HIF 52

Until You Know

I remained leaning against Park Yul as if being held by him. Park Yul was slowly stroking the middle area of my chest.

“Yul, I’m okay now.”

“…You seem a bit better. That’s a relief. I gave you a Mana Recovery Potion.”

Park Yul lightly wiped the corner of my mouth. I felt something sticky on my lips vanish in a flash. A bitter yet peculiar taste lingered. It was exactly the kind of taste you’d get if you chewed up fragrant flower petals.

‘It’s not because of the Mana Recovery Potion that I got better.’

It was just that the System’s Passive Skill applied late. I think I’ve seen the Status Window flicker a few times since last time. I hope it’s not going to malfunction or something?

Anyway, now that I was fine, I tried to sit up from Park Yul. But Park Yul held me tighter.

“You need to wait a bit longer. The potion’s effect is probably still circulating.”

“Hyung, it wasn’t mana depletion for me…”

“Yi-han. You said you wouldn’t do this again. I’m sorry. I…”

Raen’s choked-up voice was heard. I don’t think I ever said anything like that. Probably.

“Raen-ssi. Calm down and sit still. Even if you seem better, you still need to rest.”

Park Yul raised his hand and lightly swept back his own hair. A voice tinged with frustration followed.

“Both of you… Let’s talk with hyung later. For now, rest. We’ll talk slowly after everything’s settled.”

This is bad. I need to think of some excuse right away.

But what exactly do I need to make an excuse for? I did what I could, and the situation ended in a good direction. Isn’t that enough?

Park Yul stood up easily while still holding me. Then he approached and stood by the window.

Thud.

The window opened heavily. The sunset had almost faded, and the sky was growing dim. A spring breeze blew in. A thick blanket was draped over me.

Park Yul took a deep breath, then stretched one hand out the window. Then he flicked it lightly. Soon, outside, a pop sounded, and a white firework sparkled brightly.

Not long after, Min Joo-hyuk and Song Ha-gyun moved to the back.

“What’s the matter, hyungnim?”

“…Why?”

Both their expressions were stiff. It seemed to be a signal used only in urgent situations.

“Ha-gyeon, Ju-hyeok. Can you take Raen-i to his room? He had mana depletion. He seems okay now, but please keep an eye on his condition.”

“…Raen.”

Song Ha-gyun slid over to Raen, who was sitting in a chair. Then he lifted Raen’s wrist. After checking his pulse briefly, Song Ha-gyun spoke.

“…How? You got better so quickly?”

“Yi-han-ah… I’ll tell you about that later. Let’s just tell Raen-i this for now. Don’t overexert yourself anymore.”

“I didn’t know you used mana to that extent… Leader. But, hyung, you also need Mana Recovery…”

“Raen-ssi. We’ll talk about that too, so rest in your room.”

Min Joo-hyuk, meeting my gaze as I was held in Park Yul’s arms, spoke.

“Park Yul hyungnim, what about Seon Yi-han…?”

“Yi-han-ah isn’t feeling well either. I’ll stay by his side.”

As soon as Park Yul finished speaking, Song Ha-gyun swiftly approached me this time. He swept up my bangs and carefully examined my complexion.

“…Hyung, this.”

Song Ha-gyun floated a wooden bag beside him.

“…If you need more.”

“Okay. I’ll call if I need anything.”

Song Ha-gyun nodded, then returned to Raen and helped him up, supporting him. Beside him, Min Joo-hyuk spoke.

“We’ll be going now… Seon Yi-han. Please take care of yourself too. Get some proper rest. I’ll come check on you later. Please take care of him, hyungnim.”

“Seon Yi-han. Take your medicine and go straight to sleep.”

Song Ha-gyun and Min Joo-hyuk seemed ready to leave now. Meanwhile, Raen apologized to me about ten times and said he was okay once.

Raen would probably be truly fine. Because I used acquire. That was a relief. Moreover, I felt even more reassured because Song Ha-gyun and Min Joo-hyuk would likely stay by his side and make him rest so he wouldn’t overexert himself further.

The three vanished in a flash before my eyes. In an instant, the surroundings grew quiet.

“Yi-han-ah.”

Oops, this wasn’t a situation to feel reassured about. My own situation wasn’t trivial either. At this rate, I might have to stay perfectly still without moving.

Park Yul was looking down at me quietly. His slightly stiff expression made my body flinch. Then Park Yul blinked a few times and quickly softened his expression. A gentle voice followed.

“Do you know what hyung is going to say?”

“Yul, but…”

“Okay, speak first. I’m listening.”

“It wasn’t mana depletion for me. I didn’t use any mana. And…”

I glanced subtly at Park Yul’s reaction. Park Yul, who had been walking while holding me steadily, nodded as if urging me to continue.

“And?”

“I’m really okay now. I’ve had moments like this occasionally before. It passes after a short while.”

“…Okay. Let’s keep listening for now.”

Should I have said it was the first time? No, it was better to say it was a familiar occurrence. That way, my claim of being okay would carry more credibility.

Park Yul slowly descended the stairs. My body swayed slightly. When we first met, he carried me up the stairs like this too. But back then, my consciousness was hazy, and now it wasn’t.

“So, can I walk by myself?”

“Hmm, no. I don’t think that’s possible yet.”

The voice was gentle, but the sentence ended decisively. In that case, I wouldn’t be able to set foot on the ground until we reached the room.

Park Yul stopped in front of a door. The door opened. Huh, but this is the second floor.

“Not too cold or hot? How’s your head?”

“I’m fine with everything. Hyung, but this isn’t the room I stayed in…?”

“It’s the room hyung stays in.”

“Huh… Why?”

“I need to monitor your condition for about a day.”

Park Yul seemed convinced that it was due to mana depletion.

Right, come to think of it, I used acquire on Raen last time too. So he must have guessed that I can not only heal but also take on injuries or Abnormal Status as they are…? Hmm, at least Raen has.

There’s no helping it. Insisting it wasn’t that definitely won’t work now.

‘But does using acquire fill up mana?’

No, that probably wasn’t it. If that were the case, Raen would have said something. It must just be that it only transfers the Abnormal Status itself.

That was a bit disappointing, but it was still okay. Listening to Park Yul just now, it seemed that if mana depletion occurred, one would suffer for about a day. Fortunately, both Raen and I were completely fine now.

Park Yul, who had entered the room, slowly laid me down on the bed and opened his mouth.

“Can hyung talk now?”

“…Yes.”

There was no more way to escape. I had to stay sharp. Whatever Park Yul said, I was innocent and could refute it immediately. My choice was right.

Park Yul covered me with a blanket, pulled a chair next to the bed, and sat down.

“First, Yi-han-ah. You had a hard time. Thank you. Raen-i must have been having a really tough time.”

“…Uh, yes.”

I hadn’t expected this kind of talk. In the end, I could only reply in a dazed voice. Park Yul’s words continued steadily.

“But when you use healing magic, does it normally affect the body like that?”

“Like I said before, it’s not because of the healing magic.”

“Then it’s not that you healed him, but that you transferred the strain on the body from when his mana was depleted directly to yourself.”

“…Normally, it’s healing, but just this time. And I don’t feel the pain exactly as it is. It was just for a moment earlier… I’m really fine now. Uh, and…”

Was I even speaking properly right now? I was tense, worried I might make a slip of the tongue. My body seemed to stiffen along with it.

Park Yul quietly looked at me, then opened the wooden bag on the desk.

It was the bag Song Ha-gyun had given earlier. Inside were several flasks containing potions of different colors and flat, transparent glass cases holding medicinal herbs.

Park Yul examined them as if checking what medicines were there, then turned his gaze back to me.

“Feeling unwell?”

“No? I’m fine. Really.”

Park Yul brought his palm to the center of my chest. Then he slowly swept it downward.

Warmth gradually spread. Even though he clearly placed his hand over my clothes, it felt as distinct as if skin were being directly brushed.

“Actually, hyung has been sure since the last time you healed Raen-i’s injury. That it wasn’t healing magic. Everyone probably felt the same.”

“It wasn’t healing only those two times—then and now.”

It was truly the truth. But Park Yul shook his head slightly and continued right away.

“Yi-han-ah. That’s not what’s important. How could a person not feel pain? Besides, hyung saw you suffering earlier as if you were in a state of mana depletion.”

“That was just for a moment. I can take on injuries without feeling the pain.”

It wasn’t that I didn’t understand Park Yul’s thoughts. But I had been consistently telling only the truth from the start.

I could still feel Park Yul’s hand gently sweeping over me, as if to soothe me. Park Yul opened his mouth carefully, like that touch.

“Right. Actually, even if you drink a Recovery Potion when you have mana depletion, you don’t recover that quickly. It takes some time. So… I’m not sure.”

Park Yul stopped his sweeping hand and looked at me.

“Hyung isn’t even sure if Yi-han-ah is really okay.”

It was a faintly smiling face. Park Yul turned away from me and clinked the items inside the wooden bag. Soon, he placed a glass in my hand. Inside was a shimmering liquid.

“I won’t ask anything else. I can wait until Yi-han-ah wants to talk.”

He wouldn’t ask anything. Those words stuck in my ears. Park Yul brought the glass to my lips and continued.

“But if you feel unwell, please tell me. I’m worried.”

“There’s no need to worry…”

Before I could finish speaking, the potion slowly flowed into my mouth. I swallowed the sweet potion little by little. After confirming I had finished the medicine, Park Yul took the glass back.

“The medicine might make you sleepy right away. If you get sleepy, don’t fight it and let’s sleep.”

Park Yul swept my back a few times, then laid me down in place and continued.

“You were surprised earlier, right? Raen-i sometimes overdoes it. This time seems even more so.”

The gentle voice gradually grew faint. My eyelids grew heavier bit by bit.

I felt a hand slowly stroking my cheek. It felt both ticklish and soft.

“Even if I tell him not to overdo it, he keeps doing it… Aren’t you worried, Yi-han-ah?”

I thought for a long time about what Park Yul had said before I finally understood. I nodded.

“So, until you realize it yourself, I guess I’ll have to keep telling you I’m worried. Right?”

Is that so? A soft blanket was gently draped over me. It was warm.

I’m worried. I thought I faintly heard such a voice.

My eyes gradually closed. The medicine’s effect rushed through my body. Falling asleep was instantaneous.

◇

When I woke from sleep, free from the medicine’s effect, it was morning. I spent that day entirely in Park Yul’s room.

Where did Park Yul sleep while I occupied the bed? I asked Park Yul, but the reply came that he slept fine on his own and not to worry about such things.

My physical condition did not worsen. Of course not. Yet everyone nursed me as if I were a seriously ill patient, enough to make anyone who saw think so.

I’m not even sick, so what kind of nursing is this…? That’s what I thought.

Until I saw how everyone treated me.