Peace (2)
I woke up naturally from a dream for the first time in ages. Thanks to the sleeping pills, I even felt strangely refreshed. I could see why people seek them out.
A faint breathing sound came from under the bed. Stretching my creaky body, I peeked down to see Baek Ga-eun asleep, covered by a blanket. I reached out to pull it up over her, but gave up because of the awkward position and just lay back down.
I lifted my bandaged left hand and stared at it. The doctor had said a simple check-up would let me go home. Even in this state, I should be able to manage the basics...
I fumbled at the bedside for my phone and checked it. Amid the flood of messages from my sudden hospitalization, Hyeon Ha-yeon's name was nowhere to be seen.
*
From morning, I was busy with tests. I tried to send Baek Ga-eun home, but she insisted on fulfilling her duties as my guardian and refused to leave. She'd already leveraged her family connections to spread the word, so I couldn't push her away anymore.
Thanks to her looking after me, I got through the exams without any hassle. Before I knew it, lunchtime had rolled around after all the poking and prodding.
Baek Ga-eun ordered delivery, insisting we skip the hospital slop. With the doctor's permission, it was all above board.
Mid-meal, a nurse stopped by to say the results from the earlier test were in. They came faster than expected. At twenty fresh, my heart pounded harder than before any physical exam. I shoved rice into my mouth to hide it.
Lee Ji-yeon had been deemed perfectly healthy as a woman, with no issues. She'd been so confident, her plan so meticulous—yet the results were a disaster. At this point, I couldn't decide if normal was good for me or if abnormal would be better. The fear of what the revelation might bring gnawed at me.
I hadn't told Baek Ga-eun about that particular test. She hadn't pried, and I saw no need to volunteer it.
Lunch ended, and I told her to wait while I heard the results, but she tagged along anyway. I begged her to stay behind out of embarrassment, but her firm stance left me no choice—I headed out with her in tow.
The attending physician's explanation was pretty shocking.
"Wow... impressive. The volume is tremendous."
"...Pardon?"
The doctor continued with genuine admiration. "Look at the chart—from bottom to top, every metric is exceptionally high."
I checked where he pointed: top 5% or above.
He tapped along the table, explaining. "The amount is huge, and not just the amount—the count is insane."
That's when Baek Ga-eun chimed in casually. "...Doctor, what's motility?"
I whipped my head around in shock at her question. She ignored my stare, listening intently.
"Well... motility checks how many are alive and moving... They need to be healthy swimmers for fertilization to..."
I couldn't take it anymore and cut him off. "A-anyway, it's normal, right?"
The doctor smiled faintly despite the interruption. "Not just normal—this is top-tier, guaranteed marksman level."
Even the needless analogies muddled my head further. I dragged out Baek Ga-eun, who was stifling laughs at his words, and headed back to the room. She giggled the whole way—what was so funny?
Once there, she stepped out to use the bathroom. Lying on the bed with a heavy heart, I opened my phone and checked Messenger.
Seeing the barrage of messages from Lee Ji-yeon, who was worried in her own way, weighed on me even more. A healthy couple messes up, but nothing happens... If I told her about results way above average for other men, what nightmare would unfold?
[Bzzz-]
Lost in thought, my phone vibrated. It was Lee Ji-yeon. Should I pick up? Hesitating, the vibration stopped.
I clutched the phone, groaning, when Baek Ga-eun returned. She said a nurse had called—time for the next test.
"...Okay."
Figuring I could blame the missed call on the tests, I headed out again. More exams than expected—turns out Baek Ga-eun had pulled strings.
"Might as well get a full check-up while you're here, right?"
They'd even send results home, so I quietly followed for a few extras.
During one, a young doctor asked, "...Do you take any meds?"
"...No prescriptions, just supplements."
He looked puzzled and probed further. "...Not ones I prescribed..."
Flustered as I tried to explain, Baek Ga-eun jumped in. "Supplements."
"...Ah, supplements?"
"Yes, all sorts. Guess they made a difference."
The doctor eyed her, then told me, "...Keep taking the supplements she's giving you, and you'll be fine in no time."
"...Yes."
He finished silently after that. Chatting with Baek Ga-eun distracted me. Needing to discharge by evening, we hustled. Her help sped things up.
Back in the room, someone was waiting.
"...Still here?"
Lee Ji-yeon growled at Baek Ga-eun following me in. Her icy tone hinted at her fury.
Baek Ga-eun spotted her and greeted casually. "Hello, sunbae. You must have some free time."
"G-Ga-eun..."
Panicking at her immediate provocation, I tried to intervene, but she didn't budge.
Lee Ji-yeon gritted her teeth. "...Does our hoobae have no ambitions? Just trailing after guys... Must be nice being rich."
Baek Ga-eun smiled faintly, silent.
"...Gonna hit the bathroom."
Their vicious exchange choked me—I fled. The room had an en-suite, but I slipped out quietly.
After the toilet, I asked a nurse about discharge. Turns out Baek Ga-eun had handled it—no bill. Just finish tests and go. Bizarre, but another debt to her.
Steeling myself, I returned. The door opened to a shock: Baek Ga-eun and Lee Ji-yeon grappling, hair in fists.
Lee Ji-yeon spewed curses, shaking Baek Ga-eun's white locks even as I entered. "You fucking bitch..."
Baek Ga-eun yanked her brown hair back. "Think you can just barge in like this?!"
I rushed in, panicked. "S-stop! Enough!!"
Finally separated, they panted—then tears welled up almost simultaneously.
Baek Ga-eun clung to me, sobbing pitifully. "O-oppa... She said she hates me... hic..."
Lee Ji-yeon wailed too. "She kept hitting me... just..."
Both acted so convincingly, I couldn't tell who lied. Their tears tugged at me.
...Please don't use acting skills for this crap.
What sparked hair-pulling? They'd snarled but never crossed lines before. Baek Ga-eun was a normal person without Demon King memories now, but if she remembered her past life, ordinary Lee Ji-yeon would be in deep trouble. The Demon King wouldn't hesitate.
Lee Ji-yeon was my lifelong friend. No matter how fed up I got, harm to her would crush me.
I soothed them and talked it out. Lee Ji-yeon stopped crying instantly, glaring. "...Why didn't you tell me the results were out?"
Her sharp eyes chilled my spine. Had Baek Ga-eun spilled?
Sweating, I stammered, "Thought you'd be busy... I was in tests too..."
She cut me off. "Healthy? Top-tier shot? Guaranteed hit?"
She scoffed in disbelief. "Good thing."
Her unexpected calm stunned me speechless.
"At least you're not a eunuch, right?"
Her matter-of-fact tone left me unsure whether to be relieved or not.
Baek Ga-eun sidled close, whispering, "...Sorry I told her."
I nodded slightly—it's fine.
Lee Ji-yeon spotted our murmur and snapped again.
As the ice-knife tension dragged, a nurse entered. "Patient Kim Cho-in, just recast the splint and you're good to discharge."
My lips twitched involuntarily. No more getting squeezed between them. Discharge time was finally here.