Chapter 9
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: I Feel Alive!
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“Ah, I feel alive!”
Jeong Gwangsu pressed down on his chest, now much more at ease, and said it felt refreshingly clear.
I continued by pressing a few more acupoints on his limbs.
I worked on unknotting his tension so thoroughly that it was hard to tell if it was just his imagination or if he’d truly improved.
“Shall we call it here? I owe you one.”
Pointing at the napkin he’d used to wipe away tears several times, Jeong Gwangsu gave an awkward smile.
“Don’t worry about it at all. I’m just glad you’re feeling better.”
The cafe owner spoke energetically, but Jeong Gwangsu’s face flushed a bit as he shot to his feet.
“Next time, I’ll bring the other inpatients over.”
“Haha, I said don’t worry about it.”
He looked ready to bolt out of the cafe any second, so I quickly supported him as we headed out.
“You’re heading to the Korean medicine hospital, right? Let me walk you there.”
“I couldn’t impose that much.”
“I was heading to the hospital anyway. I need to see the professor.”
“Ah, in that case.”
Jeong Gwangsu and I left the cafe just like that. Chewing on the chocolate the owner had given us on the house, we crossed the crosswalk where an accident could’ve easily happened earlier.
The Korea University Affiliated Korean Medicine Hospital was right there after crossing the street.
“From today, I’ll start a new life. I’ll quit drinking too.”
Just before parting in front of the ward, Jeong Gwangsu said.
Whether he’d stick to it was anyone’s guess, but at least right now, it felt like genuine sincerity.
“You’ll definitely get healthy.”
I stated it definitively. Since his attending physician, Professor Lee Minseok, had to take responsibility, this was a bold claim only a student like me could make.
I clenched my fists in both hands, fueling his burning resolve even more. A person’s body could change entirely depending on their mindset.
“Thank you.”
After confirming Jeong Gwangsu had entered the ward, I headed to Professor Lee Minseok’s office.
“The professor just started afternoon rounds. He said to take the notebook if you came by.”
By coincidence, he was out at the moment.
“Then I’ll leave it with you.”
I’d just swung by the ward, so our timing was off.
I handed the professor’s notebook to the desk staff and went to the school library.
‘Maybe it’s best to start fresh after all?’
It pained me to scrap what I’d already written, but after seeing the patient in person, the generic treatments in my old assignment didn’t seem helpful at all.
- Relieve Liver Qi Stagnation (Liver Depression) and clear Heart Fire (Heart Heat).
The professor loves musculoskeletal stuff. Would he dock points if I wrote it like this? Imagining him frowning at my report made me chuckle.
But what could I do? This was truly the direction Jeong Gwangsu needed.
I detailed the most efficient acupuncture methods and herbal prescriptions I could think of.
After submitting the newly written assignment, I opened the book I’d been reading until late last night.
At the same time.
Having finished afternoon rounds, Professor Lee Minseok frowned at the uninvited guest.
“Bro, what’s your problem with me?”
Jo Haneul had barged into the office and plopped down in his chair, legs crossed.
“Haneul? What brings you here without an appointment?”
“You gonna keep treating me like an outsider? Did my dad do something to upset you?”
“Not particularly.”
Lee Minseok shook his head and gestured with his hand.
“Mind getting out of my seat?”
In truth, Jo Haneul’s father, Professor Jo Hoyeong, had done things that could’ve upset him. Professor Jo wasn’t exceptionally virtuous, and he tormented his grad students a bit more than average.
Harsh words during thesis writing or summoning for personal errands.
Booking flights for the advisor’s family trips was a hassle, and requests like picking up his drunken youngest son or helping with vacation assignments were downright absurd.
But Lee Minseok wasn’t the type to hold grudges against his advisor and take it out on his son.
‘Does he see me as hired help?’
If he hadn’t crossed the line today, they might’ve gotten along decently.
They did have a bond built from years of face-to-face interactions, after all.
“If it weren’t for my dad, this chair wouldn’t be yours.”
That wasn’t 100% wrong either.
Professor Jo tormented his students but looked after his own just as reliably. He had wide connections among Korean medicine professors nationwide and actively recommended his disciples for openings.
Lee Minseok had applied through normal channels to Korea University, but he couldn’t swear there’d been no influence in the hiring process.
“So, you gonna tattle to Professor Jo? What’ll you say? That his son doesn’t even know what rhomboid muscles are and got chewed out?”
“You think I won’t? You’re not even a full professor yet.”
“Hilarious. Go ahead, try it.”
Lee Minseok couldn’t help but burst out laughing. Did he think willpower alone could get him fired?
‘This kid’s not even thirty yet, is he?’
It was laughable, like an elementary kid thinking his dad was the strongest in the world. Sure, picturing the advisor calling the department head to look after his disciple was easy, but asking to fire his son for bullying?...
‘If it’s that pathetic a group, I’d leave anyway.’
Lee Minseok had the most SCI papers among applicants and ample part-time lecturing experience. With hiring already decided, a few words from his advisor wouldn’t sway him.
“Bro, I’m not picking a fight. Just tell me if you’re upset or want something. Wanna grab a drink after and talk?”
“I can’t even have one drink, no hard feelings. All I want is for you to show some manners and study hard.”
Lee Minseok sighed.
“Bring your dad next time if you want...”
“Make an appointment next time.”
He issued the dismissal with a coldly set face.
Jo Haneul reluctantly stood, shuffling awkwardly before finally exiting.
‘Hard to even get a jab in.’
Lee Minseok slumped into his chair. All the inpatients had been compliant today, only for a student to sour his mood.
Click. Click.
Irritated but habitual, he opened his email.
It’d only been two or three hours since class ended. One student’s assignment had arrived. It was the same one who’d submitted first yesterday.
‘Han Yeowon.’
Her presentation and previous assignment had been impeccably clean. Just two classes in, but her diligent, proactive vibe stood out. Any professor would welcome her as a grad student—polished impression and all.
‘If only Professor Jo’s son took after her even halfway.’
Lee Minseok casually opened the grading sheet and started reading Han Yeowon’s work.
“Hm?”
He’d expected a textbook model answer like before, but the format was completely different. Less like a student assignment, more like guidance for a disciple.
Scanning the content carefully, he paused at one section.
- For a patient who hasn’t seen a doctor in ten years, the physician gaining trust is most crucial.
Trust.
It’d been nagging at him. As a resident, he chalked it up to not being a professor yet; now as one, starting midway as attending and being young made complaints natural, he rationalized.
He’d assigned the teaching methods topic precisely because he hadn’t found a good solution himself.
And right then, his trickiest patient’s attitude shifted during rounds today.
Jeong Gwangsu, who’d always eyed him suspiciously, was suddenly cooperative, asking about his condition proactively.
‘The sudden vow to quit drinking and request for meds...’
Han Yeowon’s assignment read like she’d examined Jeong Gwangsu herself. No, like she’d peered into his very heart.
‘Could it be?’
Lee Minseok went back to the start, reading her assignment—no, her prescription and advice—meticulously.
“Damn it.”
He’d gone to see Professor Lee Minseok for nothing and hadn’t even broken even. Jo Haneul spat curses as he stormed out of the hospital.
[What’s everyone up to? Let’s grab a drink.]
[Already home. Next time.]
[On a date with gf lol]
[Aw, too bad, Mom’s visiting from the provinces, so no go today.]
Hwang Sanghun, Kim Mingyu, and Lee Cheoljin all replied in under a minute. But none satisfied Jo Haneul.
[Haneul hyung, still at school? Can you do me a quick favor?]
[What?]
[Just borrow one book for me. The one I’ve been waiting for just got returned.]
On top of that, Hwang Sanghun hit him with an annoying request—basically, go to the library.
Am I your errand boy? He was about to snap and refuse when another message from Hwang Sanghun came.
[Nvm. I’ll go tomorrow. Don’t pick a fight with Yeowon and just go home.]
[Han Yeowon?]
[Yeah, she’s always studying at the library? Saw her yesterday with Sanghun hyung.]
Kim Mingyu’s follow-up piqued his interest.
Han Yeowon. Han Yeowon, huh?
She’d been nicely deflated after bombing the first semester exams, but lately, she’d been getting on his nerves. Picturing her smirking face furrowed his brows automatically.
Jo Haneul had disliked her since freshman orientation five years ago. No backing, nothing special, yet she acted so uppity.
- Uh, your name’s Yeowon, right? Try a sip.
- …What’s this?
- Romanée-Conti, 17 vintage. Wine us commoners wouldn’t see in a lifetime. Even this much is over a million won?
Wow, seriously? Is it okay to accept this? Thanks! It’s amazing. So cool.
The usual reaction to pricey gifts.
Jo Haneul was always surrounded by such envy and admiration, and his classmates weren’t much different.
- No thanks. Not interested.
But Han Yeowon refused the wine.
- Come on, no need to feel burdened. Just a gift to get friendly.
- Not interested in getting friendly.
She even embarrassed him.
She skipped every drinking session he organized after classes started.
Some girls dreamed of Cinderella stories, others showed up hoping for job hooks. No one else dared cross Jo Haneul like Han Yeowon.
‘Thinks she’s got pride.’
Pathetic. Especially after hearing she was basically an orphan.
Laughable that she dared feel competitive.
[lol no money for cafe so studying at library?]
As he typed, Jo Haneul naturally headed to the library. She’d bragged about topping the class so confidently—clearly no real foundation.
[Yeah lol she’s already cramming for midterms, looks nervous]
[Don’t start shit. She’ll post about it being noisy on the school forum again.]
[lol what’re you scared of that for. Let her talk.]
He ignored Hwang Sanghun’s message. Great guy otherwise, but too timid.
Jo Haneul entered the central library to vent his frustration from Professor Lee Minseok on her.
‘What? She hasn’t budged an inch.’
The reading room wasn’t crowded. He spotted Han Yeowon immediately. Sure enough, she had an internal medicine textbook open, studying for finals already?
‘Shouldn’t she start with past exams instead of brute-forcing like that?’
As expected, unlike Jo Haneul—who efficiently hit key points curated by seniors and Hwang Sanghun in short bursts—Han Yeowon was mindlessly plowing through the book.
‘No wonder she can’t top the class.’
He’d planned to approach and talk smack right away, but for some reason, he pulled out a chair far away and sat.
‘I’ll mock her when she gets up.’
Was it hard to bother someone that focused?
Jo Haneul, who’d never care normally, felt deflated without knowing why.
‘She’ll take a break in 10, 20 minutes anyway.’
He rationalized, thinking of his own max study stamina.
‘Still not up?’
The hour hand made one full circle.
‘Is she even human?’
And another.
‘Han Yeowon? Or a robot?’
Three full circles, and she hadn’t moved.
“What’re you doing here?”
“Whoa!”
Jo Haneul, gaping at the back of her head, startled and yelped.
“Don’t you know you’re supposed to be quiet in the library?”
Han Yeowon whispered softly.
“Y-You were right there until just now?”
“...Were you asleep?”
Did he hallucinate? Checking the clock, three and a half hours had passed since arriving.
“You’re not here to study, so what do you want with me?”