On his way to the kitchen after washing the porridge bowl Seo Woo had finished, Kang Sihyun picked up a thermometer. With a press of the button, the screen lit up. Kang Sihyun brought it to Seo Woo's forehead and pressed the button again.
39.1 degrees.
After confirming the number, Sihyun doubted his eyes. Even when he opened his eyes wide and looked again, the number remained unchanged. He lowered the thermometer and touched Seo Woo's forehead with his hand, feeling the warmth.
"...It's higher than before."
It wasn't this hot a while ago. Seo Woo, who had forcibly eaten all the porridge, closed his eyes while Sihyun, with an expression of regret for making him eat such a small amount of lukewarm porridge, opened his mouth.
"You always get sick around this time every year."
"...It's not a cold."
It's just that I always feel this way every year.
Sihyun's half-closed voice was lower than usual. He rummaged through his pocket, looking at Seo Woo's slightly reddened cheeks due to the rising temperature. He pulled out cold medicine he had bought from the pharmacy. As Sihyun walked to the kitchen with the empty cup that had fed Seo Woo the medicine, Seo Woo, who had crawled slowly under the blanket, felt Sihyun's presence. Sihyun had finished the dishes and was walking towards the room. Hot breath flowed through his lips.
"...Go to sleep."
"It's okay."
"It's late."
"You can take a taxi."
"......"
The conversation paused for a moment. Hearing a sigh, Sihyun, who looked at Seo Woo's sleeping figure, checked the time. It was already 10:10. Helping the guy who refused to eat, preparing his clothes, and other things, it was already 10:00. If he went home, it would undoubtedly be close to midnight. Unexpectedly, Seo Woo spoke.
"...I don't want to be alone. Do I have to say it so pitifully?"
"...What?"
"I'm sick, Sihyun. If you're going to take care of me, take care of me till the end, okay?"
After feeding a person and giving medicine, what more was there to do? Sihyun chuckled at the thought and got a serious stare from Seo Woo, who had raised his eyebrows. The long eyelashes slowly rose in his view.
"I won't even struggle."
"......"
"You're worried. What if I have a fever at night?"
Seo Woo pinched Sihyun with a fact that he had subtly kept in mind while thinking about going home. Sihyun laughed awkwardly when he was about to answer. Sihyun looked at the time, which had become 10:10, and opened and closed his lips. He wanted to lie down somewhere right away, having not rested for a long time.
"...Just for today."
While calling Sihyun's parents with his phone, he heard the guy saying that he should have bought a smaller bed. When he raised his eyes in surprise, Seo Woo, who had closed his eyes, was seen. Sihyun, who glanced at him, looked around Seo Woo's room. There were minimal furniture for living in Yoo Seowoo's house. There was only a bed in the room, and there was no sofa in the living room. It seemed like there was only a bed to sleep in.
Choosing to stay over was probably a wrong decision after all.
Sihyun sighed as he touched his phone with the remaining sentiment, then turned off the light in the room. The words that had already been said couldn't be taken back. Sihyun climbed onto the bed and pulled the blanket up to his neck out of habit. The blanket got caught on his chest with a snap as he pulled it up. It was because Seo Woo, who had half the blanket in his body, was holding onto it.
...I can't take the blanket from a sick person.
Letting go of the blanket he held, Sihyun, who was left with an unfamiliar ceiling, looked at it. The next bed was quiet. Only the faint sound of breathing could be heard. It seemed like he had already fallen asleep.
"From lunch, I felt like my body wasn't well."
When Seo Woo's words suddenly came to his mind, Sihyun half-lifted his body. It seemed like he wasn't sleeping.
"Is that so?"
"It's today, and my aunt contacted me to find a model. I realized that if it wasn't today, I wouldn't be able to meet you."
"Why."
"I thought you might need an excuse to meet me."
"...Okay."
Was it because he was sick? Sihyun answered, closing his eyes. He didn't know what was strange or who was wrong. Whether it was Yoo Seowoo, who came out with his body dragging out despite being sick, or himself who pushed him that far...
Suddenly, Sihyun recalled the events of the first end-of-month evaluation. He turned his head to look at Seo Woo's back. Stray hairs that had been flattened by the pillow were visible. A long-asked question came to mind. If it were now, he felt like he could hear Seo Woo's answer.
"Yoo Seowoo."
"I'm listening."
"I told you before that I found your interest in me sweet."
"Yeah."
"I have one more thing I'm curious about you."
"What is it?"
The voice that answered calmly was calm. It seemed easy for Yoo Seowoo to pretend. So, Sihyun, who was more determined, finally spoke after some time had passed.
"What happened with Class C during the first end-of-month evaluation?"
"...."
Until now, there had been a slight hesitation before he answered, but this time, there was no response. Sihyun, who noticed Seowoo keeping his mouth shut like someone who was asleep, sat up.
"I know you're not sleeping."
"What answer are you expecting?"
Laughter was mixed in his voice. It felt familiar – as if he found it amusing and a bit tiresome. It was like the situation when he first asked him if that was all he was curious about. Sihyun, raising his eyebrows, sent an intense gaze to Seowoo's back.
"I want a proper answer."
"You already seem halfway convinced, asking like that. You don't want an answer from me; you want to confirm what you're already sure of through me."
After a long time, he spoke extensively. As the conversation didn't seem to be smoothly continuing, and Seowoo was lying facing him, Sihyun laid down, facing him. Even in the darkness, his eye color was clearly visible. They seemed like the eyes of a beast shining in the night.
"I said that."
"What?"
"You know."
Sihyun furrowed his brows for some reason. Somehow, it felt like complaining was his thing, and listening to it was Seowoo's thing. A strange feeling of discomfort crawled over him. He wasn't sure whether he was the one trying to solve something or if it was Seowoo who pushed him that far.
"Why did you do that?"
"I don't know."
"Yoo Seowoo."
"I hate people who ignore warnings and mess with me, Sihyun."
That was the answer. He asked if he was satisfied with that, in a low voice.
Am I satisfied?
Sihyun wondered. Was he curious about what happened with Class C, or was he trying to confirm something, and was he satisfied with the answers? It wasn't clear. Asking a question to resolve something had only piled up more question marks. When they maintained silence, Seowoo was the first to open his mouth.
"I told you everything without hiding, Sihyun."
His gentle voice told the story like reading from a scripture. Strangely, Sihyun didn't think his words were false. He blinked, and the sound of a long exhale was faintly heard. Seeing him speak, he wondered if he wasn't in pain anymore, but he still seemed tired.
"So... I hope you have nothing to hide from me."
Seowoo whispered those words like a push, closed his eyes, and ended the conversation. Sihyun, also closing his eyes, felt a strangely light and uneasy sensation. When conflicting emotions coexisted and tangled, Sihyun, who had been tossing and turning, slowly fell into sleep.
He woke up when the sun was high in the sky.
Having fallen asleep in a sprawled position, Sihyun was awakened by the sound of a knife. He looked at the empty side, facing the door, in a daze. Through the crack in the door, he could vaguely see the unfamiliar living room. Only then did Sihyun realize that this wasn't his home.
"Are you awake?"
As he went to the kitchen, Seowoo, who saw Sihyun, spoke affectionately. Sihyun, who opened his eyes without the familiar feeling, confirmed Seowoo's neat appearance. A gentle smile hung on his lips.
"...I'm better now."
"I usually get sick for about one to three days. I was lucky this time."
Tap, tap. After placing salad, soup, and bread on the table, Seowoo pulled out a chair. Half was eaten, but half was still hazy. Sihyun, who had naturally sat down on the chair with half-closed eyes, looked at the food in front of him. The drowsiness slowly lowered his eyelids and rose again.
"Is it okay for breakfast?"
"...Yeah."
"Did you sleep well?"
"Yeah."
"Is there any pain?"
"Yeah."
"Good, then. Since there's a dedicated training room in the basement, let's go check it out after eating."
"What...?"
Sihyun, who was answering absentmindedly, suddenly woke up.
Where are we going? Well, a training room?
He widened his eyes and looked at Seowoo in surprise. Seowoo, who had put sauce on the salad, opened his mouth strangely, looking thoughtful.
"Do you still not know how to properly use your attribute abilities?"
"...."
"I've told others that I've already overcome all traumas. It's probably a lie."
No?
Seowoo, who sliced the bread with a knife, looked at him and placed it on the plate, then met Sihyun's eyes. Sihyun, looking at his eyes, different from last night, was dumbfounded for a moment. He couldn't follow the situation because he had just woken up. Only after a while did his thin body stiffen, as if he was surprised.
Thank you for reading this far! You can access more chapters from HERE by joining my Patreon community. You'll gain exclusive early access to the COMPLETE NOVEL.
As a member of my Patreon community, here is what you'll get:
For $5
- Early access to 100s of chapters before they go public.
- You also get access to all the novels I'm translating, you can find them here HERE.
- Your name will be featured on the "Wall of Gratitude".
- The power to vote on which novel I translate next.
- You Get Ad-free Chapters.
For $10
- You get to suggest a Novel for me to translate.
- You get access to Digital art.
- Your name featured on the "Wall of Gratitude" (in gold).
For $20
- You get to recommend a Novel and I will immediately start translating it.
- Your name featured on the "Wall of Gratitude" (in blue).
Plus, you can Cancel your membership at any time.
Don't let this amazing opportunity slip through your fingers!
