HIF 36

The Words I Wanted to Hear

Seon Yi-han’s reddened eyes were clearly visible. They were still slightly swollen. I placed my hand on his cheek and slowly lifted his head.

“Ha-gyeon hyung…?”

Seon Yi-han’s eyes fluttered open. Our gazes met. The blue eyes holding me swayed slightly, as if bewildered.

“…Yeah. Just stay like this for a moment.”

I wiped his eyes. Seon Yi-han silently closed his eyes again. I could feel the warmth from his eyelids as they touched me. Carefully, I placed a towel over them. Seon Yi-han flinched at the cold temperature.

After crying so much earlier, it was only natural his eyes would be swollen.

This was after I caught Seon Yi-han as he suddenly fell from above. His body was stiff, as if startled.

Seon Yi-han forced his trembling lips into a smile. Then, in a faltering voice, he stammered:

-I’m sorry for startling you, Ha-gyeon hyung. I’m not hurt. Thanks to you. …I’m fine. I was just flustered for a moment, it was a mistake. From now on, I won’t let this happen…. I’ll stay alert. And….

With each blink, tears rolled down one by one. His body, chilled like ice, trembled finely. Yet, a faint smile still lingered on his face.

I didn’t know what to say.

I wiped the tears flowing down his soft cheek. The tears beading on my fingertips were hot. Every sensation felt vividly unfamiliar.

Even though it was pitch-black night here, Seon Yi-han alone shone brightly. It felt as if the light spreading around was pouring solely toward him. I hugged his light, almost fragile body tightly.

The hem of his white clothes in the darkness. His black hair fluttering in the wind. The loud heartbeat resonating from his thin body as we touched.

Amidst all that, Seon Yi-han quietly looked at me. Meeting his gaze, a thought suddenly struck me. I….

“…I don’t know.”

Seon Yi-han’s small voice reached me. I snapped back to attention. Seon Yi-han, with his head raised, fiddled with the towel covering his eyes and continued.

“Ha-gyeon hyung. Why did you put this on?”

“…Just. To calm you down.”

“I was always calm.”

“…I know.”

“Hmm….”

Seon Yi-han paused briefly, his lips curving into a gentle arc. The flames burning right beside us softly tinted his pale face.

“But it was nice.”

Hearing that voice, my body stiffened for a moment. Seon Yi-han slowly removed the towel and continued.

“It felt cool. Thank you, hyung.”

My reflection was clearly visible in his eyes. The slightly swollen area around his eyes had also subsided. I brushed my fingertips over that area. The sensation of his skin, cold and damp from the towel’s moisture, felt strange.

I handed Seon Yi-han a glass and spoke.

“…Soon, everyone will be back.”

◇

“Already? It seems more time has passed than I thought.”

I answered Song Ha-gyun, who said it was time for everyone to return. Song Ha-gyun nodded quietly.

Blinking felt a bit more comfortable now. Probably thanks to the towel placed over my eyes. The towel had a faint scent of medicinal herbs. The warm tea Song Ha-gyun handed me also had a similar aroma.

But everything was subtly different. The scent from the towel was slightly bitter, while the tea I just sipped was sweet.

‘Where does he get so many types of medicinal herbs?’

It would be nice if I could ask Song Ha-gyun. But he must be very busy, so I probably wouldn’t have a chance to ask until much later.

Wouldn’t things become a bit more relaxed after saving the world? I don’t know if I’ll be able to meet everyone even after that. By then, the abilities granted by the System would disappear, and I wouldn’t have anything helpful to offer.

Thinking that made me feel a bit bitter.

I stretched my legs toward the campfire. The closer to the flames, the warmer it was. I didn’t know I wouldn’t be able to walk here on my own legs. Even though I didn’t receive a penalty for being unable to walk.

‘Song Ha-gyun probably didn’t intend to carry me up either.’

But who would have thought a nosebleed would erupt at that moment?

No matter how intermittent it was, it felt unfair for it to happen at such a moment. Rather than a penalty that could activate at any unknown time, it seemed better to receive it all at once, like the nausea penalty.

Wait. What was the next penalty? As I thought that, a Quest Window appeared before my eyes.

The time limit displayed right below was steadily decreasing. Watching the time limit gradually tick down made me feel somewhat overwhelmed.

I know it’s not a good attitude to think about failure before even starting. But I had to consider the fundamental issue. The side that made me think about failure from the start wasn’t exactly blameless either.

Are you listening, System? Reflection isn’t needed only from me. I now had no idea what to do to clear this quest. I’d done my best with what I could.

As I let out a deep sigh, the campfire right in front of me seemed to flicker momentarily. A gust of wind blew from a short distance away.

“Oh, Seon Yi-han. You’re awake. Ha-gyeon hyungnim, we’re back!”

Min Joo-hyuk spoke in a bright voice, waving his hand vigorously. Park Yul and Raen were beside him. With everyone back, the surroundings seemed to brighten.

After healing everyone one by one, even having to ask them to stop avoiding me, I brought up the topic of that barrier-like thing. Everyone looked puzzled.

Park Yul pondered for a moment, then projected a map into the air. Listening to the shared discussion, it seemed like they were organizing the order of tasks.

Park Yul, who had roughly finished the conversation, turned his gaze toward me. He wore a faint smile. Yet, somehow his expression seemed slightly stiff. Park Yul spoke in a subdued voice.

“Yi-han-ah. Hearing Ha-gyeon’s story, it seems it was almost very dangerous.”

“I’m sorry, Yul hyung.”

“…That’s not what I wanted to hear.”

“I won’t do it again.”

“That’s not it either.”

“……Please tell me.”

I raised my head, which I had bowed deeply in reflection. Park Yul seemed to smile bitterly. He slightly bent his knees to match my eye level. Then, in a clear voice, he continued.

“I wanted to hear you say you’ll definitely go together from now on.”

Why? For a moment, words rose to the tip of my tongue.

If the quest didn’t say ‘alone,’ this was my task. I didn’t want to drag you all into it unnecessarily. And the quest itself wasn’t dangerous either. This time, I just slipped up.

I was about to nod vaguely and move on, but Park Yul sent a gaze that seemed to await my answer. I couldn’t pretend not to know. Eventually, I mumbled vaguely.

“…I’ll try.”

“Good. That’s enough for now.”

Park Yul, smiling brightly, placed his hand on my head. Then he ruffled my hair more roughly than usual. Park Yul added in a small, fleeting voice.

“I’ll wait.”

What was he waiting for? Before my thoughts could continue, Park Yul called Raen, who was behind him.

Raen was discussing with Song Ha-gyun and Min Joo-hyuk while pointing at the map. Raen approached us. Park Yul, lightly patting Raen’s shoulder, spoke.

“Raen-ah, I’m counting on you. Come back safely.”

“Yes, Leader hyung.”

Park Yul nodded to Raen. Then he tidied my disheveled hair again and strode over to Song Ha-gyun and Min Joo-hyuk.

“Yi-han. I’m thinking of going up there now.”

Raen, who said that to me, hesitated before continuing.

“If it’s okay, could you come with me? …I can’t quite pinpoint exactly where it is.”

“Yes. Let’s go together, Raen hyung.”

“Are you really okay? You don’t have to push yourself. I heard the general location from Ha-gyeon.”

I nodded immediately to his cautiously asking voice. Raen looked at me with a complicated gaze, then bit his lip slightly.

“If it gets hard, please tell me even in the middle.”

Both Park Yul and Raen worrying this much was largely Song Ha-gyun’s fault. I hadn’t intended to say anything, but Song Ha-gyun abruptly brought up the story of me suddenly falling from mid-air.

I was flustered by his usually quiet self recounting the situation in detail and couldn’t refute it right away.

‘And his explanation was overly exaggerated too.’

I hadn’t shown the kind of reaction Song Ha-gyun described. Perhaps the monocle Song Ha-gyun wears includes a function that arbitrarily shows the situation.

Only after Song Ha-gyun finished speaking did I finally come to my senses. By the time I tried to correct the misunderstood parts, it was already too late.

‘Everyone seemed unwilling to accept my words.’

Dramatic stories aren’t easily erased. It’s not that I don’t understand that. So, Song Ha-gyun needed to convey the situation more clearly from the start.

If something like this happens again, I should explain the situation myself before Song Ha-gyun speaks up. Making that resolution, I spoke to Raen.

“I’ll definitely tell you, hyung.”

Raen’s expression relaxed as if slightly relieved. Then he told everyone we were about to leave.

Min Joo-hyuk quickly ran over and lightly patted my shoulder.

“Hey, Seon Yi-han. Be careful and come back.”

“That’s what I should say. Don’t get hurt like last time, Min Joo-hyuk.”

“…Are you okay now?”

“I’ve never not been okay.”

“That’s all you ever say when you open your mouth.”

Min Joo-hyuk raised one hand and lightly pinched my cheek. Then, before I could say anything, he instantly ran back. …Next time, I won’t just take it.

“Raen hyungnim, have a safe trip!”

At Min Joo-hyuk’s energetic farewell, Raen nodded. Then he lightly grabbed my sleeve and pulled me a few steps forward.

Raen slowly removed the robe he was wearing. Simultaneously, my body gently floated into the air and lightly settled into Raen’s embrace. Raen held me firmly.

Wait a minute. Do we have to go like this? It seemed he could use magic just by touching anywhere. I hurriedly spoke.

“Raen hyung, wait a minute. Do we have to….”

“Yi-han. We’ll be back soon.”

Raen spoke before my words even finished. Then, still holding me, he buried his head against me. A voice like a whisper followed.

“Just stay like this for a moment.”

A faint tremor seemed to be felt in his voice.

Raen slightly raised his head and met my eyes.

His golden pupils shone clearly even in the darkness. My reflection was quietly held within them.