# Chapter 41
“Fenil, did you know about this too?”
Since he couldn’t come up with an answer himself, Boss chose to seek advice from Fenil.
With her ability, she would likely know already.
“About what?”
“That Revive has limitations.”
“That it can only be used once, right?”
But contrary to his expectations, Fenil didn’t seem to know about this. Perhaps because it was a fact not documented in records.
At Fenil’s tone asking what else there was, Boss slowly shook his head.
“There’s one more thing besides that.”
Fenil’s eyes narrowed, as if hearing about this for the first time.
“…I didn’t know that.”
Under her gaze urging him to answer, he moved his lips, choosing his words carefully. His clouded gaze fell upon the photograph that had now become Kay’s remnant.
“The moment Revive is used, my lifespan and Kay’s… become connected.”
Would you still wish to live if you knew this fact? This was why Boss hesitated to save Kay.
Because saving him also seemed like nothing more than his own selfishness. Because he felt he should just let Kay go for Kay’s sake.
Kay had certainly loved him. To the point where acknowledging it felt like a sin to him.
But even if Kay were revived, he couldn’t be certain Kay would still love him. Death is a sufficient catalyst for a person to change.
Rather, it would be stranger if Kay didn’t hate him after experiencing such a thing. Boss firmly believed that once revived, Kay would hate him.
How would Kay react if he learned that he would also share a lifespan?
“…So the moment either Boss or Kay dies, the other person dies too?”
Faced with an unbelievable fact, Fenil let out a gasp. Boss nodded in response.
“I didn’t know this much… But, isn’t it unavoidable?”
After organizing her thoughts for a moment, she gently spoke. If it’s not dividing Boss’s lifespan but sharing it, then they just need to be more careful.
Of course, the perspective of the person involved might be different, but this was about saving Kay. Shouldn’t he accept this much? Fenil couldn’t understand why he was being so sensitive about it.
“For me, yes.”
That was true. It didn’t matter to him at all. Dying together would be a blessing for him. Rather, his true feelings were that he’d rather die with Kay than live a life without him.
But—
“I wonder if Kay would think the same…”
Now that he was aware of his feelings for Kay, fear took precedence. There were no pleasant emotions like excitement or heart-fluttering. He was only afraid of Kay’s reaction later.
Because all of this was nothing more than his own selfishness. Even the act of saving Kay.
The more he thought from Kay’s perspective, the more he hesitated whether it was right to save him.
Kay’s life was misfortune itself. No, it was a colorless life that could hardly be called unfortunate. Would such a Kay want to continue that life?
It would have been better if all his memories were forgotten. Then at least Kay could start over from the beginning. He wouldn’t hate the newly gained life.
Rather, he could have lived the rest of his life happily. Even without him.
But such luck wouldn’t come. Kay would be revived remembering everything. How could he say to such a Kay?
That he had loved him, and that’s why he saved him.
It was too late an answer. It would hurt Kay more than rejecting his confession. Regardless of the reason, it would only be toying with him.
No matter how he thought about it, he couldn’t think this was a decision for Kay’s sake. However, despite that, Boss still couldn’t give up on saving Kay.
He knew this was his own desire. But he didn’t know what to do. Because he didn’t have the courage to live in a world without Kay.
Even during this short time, he had constantly thought of Kay. In a life without him, he found himself searching for him, missing him, and falling into despair.
The end was predictable. Either death or madness. The longing would gradually consume him.
It was a terrifying future just to think about. It would be better to just die. But despite the pain of not seeing him, he couldn’t die. Because he would share a lifespan with Kay.
Despite numerous worries, he ultimately had no choice but to save Kay. Even if whatever came after might happen.
“I’m afraid.”
He frankly confessed his true feelings. Hearing Boss say “I’m afraid” for the first time, Fenil hesitated momentarily, but soon responded naturally.
“Of Kay’s reaction?”
“Yes.”
Even if he tried to pretend otherwise, he was scared. To think he would feel such emotions. His hand trembled at the unfamiliar sensation.
“Fenil, do you think it’s right to save Kay?”
“Of course.”
She answered as soon as Boss finished speaking. While she understood him, she didn’t expect to hear such a question. Fenil roughly brushed back her hair. Her incredulous gaze pierced sharply at Boss.
“There’s no need to worry about it. You should save him.”
“But—”
“Save him. Then get on your knees or beg or whatever to ask for forgiveness.”
To think he would worry about saving Kay. Did Boss think that Kay himself wouldn’t want to be revived?
If so, it was a big misunderstanding. Fenil, who had watched until Kay died, could say this.
He was thinking only of Boss until the very end. There was no resentment towards him. Just how he could get closer to Boss, that was all. Even as his dying day approached, that’s what he had been thinking.
Having seen such a Kay, how could she judge that he wouldn’t want to be revived?
“I guarantee, whatever worries you have, they’re all unnecessary thoughts.”
It’s none other than Boss saving Kay. For whatever reason, Kay would be satisfied just with the fact that he was saved.
A bitter smile appeared on Fenil’s lips. How could he not know what she knew? It should be Boss who received Kay’s affection beyond measure. Perhaps he had grown so accustomed to the affection that he hadn’t realized.
That Kay’s affection for Boss was far greater than he thought.
“I barely held back from hitting you, so just try having those thoughts again. Then boss or not, you’ll see what happens.”
At these words that sounded like a threat, Boss was momentarily at a loss for words. To think she would go this far. The thoughts that had been dragged into the deep abyss began to emerge slightly. He felt foolish for having such thoughts.
“…Thank you.”
Thanks to her, his mind cleared. He sincerely thanked Fenil. If it weren’t for her, he would have regretted it once more.
“Yeah, thank me plenty. Money would be better.”
Fenil smiled boldly. It was her unique way of saying not to think too deeply.
“Would a year’s worth of allowance be enough?”
In response, Boss also forced a smile.
“Just give me enough to burden Boss’s wealth.”
At her continued words, he had to doubt whether it was truly meant as a joke. If it was enough to be a burden, how much did Fenil want?
Of course, compared to what she had done, it wouldn’t be a waste.
“…I’ll try.”
Boss, having roughly calculated, gave an uncertain answer.
“Yeah, just so you know, I recorded it.”
She playfully smiled while shaking a tie pin-shaped recorder she always carried.
“I figured…”
Boss revealed a helpless smile, as if he had expected it.
“Then now all we have to do is save Kay?”
“Yes, we can with Kay’s possessions.”
He, having regained his senses, rose from the floor. Gazing at the photograph that he could now draw even without looking, Boss gently placed it on the bed.
“By the way, what is all this?”
Fenil, who had been quietly observing the scene, looked around and asked. She could tell they were photographs, but they didn’t look like they had been purchased.
“Kay took them.”
“…He had a hobby too, huh.”
So they really were taken by Kay. Since Kay rarely went outside, she hadn’t known he had such a hobby.
As Fenil watched with a faint smile, Boss, seemingly having finished preparations, closed his eyes with his hand placed on the photograph.
It was an action of merely placing his hand without any words. But even with just that, the surroundings began to show changes.
A subtle wind that suddenly appeared gently circled around the room. That wind headed towards Boss and then flowed around him, rippling. Then changes also appeared around his hand placed on the photograph. A faint light flickered from his hand, and soon a bright light leaked out.
The light spread wider and wider, repeatedly gathering and dispersing. Then finally, the light gradually took shape, forming the appearance of a person.
It was a mystical sight that could only be found in myths. The light, moving freely as if it had consciousness, finally found its place.
The bright light that had filled the bed gradually subsided. What was revealed inside was Kay, who had existed in their memories.
As his figure began to appear clearly, Fenil drew in a sharp breath. It felt like Kay’s death had been a dream. Although she knew he would be revived, she couldn’t hide her surprise at actually seeing it.
As all the light disappeared from the air, warmth spread through the body with Kay’s appearance. Then his heart began to beat slowly. Only then could Boss open his eyes. His pupils, visible between his eyelashes, quickly turned towards Kay.
“Ah…”
But that gaze had to be withdrawn again after just a few seconds. He simply couldn’t believe Kay was in front of him. Even with supernatural abilities, he had never seen anyone use Revive before.
For someone like him, it was the first time experiencing the overwhelming joy of seeing a dead person come back to life.
Boss, barely raising his head, had eyes that turned reddish like his eye color. With trembling hands, he gently touched Kay’s hand.
A warm and soft sensation. A sensation that can only be felt from a living person. Kay had truly been revived. Boss, afraid that Kay might disappear again, held his hand without letting go.
Now all that remained was for Kay to fully wake up.
He stayed by Kay’s side, hoping that his eyes would look at him.
But contrary to Boss’s expectations, Kay did not wake up.
