Time to Part Ways
Fate is truly a mysterious thing.
When I first saw Princess Coco, I thought, “What kind of kid is this?!” But now I’ve become something like friends with Princess Coco. Can you believe this? Even if someone said it was a lie, I’d believe them! Coco probably thinks the same, right? At first, she must have looked at me and thought, “What kind of immature, stupid kid is this?!” I also thought, “What kind of annoying noble is this?”
It’s truly amazing how relationships can change.
So that’s probably why I can’t sleep right now…
I overheard Ruman and Hyung talking.
They said they’d part ways at a place called Tempesto Village.
I feel sad. Surprisingly. Incredibly so.
When Ruman leaves, it’ll be just Hyung and me, so shouldn’t I be happier?
Right after hearing he was leaving, I felt nothing, but as time passed, my feelings grew strange.
Well. I’ve never parted with anyone other than Hyung. So maybe that’s why I feel strange.
“Is Ren asleep?”
We were currently camping in the forest.
Hyung and Ruman weren’t even sleeping and were standing watch.
The atmosphere was quite different from when we first left the village.
“Yeah.”
Hyung answered Ruman’s question curtly.
“Yees. He fell asleep right away earlier.”
Gepetto answered belatedly. His voice was mumbling, as if he’d been dozing. And seeing how it got quiet again, it seemed like he was just sleep-talking.
Gepetto, aren’t you a quack? I’m not asleep!
I wrapped myself tightly in my blanket and covered myself with Hyung’s! Cape! That Ruman had put over me! Hehe. I pretended to sleep with Hyung’s cape over me.
I just felt like if I was awake, I’d have to say all sorts of things, and that would definitely drain my stamina, so it was to conserve energy.
I should have just joined them and made small talk instead.
Being quiet made all sorts of thoughts come to mind.
I had questions that came to me late…
When I was stabbed by the sword… did Hyung worry about me a lot?
Aaaah. I can’t even ask that! Asking something like that is too much! I wish someone would have sidled up to me and whispered a hint, but no one did. Was it actually so normal that there was nothing to say?
Should I just fall down in front of Hyung? If I scrape both my knees, wouldn’t I be able to tell how much Hyung would worry about me? Yeah! Let’s try it tomorrow! No, that would be too stupid. The schedule is already delayed, so I can’t test something like that, but still…
“Uuugh.”
“What’s wrong, Ren.”
“Huh?”
I must have made a groaning sound without realizing it.
The blanket I’d pulled over myself was suddenly lifted. I squinted at the bonfire, and Ruman’s blonde hair poured down and poked my face repeatedly. Hyung pushed Ruman’s upper body aside and slipped his hand behind my back.
“Gepetto-ssi. Please check on Ren.”
“Huh? I’m fine though?”
“Fine, my ass. You were groaning.”
“What? No, that was…”
It was just from spacing out!
Hyung held me and sat me up. What is it, Hyung?
“I can get up by myself.”
“Hyung will do it for you.”
“Huh? Okay.”
“Well then, I’ll examine you. Ahem.”
Gepetto approached with an embarrassed face. He took my wrist and felt my pulse. Just when I thought he was doing that with his eyes closed for a moment, Gepetto smiled as if there was no problem.
“You’re fine.”
“Are you sure?”
“Hyung, what’s wrong with you??”
This time I’m truly flustered!
Why are you doubting the physician who examined me, so unlike you, Hyung?
More importantly, it’s embarrassing?!
The problem was that I didn’t hate it at all. I didn’t properly resist and only grumbled inwardly. My cheeks felt hot. Ruman looked at me like that and chuckled. But somehow that smile looked a bit bitter.
“Let him sleep. Seems he was sleep-talking.”
“Right. I was sleep-talking.”
When I answered quickly, Hyung looked intently into my eyes.
“Ren. If you’re in pain, don’t endure it and tell me. Got it?”
When I barely answered “okay,” he told me to go back to sleep and laid me down again. When I kept my eyes wide open, Hyung tilted his head. Hyung’s shaggily long bangs swayed in the wind. I followed Hyung’s disheveled bangs with my eyes, and Hyung pressed down on my forehead. It was still a warmly pleasant hand.
“Sleep.”
“Okay.”
I obediently answered Hyung.
Hyung leaned back against the tree, and Ruman sat near me.
Because he sat diagonally, I could only see his shadowed profile.
“Ren-nim.”
“I told you to just call me Ren.”
“Ah, right. That’s true. Did you take your medicine?”
“What medicine?”
When I asked sharply, Gepetto fidgeted with the back of his head as if embarrassed.
“Well… the one I prepared this morning. The one that supplements your stamina…”
“Ah… I took it.”
Ugh. Me too, really. There are other things to be prickly about…
Stay calm, after all, only the pharmacist old man knows about my illness.
So there’s no need to be nervous in advance. At this rate, I’ll get caught!
When I shook my head, he asked why and stopped me.
“Sorry for being irritable.”
“Oh, no. You can be like that when you’re tired.”
Gepetto gave a good-natured smile.
What? You can be like that when you’re tired—that doesn’t make sense! Doesn’t Gepetto get angry?
As if reading my puzzled expression, he cleared his throat and sat near me. Does he want to talk? I stared blankly, then sat up slightly since I didn’t feel like sleeping yet either. Then Hyung’s gaze followed me.
Hmm. It’s nice that Hyung is paying attention to me… but it’s starting to feel a bit burdensome?! Even so, I almost snorted.
“When you’re a physician, you meet all kinds of people.”
“Of course you would, since you’re a physician.”
Ah.
I regretted it after reflexively responding. Because I didn’t want to lose, I’d worked hard at talking back, and it remained as a habit. Will I get scolded? He won’t raise his hand, will he? Even so, he’s a physician. Without realizing it, I kept sneaking glances at him, but Gepetto seemed unbothered. He smiled gently and instead pulled up the blanket that had slipped down to my legs to cover me.
“Th… thank you.”
“You see, people everywhere have so many ailments. Young children, the elderly, young people, men and women alike. You meet all sorts of people, but anyway.”
What is Gepetto trying to say?
His eyes looking at me seemed warm for a moment.
“People who are sick inevitably become sensitive. On top of that, Ren is young, so how much harder and more painful must it have been?”
“What do you…”
“This might be a story you don’t want to bring up, Ren, but…”
Without even knowing what he’d say next, I tensed up for a moment.
“…Being stabbed by a sword is no small matter. That kind of experience isn’t something even an adult man should casually go through. Just because your body has healed doesn’t mean the fear and pain from that time disappear. You might think you’re fine though, Ren.”
“…”
“Of course, I hope you are fine. There are few bad physicians who wish for their patients to be in pain.”
“You didn’t say there are none.”
“Well. There are bound to be bad people… But as long as they heal you well, isn’t that enough?”
Gepetto scratched his cheek and smiled. Physician Gepetto, who had seemed simple, looked different to me.
I didn’t dislike him being unexpectedly honest.
And I didn’t like that.
Not disliking someone—one person, my Hyung, is enough.
I don’t have enough energy to spare attention on other people.
“I got off track. Anyway, what I wanted to say is… it’s okay. It’s okay to be a bit irritable until you feel better. We’re all adults, aren’t we?”
“…”
Uh, well, um.
The same words just circled in my mouth.
This is the first time I’ve heard something like this… I don’t know how to react. When I sat there dazed, he scratched the back of his head.
“I talked too much. Let’s sleep! It’s late at night. Ren, if you’re in pain or uncomfortable anywhere, please tell me freely. That’s how I earn my keep. I received enough money from the Heroes and the Princess, so I need to earn my pay to feel comfortable. Oh right! When I say uncomfortable, I don’t just mean your body.”
Saying that, Gepetto pointed at my chest.
Even though he didn’t extend his finger, I flinched as if I’d been poked.
“You must tell me if your heart is uncomfortable too.”
Then Gepetto went to his spot without waiting for my answer.
He fell asleep so quickly that he started snoring as soon as he lay down.
What the… is there really someone who falls asleep that fast?!
I was dumbfounded for a moment… but anyway, it was a strange feeling. I didn’t dislike it.
Telling me it’s okay to be sensitive. I don’t really understand what this means. Tell him even if my heart is uncomfortable?
Hearts are originally uncomfortable things, aren’t they?
This heart that easily becomes sad and happy is always uncomfortable. Gepetto must have never experienced that. Idiot.
Still, I didn’t want to curse at him.
Mm. Still, I wish he wouldn’t be too kind.
Because I’m not used to parting with others… I hate it.
The only parting I’m familiar with is with Hyung.
I only want to prepare for separation from Hyung. That alone makes my heart feel full. I wish other people wouldn’t butt in.
When I thought that, my heart felt lonely.
‘No. In times like this, I need to steel my heart even more.’
I bit the inside of my mouth and resolved.
No matter what, let’s not go back to Coco again.
Suddenly, the sound of her sobbing seemed to echo like a hallucination.
‘Sorry, Coco. It’s better if there’s no “later.”‘
Right, she’s already grieved enough over that kid Shon’s death. Her parents too, and Del Belkerman’s betrayal. I don’t know how deep a hole those left in Coco’s heart. So rather than adding one more to that, I thought it would be better to be forgotten.
A good parting is one with no news at all.
As expected.
I should think of this as my last journey… and prepare for farewell.
