“Oh, Naro, you’re awake.”
“Seonsaengnim.”
Naro looked at Wooter with a slightly bewildered expression. Honestly, he had absolutely no memory from the moment he’d fallen asleep last night. Perhaps noticing Naro’s confusion, Wooter nodded.
“I suppose you’ll need an explanation first?”
Wooter sat down in a chair and explained everything that had happened to Naro yesterday. From how Ray had come to Wooter’s house carrying the unconscious Naro along with Garnet, to the circumstances of arriving at this medical clinic, and even the reason why Naro had collapsed.
“A poisonous plant? So you’re saying the grass that scratched me was poisonous?”
Wooter nodded. Naro couldn’t help but be shocked. He hadn’t known that the grass that had scratched him yesterday was poisonous, and he couldn’t believe that such a plant had been growing on that mountain. Wooter added, just as he’d explained to Garnet yesterday, that it was only natural he hadn’t noticed since that poisonous plant was rare within the Empire and didn’t differ much from other common grasses.
“I heard from Garnet this morning that exactly one specimen of that poisonous plant was growing near the stream where you two spent time yesterday. Fortunately, he removed it safely.”
Even as Wooter continued his explanation, Ray stayed stuck right next to Naro.
“In any case, I’ve administered the antidote properly, so you don’t need to worry too much about your physical condition. I’ve also disinfected the wound on the back of your hand, so you just need to wait for it to gradually heal.”
“Ah, thank you.”
“I only did what I should as a doctor, and you should thank your cousin. From what I heard from Garnet, he carried you on his back and ran all the way to Garnet’s house in the middle of the night. If he hadn’t acted quickly, the situation would have been much worse. He also stayed by your side all night long.”
Naro naturally looked at Ray. It seemed Ray had been the first to notice his condition when he’d lost consciousness due to the poison while sleeping and had immediately taken action.
“Well, I have patients to see, so I’ll step out for a bit. I’ll prescribe you some medicine later, so rest well. Your body will still hurt for a while.”
“Yes.”
Wooter left the hospital room. Naro still couldn’t quite process what he’d just heard because it was all so sudden. To think he’d been poisoned. Perhaps because he’d been unconscious all of yesterday, he couldn’t really grasp that his life had been in danger.
“Oh, Ray, thank you. I survived because of you.”
At the same time, he worried about how frightened Ray must have been. But for some reason, Ray was quiet. When Naro looked at him questioningly, expecting him to say he’d been worried, that he was relieved he was safe—his expression was dark.
“Ray? You must have been very worried. But I’m fine now. Look at this.”
Naro clenched his fist tightly as if to show off. Of course, just as Wooter had said, muscle pain still lingered in various places, but it was bearable enough that he tried not to show it.
“Don’t move your body too much. It hurts, doesn’t it?”
But as expected, he couldn’t fool Ray’s eyes. Ray helped Naro lie back down on the bed with a low voice.
“I’ll go get some water. Rest a bit more.”
After meticulously tucking in the blanket, Ray left the hospital room. Watching his retreating figure with shoulders drooping unlike usual, Naro scratched his forehead.
He could understand Ray being down since he must have been quite shocked, but it still bothered him. Ah, now that he thought about it, he realized Ray hadn’t asked for his morning greeting today. Ray, who would nag for a morning greeting no matter what, hadn’t brought up the word “greeting” at all.
Naro thought he should talk to Ray again later and closed his eyelids once more. Perhaps because his body had been so shocked yesterday, or maybe because the antidote’s effects still lingered, his body felt languid again.
* * *
When Naro woke up from another nap, it was close to lunchtime. Naro received another examination from Wooter and was confirmed to be fine.
However, since the wound on the back of his hand hadn’t completely healed yet, he was prescribed oral medication to prevent it from festering further. Wooter urged him to come find him immediately if he experienced even the slightest abnormality in his body. Naro repeatedly expressed his gratitude to him and left the medical clinic with Ray.
“I’ll have to open the pharmacy late today.”
“Yeah.”
The conversation didn’t continue further. Even as Naro walked alongside Ray, he observed his mood. Ray, who would normally make eye contact when talking, was just looking straight ahead today.
“Ray, since we’re at the plaza, should we buy some meat? Let’s buy a lot of your favorite cuts.”
“Get what Naro likes. You were sick, so you need to eat a lot.”
The content was no different from usual, but the lifeless voice sounded somewhat cold to Naro’s ears. Ray had no energy at all right now. Earlier, he’d thought it was just his imagination, that Ray was shocked so it couldn’t be helped, but by this point it was hard to brush it off so casually.
“Ray, are you feeling really bad?”
“No.”
“But you are… If you’re angry at me about something, please tell me.”
“Why would I be angry at you?”
That was true, but Naro was quite bothered by Ray showing a side different from usual. In the end, even on the way home from the medical clinic, Naro couldn’t figure out why Ray was acting strange.
Ray was quiet even during lunch. Since it would be awkward to keep asking if he was angry, Naro could only hope that Ray’s mood would improve quickly.
To do business even if late, Naro turned the pharmacy’s sign to ‘OPEN’. The villagers who came all without exception worried about Naro’s condition. As expected of a small village, rumors seemed to spread fast. Maybe it was just his imagination, but it seemed like Ray’s face grew darker each time people asked if he was okay.
“Naro-ya.”
“Ahjussi.”
Before closing, Garnet briefly stopped by the pharmacy.
“Are you feeling better?”
“Yes, I was actually planning to come see you. Thank you for your help yesterday.”
“Of course I should have. I was so shocked when Ray came in the middle of the night saying you were sick. But I’m relieved you’re safe. I removed all the poisonous plants you were pricked by. They were only growing in that area.”
Naro still found it puzzling. Why on earth had such a dangerous plant been growing on the back mountain? Moreover, Wooter had said that poisonous plant was a species not easily found in the Empire. It was certainly something that could be dismissed as coincidence, but an uneasy feeling remained.
Naro cleared his thoughts and repeatedly expressed his gratitude to Garnet.
And when he returned home after finishing business, Ray said he didn’t feel like eating dinner and returned to his baby dragon form.
Watching Ray shuffle into bed, Naro cautiously approached.
“Ray, you’re not sick anywhere, are you?”
Ray shook his head, then when Naro touched him, Ray rubbed his face against the palm as if savoring the touch. Looking at this, it didn’t seem like he was particularly angry, but why on earth was his mood so down?
“Make sure to tell me if you’re hungry, okay?”
Ray nodded. Even as Naro prepared and ate his meal alone, he frequently glanced at Ray sleeping on the bed.
After carefully taking the medicine Wooter had prescribed, Naro got under the blanket early. Since Ray was different from usual, Naro couldn’t help but feel a faint anxiety. It was frustrating that Ray wouldn’t talk about it, but he didn’t want to force Ray when he seemed unwilling to speak.
“Good night, Ray.”
Naro closed his eyes while holding the baby dragon tightly. Hoping that Ray would quickly return to normal.
But Ray’s strange state continued from that day on. Sometimes it seemed like he was deeply pondering something. Watching him like that, Naro couldn’t muster the courage to seriously ask what was wrong.
And then came that night. Naro tossed and turned, perhaps thirsty, and eventually woke up. As he was about to get up to drink water, he saw a figure sitting still by the bedside, keeping watch.
“Ray?”
Naro almost screamed in surprise. Ray, who until bedtime had been sleeping obediently in dragon form inside the blanket, was now in human form, sitting as if guarding Naro’s side.
“Did you wake up because you’re in pain?”
“I’m thirsty.”
Ray stood up without a word. He walked over and personally got water for Naro to drink.
“Ray, but why aren’t you sleeping?”
“The doctor human said you’re not completely better yet.”
Ray held Naro’s hand and skillfully caressed it.
“Ray, can I ask what you’re thinking right now? I’m worried because you’ve had no energy ever since we left the medical clinic.”
Ray didn’t open his mouth right away. As if thinking about something, he paused, then slowly met Naro’s gaze.
“Maybe it would be better if I wasn’t by your side.”
