Chapter 8

Chapter 8

If Successful One Million Won

Secretary Lee tilted her head while looking at the photo uploaded to SNS.

“Interesting···.”

A few days ago.

Going to donate food to a free meal service operated by a church under the representative’s instruction, she heard a strange story.

That an unidentified person in plague doctor attire came to places where homeless people gathered once a day, up to twice, for several days in October.

Approaching only people who caught a cold or flu, the content of the sketchbook he unfolded was···.

[I will defeat bad illnesses]

Most laughed it off saying they’ve seen all kinds of crazy bastards, but a few believed they recovered from the illness thanks to that.

「Do you think I can’t even distinguish between a drinking illness and a cold? Are you ignoring me?」

「The cough got better and the fever dropped sharply so my mind became clear. It’s certain. I was in a state where I couldn’t drink even a sip of alcohol for several days because I had no money.」

「After shaking hands with that guy, the thoroughly hoarse throat recovered without a trace?!」

The homeless person photographed with the ‘Plague Doctor’ said this.

「Why do you keep coming and asking the same thing! What, you’re not the young lady who came before?」

He also said that after meeting the ‘Plague Doctor’, the cold that stuck for several days seemed to drop off.

Secretary Lee searched ‘plague doctor’ on the internet.

The hat and bird-beak mask, gloves and cross necklace of the ‘Plague Doctor’ in the SNS photo.

All were things included in the plague doctor costume set sold on the internet.

‘Is it someone from another pharmaceutical company? But there was no story of distributing something or performing medical acts. There were also times they just waved their hand over the homeless person’s head saying they’d pray.’

Secretary Lee frowned.

‘What on earth is it? Coincidence? Or an urban legend? No, for an urban legend it’s too··· vivid.’

One comment stood out.

-I really want to meet, where can I see you if I go? Has anyone seen them recently?

The one who left the comment was the indie active singer-songwriter Happy Quokka.

Happy Quokka also uploaded a post like this on her own account along with a gift box photo.

[Plague Doctor who came to cheer for the K University festival rehearsal, please send DMㅜㅜ #PlagueDoctor #KUniversityFestival #HappyQuokka]

‘The ‘Plague Doctor’ visited Happy Quokka who was rehearsing, and after that Happy Quokka searched for the whereabouts of the ‘Plague Doctor’. Why?’

Secretary Lee who was inferring let out a laugh.

“What is this? It’s fun because it’s like a comic?”

Buzz.

“Ah, startled me.”

After clearing her throat she calmly received the call.

“Yes, Representative.”

-[Secretary Lee, sorry but can you go to our daughter’s house now?]

“What matter is it···.”

-[Don’t ask and a bit quickly. Please?]

Click.

Secretary Lee let out a big sigh while turning off the PC power.

‘Is your household matter company work? Huh?’

While pouring complaints inwardly, she headed to the officetel where the representative’s daughter stays.

Pressing the password and entering, a strong herbal medicine smell wafted.

“Unni···.”

A woman with a ghostly appearance wriggled on the bed. Pitch-black long hair undulated like seaweed stems.

The daughter of Kanggeon Pharmaceutical’s representative, Kang Nara.

A musical actress who only just got a supporting role.

Kang Nara sobbed in a thoroughly hoarse voice.

“Save me a bit···. I have to start practice from tomorrow, in this state I’ll get cut···.”

It was an obvious statement, but being the daughter of a pharmaceutical company representative didn’t make her immune to the flu.

Secretary Lee closed her eyes for a moment.

‘Representative bastard, what do you want me to do.’

It was calling her to nurse his daughter.

And on a holiday Saturday.

It was workplace power abuse report material, but would the representative not know that? He’s power abusing while confident she won’t quit over this much.

Ding.

Two million won was deposited from the representative.

‘Yeah, if he gives money it’s not power abuse. I’ll be loyal, representative bastard.’

Anyway at this moment, it was natural that the ‘Plague Doctor’ came to mind. The protagonist of the unbelievable rumor that magically cured the homeless people’s colds.

‘If it’s a person who can really cast such magic, I want to find and bring them right away.’

The money the representative sent now was not simply a nursing labor fee. It was pressure to somehow prevent any hindrance to his daughter’s matter.

If Kang Nara’s casting gets canceled like this, instead of saying to return the money he’ll make things tiring for a while.

“You took the medicine, right? Sleep for now. Don’t talk much.”

“Yeah···.”

Secretary Lee wiped Kang Nara’s face thoroughly soaked with sweat, and covered the blanket well too.

When Kang Nara barely fell asleep, Secretary Lee checked SNS again. Because it was boring, and she wanted to learn more about the ‘Plague Doctor’.

‘Huh?’

One SNS.

[Met a plague doctor in Hongdaeㅎㅎ They took a photo together #Hongdae #PlagueDoctor]

A person whose only the mask differed from the ‘Plague Doctor’ in the photo taken with the homeless person was photographed.

She checked the comments.

-I also went to Hongdae that day and saw this personㅎㅎ The mask too and the fit was so good that my gaze kept goingㅎㅎ Seeing they were with Happy Quokka-nim it seems they’re from that side

└Happy Quokka?

└They’re a singer-songwriter

‘Happy Quokka again? ···Ah, I see.’

The puzzle fit.

‘The ‘Plague Doctor’ saw Happy Quokka’s SNS, and eventually the two met!’

She entered Happy Quokka’s account again.

Just in time there was a new song promotion performance in Hongdae today.

***

I visited the abandoned animal shelter full of dog barking sounds.

The weekend weather where the blind date disappeared was very clear.

“Excited at the thought of leveling up~. Treat the sick doggies and cats~.”

The bizarre self-composed song only hummed in the car.

As soon as I got out I closed my mouth, and put on dustproof clothes instead of the outerwear.

The shelter staff approached with a welcoming face.

“Really thank you for coming today too, Bong-sik.”

“No. There are many volunteers today?”

About a dozen men and three women were gathered.

Usually the female ratio was high but what’s this.

Anyway since there are many people it’ll end quickly today. [Contagious Disease Patient] is visible, but today I’ll only treat animals.

Tell people to go to the hospital on their own.

“That···.”

“Hello.”

A man among the gathered group approached.

“By any chance are you Shin Sarang?”

“Shin Sarang? What’s that?”

The staff said toward the man.

“This person is an individual volunteer who often comes usually.”

“Ah, sorry. I thought you were one of our group.”

The man returned to his group again.

The staff whispered to me.

“They say it’s celebrity Shin Mi-hyeon and her fan club Shin Sarang people.”

Shin Mi-hyeon?

It was a name I was hearing for the first time, but my eyes lit up.

“Then, since there are many people today could you entrust me with the cat room instead of the kennel?”

Did they think I would be uncomfortable because of the celebrity and her fans.

The staff hesitated a bit then nodded.

“Yes, please.”

Yes!

Bonus experience!

···No, pull yourself together.

Originally it’s something you shouldn’t like, man.

While self-reflecting I headed to the container building completely separated from the kennel. Fortunately there wasn’t even one [Contagious Disease Patient] cat.

Yeah.

It was fortunate.

I cleaned the cat room together with another individual volunteer, got hit by cotton bat punches three or four times, and only then came outside.

“You two, come drink coffee!”

Just in time the kennel cleaning seemed finished too, the director was distributing coffee to people.

“Yes!”

Then right now there’s no one in the kennel, right?

“I’m fine!”

I declined and entered the kennel.

Dogs approaching the iron bars wagging their tails.

“Yeah, yeah, hello.”

First I headed to the innermost, the isolated space.

There was no yellow [Contagious Disease Patient] like when I first came. Turning my body again, I found and treated [Contagious Disease Patient] dogs whose estimated MP cost was 50, 0.

“Treat, yes. ···You come here too. Treat, yes.”

Just going in front of the iron bars the dogs approached closely, so treatment was easy.

[MP 0/110]

“Sorry. For now MP isn’t much so to treat all of you···.”

Woof woof!

Bark bark!

The dogs near the entrance suddenly barked loudly.

“Um···.”

A [Contagious Disease Patient] approached hesitantly.

The woman who was at the center of the group called Shin Sarang.

Is she the celebrity named Shin Mi-hyeon.

Seeing up close, even wearing a mask there was a feeling she was pretty.

She bowed her head.

“I’m sorry. You were uncomfortable because of us···.”

Outside her fans were peeking.

“Ah···.”

I scratched my head over the hat.

I didn’t wash my hair so it’s itchy.

[This is a Contagious Disease Patient. Do you wish to treat?]

[(Estimated MP cost 60)]

The estimated MP cost is low. Is it almost recovering or the very early stage of just catching it?

“No, it’s fine. Thanks to you today I was able to go to the cat room for the first time. Rather I’m grateful.”

“Ah, no.”

“Then.”

After bowing I passed her. Then turned around.

“Ah, um.”

[This is a Contagious Disease Patient. Do you wish to treat?]

[(Estimated MP cost 61)]

Because of the 1 that rose in the meantime.

“Yes?”

Her eyes widened round.

There was a gaze expecting something.

“It seems you have a bit of a fever, it would be good not to overdo it and go in and rest quickly.”

“Ah···.”

She fidgeted her gathered hands then bowed her head.

“Yes, thank you.”

Quickly go home wash and rest, then in the evening go see Happy Quokka’s performance.

They said they’ll reveal a new song at today’s performance.

Looking forward to it.

***

Happy Quokka said her performances are lifetime free to the ‘Plague Doctor’.

But she is an indie singer whose name is just starting to be known. Her pocket situation couldn’t be leisurely.

This is my guess, but isn’t she poorer than me?

So today’s performance I reserved the ticket as Kang Bong-sik, not as the ‘Plague Doctor’.

Wearing the new clothes I bought to wear for the blind date today and going out to the living room, my parents grinned.

“Oh. What is it, son? By any chance going to meet a girl?”

“Our Bong-sik, do you have a date?”

“Just going to play a bit. I’ll be back.”

“If you’re going to drink leave the car.”

“I’m not drinking so I’ll take it.”

“Yeah, drive carefully.”

“Yes.”

Since it was Saturday evening there were many people in Hongdae.

There was still time so while loitering near the performance venue, a DM came from Happy Quokka.

-[By any chance aren’t you coming today?ㅜㅜ]

-[Are you coming without the mask?ㅎㅎ]

I only sent the ‘^^’ emoticon.

Would I not have the heart to get close to a singer I like.

But if we get close privately, the feeling of the songs seems like it would change so I’m drawing a line.

Moreover the one who received this DM is the ‘Plague Doctor’, not Kang Bong-sik.

“Shall I go in soon.”

I checked the time and entered the performance venue.

It was a small-scale performance venue with a very small stage, with about 70 chairs densely filled right in front of the stage.

There were still 10 minutes left so it was disorderly.

I sat in the seat written on the ticket. Looking around most were couples.

Envious.

Lonely.

Teacher there, do you know the fact that your boyfriend is a [Contagious Disease Patient]?

You’ll catch it soon.

Tsk tsk.

While inwardly clicking my tongue and putting on a mask, a woman in a suit sat next to me.

She seemed to have come alone like me, and looking at the expression examining the inside of the venue it seemed this kind of place was unfamiliar.

Then our gazes met.

Smiling awkwardly and slightly bowing our heads, we each looked at our phones or the front.

A short while later.

Happy Quokka came up on stage.

“Hello, I’m singer-songwriter Happy Quokka. Thank you so much to those who came to today’s performance.”

Happy Quokka’s gaze carefully scanned the audience. It seemed like she was looking for the ‘Plague Doctor’, but it wasn’t a greatly disappointed expression.

“Then right away, I’ll let you hear the first song. The title is···.”

The performance ended after about 70 minutes.

The audience divided into those leaving immediately, and those wanting to exchange separate greetings with Happy Quokka.

I sat and waited for a moment intending to leave leisurely.

This new song was also too good.

When the music comes out I have to put it in the playlist right away.

“Um.”

The woman next to me stood up abruptly, approached Happy Quokka and handed a business card.

“Hello, Happy Quokka-nim. I’m Lee Mun-yeong from Kanggeon Pharmaceutical secretary office.”

“Yes, hello···.”

Happy Quokka bowed her head with a dazed face.

Kanggeon Pharmaceutical?

What business does a pharmaceutical company have with Happy Quokka?

By any chance trying to request a CM song?

Our Happy Quokka, finally official media debut?!

Curious, I slowed the speed of the motion of standing up.

“By any chance.”

The woman from Kanggeon Pharmaceutical asked Happy Quokka.

“Do you know the ‘Plague Doctor’s’ contact?”

“Yes? The ‘Plague Doctor’··· nim?”

The woman nodded.

“Yes. Could you just convey to the ‘Plague Doctor’ that if successful we’ll give one million won?”

Happy Quokka shook her head.

“I don’t really know··· what you’re saying. I’m sorry.”

Bow.

Happy Quokka entered the waiting room as if escaping.

The woman looked at the waiting room door with a suspicious face, then turned her body while letting out a deep sigh.

I also left the performance venue pretending I heard nothing.

What is it?

What do they mean give one million won if successful?

Buzz.

A DM came from Happy Quokka.

-[Plague Doctor-nim something big happenedㅜㅜ]

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