“…….Sorry, did I keep you waiting too long?”
I heard a familiar voice.
I stared blankly at the place where that voice, which had told me to come back, was coming from.
There stood Yoon Si-woo.
Yoon Si-woo, who had risen, opened his eyes, and was speaking.
“……I’m back.”
With that faint smile and the words “I’m back,” tears cascaded down my face.
Yet, it still felt somewhat unreal.
I wondered if that voice, that laughter was just a dream or an illusion my mind had conjured up because I longed for it so desperately.
Just like when I saw Yoon Si-woo’s figure while I was under the spell of the Witch of Lust.
So, I cautiously approached Yoon Si-woo, saying,
“Y-Yoon Si-woo… it’s really you, isn’t it…?”
I reached out a trembling hand toward him, wanting to confirm if this was real.
My hand trembled uncontrollably as I reached out.
I feared that the moment my hand made contact, this image would vanish like a mirage and I would wake up to find Yoon Si-woo still unresponsive.
“……Yeah, it’s me, Scarlet.”
But Yoon Si-woo did not disappear.
He simply held my outstretched hand a little tighter, as if telling me that he wasn’t an illusion and that I shouldn’t worry.
He just smiled and answered.
Ah, it really isn’t an illusion.
Only then was I able to assure myself of that.
That incredibly kind voice.
The warmth of his hand, no longer cold.
There was no way this was just a delusion.
“Ah, haha… it’s real… it’s really Yoon Si-woo… heehee…”
Once I realized that, joy bubbled forth in laughter.
“Hehe, hee… huff… I’m so relieved, so relieved… hwaah…!”
“Ugh?! S-Skarlot?!”
All the anxiety and restlessness I had carried, all those tangled emotions within me, evaporated, and the rush of relief came over me as I pulled Yoon Si-woo into a tight embrace and burst into tears.
Yoon Si-woo seemed taken aback by my sudden action, but in that moment, I was not in a state to consider his feelings.
The dam that held back my tears broke, and they flowed out like a river, far surpassing what I had shed moments ago.
So, I clung like a gum on a shoe, burying my head in Yoon Si-woo’s chest, pouring out my grievances along with my tears.
“Yoon Si-woo…! You scoundrel…! I was worried, I was worried…! Do you know how much I was afraid you wouldn’t wake up?! Huh…!”
“I-I’m sorry…”
“You idiot! You collapsed just to save me, all recklessly…! Do you have any idea how much mental anguish that caused me…?!”
“……I’m sorry.”
Suddenly remembering the mental torture I had experienced, I yelled while sobbing, and I could feel Yoon Si-woo getting flustered.
To me, he was almost like a benefactor, but right now, I thought he should feel a bit sorry for me.
You bad kid. How much was I worried that you might never wake up…
Thinking that way, anxiety surged within me.
What if this foolish guy collapsed again…?
Just imagining it made me feel dizzy.
No, it can’t happen… that’s not allowed, I can’t see that again…!
Feeling a sense of urgency, I lifted my head and glared at Yoon Si-woo from below.
“Ugh… if you’re sorry… promise me…!”
“A promise…?”
“Yeah, a promise…! From now on, never again will you leave me behind like this… Promise me you won’t do that…! Got it?!”
I didn’t want a precious person to leave me behind.
I spoke shakily, requesting and urging Yoon Si-woo to promise me that because I wanted to prevent the scariest situation for me.
Then Yoon Si-woo looked down, staring at me intently, before he smirked and said,
“Got it. I promise.”
“Really…? You’re going to pinky promise? No breaking it, right?”
“Yeah, from now on, I won’t leave you alone like this. Now, let’s hook pinkies. Does that make you feel reassured?”
As Yoon Si-woo hooked his pinky with mine, I gazed at our intertwined fingers.
It was just a promise held by the tips of our fingers, yet it strangely filled me with trust.
No, perhaps the reason I felt such trust was that the person making the promise was Yoon Si-woo.
The one who detested lies more than anyone and, therefore, seemed unlikely to break a promise made with me.
With my fear ebbing as we made a promise, I nodded slightly, responding to Yoon Si-woo’s question about my reassurance with a soft, “…Yeah.”
And as the tumultuous emotions from before began to settle, I buried my head again, avoiding the gaze of Yoon Si-woo, who was smiling at me.
Because I was embarrassed.
I realized how immature I truly was.
The first thing I should say to Yoon Si-woo wasn’t any of those things I blurted out earlier.
So I quietly tried to correct my mistake by softly apologizing to Yoon Si-woo.
“Yoon Si-woo, I’m sorry…”
“…Huh? All of a sudden?”
“I’m sorry… more than anything else, I should have said this first…”
Although Yoon Si-woo seemed puzzled as to why I was apologizing, I stood firm in my apology.
What I should have said first wasn’t to blurt out my grievances but instead…
“Thank you, Yoon Si-woo…”
What I should say was that.
“Thank you for helping me back then…”
I was grateful.
Because Yoon Si-woo saved me, I was able to overcome difficult times.
I could begin to accept myself, who had been denying my worth.
Thanks to that, I could be here now, by everyone’s side.
I wanted to express this gratitude toward Yoon Si-woo continuously.
But since he was unconscious, I couldn’t say it, which made my heart ache even more.
“Thank you for coming back…”
That you woke up allowed me to express this gratitude.
I was overwhelmingly thankful.
I was really, truly relieved to be able to convey my thanks directly like this.
“Thank you… Yoon Si-woo, sniff… thank you so much…”
As I continued to express my gratitude, emotions surged, and I burst into tears.
In the midst of my emotional outpouring, Yoon Si-woo quietly spoke.
“…I should be the one thanking you.”
With a gentle pat on my head, Yoon Si-woo’s voice resonated in my ears.
“I might not have been conscious, so I can’t know for sure, but at least I know that you didn’t give up on me and tried very hard.”
“You know? How…?”
After he said he was unconscious, I found it hard to believe that he knew I had tried, and I asked while sniffling.
Yoon Si-woo slowly stroked my head and replied.
“I heard it. Scarlet, your voice.”
“…My voice?”
“Yeah. I heard you telling me to come back.”
He heard that I told him to come back.
I definitely just said that a moment ago.
But since I murmured it quite softly and was outside the room, there’s no way he could have heard it.
Was it really a miracle that happened in that moment, just like I prayed for, that my voice reached Yoon Si-woo?
I didn’t know the reason, but ultimately, the most important thing for me was that Yoon Si-woo had woken up.
Still, hearing Yoon Si-woo say that made me happy because it felt like my efforts weren’t in vain.
I felt like I had paid back even a little of the emotional debt I owed to Yoon Si-woo.
“…So, does this mean I have repaid you a bit for the debt I owe?”
When I asked that, Yoon Si-woo gave a difficult smile and replied.
“That doesn’t count. What debt? If we’re both grateful, we’re even. Don’t worry about it anymore.”
“But, it’s still gratitude…”
I said that because I thought I couldn’t just disregard everything I received.
But Yoon Si-woo flicked my forehead lightly with his finger.
“If we start counting every little thing, it makes it sound like we’re just being transactional. We’re friends, so it’s only natural to help each other.”
Yoon Si-woo said that and smiled.
Seeing that made me feel a smile creeping onto my own face.
“Yeah… we’re friends. Hehe… sob…”
Tears flooded my eyes again.
As I had this conversation with Yoon Si-woo, the reality of him being awake overwhelmed me with emotion.
But I didn’t dislike it.
In fact, I clung to Yoon Si-woo even tighter, wanting to feel that this was real.
The sensation of him in my arms made me feel that he was truly back.
While I was relishing that feeling, Sylvia’s voice interrupted.
“Um, you two…? Maybe it’s time to start distancing yourself a little…?”
“What? Sylvia… are you jealous because it looks like Scarlet and I are too close right now?”
Yoon Si-woo answered in a teasing tone, and hearing that, Sylvia snapped back.
“I-I’m not jealous! It’s not that at all! I’m not so clueless as to interrupt such a touching reunion! But, but…!”
“But what?”
Sylvia was shouting as if struggling to say something.
Yoon Si-woo asked slyly, and Sylvia finally shouted as if she couldn’t hold back any longer.
“Right now, Yoon Si-woo, you smell so bad like you haven’t showered in days! I can’t take it anymore!”
“……Huh?”
At Sylvia’s outburst, Yoon Si-woo’s movements froze.
Momentarily paused, he slowly turned his head toward Sylvia and asked with a shaky voice.
“W-Wait a minute… I smell? From me?”
“Yes!! Ever since Yoon Si-woo woke up, there’s been a terrible smell! You were sweating or something and it was gross…! Did you sweat out poop through your sweat glands?! Ugh…! After smelling it for a while, I feel sick…”
Sylvia reacted as if she was going to throw up, pinching her nose, and Yoon Si-woo’s face turned pale in shock.
Hearing a girl say he smelled that bad was bound to be shocking…
As I was thinking that, Yoon Si-woo suddenly panicked and shouted.
“Ahhh! S-Skarlot! Get away! I smell bad!”
Was he worried about the smell?
Yoon Si-woo desperately tried to push me away.
But what did that matter to me?
“Ugh…! No, I don’t want to get away…!”
Right now, feeling that Yoon Si-woo was alive and well was my top priority; his odor was irrelevant.
What did the smell matter?!
Here’s a unicorn! No, Yoon Si-woo is alive?!
So, I desperately clung to Yoon Si-woo, my face covered in tears and snot.
Resisting against Yoon Si-woo’s frantic attempts to shake me off!
“Ugh…! Yoon Si-woo…! I’m fine, even if you smell bad…!”
“No, I don’t want to stink! I’m going to die of embarrassment! Let me go, please…!”
But our playful struggle came to an abrupt end.
“Enough! You need to go wash up! You both smell, so go take a shower!”
Sylvia’s forceful intervention caused me to be forcibly separated from Yoon Si-woo and escorted to the bathroom.
At first, I cried loudly, feeling like I had lost my beloved plush toy, but as I washed, my senses returned.
I wanted to die for acting like a toddler earlier.
At least I was better off than Yoon Si-woo.
After hearing that he smelled, Yoon Si-woo emerged from the shower looking like half his soul had escaped.
I wanted to comfort him a little, so I said to Yoon Si-woo.
“Yoon Si-woo, don’t worry too much about what happened earlier. I don’t think of you as a smelly guy, and no matter what, I’m confident I can always see you as my friend.”
And upon hearing that, Yoon Si-woo attempted to jump out the window.
I was sincere, so why…?
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