Chapter 118

-Whack, Whack!

The sound alone sends shivers down one’s spine.

A dull and heavy thud settled over the park at dusk.

Those passing by merely assumed it was children fighting and moved on.

No one offered to help.

Even though it was nearly a one-sided assault,

It didn’t matter how outnumbered he was; his determination never wavered.

For a long time, the boy stood up again and again, like a spinning top, amidst his peers’ relentless blows.

“Heck, heck…!”

“Hey, hey, this punk again…”

“Crazy guy. Doesn’t this one ever get tired?”

To stand back up even after being hit so many times?

The students who had grown weary of him clicked their tongues.

The body of the boy who was ostracized was covered in bruises.

The purplish bruises were clearly visible on his skin, as were the cuts scattered about.

His clothes, already dirty from rolling on a sandy beach, were also stained with blood in places where the wounds were severe.

If one were to judge the outcome based on the fact that he had fought with someone, the finger would point to him as the loser.

“…”

But despite the one-sided beating, he did not give in.

There was no look of defeat in his eyes.

He clenched his teeth, ready to pounce and strike once more.

Even if he had cried and whined, they might have teased him for losing. But even those doing the beating found no humor in the situation.

In the end,

They couldn’t break his will and retreated, pushed away by the boy’s tenacity.

Alone, the boy spat out saliva mixed with blood, then silently picked up his bag and headed home.

Yet his face wasn’t bright at all.

“…”

In the dim evening,

He reached his house.

Though the door handle was right there and he needed to open the door and enter, his hand wouldn’t move.

He needed to take off his blood-soaked uniform, throw it in the washing machine, and clean himself thoroughly. He also needed to apply medicine to prevent scarring.

Moreover, he had to rest sufficiently to recover from his injuries. He mustn’t miss a meal.

Doesn’t he know this?

Is that why he’s not opening the door?

No, that’s not it.

The boy knew better than anyone else that standing there was not an option.

Still, he didn’t open the door because there was a reason.

After a long silence,

He laughed bitterly and finally opened the door.

Immediately, nagging began.

“Huh? Oh, he’s here. Hey, Kim Min-hyuk! What were you doing until now?”

The voice was filled with considerable displeasure.

It was his second sister.

She came out from the bedroom to the living room and soon erupted in anger.

“Damn it. You, what is this? Did you get into another fight?”

Another fight?

That meant he had fought before, and his current state resembled that of previous fights.

Indeed, he had.

But at this moment, the words Min-hyuk most needed didn’t reach him. They only proved why he had lingered at the door.

“You idiot. Can’t you stop fighting with your sister?”

How could he feel like entering the house after hearing such words?

It was justified.

His younger sibling looking at him and giggling behind him was just an extra.

Even if he had fought back, showing them no mercy, and his injuries were not his fault,

No one asked if he was okay.

They weren’t his family.

“Hey, are you ignoring me? Hey!!”

Ignoring his sister’s nagging, Min-hyuk walked straight to the bathroom.

When he turned on the shower, cold water came out.

Someone had deliberately blocked the warm water, likely his third sibling.

Nevertheless, he needed to wash his uniform.

He had to go to school tomorrow.

With his injured hands, he washed his uniform himself.

He scrubbed until the blood was gone. The pain from his body had long been forgotten.

Every time his wounded body touched the water, it stung.

But Min-hyuk continued his work in silence.

And that day,

Because he washed with cold water for so long, he caught a terrible cold.

Worse than on his second sister’s birthday, it was a long-lasting cold.

Cold and painful.

His body was racked with chills that wouldn’t subside.

His body temperature plummeted rapidly.

He needed care.

If someone had touched his cold body, they would never have let it go unnoticed.

However, how could the timing be worse?

Misfortune piled up on all fronts.

Coincidentally, the next day was a weekend.

Outside, cherry blossoms bloomed, signaling the arrival of spring beyond the cold winter.

It was a beautiful sunny day perfect for a family trip.

“We’re going out with Mom, so just focus on recovering. Stupid!”

His second sister yelled as she left medicine near Min-hyuk’s room.

Pain relief ointments, bandages, anti-inflammatory drugs—all were there.

But they were useless.

No one entered Min-hyuk’s room where he lay on the bed.

Min-hyuk had to endure the chills alone, without any warmth.

***

Before my eyes spread a scene so clear, I realized I was dreaming.

So…

“Damn.”

The curse slipped out involuntarily.

Why does this incident appear in my dream?

Even though it was just a nap, I felt uneasy.

Certainly, the chills were intense, but now it seemed like a memory to forget.

I wondered why this connection with that family kept resurfacing.

I wished I could wake up quickly.

I didn’t want to dream such a thing anymore.

…

Oddly enough, my body felt heavier than usual.

But something else caught my attention first.

Warmth.

The warmth I desperately wanted in my dream.

The warmth flowed through my upper body, spreading throughout.

Soft and cozy.

Wrapped in something warm.

“What is this?”

To understand, I opened my eyes.

Surprisingly,

I saw Harnier sleeping closely beside me.

For about ten seconds,

I just stared with my mouth agape.

I needed to remember why she was here.

I pondered the conversation before falling asleep.

The two consecutive mistakes were due to a lapse.

If I were in my normal condition, I wouldn’t have missed it.

I had to admit it.

She had given me tea to adapt to magic, which foretold my sleep.

She also said my defense mechanisms would extend my sleep duration, confirming whether my excuses were valid.

But…

“Why… why are you sleeping next to me?”

This question remained unanswered.

-Swish.

“Ah!”

While staring at Harnier, unable to adapt, I inadvertently moved my body.

And…

“Mmm…?”

“…”

Our eyes met.

Very close.

Her breath tickled my skin.

Her purple eyes widened momentarily.

Then, a scream pierced the air.

“Gyaah!”

She grabbed the blanket, and I froze like a stone.

Seeing her shoulder exposed…

Had I been lowering her clothes?

“You…!”

“I didn’t do anything! Nothing at all! Really!”

How could I do anything when I just woke up?

No, before that—

I didn’t even think about touching you!

…

Wait, if I woke up because I moved…

Did I touch her…?

No! Why should I admit that!

Amidst the confusion, Harnier pulled the blanket over herself completely.

Then,

“Gyaa!”

She covered my face with it.

“Stay still!”

“No, I didn’t touch your body…! Cough!”

Regardless, Harnier had no intention of removing the blanket.

It tightened further, almost tying itself.

I feared I might suffocate from the state.

Then Harnier spoke in a trembling voice.

“Just stay still, and I’ll untie you later. So, don’t say anything and just stay still!”

“…Okay.”

Seeing her clearly angry, I decided to stay still.

I raised my hands as instructed.

Meanwhile, Harnier used the blanket to block my entire vision and tied it.

As the pressure eased and the rustling of clothes being adjusted sounded,

My vision was freed.

To be safe, I left my arms as they were and cautiously asked.

“…Are we done?”

Silence.

Then she nodded.

After another moment of silence,

An awkward tension filled the room.

Neither of us could easily speak.

For some reason, the room felt warmer.

To break the silence, she spoke first.

“It’s morning…”

“Huh?”

“You were really tired, right? You can’t remember?”

…

Right.

If it’s morning, it means I slept straight after drinking that tea yesterday.

“That proves it. You were overworking yourself. So, you need proper rest.”

“…”

She placed her hands on her hips confidently.

I wanted to say it was because of Carsein’s body,

But I decided to admit it.

“Okay. So, three hours of sleep?”

“Yes. And no naps!”

That seemed fair.

This was clearly my loss.

If it was my body, I might not know,

But it’s proven that Carsein’s body needs longer sleep.

“Let’s eat breakfast. I’ll call everyone!”

Seeming to have forgotten the earlier incident, she suggested having breakfast together and left the room.

I couldn’t understand why she was rushing out so quickly.

***

As soon as I stepped outside, my face turned red.

Harnier, still flushed, covered her face with both hands.

“What am I going to do!”

I acted fine when I came out, but as soon as I thought of going back into that room, memories flooded back.

Sitting alone on the sofa, our bodies pressed together, sharing body heat.

“No, this was just a commotion to save that person. Yes, that’s right.”

Harnier tried to calm down, trying to lower the heat.

She faced the cold wind to cool off.

Even so, the warmth that had once transferred remained wrapped around her.

-Thump, thump.