episode_0034
by admin#34
“Coloc.”
For some reason, my body has been shivering since yesterday… I caught a summer cold that even dogs don’t catch.
I guess it’s because I’ve been pushing myself too hard lately.
My physical condition was not good enough to be called a mild cold.
“Brother… Are you okay?”
Mina, who has been looking at me with puppy-like eyes since a while ago.
“I said it’s okay.”
“… Why is that person lying on the floor?”
I have nothing to say.
One morning, as I was preparing breakfast as usual, Mina found me lying face down, having lost my balance due to dizziness.
… I barely managed to stop him from calling 119.
‘An ambulance for a cold? What a shame.’
I’m going to die of shame before I even get to the hospital. Seriously.
anyway,
Because of the commotion that happened back then, Jia also found out that my body was in bad shape, and as a result…
“Mister. Are you really okay?”
“… I said it’s okay. Don’t worry too much.”
“I’m not really worried… .”
… she said, looking at me with the corners of her eyes drooping.
‘It feels a little strange.’
I never thought I’d be this worried about a cold at the age of twenty-eight.
I feel like a little kid again. I’m embarrassed too.
While I was feeling so strange, Mina, who was wringing out a towel next to me, said.
“… Should I just stay by my brother’s side instead of going today?”
Mina’s worry is obvious.
Minah had a schedule today for her part-time job as a fitting model at a shopping mall.
“Hey. What kind of cold are you having?”
It may not be a full-time job, but at least it’s not something you can cancel just because someone around you caught a cold.
“Still… .”
“Ssup. Hurry up. They said filming starts at 11.”
The filming location was quite far away, so it was time to leave soon.
“You’re not planning on going with swollen eyes, are you? Don’t cry.”
Mina still stays in the same spot despite my urging.
But in the end, Mina bit her lips slightly as if she had given up and said.
“… Okay. If anything happens, contact me right away. Got it?”
“If someone saw me, they would think I had a fatal disease.”
Anyway, you have to understand that I am weak-hearted.
“Jia. Please take care of my brother.”
“… Yes. Have a nice trip.”
After a while of fidgeting, Mina let out a sigh and went out of the room.
.
Inside the room Min-ah left.
At the end of the bed where I was lying, Zia, who had been lying quietly, got up and spoke.
“Okay, I’ll make breakfast. If you need anything, just let me know.”
“… .”
After that, Zia changed the towel that was on my forehead and headed to the kitchen.
‘It’s cool… .’
The temperature of a suitably cold towel.
My forehead has become cold, but for some reason I have a mysterious feeling of warmth in a corner of my chest.
“Hoo… .”
Heat radiates from the exhaled breath.
A feeling of heat enveloping the body, and even occasional headaches.
… It’s been a long time since I’ve been laid up like this.
‘I should sleep more… .’
Thinking that nothing I could do more would make things better, I forced myself to close my eyes.
Of course I couldn’t sleep, and to make matters worse…
“… I don’t know either. Maybe it’s because you were doing a great job as a manager back then?”
Or,
“You can contact me too, Mr. Hwayoung.”
… the same things that happened yesterday started to come to mind one by one.
“Sigh.”
Actually, I often think that way.
I wonder if the favors they show me are perhaps based on rational feelings.
… Of course, it was nonsense.
‘What’s missing between those two?’
Because the events of yesterday kept coming back to me, I eventually gave up on sleeping and decided to just count the patterns on the ceiling.
‘Twenty one… twenty two… .’
Meanwhile, a delicious smell wafted through the open door.
… It smells like sesame oil. It looks like Jia is boiling porridge.
“… .”
Come to think of it, you said that you practically lived alone before coming to our house.
That author said that his father rarely came home. He must be good at cooking.
For reference, the author is currently imprisoned on charges of kidnapping, enticement, human trafficking, and accomplice in the crime of kidnapping and enticement of Zia.
… I guess it’s safe to say that I won’t be appearing in front of Jia in the future.
‘If necessary, I’ll be there too.’
As I was counting the patterns on the ceiling with that thought in mind,
I could hear footsteps cautiously and quietly approaching the room.
“Mister. Are you sleeping?”
“No.”
A moment later, what came into my sight was Zia, carrying a bowl of food along with a small table.
“… Ugh.”
It was a bit heavy and wobbly, which made me a little uneasy, but fortunately it arrived safely on my bed.
“I made it simply with ingredients I had at home… Even if it doesn’t suit your taste, I’ll eat it anyway. Because I’m a patient.”
As I expected, the bowl contained steaming hot egg porridge.
Actually, I don’t really have an appetite…
“Eat carefully. It’s hot.”
After seeing those expectant eyes waiting for me to pick up my spoon, I couldn’t help but eat it.
“… .”
Gulp.
…I don’t know if it’s because of my mood, but I think I can hear Jia swallowing her saliva.
‘I haven’t even gotten a spoon yet. Why are you like that?’
I turned away from Jia’s slightly burdensome gaze and carefully scooped up a bite with a spoon and put it in my mouth.
“How does it taste? It’s my first time eating dead… .”
Zia rolls her eyes here and there while waiting for my opinion.
My impressions after eating the food are…
“It’s delicious.”
“Really?”
“Uh. Really.”
Properly beaten eggs, the scent of fragrant sesame oil, and just the right amount of seasoning.
In fact, even if it didn’t taste good, I would have clenched my teeth and said it was delicious, but it really was delicious.
“Thank goodness… .”
I felt relieved when I heard Jia’s voice saying that she was so kind.
.
After that, I scraped the porridge cleanly enough to see the bottom of the bowl, and blinked at the feeling of fullness that filled my stomach.
“… Are you sleepy?”
“Slightly… .”
“I think it’s because of the medicine. I’ll sleep in a little while.”
I nodded to Gia’s words.
Then, with a satisfied smile, Jia headed to the kitchen to wash the dishes.
‘…sorry.’
As soon as I saw Zia go out of the room, I lay down and closed my eyes.
What should I do, I’m so sleepy. I can’t stand sleeping right after eating.
“… .”
Suma came right after.
I surrendered myself to that gentle drowsiness, and my consciousness slowly sank into darkness.
***
A hazy feeling, as if floating through the clouds.
I feel like I’ve become a ghost.
In front of my eyes, I see two boys who look like they are in middle school.
The place is… the school playground? Judging from the fact that they’re wearing gym uniforms, it looks like they’re having gym class.
“Dohan-ah. What are you doing?”
“Just taking a nap?”
“Hey. You have to exercise during PE!”
The face of a guy you can’t see anymore.
I could immediately realize that just by looking at the boyish look on his face.
‘I’m dreaming.’
A strange perspective, as if watching a scene from a movie from a distance.
Is this what is commonly called a lucid dream?
This is my first time experiencing something like this. Is it because of the cold?
‘It’s a little strange.’
Since I didn’t know how to break it anyway, and I wanted to see a face I hadn’t seen in a long time… I decided to just observe the two.
“The PE teacher just throws the ball around and doesn’t care, so why should I? I just want to rest.”
‘… But I really hate seeing it.’
During my school days, I was what is commonly called a gloomy child.
During gym class, you sit blankly in the shade under a tree, or you sit around indifferently while others are burning with energy.
A guy who lives with the word “annoying” always on his lips.
I could make an excuse that it was because of the label of being from an orphanage that was somehow discovered… but thinking back now, I think it was probably just a case of second-year middle school syndrome.
That too…
“Hey. Come on. Just play a game of basketball with me. We’re just one person short right now.”
“… It’s annoying.”
“Okay, let’s go!”
… The guy who is forcibly pulling my hand that you see over there right now is completely different.
Chanhee. My friend Chanhee.
My daycare classmate, Chanhee, was always a bright guy, unlike me.
“Dohan-ah. Later, you will give me my hero name.”
“… Why?”
“Because you’re my best friend.”
A bright personality. A decent appearance. And even an innate ability.
Chanhee was always followed by people. I was one of them.
If it weren’t for the title of friend from the same daycare, would I have been able to become his best friend?
I still don’t know.
To me, during my school days when I was wandering around, not just wandering around, Chan-hee was like a light shining through a dark tunnel.
A light that always guides me from the front.
.
How long has it been since I saw the two of you in my dream?
‘It’s like watching a real movie.’
The image of me and Chanhee in the dream, both wearing gym clothes, suddenly changed.
The location is… in front of a slightly familiar bar.
Seeing me wearing a police uniform… I guess I must have become an adult.
“Why is there a bar all of a sudden?”
“I just wanted to drink a little.”
“I didn’t even change my clothes… Well, it doesn’t matter.”
After a brief conversation, Chanhee and I go into the bar together.
‘ah.’
I remembered. The scene I was seeing right now, when did it happen?
“Dohan-ah. I’m going to stop taking the hero test.”
“… Why?”
“Just… It’s already the third time. I guess I should give up.”
─The day before the guy committed suicide.
‘… I want to break it slowly.’
I don’t want to see the guy and myself anymore, so I close my eyes but the strange situation where I can still see what’s ahead.
…even though I pinched the ball and screamed, it was still like a dream.
“Sigh.”
Because of that, I had no choice but to watch the two of them.
“Hey. If not you, who can be a hero? A guy as cool as you, oh. I’m dizzy. Anyway. Where can I find a cool guy.”
Maybe it’s because you’re drunk, but you often say embarrassing things.
“… You always support me.”
Why didn’t I notice?
“Of course. You’re a really cool guy… Phew. What are you guys doing? Just have a drink and forget about it.”
“Yeah. Let’s drink! Where is the tree that doesn’t fall after ten strikes? Let’s go!”
… that guy had such a sad expression on his face.
I didn’t know at that time.
The fact that the guy was taking antidepressants regularly and that day was no exception,
The fact that a long shadow was cast over the guy who always seemed bright.
***
“… .”
My eyelids slowly opened, accompanied by a splitting headache.
What soon came into view was a familiar ceiling.
Judging by the sunlight streaming in through the window, it seems to be still daytime.
‘It’s wet.’
Whether it was the aftereffects of the dream or not, the bed sheets were soaking wet with sweat.
“… Ah.”
I didn’t go to bed right after eating… .
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