THIFSGSTW CH 61

Chapter 61:  Is something wrong?

I stared blankly up at Min Joo-hyuk. He still had his hand firmly pressed over my shoulder, holding me close.

His palm was warm. From where our skin touched, it felt like heat was slowly spreading through my body. I couldn’t tell if Min Joo-hyuk was using magic, or if I was just imagining it.

When I stayed silent, Min Joo-hyuk opened his mouth again.

“…Do you not like it?”

Should I take my clothes off, then? I had no idea what he was thinking. I kept my voice calm.

“Why are you doing this?”

“I’m worried you’ll collapse like this. Change into something cooler. A short-sleeved shirt would be better.”

Ah, so that was it. Well, I guess my outfit didn’t look much different from winter clothes, so he might have thought that. He could’ve just said so from the start.

“It’s fine. It’s summer clothes. It’s thin, see?”

Min Joo-hyuk lightly brushed over the fabric. The thin, airy white cloth was almost translucent, wrapping softly around his hand. His face briefly showed a complex expression before he continued.

“Is this the only kind of clothing you have? Do you always wear long sleeves?”

“Yeah. That’s how priest robes are. Well, I’m not actually a priest, though.”

I felt his hand gripping my shoulder tighten slightly. Then, with a look of firm resolve, he spoke again.

“Then just take it off for a moment. If you want, I’ll take mine off too.”

“…What are you even saying? And why would I want that?”

“There’s something I want to check.”

“…?”

Min Joo-hyuk kept trying to convince me like that for a while. Later, he even suggested just rolling up the sleeve, but I flatly refused. I still couldn’t guess what he was aiming for.

He was more persistent than I thought. The more we argued, the hotter I started to feel. It was like I had been left under the blazing midsummer sun. Maybe he really did use magic.

When I refused until my face was flushed with heat, Min Joo-hyuk eventually gave up and left the room. I don’t know why he said he’d be watching. Still, I was relieved he didn’t try to force anything.

‘…It’s hot.’

I couldn’t think straight. The room became quieter once Min Joo-hyuk left.

I climbed down from the window sill and flopped onto the bed. Even though I wasn’t covered by a blanket, sweat trickled down my body. Even breathing felt hot.

Just a moment ago, I was fine. This is all Min Joo-hyuk’s fault.

Knock knock.

There was a soft knock at the door. I didn’t even have the strength to get up. I barely managed to speak from where I lay on the bed.

“Yes. I’m in here.”

The door slowly opened. Red hair peeked through. As always, Raen had his short, wavy hair tied low. Now that I thought about it, he had also come to see me just before leaving last time.

Raen turned his back briefly to close the door, then turned to face me again. Our eyes met.

“Yi-han. What are you doi—…ng…”

Raen blinked several times, then quickly waved his hand through the air. A large blanket appeared above me and gently floated down.

“Raen hyung…”

Why a blanket in this weather…? It was already too hot. Sweat trickled down my neck. This was bad, I felt soaked through.

I called his name desperately, but Raen stood frozen like he was rooted to the spot. Then he finally spoke in a stuttering voice.

“Why… are you like… this?”

“…It’s hot.”

When I spoke weakly, Raen finally said “Ah,” and flicked his fingers. The temperature of the blanket dropped instantly. I could finally think clearly. I sat up.

Raen approached me, slightly averting his gaze. He stood in front of me and gently grasped the ends of my sleeves. Raen’s cheeks were slightly flushed, as if he was feeling the heat too.

A light sparkled, and my sweat-drenched clothes dried completely. I could see Raen’s throat bob as he swallowed.

He met my eyes with a somewhat strained expression. Then he placed his cool hand on my flushed cheek.

“Are you really hot?”

“I’m okay now. Thank you, hyung.”

Raen gently brushed my hair. A cool breeze swept through the strands, carrying a sweet scent. Only then did Raen finally relax a little and sit beside me.

“I thought you said you don’t get hot easily?”

“Yeah. I guess it was just a moment.”

I didn’t have a better explanation. I answered vaguely, but Raen didn’t seem interested in my answer to begin with. He quickly changed the subject.

“By the way, Yi-han… is that the only outfit you have?”

First Min Joo-hyuk, now Raen. Why is everyone so concerned about my clothes?

“Raen hyung, is there something wrong with what I’m wearing?”

“Mm, no. It just seems a bit too thin.”

“Oh… does it?”

Min Joo-hyuk had said I looked hot because of the long sleeves. People really do have different opinions. That means I don’t need to change clothes. I should just stick to my own preferences. 

While I was thinking that, Raen raised his eyebrows slightly and smiled.

“No, it’s fine. I’ll take care of it.”

What does he even mean by that? Raen draped the cool blanket he had summoned over my shoulders. Then he held a long, clear glass in his hand.

Various objects like a teapot and silver containers appeared and disappeared in the air. Something was being made inside the glass. By the time he was done, the glass was filled with a chocolate-colored drink, topped with soft-looking white cream.

“Drink this while you listen. I have something to talk about.”

I took a sip—it was cool and sweet. The cream on top was soft and delicious. So there were refreshing things too, not just hot. Raen reached out toward my mouth and gently wiped the cream from my lips with a smile. I could clearly feel the smooth touch of his tidy fingers.

“I thought you’d like it. It’s cold, so drink slowly.”

“It’s delicious. Thank you, hyung.”

Raen watched me sip the drink for a moment before stretching out his hand. A cluster of white light formed into a square map.

“Do you know where we’re going tomorrow?”

“Yes. I heard we’re going to a small village next to the ravine.”

“So you heard. I have something to tell you about that place.”

The left side of the map showed large overlapping mountains, with a white streak running straight through the middle. On the right side, small buildings were drawn close together.

Raen pointed to the white area with his finger.

“This place is called the Valley of Flowing Clouds.”

“…Clouds flow?”

“Yes. Instead of water in the valley.”

Clouds flowing instead of water. I couldn’t quite imagine it. But something suddenly came to mind. I looked at Raen and spoke.

“Is this place distorted too?”

Raen nodded, his expression hardening.

It seemed similar to the Nightfall Forest. Oh, wait. That forest had some kind of veil in the sky… come to think of it…

“You’re thinking of the right thing, Ihan.”

Raen’s voice cut in. He snapped his fingers, and the map in front of us flipped and laid flat. A mountain shape rose from it.

“It’s likely not a barrier but divine power overlaid on the area.”

Raen drew a circular arc in the air with his finger. A blue membrane formed, surrounding the mountain. He spoke in a cautious tone.

“It’s also probably why the area became distorted.”

“That makes sense. Then it also explains why I was the only one who could sense it.”

So why did the divine being distort the place? I needed to ask God later.

“I’ll look into it, Raen hyung.”

As soon as I said that, Raen stiffened. He quickly turned to me and firmly gripped my shoulders with both hands.

“Let’s look into it together. We always move together. It’s a promise.”

Raen’s hands trembled slightly. Even so, his eyes on me didn’t waver at all. I looked into his golden eyes, where only I was reflected.

“I’ll try.”

I smiled and answered. Raen bit his lip. He must have understood what I meant.

This was my responsibility. If handling monsters and closing rifts was their job, then healing them and understanding divine power was mine. I knew exactly what I had to do. I had no intention of pushing it onto others. As I thought that, something crossed my mind.

‘Is this how you all feel too?’

That feeling of needing to fulfill the duty you were given.

Looking back, everything had been like that. A role I had naturally come to bear. Yet everyone was still desperately trying to carry it through.

‘From the start, there was only one path’

That voice echoed in my ears again. I clenched my sleeve tightly.

Even if it was a divine message, I couldn’t simply accept it. Everything is my will, my choice. That would never change.

“Yi-han. Let’s work hard together. Not alone.”

Raen’s earnest voice pulled me out of my thoughts. I looked at him. His gaze was still calmly fixed on me, his lips pressed tight. I nodded at him.

I still didn’t fully understand why they were willing to sacrifice so much for the world. But at the very least, I hoped it was truly their own choice.

“We’re going to be really busy from now on. Don’t overdo it. And if something feels off, tell me right away.”

Raen added more words of concern before finally leaving the room.

With the soft click of the door closing, the room grew quiet again. I’d been thinking a lot about how quiet things had been lately. Maybe it was just because there had been too many noisy days.

In the midst of silence, I might not even be able to tell if it was silence.

‘Ah, not again.’

My cheeks suddenly felt hot. It had been nothing a moment ago, and then just like that, it hit me. The realization that I’d come to accept all these loud, unquiet moments as natural.

Without even noticing, I had grown used to the gentle gazes and warm touches directed at me. The sound of my heartbeat seemed to thump in my ears. I needed to calm down.

Click. Creak.

I hurried to the window and opened it. The warm summer breeze brushed past me. Before I knew it, the sunset was low in the sky. The warmth enveloping my body seemed to calm my heart a bit.

As I stared at the setting sun for a while, I felt a presence below. I looked down. Park Yul was standing in front of the garden, holding a watering can.

Park Yul’s gaze was directed at me. Since when had he been watching?

When I met his gaze, Park Yul waved his hand at me. I waved back, and it seemed like Park Yul was mouthing something.

‘I have something to say.’

If I understood correctly, that was what he meant. I nodded. Park Yul then opened his mouth.

‘Are you ready?’

And Park Yul stared at me intently. Ready for what?