Chapter 10
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: Mom's Decision
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Mom became a single mom overnight after my biological dad cheated on her, forcing her to dive headfirst into scraping together a living.
She did get some alimony out of it, but it was laughably insufficient to keep the two of us afloat.
Society wasn't kind to a middle school dropout with nothing but years of housework on her resume.
While raising me alone, Mom went through hell, and because of it, she was always drilling into me to study hard—that no matter what, she'd make sure I went to college.
Growing up hearing that from a young age made college feel like an absolute must for me, too.
"No way. How could I send you off to college when you'd just gone through something like that, barely holding onto your memories, and crying all day? What if something went wrong?"
"...So you didn't send me?"
"Yeah. Looking back now, it felt like it was just my own selfish desire. You're smiling more these days, different from before. Even with how busy things are, you're helping out and taking care of Yu-ha. As long as you're happy, I figured letting you do what you want couldn't be so bad."
Mom's face, as she said this, was clear and free of any regrets—unlike the old days.
Seventeen. It felt like everything had frozen there, with only my time moving forward.
Maybe that's why, even a year later, I still dreamed about my old world's events like this from time to time.
"You okay?"
Suddenly, a pleasant voice came from above me.
I lifted my eyelids, and the sight of an ridiculously handsome man made me gasp involuntarily.
"...Ju Yeon-woo-ssi?"
Still not fully out of the dream, I blinked my tired eyes and checked the patient's condition first.
I tugged at his dirt-stained shirt, and he widened his eyes before slowly leaning down.
Once he was low enough to reach, I placed my hand on his forehead.
The fever was gone, and his complexion looked fine.
I pressed down on his head firmly, ruffling his hair to check his scalp.
Not only had the bleeding stopped, but the wound surface was smooth, as if it had healed overnight.
Staring blankly for a moment, I shifted my gaze to his shirt, still smeared with dirt and rainwater, and scolded him gently.
"Seriously, if you were awake, you should've changed clothes first. Why didn't you? The cold symptoms seem gone, but you can't relax until you're fully recovered. The room's warm, so your clothes dried, but hygiene is still an issue..."
Ah, but why does my head hurt so much? Is it from getting caught in the rain yesterday? Wait, why did I get caught in the rain...?
My thoughts kept spiraling.
He lifted his neatly bound hands meekly, his eyes crinkling in a smile.
"I wanted to, but I couldn't use my hands."
"You..."
"Is this your thing, maybe?"
"Insane..."
The bright morning sunlight shone on his securely bound wrists, and memories of last night crashed over me like a wave.
The charging cable I'd always carried—thinking it was sturdy enough for tying—had done the job, and his coat, which I'd used instead of a blanket, was ruined with rainwater and mud from my feet and clothes.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Han Se-young and Yang Hyun-woo's first meeting supposedly started when she dragged him home after finding him collapsed on the street.
When I first heard that story, I'd scolded her to be more careful, but looking at things now, I was in no position to talk.
If anything, I'd gone even further.
At least theirs was a romance; mine was survival, crime, and cover-up.
At her urging that I might catch a cold if I didn't wash up, I ended up showering in a daze.
Before heading into the bathroom, she'd handed me a shopping bag with brand-new clothes tagged in some foreign language.
Changing into them since my rain-soaked ones felt gross, I stepped out to the aroma of food wafting through the air.
The fresh scent from my body, the cozy warmth of the room, the soft fabric against my skin.
In this drowsy atmosphere, I sat blankly on the sofa for a moment before slapping my cheek.
'Snap out of it. Back to reality!'
After prolonged exposure to abnormal situations, I'd developed this insidious complacency that things like this were fine.
That's why I'd tried so hard to live normally like everyone else, only for it to crumble like this!
"Not hungry? Want some abalone porridge? You don't have any seafood allergies, right?"
This was all that guy's fault.
Waking up after a night of fever to find a strange woman asleep in his house, the place trashed, and his wrists bound with pro-level skill.
Honestly, in a situation like this, he should be the freaked-out one, right? Why was he so calm?
"Uh... yeah, I'm okay."
"Good. Anywhere sore?"
"No, more than me—"
Shouldn't you get your head checked?
Yesterday, I'd accidentally smashed his thick skull with my phone, which was tougher than a brick—and my phone cracked.
I was debating whether to apologize now when his next words made my eyes widen.
"No other injuries from yesterday, right? I patched up the cut on your leg in a rush, but tell me if there's anything else."
"My leg?"
Come to think of it, I hadn't felt any pain while showering. It had been pretty deep yesterday; it should've stung under the water.
"...Huh? The wound's gone?"
The long gash below my right knee had vanished completely. Wasn't it right here?
As I puzzled over my other leg, Ju Yeon-woo spoke up.
"I called a healer Esper I know while you were sleeping. No scar left, I hope?"
"Yeah, it's perfect."
"Anywhere else hurting? No fever or breathing issues from the guiding? Tell me right away if even a little something's off."
I nodded silently to his barrage of questions, stroking the spot where the wound had been.
This was my first time experiencing a healer's power since coming here, and it was flawless—no trace of a scar. My admiration was short-lived as realization hit.
Ah, so that's why she healed the cut on my head too. No wonder it healed way too fast for the injury.
Convinced, I nodded to myself.
"Eat it while it's hot."
A steaming bowl of abalone porridge was placed before me.
He was the one who'd been sick all night, yet here I was being treated like the patient.
'Repayment for saving him...?'
I was starving—last meal was 5 p.m. yesterday—but hesitated since it was from a stranger.
Though at this point, it felt too late to quibble... No, still... Ah, I'm so hungry I might hurl.
In the end, I picked up the spoon. Even ghosts who die eating look well-fed, right?
"Urp!"
The moment the spoon hit my mouth, a tidal wave of flavors made me clamp it shut.
Salty, sweet, bitter, sour—all at once in a revolutionary explosion.
What the hell had he done to this porridge? When he asked if I ate "abalone porridge-like stuff," was he really asking if I'd eat something "porridge-shaped but not porridge"?
As I gripped the sink dry-heaving, Ju Yeon-woo's brows drooped slightly.
"Not good?"
"...What did you put in this?"
No polite white lie after gagging like that.
After rinsing my mouth repeatedly, I asked seriously, and he recited the ingredients.
"First, elixir—"
"Hold up."
Unknown ingredient right off the bat.
In the Hermann Empire, elixir was a premium material rumored—exaggeratedly—to create immortality potions.
As I wondered if it was different here, he added casually,
"Good for stamina."
He said it so offhand, like some herbal tonic ingredient, so I nodded tentatively.
But every subsequent ingredient was equally unfamiliar.
Listening quietly, I noticed something odd.
"Why... no salt?"
No seasonings at all. The only normal abalone porridge staples were abalone and rice.
He hurried to explain.
"I was trying to make it healthy. Salt's too salty and bad for you... Everything I added is good for the body. You looked too skinny, so I was worried—that's why. I didn't think it'd taste bad. I figured good stuff plus good stuff equals delicious."
"Didn't taste it while cooking?"
"Should I have?"
"Of course. First time cooking?"
"Yeah. No one to cook for, and I don't make stuff at home. But next time, I'll do better. My body learns quick."
Eat that again? Torture...?
But then it hit me—he was talking like there'd be a next time, so casually.
Staring at him in disbelief, he looked wronged, brows drooping.
"...If you can't eat it, give it here. I'll toss it."
"No, it's not... totally fine, but why waste food? Got any candy or chocolate? Give me that instead."
He seemed to have put effort into it; throwing it out felt bad.
It'd been ages since anyone cooked for me, and if it was herbal stuff, weren't those premium ingredients?
Luckily, my portion was just a small bowl. I forced it down bit by bit, then suspicion hit and I asked again.
"This is actually edible, right?"
"...Yes."
The reply was slow. Glancing over, Ju Yeon-woo was staring at me blankly.
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