HIF 66

Say it properly.

Song Ha-gyun slightly pushed open the wooden window. Hot night air blew in through the opened window. The faint sound of insects could be heard, and the fresh scent of grass wafted in.

“…Lie down first.”

“What about you, Ha-gyeon hyung?”

“…Later.”

Ah, that’s a bit of a problem. The quest could only be cleared if we slept in the same bed.

“Can’t we sleep together?”

Song Ha-gyun turned his head toward me from where he had been looking out the window. Then, he silently stared intently at me. The chirping of insects quietly filled the stillness in the room. Should I say it more clearly?

“I want to sleep with you, hyung.”

Song Ha-gyun blinked his eyes slowly. My reflection appeared and disappeared repeatedly within his light purple pupils. Song Ha-gyun’s long hair fluttered in the summer breeze.

And in the brief moment I closed and opened my eyes, Song Ha-gyun had instantly approached right in front of me. I looked up at Song Ha-gyun. Perhaps because this was an unfamiliar place, he felt somewhat unfamiliar too.

Soon, my body was lifted up. I couldn’t tell if he used magic or lifted me himself. Before I knew it, I was moved onto the bed, lying on my back.

A creaking sound echoed.

Song Ha-gyun, who had climbed on top of me, met my eyes. His firm arm planted itself right next to my face. His deep purple hair flowed down, tickling my cheek.

Judging by the sound I just heard, the bed seems a bit rickety; can two people really sleep here? As I was thinking that, Song Ha-gyun opened his mouth with a calm voice.

“Say it properly.”

“Say what?”

“What you mean.”

Do I have a tendency to be a bit vague with my words? But I was confident I was more detailed than Song Ha-gyun.

Well, it’s better to quickly succeed in the quest anyway, so saying it one more time wasn’t difficult. This time, I explained properly, unpacking what I meant so Song Ha-gyun could understand immediately.

“I’m worried you might not sleep, hyung. I’d like it if we slept together.”

Song Ha-gyun looked down at me quietly. Then, without a word, he slowly moved away from me.

The creaking sound was heard again. It seemed I conveyed my meaning well, but why did Song Ha-gyun get up? Turning my head to the side, I saw Song Ha-gyun standing upright beside the bed.

Before I could open my mouth, Song Ha-gyun spoke first.

“…Okay.”

His tone was slow, as usual. Wait, he says that, but why is he standing so far away?

“Hyung, aren’t you going to sleep now?”

“I will, Seon Yi-han.”

“You’re not planning on not sleeping at all, right?”

“…Yeah.”

It was a dazed voice, but having gotten a definite answer, I was relieved. Once I sleep and wake up, the quest will undoubtedly be completed.

Song Ha-gyun gently brushed up my bangs. The moment I closed my eyes at the touch of his cool, comfortable hand, Song Ha-gyun moved away from my side. Judging by the sound of a chair being pushed, he seemed to have sat down at the desk.

Lying on the bed, I rolled my body and pressed close to the wall. The damp, earthy smell of wood wafted up. Song Ha-gyun would come to sleep later, so I needed to make space.

‘There’s only one pillow.’

I thought Song Ha-gyun would probably use Summoning magic, but just in case… I pulled the pillow to the side and laid my head down. I fall asleep quickly once my head is down, so it wasn’t particularly uncomfortable.

I saw the flickering orange light on the ceiling. Every time I moved, the thin, sheet-like blanket rustled and brushed coolly against my body. It felt like everything was new, even though only the location had changed.

“What are you doing?”

My voice pierced the silence. Song Ha-gyun’s voice followed.

“…Sleeping.”

“I didn’t hear any sound, so I was curious, hyung.”

“…Just. Preparing.”

I raised my head slightly. Song Ha-gyun was leaning back in the chair, alternately looking at the densely floating white, square maps around him and the notebook in his hand, writing something in the notebook.

“Aren’t you tired?”

“…Not tired. And we’re leaving early tomorrow.”

That meant I should fall asleep quickly. I squeezed my eyes shut.

With my vision blocked, my other senses seemed to sharpen. The scratchy sound of the pen tip moving across the paper was quieter than usual but flowed calmly like a melody.

The regularly repeating sound was comforting. My body relaxed drowsily, and sleep gradually poured over me.

“Hyung. I think I like that.”

“…What.”

“The pen… the sound of you writing, hyung.”

“…Yeah.”

A scratchy sound tickled my ear.

“I might not be here when you wake up tomorrow.”

I faintly heard such a voice. Ah, why? I think I asked. I don’t remember if I heard an answer. My thoughts abruptly cut off.

◇

I opened my eyes. The blue morning sky brightly colored the wooden ceiling before my eyes.

I was lying perfectly straight in the center of the bed, with the blanket meticulously pulled up to my shoulders. My head felt soft. It seemed I was using the pillow well too.

My mind gradually woke up. Only then did I realize there was no window floating before my eyes indicating the quest was completed.

‘Quest Window.’

As soon as I thought that, a blue window finally floated up.

The quest isn’t over yet! Song Ha-gyun, did you not sleep? What on earth was the answer you gave me yesterday? Or did you just not come up to the bed? I abruptly sat up. The room was empty.

I threw off the blanket, got up, and opened the window. Hot air brushed past my face. Just like inside the room now, outside was also quiet without a single disturbance.

A lonely peace met alone in an unfamiliar place. Suddenly, it felt like my heart dropped. I don’t know why, but it seemed like everything had momentarily stopped. It felt like I was the only one left here.

Then, the faint sound of paper rustling in the wind was heard.

‘A note?’

A small piece of paper was pressed under the desk lamp. It felt like I had finally returned to reality. On the note, written in a neat, straight-looking handwriting, though slightly rushed, were characters.

「Min Joo-hyuk in the next room. When you wake up, go find him.」

Song Ha-gyun isn’t just short with his words; his writing is short too. I realized it anew. Where could he have gone so early in the morning?

I stood in front of Min Joo-hyuk’s door, but it was firmly closed. What if he’s sleeping? Since it’s not urgent, I could probably come back later. I lowered the hand I had raised to knock when,

“Come in.”

Min Joo-hyuk’s calm voice came from inside. Until now, I had thought I gave off no presence at all. But it seems that wasn’t the case.

Given that I’m such an obvious mover, how hard must the Priests at the Temple have tried to pretend not to notice me? That level of effort was almost awe-inspiring.

Click.

As I opened the door and entered, Min Joo-hyuk, who had been lying on the bed, sat up. Min Joo-hyuk leaned his back against the wall and looked at me.

“You woke up early.”

“You?”

“I woke up even earlier.”

That logic doesn’t work. Seeing Min Joo-hyuk’s atmosphere more subdued than usual, he seemed tired. When I silently stared, Min Joo-hyuk smiled slightly as if making an excuse.

“The hyungs all went out, and only you and I are here.”

“Min Joo-hyuk. Are you really okay?”

“Yeah. Pull that chair over and sit.”

I closed the door and climbed onto the bed where Min Joo-hyuk was. Here too, the bed made a creaking sound. This bed was definitely meant for one person. It won’t collapse, right?

Min Joo-hyuk, sitting beside me, rolled only his eyes to look at me. Then, he slowly pulled the blanket and wrapped it around himself like a cocoon.

No matter how much he hunched his large frame, he never looked small, but that action alone seemed to clearly show he wished I hadn’t come over. Min Joo-hyuk opened his mouth with a stiff voice.

“Why did you come here?”

“To check on your condition.”

“Go sit over there. Don’t touch me.”

It was a sharp reaction. I stared intently at Min Joo-hyuk’s hardened face. Seeing Min Joo-hyuk react like this, it was clear something was wrong. With him, not me. I don’t know what, but it seemed I should try using healing first.

Just as I was about to reach out to Min Joo-hyuk, he buried his head deeply. A small, wavering voice, as if hesitating, was heard.

“No, sorry. I pushed myself a bit right now. Can you help me a little?”

Veins stood out on Min Joo-hyuk’s clenched fist.

‘If it’s this bad, you should have said something from the start.’

He must really be struggling. This is the first time I’ve seen Min Joo-hyuk like this. I quickly placed my hand over Min Joo-hyuk’s large hand. I could feel the slight trembling perfectly.

「<The Healer will help you!> Healing, successful!」

As blue light flowed into me, I saw the healing gauge gradually filling. There was still quite a bit of space left, but it was concerning. I should also check if there’s a place to spit blood. I decided to think about that later.

“Hey, Min Joo-hyuk. Are you okay? What was wrong?”

Looking now, Min Joo-hyuk had one hand brought near his solar plexus. Min Joo-hyuk, still in his deeply bowed position, rested his forehead on my shoulder. A mumbling voice pierced my ear.

“…I think I’ll live.”

He seems okay now. That’s a relief. Min Joo-hyuk, who had been rubbing his face against me like that, suddenly jerked his head up. Our gazes met at a distance close enough to hear breathing.

“Are you okay, Seon Yi-han?”

“What reason would I have to not be okay?”

Min Joo-hyuk cupped my cheeks with both hands and turned my head this way and that. With eyes that seemed to be checking my complexion, Min Joo-hyuk cautiously continued.

“You were sick for a long time last time too when you healed Raen hyung’s mana depletion.”

That never happened. I just spent a long time in bed, that’s all. No, wait a minute.

“Were you mana depleted just now?”

Min Joo-hyuk brushed up my bangs, placed the back of his hand on my forehead, and continued.

“No. I wasn’t mana depleted; I just used it a bit recklessly, so my condition wasn’t great.”

Ah, right. Abnormal Status caused by mana depletion couldn’t be cured by healing. In my haste, I hadn’t thought of that.

“Last time, Raen hyung used up his mana completely to the end. I don’t know how he squeezed it all out like that.”

To Min Joo-hyuk, who continued as if talking to himself, saying he must have had a lot of mana too, I opened my mouth.

“How did you end up like that?”

“There was something I had to do.”

Min Joo-hyuk brought his hand to the nape of my neck. The cautious stroking motion tickled. Min Joo-hyuk stayed like that for a moment before finally speaking with a relieved voice.

“Your body isn’t trembling. No fever either. That’s good.”

“Yeah. So why were you like that?”

Min Joo-hyuk flopped down onto the spot. Naturally, he was in a position using my thigh as a pillow.