An Office Worker Is Good At Exorcism - Chapter 251

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 250
Part 1. Do You Know What Pain Feels Like? (2)
(Shingles?)
It was the next day.
The IV had been changed at dawn, and after finishing breakfast, Kang Hyung-seok immediately called his mother, Park Jung-im.
“Yes. It’s nothing serious, so please don’t worry too much.”
(Shingles isn’t nothing serious? Do you have any idea how painful that is! Didn’t you get vaccinated?)
“I should get it this time.”
He hadn’t felt the necessity and had never gotten vaccinated.
(What’s the point of getting vaccinated after you’re already sick? This won’t do. Where are you right now? At home, right?)
“No. I’m at the hospital. I’ve been admitted.”
(Admitted? How severe is it? Please tell me it didn’t spread to your face.)
“It’s not that, but I ended up being admitted anyway.”
(Sigh… You’re built like a mountain, but you’re so careless.)
“Please keep it a secret from Father.”
(Why? Is it okay for Mom to worry?)
Kang Hyung-seok let out a bitter laugh at his mother’s response, which was half pouting and half joking.
(Your father should know too. I’ll explain it to him carefully so he doesn’t worry too much. Anyway, which hospital are you at? I’ll come by within the next day or two.)
“No. I’ll be discharged soon, so I won’t be here even if you come.”
(Stay longer! You catch that when you’re exhausted. You need proper rest when you’re sick.)
“I’m fine.”
(Is your health less important than the company?)
Perhaps his mother’s nagging didn’t bother him because he had grown into an adult with a mature mind.
Or perhaps it was because they lived apart.
“The hospital said it doesn’t seem like it will take long. They said it was fortunate that I came quickly.”
There is a golden window for treating shingles.
The first 72 hours after onset are critical, and antiviral medication should be administered within that time.
Fortunately, since he had received treatment right away, the doctor said it wouldn’t last long.
(Is the hospital uncomfortable?)
“It’s just so-so. I’m just feeling restless.”
(Sigh.)
“Oh, I should head back in. Someone from the company said they’d stop by.”
(Okay, go on. If anything happens, call Mom right away!)
“Yes. Please take care of yourself with meals.”
(You take care of yourself. The more you live alone, the better you need to eat.)
“Don’t worry about me.”
Kang Hyung-seok hung up and plugged his phone into the charger.
Perhaps it was because he hadn’t spoken with his mother in a long time.
For some reason, his mouth felt bitter, so he picked up a water bottle and drank from it as if rinsing his mouth.
Bzzzzt.
“Kang Manager, which room number should I head to?”
I tapped out a reply to the text message from Shin Jung-ah.
“You got here fast?”
“I came with Director Shin.”
“Pardon?”
I unconsciously muttered the words, then composed and sent a reply with the expression of someone wondering what kind of situation this was.
“I’ll head up now. Let’s talk face to face.”
“Ah….”
Shin Yoseph and Shin Jung-ah were coming together.
Shin Jung-ah coming as a representative of Sales Team 1 was fine, but I hadn’t expected Shin Yoseph to come as well.
Knock, knock, knock.
Shortly after, Shin Yoseph and Shin Jung-ah entered the hospital room side by side, with a fruit basket in one hand.
“I didn’t know what kind of fruit you liked, so I just bought something random.”
Shin Yoseph pulled up two chairs and sat down, while I also sat on the bed to maintain at least basic courtesy.
“How did you end up coming together?”
“He contacted me first.”
What an awkward relationship.
Shin Yoseph and I spoke casually to each other, while Shin Jung-ah and Shin Yoseph used formal speech with each other.
Yet we couldn’t suggest speaking more comfortably with each other, precisely because of our social positions.
“Kang Manager, how are you feeling?”
Shin Jung-ah’s question was directed at me.
However, it was Shin Yoseph who answered.
“He should be fine.”
“Huh? The doctor says you’re fine?”
Shin Yoseph looked at me with a subtly irritated expression.
“The medical expenses are substantial. Even if he wanted to die, he can’t.”
“Ah.”
With Shin Jung-ah present, I couldn’t respond casually, so I conveyed my emotions through my eyes alone.
“Is that really the look you’re going to give the person who paid your hospital bills?”
“Knock it off.”
“Fine.”
Shin Yoseph closed his mouth and gestured to Shin Jung-ah to speak freely.
“The Manager is very worried about you. He said not to worry about work and to focus on recovery.”
“I apologize. The Manager must be very busy as well?”
“Your work is being shared among everyone, so it’s manageable. But Deputy Manager Lee seems to be worrying about you more than expected?”
I let out a bitter laugh.
They must all be troubled.
Both Lee Jin-pyung and Gwak Young-ho.
Lee Jin-pyung had been hospitalized before, and now it was my turn.
“Sigh, Min-ah has such a soft heart—when she heard it was shingles, she started crying.”
“Huh?”
“You said you got it before too, right? You were crying about how much it hurt.”
In that moment, Shin Yoseph, who had been fidgeting with the fruit in the basket, shifted his gaze toward Kang Hyung-seok.
His eyes held a cunning glint that suggested he was thoroughly committed to the misunderstanding, so Kang Hyung-seok answered with only a look.
Then he turned to Shin Jung-ah with a gentler expression.
“He’s just that kind of person.”
“I’m jealous. I was that pure at his age too.”
“You were, Manager?”
“What do you mean by that?”
A cold voice came back in response to the unconscious remark.
“There’s fruit here, but no knife. Hey, you don’t have a knife?”
Shin Yoseph, who had deftly cut through the awkward atmosphere, gestured with his hand as if asking for the object he’d left with Kang Hyung-seok.
“No.”
“You carry one around.”
I understand it’s a joke.
But Kang Hyung-seok, understanding that the knife Shin Yoseph was referring to was a kidney knife, looked at him with contemptuous eyes, while Shin Jung-ah laughed awkwardly and pointed to the hallabong.
“That one should be fine without a knife.”
“Ah.”
Shin Yoseph took out three hallabongs and distributed them one by one.
Pop!
“Even though it came from the house, it should be edible enough.”
Shin Yoseph shifted his gaze to Kang Hyung-seok while peeling the hallabong’s skin.
“Did you sleep well?”
“Are you asking if there were any Malevolent Spirits?”
“Would there be any other reason?”
Kang Hyung-seok and Shin Jung-ah, who had been peeling the hallabong skin, paused briefly and looked at him.
“Do I really look like someone who’d entrust that kind of task to a sick person?”
“You don’t?”
“I was just asking. It’s a hospital, after all.”
Kang Hyung-seok pressed his lips together, briefly recalling last night, then shook his head.
“Nothing.”
It’s a hospital.
When people exchange scary stories, there are certain places that never fail to come up.
The military, schools, hospitals, haunted houses—those sorts of places.
The hospital held its own place among them confidently, so I could understand what Shin Yoseph was concerned about.
“But why that? Does your company have some connection to this hospital?”
“No, just.”
A shadow flickered across Shin Yoseph’s eyes, brief though it was.
“It’s a hospital I know.”
“…Is that so?”
“It’s a nice place. The facilities are excellent, and the medical staff is top-notch.”
I couldn’t quite figure it out.
Why Shin Yoseph had that particular look in his eyes.
But it was clear the reason wasn’t ordinary, and it seemed even less appropriate to ask, so Kang Hyung-seok simply nodded in silence.
“Right. Kang, so you won’t be able to discharge this week, then?”
“I haven’t heard anything about that either.”
“The Manager was hoping to know roughly when you might be discharged. Ah, of course we’re not rushing you? The Manager said your complete recovery is what matters most.”
At Daejeong Materials, only Shin Jung-ah knew.
What kind of life Kang Hyung-seok was living.
So she hoped he would take this opportunity to rest properly, and Shin Yoseph beside her felt the same way.
“Shingles requires careful management.”
Shin Jung-ah’s gaze turned toward him, and Shin Yoseph popped a tangerine segment into his mouth before continuing.
“I’ve already told the doctor, so we’ll proceed with other tests while letting you rest thoroughly.”
“Hey.”
“Just rest. You’ve lived well so far.”
Shin Yoseph frowned as he looked at Kang Hyung-seok.
“You have good people around you. Your colleagues will help you well, and if anything else comes up, I’ll handle it, so stay admitted until Friday of this week without complaint.”
“Sigh…”
Kang Hyung-seok exhaled heavily with a reluctant expression, and Shin Yoseph clicked his tongue irritably.
“If you want to discharge before Friday, pay the hospital bill and leave.”
“How much is it?”
“Ask the billing department.”
Shin Yoseph answered with a look that said “You’re going to be shocked.”
A VIP hospital room was truly expensive.
Roughly 1.2 million won per night.
Adding examination fees and treatment costs on top of that made the total even larger.
“Just rest while I’m paying for it. If you need anything, send me a message.”
Whoosh.
As Shin Yoseph rose to his feet, both Kang Hyung-seok and Shin Jung-ah’s eyes followed him.
“Are you leaving already?”
“I’ve confirmed you’re alive. That’s enough.”
Shin Yoseph gave Shin Jung-ah a look to come with him, and she awkwardly stood up.
“Then Kang, rest well.”
“Yes.”
As Shin Jung-ah followed Shin Yoseph out of the hospital room, Kang Hyung-seok leaned his head back against the headrest.
The dizziness and pain he had been suppressing came rushing back, distorting his face.
***
“Are you alright?”
Shin Yoseph, who had been about to get into his car at the Outdoor Parking Lot, turned to look at Shin Jung-ah.
“What do you mean?”
“Oh, this and that. You took time out of your schedule to come all the way here…”
Shin Yoseph let out a soft laugh and shook his head.
It was autumn, and the afternoon carried a refreshing chill.
Not a single cloud graced the sky, and though patients in hospital gowns occasionally wandered about, most wore civilian clothes, so the oppressive atmosphere unique to hospitals was absent.
“As you know, shingles causes considerable suffering.”
Shin Jung-ah smiled with an expression of resigned understanding, while Shin Yoseph pulled a cigarette from his pocket, then tucked it back away before continuing.
“That stubborn fool is gritting his teeth and enduring it all. I left early so he could rest easy and recover quickly.”
“…Yes.”
“I’ll give you a ride back to the Company. Get in.”
Shin Jung-ah climbed into the passenger seat with an apologetic smile.
Just as Shin Yoseph was about to get into the driver’s seat.
Vwooooom.
An ambulance without emergency lights passed in front of Shin Yoseph.
Shin Yoseph’s gaze became fixed on the ambulance as if captivated.
It was an ambulance transporting a deceased person.
“Director?”
Though Shin Jung-ah called out to him from the passenger seat, Shin Yoseph could not tear his eyes from the ambulance.
He knew this wasn’t right.
Yet the fact that he had seen that vehicle here, at this hospital, weighed on his mind.
With a start.
Shin Yoseph got into the driver’s seat.
Then, shaking his head to cast off old memories, he began driving toward Daejeong Materials.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————