Chapter 3

Mr. Cheonma gives a massage - Chapter 3 (3/309)

<Mr. Cheonma gives a massage Chapter 3>

“Hey, Seonghyun! Can you help me for a moment?”

“What’s up?”

“I’m trying to get the laundry done before it piles up too much.”

The uncle, who was carrying a basket, spoke to Seonghyun.

It seems the laundry had been piling up because there were many customers at the sauna today.

Seonghyun got up from his seat without a word.

“I need to gather these and put them in the washing machine, and also organize the ones that have been dried... Can you help me?”

“Of course, Uncle. It’s no big deal.”

Despite the age difference, Seonghyun smiled and said this.

He was already holding two laundry baskets and heading towards the washing machines.

“I’m sorry. The guy who was supposed to come flaked out.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

Seonghyun was working as a masseur, but as a part-time job, his turn to work didn’t come often.

Therefore, during his free time, he helped with small tasks.

Technically, he could just wait around, but no one dislikes a hardworking person at the workplace.

“Phew. Is this the last load of laundry?”

“Seems like it. It’s definitely easier with an extra pair of hands.”

Moreover, Seonghyun not only had a friendly demeanor but also a good knack for work.

In no time, they had sorted the laundry and were now heading to the dryer for the next task.

“Huh? It’s empty?”

“Someone must have emptied it.”

However, the dryer was completely empty.

Turning his head to look around, he saw someone already taking out the contents and folding the clothes and towels.

That someone was Kang Tae-han, who had come through Seonghyun’s introduction.

Though he wasn’t specifically called, he had followed Seonghyun and was helping out.

‘I should do my part for the pay I receive.’

Besides, just standing around didn’t suit his temperament.

Especially if it was a job he had taken on through someone’s recommendation.

Kang Tae-han silently moved his hands.

However, his movements were not ordinary.

Thud.

He lightly flicked the clothes, and they became as smooth as if ironed.

Thump.

He gently tapped the center with his palm, and it neatly folded in half.

Finally, he clapped his hands together, and the clothes and towels, which had just come out of the dryer and were quite wrinkled, were folded as if they were brand new.

The whole process took about 2 seconds.

His seemingly casual movements, which appeared almost indifferent, were efficiently sorting the piled-up laundry.

‘This brings back memories.’

Before he had the name tag “Cheonma,” when he had temporarily hidden in a martial arts sect through an old connection.

‘For two years, I did nothing but odd jobs.’

At that time, he had already reached a certain level in martial arts and had some fame, but his status as a new recruit meant he was treated like the lowest of the low.

Sweeping the floor, mopping, cooking, and doing laundry.

Under the guise of training, he was made to serve over a hundred people, and as a result, he became proficient in all kinds of household chores during his two years there.

The current movements of his hands were also something he had learned then.

A technique, one might say, that had reached the essence of folding laundry.

A martial art of daily life, naturally understood through the body while doing menial tasks.

“Seonghyun... You said your friend had a knack for work?”

“...Yeah, he does.”

“It’s more than just a knack, isn’t it?”

The two of them watched him for a while, dumbfounded.

It seemed that even if they tried to help, it would only get in the way.

After a bit of time passed,

“What, when did you get here?”

All the laundry that had been piled up was neatly folded, and Kang Tae-han was standing up after folding the last towel.

“I saw you were busy, so I helped out a bit... I hope it wasn’t an overreach. Is this the right way to do it?”

“Oh, overreach? No, no.”

“Hey Tae-han. What are you, man! Did you do laundry in the army or something?”

Only then did the two of them start to fuss.

It was indeed a scene worth fussing over.

“Sorry, student. I should have helped, but I was just watching because you did such a good job. You should go on a show for life skills or something.”

“Nah, that’s an exaggeration... No, it really is.”

Kang Tae-han swallowed the informal speech that almost slipped out of habit.

* * *

The three of them loaded the neatly folded clothes and towels onto a cart.

They were so well-folded that even when moved, the edges remained crisp.

“I’ll move these and go finish up.”

“Thanks, Uncle.”

“No, you guys did all the work. I’ll buy you a drink later!”

He pushed the cart into the elevator.

With the work done, Kang Tae-han and Seonghyun also headed back to the waiting room.

“...Ugh, my stomach hurts suddenly.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know. My stomach... I can’t. I’ll go in first.”

Seonghyun clutched his stomach and turned to leave.

In the direction of the restroom.

‘He’s always had a weak stomach... No, it’s normal for it to be the same after sixty years.’

Sixty years had passed, but that only applied to him.

Of course, something must have changed, given that he was allowed to be a masseur, but at least the time was the same as before.

‘I need to get younger too.’

His current age was in his mid-twenties.

The spirit of an eighty-year-old Cheonma, not only didn’t fit the times but also didn’t suit this body.

“The tone of voice is almost back... Hmm?”

“Hey! You’re here! What... What was your name again?”

Opening the door to the waiting room and stepping inside, Manager Hwang greeted him.

It seemed there was something going on.

“Kang Tae-han.”

“Right! Mr. Tae-han. That’s it.”

Manager Hwang nodded a couple of times.

“By the way, have you seen Seonghyun?”

“Seonghyun said his stomach hurts and went to the restroom.”

“Oh, man. The timing...”

Manager Hwang scratched his head, looking awkward, and then stared at Kang Tae-han for a while.

“By any chance... Have you ever done massage work before?”

“Hmm...”

It would depend on how broadly you define it, but if you really think about it, he had done some.

Helping with qi circulation, correcting twisted qi and blood... Such things had occasionally happened.

“I’ve done it to some extent.”

“To some extent...”

At this answer, Manager Hwang wiped his mouth.

It was an ambiguous answer, but if he had said he was very good and had a lot of experience, it might have been even more unsettling.

There’s nothing more unsettling than a confident new employee.

‘Seonghyun said he could only trust you...’

This customer was a complete first-timer.

In any business, first impressions are important, but especially in a massage parlor.

With a significant amount of money and time invested, people tend to avoid places that are just mediocre.

Therefore, Manager Hwang wanted to send someone whose skills were guaranteed, but...

‘Well, he does have a certificate, so he must have some skills.’

It was unsettling to send someone out on their first day, but if he had hired him, it would be a loss not to put him to work.

Manager Hwang nodded as if making a decision.

“Can Mr. Tae-han take a customer then?”

“I understand.”

“Do you remember the explanation you got at first? Just prepare and come out. I’ll let them know outside too.”

Manager Hwang glanced at Kang Tae-han’s face one last time before heading out.

“Well then...”

Alone, Kang Tae-han lightly checked his attire.

He was told to prepare, but there wasn’t much to prepare.

Just a minimal tidying up of his appearance was needed.

“Should I go?”

It was his first job.

He had come through a friend’s recommendation, and he needed the money, so he needed to show some results.

Kang Tae-han took a deep breath and stepped out.

‘Actually, my memory is a bit hazy...’

He remembered studying hard when he was getting his certificate.

He learned anatomy, theory, and did practical training in various places... But the content was hard to recall, only remembered as a distant memory.

After all, sixty years had passed.

It was inevitable that his memory would wear down.

‘I’ll figure it out somehow.’

With this mindset, Kang Tae-han arrived at Room 5.

The room, with massage beds lined up and partitions set up, had a decent appearance with ample spacing.

“Hello.”

“Ah, yes. Hello.”

As Kang Tae-han entered and greeted, Nam Woo-hyun, who was already lying face down on the bed, lifted his head and returned the greeting.

“Which part is uncomfortable...”

“Hmm... If I have to pick, my lower back and...”

As Kang Tae-hyan lightly scanned Nam Woo-hyun’s body, his expression changed.

“The balance of your lower back is off. With your lower back out of alignment, your spine has issues, and your blood circulation is poor... It’s been a long time since you’ve been in a clear state of mind.”

“Huh? Oh... Yes, that’s true.”

Though startled by the sudden change in Kang Tae-han’s tone, every word was accurate.

Nam Woo-hyun answered, taken aback.

“It seems you have a constitution that doesn’t handle alcohol well, yet you drink often... This is just a facade; inside, you’re not in good shape. Your body is tired, but you can’t get a good night’s sleep. Isn’t that right?”

“Yes... Yes, that’s correct.”

...Did I come to a fortune teller?

Nam Woo-hyun, without realizing it, started to reflect on his memories.