Chapter 5

<Chapter 5 of "Mr. Cheon's Massage">

'Too much force, maybe.'

After the first customer, Nam Uhyeon, left the room, Gang Taehan recalled what had just happened while tidying up.

'I must have unconsciously focused too much.'

Originally, he planned to follow the manual he was given and just do a moderate job.

But the moment he entered and saw the man's condition, his body moved on its own without him realizing it.

Where the problem was, how to look at it.

A rough picture formed in his mind, and his hands moved according to that picture.

He was so focused on that he didn't even pay attention to his tone of voice from the middle of the session.

...Or maybe it was from the beginning.

This should have been an easy task, but it seems his concentration has dropped along with his body's return.

'There might be a complaint if I'm not careful.'

Speaking informally to a customer in a service industry is unacceptable.

This is common sense that Gang Taehan, who spent sixty years in the martial world, still remembers.

"Wait a moment, Mr. Taehan!"

After finishing the cleanup and stepping out, the manager, Mr. Hwang, called out to Gang Taehan, who was standing in the lobby.

His expression was stiff, making it hard to guess his intentions.

"Is there something wrong?"

"Something wrong? Yes! Hahaha."

But the next moment, the corners of Mr. Hwang's mouth curled up, and he burst into a hearty laugh.

"Mr. Taehan, your skills are amazing! The customer just asked for your name and even took the shop's business card, looking like he's going to become a regular!"

Taking the shop's business card and asking for the masseur's name are both strong signals of a high likelihood of return visits and indicate a very high level of satisfaction with the visit.

To be honest, it's a massage shop attached to a sauna.

Most customers come in after using the sauna, and securing regular customers is quite difficult.

Therefore, leaving a good impression on the first visit is crucial, and such a positive response is truly beyond expectations.

"Honestly, I was a bit worried, but it seems my concerns were unfounded. Please keep it up next time."

"Understood."

Gang Taehan smiled.

He was also worried, but feeling good that things went well.

He had also saved face for Choi Sung-hyun, who recommended him.

"Sorry, I've been keeping you standing here when you must be tired. Go in and rest."

Mr. Hwang suddenly felt apologetic, realizing that Gang Taehan had just finished his work.

"Then I'll go in."

"Sure~"

Gang Taehan bowed slightly and headed to the waiting room.

Mr. Hwang quietly watched him leave and then let out a small sigh of admiration.

"Wow. Is he really the same age as Sung-hyun? He doesn't look like a student at all."

Working at a sauna, you see many people, and naturally, you develop a good eye for people.

Mr. Hwang could usually gauge a person's character after a brief conversation, but ...

This student, Gang Taehan, was hard to describe.

He had a different depth, an unusual aura.

In any case, he was certainly not just a regular college student.

* * *

"Phew."

Meanwhile, in the waiting room, Gang Taehan leaned back in a chair inside the changing room.

This was the least frequented spot in the area.

'I need to release it soon.'

Gang Taehan sat cross-legged on the chair.

His hands rested lightly on his knees.

His eyes closed slowly, like falling down feathers, and his consciousness focused inward.

The excessive vitality (生氣) in Nam Uhyeon's lower dantian.

It had accumulated to the point of obstructing blood flow and was now transferred to Gang Taehan's dantian.

The Absorption Great Technique (吸星大法).

A martial art that absorbs the opponent's qi, it was the first stroke of luck Gang Taehan obtained in the martial world and the skill that allowed him to survive.

'I never thought I'd use this again.'

The Absorption Great Technique can be used without inner strength.

In fact, the less inner strength you have, the easier it is to use.

The principle is to empty your dantian and use the pressure difference to draw in the opponent's qi.

However, the Absorption Great Technique only absorbs the opponent's qi.

To make the absorbed qi your own requires a separate process.

If you accept the absorbed qi as is, you might suffer, and if the qi is extremely incompatible, you could even fall into madness. Caution is necessary.

...But, it's something he used to experience frequently.

Gang Taehan slowly raised his hands.

He channeled the qi in his body to his hands.

To his right hand, he sent his inner strength from the middle dantian.

To his left hand, he sent the vitality absorbed from Nam Uhyeon's lower dantian.

After feeling the qi fill both hands, he drew large circles to form a Taiji pattern and brought his hands together in the center.

Then, slowly, in a completely relaxed state, he let the force of his hands pulling each other bring them together naturally, completing the prayer gesture.

The Great Clear Heart Technique (太淸心功) of the Wu Dang School.

The Muscle Changing Classic (易筋經) of the Shaolin Temple.

Gang Taehan used the principles of these two techniques to create a method for refining and storing inner strength within the body.

The two energies in his hands harmonized through the principle of the Great Clear Heart Technique, were purified through the principle of the Muscle Changing Classic, and merged into one through the prayer gesture.

Finally, he channeled the refined inner strength back to his dantian to complete the process.

Gang Taehan slowly opened his eyes.

"Phew."

He exhaled deeply.

It had only been about two minutes, but his entire body was drenched in sweat, and he felt drained.

If the amount absorbed had been just twice as much, he would have collapsed from exhaustion.

'But ... it's not a bad result.'

The qi absorbed from Nam Uhyeon.

Compared to his time in the martial world, it was a minuscule amount, like a grain of sand.

However, for the current Gang Taehan, it was a feast.

The vitality that had accumulated to the point of affecting blood flow.

Even though a regular person's dantian is not very large, it was still about 1.5 times the amount of inner strength Gang Taehan currently possessed.

Of course, there was some loss during the absorption process, and the qi had become stagnant due to long-term accumulation, but even so, his inner strength had doubled.

"Massage ... it might not be as bad as I thought."

In modern times, nutrition is abundant, and dieting is a virtue.

There might not be many customers like the one just now, but they won't be rare either.

If so, there will be plenty of opportunities to build up his inner strength.

Getting paid and building inner strength. It's like killing two birds with one stone.

"Hey, Taehan! What are you doing here?"

At that moment, Choi Sung-hyun appeared, opening the changing room door.

He had just finished his massage and was now entering the waiting room.

"I was resting."

"It's cool outside. Why are you in here?"

"I left my smartphone in my clothes."

Gang Taehan held up his smartphone and shook it.

It was a not-so-bad excuse that just came to mind.

* * *

The part-time job was not bad, as Choi Sung-hyun had said.

Sitting in the waiting room, helping with small tasks when they came up, and going out to massage customers when it was his turn.

This cycle continued.

"Sir, are you always here? I'd like to visit again next time..."

"This was the best massage I've ever had."

Gang Taehan had two more customers after that, and their satisfaction was generally good.

Even though his tone had shifted to informal during the massage, as it did the first time.

'Something about their attitude seemed to change subtly before and after the massage.'

Was it because he was younger than most masseurs?

One customer had a displeased look when Gang Taehan first entered.

But after the massage, he naturally called him "sir."

It wasn't just that.

All three customers today seemed to become more respectful after the massage.

'Well ... there were no complaints, so it's fine.'

Since everything went smoothly, it should be okay.

Gang Taehan shrugged, changed his clothes, and came out.

It was already time to go home.

"Good job, Sung-hyun."

"Haha, it was a bit tough today."

"There were a lot of customers. How about we do the evening shift since you worked hard?"

"No way."

Mr. Hwang's suggestion made Choi Sung-hyun wave his hand.

Mr. Hwang chuckled at his reaction.

"What about you, Mr. Taehan? No interest in the evening shift?"

"I have somewhere to go."

"Hmm ... if you work until evening, I can raise your hourly wage a bit."

"Really?"

"Not for you."

"Ah ... why?"

He tried to make a deal, but it only worked on Choi Sung-hyun, not Gang Taehan.

Gang Taehan just smiled.

"Thank you, but I really have something to do today. Let's talk about it tomorrow."

"Understood. You worked hard today ... here, your performance bonus."

Mr. Hwang took out an envelope from his pocket.

"Are you giving me cash right away?"

"Haha. I only give the first day's performance bonus in cash. It's a way to encourage you to do well in the future."

Gang Taehan bowed and took the envelope.

The performance bonus was quite substantial, and the thickness of the envelope felt good.

'Good.'

He was just about to run out of money for public transportation, so getting cash right away was a relief.

"How was your first day?"

"Not bad. I'm glad I came."

On the way out after receiving the money.

Choi Sung-hyun asked, and Gang Taehan answered honestly.

"Haha, right? I thought it would suit you. Mr. Hwang was a bit worried at first, but he seems to be very pleased now."

Choi Sung-hyun smiled, looking genuinely happy.

"Hey, you're not going home?"

"I'm going to stop by somewhere first."

At the intersection where the subway lines split.

Choi Sung-hyun finally remembered.

"Oh, right, you said you had something to do."

"Did you think I was lying?"

"Usually, when someone says that at work, it means they want to rest. Anyway, see you tomorrow."

Choi Sung-hyun waved and went into the station.

Gang Taehan waved a couple of times and turned around.

He glanced at the subway map in front of him.

'The bus terminal ... this is the right direction.'

He was unsure if he was taking the right train, but the map confirmed his memory was correct.

'Please be safe ... no, nothing has changed.'

Despite his inner worries.

Although not much time had passed here, it had been sixty years since Gang Taehan last saw his father.