Chapter 39
Chapter 39
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: Looking Back (1)
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After what felt like an eternal, sweet moment, we gazed at each other in the darkness.
The light filtering through the slightly ajar door wasn't much, yet Myth's eyes stood out clearly in the shadows.
Even the emotions swirling within them.
"Good night."
"You too."
Once I confirmed she'd safely entered her place, I headed to my bed and lay down.
"Hoo..."
My body relaxed, and a deep breath escaped my lungs on its own.
A faint sweetness lingered, flushing my cheeks as I turned on my phone.
I wasn't sleepy yet—just wanted to kill some time.
Scrolling through shorts and reels, something soon clogged my chest like a lump, so I wandered through profiles instead.
Unable to pinpoint what it was, I just needed a distraction.
I checked out Myth's posts, Yeona noona's too...
Somehow, my fingers kept moving, and now I was even looking at my high school friends' feeds.
"Everyone's doing just fine."
Pfft.
A chuckle escaped me.
One went to grad school, another started working early, the guy who'd whined for three years straight about hating the military had finally enlisted like a man.
Someone posted about a promotion already.
And there was the one still buried in assignments, unable to graduate for some reason.
Seeing everyone living their own lives left me feeling a bit wistful.
...Seriously.
I'd decided not to dwell on this stuff.
But tonight, my thoughts wouldn't stop.
As I scrolled up and down, my thumb paused at one spot.
"Eek."
A post that deserved a scream.
My closest high school buddy had posted, "Let's get married."
Staring at it blankly.
Was this guy always this handsome?
They say guys stop growing after high school, but he looked taller.
His face had thinned out a bit—must've been through a lot.
Lost in various thoughts and judgments, the guy in the photo sucking on a drink from the same glass as his woman still looked blissfully happy.
...Should I text him?
We were tight back then. Maybe just a quick congrats?
Should I? Or not?
Should I? Or not?
After agonizing, I couldn't bring myself to hit send.
"...Cowardly bastard."
A short curse at myself, then back to bed.
Even with cherry and strawberry still teasing my nose, sleep wouldn't come.
Dark room.
Chewing over the love I'd received, cursing myself for not returning it,
I just lay there with eyes closed, waiting for time to pass.
Hoping someday I'd muster the courage.
Myth had three suitcases open, double-checking for anything forgotten.
I crouched beside her, rummaging through to make sure nothing was missing.
Not that I knew much about her stuff.
Couldn't just sit on the couch watching TV while she packed, though.
Myth pouted.
She looked dissatisfied about something.
"I wanted you to come with me."
"Mom and Dad said to keep an eye on you... haha."
"Fair enough. You've got hospital visits. Don't skip them, no matter what."
"What are you, my mom?"
"Eek?! I'll make you call me that—"
"Whoa, no filter on you."
Thwack!
My solid knuckle rap landed on Myth's head.
Too flustered, my fist came down harder than intended.
"Hey, you okay? I swear I heard your skull crack."
"Ow ow... Y-yeah, I'm fine..."
Owie.
Myth clutched her head but smiled happily anyway.
Wonder if she'll pull this outside too.
A few days after Valentine's.
Myth was packing up to head to Busan.
Some event there she had to attend.
"What kind of event?"
"Game expo, for an ad."
"Can't you just do it online from home?"
"Nah, they need on-site shots and live directions. Sometimes you gotta go."
I wanted to tag along, but with my regular checkups and family plans this week, no dice.
"A week down there? That's a while."
"Haha... Last time we cut Japan short, staff and I were both pissed. Schedule wraps in four days, then some resort vacay."
"Sounds fun. Have a blast."
"No begging me to stay?"
"Want me to?"
"...No. I'd really bail if you did."
Myth put some distance between us.
Her hot-and-cold act was so cute, it hit me how bad I had it.
"Time to head out soon?"
"Ugh... Wanna stay longer. Maybe we haven't arrived yet?"
- Vrooom! Vroooom!!!
The bell shattered her hopes.
Sounded kinda pissed off. My imagination?
- Unnie! Come down already! Texted you 30 minutes ago—we're here! Read it!
"Wh-whoa?! Time flew. Sorry, coming right now!"
- Big van, parking's a nightmare. Circling the complex! Wait at the front gate this time, or we get ticketed!
"Got it! Heading down!"
Myth hung up.
Phones fold these days, huh.
Tech went from flip to slab back to fold.
Trends come full circle?
"New phone?"
"Event dedicated. Need one? I'll grab extras."
"Nah, I'm good. Safe trip."
This girl and her spending.
Or just too rich.
No hesitation dropping cash.
"Yeah! I'll be back!"
Myth darted in for a cheek kiss.
Classic sneak attack.
Resistance had waned since Valentine's...
...Heart still about to burst, though.
"Hey...! Sigh, fine. See you. Need help with the luggage?"
"Nah, staff would faint seeing you. I got this."
"Alright then. Safe travels."
"Yup! Be back!"
Click.
Door shut. Silence fell.
"Kinda lonely."
Guess I should get ready to head out too.
I threw on some clothes haphazardly.
Fashion illiterate me, courtesy of Myth's picks.
'No going out in your own outfits. Promise me you'll stick to my coords?'
'My sense that bad?'
'Yup.'
Even Myth, always sweet, said that much.
Hmm. Really that bad?
Shaking off the thought, I headed to the hospital.
"Been a while."
Exactly two weeks, technically.
Familiar antiseptic smell. Everywhere you look, unhealthy folks—hospitals are it.
Hoping everyone pulls through.
Quick prayer done, I approached the counter.
Weekday daytime—mercifully uncrowded.
"Hello."
"Ah, patient. Regular checkup?"
"Yes."
"One sec. See the doctor first."
The nurse remembering me felt weirdly nice.
Glad to be recognized, but not thrilled by the circumstances.
Not like I have room to talk after seven years bedridden.
"Legend, head to room XX."
"Okay."
Felt eyes on me at my name.
Been holing up working or hanging with Myth—first time in ages.
Back in school, it was constant.
Guys yelling "Legend! Seongji High's Legend!" from corridor's end just to mess with me. How I wanted to deck them.
Strode the white halls to the exam room.
"Good to see you. On time again."
"Hello."
Greeted my doctor and took my usual seat.
White coat doc asked me to hold on, flipped through charts.
"Hmm... Two weeks ago was fine. Still no sleep?"
"Not can't—won't come. Lies down fine, eventually drifts off."
"Right. Ever nod off suddenly without trying?"
Any times like that?
I racked my brain.
Come to think of it, post-wakeup, a few unconscious dozes.
Definitely when cherry and strawberry wafted by—
"Oh."
"Something ring a bell?"
"N-no. Hang on."
I deep-breathed to steady myself.
Thinking back: Myth's hospital sneak visits,
Or after tucking her in my bed, crashing on the living room blankets.
Her unique scent—cherry strawberry—always knocked me out.
'But how to explain.'
Not exactly normal convo.
Falling asleep to a girl's smell?
Pervert territory.
But doc's a veteran, decades in.
She clocked I had a hunch and pressed gently.
"Legend."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Brain's still a black box in modern medicine. Your 'no sleep, no fatigue' and 'infinite focus'? Scientifically impossible."
Superpowers from fiction.
Doc looked dead serious.
"Could backfire anytime. If you suspect something, spill now."
"A-hem..."
I flushed, looked away.
Doc stared steadily, unblinking.
Fine, survival issue.
This much okay, right?
"Don't worry. Lips sealed."
Doc reassured again.
A few coughs, steeling myself, I confessed.
"S-sometimes a certain smell makes me sleep."
"Smell? Specific one? What kind?"
Oh god, can't say it.
No choice.
Eyes squeezed shut, blurted:
"A woman's scent..."
Scritch.
Doc, who'd leaned in close, scooted back.
Scribble scribble.
For a while, only pen scratches echoed in the room.