24. This Is Why I Hate Hospitals (2)
"At some point, carrying me around seems to have become a regular thing for you...?!"
"So it has."
"Don't 'so it has' me, hey!"
I growled for a good while as Park Won held me up. Finally, both my feet touched the ground.
The moment they did, the first thing I did was kick Park Won hard in the shin.
For the crime of lifting my top in front of other people.
For the crime of carrying me all the way to the examination facility while everyone was watching.
For the crime of wearing those ridiculous sunglasses the entire time.
Plus the crime of hurting my feelings, and various other offenses.
"Where in the world is there a Partner who goes around getting hit by his Magical Girl?"
"Look at the things you do...!"
"This is elder abuse."
"You're not even that old?! If you strip me in front of people one more time, be ready for it. I mean it...."
I'm not joking. I nearly died of humiliation, seriously.
If he strips me in front of people like that one more time, I'll actually kill him....
If I had my way, I would have let out my usual screech, but this was the Association, and there were eyes watching.
Though if I was going to be picky about that, I shouldn't have kicked him in the first place, but I was too furious to hold back.
"Anyway.... You understand, right?"
"Well, I'll keep it in mind for now."
"Keep it in mind...?"
Look at this guy...?
He does something like that to a Magical Girl, and he doesn't even apologize...?
And on top of that, why are you the one making a dissatisfied face?
"I have to go this far for you to listen."
"No, you don't. Besides, Partner, when you press down on me, your hands are kind of lecherous."
"I have never had that kind of desire toward any of you."
"I'll be watching from now on...."
"Watching what, exactly."
Well, you know.
Whether you enjoy tormenting me or not, that sort of thing.
Anyway, it means I'll be watching how you handle Magical Girls from now on.
"The examination room happens to be on the fifth floor, so you could just open that window over there and leave headfirst."
"Just follow me."
"Ugh, seriously...! No matter what, I said I hate examinations...!"
I grabbed onto a pillar with both hands and held on desperately.
If I go to a place like that, my brain seizes up from that weird alcohol smell.
And besides, I only have bad memories when it comes to anything hospital-related.
To me, hospitals are bad places. Yeah, hospitals are harmful.
So please, just not the examination room....
"Well, if it isn't Park Won?"
I don't know who it was, but I was saved.
Since someone recognized him, the two of them would surely end up talking.
I'll gauge the situation and slip away in the meantime.... Setting aside the pain in my lower abdomen for now.
Right now, all I wanted was to follow my instincts and get away from the hospital.
But, who is it...?
"I heard you'd become washed up, but for your assigned Magical Girl to disobey you like this."
"Hm."
"Are you even doing your job as a Partner properly, Park Won?"
The conversation I was actually hearing was so strange that my tail feathers perked up for a moment.
Yun Ha-ram had said something similar once, but the atmosphere was completely different from hers.
This one's intent was outright blatant.
"You...."
"Do you remember? I used to be your assistant...."
"Who?"
At Park Won's response, the other man froze.
A neat Association uniform and hair slicked back.
An arrogant attitude, and an expression that said he thought highly of himself.
The typical impression of the kind of person you don't want to get close to.
Lee Ji-won, who had introduced himself as being from HR, was the same.... Every adult I met at the Association was in rough shape.
"I'm Woo-hyeon.... Ju Woo-hyeon."
"Ah, now I remember. Have you been well?"
"I have. An official notice went around the Association. That Peregrine is alive."
"News travels fast."
"I thought it was fortunate that a Magical Girl the citizens dote on so much was returning, but how is it that an ex-convict gets to be her Partner?"
Park Won closed his mouth.
"Isn't it because she has an unreliable Partner like you that Peregrine can't even enter the examination room?"
"...."
"But for Peregrine, who used to have such a gentle personality, to be clinging on like that because she's scared of an examination—did she hit her head or something? She's past her prime too, now."
It was unpleasant. I could feel the malice in his blatant words.
Now that he'd crossed the line, my brow was twitching on its own.
I shouldn't. I can't cause a scene here.
But insulting the name Peregrine was something I couldn't....
Why is this guy suddenly coming over and picking a fight?
"Keep better watch over your Magical Girl, Park Won."
"Thanks for the advice."
"Don't just say it. You're a disgrace to us Partners."
"...."
"You were assigned a Magical Girl of Peregrine's caliber. For the two of you to be taking it easy like this—there's a limit to shamelessness."
"We're working hard."
"You're good at jokes too. In our eyes, you're just an ex-convict who came back to leech off a pension."
Hold on. That's enough. Stop.
"Since you turned out like that, isn't that why I took over your previous Magical Girl? Well, it worked out well for her, though."
Park Won.
You....
You're not going to say anything?
Really?
"If it gets to be too much for you, just say so. I'll take this Magical Girl off your hands too."
"No need."
"Honestly, isn't she too good for an incompetent person like you?"
"I'll handle my own Magical Girl."
"Just don't go beating her up again. Well, since Peregrine seems to have become bottom-tier after her injury, I'm not expecting much...."
"Stay in line."
"Still, wouldn't it be better for her to be handled by a competent Partner like me?"
He was coming closer.
His rude footsteps and presumptuous hand drew closer to Peregrine.
Ju Woo-hyeon reached out toward Peregrine, trying to stroke her head.
Take your hand off Peregrine.
[Smack—!]
A crack loud enough to silence the examination facility rang out.
In the end, I couldn't hold back my emotions and roughly slapped his hand away.
Peregrine wouldn't have reacted this harshly.
"Ah. Sss...."
"Take back what you just said."
"What...?"
"That was a careless thing to say, Ju Woo-hyeon."
My heart began pounding unpleasantly.
The way I was acting right now was nothing like Peregrine.
If it had been her, she would have smiled pleasantly and resolved it through conversation.
But even knowing that....
"I'm telling you that I find this unpleasant."
I couldn't stand it.
"Huh...? No, fine. I'll take back what I said to you, Peregrine. But don't you know who that man is?"
"I only judge based on what I've seen myself. Of course...."
Now that I'd come this far, I couldn't stop.
I glanced over at Park Won.
"He may be a loafer and a sly old fox..., always thinking about slacking off, and lacking in delicacy to the point of making his Magical Girl suffer."
"You know him well. And he has a criminal record too."
"But at the very least, he's not the kind of person who would lay hands on another Partner's Magical Girl."
That smug expression cooled in an instant.
I could tell by a peregrine falcon's intuition. This man was realizing he'd messed up.
I could clearly see the look of someone who had only just realized he'd made himself look bad for a fleeting sense of superiority.
"I've still only heard rumors."
"No...."
"The person who came from HR before said something similar."
I felt Park Won's lips twitch.
Of course he'd be surprised. I hadn't bothered to tell you.
It wasn't like telling you would have done any good.
"Peregrine, snap out of it. Unless you've been gaslit or something...."
"I can't tolerate insults toward me, or insults toward my Partner. I wish the adults at the Association weren't all like you."
"...."
"I don't judge based only on what adults like you say. I don't know which Magical Girl you're assigned to, but...."
Ah....
I've done it now.
I just can't shake the temper I had back when I was Yu Seong-woo.
"Just worry about your own Magical Girl."
"What's so great about a piece of trash like him? Seeing two has-beens covering for each other, you two must be...."
"Partner, let's go."
Before Ju Woo-hyeon could finish his sentence, I grabbed Park Won's wrist.
There was only one destination.
The examination room I had been so reluctant about.
"...."
An Gi-yeon, always looking for a cushy deal. Lee Ji-won from HR, always busy talking behind people's backs.
And Ju Woo-hyeon, who stood in front of me picking out the worst things to say about handing over Magical Girls.
I hated them all equally. I was starting to hate every adult in the Association.
And..., you too, Park Won, who couldn't say a single word.
"Hey."
"Just follow me."
"Are you angry?"
As I walked briskly, my breathing grew rough from my pounding heart.
My hand gripping Park Won's wrist was slick with sweat.
My hand was too small to grip his wrist properly, so I had to readjust my hold several times as I walked.
"You really...."
As I walked down the hospital corridor, I finally flung Park Won's wrist away irritably.
Then I turned to face him and looked up.
Peregrine.
What kind of world have you been enduring for the sake of people's dreams and hopes?
The place you considered your nest was full of nothing but strange adults like these.
Was I this kind of adult to you too?
"Aren't you even upset...?!"
"Upset about what."
"Do you not understand what that man was saying?! He was just insulting you one-sidedly!"
"I don't care."
"Care a little...! Think about your Magical Girl's position too!"
"...."
"This isn't the first time I've heard this! People asking if I'm okay with a Partner like you...!"
I raised my voice.
It was lucky we were in a secluded corner corridor of the examination facility—if anyone had seen, they would definitely have whispered about it.
Because no one had ever seen a Peregrine this violent and rough.
"I still don't trust you either.... Maybe it really is true that a Magical Girl retired because of you!"
"...."
"But if that's not true.... Then you'd be someone who's been wronged! So I'm doing this because I want to believe you. Do you have any idea how it feels to be the only one denying something when everyone around you is cursing someone?!"
At least get angry, or if you've been wronged, defend yourself.
What are you so afraid of that you can't say a single word?
Even if it were true, there must have been a plausible reason.
"Don't get the wrong idea. It's not because I've grown attached to you, or because I want to defend you."
"I know."
"I'm doing this purely because I don't want to become the kind of person who condemns someone who's been wronged based on nothing but rumors!"
"How does it look to you."
"What?"
"Why do you think I did it."
Why are you asking me that....
Why do you keep saying things I can't make sense of?
"Let's check in first. If we get pushed back, we'll be waiting a long time."
When I glared at Park Won, he pointed toward the reception desk.
"Are you just going to brush this off again, Partner?"
"I'll answer you. All of your questions."
"Right now?"
"When I retire."
I hadn't expected a man like Park Won to spill everything just because of a few words from me.
If anything, calmly brushing it off was just like Park Won.
The problem was..., that side of you looked cowardly.
"Don't go anywhere."
"What?"
"I'm telling you not to retire before you answer me properly."
"Is that something I have control over?"
"Don't run away—make an effort. If you do run, I won't let you get away with it."
Stepping on the linoleum floor, I slowly approached Park Won.
This is why I hate hospitals.
When I come to a hospital, bad things happen, and I'm left with bad memories.
But right now, I was putting up with that and following behind you.
Don't you dare run away. If you're going to run, at least spill the truth before you go.
I'll be watching you.