HIF 35

Not for Any Other Reason

Song Ha-gyun, who was holding me, gave no response.

“Sorry, Ha-gyeon hyung. Were you really startled?”

“…….”

Still, no words followed. My vision was blurry, so I couldn’t tell what expression Song Ha-gyun was making.

In my pointless embarrassment, words flowed out without passing through thought. By the time I couldn’t even tell what I was saying anymore,

“Seon Yi-han.”

Song Ha-gyun’s calm voice cut off my rambling. Thankfully. I almost ended up spouting incoherent nonsense all day long.

I quietly watched Song Ha-gyun. Song Ha-gyun hugged me tighter. His calm, slow voice continued.

“You, weren’t startled?”

“I wasn’t that startled.”

“…….”

“Really. You caught me like this, hyung.”

My body felt like it was floating slightly in the air. Song Ha-gyun raised one hand and silently wiped the corners of my eyes. It was a cautious touch.

My hazy, blurred vision cleared again. Song Ha-gyun’s gaze was directed solely at me.

“It’s okay now.”

“…I know, hyung.”

Of course I was okay. I lightly tapped Song Ha-gyun’s shoulder, meaning he should put me down soon.

Song Ha-gyun gently patted my back and then flicked a finger. A large log slid over from somewhere as if being pulled. Song Ha-gyun lightly sat me down on it.

“…So, the reason?”

“Huh?”

“Up there, you said you were flustered.”

“Uh… Me?”

“Yeah. You said that.”

Did I say that? I couldn’t remember at all what I’d said. This is why you have to be careful when you speak. If you talk without thinking, your future self will have to think twice as much.

Well, I didn’t particularly intend to hide this matter anyway. I explained to Song Ha-gyun what I had experienced. Of course, excluding anything related to the quest. After listening to me, Song Ha-gyun pondered deeply and then spoke.

“…A veil?”

“It felt like passing through a thin, wavy layer.”

“I’m not sure. …I’ll go check it out.”

“I’ll go with you.”

Song Ha-gyun shook his head firmly and took a step away from me. Then, as if about to recite a spell, he slowly raised his hand.

Wait a minute. I don’t know what’s so urgent.

Hyung, Ha-gyeon, I called out and sprang up from my seat. Simultaneously, the strength drained from my legs. I plopped down onto the ground.

…This was a bit embarrassing. Regardless of my calmness, my body might have been in a tense state, and I hadn’t considered that.

In times like this, I needed to be a bit brazen. I brushed myself off and stood up as if nothing was wrong.

“Are you okay?”

Whoa. Before I knew it, Song Ha-gyun, who had approached right in front of me, firmly held me as if supporting me. I lightly grabbed the end of his sleeve so he wouldn’t use magic and go ahead without me.

“Ha-gyeon hyung. Take me with you. That way we can check it accurately, right?”

“You, want to go together?”

“…? Yes.”

“Not for any other reason. I’m asking if it’s your own will.”

“Yes. I want to take another look. I didn’t have time to think properly earlier.”

Song Ha-gyun stared down at me intently. His gaze seemed to be gauging my sincerity. I wasn’t lying in the slightest right now. As I nodded my head vigorously, Song Ha-gyun slowly continued.

“Alright. Then.”

Song Ha-gyun instantly created a thick-looking cloak in mid-air. Wrapping it around me, he loosely tied the attached cord in front.

It’s warm. Just as I thought that, my body was lifted up.

“…Let’s go.”

Song Ha-gyun was holding me in his arms. Was he planning to go while carrying me like this? Before I could say anything, my field of vision slowly rose.

Even after climbing onto a sturdy branch at the top, Song Ha-gyun didn’t put me down. Not that I particularly wanted to ask to be put down at this height. Staying quietly in his arms, I reached my hand toward the sky.

Pong.

A clear sound resonated. A sensation of something passing through my fingertips, and the sky rippled faintly. It was certain.

“Ha-gyeon hyung. Did you see it?”

“…No.”

Song Ha-gyun stared at the empty space where my hand was for a long time. Then, as if interlocking fingers with mine, he pressed his hand against mine. Long fingers gently entwined.

Song Ha-gyun’s hand pushed through the empty air and went up.

“…I don’t feel anything.”

Song Ha-gyun, lost in thought, spoke as if to himself.

“Is it something like magic? …A barrier?”

Song Ha-gyun adjusted his monocle once and stared intently upward. The dark sky filled his light purple eyes. After blinking a few times, Song Ha-gyun turned his head toward me.

“First, let’s go down.”

My body slowly descended. The surroundings gradually brightened. Just as I thought I was being enveloped in a very bright light, we fully reached the ground.

Song Ha-gyun, who had set foot on the ground, cleared away all but one of the light boxes that had illuminated the surroundings. Then, slowly moving his steps, he retraced the path we came. Still carrying me in his arms.

“Hyung…? I’ll walk now.”

“Yeah. Listen, Seon Yi-han.”

Song Ha-gyun’s slow words continued. He explained that the veil-like thing I felt might be a barrier. A barrier that distorts this place.

“Raen mentioned it once. That the form of your Mana is, not ordinary.”

He said that might be the reason why I felt something even though he himself couldn’t perceive it. He added that we should check it once everyone returns. Especially Raen.

He said Raen is sensitive to detecting Mana, so if there’s a barrier, he might recognize it. Of course, he also mentioned that Raen hadn’t said anything during the investigation so far.

‘It seems Song Ha-gyun is right.’

Then, the System giving me a sudden quest must also be to make me aware of it. But why did it want to inform me?

While pondering an unanswerable question, I suddenly realized Song Ha-gyun still hadn’t put me down. I didn’t want to go back being carried like this.

“Ha-gyeon hyung. Now, really, put me down…. Huh?”

I felt something sticky trickling down my face. I wiped the area with my sleeve. Instantly, the sleeve soaked through red. A nosebleed.

No, there’s no reason for this to happen suddenly? I wasn’t particularly tired right now. Then, a ding sound was heard. I raised my wavering gaze upward.

Ah. There was a reason after all. But of all times, now. I hurriedly continued speaking to Song Ha-gyun.

“It’s okay. This happens sometimes. …Ha-gyeon hyung?”

◇

The crimson blood trickling down the pale face was vividly captured in Song Ha-gyun’s vision.

‘Why suddenly?’

The nosebleed that burst out without any warning was eerie.

He jerked his head up. He gauged the distance to the burning campfire in the distance. Now was not the time to be walking idly through the forest. For this distance, he had enough Mana for a Teleport for two people.

He hurriedly moved and seated Seon Yi-han in front of the campfire. Seon Yi-han had a flustered expression, as if struggling to keep up with the rapidly progressing situation.

He summoned a handkerchief and placed it in Seon Yi-han’s hand. Seon Yi-han quietly bowed his head as if familiar with this.

Since living with Seon Yi-han, such sudden situations hadn’t been just once or twice.

It was a deep night once. A pitch-black night just like now.

-…Huh, ugh. …I don’t want to.

The pale face that spat out “I don’t want to” desperately while pouring out blood was still vivid. The trembling body sobbing, and the blood-stained, pallid lips too.

Is it really okay? Raen had once mentioned that healing magic might have a cost.

I agreed with that statement. Perhaps Seon Yi-han continuously vomiting blood was also because of that.

Yet, Seon Yi-han used healing magic as if it were nothing. Even if it strains his body every time he heals, he should be aware of it himself.

Is there really no cost? But that can’t be…. Or, could it be that he uses healing magic while bearing the cost?

It was the same earlier. Even though Park Yul hyung clearly said Seon Yi-han vomited blood and fell asleep, Seon Yi-han healed me right after waking up.

-This is what I should do. Because it’s something I can do.

If it’s something you can do, does it mean you must do it? Seon Yi-han’s gentle voice lingered in his head, creating that question.

Seon Yi-han, despite his gentle appearance, was quite a person of strong will. Meaning he wasn’t easily swayed. Just seeing him say everything he needed to say in his calm voice showed that.

Yet, sometimes his forward steps seemed not entirely his own decision. As if he was forced to do something not of his own will.

-Ha-gyeon hyung. I think I have to go, beyond this.

The eyes directed straight at me as he said that seemed troubled somewhere. It wasn’t that he wanted to go. It was that he had to go.

Seon Yi-han’s words sounded as if there was another reason.

Thinking back, every situation until now was like that. Even though this place must be his first time, Seon Yi-han walked calmly through the darkness as if his path was predetermined. There wasn’t even a hint of hesitation.

-I’ll be right back.

I couldn’t stop Seon Yi-han who said that, to the very end.

I didn’t know your thoughts, I didn’t know your situation. So, how could I interfere with your choices? If you walk your path, what can I do beside you?

In the end, I could only surround the area with safety magic and such, float into the air, and watch Seon Yi-han disappear into the darkness.

And then, Seon Yi-han rapidly descended from above after a while.

My body moved before I could think. I quickly caught Seon Yi-han. Seon Yi-han’s body in my embrace was stiff, tense.

Seon Yi-han slowly raised his head toward me. The expression that appeared on Seon Yi-han’s face as we faced each other was….

“Ha-gyeon hyung.”

Seon Yi-han’s voice broke his reverie. Seon Yi-han was looking up at me with a clear smile. He had removed the handkerchief he was using to stop the bleeding.

“It’s stopped now.”

“…Yeah.”

He took the blood-soaked handkerchief from Seon Yi-han’s hand. And summoned a new thin handkerchief.

He dissolved suitable medicinal herbs in water of a cool temperature and soaked the handkerchief. Wringing out the handkerchief imbued with a faint herbal scent in mid-air, he asked Seon Yi-han again.

“Anywhere, that hurts?”

“I’m fine.”

“…Close your eyes for a moment.”

“Why?”

Seon Yi-han spoke in a voice full of doubt but quietly closed his eyes.

Long eyelashes gently lowered. His pitch-black hair swayed in the wind. Below that, his neat face with eyes serenely closed was visible. Unknowingly, a slight strength entered his hand.