Chapter 59
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: Living at the Clinic
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"Really? Thank you so much!"
Surprisingly, Hwang Sanghun sincerely accepted my suggestion to live at the clinic, expressing genuine gratitude.
"That way, I can just sign up for a gym membership and use their showers."
He was thrilled, saying it would be way cheaper than sleeping at a jjimjilbang.
'I was just kidding...'
He seemed so happy that I couldn't bring myself to take it back. Telling him now that it'd be uncomfortable would just make it look like I'd suddenly changed my mind and was kicking him out.
This guy is still from a chaebol family, right? Can he really sleep on that hard bed?
I had some concerns, but then I remembered I'd slept on wooden beds and even bare floors plenty of times before.
"Oh, but if I live at the clinic and work six days a week, that leaves one day with nowhere to go."
Hwang Sanghun, who had been grinning ear to ear, suddenly spoke up as if a thought had just struck him.
Ah, so living at the clinic does feel a bit off?
But his next words exceeded all my expectations.
"Can I shadow you that day?"
"...Of course."
Haha. He wants me to train him?
So basically, he'd be at the clinic day and night, seven days a week.
"Come observe whenever you want. The more you learn and improve, the better it is for me too. Feel free to stick around as long as you need—even if you never want to leave."
"Thanks."
Whatever. Whatever happens, happens.
If he can't hack it after a few days, he'll probably head to a goshiwon or something. No need to worry about advances. When I opened my own practice, I got a minus account balance line in no time.
And just like that, I'd unwittingly signed Hwang Sanghun to an employment contract complete with rent-free housing.
With the full staff assembled, I gathered everyone for introductions.
"This is our new director, Hwang Sanghun."
"Hello. This is my first time working locally, so I'll be lacking in many ways. Please take good care of me."
After spending the night at the clinic and showering early at the gym, Hwang Sanghun looked impeccably neat as he bowed politely.
His disciplined, military-like demeanor was exactly to my liking.
"Let me introduce our teachers. Starting from the left: Seo In-ae, our founding hero; Seol Yu-hee, who helped us grow this far; and our new additions, Jin Min-jeong and Gong Nari."
"Please take care of me."
"Please take care of me!"
The two new nursing assistants had no prior experience.
As Seo In-ae had advised, we had plenty of options this time, but since she could train them herself, she asked for eager, physically fit candidates regardless of experience.
So I selected based on just two criteria.
First, of course, having the nursing assistant certification.
Second, their aptitude as martial artists.
Having observed countless murim experts, my eyes and senses told me these two were the best among the applicants.
Jin Min-jeong was a married woman who got her certification after sending her two kids to elementary school. She had a friendly vibe but an impressive skeletal structure.
Gong Nari was a 21-year-old MZ generation fresh out of high school who enrolled in academy right away. No hospital experience, but tons of part-time gigs. Kids like her who wandered as ronin always picked up martial arts quick and clever, didn't they?
"Starting this week, it's seven days a week at Yejin Clinic—it's gonna be hectic, but fighting!"
I wrapped up the brief introductions with encouragement for the new trio's adjustment.
And right into treatments.
I'd decided to handle all consultations myself for the first week anyway.
Thanks to Seo In-ae stepping up full-time to direct the treatment room, everything ran smoothly without a hitch.
Hwang Sanghun had spent a year as an intern assisting professors with treatments and handling acupuncture and chuna in the wards, but he'd never managed independent consultations. So we planned a short adjustment period before deploying him.
"Sorry for making you overwork the whole week."
Hwang Sanghun apologized for not being able to contribute right away, but my plan for four days a week had nothing to do with stamina issues.
I was happy to cover all treatments during the handover period, implanting key consultation scripts for major conditions into him. It wasn't hard since I already had the manual from training Chu Mi-young.
And at the staff's request, we had a company dinner on Thursday.
Friday was 'fire Friday' and no good, weekends were for rest?
"You really want to do dinner right after wrapping up at 8?"
"Yes! I have a dinner party fantasy! We've never done one!"
There was always the option of never doing it... but Seol Yu-hee was super enthusiastic.
Come to think of it, we hadn't had a single gathering since the first one to bond with Seo In-ae.
"The new folks are really okay with it?"
"Oh, free booze is always welcome!"
"Yep~! I want to get close to the directors and teachers!"
"Me too."
Jin Min-jeong, Gong Nari, and even Hwang Sanghun looked subtly expectant.
"I'm good with it too. These kinds of events are necessary now and then to keep things smooth."
I'd thought Seo In-ae would hate losing time for her side gigs, but she said a dinner was good for work efficiency at least once.
She even sent me a link to a samgyeopsal place out of the blue.
"Since everyone's so keen, I guess I have to treat you all to beef."
I pulled out my card.
"Whoa~ Director, you're so cool!"
The moment we arrived at the grill house, Seo In-ae started ordering premium cuts like sirloin, tenderloin, and more—all the expensive, delicious stuff. The rest of the staff followed suit, excitedly piling on meat and drinks.
Seol Yu-hee went for cider; everyone else, soju. Then we raised our glasses.
"Director~ Give the toast!"
Unable to resist the staff's cheers, I stood up.
"Ahem. I'm truly glad we're all here together thanks to this wonderful connection."
"Wooow!"
"We're busy now, but... we'll get even busier. We'll become the undisputed number one clinic in the neighborhood, of course. Keep pushing until the day we expand our network nationwide. To that day!"
I struck a heroic pose, proclaiming our ambitions with the toast.
"To that day!"
"To that day~!"
The two newbies, assuming I was joking, beamed innocently.
Seol Yu-hee clapped, certain it was possible.
And Seo In-ae, knowing I was dead serious, raised her glass with equal resolve. The rewards would reflect that, after all.
"...To that day."
Hwang Sanghun lifted his glass a beat late, looking a bit moved. Seeing his determination to work hard made me very pleased.
Eat up and let's power through! Our... vice director has lots to do!
"How's it been? Any hardships?"
While grilling meat, I took a moment to hear the staff's gripes.
"Still adjusting, but no issues. Teacher Seo In-ae is helping a ton!"
"If anything's tough, feel free to ask me or In-ae teacher. Treatments are all free for staff, including tonics if you're sick or low on energy."
"Right. After the director's tonics, I can work late and still feel great."
"Exactly! I used to be sickly, but working here feels like being reborn. Hehe."
Seo In-ae and Seol Yu-hee, who'd already tried my tonics, sang their praises.
"No rewards for flattery~."
"It's true! I thought I'd never hold a job anywhere. I'm so grateful! And now a dinner party...!"
"Alright, one more toast to Teacher Yu-hee's health. Cheers~!"
"Cheers!"
Hwang Sanghun and Seo In-ae held back for tomorrow, but Jin Min-jeong and Gong Nari showed impressive tolerance. I matched them, downing drinks steadily.
"The clinic vibe is amazing. I worried about job hunting at my age, but I'm lucky to land here."
"Same here. Honored to start my career with you all!"
"Heh, our director's the best. Great incentives too... I'm doing this for life."
"...For life? In-ae teacher, isn't the plan to job-hop to financial freedom and quit?"
"Huh? Who said that? I just love making as much money as possible."
I see.
Hope we all make bank.
Eat up.
"Director, you okay? Drinking too much?"
"I'm fine~!"
Seo In-ae, the only one who'd seen me drunk before, started intervening at some point, but that was just me loosening up on purpose before dropping my guard.
In front of new staff, I was drying the alcohol poison with my inner energy—no issues this time.
The dinner wrapped up pretty late.
As the sole male, Hwang Sanghun had sipped quietly, but heading back to the clinic, his face flushed as he said,
"Thanks for inviting me. This is what living feels like."
At least he seemed to like our clinic. What a relief.
Exactly one week after switching to a seven-day system.
Hwang Sanghun began consultations right away in his newly set-up vice director's office.
"Pretend I'm not here and relax. It's natural to get nervous with someone watching, so don't worry about mistakes! Even if you mess up, it's no big deal~."
Like with Chu Mi-young before and Hwang over the past week, I stood in the corner with hands clasped.
To observe and give feedback on his treatments.
I assigned him the easiest cases first—ones anyone could wrap up in two or three visits.
"Hello. My neck's been stiff since waking up the day before yesterday, and it hasn't improved, so I came."
"Welcome. Let's check your range of motion first."
"Ugh... Turning right makes the other side stiff."
"Does it hurt if I press here?"
"Yeah."
"Trapezius issue. Loosen the muscle and it'll get better quick—no worries. Do these stretches alongside, and come back tomorrow if needed."
Oh, doing great?
First patient, boss watching—he handled the consultation smoothly despite the pressure.
"Sprained my ankle two weeks ago, and it won't heal... Wow, Director, you're so tall and handsome."
"Thank you. I'll treat you with care."
Handled elderly flirting well too.
"Elbow ligaments take time to recover, so consistent treatment is key."
"Got it. What days do you work, Director?"
Even got a patient scheduling around his shifts on day one.
A little more polish, and an elderly fan club isn't far off?
"Director, new patient. Wrist pain for two months. Trainer by profession—uses it a lot."
"Ah, I'll take that one."
"Specified for Director Hwang."
"Huh?"
I figured everything else was going well enough.
But he'd only been in Busan a week, starting treatments today—how'd he get a specific request?
Shouldn't it be a patient from today bringing a friend tomorrow at earliest?
"Ah... Probably the trainer from the gym I joined for showers. I go every day, suck at working out, so he's been teaching me bit by bit, and we got friendly."
Wow.
Even bringing referral patients.
Hiring Hwang Sanghun was definitely the right call.