The Physician of Traditional Medicine Returns from Murim - Chapter 213

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 213

Rome, Italy.

The city where Park Miseun shone brightest in her youth, a place where both romance and sorrow were mixed together.

There were many good memories, and many bad ones too.

She attended classes with clumsy Italian, performed on glamorous stages, received criticism, and won competition prizes. She was hurt by racist conductors, but also comforted by fellow musicians who fought alongside her.

When her concerto was canceled and she fell while crying on her way home, severely injuring her hand, she thought the world was collapsing, but even that was all in the past now.

“Rome, how wonderful to see you again.”

The wistful feeling she had was probably because there were far more good memories after all.

“You’ve lived quite an eventful life, haven’t you?”

As she gradually shared old stories while receiving treatment, both the Korean Medicine Doctor treating her and the observing Doctor expressed admiration.

“Hehe, I burned it all up.”

She really thought she had burned it all.

During a time when she couldn’t live without music, she played piano, and played, and played again.

After dedicating herself to just one thing for over 20 years like that, something more precious than music finally appeared.

Or so she thought.

“I thought I had burned it all, but some embers remained. I’m thinking of performing again.”

After getting married and having two children, the brilliant stages and intense practice rooms gradually faded into memories of the past.

But recently, she couldn’t suppress her desire to play piano any longer.

Park Miseun opened her heart to a performance industry contact she knew.

“If Miseun would join us, we’d welcome you with open arms! I’ll plan a comeback recital right away! Ah, but you’re returning after almost 10 years – I hope our venue won’t seem too shabby?”

“Oh my, what are you saying? I wasn’t even expecting a recital. I was just asking if there might be a guest position available.”

But surprisingly, he immediately suggested a solo concert.

Would tickets even sell? She’d probably been forgotten by classical music enthusiasts long ago, wouldn’t she?

She worried greatly, but fortunately, the tickets sold out completely.

Park Miseun immersed herself even more in practice.

‘Ugh!’

But at some point, her fingers started hurting terribly.

‘Why now of all times…!’

It had been almost 4 years since the subtle pain first began.

At first, she thought something was wrong with the finger she had injured long ago in Rome, then wondered if she hadn’t recovered properly after childbirth.

The Doctor said that since her profession was pianist, excessive force had been applied to her finger joints over a long period.

In any case, it wasn’t severe back then.

She got better right away after just one acupuncture treatment.

It would hurt again when she thought she had exerted some force because of the Child, but she’d recover quickly after resting for just a day or two.

But now she couldn’t rest.

For the recital, she had to push forward without missing a single day.

‘This won’t do. It hurts too much.’

After enduring and enduring like that, the night before the concert.

The pain was so severe it brought tears to her eyes.

‘Let’s see, a Traditional Korean Medicine Clinic that’s open at night…’

She remembered a place recommended by an old acquaintance. They said there was a Traditional Korean Medicine Clinic that Melon Soda Horizon attended.

She didn’t know much about bands, but since her acquaintance’s Student, who was a music Professor, was a keyboard member, she had listened to quite a lot of Melon Soda Horizon’s music.

She had admired the passion of youth in the videos her acquaintance showed her, and since the introduced Traditional Korean Medicine Clinic wasn’t too far away, she had made up her mind to visit it later.

‘Thank goodness!’

It wasn’t too late yet.

Park Miseun immediately rushed to the Traditional Korean Medicine Clinic.

She agreed to the acupotomy treatment the Clinic Director proposed.

‘Kyaaaaaaah!’

Even while screaming internally, Park Miseun turned her head and endured it.

It didn’t hurt as much as she expected, but the very idea of being cut with a blade was frightening.

“Oh my goodness! It feels so comfortable!”

After the treatment ended, she bent and straightened her fingers.

“The movement is much better too?”

It was clearly different.

When she played a piece that came to mind in the air, it felt like a comfortable energy was spreading from her fingers.

“That’s right, isn’t it? If you rest well today, you’ll feel even more comfortable tomorrow. Sometimes it throbs more when it’s ambiguous, but Miseun’s fingers were so stiff that it should definitely feel refreshing.”

“Ah, what a relief!”

She thought her fingers might prevent her comeback, but it was the opposite.

Thanks to miraculously meeting this Clinic Director, she felt like she could show her best performance.

Her fingers felt so light.

Even though she had just come from playing piano right before coming to the Traditional Korean Medicine Clinic, her heart was pounding with the desire to perform again.

“Please make sure to rest today. Just the acupotomy alone was a big stimulus to your ligaments.”

…As if reading Park Miseun’s thoughts, the Korean Medicine Doctor emphasized once more.

Right, she should rest today. It was already night.

Don’t give it any more stimulation and rest well.

Listening to precautions like applying cold compresses if it felt stiff, Park Miseun left the Oriental Medicine Clinic.

Her condition was at its peak, absolutely perfect.

* * *

The next day, the day of the recital.

Despite it being a comeback after a very long time, an incredible number of people came to the concert.

The gazes of hundreds, thousands of people looking at the performer.

The thrill of pressing the first key.

The fulfillment of being completely immersed in the melody excited Park Miseun.

She had practiced enough, rehearsed enough, but nothing could match the beauty of the actual performance.

Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap.

Without knowing what she was thinking, the performance ended, and thunderous applause poured out.

Pride? Happiness? No, an exhilaration as if she had found the reason for living.

Park Miseun was endlessly thrilled.

A moment later, in the performer’s waiting room.

“Congratulations on your comeback. It was the best as always.”

“Oh my, Chairman, you came? If you had told me, I would have sent you an invitation…! Oh dear, I’m sorry. I just thought you would be busy.”

Familiar faces she hadn’t seen in a long time offered bouquets.

“I’m a retired old man, just an ordinary audience member, what invitation do I need? As a fan, I was just happy to hear pianist Park Miseun’s performance again before I die.”

“No, Chairman, why do you say such things!”

“When our virtuoso performed at Carnegie Hall, I followed all the way to New York, so how could I not come to downtown Busan that’s right at my doorstep?”

A connection that continued from being invited to perform at corporate events.

She hadn’t really publicized the concert news much, worried about being bothersome, but she never expected even Chairman Choi Gwi-jae to come.

“How have you been? Let’s have a meal together sometime.”

“I don’t really have anything particular to do, so going around with this friend is my only pleasure. Tomorrow is fine too.”

The friend who accompanied him turned out to be someone who runs a large gallery in Seoul.

Park Miseun also greeted her and made an appointment.

“Tomorrow is difficult because I have to go to the Oriental Medicine Clinic, but the day after that would be…”

“Oriental Medicine Clinic? I know a good place!”

“Ah, the clinic director at the Oriental Medicine Clinic I went to yesterday was also an amazing doctor.”

Chairman Choi Gwi-jae and his companion said that the director of the place they go to is absolutely the best.

Park Miseun just smiled and asked where that place was.

She had no particular intention of switching, but it wouldn’t hurt to know about it.

“Seongsuhaneui Clinic? You two also go there?”

“Pianist Park Miseun too?”

“Yes. I went there just yesterday and received acupotomy treatment for my fingers.”

“I’m close enough with that clinic director to go mountain climbing together.”

“Oh my, how surprising… I found out about it by chance, but it must be a really famous place? No wonder there was even a teacher from Rome there.”

Chairman Choi Gwi-jae’s companion even knew that doctor.

Apparently, he’s a doctor sponsored by an Italian tycoon that the clinic director used to treat.

“He’s planning to open a practice in Rome? That’s wonderful!”

The friends in Rome were also mostly Park Miseun’s age.

They were complaining about pain in their hands and shoulders from overusing instruments, as well as aches all over their bodies from aging.

She had been wanting to boast about her finger treatment anyway, so this worked out perfectly.

“When it opens, please introduce many people.”

“I should do that.”

Bending her fingers once more, Park Miseun nodded.

“Ah, we’ve kept you too long, haven’t we? We’ll be going now.”

“Thank you for coming. I’ll contact you first next time!”

Besides Chairman Choi Gwi-jae, there were quite a few people who wanted to greet her personally.

Park Miseun spent the recital’s after-party very happily.

* * *

‘Ah, Ms. Park Miseun.’

The name of the patient coming for her second treatment appeared on the chart.

She played piano right after receiving acupotomy treatment, but was it okay?

It was an unavoidable situation so I treated her that way, but I was worried that she might have gotten worse now after overexerting herself.

“Hello, Clinic Director.”

Unlike two days ago when she looked tired and anxious, today’s Park Miseun showed composure.

“The concert went well, I see.”

“Yes, thanks to you, I didn’t have to worry about my fingers at all. It was the best time.”

“Congratulations. How are you feeling now?”

“Hmm, it’s throbbing more than yesterday. But it’s much better than before the treatment the day before yesterday.”

Fortunately, it hadn’t gotten worse. This level was within the normal range of ups and downs.

“Today I’ll do acupuncture treatment. Let’s only do acupotomy once a week.”

At these words, Park Miseun felt greatly relieved.

“That’s a relief. I was actually a little scared.”

It’s hard to say this to a face that’s noticeably brighter, but…

“Acupuncture actually doesn’t not hurt.”

“Hup.”

For a moment it seemed like tears welled up in her eyes, but Park Miseun smiled brightly.

“If it’s necessary, I have to do it all. I want to recover and get back to full activity again.”

Her determination was clear, which was very good.

Opposite to Kim Jaegyu’s case where doing something helps with treatment, this was a condition where resting as much as possible was better.

Though not as much as Melon Soda Horizon, I emphasized the part about using her hands as little as possible.

“I’ll do that.”

Park Miseun even told me about meeting other patients from our Oriental Medicine Clinic at the concert.

Chairman Choi Gwi-jae and Grandmother Heo Sunnam.

Chairman Choi Gwi-jae seemed like he would participate in all cultural activities, but Grandmother Heo Sunnam… Ah, she doesn’t look it, but thinking about it, she was much more closely connected to the arts.

I’m the only one whose cultural life consists of games.

“And if you’re interested in classical music, I’ll get you invitation tickets next time!”

Classical music.

I haven’t encountered it even once since high school music class.

“It would be an honor.”

Taking an interest in this opportunity would be fi-, fine, right?

Park Miseun, who noticed my shallow cultural knowledge, smiled.

“My performance won’t be boring.”

Well, even someone ignorant of martial arts would be amazed watching the Heavenly Demon’s Sovereign Steps.

This person did give off an atmosphere like a peak master. More precisely, it felt like a retired martial hero running a dumpling shop.

“Then I’ll give you acupuncture treatment.”

“Kup!”

Even though it’s just receiving acupuncture, I can feel the spirit of Guan Yu enduring surgery, can’t I?

“B-by the way, did that teacher who came from Italy go back?”

Perhaps talking while receiving treatment was less painful, as Park Miseun brought up Sandro’s story.

“Not to Rome, he went back to Seoul.”

I briefly told her about his situation.

That he was studying in Seoul and planned to open a clinic like our Oriental Medicine Clinic in Italy in the future.

“Ah… Please let me know when you open the Rome branch! I want to tell my friends.”

“I will. Though it’ll probably take at least 3 more years.”

Even if it’s just polite words, I’m grateful.

“There, I’ve placed them all. Today is acupuncture treatment, so you’ll stay like this for about 20 minutes.”

“Yes, thank you, Clinic Director.”

After finishing Park Miseun’s treatment, I returned to the examination room.

We had been together every day, chatting about this and that.

They say you don’t notice when someone’s there, but you notice when they’re gone – without him here, it felt somewhat empty.

Sandro returned to Seoul happily saying he had learned a lot in many ways, but I too had unintentionally learned good things from him.

Things like how to easily find overseas papers, and Taichi.

Today during treatment, Kim Jaegyu also brought up stories about the Taichi dojang.

Luckily, the master of the Taichi school that Kim Jaegyu and Shin Yongmin knocked on was a very passionate person.

“He called it moving meditation. I’m still only learning the basics, but later it seems we’ll also wield spears and staffs.”

“Ooh…”

He told me about various training methods, and beyond loosening muscles, it was faithful to the essence of opening meridians to receive energy and resonating with heaven and earth.

That’s good?

Besides Kim Jaegyu, there were quite a few patients at our Oriental Medicine Clinic who needed mental cultivation.

For instance, Mr. Kim Jinsang… Should I recommend it next time he comes? Maybe Park Seon-yun is busy – both of them have been scarce lately.

Ding-dong-.

As soon as I thought that.

Kim Jinsang’s name appeared on the chart.

They say even tigers come when you talk about them.

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