but something nagged.
I broached carefully.
"Anything you couldn't say with mom here? Hard to rest at home?"
Joyun grabbed my hand desperately.