Chapter 52
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Family Tonics and Persistent Patients
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Exactly two weeks after his initial visit, Myeong Jun-sik said he wanted to get some medicine made.
My predictions had been half right and half wrong.
"How do you know even the things I haven't mentioned, Director? I never imagined my erectile dysfunction would get better so suddenly!"
I'd nailed the fact that he had erectile dysfunction and that his recovery would lead to a demand for medicine.
"It's all connected. The treatment direction is the same, so of course it'll improve."
"Thank you so much. Thanks to you, I can stand tall both at work and at home."
"Ahaha..."
"Honey!"
The part I'd gotten wrong was who the medicine was for.
"So I brought my wife along because I wanted to get some tonic for her too."
"I told you to take it yourself..."
"I'll take some too. Once the performance bonus comes in from this project going well. Ah, and ever since my back got better, I've been working hard, and things at the company are going great."
"That's wonderful news. Congratulations."
Myeong Jun-sik apologized for not appreciating how much his wife had suffered and asked for a tonic for her. He'd resented her for not understanding his pain and suspecting him, but it turned out she had just as many aches as he did.
Indeed, when I questioned his wife, she had strong symptoms of hwa-byeong—that pent-up frustration sickness—and her qi and blood were badly imbalanced.
"Let's do as you said. I'll make the tonic for you first, ma'am, and Mr. Myeong can take the Yukmi insurance medicine long-term for now, then switch to deer antler tonic when you have the means. This is just my advice as a Korean medicine doctor— the choice is yours as the patient."
"Yes, thank you!"
The couple paid happily and left hand in hand.
"Wow... I thought she was the timid type who lived in fear of her husband when I first saw them, but they're so sweet together."
"Yeah."
Choo Mi-yeong and I watched their retreating figures with warm smiles.
Seeing a family regain its peace filled me with a deep sense of pride.
Though Myeong Jun-sik only got medicine for his wife today, other patients were waiting for me.
I went around the treatment rooms placing acupuncture needles, while Choo Mi-yeong followed me, jotting things down nonstop—from casual remarks to needle placement spots.
It would be nice if a really unusual patient showed up once in a while to give her something interesting to see, but ever since Myeong Jun-sik, the days Choo Mi-yeong observed were filled with similar cases.
People with phlegm stuck in their throat, sprained backs, or knee arthritis.
By now, she must be familiar with treating common musculoskeletal patients, so I showed her by treating them while sneaking in some tuina practice sessions.
"Yu-hee, can I borrow your back for a bit?"
"Pardon? Oh, for tuina practice. Of course, I'd love to!"
"Be gentle with the patients like you would with them. With me, you can go as hard as you want."
"Got it!"
At first, the practice subjects were me and the staff, and to get her used to different body types, I even asked friendly patients for permission.
"Ms. Kim Mal-ja, hang on a second before you go. I have a favor—could you step into the treatment room?"
"The director wants me? What's up?"
I casually called in healthy, good-natured patients and made the offer.
I'm teaching my intern tuina—would you mind being a practice partner? Of course, it's free. Not a single one refused.
Choo Mi-yeong got to practice on more than ten people a day.
"Oh, this one's a regular, huh?"
Thirty minutes before closing.
Two people, presumed to be the last patients of the day, checked in, and their names popped up on the program.
Clicking the name opened their records. The calendar in the top right showed visit dates highlighted, with at least three per week—and even daily visits some weeks.
So Choo Mi-yeong figured she could practice tuina on him too.
"Ah, this one's a bit different."
"Oh... is he difficult?"
Based on his history, no. He didn't seem the type to throw a fit over a practice request.
But that didn't make it as easy as asking the chatty grandma and grandpa regulars.
"Mr. Kim Jin-sang comes because he's in a lot of pain, but he's lived up to his name before. And Ms. Park Sun-yoon... she's basically cured. I was about to tell her she doesn't need to come anymore."
Choo Mi-yeong nodded without objection.
"You're late, so we'll skip physical therapy and go straight to acupuncture."
"Yes, please."
With closing time approaching, the desk called me right away.
The two men undressed quickly, and I opened the curtain on Park Sun-yoon's bed first.
"Ms. Park Sun-yoon, hello."
"Hello, Director."
When I greeted her, Park Sun-yoon, lying prone, gave her usual neat smile and nodded.
"How's your buttock area feeling today?"
"Good."
"On a scale of ten from the first visit, how much is left?"
"Hmm... almost zero?"
Zero? I'd expected at least a one or two.
I often ask this when treatment drags on, but hardly anyone says it doesn't hurt at all.
Perfectly natural—most people don't enjoy needles in their body.
Elderly folks who've labored for years keep coming because their bodies always feel stiff, but young patients with short-term injuries stop as soon as the pain eases a bit.
"Let me press. How's that?"
"No pain."
For ligament or tendon injuries like Park Sun-yoon's, I advise continuing treatment with rest when it's painful even at rest or during daily activities like walking. Even if it only hurts with passive flexion or extension, treatment is ideal.
But tenderness on pressure is ambiguous. Treatment helps, but ligaments take months to fully heal, so if they're not overdoing it daily, natural recovery with rest is fine.
But no tenderness at all?
"You can stop treatment after today."
No major qi stagnation, and inflammation resolved with ligament and muscle recovery complete—no issue calling it done.
Further treatment would just waste her body's natural healing power.
"Ah..."
But Park Sun-yoon didn't look pleased at the full recovery verdict.
What? Does she enjoy the needles? She was terrified of the pain at first.
Pervert? Should I boot her out?
"If you sit too long, your back might stiffen, so come back occasionally if it feels off."
...Thoughts like that crossed my mind briefly, but office workers all get stiff necks and backs.
No one sits perfectly straight all day.
Even good posture strains over time, and environments allowing stretch breaks every twenty or thirty minutes aren't common.
"Yes."
Her face relaxed a bit at my softened stance, which sounded almost like banishment retracted.
But I still couldn't read her thoughts.
What the heck does she want?
I just couldn't figure it out.
Patients usually come for 'treatment,' but some visit everywhere despite knowing they won't heal, faking illness for ulterior motives.
Even those at least pretend to hurt or claim it's for maintenance.
But Park Sun-yoon openly said nothing hurt—yet kept punching the attendance clock at our clinic.
I'd suspected a business pitch at first, but no credentials, and zero follow-up after the card.
She just checks in quietly, gets needles, leaves—and occasionally drops gifts at the desk.
Desk gifts... Ah! Is she into Yu-hee?
Why hadn't I thought of that? It fit perfectly.
Coming daily despite flinching at needles just to see her face? Secret romantic?
If so, no need to chase her off... No, use this chance to ask for her number straight up. She can't keep coming to the clinic forever. Meet on weekends from now on!
Entertaining all these thoughts, I still diligently placed needles in Park Sun-yoon's lower back and buttocks. Since she wouldn't come for a while, I checked and loosened the whole lower body from waist to hips to legs.
"Eut."
"Ah, right there! A bit more."
She really holds back her groans intensely, no matter how many times.
"Um, Director."
As I finished needling and my hands paused, Park Sun-yoon panted like she'd run a marathon and spoke.
"Yes~ What is it?"
"By any chance..."
She hesitated long after that. With only Kim Jin-sang waiting anyway, I waited patiently.
Does she have some unspeakable guy's issue like testicular pain?
Too young for that... Age? Not prime for kidney deficiency back pain, but thirties.
Come to think of it, Seol Yu-hee is early twenties. Is that why she's hesitated so far?
"Got a worry?"
If she hates Yu-hee, I can't help, but I can listen. I leaned in close to her face.
Even Choo Mi-yeong, observing quietly, stepped back, and I drew the curtain.
Only then did Park Sun-yoon speak.
"By any chance, that!"
"Yes. Speak freely."
She opened her mouth, closed it, hesitated several times.
"...Do you do diet pills?"
She finally blurted it out.
"Pardon?"
I blankly uttered a dumb sound myself.
I don't watch for cues in daily life, but I have experience dealing with patients.
That wasn't what Park Sun-yoon had been about to say.
Who agonizes that much over diet pills?
"Of course. But you don't seem to need them much."
"My cousin asked me to inquire since my back healed so fast at a Korean clinic. She wants some prescribed."
"Too hard for her to come herself?"
"Yes, she's in Seoul."
Hmmmmm.
Didn't sound like a total lie. If faking for clinic access, claiming butt pain lingered would be smarter.
Probably a real acquaintance asking about diets.
Should I press what she really wanted to say?
But shooting down romance or business help after all that would be harsh.
Quickly sorting my thoughts, I played oblivious and answered as a doctor.
"Sorry, no remote prescriptions. Need diagnosis for suitability, plus biweekly follow-ups and steady management. Recommend a nearby clinic."
"Ah... Got it. I'll tell her."
Park Sun-yoon's eyes darted around. She said she understood with a face dripping reluctance.
I left her be and moved to the next bed, needling Kim Jin-sang who said his back was stiff today.
As expected, they were the last patients.
Soon after, Park Sun-yoon finished, paid silently at the desk, and left.
Won't come back now?
Regulars stopping post-treatment is normal, but I felt a tiny pang of regret.
Having seen it hundreds of times, I didn't dwell on Park Sun-yoon.
But a month later, that fleeting regret proved unfounded—I saw her again.
Park Sun-yoon had come to the clinic with a woman.