episode_0024

… … … … …

“Oh, this is a big deal… … Really a big deal… … .”

I lay on the floor, staring at the ceiling, sweating profusely. As time passed, the pain in my back seemed to get worse.

“Ugh… … Ugh… … .”

I tried to force myself to stand up, and I could barely walk. But even that was painful enough, so I was in no position to do any work.

“… … If it gets any worse from here… … I might not be able to walk to the bathroom… … .”

I was feeling anxious. The pain didn’t seem like it would get better after one night of sleep.

“I can’t ask the Heavenly President for help… …What should I do?”

As I lay on the floor, groaning and thinking about how to get better quickly, I remembered someone who had done me a great favor. It was Master Wol-hee.

The teacher took pity on me, a victim of terrorism, and treated me without charging me any hospital fees. He even took care of me.

And when I am fully recovered and discharged, I will be discharged――

“… … … .”

What was I thinking?

Oh, right. I was going to ask Professor Wolhee about back pain.

I moved my hands, which were shaking slightly for some reason, and picked up my phone hesitantly. I looked for the contact information for Professor Wol-hee that I had received when I was hospitalized and sent her a message.

[Professor Wolhee, I’m sorry for contacting you so late at night!

[The thing is, I hurt my back while exercising. Is there any good first aid method?]

I was still worried as I wrote the message. It was already eight o’clock in the evening. Wouldn’t it be rude to contact the teacher personally at this hour?

But surprisingly, the message was marked as ‘read’ almost a second after I sent it.

“Oh, so quickly… …?!”

I think Ms. Wol-hee was probably looking at her phone and read it right away. That was lucky, but my heart was pounding because I didn’t know how she would respond.

After about a minute or two since Teacher Wol-hee read the message, a reply finally arrived.

[Boy, it’s been a while. Has everything been fine since you were discharged?]

“… … Ah.”

Her answer contained a lot of information. It was only after I read her reply that I finally realized what I had done.

I couldn’t overcome my inexplicable reluctance to talk to the teacher, who had helped me so much. So after I was discharged from the hospital, I didn’t contact her at all…

On top of cutting off contact like that, you contacted me right away without any shame as soon as you got hurt.

It would never have looked good. If Seoyeon found out, she would definitely scold me severely.

[Yes, teacher. Thanks to your care, I was doing well after I was discharged from the hospital. I even found a new job.]

This time, as soon as I sent the message, it was marked as read. Almost immediately, a reply from Professor Wolhee arrived.

[That’s good. Then… … when you were discharged, do you remember?]

“… … discharged?”

Now that I think about it, I don’t remember much about what happened when I was discharged from the hospital. When I tried to recall what happened at that time, my thoughts kept drifting apart and I couldn’t concentrate.

[I’m sorry, I don’t remember well… I guess I have amnesia.]

After sending the message, there was no reply for a while, and then a message from the teacher arrived.

[Boy, come to my hospital now. Take a taxi. I will help you.]

“To Dr. Wolhee’s hospital… … ?!”

[Oh, it’s okay. Just tell me some simple first aid methods. I’m afraid it’ll be too much trouble… ]

But Professor Wolhee’s answer was firm.

[I can’t tell just from hearing the story, but it could be a herniated disc.

It depends on the severity, but first aid alone will never get you better. There’s a high chance it’ll get worse.

[It doesn’t bother me at all if the boy comes late, so come as soon as possible.]

[Is it really that serious… …?]

[Okay. So come to the hospital right away. I can treat you right away.]

After persistent persuasion from Dr. Wol-hee, the best doctor I know, I had no choice but to surrender.

[… … Yes. I’ll go now!]

… … … … …

As soon as I got out of the taxi, I saw Dr. Wol-hee standing in front of the hospital’s main entrance.

She noticed me almost immediately and started walking straight towards me, but her pace was so fast that it was almost as fast as my running speed.

However, Teacher Wol-hee, who had been approaching quickly, suddenly stopped at a distance from me. Looking at her expression, it seemed as if she was a little afraid of something.

They stood there facing each other for a while. Finally, Professor Wolhee opened her mouth.

“Boy.

… … … Long time no see.”

Teacher Wol-hee smiled slightly as she faced me. I couldn’t tell exactly what she was thinking, but from what I could tell from her appearance, she seemed to be filled with emotion.

“Originally, it would be better if you didn’t see the doctor often.

… … … Nevertheless, I am glad to see the boy again.”

“, thank you… … ?”

Was it really that nice to see someone like me? I was touched by her unexpectedly affectionate words.

While he was unable to continue speaking, Teacher Wol-hee quickly approached the taxi driver and paid the fare. Then――

“Ah, ahhh?! Teacher?!”

She lifted my body as if she were holding a princess. Her face turned red with embarrassment and shame, but she ignored me and walked into the hospital.

“Because the boy’s back shouldn’t be strained.”

I couldn’t refute what Teacher Wol-hee said. I could feel the eyes of the people watching us, so I had no choice but to cover my face with my hand until I got on the elevator.

“I’m going to the VIP ward I stayed in last time. I’ll examine you and treat you there.”

As I was held in her arms in the elevator, I felt a strange sense of familiarity and tension at the same time.

… … Why is my heart pounding so hard?

By any chance, I, to Teacher Tsukihi, fear――

Ding――!

Just then, the elevator arrived at the top floor, and the strange imaginations that had filled my head disappeared without a trace.

As soon as I got off the elevator, Professor Wol-hee headed straight to the VIP room. The VIP room was exactly the same as when I was discharged.

When we arrived at the hospital room, Dr. Wol-hee carefully had me lie face down on the bed.

“Okay, now let me examine you.”

The teacher’s strangely cool hand touched my waist.

“… … Boy, you said you got hurt while exercising? I think it was a lumbar sprain.”

“Uh, lumbar sprain… …what is it?”

“To put it simply, it refers to a condition where the lower back muscles are stretched or torn. Usually, you need to rest for about 3 weeks.”

I couldn’t help but be startled by the teacher’s shocking words.

“3 weeks!? Then what about work? Will I be able to work in the meantime?!”

I asked with a glimmer of hope, but Professor Wolhee shook her head slightly.

“No, you need to rest. If you overdo it, it’ll get worse.”

“Ha, but… …I just got a new job… ….”

Teacher Wol-hee’s gaze took on a strange light as she saw my sad expression.

“Boy. There is a way.

I told you last time… … I’m not human. Remember? ”

“Oh, yes.”

I searched through my hazy memories and recalled the explanation I had heard from her. Ms. Wol-hee was an outsider who had immigrated to Earth through the gap in the dimensional gate… … and her race was said to be distant relatives of vampires.

“Then, I’ll tell you one more thing. Our species can make elixirs.”

“Elixir… … ?”

“Yes. It’s a very effective elixir. For example, it can even regenerate a severed wrist.”

“Really? There’s such a great medicine… … .”

My eyes widened in surprise. When she said ‘severed wrist’, a mysterious feeling of dread ran down my spine, but it soon disappeared.

“But it takes so much life force to make it that I only have a few drops now.

I’m going to use that on the boy.”

“Huh?! But such a precious medicine… … .”

I looked at her face at the embarrassing story, but Ms. Wol-hee smiled faintly at me.

“But I want to write for the boy. So don’t worry about it.”

… … … … …

“It’s a potion mixed with glucose.”

Teacher Wol-hee took a syringe filled with pink liquid out of the drawer. Then she carefully placed the injection on my waist.

I felt a stinging sensation for a moment, but then something amazing happened.

“Oh, oh… … ? It doesn’t hurt anymore!

Thank you, Teacher Wolhee! ”

As the pain subsided, I quickly got up and greeted Teacher Wol-hee, who smiled with satisfaction.

“It works fast, right? Boy, but this alone won’t completely cure you. I’ve used up all the elixir I have, but this amount is only enough to reduce the inflammation.

For a complete recovery… …you need to get a massage and treat it.”

“No? How do I do that?”

“I’ll do it.

… … Wait a minute.”

Dr. Wol-hee went out of the sickroom for a moment and then came back carrying a massage bed.

“Okay, let’s start with the physical therapy… … massage. Boy, take off your shirt and lie down.”

“Ah… … Yes!”

I was a little embarrassed to take my top off in front of the teacher, but it was a medical procedure, so I guess it was okay.

I lay down on the massage bed, and my heart started pounding, maybe because I was embarrassed.

“Lie down comfortably. I’ll start slowly.”

As I buried my head in the massage bed’s face hole, following Teacher Wol-hee’s instructions, her cool hands touched my spine.