HIF 24

I’ve been waiting

“Seon Yi-han.”

Min Joo-hyuk’s subdued voice echoed in the quiet room. It was a dark night with no moon.

A small lamp sat on the table beside the bed, a faint light seeping out. The light, diffused in the darkness, illuminated the pale face lying still on the bed.

“…When will you wake up?”

My trembling voice scattered in the air. I sat on the chair next to the bed, gazing at Yi-han’s white face, his eyes closed in a peaceful expression.

Somehow, he looked coldly still. Without realizing it, I reached out.

Gently brushing back his black hair, his round forehead was revealed. The lukewarm temperature that touched my palm made me involuntarily recall the excessively hot fever that had touched my hand in the past.

It was on the carriage to this place on the day we first met. The unfamiliar temperature of his flushed cheeks and Yi-han’s gradually fading voice still seemed vivid. Even that precarious appearance.

“It’ll be a week soon.”

Was I hoping for an answer? Unusually, the thought came out as words. I wanted to hear Yi-han’s voice, even if it was hoarse with fever.

I squeezed my eyes shut. Of course, I didn’t want to see Yi-han in pain. But I didn’t want to see him lying motionless with his eyes closed in such a peaceful expression either. Yi-han was a person of extremes.

‘I should have gone with him.’

A piece of regret, chewed over countless times, was thrown back into my mind as a question. Maybe, if I had cast Defense magic, everyone would have been safe then.

I slowly smoothed the blanket covering Yi-han. The soft blanket was warmed to a comfortable temperature. The spotless white fabric filled my vision.

I clenched the blanket tightly. The day Yi-han returned, his clothes, whiter than this, stained completely red, was vividly drawn before my eyes.

Clang.

In the fragments of memory, the sound of a glass shattering into pieces seemed to echo again.

Two figures stained with blood were before my eyes. One person was wrapped in a Robe, slumped and held in someone’s arms. The one holding him tightly was silently shedding tears.

-Yi-han healed me. And….

A calm voice continued. I could immediately understand the situation. But I couldn’t understand Yi-han’s actions.

From the moment we made the Hero’s Oath, we were always prepared for death. But Yi-han was not a Hero. Moreover, if you think about it, it had only been a few months since we met.

Using healing magic and taking the wounds directly into his own body were different matters. Yet, why did Yi-han go so far…?

“…Hey, Seon Yi-han.”

Cutting off the continuing thoughts, I called Yi-han’s name again.

I didn’t want to speculate alone about things like this. I wanted to hear directly from Yi-han what he was thinking.

Yi-han’s figure, still quietly closing his eyes, was in my sight.

“You’re going to wake up, right?”

I firmly grasped Yi-han’s slender hand. I placed my forehead on the lukewarm warmth that touched me.

“I know. But wake up soon.”

Since there were no external wounds, he would be able to wake up soon. He had to.

I seemed to feel the pulse throbbing beneath his thin skin. I smiled slightly and continued.

“You know, Raen hyung has been visiting every day, right?”

Raen hyung had somehow obtained ointment for scars.

He hadn’t said where the scars were, but the sweet scent of ointment had been faintly spreading around Yi-han every day without fail.

“Song Ha-gyun hyung is bringing something every time too. You’ll probably be surprised when you see the table.”

I turned my gaze to the table. Several transparent glass bottles were placed there. Each contained a purple liquid with slightly different colors.

One or two white sticks were inserted into each glass bottle. The scent of grass gently settled throughout the room. It was a fragrance that calmed the mind.

“Park Yul hyung is taking care every day so that your body doesn’t get damaged.”

Park Yul hyung came once a day, raised Yi-han’s upper body, and poured a few spoonfuls of clear, sparkling water into his mouth. He said it was medicine made to replenish his energy to some extent.

“Everyone is waiting for you to wake up.”

Everyone was busy. It was unprecedented for Monsters to seep into something else. So, we had to investigate carefully. If an anomaly was occurring, the situation was serious.

But Yi-han’s situation was just as serious. He seemed to have nothing wrong on the outside, but I was anxious because I couldn’t figure out why he couldn’t wake up.

Everyone must feel the same way. That’s why they were making time to show their faces to Yi-han every day, even if it meant cutting into their already scarce sleep time.

I covered Yi-han’s hand as if stroking it and continued.

“Me? I don’t have anything.”

When you wake up, I’ll put a candy in your mouth, you said you enjoyed it last time. Saying that, I tapped my outer pocket. There were plenty of lollipops inside.

Actually, I didn’t particularly seek out sweets. So, there was someone else who would eat these.

I leaned my face on Yi-han’s hand, which I was holding. Yi-han had a cozy, warm, and soft scent like soap.

“Still, I’m… waiting too.”

I quietly closed my eyes. Was it because I was holding Yi-han’s hand, or did the warmth that touched me seem a little clearer?

The night was deepening.

After a long time, the tightly closed eyelids quietly opened. Clear, watery eyes shone clearly in the darkness.

◇

When I opened my eyes, I was lying in a dark room.

A blanket was covering me. It was warm and cozy. It seemed that Raen had taken good care of me and brought me here. That was a relief.

Ding, ding, ding.

As I was waking up from sleep, still drowsy, several Status Windows were thrust at me all at once. Shouldn’t they at least give me time to assess the situation?

A little later, as soon as I thought that, all the Status Windows disappeared with a whoosh. The front of my eyes darkened again. When I roughly scanned them, there didn’t seem to be anything urgent, so it was okay to check them slowly.

Come to think of it, my right arm was heavy.

I rolled my eyes and looked to the side. Brown hair shining in the faint light came into view. Min Joo-hyuk was burying his head as if leaning on my arm.

I didn’t know why he was doing this here, but it was a good thing. I thought I should ask him how much time had passed.

The sun was setting earlier, but now it was the middle of the night, so it seemed like several hours had passed. My physical condition was also fine. That’s why people need to sleep. Most things get better after sleeping.

“…Min.”

Before I could properly continue with Min Joo-hyuk, a dry cough burst out. The voice coughing was so hoarse that even I could hear it. What was that? Had I been asleep longer than I thought?

Somehow, it reminded me of the first day I came here. At that time, a whole day had passed.

As I was recalling the bitter memory, I heard a clattering sound.

“Seon Yi-han?”

Min Joo-hyuk was standing up abruptly. A chair was lying on the floor below. Min Joo-hyuk’s shaking eyes were directed at me.

I wanted to give him an answer, but my voice didn’t come out well because my throat was dry. As I stared at Min Joo-hyuk and blinked slowly, Min Joo-hyuk sat down on the bed as if his strength had given out.

“Hey, Seon Yi-han.”

Min Joo-hyuk called my name as if to confirm.

I understood. The last thing he saw was me bleeding. Of course, I was fine, so there was no need to worry.

‘Come to think of it, what happened to the wound?’

Since I used acquire, the wound should still be on me, but my physical condition wasn’t bad. I needed to check it later.

As I was lost in thought, Min Joo-hyuk carefully stroked my hair. The hand that touched me seemed to be trembling.

Min Joo-hyuk slowly raised my body and supported several soft pillows behind my back.

“Drink.”

Min Joo-hyuk poured water into a glass and handed it to me. After drinking a few sips, my throat felt much better.

After confirming that I had finished drinking the water, Min Joo-hyuk put the glass back on the table. Then he slowly opened his mouth.

“It hasn’t been a week.”

“Huh?”

A dazed voice came out. A week? What? No way.

“I was asleep?”

Min Joo-hyuk nodded with a troubled expression.

This was a big deal. I hadn’t expected this. I urgently said to Min Joo-hyuk.

“Hey, Min Joo-hyuk. Come here for a second.”

“Why? Are you not feeling well?”

His voice was full of worry. Min Joo-hyuk quickly knelt on one knee on the bed.

The moment Min Joo-hyuk put his hand on my shoulder, I also reached out. I gently placed my hand over Min Joo-hyuk’s eyelids.

Ding.

At the same time, the Status Window appeared.

Healing. As soon as I thought that, a blue light swirled around Min Joo-hyuk. A flustered voice was heard.

“No, Seon Yi-han. Hey, wait a minute.”

“Get some sleep. You look tired.”

I gently stroked Min Joo-hyuk’s eyes. In an instant, light poured into me. Min Joo-hyuk’s body collapsed against me.

A cool scent like a refreshing breeze passed by. Min Joo-hyuk’s breathing was heard right next to my ear. Min Joo-hyuk’s body that touched me was firm. He was quite heavy, probably because he was unexpectedly large.

I worked hard to get out from under him and properly laid Min Joo-hyuk down. I even carefully covered him with a blanket. Min Joo-hyuk was breathing evenly and sleeping soundly.

I knew it. Had he been getting enough sleep all this time? Suddenly healing his wounds seemed to have relieved his fatigue and put him to sleep. I couldn’t even imagine how hard everyone had been working while I was unconscious.

Still, when I saw it earlier, there was a way to empty the healing gauge in advance before it was completely full. I would have to read the details later, but it seemed that I could heal without worrying about the cooldown.

Then, should I go find Raen first? I also had to thank him for taking good care of me and bringing me here.

The moment I was wondering where to go, a Quest Window popped up with a ding.

Was there any reason to decline? Of course, it was accept. As soon as I thought that, I was immediately taken to the next screen.

Ah, I had to select this first. When I selected to find Raen, a new Quest Window popped up.

Hmm, the options… seem to include places I’ve never seen before.