Chapter 1: Baek Kang-hyuk Goes to Joseon
Kang-hyuk was wearing a stiff gown that looked as though it had been starched. His confident stride, with the gown fluttering behind him, made him appear even more imposing.
“Professor Baek, hello!”
“Oh, yes. Good morning.”
“Are you heading to the rounds?”
“No, to the director’s office. See you later.”
“Yes, professor!”
Kang-hyuk passed by a few nurses and residents as he stepped into the elevator. His reflection in the mirror seemed even more handsome than usual today. At only in his early thirties, he had already achieved full professorship, thanks to his outstanding skills.
He had broad shoulders, a well-toned physique, and a sharp, intellectual face. On top of all that, he was even good at socializing—drinking, singing, and the like. There was no reason for women to stay away from him, and Kang-hyuk wasn’t the type to turn them down either. He had quite the active social life, sometimes going on two or even three dates in one day.
The issue, however, was with his heart. There wasn’t a single woman he felt genuinely attracted to. It was as if he had left the concept of romantic love behind in his mother’s womb. His heart was always calm and still.
‘I hope it’s not another one of those setups with some professor’s daughter.’
How could he be expected to meet a woman he had never even seen before? And being the daughter of a professor meant he couldn’t just casually date and break it off. He hated serious relationships.
*Ding.*
While lost in thought, the elevator stopped at the top floor. To his left was a small door, and beyond that, another door. Only after passing through both would he be able to meet the hospital director.
As Kang-hyuk approached, the secretary seated nearby greeted him.
“Professor Baek, please wait a moment.”
“Sure.”
After notifying the director of Kang-hyuk’s arrival, the inner door suddenly opened.
“Professor Baek! Come on in.”
The director, as always, greeted him with a cheerful voice.
‘It’s never just a simple call, is it?’
Sighing, Kang-hyuk stepped inside. On his way in, he noticed a black bag placed to the side. It was a type of doctor’s bag, the kind hardly anyone used anymore. Normally, he would have ignored it, but something about it felt off.
The director had already stood up before Kang-hyuk even entered the room.
“Oh, Professor Baek. Welcome.”
“Hello, Director.”
“Yes. I’m sorry to call you in when you’re so busy.”
“Not at all. I didn’t have any specific appointments today.”
He wished he did, though. With no good excuse, he had ended up here.
The director kept rubbing his hands together, a sign that he was about to bring up something awkward. ‘He did the same thing when he invited me to play golf during the holidays,’ Kang-hyuk thought, noticing the pace of the hand-rubbing was now twice as fast as back then.
What could be more annoying than playing golf in the freezing early morning on Lunar New Year’s Day? Forcing a smile, Kang-hyuk waited for the director to speak.
“You know our hospital’s chairman, right?”
Was there a professor in the world who didn’t know the chairman of their own hospital?
Kang-hyuk nodded obediently.
“The chairman has requested a house call. And while you’re there, he wants to introduce you to someone.”
“What?”
“I told him it was odd for a professor to make house calls, but the chairman was insistent.”
“Ah…”
Kang-hyuk looked at the director with a sigh. ‘A house call, plus a setup? Shouldn’t he be rubbing his hands twice as fast as he is now?’
It was a tough situation to refuse. Even though he wanted to say no, this wasn’t a request—it was a command.
After all, who was the chairman of Chungmu Hospital? He was Chairman Lee of Chungmu Group, the largest and most prestigious conglomerate in South Korea. Known for being a patriotic company, the group was famous worldwide.
When Chairman Lee requested a house call, even if it was near the demilitarized zone, you complied.
“I’ve already had the bag packed for you. The chairman requested quite a few medications. Inside, aside from the standard medications, there’s another box—just hand it over without asking questions.”
It was clear he had to go. There was no way around it.
“So, when should I go?”
“Didn’t you say you had no appointments today?”
“Yes, I did.”
He had just said that, moments ago. No taking it back now.
“Then go now. I’ll have a car ready.”
“Sigh. Understood.”
“Sorry about this. But who knows? It might work out well. You’re not interested in women anyway, so if you’re going to get married, why not through the chairman’s introduction?”
“You really know how to talk. Alright, I’ll go.”
“Take care.”
Carrying the black doctor’s bag, Kang-hyuk climbed into a black sedan. The car eventually stopped in front of a private museum in Hannam-dong. The sign was so small that if you weren’t paying attention, you might not have realized it was a museum at all.
As the driver operated the entrance, the doors opened.
“Please go in.”
“Ah, okay.”
Kang-hyuk awkwardly bowed his head and stepped inside. Normally confident, this was the one place where he felt out of place.
The interior was more rundown than he had expected. Flickering lights lined a long corridor ahead.
‘It’s not rundown—it’s eerie…’
It felt more like he was about to meet the grim reaper than the chairman.
“Professor Baek?”
“Huh? Who’s that?”
Kang-hyuk looked around the hallway. Upon closer inspection, he saw speakers and cameras mounted on the ceiling.
“Chairman?”
“Yes. Follow the corridor and come inside.”
“Ah… Yes, sir.”
The overwhelming authority of the chairman’s voice left Kang-hyuk with no choice. Besides, the chairman was also something of a benefactor to him.
Back when Kang-hyuk was a resident, he had coincidentally treated the chairman’s secretary in the emergency room. Impressed, the chairman had gone out of his way to recommend him. Of course, Kang-hyuk’s skills were top-notch, too.
As he walked down the corridor, he was struck by the scent of old dust. The rooms lining the hallway were filled with antiques, many of which looked like they shouldn’t be in private hands.
Most of the objects seemed to be ancient weapons.
‘People said Chairman Lee was eccentric, but to invite me to a place like this?’
Finally, Kang-hyuk reached the last room. The door was slightly ajar, and he could hear the chairman muttering something inside. Though he was sure it was the chairman’s voice, he couldn’t understand what he was saying.
‘It doesn’t sound like Korean.’
Feeling awkward standing in front of the half-open door, he cleared his throat.
“Ahem.”
“Ah, come in.”
Kang-hyuk slid open the door and stepped inside. The faint aroma of tea greeted him.
‘Is that… pu’er tea?’ [1]
An elderly man with completely white hair sat on a worn cushion. Despite his white hair, his face made it difficult to guess his age. According to the hospital director, the chairman’s face had looked the same even in his youth, so much so that there were rumors he was a vampire.
His complexion was bright, and he had an impressive presence. In another era, he would have easily secured a position as a general.
But there was no way someone in his condition needed a house call.
“It’s been a while.”
His sharp eyes sparkled with an inexplicable longing.
“Yes, it has. How have you been, Chairman?”
“Hmm.”
Without offering Kang-hyuk a seat, the chairman simply stared at him intently.
“Since you’re here, why don’t you check my blood pressure?”
“Yes, sir.”
Calling in a professor of surgery, only to ask for a blood pressure check… Kang-hyuk thought it might be better to check his own blood pressure. Holding back his frustration, he prepared the blood pressure cuff.
“May I see your arm?”
“Hmm, sure.”
“It might feel a bit tight. 120 over 80. You’re perfectly fine.”
“Is that so? Maybe it’s because I’ve been playing golf lately. Good to hear.”
The chairman smiled as he sipped his tea.
“Do you drink tea?”
“Ah, yes.”
“Then have a cup.”
The chairman poured the tea himself, and Kang-hyuk brought the cup to his lips. The sweet aroma of the tea calmed his mind, allowing him to fully take in the surroundings.
The room was filled with antiques and familiar-looking artworks. The large sword hanging behind the chairman particularly caught his eye.
“Are you interested in antiques?”
Kang-hyuk smiled at the chairman’s question. If he said he wasn’t, he might as well declare himself an ignorant professor. Luckily, he had some interest in the subject, having been in the calligraphy club during university. He also knew a few Chinese poems by heart.
“I do like them.”
“Is that so? Then take a look at this painting.”
The chairman carefully pulled out a scroll from a drawer. It was a very old, worn-out scroll with red stains, making it difficult to discern what kind of painting it was.
It didn’t seem like the sort of painting someone like the chairman would treasure, but for some reason, Kang-hyuk couldn’t take his eyes off it. He found himself unconsciously drawn to the painting.
“Quite a nice piece, isn’t it?”
Though the chairman’s tone was strange, Kang-hyuk didn’t notice. The overwhelming sense of longing emanating from the painting was clouding his focus.
“Pardon? Ah, yes. This person… Or, are there two people? Who are they?”
“I’m not sure of the details. If you look closely, there’s also a sword…”
The sword in the painting looked exactly like the one hanging behind the chairman.
There were other items in the painting as well—a swing, a tightrope, books, an inkstone, brushes, acupuncture needles, and so on.
The chairman seemed to know more than he was letting on. His lips twitched as if he was holding back from saying something. Meanwhile, Kang-hyuk was too engrossed in the painting to notice.
“This looks like a couple…”
He pointed to the two shadowy figures in the front of the painting.
It was impossible to tell if they were a man and a woman just from looking at the painting, yet Kang-hyuk was certain they were.
“Is that so? Does it appear that way to you?”
“What did you just say…? No, I mean…”
The strange feeling Kang-hyuk had from looking at the painting made him feel as though he were possessed by something.
“Gasp.”
As if truly possessed, Kang-hyuk reached out and touched the scroll. The chairman merely muttered, “I knew it,” without attempting to stop him.
The moment Kang-hyuk’s hand touched the scroll, it felt as though the entire world flipped upside down. He tried to grab onto something—anything—but all that was within reach was the doctor’s bag.
From far away, he could hear the chairman’s voice. It was a faint buzzing sound, like a mosquito, and he couldn’t make out the words.
Soon, someone began shaking Kang-hyuk to wake him.
“Young master, young master! Are you seriously sleeping?”
***
Footnotes:
[1] Pu’er tea (보이차): A type of fermented tea originating from the Yunnan province in China, known for its deep, earthy flavor and long aging process. The name “pu’er” comes from the town in which the tea was historically traded. In East Asian cultures, this tea is often prized for its medicinal qualities.
