Despite being the school nurse, thanks to the healer who kindly knocked before entering, the incident of Yoo Seowoo's persistent coquetry was quickly glossed over. Upon hearing that there were no health issues, Kang Sihyun breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that the school's tests couldn't uncover anything about the potential clash of mana, which eased his worries.
"Can I leave now?"
"Yes. The school will provide separate notices regarding this incident."
"Thank you."
Having spent nearly half a day in the infirmary, there was no need to be more indebted. Thinking that the teacher's departure might have been delayed because of him, Sihyun quickly rose, only to hear a rumbling sound from his stomach. Despite never experiencing such hunger even on an empty stomach, the mere hours of fasting prompted his body to protest. The sound was so loud that everyone looked at him.
"Are you that hungry?"
"...."
"Well, you've probably been through a lot because of Venom, right? That could be it. Straighten your face. Is making noise from your stomach a big deal?"
"Shall we go buy something to eat? Do you want to go up first?"
Hamin suggested with a poker face, and Sihyun nodded to Seowoo's proposal. Feeling embarrassed, his face flushed for no apparent reason.
"...Then I'll wait in the room."
"Okay, go ahead and rest first."
"You go to the room."
As Gunwoo was the only one in a different room, he nodded to him and patted Sihyun's head. After greeting the healer, Sihyun left the infirmary. It was when Hamin, who stood at the front and opened the door, was surprised.
"Ah!"
"...."
It wasn't a scream, nor a shriek, but more of an 'ah'. Hamin, who seemed genuinely surprised, stumbled backward outside the infirmary, realizing what he had shouted a moment later. Blushing, he glanced at the corridor outside the infirmary, unseen by Sihyun.
"Why are you standing there like that? If you're going to be there, at least pretend to be discreet."
At the words that seemed to reproach someone, Sihyun walked out of the infirmary. Listening to the conversation, he recognized Hamin, and as he wondered why he was so surprised, he saw Haru sitting next to the infirmary door all day.
With hair growing over his eyes again, revealing red eyes between the bangs, if Haru had been like that all day, Hamin's surprise was understandable. Feeling even he would be surprised, Sihyun called out to him, and Haru blinked once before standing up.
"If you came, you could have come in. Why are you standing here?"
"...."
In response to the question, Haru chose silence. It was actually him who had been lying in the infirmary for half a day, yet it was Haru who seemed unwell. Despite not looking well even without words, Sihyun examined Haru, who seemed to be looking past his shoulder. Whatever it was, it didn't seem like something he wanted to talk about in front of others.
Making a decision, Sihyun turned around and opened his mouth towards the three boys.
"I'll go into the room with Haru first. You guys come buy something."
"Okay. Should we come a little later?"
"Sure, thanks."
Responding to Seowoo's keen question with a nod, Sihyun took Haru with him. His somber aura was palpable even to me. He had the appearance of someone who had gone through some ordeal after going to the principal's office.
Was there really trouble?
What could be wrong with our kid?
It was rare to see someone as calm as Haru. Of course, he sometimes showed a bit of stubbornness and temper, especially when it came to matters related to me, but he was still the gentlest and kindest person around. If he had experienced something like what Haru did, he might have become a pessimistic psychopath, committing atrocities like the researcher serial killings, but Haru didn't, and that was evidence enough.
Thinking about what could have caused Haru's distress, Sihyun furrowed his brow. As he suggested going to the room, Haru silently followed him. From some point on, the one who walked beside him rather than behind him was today's exception. That slight difference in behavior seemed significant to Sihyun, given Haru's usual constancy and lack of change.
Haru was usually so consistent and unchanging that even the smallest differences in behavior seemed to carry significant emotional weight.
At present, he seemed unlikely to respond to any questions, so Sihyun joined in the silence. Upon reaching the room with his lips sealed, Sihyun headed for his bed. Haru, who had closed the door and entered, sat down beside him. His head barely reached the bottom of the bunk bed, swaying slightly.
"Want to go to the couch?"
"...No."
"It might be uncomfortable."
"It's okay."
What could be okay? He had made the suggestion because he thought I looked precarious, but Haru refused, staring at me blankly. As Sihyun reached out to Haru's somewhat grown black hair, which covered half of his eyes, he commented:
"You've grown a lot."
As he said this, he attempted to brush his hair over as usual. However, Haru, looking somewhat startled as if he had been accused of something, leaned back. His hand, which had become perplexed, paused in mid-air. Meeting eyes, Haru, who had closed his mouth, hesitantly grabbed Sihyun's outstretched hand.
"Sorry."
"...No, you could dislike it."
The atmosphere became desolate with just one refusal of physical contact. Sihyun couldn't help but wonder why Haru, who usually treated him so well, avoided his touch.
There wasn't really a reason for him to dislike it, and he was holding my hand. Could it be that he simply didn't like being touched on the head? Sihyun stared at Haru, who was more affectionate than Pia but now seemed unfamiliar.
"Should I not touch your head?"
"...Yeah."
"Are you planning to grow your hair again?"
"I was going to cut it tomorrow... Should I grow it out again?"
"Let's do whatever is comfortable for you."
"Yeah."
After exchanging a few awkwardly spoken words than usual, the conversation stopped altogether. Still, Sihyun, who examined Haru, who seemed less gloomy than before, discreetly brought up the main topic that had been pushed aside earlier.
"...What happened?"
Carefully asking, Haru lowered his head as if contemplating something. His red eyes looked cloudy. Following his gaze, Sihyun looked at the dull patterned floor. Although they were presumably looking at the same thing, Sihyun couldn't shake the feeling that they weren't seeing the same thing.
"You said you went to the principal's office."
"......"
"Did you do something wrong? Did you get scolded there?"
It felt like dealing with a child who had come home from school looking gloomy. Even after asking several times, he didn't answer. Suddenly, Haru leaned his head against Sihyun's shoulder. Reacting almost instinctively to his playful gesture, Sihyun reached out, but then hesitated. His hand, forbidden to touch his head, hung limply.
What could have really happened?
Or did he find out about the lab work at school?
Since he didn't speak, Sihyun began to speculate and hypothesize variously, narrowing his eyes. Then, he heard a small rustle from Haru's shoulder. He was rubbing his head. Feeling frustrated with the situation, Sihyun sighed and patted his hand, turning it over so that the back was facing the ceiling. His breath was close. His sigh lingered in his ears.
"...Sihyun."
After a long time, Haru opened his mouth and called my name. It was such a small voice, as if it were a whisper to himself or to me. When I answered, the silence resumed. Turning my head slightly, I saw him repeatedly opening and closing his mouth.
It seemed like he had a lot to say just from his expression. Since his thoughts didn't seem to be organized into words, Sihyun waited for him to sort them out, looking around the room that the four of them shared. Starting with the wardrobe with its elegant design, then the sofa that was mainly used as a bed, and even the TV that I hadn't turned on recently, my gaze reached the terrace. There, I remembered meeting Pia and chuckled.
Back then, I had shouted my opposition, but now, I was the one most affectionate with Pia. Turning my head forward, I saw Haru's bed and remembered holding him while he held Pia in the rain.
Why did Haru happen to pick up Pia back then?
What was he thinking?
Recalling something I hadn't deeply considered at the time, I swallowed my breath. As I idly toyed with Haru's hand that had ended up in mine, I heard his voice, which had been closed until then.
"I like you."
"......"
It felt like getting punched without even raising a guard. As I sat with a shocked expression, his low voice was heard again.
"You, ...are precious to me."
With that added statement, Sihyun's lips twitched. His gaze turned towards Haru as if drawn. When he raised his head, looking at Sihyun, for some reason, he felt like he might cry, looking at his dry, red eyes.
"...So, I want you to be safe. I wish nothing like today happened... I keep feeling frustrated when I think something might go wrong with you."
"Ah..."
That's what it meant.
Momentarily, Sihyun, frozen, sighed lightly, wondering if he had just been confessed to romantically. Haru was merely expressing his liking for him as a human.
Relieved at the thought, Sihyun gently stroked the back of Haru's hand. "Are you worried because of what happened today?"
If that were the case, he wanted to assure Haru that he was fine and there was no need to worry. However, Haru cut him off.
"I don't want to hear such words from your mouth... When you say that, it means something must have happened to you. I'd rather not have to worry about you."
This was the first time Haru had expressed his thoughts so clearly, so assertively. It almost felt like a first. The image of the hesitant, timid Haru from their first meeting overlapped with this new, confident version before Sihyun. Haru, who used to hesitate and timidly make requests during Titan and other times, seemed uncomfortable in this situation where he was speaking with calm determination.
"...I'll try."
Haru closed his eyes at Sihyun's small response. Seeing him bow his head, gripping his hand as if in prayer and touching his forehead, Sihyun held his breath. His voice involuntarily softened for such a trivial matter. Haru exhaled a long sigh, almost feeling languid, and called Sihyun's name softly. Feeling the moist breath on his fingertips, Sihyun flinched and replied, "Yes."
"I have nothing to lose but you. I can give you everything."
...That seemed plausible.
Sihyun suddenly blurted out Haru's words. It was such a sudden and weighty statement, leaving him puzzled as to why he had such thoughts, why such words had come out. There was no doubt that something had happened in the principal's office.
Unable to decide what to say, he hesitated and then expressed his intention to be cautious. Whether Haru had hoped for that response or simply desired him to say anything, Haru smiled faintly.
"I hope you won't get hurt."
And that he won't disappear.
The murmured words sounded like a prayer. Sihyun couldn't say anything. Haru's gaze was so serious as he looked at him. Sihyun couldn't bring himself to offer Haru any hope or reliance, fearing that his words might burden him more heavily in the future.
Heavy-hearted, as if he had hung a heavy weight, Sihyun couldn't help but wonder why Haru had said such things. Even though he harbored deep doubts, he didn't ask Haru.
Instinctively, he knew that Haru wouldn't answer his questions that day.
That night, Sihyun had to spend the dawn with wide-open eyes.
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