Chapter 9: The Tightrope and the Swing [5] At Pyeonsu's words, Yeoni grabbed hold of Kanghyeok's pant leg.
Since it had not been tied very tightly, it nearly came right off.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"I'm sorry. Isn't it improper to send off our benefactor like this?"
At some point, Yeoni had gone back to using a man's voice.
"Hm?"
Kanghyeok laughed in disbelief.
She had let her hair down, yet she was still pretending to be a man.
When he laughed like that, the rest of the troupe also stepped in to block his way.
The one who had been the most enthusiastic, in particular, was the fellow who had been waving the club around earlier.
It seemed he was acting that way because he knew he had done wrong.
"My lord! I committed a mortal offense. Please put aside your anger and at least share one drink with us!"
"Well now."
He had not really been angry to begin with, so with them acting like this, he had little choice.
When he turned his head, he saw that Dolseok had already promptly sat back down.
He was grinning from ear to ear and had even begun pouring drinks with his own hand.
He had said he would pay for everything himself, but now that he had a chance to save money, he looked delighted.
"Very well, then. It'll be my first time drinking alcohol here too."
At Kanghyeok's words, Dolseok briefly looked stunned.
If anyone in Suwon were asked who could drink the best, Baek Kanghyeok would always be among the first names mentioned.
As far as Dolseok knew, just three days ago he had gotten thoroughly drunk here.
Of course, no one said that aloud.
No matter what, Kanghyeok was the most powerful person in the room.
"Then let me have a taste."
When Kanghyeok held out his cup, the Pyeonsu quickly poured him a drink.
"I am Wolbaek, the Pyeonsu of this troupe, though I would prefer it if you simply called me Pyeonsu."
"Very well."
Kanghyeok began drinking the liquor in big gulps.
"Khh."
The taste drew a groan from him.
The color was clear, so it looked exactly like soju, but the flavor was surprisingly complex.
Sweet, yet also tart… good.
Even at hospital company dinners, Kanghyeok had never been the sort to toss drinks back in one shot.
Yet a habit was hard to kill, and here too he downed it in a single gulp.
The way he drank so boldly seemed to please the troupe greatly.
"My lord, I am Yeoni. Please have a drink from me as well."
"Ah, yes."
"And please do not tell anyone elsewhere that I am a woman. If it gets out, it will cause great trouble."
"Don't worry."
Keeping secrets was second nature to him.
If he started listing all the secrets he had learned from patients, several sleepless nights would not be enough.
Kanghyeok nodded easily and accepted the drink.
Next came the man who had been on the swing.
He had already put aside the club he had been carrying and approached on his knees.
"My lord, I am Makbong. I am sorry for what happened earlier."
"It's fine. Just pour."
Kanghyeok looked genuinely cool about it.
It was not to this extent, but even in the hospital he had dealt more than once with threats from patients' guardians.
That kind of relationship always improved when the patient improved, and worsened when the patient worsened.
So there was no reason for concern now.
There were many besides Yeoni and Makbong who wanted to offer Kanghyeok a drink.
Not only was he the Pyeonsu's benefactor, but the way he drank was so bold that he practically radiated the air of a heroic man.
Kanghyeok was not the kind of person to refuse a drink offered to him.
And besides, his mind was already in turmoil.
So he kept taking them one after another and ended up thoroughly drunk.
Ironically, Dolseok, who had been the one wanting to drink, barely got any at all because he had to look after his master.
"Then I'll see you again next time."
Leaning against Dolseok's broad shoulder, Kanghyeok offered his farewell.
"Yes, my lord. I pay my respects."
Makbong bowed deeply.
At the last moment, Yeoni came trotting up and asked,
"Um… my lord. When should I come again to receive my father's medicine?"
"You must come every day. For now, come to my house tomorrow."
"Ah, yes. Then I'll come see you as soon as the curfew is lifted."
"Good, good."
And so Kanghyeok and Dolseok left the gisaeng house.
Inside, at least, lamps had been lit, so it was bright, but outside it was pitch dark.
Dolseok had to hold up a torch carefully.
"Young master, it wasn't even that fine a drink. How did you manage to drink so much?"
Kanghyeok only smiled silently. After drinking his fill, his thoughts had become clearer instead.
No matter how I look at it, I can't think of any way to go back.
Even the last hope that this might all be a dream had been completely crushed.
What kind of dream could be this vivid?
How could one experience things in a dream that one had never even known?
Do I really have to keep living here…?
Kanghyeok walked on, half leaning against Dolseok.
Dolseok looked very used to supporting his master. Apparently he had done it many times before.
If that's the case… I can't just live like this.
In the darkness, Kanghyeok's eyes flashed.
It was not for nothing that he had become a professor at such a young age and risen to be a central figure at the hospital.
He had ambition—the desire to be better than others—and he also had the ability to achieve it.
Being suddenly dropped into Joseon was not enough to change that easily.
With this, it'll be possible.
Kanghyeok looked down at the house-call bag he was gripping so tightly that the veins stood out on his hand.
Then he shook his head and straightened away from Dolseok.
"My drunkenness is fading now. Let's go slowly. We can look at the stars."
"What? Good grief, don't we see those stars every day?"
"No, what's with a servant talking back so much?"
"Understood. But we can't go too slowly. The curfew bell will ring soon."
"Ah, right. That, we should be careful about."
"Yes, yes. Maybe not for you, young master, but my backside will burn."
By the time they got back slowly, Seungmun was out on the wooden floor of the hall.
He looked expressionless, but on closer inspection there was regret on his face.
Was this not the very moment when his only son was finally beginning to amount to something?
And yet, after just one day, the boy had come home thoroughly soaked in drink, which did not sit well with him at all.
"So, you've come back now?"
It was the sort of tone that expected no proper answer.
Considering how his son had behaved until now, that was only natural.
The problem was that the Kanghyeok before him was not the same Kanghyeok as before.
By now, Kanghyeok had already made up his mind to a degree.
If there was no knowing when he might return, then for the time being, he would make sure to rise properly here as well.
"Yes, Father. I came back a little late."
"A little? Can you not hear the bell right now?"
Indeed, the distant sound of the bell could be heard.
The curfew bell announcing the nighttime restriction.
That alone proved how late Kanghyeok had returned.
"I can hear it."
"So your ears are not blocked after all. You fool. You're already twenty-four. Shouldn't you be doing something with yourself by now?"
Twenty-four.
No wonder his body had felt somewhat lighter.
Kanghyeok glanced down at his own hand.
The skill in these hands, the knowledge in his head, and the supplies inside the bag.
Even if he could not achieve exactly what the old man wanted, he could certainly achieve something not far from it.
"Please do not worry. I was already planning to do something."
The firmness in his voice made him sound nothing like a drunk man.
And because of that, even Seungmun's force softened.
When he had been in office, he had been such an upright official that everyone feared him.
Yet before his son, he was nothing more than a weak father.
"Fine. Do as you please. I'm going to bed. That is all the greeting I need."
"Yes. Sleep well."
Seungmun turned and went straight back into his room.
At first Kanghyeok had thought it was only his appearance, but even his personality was the spitting image of his late father.
That old man is trying so hard to act stern. Even though he won't be able to keep it up in the end.
If he had to pick one good thing about being here, it was surely seeing that old man.
It felt like facing the father he had thought he would never see again.
At the very least, I should let the old man see me succeed.
A person might look healthy, but there was no knowing when old age would take them.
That would be all the more true in Joseon.
As he stood there blankly for a moment, Dolseok approached and whispered,
"The air is still cold. Please go inside."
"Ah, right. You must be tired too. Go and get some rest."
"Yes, young master."
After sending Dolseok in, Kanghyeok entered his room.
He still held the house-call bag in his hand, and the medicine he had taken out earlier was still in his pocket.
First… I need to see exactly how this works.
Kanghyeok placed the house-call bag and the medicine from his pocket far apart from each other before lying down.
If his guess was right, then by morning all the medicine would be back inside the bag.
If that really happens… I might end up living even better here than I did in Korea.
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