Chapter 156
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 156
Chapter Title: Water Bottle Workouts
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Lee Jung-seop was working out.
A simple exercise known as side lateral raises—lifting dumbbells out to the sides to open up the shoulders, then lowering them, over and over.
Of course, Lee Jung-seop wasn't using dumbbells. He was using plastic water bottles.
He didn't have the strength to lift even 1kg dumbbells.
Even full water bottles were too heavy, so he'd poured out half the water.
"Hoo—."
The location wasn't a gym or his home either.
It was the office.
Sure, there were partitions between teams, but stand up and you could see what every employee was doing.
You'd think someone might pick a fight over working out during office hours, but no one did.
Lee Jung-seop only jumped up demonstratively when the director stepped out for a smoke, did three sets of three exercises each, then sat back down.
"Team leader, you must be working out these days?"
Every time he heard 'team leader,' Lee Jung-seop felt like he might lose his mind.
He desperately wished the CEO would hire another team leader and demote him.
But the CEO didn't seem interested in posting a job ad at a senior developer's salary, so he had to accept his promotion.
"Yeah. Treating my forward head posture."
Lee Jung-seop tried to answer with some team-leader dignity.
If the director had been there, he'd have gotten unwanted advice like 'don't treat it separately, just fix your posture' or 'what good's half a water bottle gonna do?' But luckily, the director was out smoking.
"Oh? Where at?"
That let the newbie gaze at him with sparkling eyes, full of interest in his treatment.
The whole dev team turned to look at Lee Jung-seop.
Or more precisely, at the curve of his cervical spine.
'Can that even be fixed?'
Lee Jung-seop hadn't learned mind-reading or anything, but somehow he could read his team's thoughts.
Being the timid type, though, he answered the question instead of scolding them.
"Seongsu Clinic. Just a short uphill walk from the station."
"Ah... A Korean medicine clinic?"
The newbie rubbed his nape, sounding a bit disappointed.
He'd been thinking he might need treatment too, but a clinic wasn't his first choice.
"Why? Clinics are great. When I had that stiff shoulder that wouldn't budge after two weeks of PT, one needle fixed it!"
Another employee chimed in, chiding the newbie.
"No... um... It might work if they poke it, but I have to get poked."
The newbie shrank back, head down.
"It doesn't hurt as much as you'd think!"
Lee Jung-seop encouraged him.
He'd put off going due to the same fears, but once his girlfriend dragged him over the threshold, it was like seeing the light.
"Feels just like clicking a ballpoint pen. Haha, nothing to be scared of."
If Kim Hye-young, Han Yeowon, or Heo Soon-nam—who'd heard his screams up close—had overheard, they'd have gaped in disbelief.
"Really...?"
"I was terrified of needles. But here, you close your eyes for a second and they plant all the needles at once."
"...Plant them?"
"Yeah. A dozen or so needles go in all at once—tatatata!—and it's over quick."
"Huh?"
At that, Deputy Manager Shin Ye-jin, who'd been quietly listening, looked up.
She'd been waiting for the chit-chat to end so she could ask Lee Jung-seop about work, but this was too much to ignore.
"My uncle's a Korean doc, so I've had tons of acupuncture. They don't stick them in like that."
"Seongsu Clinic's director does!"
"I see."
Everyone but Shin Ye-jin nodded.
She usually liked these straightforward team members. Tell them A and they took it as A—no overthinking, easy communication.
Plus, with the dev team at just five people, Team Leader Lee Jung-seop handled half the workload and covered for everyone else. A little weirdness? Just nod along.
"After treatment there, weekly fatigue vanishes. Food goes down easy, sleep comes fast, no more all-day headaches, and I even got motivated to start exercising."
But this? Suspicious!
Anyone could see something was off!
"Did you maybe go to a religious group instead of a clinic...?"
People who'd never been to one often saw clinics as mystical, but it was just a hospital with needles.
After her uncle moved away, she'd tried others plenty, but ten needles at once? Impossible.
'Seongsu Clinic?'
Even the name was fishy.
Was it really a clinic? Why 'holy water' of all things?
She pictured a cult leader sprinkling holy water.
"Come on, Deputy Shin, that's a joke."
"They just told you to get acupuncture and exercise?"
"Cupping and chiropractic too. Gym's too soon for exercise, so they suggested water bottles, but I think I can sign up soon."
Cupping marks were visible on Lee Jung-seop's neck.
But cupping kits were easy to get anywhere...
"Maybe I should try it. My forward head's getting worse since starting here... Ah, not that I work as much as you, team leader..."
"It'll ramp up, so preventive care's smart. Three directors, open early mornings and weekends—super convenient."
No way hearing that makes you want to go!
"Which director treated you?"
Everyone but her perked up.
Lee Jung-seop casually said he'd seen Head Director Han Yeowon, and his girlfriend vouched for the male director too.
"Wanna go together after work? I can clock out on time today."
Since Shin Ye-jin joined, the dev team hadn't had a single team dinner.
The ex-team leader and Lee Jung-seop were extreme individualists—didn't want to share off-hours.
This sudden camaraderie? Looked like proselytizing!
"Is it really that good there...?"
She started cautiously, but—
"Director's back. Enough chit-chat, back to work."
Lee Jung-seop cut it off sharp.
They usually bantered with work questions in between, but too much noise was trouble.
"Over lunch!"
Shin Ye-jin gripped her mouse, burning with a sense of mission.
Right after work today? To save her naive colleagues from the cult's clutches, she'd have to go along.
Lunchtime at Seongsu Clinic.
Unlike usual, where directors ate in their rooms and nurses used the break room table, today the whole staff was in the waiting area.
To watch TV while eating.
"Oh, coming in clear."
I'd switched on the TV the moment the morning patients cleared out.
Passed down during the water damage fix, but it'd basically been a monitor for ads.
"They're up soon—Kim Tae-yoon and Kang Jae-kyung!"
I'd even forgotten if we paid the broadcast fee, but I tuned into free-to-air because Gong Nari brought hot news.
"Heard an indie band survival show was coming on, so I tuned in for kicks, but our patients are on it! Total shock!"
As the opening played, Gong Nari got excited again.
"Yeah. Jae-kyung said it was a small band, but apparently not."
"They're famous."
"Wow, Director treated celebs from a famous band...!"
Seo In-ae and Seol Yu-hee were normally impressed, but Lee A-reum oddly praised me.
"Just a sore wrist."
"For Jae-kyung, yeah, but Tae-yoon was, um..."
"Our director's amazing, sure, but anyone can get on these shows—just apply and pass prelims!"
Gong Nari explained the format for those who'd never seen a survival audition.
Seo In-ae aside, even Seol Yu-hee skipped TV? Too busy studying lately?
I hadn't been big on electronics even before dropping into murim.
Crashing at auntie's, I avoided the living room; dorm and old studio had none.
Gaming PC? Maybe. TV? No need.
"...So just making it on isn't huge, but Tae-yoon sings insanely well. The judges were floored."
We'd gathered for the rerun amid Gong Nari's hype.
Would hit NewTube tonight or tomorrow, but lunch like this was fun sometimes.
- Hello, we're Melon Soda Horizon~.
As Gong Nari said, their turn came quick, up front.
Leader Kim Tae-yoon grinned wide, waving at the camera.
"Oh, good—he didn't bring the sketchbook on air."
Right on cue, the camera zoomed out from Kim Tae-yoon to the full band.
Kang Jae-kyung was glimpsed hiding her sketchbook behind her back.
"...Guess they took it away."
Standard intro: upbeat rhythm, fresh tone, hopeful lyrics blending perfectly.
Celeb panel added that the drummer was hot.
"Jae-kyung's a looker, right?"
Gong Nari nodded agreement.
First episode, so multiple bands—performance kicked off right away.
Wandering hazy streets—
Don't know where to go
I stared at the screen, a bit entranced.
"Wow... They're really good."
Seol Yu-hee marveled. Same thought here.
Never guessed from the sketchbook guy.
Wide vocal range, powerful volume, clear tone.
'Learn sound arts and he'd crush it.'
Come to think, kept saying I'd go, still hadn't.
"They still performing weekly at that live club you mentioned?"
Hearing them on TV sparked a sudden urge for a live show.
"Probably?"
"Heard they signed with a big agency..."
"Ask next time they come?"
"They haven't been around much. Jae-kyung's wrist is healed, Tae-yoon stocked up on meds."
"Maybe filming kept 'em in Seoul."
"Shoot doesn't take that long."
No one on staff knew.
Had numbers, but couldn't use patient info for personal gig schedules.
Unless close like Kim Ijin or Park Se-seon.
"I'll check Insta for announcements."
"None? Eh, go anyway, catch another band."
"They're still on! Every Friday! Also gigs at other clubs and events—check Melon Soda Horizon's Insta."
"Huh?"
Right then, a stranger opened the clinic door and rattled off Melon Soda Horizon's schedule.
A patient?
"Lunchtime, huh?"
Behind him: Kang Jae-kyung and Kim Tae-yoon.
"Here for our maknae. Can we come back later?"