Gu Byeonghwon's Blue Spots
Before I left, I had to get permission from Choi Wonjae and Shin Iseol. I told them ahead of time that I would be visiting the hospital because Gu Somin's father was in far more critical condition than Gu Somin herself, and that I might not make it back for several days.
From Choi Wonjae's point of view I was an indispensable talent, and his trust in me had climbed sharply over the past few days, so he gave his blessing without a second thought.
Shin Iseol grumbled about what she was supposed to do in the meantime, muttering that I ought to give her more breast massages first, but in the end she said she understood. Well, once the director had approved it, who was she to stand in my way?
"I'll be off, then."
The hospital where Gu Somin's father was admitted sat in a quiet mountain valley on the outskirts of Seoul.
Naturally there was no public transit out there, so without hesitation I climbed into a taxi and headed straight for it.
When Gu Somin spotted me in front of the hospital she lit up as if she had just caught sight of her savior walking toward her from a distance. I already knew how desperate she was. Now that Lim Taehoon was gone, there was no one left to cover the hospital bills.
I felt a certain measure of responsibility for her situation.
At first I had only meant to face her as part of a simple capitalist exchange, but the moment I saw her face my heart went soft. Fuck, this loser nature of mine... is there really no curing it?
Because we had already mixed skin once, Gu Somin pulled me into a natural embrace. A soft, full sensation pressed against my chest. Why is it that even after you've touched a woman's breasts once, you still find yourself wondering about that feel all over again? Has my sense of touch come down with dementia or something? It's strange.
"Thank you for coming."
"It's nothing. I promised, didn't I? I'm just doing what I said I would."
"Besides Taehoon oppa, you're the first person to come here, Teacher Junhyun. I couldn't tell anyone else."
I quietly studied the philtrum above Gu Somin's upper lip.
The last time we kissed I had caught a brief glimpse of her future, and after we had sex that brilliant light had vanished.
Yet for some reason a dazzling radiance was swirling around her philtrum once more. The light was fainter than before, but no matter how you looked at it, it was a spot made visible by my ability.
After her future was rewritten, has destiny been set again?
That was the only thought that came to mind.
"I heard the news. So what's going to happen to Taehoon oppa?"
Even as an ex-girlfriend she still seemed worried about Lim Taehoon.
I was the sort who could understand that. Even if the guy was a complete piece of shit, strictly speaking he had once been someone who helped her.
"He'll face the judgment of the law."
"Looks like Seoah unnie decided not to settle after all."
"That's right."
Actually I was the one who had refused to allow any settlement.
Gu Somin lowered her eyes in sadness. Then, as if a firm resolve had suddenly taken hold, she lifted her chin.
"From now on I'll trust Teacher Junhyun completely."
At those words the brilliant light on Gu Somin's philtrum flared bright.
I could be certain of it.
The clearer the light became, the more firmly her destiny was locking into place.
Even an idiot could figure that much out.
Which meant that even without kissing her I already knew Gu Somin's future rested in my hands. In my Miracle Hand.
"Let's go to your father."
"Yes."
I followed Gu Somin into the ward.
Under normal circumstances no one other than a doctor was supposed to administer real treatment. So the fact that I had come specifically to heal him had to stay secret. The real problem, though, was Gu Somin's father. Would he actually entrust his care to me?
Sure enough, the moment I stepped into the hospital room and offered a greeting, Gu Somin's father hit me with a mouthful of bitter words.
His name was Gu Byeonghwon. Just hearing the name gave the impression of someone completely set in his ways—and that wasn't mere imagination. And the name Byeonghwon? Fuck...
"Tell him to leave."
"...Dad... but still..."
"I said tell him to leave. I told you already. I wasn't even comfortable taking help from the last person you brought. And what? That man turned out to be a sexual assailant? I don't want to watch you ruin your life trying to save mine. Tell him to leave."
I made no attempt to insert myself into their conversation and simply watched in silence.
Gu Byeonghwon's immobile legs lay stretched out straight, his feet bare. I couldn't see the legs themselves, but the tips of his toes were already flooded with blue light.
Judging by the spread, this was no ordinary problem. His skin was completely blue, like some kind of Smurf. If Gu Somin had seen it she would have shed a few tears on the spot.
"Dad. I already told you my life is mine to decide. This is the life I chose. I can't imagine my life without you in it."
"Don't talk nonsense. If you're trying to soften your father's heart, you'd better stop right now."
When Gu Somin realized no amount of pleading would move him, she turned to me with a look that begged for rescue.
Ha.
I had always thought this massage ability was meant only for women, but after Choi Wonjae this would be the first time I used it on a man.
Because it had to come from the heart, I needed to put real feeling into it.
Inhale—exhale.
"Father."
"Why am I your father?"
Wow, prickly right from the start.
"Are you claiming to be my daughter's boyfriend or something?"
"Nothing of the sort. If it makes you uncomfortable, I'll call you Mr. Byeonghwon."
"...Fine."
"I understand the hospital is putting real effort into treating Mr. Byeonghwon's condition. And that you do rehabilitation exercises without missing a single day."
"Well, you've been listening to useless talk. That's none of your business. Hurry up and leave."
Without hesitation I took Gu Byeonghwon's hand. He tried to shake me off, but he must have felt his strength drain in an instant—because I had already erased the red spot on his hand.
"The fact that the hospital has you doing rehab means there's still a chance of recovery. That means I can put my strength into it."
"And just how do you plan to help me?"
Even as he spoke that way, the fact that he no longer tried to pull his hand free told me he was at least willing to listen.
Beside me Gu Somin quietly clung to my arm. It was trembling, as if anxiety had taken hold of her.
"I'm not offering Mr. Byeonghwon money the way Lim Taehoon did. And I have no interest in a transactional relationship like his either."
"..."
"I'm saying I'll help because I sincerely want Somin and Mr. Byeonghwon to be happy."
"Nonsense. Every human decides their actions for their own satisfaction."
"Of course. I went through that same decision process myself. Naturally I want something too. But I think it's fine to tell you after Mr. Byeonghwon gets up from that bed and walks. I promise I have no intention of demanding money or forcing any kind of relationship."
Gu Byeonghwon stared at me for a long time, dissecting me with his eyes. Several minutes of silence stretched out. Gu Somin, still hanging onto my arm, pressed herself a little closer like a kitten seeking warmth.
I could roughly guess the nature of their relationship. It was the classic doting-dad-and-daddy's-girl dynamic you see in every drama.
Gu Somin desperately wanted her father to open his heart to me.
I quietly studied his face. Thick, experienced-looking eyebrows, the fine wrinkles around his eyes carved by deep worry. A sharp jawline and a neat, sophisticated hairstyle. I had been told the accident was a car crash, but he had never said what he used to do for a living.
I was certain he had never been some ordinary office worker.
His way of speaking, that particular brand of self-respect, and the selfless way he thought about his daughter all pointed to someone far from ordinary.
Just as I finished that thought, Gu Byeonghwon opened his mouth again and broke the silence.
"Ha... I can't figure out what you're thinking at all. How do you plan to do something even the doctors couldn't manage?"
Gu Somin's hand tightened hard around my arm.
The door to his heart had opened.
"I'm a therapist. Simply put, a masseur. From this moment on I'm going to carefully work through the problems that have developed in Mr. Byeonghwon's legs."
"So..."
"Dad..."
This time Gu Somin laid her hand over her father's. Because I was already holding Gu Byeonghwon's hand, the three of us stacked our hands together.
"Trust me and leave it to him just once. Teacher Junhyun is really capable."
"Somin..."
"It's true, Dad. Really."
Their eyes met. A father who found his daughter nothing but lovable couldn't help crumbling under that kind of plea.
Well, if he refused to believe me it was only his loss.
I wasn't trying to deceive him, so I believed my sincerity had gotten through.
"Alright. Then I'll leave it to you once."
"Haa... I'm sorry, Teacher. Our dad is completely old-fashioned..."
"Somin, Dad's ears are perfectly fine."
"Still, thank you so much for deciding this. Sniff... I was really struggling and so scared. I kept worrying what if Dad refused treatment out of pure stubbornness."
"Somin..."
Gu Somin finally broke into tears. I could imagine how every single drop must have torn at Gu Byeonghwon's heart.
Watching the two of them so earnest made my own enthusiasm surge.
I decided that was enough of the touching scene and got straight to work.
"Then I'll start right away. Somin, head home for now."
"Uh... I'll stay here too."
"No. You have your own life, so hurry back. When you have time and get curious, just show your face now and then. That alone will put Father's mind much more at ease."
"How many days will you be here?"
"I don't know that."
It really was something I didn't know.
Even I had never taken on a construction project this massive before.
I rolled up my sleeves and sat down beside Gu Byeonghwon's feet. Then I laid my hand on the blue spots.
The skin around the ankles was soft, yet the blue spots themselves were hardened solid. The spots under my palm felt dry and crumbly.
No.
Unlike other people, it wasn't that just one area had formed into hard spots.
Embracing an uneasy premonition, I began rolling up the hem of Gu Byeonghwon's hospital pants. The moment I raised them to the thighs, I knew this job would not end easily.
His entire lower body was composed of hard blue spots.