I Became the Oriental Doctor for Divine Beasts - Chapter 20

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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I had become a doctor of herbal medicine for the Divine Beings.
#20
My aunt Soon-mi covered her mouth with her hand, then studied my expression carefully.
“Oh dear, I’m sorry. I spoke carelessly.”
If I were the same as before, I would have clamped my mouth shut right then, and the conversation would have died.
Because all that lived in my heart was resentment—that my mother had abandoned me and left.
But things were different now.
The resentment was still deep, yet at the same time, an inexplicable curiosity was growing stronger by the day.
‘Maybe mother had her own reasons for doing what she did….’
That small possibility kept me from hating her blindly.
I hesitated for a moment, then gently took Soon-mi’s hand.
“No, Aunt. It’s actually good to know that someone misses Mom.”
“Oh, Yeon-hee….”
My aunt’s eyes grew red with surprise.
“Are you doing better now?”
“……No, not really. I still hate Mom for leaving without a word. But I’m trying to think about it differently.”
“Well, that’s something. You’ve thought this through well.”
Aunt Soon-mi smiled, hesitated for a moment, then unexpectedly revealed something surprising.
“In that case… would you like to come by our cafe sometime? The truth is, your mother left behind a diary, and I found it hidden deep in the cafe not long ago.”
“A… diary?”
“I couldn’t tell you all this time because you seemed to struggle whenever your mother came up, but I think it’s time to give it to you now.”
My breath caught in my chest.
Mother’s diary. Ordinarily, I would have asked her to throw it away, but not anymore.
A secret I’d wanted to know yet feared to know was drawing closer.
My throat grew hot of its own accord.
“……I have an appointment today, but I can come tomorrow.”
“All right, I’ll be waiting.”
I cleared my throat and forced a smile, and Aunt Soon-mi nodded.
Tomorrow, I might finally face the truth my mother had left behind.
My heart beat carefully, mingling fear and anticipation.
* * *
That evening, after finishing my consultations, I hurried to the appointed place.
The dinner was to take place at the Fine Dining Restaurant on the top floor of Baekho Department Store.
The director had said, “Today’s patient is rather special,” which had filled me with curiosity.
But then—.
‘……?’
As I approached the department store, something felt off about the atmosphere.
There were far more vehicles on the street than usual, and I could see more security personnel.
In particular, on the sidewalk in front of the building, beautifully dressed young women had gathered in small groups.
They all wore cameras around their necks, and each time the automatic doors opened, they screamed—only to turn away disappointed moments later.
“Is he really coming here today?”
“That’s what they say. I’ve been waiting for five hours already.”
“I haven’t even eaten lunch. I’m getting his face today no matter what.”
Some people were even crouching on the ground, rummaging through piles of trash.
“Check if a receipt came out!”
“Could that be a can he threw away? He said he liked that drink last time.”
“Collect all the cigarette butts too.”
The moment I heard those words, my spine went cold.
Their eyes glittered in a way that was far too intense.
A madness mixing ecstasy and obsession—eyes that couldn’t belong to a sane person.
‘……What on earth is this commotion?’
Could it be because of the Divine Being patient I was supposed to meet today?
The street was already crowded with people heading home from work.
This crowd had completely taken over the sidewalk.
Camera flashes, murmuring voices, excited laughter all mixed together—it felt like a war zone.
I clutched my handbag and carefully squeezed my way through the people.
“Excuse me, just one moment.”
That’s when it happened.
Thud—!
Someone from behind shoved my shoulder hard.
My body lurched forward and I nearly fell.
“Ah……!”
I managed to catch my balance, but my handbag tumbled to the ground.
They merely glanced at me; not one of them apologized.
I suppressed my sigh and bent down.
‘Not even a sorry. Unbelievable.’
Then I heard giggling from somewhere.
“Hey, did you see? She should have dressed up.”
“I don’t want to be treated the same way as her.”
“My oppa doesn’t like tacky people like that.”
I turned around sharply, and their gazes fixed directly on me.
They didn’t avoid my eyes; instead, they snickered even more.
‘Are they… talking about me?’
Since I’d come straight from the clinic, I was wearing a shirt and slacks.
To their heavily made-up eyes, I must have looked painfully plain.
I picked up my handbag and took a measured breath, then fixed them with a steady stare.
“What? Why are your eyes so wide?”
“Look at her face. She’s hilarious.”
I could hear their sneering laughter from behind, but I didn’t let it bother me any longer.
I turned and walked straight into the department store.
* * *
I barely made it to the restaurant ten minutes early.
The Fine Dining Restaurant was located in a space connected to the Rooftop Garden of Baekho Department Store.
When the elevator doors opened, soft lighting and the scent of flowers greeted me first.
‘Wow……. It’s so spacious, but there’s not a single other guest?’
I looked around the restaurant in wonder.
It appeared that the entire time slot had been reserved just for me and today’s Divine Being patient.
Though my counterpart hadn’t arrived yet.
‘Should I take a look at the garden while I wait?’
I set my handbag on the table the staff had shown me and turned toward the garden.
The moment I opened the door, admiration escaped my lips.
Beyond the glass railing, Seoul’s night skyline sparkled, and the garden was filled with seasonal flowers in orderly bloom.
“Wow……!”
As I strolled through the garden, savoring its refined beauty, I saw something.
At the far end, where shadow and light converged, the silhouette of a man appeared.
Long legs, angular shoulders, sleek frame. At a glance, star power radiated from him unmistakably.
A moment later, I stifled a gasp of surprise.
‘No… Yang Si-heon?!’
The currently hugely popular Warm-hearted Handsome Man star.
That actor I’d always seen in various dramas and commercials—Yang Si-heon.
‘So today’s Divine Being patient was him all along?’
That explained why there had been so many obsessed fans at the department store. He was an actor with an enormous following, even if not an idol.
I started to approach him warmly, but stopped dead in my tracks.
His face was nothing like the warm smile I’d seen on screens.
Click—.
He lit a cigarette with a blank expression.
Then he exhaled the smoke in a long stream and gazed into the distance with a contemptuous look in his eyes.
His face was hollow, as if only the shell remained.
‘Huh……?’
I was genuinely shocked by the sight.
He felt disturbingly alien compared to the gentle atmosphere he’d shown on TV.
I was frozen in place, neither moving forward nor back.
Then a figure approached Yang Si-heon.
“Excuse me, Yang Si-heon.”
It was a young woman in the restaurant’s staff uniform.
She hesitantly spoke to him, then, gathering her courage, carefully held out a letter with both hands.
“I… I’m a fan! Since a long time ago….”
“Oh, thank you so much.”
Yang Si-heon quickly hid his cigarette-holding hand behind his back, then smiled warmly and accepted the letter respectfully.
With that kind and gentle face everyone knew.
Watching the scene, I couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief.
‘Right. I must have misread that expression from before.’
He really was a gentle and kind-hearted person after all….
That’s when it happened.
“……!!”
I clapped my hand over my mouth.
The moment the staff member was far enough away, Si-heon’s face went blank again.
He looked down at the letter in his hand.
Sizzle—.
He stubbed out his lit cigarette on the letter.
Then he crumpled the letter—now with a hole burned through it—and carelessly tossed it into a nearby trash bin.
As if he’d touched something filthy, he brushed his hands clean and nonchalantly rubbed the back of his neck.
‘……Who is this person?’
The shocking sight chilled my heart.
There was nothing here of the “Warm-hearted Handsome Man star” I knew.
Just then, Si-heon turned toward the restaurant.
“……!”
Without thinking, I hid myself away in a secluded corner to avoid him.
If he caught me witnessing that scene, it would be awkward for us both.
Yang Si-heon returned to the restaurant without ever noticing me, his footsteps echoing.
“…….”
After a moment’s thought, I headed toward the trash bin.
Peering inside, I found it—the crumpled fan letter.
Sudden anger surged through me.
‘This is too much! What if that staff member finds this while cleaning?’
Even if he couldn’t write back, he should at least show some sincerity in his attitude.
To discard a fan’s precious feelings like this!
I thought of Aunt Soon-mi, who had been so excited about seeing him.
Even my own memories of enjoying the dramas he’d appeared in felt like they were being mocked.
‘If it’s going to be thrown away, it should at least be disposed of somewhere else.’
In the end, I picked up the letter Yang Si-heon had discarded and slipped it into my pants pocket.
Then, with a heavy sigh, I turned my steps back toward the restaurant.

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