Chapter 37
“Professor Jin Sangwoo and Professor Howonjun from the Department of Sports Medicine at Pyeongoh University…”
Oh Jaeyoon pushed the memo he had written forward.
“Did I write that down correctly?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Kang Taehan nodded after confirming the contents of the memo.
Jin Sangwoo and Howonjun.
They were the professors of the two classes Kang Taehan had planned to take this semester.
“As long as the attendance issue is resolved… you’ll have no problem with Thursday, right?”
“Yes, of course. But I need to hear the conditions first.”
“That’s only natural.”
So far, they had only matched their schedules; no important discussions had taken place yet.
As Oh Jaeyoon nodded, assuring him not to worry, Kang Taehan smiled.
‘This is good.’
He had never intended to refuse this offer because of his school classes.
He simply thought that the somewhat troublesome process he would have to handle personally could be easily taken care of by them.
Wouldn’t it be faster for a professional team to make a phone call than for a single student to go and talk to the professors?
‘Anyway, these days I spend more time in Daejeon than in Seoul on my days off.’
Whether it’s visiting his father, gathering herbs in the mountains, or practicing breathing exercises while camping.
Kang Taehan already had a lot of things to do near Daejeon, and it was natural for him to go down there on his days off.
In other words, he wasn’t going to Daejeon because of a business trip; he was going to Daejeon and taking care of a business trip while he was there.
“You may not know this, but our team is based in Daejeon. So, you’ll have to come to Daejeon. I hope that’s not a problem.”
“…Now that you mention it, that’s right.”
But there was no need for him to bring that up.
Kang Taehan stroked his chin and made a troubled expression.
He looked as if he hadn’t thought of it before.
“…But I believe that the manager will be considerate enough to make arrangements accordingly, don’t you think?”
“Of course. Our team isn’t exactly flush with cash, but we can certainly cover your travel expenses generously.”
It was better to show the numbers than to just talk.
Oh Jaeyoon picked up a pen from the table and began to write down the figures.
“I asked the manager, and he said it’s difficult to set a fixed price for a business trip to Daejeon.”
It was quite common for massage therapists to make house calls, and there was a general price range, but it was rare for them to travel from Seoul to Daejeon.
In other words, the pricing standard was somewhat ambiguous.
But Oh Jaeyoon wasn’t the type to haggle.
He wrote down the honest amount on the paper from the start.
“Assuming you’ll be making a five-hour business trip… this is the amount I can offer you within my discretion. Anything more than this, I’ll have to discuss with the finance team. What do you think?”
And Kang Taehan stared silently at the paper Oh Jaeyoon had pushed forward.
‘I could take a taxi from Seoul to Daejeon with this.’
Kang Taehan roughly calculated his daily earnings, including tips, and even after adding the cost of a round trip taxi fare from Seoul to Daejeon, there was still a considerable amount left over.
It was a very lucrative reward for taking five hours out of his day while he was already in Daejeon.
It was actually time he should be attending classes at school.
Well, it wasn’t like he was signing an employment contract; it was just a business trip. This was a pretty good deal, wasn’t it?
While he was thinking about it.
“Ahem. However, this isn’t to say that this will be the fixed amount going forward.”
Kang Taehan was staring at the number written on the paper with a blank expression.
Perhaps mistaking his silence for disapproval, Oh Jaeyoon spoke again.
“This is the amount I can offer within my discretion for now. Once we get feedback from the players and within the team, the finance team will be more willing to open their wallets. We can discuss it again then. How does that sound?”
“…Hmm.”
Does my usual expression look that dissatisfied?
He didn’t recall being dissatisfied with the offer, so the thought suddenly crossed his mind, but.
“Sounds good.”
Anyway, the conversation seemed to be flowing in a positive direction, so there was no reason to complain.
Kang Taehan finally nodded with a light smile.
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“Oh, so the certificate of transfer and… vehicle registration transfer? Well, that’s a given. I know that.”
Shin Junho was talking on the phone with one hand while jotting down notes with his right hand.
It was about the transfer of the used car they had discussed earlier.
Shin Junho was quite well-connected.
He had told Kang Taehan that he didn’t know any car dealers because they had all quit, but that was just a lie he made up on the spot.
Shin Junho was listening to the detailed explanation from the industry insider and organizing the necessary procedures.
‘It’s not that complicated.’
He had vaguely thought that a complicated procedure might be required, but it turned out to be much simpler than he expected.
Except for getting Taehan’s signature, everything else could be taken care of immediately.
‘He said he’d be back in Daejeon next week…’
He could complete the rest of the procedures then and hand over the car keys. It would be a smooth finish.
Perhaps it was because he was repaying a favor, but even though he was selling the car at a huge loss, a smile appeared on Shin Junho’s face.
“Who were you talking to that made you smile so much?”
His wife, who had been watching him from the sofa, asked with a smile. It was a question out of pure curiosity rather than prying.
“Oh, was I smiling?”
“You’re still smiling. You’re grinning.”
At her words, Shin Junho touched his mouth and shrugged.
“I was talking to Park, the used car dealer. I guess I’m feeling good because… my conscience is a little clearer now. Maybe it’s because I’ve been feeling much better lately.”
After finishing his sentence, Shin Junho stretched lightly.
His physical condition had started to improve noticeably a few days ago, and now he felt a surge of vitality.
“Your complexion has improved a lot.”
“It’s amazing. I’ve never felt such a noticeable effect from anything I’ve eaten before.”
“The wild ginseng you got the other day?”
Shin Junho nodded at his wife’s words.
What could have triggered this sudden change?
There was only one thing that came to mind.
The wild ginseng he received from Taehan and ate that day.
‘It was more palatable than I thought.’
Shin Junho usually couldn’t even eat the ginseng in samgyetang.
But since it was wild ginseng that Taehan had generously given him, he had closed his eyes and chewed it raw…
He was surprised that it tasted better than he expected.
It was still bitter, but it felt like his body was accepting it…
His digestion was good that day, and now, a few days later, he was not only fully recovered but also overflowing with energy.
“Maybe it’s because it was from Taehan. The effect is different.”
It wasn’t as if Shin Junho had never eaten wild ginseng before.
However, he had never felt such a significant effect from it before.
It was just ginseng that was smaller and more bitter.
He only remembered having a fever at night and having trouble sleeping.
But this time was different.
It had been processed by Kang Taehan.
He had removed the excess spiritual energy and adjusted the nature of the energy to suit Shin Junho’s constitution.
Thanks to that, his body accepted it well, and the absorption efficiency was different.
And now, a few days later, the effect was clearly evident in his vibrant energy.
“Is Taehan the one who saved your life?”
“That’s right. He saved me in the mountains and at the hospital.”
And this time, he brought him wild ginseng and helped him regain his energy.
Although he was young, he was a true benefactor to him.
“Maybe I should get him a gift.”
“You? Why?”
Shin Junho asked curiously at his wife’s words.
“Why? He helped our precious breadwinner so much, of course I’m grateful.”
“…Haha, well.”
Shin Junho scratched his cheek awkwardly at his wife’s words.
He had actually been a little nervous when he told Taehan he would sell him the used car at a low price.
It was a big decision, and he had made it on his own.
‘He’s your lifesaver, so you have the right to decide.’
But as always, his wife understood and respected his choice.
And today, she even said such nice things.
It was nothing new, but she was a truly kind-hearted wife.
“I’ve always liked you, but I like you even more today.”
“Oh my, what’s gotten into you?”
“How about we have a nice time together tonight?”
“…You must have really regained your energy to say such a thing.”
Shin Junho grinned and walked towards the sofa, then lifted her up in his arms.
He didn’t look like the person who had been so weak just a while ago.
‘I’ve never met Taehan…’
Shin Junho’s wife smiled, thinking that they had been blessed by that student.
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“So, you’re going?”
“There’s no reason not to. I’m going down to Daejeon almost every week anyway. I’m starting next week.”
“Wow…”
As Kang Taehan shrugged and spoke, Choi Seonghyeon, sitting across from him, let out a gasp of admiration and shook his head.
He had been watching baseball for a long time, and as someone who was born and raised in Daejeon, he had been a fan of the Hanha Hawks.
To him, Kang Taehan’s words were unbelievable.
“I can’t believe you met with Manager Oh Jaeyoon, and now you’re actually going to their training ground?”
“Choi Taejun came to the shop before. Apparently, he saw a lot of improvement and recommended me. That’s the connection.”
Kang Taehan spoke nonchalantly and picked at the side dishes that had been served.
On the other hand, Choi Seonghyeon couldn’t close his mouth, still amazed.
“Man… this is unreal.”
“Want me to ask if they need an assistant? I can put in a good word for you.”
“…Nah, I’m not really interested in that.”
It was amazing, but that didn’t mean he envied him.
Just because he liked baseball didn’t mean he wanted to see the players in person. It was a different feeling.
He enjoyed cheering and swearing at the players while watching the games, but he felt like it would be awkward if he actually met them in person.
“I don’t want to burden you.”
“I knew you’d say that.”
He was sociable and outgoing, but he was also cautious about things that could cause inconvenience to others.
Knowing Choi Seonghyeon’s personality, Kang Taehan nodded with a grin.
“I’ll try to get some autographed baseballs from the players if I get the chance.”
“Really? That would be awesome.”
He felt awkward about meeting them in person, but he wanted their autographs.
That was the extent of Choi Seonghyeon’s fandom.
Choi Seonghyeon’s face brightened at Kang Taehan’s words.
“But honestly, I’m a little relieved.”
Manager Hwang, who had been listening to their conversation, naturally chimed in.
“About what?”
“I was worried about what we would do with the Master Course if Mr. Taehan got scouted by Hanha.”
He would have respected and supported Kang Taehan’s decision either way, but it was true that it would have been quite troublesome if he left.
“Me, going to Hanha?”
“Yeah. Wouldn’t the conditions be better there?”
“Hahaha. If I was concerned about the conditions, I wouldn’t be here in the first place.”
It wasn’t a lie, so Manager Hwang awkwardly scratched his head.
He had recently raised the ratio to 6:4, but Kang Taehan could have gone to a better place if he wanted to.
“The business trip fee is pretty good… but employment is a different story. Being tied down for a while is a bit of a concern.”
Although he didn’t show it, Kang Taehan was quite attracted to this job as a massage therapist.
He met a variety of customers every day, and it was quite rewarding to see them leave the shop feeling refreshed.
It was a type of satisfaction he had never felt in his previous life.
Of course, it would be rewarding to belong somewhere, consistently manage a limited number of customers, and observe their progress… but at least for now, he wasn’t interested.
“If I was only thinking about money, I wouldn’t be a massage therapist.”
“Really? What do you think you would have done?”
Choi Seonghyeon, who had been listening to Kang Taehan, asked while picking up some kimchi with his chopsticks.
At his words, Kang Taehan paused to think about what he was best at.
“Hmm… I don’t know. Maybe mixed martial arts?”
“Hahaha. What nonsense. You never even got into a fight in high school.”
Choi Seonghyeon burst into laughter at his friend’s joke.
However, Manager Hwang’s reaction to hearing the same thing as Choi Seonghyeon was a little different.
‘It doesn’t sound like he’s just joking…’
He said it jokingly, but Manager Hwang had a feeling that it wasn’t an empty statement for Taehan.
It felt like it was half serious.
‘Ah, it must be my imagination.’
Manager Hwang took a sip of water.
