RAP Chapter 10

Tiger Balm

 

“Yeouiju, come out for a moment.”  

 

As always, Do-cheol knocked on the door with a loud thud upon arriving at the inner quarters. Yeouiju, who had just sat down at the dining table, came out holding a spoon in her hand.  

 

“Were you about to eat?”  

 

“Yes. What brings you here at this hour?”  

 

“Oh, I came to give you something. Looks like Wureong was here?”  

 

“Yes. She dropped off the food and left just a little while ago.”  

 

“What were you doing to end up with a face like that?”  

 

At those words, Yeouiju eagerly boasted in an excited voice.  

 

“You won’t believe what happened! I just heard Wureong unnie’s* voice!”  

 

Do-cheol himself had only managed to hear Wureong’s voice after decades of having her in his home. The fact that she had already spoken to Yeouiju, whom she had only met less than two weeks ago, was quite surprising.  

 

Now, he understood why Wureong’s face had been flushed when they crossed paths earlier.  

 

“You got so excited about hearing her voice that you probably made a big fuss, huh? Just by looking at you, I can tell.”  

 

Do-cheol had hit the nail on the head.  

 

Yeouiju responded in a deflated voice.  

 

“You’re right. Ugh, I shouldn’t have done that. What if she never talks to me again? Her voice was so pretty.”  

 

“You’ve barely met her, and you’re already calling her ‘unnie, unnie.’ But you kept calling me ‘that person’ all this time.”  

 

At Do-cheol’s amused scolding, Yeouiju smiled awkwardly.  

 

“Speaking of which, why does your face look like that?”  

 

Even though he already knew the truth, Do-cheol pretended not to and asked.  

 

“Oh, I took a nap earlier, and now it’s swollen.”  

 

“Swollen like someone who’s been sleeping for days.”  

 

Do-cheol humored her lie before pulling something out of his pocket and handing it to her.  

 

“Perfect timing. I actually came to give you this.”  

 

“What is it?”  

 

Do-cheol spoke nonchalantly, as if it were nothing special.  

 

“Tiger Balm. A peddler came by the other day and gave it to me as a freebie, but I have no use for it. It’s supposed to be the best for bruises, burns, and swelling. But since I never get hurt, I figured I’d give it to you. Good timing, huh? Apply a generous amount on your eyelids before bed. By tomorrow, the swelling should be completely gone.”  

 

“Wow, really? But isn’t tiger balm really stingy?”  

 

“Nah, this is different from the stuff humans use. If you don’t want it, just give it back.”  

 

“No, no! I was actually worrying about what to do tomorrow. Thank you so much, I’ll use it well!”  

 

Yeouiju beamed as she carefully held onto the tiger balm.  

 

“It’s really not a big deal… Hurry back inside and finish your meal. I’m off.”  

 

“Goodnight, Do-cheol-nim!”  

 

Hearing his name from Yeouiju for the first time, Do-cheol smirked as he turned away.  

 

“Do-cheol-nim? What are you, calling me like I’m Jowangshin or something?”  

 

“You scolded me for calling you ‘that person,’ and now this?”  

 

“Just call me whatever’s comfortable. I’m really leaving now.”  

 

Instead of disappearing in his usual blink-of-an-eye manner, Do-cheol walked away at a leisurely pace. Yeouiju watched his retreating figure for a long time before finally going back inside.  

 

Jowangshin glanced at the tiger balm in Yeouiju’s hands.  

 

“Did Do-cheol-nim give that to you?”  

 

“Yes. He said he got it as a freebie!”  

 

As if. No way that stingy peddler would give away such a precious ointment for free.  

 

Jowangshin snorted but quickly shut her mouth when he sensed Do-cheol’s presence outside the window.  

 

“Hurry and eat! I kept it warm for you.”  

 

“Thank you! Jowangshin-nim, you should eat with me!”  

 

“No, I can’t eat human food. But I’ll stay with you while you eat.”  

 

“Then, I’ll dig in!”  

 

With every spoonful, she couldn’t help but exclaim at how delicious it was. The presence of Jowangshin, sitting beside her, made the already good food taste even sweeter.  

 

“I’ll take this to Wureong. She’s probably hiding somewhere.”  

 

“If I call her, she’ll probably get too embarrassed, right? Then, I’ll leave it to you, Jowangshin-nim.”  

 

Jowangshin hesitated for a moment, her lips pursed as if something was bothering her. Then, cautiously, she spoke.  

 

“Yeouiju-nim, why is Wureong Gaksi ‘unnie,’ but I’m ‘Jowangshin-nim’?”  

 

Yeouiju let out a bright laugh at her adorable complaint and replied,  

 

“Because you call me Yeouiju!”  

 

“That’s only because you call me Jowangshin-nim…”  

 

“Then should I start calling you ‘Jowang-unnie’ from now on?”  

 

Jowangshin nodded enthusiastically at the pleasant-sounding title.  

 

“Yes! It sounds very nice.”  

 

“Then, please call me Yeouiju too, unnie.”  

 

“Huh? T-That’s a bit…”  

 

“You’re older than me, so you don’t have to call me with an honorific. Besides, you’re a deity, and I’m just a mere human.”  

 

“Still, I don’t think that’s right.”  

 

At Jowangshin’s firm refusal, Yeouiju let out a snort.  

 

“Then I’ll just keep calling you Jowangshin-nim. If we’re going to change the way we address each other, it should be mutual. It wouldn’t feel right if only I got to be comfortable.”  

 

Faced with Yeouiju’s cute little threat, Jowangshin had no choice but to surrender in the end.  

 

After hesitating for a long time, struggling to get the words out, Jowangshin finally called Yeouiju’s name in a barely audible voice.  

 

“Yeouiju-ya…”  

 

“Yes, unnie!”  

 

Once they changed the way they addressed each other, the atmosphere shifted immediately.  

 

Do-cheol, who was watching the main house from a tree, shaking his head at the sight of their cheerful laughter.  

 

“She’s got the kind of sociability that puts a country mutt to shame.”  

 

It was a good thing he had brought Jowangshin along. Do-cheol, who had been unable to leave in case she started crying again, finally let go of his worries and climbed down from the tree.  

 

“Goodnight, Jowang-unnie.”  

 

Having finished her bath, Yeouiju bid Jowangshin goodnight and entered the main room. As she lay down on the warm ondol floor, she let out a groan of relief.  

 

“Ah, tiger balm.”  

 

She suddenly remembered the tiger balm she was supposed to apply before bed and forced her heavy body up.  

 

She applied a generous amount around her eyes, feeling a cool sensation rather than any sting.  

 

“Ha, this is amazing.”  

 

The luxury of experiencing such comfort after 29 years felt like a dream.  

 

“Please, let this still be here when I wake up tomorrow morning…”  

 

With that heartfelt wish, Yeouiju soon drifted off to sleep.  

 

*** 

 

Ring, ring. Ring, ring

 

Yeouiju reached out to silence the alarm and cautiously opened one eye.  

 

“It really wasn’t a dream…”  

 

Feeling delighted by the unchanged reality, she shot up from the bed. After a quick wash, she stepped outside to find breakfast set on the table.  

 

“Thank you, Wureong-unnie!”  

 

Looking out the window, Yeouiju called out loudly before energetically picking up her spoon.  

 

“What are you doing here?”  

 

Do-cheol, who had gone out for a morning walk, spotted Wureong hiding beneath the main house window.  

 

Poof! Startled, Wureong disappeared with a loud explosion once again.  

 

Coughing from the thick smoke, Do-cheol let out a small sigh.  

 

“Ever since Yeouiju moved in, there hasn’t been a single quiet day in this damn house.”  

 

Do-cheol, having suffered an ordeal early in the morning, waved his hand to disperse the smoke.  

 

“Ah, my fate…”  

 

As Yeouiju ate her breakfast while looking outside, she noticed Do-cheol trudging toward the detached house with a sigh.  

 

Do-cheol, seeing Yeouiju bow her head in greeting, smirked.  

 

“The tiger balm works well. I should buy a few more.”  

 

Yeouiju stared at Do-cheol, who seemed to be in a good mood for some reason, then turned her gaze to the clock. She had wasted too much time. Hurriedly finishing her breakfast, Yeouiju opened the gate in the wall.  

 

“Wow, no matter how many times I see it, it’s still fascinating.”  

 

Stepping into the park, Yeouiju headed toward the café for her morning shift.  

 

“Hello, boss!”  

 

At Yeouiju’s cheerful greeting, the café owner grabbed her hands tightly.  

 

“Yeouiju, I’m sorry about last time.”  

 

“No, I should be the one apologizing for suddenly bringing it up.”  

 

“Business was terrible last month. After paying the rent and utilities, my account was completely drained. I’m really sorry.”  

 

“It’s okay! I managed to take care of everything.”  

 

“Really? That’s a relief. What do you want to drink today, Yeouiju?”  

 

“Vanilla latte!”  

 

“Alright, alright. I’ll throw in a slice of cake too.”  

 

Feeling guilty about how curtly he had ended her call last time, the café owner was unusually attentive to Yeouiju.  

 

It was a good start to the day.  

 

Tying on her apron with a bright smile, Yeouiju called out cheerfully.  

 

“Let’s open up!”  

 

***

 

“Goodbye….”

 

Having finished her night shift, Yeouiju greeted with a voice that was barely alive.

 

The energetic figure of the morning was nowhere to be seen, and looking like a zombie, Yeouiju stepped out and gazed up at the pitch-black night sky.

 

Today had been an exhausting day, even for Yeouiju, who had maxed out her part-time job skills. Customers kept flooding in without a break, leaving her no time even to eat.

 

She had been running back and forth so much that by the time she finally got off work, her legs were shaking from exhaustion.

 

“When I get home, I need to eat first….”

 

Holding her growling stomach, Yeouiju trudged toward the park.

 

Today, she found the door particularly welcoming, and her face lit up with joy.

 

With trembling hands, she turned the doorknob and opened the door. Beyond it, she could see the now-familiar walls of the main house.

 

How delicious would food taste after such a grueling day? With her face full of anticipation, Yeouiju took a step forward, only to be blocked by Do-cheol.

 

“Don’t come in.”

 

“Huh?”

 

Leaning against the door frame with a crooked posture, Do-cheol was blocking Yeouiju from entering.

 

“Move…. I’m too tired today. I need to get inside and rest….”

 

“If you come in, I’ll kill you.”

 

At Do-cheol’s cold words, spoken with a deeply furrowed brow, Yeouiju’s face crumpled.

 

“You’re being so mean! You don’t have to say it like that!”

 

“Not you.”

 

Do-cheol, who had his fingers plugged into both ears, was glaring over Yeouiju’s shoulder.

 

“Back off while I’m saying it nicely.”

 

Yeouiju, intimidated by Do-cheol’s murderous glare, nervously watched him.

 

“W-Why are you acting like that? You’re scaring me….”

 

Clicking his tongue, Do-cheol spoke with a sarcastic tone.

 

“All day long, no matter where you went, customers kept swarming in like crazy, right? And only food was selling like crazy. Am I wrong?”

 

“Wow, how did you know? Should I set up a fortune-telling mat for you?”

 

“Are you seriously an idiot?”

 

“What now….”

 

“You have a ghost attached to you. Right behind you.”

 

“What?!”

 

Yeouiju let out a shriek, curling up and trembling.

 

“What do I do, what do I do…. Hurry and get it off me….”

 

“Ha, you really are a handful.”

 

Letting out a small sigh, Do-cheol glared over Yeouiju’s shoulder once more and spoke.

 

“I’ll count to three. If you don’t come out, you’ll get beaten and obliterated.”

 

One, two, three.

 

Do-cheol’s fingers folded in sequence. Agwi trembled violently but clung tightly to Yeouiju.

 

“That one’s mine.”

 

For the first time in a while, he felt the sensation of having something taken from him, and his entire body surged with hot blood.

 

If Agwi wouldn’t let go, obliterating it with his power, which couldn’t reach Yeouiju, would be impossible.

 

He despised the dirty, underhanded power of the heavens and didn’t want to use it.

 

Do-cheol let out a chilling smile and clenched his fist tightly.

 

“Yeouiju, close your eyes.”

 

[T/N : “Agwi” (아귀, 餓鬼) refers to a hungry ghost or famished demon.]