Mudoo - Chapter 3

The Mudoo rash disappeared overnight.

And as if someone had lifted half her body weight, Seula felt unbelievably light.

“How… how is this real?”

Still half-asleep, Seula stumbled into the bathroom and stared at her arms, her mouth hanging open. She couldn’t believe the reflection in the mirror. The long stretch of her neck above her T-shirt — smooth, clear, not a single red mark or scar in sight.

She turned her arms this way and that, checked her legs, even lifted her shirt to inspect every bit of skin she could see. Only when she was sure there was nothing left did her knees finally give out.

“Hic… hic….”

She sank to the bathroom floor and buried her face between her knees, sobbing helplessly.

A whole year. An entire year of fighting an unexplained skin disease — just gone overnight?

But more than relief, what overwhelmed her was frustration — Why me? And a creeping fear — what if it came back just as suddenly, covering her from head to toe all over again?

“What was that… why did it have to be me?!”

She’d been just another regular office worker at a small company. She hadn’t done anything so terrible that she deserved to be cursed like this. She’d always tried to keep good relationships, never did anything that would make someone hate her. If anything, she’d gone out of her way to help people. Her job had been helping people in need. Back in college, she’d thrown herself into volunteer work every chance she got.

So why her? What did she do wrong? There was no way to make sense of it.

“……”

Her head spun with questions, all of them without answers — until suddenly, his name popped into her mind.

Kang Tae-shin.

Seula sat there on the bathroom floor, repeating his name to herself like a spell.

Did I disturb something I shouldn’t have? What did I do at the construction?

“Mudoo has a smell.”

“People can’t smell it. It draws in restless spirits.”

“Carry my scent on you.”

He knows something about Mudoo.

She let out a shaky breath and made up her mind.

***

Cheonghae-ro 118-gil 4.

Seula stepped out of the taxi, a heavy shopping bag weighing down one hand. She couldn’t believe she was back here just a day later.

She tilted her head back to look up the steep, narrow hill — her chest already felt tight just thinking about the climb.

“You’ll be back.”

Kang Taeshin’s words had turned out to be true. It was pretty much certain now that the reason her skin cleared up overnight was because of him, so she couldn’t come empty-handed. She’d even bought a fancy box of red ginseng as a thank-you gift.

She had no idea what she was going to say when she saw him — but there was no turning back now. She forced her heavy feet to move.

118-gil 8… 7… 6… 117-gil 3…

She thought finding the place would be easy this time — she’d been here just yesterday, after all. But somehow she ended up wandering in circles through the same twisting alleys again.

“It’s not like he’s hiding the house on purpose, so why… why… why…?!”

Soaked with sweat despite the chilly early winter air, Seula dropped onto a small pavilion she found by the roadside. She set down her bags, shrugged off her coat, and let the cold breeze from the hill brush against her damp face.

She was sure it was somewhere around here — but no matter how hard she looked, Kang Taeshin’s house just wouldn’t appear. And the strangest part? Just like last time, there wasn’t a single person passing by. Not even one. It was supposed to be a quiet neighborhood, but this quiet? It was unreal.

“Ugh, forget it.”

Seula squeezed her eyes shut and lay down on the wooden bench of the pavilion, arms stretched out like she was making a snow angel. As the sweat on her face dried, the wind made her shiver, so she pulled her coat over herself like a blanket. She’d rest for just a bit, then get up and try again.

Still, doubt kept gnawing at her.

Was she really doing the right thing — going to see that shameless man who’d randomly pulled her into his arms, claiming she needed his scent?

In this messed-up world, could she really trust a stranger who only spoke in riddles?

The only things Seula really knew about him were his address, his name, his ridiculously handsome face, and the fact that he had a dog.

“Was it 112* to report a homeless person?”
TL/N: *Korean emergency number for 911.

A familiar voice snapped her eyes open. She jolted upright — she hadn’t heard anyone approach at all, but there he was. Kang Tae-shin stood leaning lazily against one of the pavilion’s wooden posts, looking down at her. As always, Dong-gil the dog was at his side.

“How long have you been standing there?”

Seula asked, unable to hide the flustered look on her face. Kang Tae-shin gave a casual shrug and threw the question back at her.

“Just got here. Were you looking for me?”

“Well… yeah.”

She left out all the messy details — waking up to find her skin perfectly clear, wandering around in circles trying to find his house again — and just gave him the shortest answer possible.

Kang Taeshin narrowed his eyes at her, curiosity flickering behind his half-lidded gaze.

“Then why didn’t you just come inside? Don’t know how to ring a doorbell?”

“It’d help if I could actually see your house! I swear it was right here, but I couldn’t find it anywhere.”

“If you’ve got eyes, you should’ve seen it.”

He lifted a hand and pointed behind her — directly at a gate across the way.

Cheonghae-ro 118beon-gil 4.

The address was right there, clear as day on the sign next to the gate.

“Ha… what the hell…”

Seula rubbed her temples, baffled. Unless she’d been possessed or something, there was no way she could’ve missed it.

“Is this for me?”

While she was still trying to wrap her head around it, Kang Tae-shin’s sharp eyes landed squarely on the red ginseng gift set she’d brought. He gave her a little nod like he fully intended to claim it.

Seula hugged the shopping bag protectively to her chest before he could snatch it away.

“It is for you… but first, I have a lot of questions.”

Kang Taeshin clicked his tongue and cocked one eyebrow, half amused, half exasperated.

“Then you should’ve brought two gifts. One for answers, one for me. Pretty stingy, huh?”

“This wasn’t cheap, you know. One good gift is worth more than two mediocre ones. Quality over quantity.”

“Doesn’t look that special to me. You can find these in any department store. I prefer rare things — like a five-hundred-year-old wild ginseng root.”

She’d actually spent time picking it out, hoping to show at least some sincerity. Having it brushed off so casually made her want to snatch it back and leave on the spot. But Kang Tae-shin only gave her that sly half-smile, completely ignoring the look on her face.

“Well, keep that in mind for next time you bring me something.”

Seula almost snapped back that there wouldn’t be a next time — but she shut her mouth. She’d said the exact same thing yesterday, and here she was again, standing in front of him with a gift bag in her arms. So much for pride. She forced a polite smile, pushing down the sting to her ego.

“Just… give me a glass of water again, please.”

Tae-shin raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence.

“You really shouldn’t barge into a man’s house so carelessly, you know. Didn’t you learn anything from what happened yesterday?”

Why did it feel like he was deliberately picking at her? She could tell he hadn’t forgotten how she’d shoved him away before storming out. But she needed him now — and whoever needed something first was always at a disadvantage. Years of office life had taught her how to act like the lesser party when she had to.

“Come on, we’re hardly strangers at this point. Don’t be stingy. I won’t take up much of your time. Just a glass of water — please?”

Tae-shin looked down at Dong-gil as if consulting the big dog about what to do with her.

“What do you think, Dong-gil? Is it alright to give a poor homeless soul a glass of water?”

Woof! Dong-gil barked right on cue, as if he’d understood every word. Tae-shin sighed dramatically and turned toward the gate.

“Fine. Come in.”

The inside of the house still felt oddly spacious — even on her second visit. The peach tree in the yard, heavy with fruit out of season, was just as strange as before. But unlike last time, Seula didn’t feel tempted to reach out and pick one.

Tae-shin told her to sit on the porch and then disappeared inside, carrying the ginseng gift box like it was his own prize. Left alone, Seula looked around the yard until Dong-gil plopped down right in front of her, sitting neatly with his paws together. Seula, who had always liked animals, smiled when she met the big dog’s round black eyes.

“Aw, look at you. So pretty — your fur’s so shiny.”

Woof! Dong-gil barked once, then just stared at her.

“You’re so calm too. How old is the baby?”

The moment she said that, Dong-gil suddenly wrinkled his brow and let out a low growl. The way his face almost looked human when he did that made Seula let out an awkward laugh.

“Aw, did I upset you? Did your owner not feed you yet? Who’s a grumpy boy?”

This time, Dong-gil bared his sharp teeth, looking genuinely fierce. The threat in his eyes made Seula quickly look away.

“He’s an old dog — ‘baby’ probably offended him.”

Tae-shin reappeared carrying a tray with a teapot and cups and sat down beside her on the porch, murmuring calmly.

“And he’s not just here to eat and sleep. He’s got a job to do too.”

Dong-gil turned his head and glared at Taeshin like he’d understood every word. But Tae-shin just ignored him and poured tea as if nothing happened.

“So — what did you want to ask me?”