Vol 7 Chapter 57

Je-hwan said this and pulled Kapros's arm to lift him onto the back seat with a face that clearly showed he had no intention of saying it a third time.

"Ugh..."

When Kapros let out a suppressed groan without realizing it, Je-hwan's expression hardened even more.

"Does it hurt? Should we go straight to the hospital..."

"It's fine. It just got bumped. If you insist on giving me a ride, I won't refuse."

Kapros quickly cut off Je-hwan's words and got on the back, relying on the supporting arm. Je-hwan immediately put the helmet on Kapros's head before sitting in front and starting the engine.

<Going now. Hold on tight.>

Vroom, vrooom!

On the bike rushing away urgently, Kapros let out a small sigh while holding tightly to Je-hwan's back.

'Really, how did he notice?'

Come to think of it, Je-hwan seemed unusually perceptive in strange ways. Though Kapros wanted to say not to worry too much, that this much would heal with some hot compress and rest at home, he felt too drained to even open his mouth.

'Though I didn't even do much work, to think I was this exhausted.'

<...Go a bit slower. I'm starting to feel queasy.>

After barely managing to say that to Je-hwan, Kapros half-dozed while leaning against Je-hwan's back until they reached home. Judging by how his arms, which had been cold from the wind while rushing along, were getting less cold bit by bit, Je-hwan seemed to have reduced his speed.

"Thanks for the ride."

Though Kapros expressed his gratitude after getting off with Je-hwan's help again in front of his house, the guy's expression didn't brighten at all.

"...I'll go in."

"Mu-heon."

Just as Kapros was about to turn away from the silent guy, he heard his name being called. When he turned his head, Je-hwan was still looking at him with icy eyes while frowning.

"If it hurts, say it hurts. If it still hurts when you get home, go to the hospital. If you can't go, you can call me."

"..."

Kapros blinked while looking at Je-hwan. Je-hwan's expression was utterly serious. Only then did Kapros see not coldness but an indescribable light of worry in his eyes.

'...I thought that gaze looked familiar.'

That look in Je-hwan's eyes somewhat resembled the look in Master and Master's wife's eyes when they got angry out of worry for him. Kapros quietly smiled and nodded.

"It's nothing. Not bad enough to go to the hospital, it'll get better after resting at home. ...Thanks."

Only then did Je-hwan let out a big sigh and lower his eyes.

"I'm... scared."

"Of what?"

"Because there's so much I don't know about you compared to what I do know. And it makes me angry that I'm still not in a position where I can ask."

"..."

"I like you like that, and that's why I'm scared."

Ah.

For a moment, something like a hot droplet fell in his heart, spreading in concentric circles. He had felt this exact same sensation before.

'It was... when I ran into Je-hwan in the hospital emergency room.'

How should he describe this feeling? And this sensation he was experiencing for the first time.

Kapros waited blankly until the ripples drawn by the droplet that had fallen in his chest calmed down before taking a deep breath. He felt more desperate now than when Je-hwan had crashed his lips against his and touched his body.

"Look up."

At Kapros's words, Je-hwan slowly raised his eyes. Kapros's face was reflected in those black eyes deep as an abyss. The him in Je-hwan's eyes somehow seemed to be smiling.

"You're scared of me?"

"..."

Je-hwan's lips could be seen pressing together more tightly with tension. Kapros suddenly recalled something Min-hoo had told him recently.

"When you like someone 'in that way,' most normal people worry and get curious about the other person to what might seem like an excessive degree. Sometimes to the point where others might think there's something wrong with their head."

Was that why Je-hwan was scared of him? Though Kapros hadn't yet experienced that sensation of feeling like he wasn't himself, somehow at this moment he felt he could understand the light dwelling in Je-hwan's dark eyes.

"I think I can promise one thing."

Je-hwan listened intently to Kapros's somewhat impulsively spoken words.

"I have something I need to resolve... When that's all finished, I think I'll be able to answer anything you ask."

"..."

Je-hwan silently asked with his eyes if he was serious. The matters from his past that were like reverse scales to him, which he had kept without telling anyone, including Je-hwan of course. Even Kapros hadn't known he would feel like telling someone about them. Though it had been an impulsive statement at first, after saying it he thought that perhaps he had wanted to tell Je-hwan this all along.

Je-hwan's eyes trembled slightly, perhaps seeing the sincerity in Kapros's face.

It was strange. Though it had been Kapros who said he couldn't understand a relationship between men emotionally and that they could try with the body first if Je-hwan wanted, at this moment, even though they weren't doing anything, a sensation similar to the thrill when he had released his essence at Je-hwan's touch enveloped his body.

It was truly strange.

When he opened his eyes as if rising from deep water, he saw a pure white marble ceiling. It was the interior of Skaga's temple in Bala Monyak. Somehow feeling like he couldn't put any strength in his body, when he tried to raise his arm, it felt as heavy as if a thousand-pound weight was attached.

'Why is this happening again?'

"Status window!"

'This is...'

Though he remembered being surprised before when his stamina and magical power had dropped dramatically after coming out of Superior's mental world, this time the numbers had fallen even more than then, shocking him.

[ What's wrong with you? ]

"There's no stamina or magical power left in my body at all. This happened last time too - does training in the mental world affect the body here?"

When Kapros asked sharply to Superior who had spoken up, seemingly concerned about his condition, there was a moment of silence.

[ I'm not entirely sure about that either. Since this is the first time this has happened... But if it happened before and again this time, perhaps training in the mental world naturally puts considerable strain on the physical body. ]

"..."