Nutrient Pill
Haru thought all the day's events felt like a dream. If it really was a dream, where had it begun? From when Nami cast that magic circle packed with thousands of formulas? Maybe. No kid her age could possibly know magic like that. Or from the moment she saw Nami wracked by nightmares? Or had even the pajama party been some grand illusion? Everything was a jumble of confusion for Haru.
But there was no time left to wallow in it now. Beyond the door handle gripped in her hand stood the one person she'd longed for more than anything.
“Come on in, Haru. You brought your friends today?”
“Mom...?”
It couldn't be. That woman couldn't possibly be her mother. Mom had died—that was certain. And yet, her beloved face, her familiar gestures, her gentle voice... they pulled Haru forward all the same.
“The surgery went perfectly, thank goodness. Haru, you've grown even taller since the last time I saw you. You must've missed me a ton, huh?”
“You're really... Mom...?”
The moment she saw that kind smile, Haru's eyes welled up.
The “surgery” referred to the major operation from last summer. The unprecedented implant of an artificial Aura Heart had succeeded, and Haru had been overjoyed at the thought of her mom finally getting healthy. But that hope had been shattered when her mother passed away that same winter.
The sheer impossibility of seeing her again made Haru unable to hold back her tears.
“Mom... Mom...!”
“Haru, don't cry in front of your friends—it'll embarrass you.”
“Why'd you leave me behind? I missed you so much...”
“Leave you? Where would I go without my Haru? Look, the surgery went great. The doctor says I might even be discharged next week.”
“Sob... hic... I hate you...! I was so alone... so hard without you...! Even if you say that, you'll just leave again...”
“Sorry, kids. Haru's always been a bit of a handful with the dramatics. You two are in her class, right?”
Haru's mother turned her gaze to the friends. Yuna jumped in surprise and introduced herself.
“Ah...! Um, I'm Seo Yu-na. And this is NoName.”
“Seo Yu-na...? Oh, Haru mentioned you—same first-year Class C, right? The other name sounds a bit unfamiliar, though?”
“Nami transferred in midway through.”
“Transferred...?”
Her mother narrowed her eyes with a hint of suspicion. The timeline for the Alchemist dream was September 2050. It wasn't surprising she didn't know Nami's name.
“Hmm... Anyway, thanks for coming to visit. Take good care of our Haru.”
Haru was crying so pitifully that Yuna and Nami decided to give her space, moving to sit on the bed across the room. They ended up as spectators to this touching mother-daughter reunion.
Yuna whispered to Nami.
“Was Haru's mom always really sick?”
“She passed away last December.”
“Ahh... that explains it...”
Yuna nodded in understanding at Haru's intense reaction. Having nearly lost her own mother once, she knew all too well how crushing that sense of loss could be.
“Haru's actually super pitiful when you think about it... I always just thought she was a jerk.”
“Nobody's without their story.”
“Could this magic let me see my dad, who died when I was little?”
“Probably not. He's not in your memories.”
“I see...”
The mood grew somber, and Yuna swung her dangling legs idly in the air. Seeing Haru's tear-streaked face made her feel unexpectedly down herself.
“Nami, you okay?”
“Huh?”
“Niobe unnie said you always hide when you're hurting. That you lock yourself away and cry.”
“Niobe said that?”
“My mom always says to tell people right away if you're sick. That way you can go to the doctor and take medicine.”
“Wise words.”
“So if something hurts at the academy, tell me. You're way smarter than me, so you probably know, but... um... I'm taller and stuff... I could even carry you to the nurse's office...”
“Worried about me? Yuna's all grown up, caring about others now.”
“Argh...! You keep messing up my hair here...! Keep it up and I'll do the same to yours!”
As Yuna reached out to playfully ruffle Nami's hair, Nami flinched before she could even touch. Her hands flew up to cover her head, body curling into a ball—like a baby animal trembling before a predator. Yuna's hand froze.
“Sorry, it's a conditioned reflex... like a habit...”
Before Nami could fully explain, Yuna recalled Niobe's advice and acted on it.
Thump.
“Yuna...?”
Yuna hugged Nami with all her might. Her warm body heat seeped fully into Nami. The overwhelming closeness felt suffocating yet comforting; Nami slowly, gently stroked Yuna's back.
Feeling it, Yuna grumbled softly.
“You're my most precious friend, Nami. So don't get sick.”
The tone might've sounded bossy, but coming from an eight-year-old, it just made her smile.
“Okay, I won't. Can't get sick with a friend like you worrying.”
“I was super excited for the pajama party today. Let's play more when we get home.”
“I had so much prepared for you guys that I was bummed we couldn't do it all.”
“Yeah? Like what?”
Yuna pulled back to face Nami.
“The Halli Galli and pirate roulette I mentioned, a karaoke mic in case you like singing, snacks and a movie... or pillow fights? But I didn't say it 'cause I figured you'd end up fighting Haru.”
She ticked off her grand plans on her fingers. Yuna bristled at the last bit.
“I'm not that bad...! And after chatting with Haru a few times, I think we're kinda friends now.”
“Good to hear. Haru wanted to get close to you too.”
“Haru did...?”
Yuna tilted her head repeatedly.
“If you doubt it, we can play truth or dare later to confirm.”
Nami was dead set on truth or dare, no matter what. Nothing bonded kids' friendships like it.
Sensing the Alchemist casting time winding down, Nami called over Haru's shoulder.
“I Ha-ru.”
She was still lost in her mother, not hearing. Farewells were always painful. Estasha, reuniting with her childhood siblings after mastering Alchemist, knew it. So did Baek Arin from Arabyeol Elementary, who'd once had a crush on Nami. That's why Nami wanted to give Haru plenty of time, hinting ahead.
“I Ha-ru, you didn't take your nutrient pills properly while Mom was gone, did you?”
Haru's mother scolded her daughter. Even the nagging felt blissful; Haru just grinned dopily.
“Yeah! Honestly, they were a hassle, so I skipped sometimes.”
“How many times do I have to tell you? Start taking them consistently early on, and it'll pay off later.”
She pulled a small plastic container from her bag, took out a white pill, and handed it to Haru with water.
“Here.”
“Can't you feed it to me, Mom?”
“Fine, say ahh.”
“Ahhhh—”
Haru opened wide like a baby bird waiting for food from its mother. The pill was delivered by hand.
“Hold on, I Ha-ru. Stop.”
Snatch.
Suddenly, Nami swiped the pill, scowling fiercely. The mother and daughter stared, dumbfounded.
“Even as Haru's friend, you know that was incredibly rude, right?”
“NoName...? What's wrong?”
Nami held the pill up to the ceiling light, inspecting it closely. No alphabet marks or anything on the surface.
“I Ha-ru, how long have you been taking this?”
“Nami, suddenly—”
“How long?”
Nami's sharp yell made even the quietly watching Yuna bolt up from the bed. Haru's mind went blank; she couldn't fathom why her friend was yelling.
“Does Korea's FDA even approve stuff like this?”
Nami's cold glare flashed. Even her own Mana Potion required multiple clinical trials just for a form change. Residue was a byproduct of mana purification—painful to ingest but not hugely harmful otherwise. But the “nutrient pill” they were about to give Haru? Not even close.
“Hand it over. It's for Haru.”
“Yeah, right.”
The pill crumbled to powder in Nami's hand. She stood abruptly and intoned the spell to forcibly end the magic in a flat, mechanical voice.
"Dispel: Alchemist"