The Heavenly Demon Will Give You a Massage – Chapter 203

Chapter 203

“…But it’ll be alright, right?”

“What is?”

As the building, which had been visible from afar, now approached right before their eyes.

Edwin asked back at Caliber’s worried mutter. Caliber scratched his cheek with a slightly troubled expression and said.

“Me getting a massage right now. I heard it’s really hard to get an appointment, but is it okay for me to just go and get one like this after bumping into him on the street…?”

“…Huh, really. You think about the strangest things.”

Edwin burst into laughter at Caliber’s words. It wasn’t a forced reaction for show, but a genuine laughter that erupted out of sheer absurdity.

“Wouldn’t it be better to just focus on getting your body fixed?”

“That’s true, but still, I can’t help but feel uneasy.”

“You’re just someone who’s been invited. I don’t think there will be any problems with that, and even if there are, it’s not something you should be concerned about.”

“Hmm… Is that so?”

“That’s right. In the first place, that Director-nim didn’t seem like the type to handle things carelessly.”

Edwin recalled the man he had encountered that day, Director Kang Taehan. There was something extraordinary about him.

To be honest, he was a bit intimidated. Edwin, who wouldn’t even flinch at the sight of most gangs, felt a sense of pressure at that moment for some reason.

Of course, what Caliber said could very well happen. Even if the Director himself was okay with it, other customers could raise objections.

But… that man, Kang Taehan, didn’t seem like the type who would be bothered by such things. In the first place, it didn’t seem like he would leave any room for problems to arise.

“Well, that’s true.”

“You should worry about yourself, you’re not even fully healed.”

“I’m pretty much healed now?”

Caliber said, jumping high in place at Edwin’s words. A playful, exaggerated gesture. Edwin couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight.

“That’s right. But now you have to go get even more healed.”

“Haha, I have to.”

They had arrived at the entrance of the building.

Caliber smiled at Edwin’s words, pointing towards the entrance. Without a word, the two of them stepped inside the building almost simultaneously.

⟢⟢⟢⟢⟢⟢

“Please wait here for a moment, the Master will be with you shortly.”

The employee spoke while pointing towards the bed after entering the room first. Then, a foreign man with a slightly awkward expression followed him inside. It was none other than Caliber.

“Ah, yes. Thank you for guiding me.”

“You’re welcome. Have a good time.”

The employee bowed his head and went outside, closing the door. Perhaps due to the recent influx of foreign customers, the employee’s English felt quite fluent and natural.

“Hmm…….”

And for a while, Caliber was left alone in the room.

He slowly looked around, then tilted his head from side to side with a surprised expression.

‘The atmosphere is more ordinary than I expected.’

He didn’t mean that the interior was poor or the exterior was shabby. On the contrary, the interior itself was neat and well-equipped, giving the feeling that it had captured both aesthetics and practicality.

It’s just… it was different from what he had imagined.

Firstly, it was a place listed in the Permo Guide, travel agencies couldn’t get tickets, and he had heard that even chaebols had to make reservations to come here, so he naturally imagined a dazzling atmosphere.

But when he actually visited, it felt completely different from what he had expected. Rather, it was a bit… comfortable, you could say.

The oriental-style interior gave it a slightly mystical feel, but even that wasn’t excessive. It was an atmosphere where you could truly focus on relaxation.

‘I wonder if Coach is doing alright.’

Needless to say, Caliber was the only one receiving a massage. He was the only one who received the invitation last time, and he was the only one with a problem with his body.

Edwin had come all the way to this building with him, simply as a guardian. It would be good to have someone close by to take action in case something happened. Of course, he would also take a night walk while he was at it.

However, that meant Edwin would naturally be left alone while Caliber was getting a massage. Wouldn’t he be bored in this unfamiliar place?

‘…Well, I’m sure he’ll figure something out.’

But Caliber soon shook his head from side to side.

It wasn’t like Cheonma Anma was the only thing in this building. This building, with over twenty floors, was overflowing with content. There were hotel facilities, restaurants, cafes, and bars.

He would surely find a way to spend his time.

Actively accepting the proverb “Worry about yourself first” that Edwin had just mentioned, Caliber lay down on the bed as if it didn’t matter.

Knock knock.

It was around that time.

After the knocking sound, the door opened and a man entered. It was the man he had met on the street that day, Director Kang Taehan.

“…Hmm?”

And the moment their eyes met.

As if surprised by something, Kang Taehan’s eyelids twitched momentarily. Under his persistent gaze, Caliber was the first to speak.

“Um… is there something wrong?”

“Ah, no, not at all. It’s just… your condition seems to have improved more than I expected.”

The first thing Kang Taehan does when he meets a customer is to briefly scan their physical condition.

Of course, it’s less accurate than directly touching them or spreading his Qi sense inside, but he can still confirm the general aspects just by looking.

‘I knew he was a physically fit person, but still…’

Therefore, Kang Taehan couldn’t help but feel a bit impressed. Caliber’s physical condition was much better than he had guessed.

‘Looks like he’s been moving around a lot in those few days.’

It goes without saying that a person’s body is affected by their actions. Even people born with the same constitution can be vastly different depending on the life they’ve lived.

The effectiveness of massage is also the same.

Whether one properly stretches their body and gets adequate rest after receiving a massage, and whether they continue to move their body appropriately afterwards, the effect can differ greatly depending on the presence and degree of these actions.

There’s no need to look far.

The reason Kang Taehan tries to set aside time to get a good night’s sleep after finishing a massage is also a measure to ensure he gets enough rest.

“Your body must still be quite uncomfortable, but it seems you’ve been exercising diligently.”

“Ah, is it that noticeable? Haha… I suddenly have freedom in my arms and legs, I can’t just sit still. Is that a problem?”

Caliber scratched his head with an awkward smile at Kang Taehan’s words. Kang Taehan had meant it as a compliment, but it seemed Caliber had taken it differently.

“No, it’s not a problem. On the contrary, if you continue to do so, you’ll be able to return to your original state sooner than expected.”

Kang Taehan shook his head slightly and said.

His words weren’t just empty flattery.

Of course, Caliber’s physical condition was one of the worst he’d ever seen in a customer.

His meridians had been exposed to countless shocks over the years, damaged and recovered, severed and reconnected, becoming as messy as a tangled ball of yarn.

To be honest, it was fortunate that his symptoms were limited to numbness in his hands and feet. If it had worsened a little more, all sorts of symptoms would have appeared like a chain reaction.

As such, it wasn’t something that could be easily resolved in a few days. There were many parts that needed separate measures, and parts that needed to be observed over a sufficient period of time.

Kang Taehan had taken measures to significantly improve his condition, but it was only a temporary relief. It would take at least a year to return him to his proper form.

However, the moment he examined Caliber’s body just now, Kang Taehan’s calculations changed somewhat.

If Caliber’s own will and effort followed sufficiently, and if he maintained this high level of activity, they could definitely shorten that time.

“Is… is that really true?”

Meanwhile, the one who welcomed Kang Taehan’s words most was none other than Caliber himself. Since it was his own body, it was only natural.

To be able to return to his original state.

Even the possibility of that was a miracle. But to be able to shorten that time even further. It was the best-case scenario, almost too good to be true for him.

“If so, could you tell me how long it might take?”

“Well, if you continue this level of rehabilitation training, roughly… at least within ten months, we could finish it.”

“Ah… ten months.”

For a moment, a look of disappointment flashed across Caliber’s face. It was because the hope that had lingered in his heart, ‘Could I participate in this season too?’, had disappeared.

The NFL officially starts in September.

Ten months from now would be almost the end of the league. By then, it would be far too late.

‘Well, it’s too greedy to want to participate in this year’s season when my body is barely recovering.’

Organizing his thoughts internally, Caliber slowly nodded a couple of times. However, Kang Taehan wasn’t finished speaking. He shook his head and opened his mouth.

“I said at least ten months. It will be a difficult and intense process, but… if you can handle it, we can shorten it further.”

“…If it’s shorter, how much shorter are we talking about?”

“Three months.”

“Huh?”

Caliber reflexively asked back at Kang Taehan’s words. Then, he spread out all ten of his fingers, folded three of them one by one, and held out the remaining fingers, saying,

“You’re saying that something that would normally take ten months… can be shortened by seven months?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Is that even possible?”

It was beyond surprising, almost absurd.

If it weren’t for the skill he had shown on the street earlier, it would have been impossible to believe. On the other hand, Kang Taehan simply nodded his head with a calm voice.

“Yes. However, the massage will be intense to the point of being a burden on your body. It’ll be more like tearing down and rebuilding your body than relaxing and healing it.”

However, Kang Taehan’s calm voice lowered when he mentioned “tearing down and rebuilding” at the end. It was a tone that implied a warning.

‘Three months, just three months…….’

But that voice didn’t reach Caliber properly. His mind was already filled with hopeful thoughts.

Countless fans and colleagues, family members who worried about him!

The fan letters that arrived several times a day, the excitement and support of the stadium, and the faces of his colleagues and family flashed through his mind.

The best way to repay them was to return to the field as soon as possible and show them his healthy self. As if there was no need to hesitate, he slowly opened his mouth with a determined expression.

“I understand.”

“Are you sure about this?”

“Yes, of course I am.”

Caliber answered again, as if emphasizing his point.

Seeing that, Kang Taehan nodded with a knowing smile.

“Good. Then let’s start right away.”

A gesture to turn over.

At those words and gesture, Caliber immediately turned over and was about to bury his face in the pillow… when a question popped into his mind. He slightly turned his head back and spoke.

“Um, Director.”

“Yes, go ahead.”

“Do you… happen to like American football?”

“…Excuse me?”

A sudden, unexpected question.

At Kang Taehan’s puzzled reaction, Caliber shook his head and added,

“Well, I was wondering if you recognized me and were being so kind because of that.”

“…You’re an American football player.”

Naturally, Kang Taehan couldn’t have known. He slowly nodded as if he had finally understood the reason for Caliber’s muscular build.

“Then, why are you being so nice to me?”

But then Caliber’s question deepened.

Kang Taehan wasn’t his fan. He didn’t recognize him. Then, what reason could he have for taking such good care of a complete stranger, a foreigner at that?

“…It’s simple.”

However, Kang Taehan’s answer was extremely simple.

He spoke in the same calm voice, with a light smile on his lips.

“I saw you helping a complete stranger, an elderly woman, and I thought I should help you too. That’s all.”

And once Kang Taehan decides to do something, he usually sees it through to the end. That was all there was to it.

“…I see.”

At those words, Caliber quietly closed his mouth.

He still wasn’t entirely convinced. But because of the warmth that filled his chest, he couldn’t continue speaking. It was a feeling that was hard to describe.

“…Thank you.”

He managed to leave those words behind and buried his face in the pillow. There might be more appropriate words to express his feelings, but all that came to his mind at that moment was gratitude.

“You’re welcome.”

And Kang Taehan answered with a gentle smile. Then, as if locating a spot, he felt around Caliber’s back a couple of times and opened his mouth in a low voice.

“Now then…….”

Suddenly, Kang Taehan’s atmosphere changed.

It was the same calm voice as before, but something was different. He couldn’t tell what was different, but… if he had to make an analogy, it was as different as a calm lake and calm lava.

“This will hurt a lot.”

Why was that?

The moment Kang Taehan said those words, a chill ran down Caliber’s spine. He instinctively shrank back, trying to protect himself. It was literally a survival instinct.

However, Kang Taehan’s hand movements were faster than his reflex to sense a life-threatening situation.

“Nooooooooooo!”

The screams of a foreigner filled with pain echoed through the hallway of Cheonma Anma for a while.