NCBF Ch 21

Hyun Gyujin, who felt Yuwon’s forehead, frowned. When he had checked it in the nurse’s office earlier, it hadn’t been this hot, but in the meantime, his fever had shot up completely, and his forehead was quite burning hot now. This was not a situation where he should be wrapped in so many layers of blankets.

“Jeong Yuwon, wake up. Let’s go home.”

“Mmh….”

When Gyujin brushed the disheveled hair off Yuwon’s sweaty forehead, Yuwon’s body flinched. Looking at the thin eyelids barely lifting without an ounce of strength and the long eyelashes hanging at their tips, Hyun Gyujin felt a pang of pity, so he tilted his head to meet his eyes.

“Let’s get early permission to leave. Go home and sleep comfortably. You’re in no condition to be at school.”

“Mm, yeah…. I think that’s better. My head hurts. I see double of you.”

“If there were two of me, Jeong Yuwon would love it. One would carry your bag, and the other would carry you on his back altogether.”

Hyun Gyujin unwrapped the blanket bundled around Yuwon’s body and looked at the pale face that barely managed to sit up. Even normally, Yuwon was physically weak and didn’t often have good condition like other kids, but seeing him sick on top of that, Gyujin felt heavy at heart just looking at his face.

“Hold onto me.”

Yuwon, who slipped his feet into the slippers placed under the bed, stood on two feet and held onto Hyun Gyujin.

“Wait a moment…. Let me fold the blanket.”

“I’ll do it.”

Hyun Gyujin seated Yuwon in a chair, spread out the disheveled blankets on the bed, folded them one by one, and set them at the foot of the bed. Only after folding all three sheets and placing the pillow on top was he able to help Yuwon up again to leave the rest room.

“Mr. Yuwon. How are you feeling?”

“It’s gotten worse, so I’m thinking of leaving early….”

“Right, that would be better. Go home today and get plenty of rest.”

“Yes…. Thank youuu…. Goodbye….”

Yuwon, who bowed deeply to the school nurse, left the nurse’s office with Hyun Gyujin. Then he slowly climbed the stairs. Perhaps because he suddenly encountered the cool air outside the nurse’s office, his body felt chilly.

“Let’s leave early and stop by the hospital before going home. If we hurry and leave early, we can get there before lunch hour.”

“Mmh….”

Yuwon nodded and walked down the long hallway, entering the staff room. Fortunately, their homeroom teacher was at his desk, so it wasn’t difficult to get an early dismissal pass. Even without Yuwon having to explain where and how much he hurt, seeing Yuwon’s pale face made the homeroom teacher gasp and suggest the early departure himself.

“Yuwon, go rest well, and if you’re still sick tomorrow, let me know, alright?”

“Yes…. Thank youuu….”

“Can you go home alone? You look really sick.”

“Gyujin decided to go with me.”

“Ah, so that’s why Gyujin came along too. Now I feel a bit relieved. Gyujin. Come here. Why are you standing back there pretending not to notice?”

Just as the homeroom teacher said, Hyun Gyujin, who had been standing at a distance as if he had come to the staff room on other business, had no choice but to step closer and let out a subtle smile. The staff room already knew his true nature now, so they wouldn’t be fooled by this smile anymore, but to an outsider, it was a smile that guaranteed unconditional trust—a guaranteed pass for interviews and family introduction meetings.

“I’ll write you an outing pass, so take Yuwon home safely and come back by the end of lunch break. You’re doing a good deed today.”

“Ah, yes.”

Silently receiving the outing pass, Hyun Gyujin supported Yuwon and left the staff room. Then he quickly went to the classroom, packed Yuwon’s bag, and slung it over his shoulder. If they rushed a bit, it seemed like they could barely manage to get a consultation right before the hospital’s lunch break.

“Let’s go.”

“What about your lunch?”

“I can just go to the snack shop later.”

“Sorry….”

“You only become gentle when you’re sick.”

Hyun Gyujin, who deliberately replied playfully so Yuwon wouldn’t feel bad, let out a soft laugh. Normally, Yuwon was on the gentle side, but still, if Gyujin did something stupid or acted rudely, Yuwon would nag him softly or scold him; right now, even that bit of spirit had completely drained away, leaving him entirely limp. Seeing a guy who was already pale turned even whiter and staggering around—as expected, it didn’t make him feel comfortable.

Ever since he was young, whenever Hyun Gyujin saw Yuwon sick, he thought that Jeong Yuwon might melt away and disappear at this rate. It was so terrifying and sad that a kid who was already tiny turned so hot he couldn’t even stand, unable to even get up. So even when sleepiness hit him, Gyujin rubbed his eyes, endured it, and stayed by his side. Holding his hand tightly so Yuwon wouldn’t melt away.

Even now, after his body had grown so much, he still had such thoughts. Wouldn’t Jeong Yuwon get even smaller, melted by the heat, after being sick this time? He shouldn’t melt. Even though he knew that was impossible, his thoughts were still stuck back then. What was even funnier was that it was still quite a serious thought. Hyun Gyujin looked down at Yuwon, who moved his steps listlessly, and let out a small sigh. Wishing with all his heart that his friend wouldn’t melt in pain.

Arriving at the hospital just barely before lunch hour, Yuwon received a prescription along with the diagnosis that it seemed to be a feverish cold. While purchasing medicine at the pharmacy on the first floor of the commercial building, Hyun Gyujin returned from a stop at the convenience store, holding a plastic bag packed with items. Yuwon walked home with him while listening to the rustling sound. Since it was a commercial building near the apartment complex, it didn’t take long to reach home.

Naturally getting into the elevator, pressing the 6th floor, and then naturally typing in the password to his house after getting off—seeing Hyun Gyujin do this brought a laugh out of Yuwon despite being sick.

Hyun Gyujin, who glanced down at Yuwon softly chuckling, rubbed his ticklish-feeling fingertips against his thighs.

“Why, do I look so handsome just opening the door that you can’t help but laugh involuntarily?”

“…What are you talking about? It’s just funny how you type the password like it’s your own house.”

“You know our house’s password too.”

“Yeah, 837295. Aunt’s birthday, Uncle’s birthday, your birthday.”

“Wow, what the. I don’t even know the meaning behind your house password. What’s 927664?”

“I don’t know either. Mom said she just set it by pressing random numbers. She said if there’s meaning behind it, it’s easy to guess.”

Should we tell them to change ours too…? Muttering, Hyun Gyujin led Yuwon into his room, sat him on the bed, and placed the bag on the chair. Neither of them was heavy at all, but because he was supporting Yuwon and walking carefully, he was more tense than usual, making his shoulders stiff.

“Change your clothes.”

“…”

“Why?”

“You have to step out so I can change….”

“You’re really acting so distant. Between us.”

“Shut up…. Get out quickly….”

“Yes, yes.”

Only after Hyun Gyujin left the room and the door closed completely did Yuwon change his clothes. Putting on a thick winter sweatshirt and pajama pants—too warm to wear in a house with no chill at all—his body relaxed a bit. It was because he realized that this was his house, his room, where he could be as sick as he wanted, not school. Of course, even so, he shouldn’t actually be sick to his heart’s content.

While he was slowly tidying up his school uniform after changing, he heard approaching footsteps. Yuwon listened closely to that sound. Just hearing the sound of Hyun Gyujin approaching made his heart thud rapidly. Regrettably, it wasn’t because he was sick.

“Are you all dressed?”

“Yeah.”

Simultaneously with his answer, the door opened. Yuwon took the cup of citron tea Hyun Gyujin handed him in a daze. He had wondered what Gyujin bought at the convenience store, but it seemed he had bought the citron tea Yuwon had mentioned was delicious this morning.

“You said it was good. And when you’re sick, you should drink stuff like this. There are ten outside, so boil water and drink them again later.”

“You bought ten of them?”

“So you can drink them whenever you want to. And porridge delivery is coming. I think I can receive that before leaving…. But as for eating, you’ll have to eat alone.”

Yuwon, who was blankly looking up at Hyun Gyujin pulling out his phone to check the time, blew gently on the citron tea and took a sip. Drinking it again, it was fragrant and sweet just like the one he drank in the morning, making him feel so, so good.

“When did you order the porridge?”

“The porridge shop is right next to the convenience store. I asked them to deliver it. It’s faster than using the delivery app.”

Even without saying anything, Gyujin knew everything instantly and did everything for him from one to ten; Yuwon felt grateful yet sorry. It was a feeling he had always felt toward Hyun Gyujin growing up. But in November of his eighteenth year, one more emotion that he had never felt before took root. Grateful yet sorry, and also…. fluttered. Yuwon repeatedly bit the edge of the citron tea cup with his teeth for no reason, stealing glances at Hyun Gyujin.

“…Thank you.”

“Just hurry up and drink.”