Blue Bruise
“It wasn’t significant enough to remember.”
“Really?”
“Yes!”
“Then why does my cheek hurt so much?! …Could it be….”
“You don’t think I…?! No! I’m a physician, Ren! How could I lay hands on a cute boy like Ren? I would never, even if I died, even if I died!”
“I was just saying.”
Isn’t that even more suspicious? A cute boy? He seems like a pervert!
I narrowed my eyes and glared at him.
Gepetto froze in place with both hands extended, shaking them wildly.
Seeing his wide-open eyes and gaping mouth, he really did seem wronged. Even if Gepetto did do it, if he could act this well, I should let myself be fooled!
When I reluctantly nodded, Gepetto kept examining my expression with a relieved yet uneasy face. He seemed worried I might not truly believe him.
No way Gepetto would have hit me, right? He’s not that kind of person. Also.
Hyung is here too.
Hyung is here too.
Hmm. Hyung is here too.
I glanced at Ruman.
His worried eyes subtly avoided mine.
Why is he avoiding my gaze?
Anyway! Hyung is here too!
And Ruman is here too. Ahem.
Not that Ruman cares about me, but he wouldn’t just watch someone getting hit.
Because Ruman is a cool Hero.
“What are you thinking about that makes your face turn red? Ren.”
“What would I be thinking about?”
Now that I’m conscious of it, my cheek hurt terribly.
It stung and burned, and even the slightest breeze seemed like it would hurt. Will I even be able to eat like this? Or maybe it’s good that I have no appetite, so I can make excuses not to eat? But I’ll have to chew and swallow medicinal herbs. Uuugh. Just imagining it gives me goosebumps! I shuddered.
“Ah, ah. Don’t touch it. It’ll get worse. I’ll apply more medicine for you.”
“I’ll apply it myself.”
“Um…. Alright.”
Gepetto hesitated before handing over the ointment.
Wow!!
Waaah!
It hurts like hell. I’m going crazy! Huuuuu. I started taking deep breaths.
But with years of accumulated know-how, I could apply medicine to my face without flinching.
But what is hyung staring at?
He’s been having a staring contest with the wall since he turned his head away.
As I quietly glared at hyung’s back of the head while applying medicine, Ruman tapped Temarr hyung’s back.
Hyung’s back flinched.
“Hyung.”
“…….”
“That. Is there graffiti on the wall or something?”
He’s not seeing a ghost or something, is he?
Even if it’s hyung, that would be kind of scary.
Somehow hyung’s eyes seemed to waver for a moment.
“Does it hurt a lot?”
“What? My cheek?”
Is he worried about me?!
Uuuaah! I wanted to shout right away but held it in while pressing my cheek!
Uuuurgh. Inside I was writhing in pain, but I pretended to be fine. Then I proudly puffed out my chest that had shrunk from the pain earlier.
“It doesn’t hurt at all. It just tickles.”
“…….”
“…….”
“…….”
What. Why do they all have weird expressions?
Why is everyone like that? Don’t they believe me? I smiled brightly. Wow, it hurts more when I smile!
“Actually, it even feels refreshing.”
“…Kheup….”
The gaze that seemed to be looking at me pitifully—Ruman burst out laughing.
Why are you laughing while making such a complicated expression!
Hyung also briefly held back a laugh, then turned around and left as is.
I glared at Gepetto.
His face looked like he was contemplating whether to laugh or not.
Ruman shook his shoulders laughing, then sighed while looking at me intently, then giggled to himself again! He repeated that several times!
My body was throbbing so I didn’t have the will or strength to hit him. Honestly, I was so tired even moving my limbs was exhausting.
I ignored Ruman while glancing at hyung’s retreating back, and only opened my mouth after hyung had completely gone.
“Gepetto. Why? Why are you laughing?”
“Umm…I think it’s better if you don’t know….”
“Why??”
It’s because of my face!
I had a hunch and pestered Gepetto to give me a mirror.
“Must you really see it…?”
“Kahahaha!”
“Ruman-nim… Please stop laughing….”
Gepetto made a truly troubled expression.
“Just show me!! I have a mirror in my luggage anyway, you know?”
That was a lie.
Where would I have space to put a mirror in my luggage! What would I do looking at a mirror!
But life is meant to be lived with shameless lies.
Whether my confident lie worked, Gepetto sighed and rummaged through his luggage.
And handed me a small mirror.
“Puhehe…hehahaha!”
Seriously, why is he like that.
I shot Ruman a look that said ‘what a sight,’ then ignored Gepetto’s face distorting strangely and looked at my face in the mirror.
It was so small I could only see my nose. Umm. I need to adjust the angle.
When I turned it a bit more to the right….
Huh.
What’s this…?
“…….”
I pulled the mirror back a bit more.
Ruman was still panting with laughter.
And my appearance captured in the small mirror was….
Absolutely in shambles.
One cheek was so pale and blue it was colorful!
It was at a level where I couldn’t even lie and say it didn’t hurt.
And me with a very confident expression was making a triumphant face in the mirror.
It was truly unbalanced and very, very bizarre.
“Wh-what is this…!”
I was startled like I’d encountered a ghost and trembled violently!
The mirror that fell from my pitifully trembling hand hit the carriage floor.
“Uwah…S-sorry….”
My hands trembled from the shock of seeing my face. And I choked up. Rante said my face was pretty…!
“It’s okay! It’s okay!”
When I panicked and teared up, Gepetto raised both hands again to reassure me that it was fine.
“Khehut….”
Ruman was still laughing. Seeing him laugh without being able to breathe, Ruman was definitely a personality disorder case. I take back thinking he was a cool Hero! Hateful, so hateful! When I glared at him, though my hurt feelings remained, my tears went right back in.
But wait, was that really my face just now?
That can’t be!
Eh, hehe….
“Um… the mirror one more time….”
When I couldn’t let go of my attachment, Gepetto’s lips twitched as he held out the mirror again.
Huuuuu.
Haaaaah.
I prepared myself mentally and looked into the mirror again.
“Hup!”
I inhaled! And after preparing myself mentally, the face I saw was!
“Uwaaah! Why is my face like this!”
It was like a monster!
A monster with spreading blue bruises! It seems to get worse the more I look at it!
My goodness, is this really my face?
It’s completely swollen and ugly…. The entire skin of my right cheek was red and blue bruises were splotchy here and there. It looked exactly like moss on a rock. It even seemed like there was a round thumbprint mark….
When I suspiciously examined the mark, Ruman snatched the mirror away.
“Haa…haa. Huuuu.”
“Are you done laughing? Is my face that funny?? Do you enjoy others’ pain? Are you perhaps a personality disorder case??”
“Ren…. Honestly, I couldn’t help but laugh.”
Ruman called my name while shaking his head. As if asking for understanding, he spoke gently.
After laughing to your heart’s content!
But I was… dumbfounded too.
To smile with that expression in that state….
“Did a rock fall on the carriage while I was sleeping?”
“Mm.”
Ruman blinked and nodded.
“Let’s go with that.”
“What do you mean let’s go with that?! Could it be Ruman… you….”
“Hey! Don’t tell me you’re suspecting a Hero? This Hero?”
Ruman raised his wrist.
What. It’s white, pretty, and thicker than I thought.
But what?! What?
“What do you want me to do? Should I bite it??”
When I opened my mouth showing my clean teeth, Ruman was startled and pulled his arm away.
“Can’t let my guard down. Not the arm!”
Ruman rummaged through his sleeve again and pulled something out.
“Waaah.”
It was a bracelet shining golden!
A bracelet set with amber-colored jewels! Golden needles? Thorns? that stuck out in all directions like a medal were densely embedded, seeming to symbolize stars. It was a bracelet with three star decorations of different sizes.
“How is it? Cool, right?”
When Ruman shook his arm, the bracelet dangled and swayed as is. The long hanging bracelet was really pretty. Brilliant and beautiful! Could this be gold? Does gold sparkle this much?
“You can’t take your eyes off it. Should I give it to you?”
“Really?”
When I raised my head straight up, my eyes met Ruman’s directly.
It was closer than I thought. My appearance with shining eyes was reflected in Ruman’s pupils. I was looking at Ruman while unconsciously swallowing, when Ruman’s face turned bright red.
“Wow. What. You suddenly turned really red.”
Even his neck is bright red. Is it hot?
When I poked his neck without thinking, Ruman had a fit.
“Uwah!”
“…Sorry.”
Because Ruman suddenly stood up, I hit my head on the carriage wall.
I was rubbing my tingling back of the head when Ruman, looking more shocked than me, smacked his lips, then apologized and left. He didn’t even close the door, so a chilly wind swept through the carriage.
What, how embarrassing….
When I quietly rubbed the back of my head, Gepetto cleared his throat awkwardly with a “hmm hmm” and closed the carriage door.
Was he… offended because I stared too intently?
Did I look like a beggar?
‘Hey. What are you staring at, you beggar bastard.’
‘Keke, look at what he’s wearing. Rags. Rags!’
‘Oh, that’s good! Hey, Rags!’
‘Kekeke. Hey! Stop it! He’s crying! He’s crying! Sssup. Ren. If you cry, should we really call you Rags?’
‘How about Renrags?’
‘Ugh, what’s that! Totally funny. Sounds like some cheap magic stone name! Renrags!’
‘Hey! Rags Renrags!’
‘Kekeke’
No, I asked first?! He was the one who asked if he should give it to me first!
I’m so pissed off, really!
Now I’m thinking of the old days for no reason.
“…So you can rest assured.”
“…….”
“Ren? Did you hear me?”
I didn’t hear…….
