Chapter 20
Kang Taehan developed a small hobby and habit.
It was checking internet news on his smartphone from time to time.
He stayed away from his smartphone when he was working or exercising, but in his spare time, he was looking up various things whenever he had a chance.
The years he spent in Murim were approximately sixty years.
Naturally, during that time, Kang Taehan had forgotten much of the knowledge and information he had known in the modern world.
It was simply because so much time had passed, and life in Murim was not easy enough for him to have the leisure to reminisce about old memories.
Once he returned to the modern world, his memories of everyday life came back quickly, and he adapted so quickly that no one around him felt any awkwardness…
Still, there were still gaps in his memory in detail.
For example, not knowing the name of a national idol everyone knows, not remembering an incident that shook the nation last year, or not knowing the name of a recent blockbuster movie.
Quite often, Kang Taehan found things unfamiliar, even things that could be called “If you don’t know this, you’re a spy.”
Of course, no one would arrest him as a spy for forgetting these things…
Still, it was true that he felt a bit uncomfortable whenever he encountered such a situation.
But this is the modern world.
Almost all the information you need can be found in the palm of your hand.
Not only the latest news but also news and gossip from years ago can all be found.
‘Come to think of it, this happened back then… I think there was a big fuss about it at school too.’
Kang Taehan smiled as he looked up a news article from last year that he suddenly remembered.
When a memory comes to mind through an article, other memories related to that memory come to mind one by one, like branches growing from a tree.
The process was quite enjoyable rather than bothersome, and it was a suitable pastime for an old man.
Of course, Kang Taehan’s body was that of a young man in his twenties.
‘Hmm?’
While doing so, a familiar name caught his eye among the latest news.
“Choi Taejun…? I think I’ve heard that name somewhere.”
Kang Taehan tilted his head slightly and quickly recalled the memory.
It was the name of the baseball player Choi Seonghyeon had mentioned at the Sundae Gukbap restaurant a few days ago.
He said something about him messing up a game they were winning.
He probably guessed that he was a player who used to do well but had been underperforming lately.
As expected, the content of the article was not very positive.
It not only pointed out his slump but also conveyed the emotions of the reporter, as if they were a fan of the Hanha Hawks.
‘Super rookie, Hanha’s rising star… It seems he was a highly regarded player.’
Suddenly interested, he searched for old articles, and they were all full of praise.
It was only natural.
The fact that he was in a slump now meant that he had performed well in the past.
‘Well, it’s common.’
A promising talent showing stagnant performance.
This happens quite often, regardless of time or place.
Rather, a human being who never goes through this and continues to meet expectations is an unrealistic genius.
But it must be tough for him.
The contrast between the smiling face in the old articles and the bowed head in the recent articles is pitiful.
Kang Taehan shrugged his shoulders for no reason and put his smartphone in his pocket.
“I’m here.”
“Oh, Mr. Taehan! Welcome.”
9:20 AM.
Without any deviation, he arrives at the massage shop at the same time as usual.
Kang Taehan greeted Manager Hwang and went straight to the locker room.
A moment later, the clothes he came out wearing were not massage therapist attire but ordinary jimjilbang clothes.
His first appointment was at 10:00.
Starting his day by warming up in the hot bath was the beginning of Kang Taehan’s daily routine.
“Phew… Feels good.”
Starting each morning by relaxing in a hot bath.
This alone seemed to boost his satisfaction for the day.
A pleasant sigh slipped out of Kang Taehan’s mouth as he soaked his body up to his shoulders.
‘This is really special.’
The morning bathhouse has a different feeling.
It’s quieter than usual.
There are fewer people, so you can use the bath widely, making it the perfect time to enjoy contemplation while bathing.
Isn’t this a huge merit, if nothing else, of working here?
Kang Taehan spent his time leisurely soaking in the bath.
‘…Hmm?’
While he was relaxing and spacing out, Kang Taehan’s eyes were drawn to a familiar face.
It didn’t take long to remember who it was.
He had just seen the face.
‘It’s Choi Taejun, isn’t it?’
It felt strange to see the face he had seen in the news article here.
It was a similar feeling to when he encountered one of the Four Great Masters of the World at a rural inn.
Looking at him briefly, he could see his well-built body, befitting a professional athlete.
It was not simply the result of a few years of hard work, but muscle built through consistent effort from the past.
‘As expected, there’s a discrepancy between reality and rumors.’
Rumors often circulated about how athletes neglect their training because they achieve early success, or how they drink heavily even the day before a game…
Seeing him in person, he could immediately tell that those were false rumors.
That body could not have been achieved through a lazy lifestyle.
He couldn’t be sure since he couldn’t look closely, but it seemed closer to overworking his body.
…Well, it’s none of my business.
Unless their paths crossed, it was none of his business in this situation.
Even if he cared, it would only be meddling.
It was time to go back, so Kang Taehan left the bath, leaving Choi Taejun behind.
But when he received his second appointment of the day.
“Please take good care of me.”
Seeing Choi Taejun sitting on the bed, slightly bowing his head, Kang Taehan couldn’t help but chuckle.
It seemed like their paths were meant to cross.
⟢⟢⟢⟢⟢⟢
‘…That’s the person I saw at the bathhouse.’
When they met at the bathhouse, Choi Taejun had also observed Kang Taehan.
Of course, he didn’t know who he was, but his well-defined muscles had caught his eye.
People in sports, even if they are in different disciplines, can tell by looking at someone’s body roughly what kind of exercise they do, how much experience they have, and how much effort they put in.
However, he couldn’t quite figure out Kang Taehan.
The only thing he could be sure of was that he had refined muscles that were incredibly well-developed.
He couldn’t just stare at a stranger in the bathhouse, so he only glanced briefly, but it was an ideal form, as if it could be used as a teaching material.
It must have been a body built with great effort over a long time.
Choi Taejun had no idea that it was a body built in less than two months.
‘He has a mysterious aura.’
On the other hand, apart from that, Choi Taejun felt a strange impression from Kang Taehan.
He looked about his age, but his aura was completely different.
It didn’t match his youthful appearance at all…
To put it into words, it felt like he had a certain weight, like experience.
“Do you have any specific areas of discomfort?”
Was it because of that?
His casual tone felt natural.
Both to him speaking and to himself listening.
Honestly, until a moment ago, Choi Taejun hadn’t had high expectations.
Frankly speaking, how good could the skills of a massage shop in a sauna be?
He liked the sauna itself because it was large and clean, but that was it.
He didn’t want to refuse the coach’s concern, and he came up to Seoul to see his acquaintances anyway.
But the moment he met Kang Taehan.
A small glimmer of hope arose.
Choi Taejun said, placing his hand on his right shoulder.
“I injured my shoulder while throwing a ball before.”
“Your right shoulder.”
“Yes. But I think there are aftereffects, because I keep feeling a foreign sensation around here… I’ve been to many places, but there’s no improvement.”
As he spoke, he suddenly found it funny.
He was talking about symptoms he would normally describe at a hospital in a massage shop in a sauna.
He thought the other person might feel burdened.
“Let me take a look.”
But Kang Taehan just nodded once and placed his hand on his shoulder.
His attitude, as if it was nothing serious, strangely gave him a sense of trust.
‘…It’s definitely serious.’
Kang Taehan made a bitter expression after checking his condition.
However, what he was referring to was not the condition of his shoulder but the condition of his entire body.
As he had seen in the bathhouse, his whole body was worn out, as if he had been overworking it for a long time.
It was true that there were traces of surgery on his shoulder, and it was also true that there were slight cracks in the acupoints around that area.
But compared to his overall condition, this was nothing.
‘Are these traces of him struggling to break out of his slump?’
The frustration of delayed achievement and lack of further growth.
There are few things more agonizing for a Murim warrior.
The more diligent and hardworking a person is, the greater this pain becomes, and it is especially bitter for young people who are still inexperienced and full of energy.
Every year, there were quite a few young martial arts prodigies who became possessed by inner demons or chose the seemingly easy path of evil and ruined their lives because of this.
‘It must be the same in the modern world.’
One such case was right in front of him.
A young man who had worn himself out trying to make progress.
On the outside, he had a strong and sturdy body befitting a young athlete, but inside, his internal energy was already depleted.
No wonder his performance was stagnant if he was competing with a body like this.
But he would have attributed the cause not to lack of rest but to lack of effort.
He could tell he was that kind of person.
But he didn’t dislike that kind of person.
Should he help him a little?
Kang Taehan placed his hand on his back with a faint smile.
“You have a sickness in your heart.”
“…….”
Words that would be dismissed as strange cult talk if heard in front of a subway station.
But perhaps it was because of Kang Taehan’s aura, Choi Taejun quietly listened to his words.
“It’s certainly brave to endure and face hardship, but if the hardship is enough to break you, you need to learn to let it go.”
“I’m trying to be considerate, you know. This time, I hope you’ll be flexible and not break.”
What did that mean?
Choi Taejun slightly raised his head to ask a question.
But the question didn’t leave his lips.
Bzzzt!
From the Myeongmun acupoint near his tailbone to the Dazhui acupoint below his neck.
Kang Taehan’s acupressure traveled up Choi Taejun’s spine, stimulating a dozen acupoints in an instant.
“Ugh!”
The spine running through the center was literally the pillar of the body.
Choi Taejun’s mind went blank for a moment at the tingling sensation spreading throughout his body along that pillar, and he let out a scream close to a moan.
