Chapter 155
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 155
Chapter Title: The Needle-Phobic Patient
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Tap. Tap-tap. Tap. Tap-tap. Tap.
Today, like always, Lee Jung-seop was pulling another late night, working his fingers to the bone.
His job? Software developer, going on four years now.
The work environment left a lot to be desired.
People said big IT companies revolved around their devs, but that was a pipe dream at his workplace. No one would dream of it.
Even when he insisted that revamping the program was impossible with their current headcount, not a single boss would listen.
Tap. Tap-tap-taptap. Tap...
Lee Jung-seop hammered at the keyboard with dead eyes.
'I should've bailed when I had the chance.'
The project had barely kicked off when his mentor from day one—the team lead—quit on the spot.
The original team lead and all his entry-level batchmates had jumped ship ages ago over pay issues.
The company had zero mid-level staff to begin with, so somehow, he'd ended up as the most senior guy around.
Of course, Lee Jung-seop had begged the CEO to hire a senior dev.
But all he got back was that no one was available.
The CEO just dumped a bunch of clueless newbies on him instead.
- Take good care of them. You're the only one I can count on.
- Yes, sir. I'll do my best.
Why had he answered like that on reflex?
In the end, his entire workday vanished into teaching the juniors and fielding their questions.
Only around quitting time could he finally tackle his own tasks.
"I'll head out first...!"
The team members rose cautiously, eyes on him.
No one could help with his work anyway, so Lee Jung-seop waved them off with lifeless eyes.
"Yeah, go ahead. Clock out... no, head home... Ack!"
"Straighten up that posture! It's painful just watching you hunch!"
But as the CEO walked by, he slapped Lee Jung-seop's shoulder.
"Argh!"
He was already suffering from work—now this? He nearly burst into tears.
"Wh-what's wrong?"
Even a boss with no conscience couldn't help but flinch at the employee writhing on the floor in agony.
"N-no, it's nothing. My shoulder's been sore lately."
"Oh man, sorry. Didn't mean to interrupt your work."
"The kid's always been like that. Great at his job, but hates anyone touching him. Tsk."
The CEO apologized, but his cousin—the director—clicked his tongue.
Damn it, I gotta get out of this company. Damn it!
Lee Jung-seop turned away silently, too drained to respond.
And dove back into work.
Tap. Tap-tap-taptap...
To wrap up even an hour sooner and meet his girlfriend, speeding through was his best bet.
"Ugh."
But he didn't finish until 10 p.m.
At least with this much done, he could cover more for the team tomorrow.
"Oppa, you must be exhausted!"
"You've been waiting here this whole time?"
"Went to the clinic, grabbed an iced tea. Just got back~!"
She'd known it might run late, yet Kim Hye-young had waited out front till now.
Lee Jung-seop nearly teared up from the scene.
"You worked so hard, oppa."
She gently stroked his hair.
"Sniff, thanks."
He leaned into his girlfriend, soaking up the comfort.
She must be tired from waiting. They should head somewhere quick. But just a moment longer like this...
Then words like a bolt from the blue came from her mouth.
"I asked the doctor."
"Huh? About what?"
"They said acupuncture and chuna together can fix it!"
"Fix what?"
"What else? Your turtle neck."
Lee Jung-seop's shoulders were hunched, head thrust forward.
He didn't even notice anymore.
He'd been like that the whole time focusing on work, and unless he consciously straightened his shoulders and back, it defaulted right back.
"I'm... fine..."
Kim Hye-young had been hitting the Korean medicine clinic hard lately.
Lee Jung-seop didn't get it, but she was thrilled her bulging trapezius was evening out, so he figured good for her.
But her constant nagging to come along was getting burdensome.
"Don't be like that—let's go together. It doesn't hurt at all! Once your shoulders open up from treatment, you'll love it."
"I'm really fine..."
"Agh, that cute face with a turtle neck? Shoulders back for some dignity, yeah?"
"I don't need dignity..."
As long as no one touched it, it didn't even hurt.
Turtle neck, rounded shoulders—they were so familiar now, he felt nothing.
"I get you're tired, but it'll actually melt the fatigue away, for real. Mornings rough? We can make it a date."
A date at a clinic? Kim Hye-young was relentless this time.
He couldn't bring himself to say no, can't, scary—his lips just quivered.
Squeeze.
And she pinched his trapezius to boot.
"Guh, guh, guh...!"
Why? What day was it?
Boss and director picking fights, now his girlfriend!
Caught off guard by the torture, Lee Jung-seop screamed.
Squish.
His neck got pressed too. Triple the shoulder pain hit.
"Uh, uh!"
"Won't go? I'll knead you like this every time we meet."
"N-no!"
"So come once with me. Please?"
Torture followed by pleading.
Lee Jung-seop was weak to this.
"...Just this once."
He answered on reflex.
And crossed the clinic threshold, fear clutched tight.
A Korean medicine clinic! How did places like this even exist?
Going out of your way for needles and bitter herbs? Wasn't that straight-up hellish torture?
He couldn't even imagine the pain.
His legs shook—he wanted to bolt right now—but his girlfriend gripped his arm tight.
Her thumb right on a spot that'd make him scream with the slightest pressure.
* * *
A somewhat timid-looking man shuffled into the exam room, shoulders twitching.
"Hello."
With Kim Hye-young beside him, I easily pegged who he was.
She'd said convincing him would be tough, yet here he was in under a week?
I exchanged quick greetings and confirmed why he'd come.
"Turtle neck correction, right? No pain anywhere?"
"Yes."
"He says it's fine if left alone, but that doesn't add up. He freaks out the second anyone touches him—how's that possible?"
Lee Jung-seop and Kim Hye-young answered together.
He shot her a deeply wronged look.
'Hates being touched.'
Kim Hye-young's shoulders were knotted too, but she loved massages and wanted them loosened.
She was the type that liked pressure—heean. Easy: gentle presses, warming, acupuncture to release.
But the opposite—geaan—was a different beast.
"Let me take a look."
"Eep."
I gripped his shoulder, feeling the muscle fibers.
If no major issues, heean vs. geaan distinguishes deficiency from excess patterns.
But here...
"It's not just knots causing the pain."
"Pardon? Then what?"
"Skin's thin, no fat layer from being so lean, and barely any muscle."
"......"
"With what little trapezius he has all saggy too, there's zero support for his back. No wonder nerves flare up at the slightest touch."
"......So that's it."
"Different from Kim Hye-young's case. Tension is less common—sagging like this is the norm. Yours is just... extreme."
Turtle neck means excessive cervical curve, so shoulder displacement varies.
Kim Hye-young's had built up from shrugging under stress, but Lee Jung-seop's type—drooping inward, severe rounded shoulders—was far more common.
"So I need to build back muscles like this, but bulk the shoulders too?"
"Can we skip needles and just exercise?"
He thought he'd found an out from acupuncture. Fat chance.
"Ideal is loosening the shortened front with needles, strengthening the slack back with exercise."
"B-both..."
"Like I told Hye-young last time, add a few needles here."
I pointed to the sternocleidomastoid beside his neck and pectoralis minor atop his chest.
Prime suspects for shortening in rounded shoulders.
Here comes the no...
I braced myself.
Persuade with minimal needles, quick treatment, explain how much easier daily life gets with open shoulders—calm and steady.
"Got it."
But defying expectations, Lee Jung-seop nodded calmly.
"Oh?"
I was mildly surprised.
"For real? We're doing it together?"
Kim Hye-young was ten times more shocked.
No need for my top 100 persuasion techniques for needle-phobes?
"Treatment room it is, then. Steam pack to loosen muscles, physio next, then needles."
I got him up quick before he changed his mind.
"......"
Then I noticed.
His legs trembled rising from the chair.
Uh...
Can you walk okay?
Ask that, and he'd probably freak.
His hand shook turning the doorknob.
Gait was clunky. Creaky? That fit better.
"No physio. Needles first."
"Pardon?!"
My change of plan hit him like a death sentence after a fine.
"Over quick. Won't hurt a bit. Trembling through physio would just suck."
I hustled him to the treatment room, no arguments.
Consideration for the super scaredy-cat.
"Close your eyes? Staring makes it worse."
"No! This is better!"
Neck side and upper chest first, so supine position.
Prone would've hid the needles—ironic luck.
"One, two, three—pop. Really doesn't hurt. Like a pen prick."
I stressed it barely hurt.
Even pulled out a rarely used needle guide tube.
Not essential for fast insertion, but even 0.00001 seconds faster pierce means less pain.
"One~ two~."
Most folks scream on two or four when counting.
Wait for three, relax thinking whew, nothing, then strike.
But I go on three.
Can't forget that kid's betrayed eyes from back when I tricked on three.
Plus, I could make it truly painless.
And today, I saw eyes even bigger than that kid's.
"Uwaaaaaaaaah!"
Lee Jung-seop screamed on two.
...Before I even pierced.
"......Sorry."
He swallowed tears, eyeing my stunned needle-holding self.
Clearly embarrassed.
'Trying to tough it out, but mind and body aren't syncing.'
I soothed him it was fine.
"Startled you, huh? Again. On three—no pre-freak needed."
Tapped his pec minor lightly with fingers.
Hardly different from this.
"Yes, I'll endure. Eyes closed."
See? Closing eyes is best.
He nodded resolutely, squeezing them shut.
"Here goes. One, two, th......"
"Kweeeeeek!"
"Three."
Screamed on two again, flopped back.
Not foaming, thankfully—checked.
Just scared.
Very... very scared.
Even knowing rationally he needed it, coaxing wouldn't cut it.
Last resort time.
Tap.
Scream or not, treat anyway.
"Uh, uh, uh."
"Not hurting, right?"
"Uh......?"
While he blinked in confusion.
Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap.
"......Huh?"
In the next second, 14 needles were in.
Scattered? More apt.
"Wh-what? Eyes were open..."
"Tension blurred it. All done—20 minutes like this. Dizzy? Speak up."
Rare for needle shock in youth, but he'd drained all tension from fear—who knew.
Treatment over, I parted the curtain to Kim Hye-young at the next table.
"Uweeeer..."
She vicariously cringed, hands over face.
"S-so embarrassing!"
Stranger's comfort only amplified her shame.
Lucky it was early Saturday—not swamped.
That one patient? Grandma Heo Soon-nam.
"First needles can spook ya! Happened to me as a kid!"
Her sincere attempt to cheer the young'un.
"Really? How old were you, Grandma?"
"Four, maybe?"
"......"
"Took me a bit to wise up."