“Achoo!”
Christmas Eve. Henry sat in front of the fireplace, his entire body wrapped in a thick cotton comforter, and burst into a cough.
Even the warm heat of the fireplace couldn’t drive out the cold that had settled inside his body.
His head was throbbing and his body felt heavy as a thousand pounds. His senses were dulled, and his condition had hit rock bottom.
Was it because of the fever? While his entire body was wrapped in the blanket, he felt a chilling coldness, yet cold sweat was running down his forehead.
Iris and Richard looking at such a Henry with pitiful eyes. Veronica looking with worried eyes. Even Margaret looking with angry eyes.
Henry, who clearly had the appearance of a sick person, was receiving the gazes of his family all at once.
Last night. It was the result of excitedly jumping into the water at the school’s year-end party.
“What kind of weather is it that you’d go into the swimming pool! Why would you do something you’ve never done… That’s why you caught a cold!”
Iris made a face as if she couldn’t live with this and smacked Henry’s shoulder.
Unlike his family’s reactions, Henry didn’t regret yesterday’s events. Even though it was bone-chillingly cold and he ultimately caught a terrible cold.
The cold water wrapping around his body, the sensation of having his oxygen cut off and being breathless. The cheers and applause pouring toward him as he jumped into the water. All those sounds felt like they were echoing from far away, with the water as the boundary.
Henry, who had closed his eyes then, felt as if he had separated from the world. At least for that moment.
It felt like being excluded from the world, left alone. Thanks to that, for the first time in a very long while, Henry could feel the sensation of breathing.
Henry learned for the first time last night that a sense of alienation could be so welcome. Even though until recently, he had considered alienation to be a terrible and frightening existence.
The comfort he thought would be a fleeting sensation continued for quite a while even after Henry came up above the water.
In a situation where everyone who had jumped into the water was hurriedly getting out, Henry stayed in the water for so long that it was comparable to them.
Enough to forget even the extreme headache that came from the sudden temperature change and the cold that made his teeth chatter.
Was that why? Thanks to that, despite his family’s reproach, Henry missed that moment. Because all thoughts and sensations had emptied out, and at the same time, an existence called water filled that space.
Even while sniffling, he ended up smiling like a fool while recalling that time.
Meanwhile, Richard and Margaret were busily moving around the kitchen making Christmas Eve dinner.
A savory scent rose from the turkey, crispy on the outside and tenderly cooked inside. From the lasagna filled with plenty of quality mushrooms, golden-brown baked cheese was melting.
There was also tomato soup that looked appetizing just by its color. Golden-brown potatoes, roasted broccoli. Even pecan pie prepared for dessert.
Throughout the kitchen, delicious smells spread. At the feast of foods that made mouths water naturally, Iris and Veronica complained they were hungry, but only Henry was unaffected.
It seemed his sense of smell had been completely paralyzed by the terrible cold.
The foods Richard and Margaret had carefully made were all set, and candles creating a cozy atmosphere were lit.
The evening of Christmas Eve when everyone sat at the table.
He tried putting food in his mouth, but even his mouth felt scratchy. Following his sense of smell, his sense of taste seemed to have gone wrong too.
Because of that, Henry couldn’t eat well and just picked at his food. Margaret, who had been watching Henry, eventually made a face full of concern and asked.
“Henry, are you okay? Can you eat? If it’s really too much, should I make you some chicken soup?”
She had been angry at first seeing Henry cough, but as time passed and her anger subsided, only worry seemed to remain. She began taking care of her precious youngest son as always.
“No. I’ll just eat.”
“But still…”
“Oh! Mom, the kid says he’s fine. Henry’s not a child anymore. If he needs something, he’ll say it first on his own. Stop worrying and eat your meal too.”
Iris poured out a scolding toward Margaret, who had eaten only a few spoonfuls of tomato soup while watching Henry and had stopped using her fork. Only then could Henry escape from Margaret’s attention somewhat.
Henry knew that Iris had deliberately done that to be considerate of him. He smiled slightly toward Iris.
After continuing the meal for a while like that, Henry put down his spoon first. As if Margaret, who had been watching Henry’s every move without fail, had belatedly remembered a fact she had forgotten.
“Oh, by the way, Henry. What happened with Declan? Did you ask him?”
She asked about Declan.
When she threw out the question, Henry was in the middle of slurping down hot ginger honey tea.
The hot liquid got stuck somewhere while going down his throat. Henry, who had choked, poured out coughs. Terrible pain rose from his throat, already damaged in such a short time from frequent coughing.
Veronica hurriedly handed Henry her share of water that had been placed in front of her. Henry could finally stop coughing only after drinking all the water that had filled the cup the size of his hand.
When he raised his head, Margaret had a face that didn’t know what to do with her apology.
“Are you okay?”
“Haa… Yes, I’m fine.”
Henry let out a low sigh and answered her. She didn’t turn her head. To hear the answer to the question she had asked.
“…I asked, but he refused.”
Henry lied nonchalantly.
He had never extended such a proposal to Declan asking if he would come to their house for Christmas.
Since last weekend when his relationship with Hazel had completely ended, during the time of one week, Henry hadn’t had a proper conversation with him.
The only conversation, if you could call it that, was yesterday morning. It was at most the argument in the hallway over the showcase issue.
Though he didn’t know if he could call that unilaterally pouring out anger a conversation.
“Huh? Why, is he going to New York to see his parents this time?”
“No. I don’t think that was it… I don’t know. I didn’t ask about the reason.”
He didn’t know much else, but it was certain that Declan was at the dorm.
Last night when the party ended and everyone was returning to their homes, he saw him taking an Uber alone toward the direction where the school was.
Henry, having finished his answer, burst into another cough. His head rang. A bloody smell rose from his throat.
Veronica, who had been silently watching such a Declan, casually spoke up.
“Dad. Henry’s in this condition—is it okay to take him to church the day after tomorrow? Lots of young children come too, and if we take him there for no reason and he spreads it to the little kids…”
She trailed off her words and expressed concern.
At those words, Richard also made a face fallen into thought. He couldn’t just allow Henry to be absent, but he looked worried that something unnecessary might happen.
“Besides, Henry received a showcase invitation, right? On January 3rd. The church New Year camp is until January 2nd. They’re also doing physical measurements… Rather than dragging a sick kid there and lowering his condition, wouldn’t it be better for both sides to let him rest at home?”
She cautiously added more words. It was quite a reasonable story.
Richard remained lost in thought alone for a long while, then reluctantly nodded his head.
“Henry, just this once.”
“…Yes.”
“Pay more attention during this time from now on. You clearly know it’s busy at year-end and there’s a lot of work, don’t you?”
“I’m sorry.”
“Yes. I understand that at your age, sometimes you want to do such reckless things, but… pick your timing. You know better than anyone how many people at school alone know you’re my son, don’t you?”
“Dad. Stop it. Henry would have understood.”
Veronica hurriedly intervened for mediation. However, Richard still added more words.
“And yet you jump into the water, catch a cold, and end up missing the New Year camp. Don’t embarrass me further. Samuel alone is already embarrassment enough.”
Richard finally threw out one last remark toward Henry, who had already become endlessly small.
Hearing his words, Henry thought that somewhere in his chest, it felt like a stone was pressing down.
In the current situation, all that was permitted to Henry was to answer powerlessly with his head deeply bowed. As if he had become a sinner.
