* * *
Why are they gossiping about me instead of focusing on the cute and majestic tigers right in front of us?
‘I’ve been eating well lately…’
Why does Eunsoo say that when she’s been feeding me so much? It feels so unfair.
But I didn’t have the energy to argue, so I just sat there with my mouth open, when suddenly something entered my field of vision.
I turned my gaze and saw Cha Junseong reaching out his hand towards me.
He had followed us all the way to the safari, but since he didn’t seem particularly interested in the animals, he had just been sitting and thinking.
Now, here he was, suddenly offering me something.
“Yang Heewoon. Drink this.”
“Oh, thank you.”
He handed me an electrolyte drink, even going as far as to unscrew the cap for me.
I gratefully accepted and drank it.
The sweet and tangy flavor spread through my mouth.
I was thirsty, so I quickly downed almost half the bottle.
No sooner had I pulled my lips away from the bottle than a sausage was suddenly pushed into my mouth.
Startled, I chewed it absentmindedly.
Then, next came a chocolate bar filled with various nuts, placed right in front of my lips.
What’s going on?
Did Junseong overhear the others talking about feeding me, so now he’s carrying out the “Feed Yang Heewoon” mission?
I took a bite of the chocolate bar, but realizing that this might never end if I kept accepting, I grabbed the bar with my own hand and gently pushed his away.
It was my way of saying I’d eat it slowly.
“Where did you get this? Do they sell things like this here?”
“No. I just… brought it.”
“Oh? Did you bring this for me…?”
“…Yeah. I figured it’s something common to eat… Was it a bad choice?”
I couldn’t help but smile.
This rich kid, Cha Junseong, had actually thought about bringing snacks for someone like me.
“No, I’ll enjoy it. Thank you.”
Although it had been a while since I finished guiding, I still felt a lingering chill in my body.
It was like tiny ice shards had lodged themselves between my cells, leaving me feeling cold and prickly.
But receiving Cha Junseong’s warm gesture seemed to thaw me out a little.
He watched me nibble on the food for a while, his brows furrowing.
“You seem unwell.”
“I’ve just been outside for a long time, so I’m tired. I’ll be fine.”
“Should we head back then…?”
“No, I’m really enjoying myself right now.”
I smiled brightly at Cha Junseong, who was watching me with concern.
I tried to show him my most sincere, radiant smile.
“I’m so happy to be out with you guys and Eunsoo. There’s still so much I want to do together.”
It might be the last time.
No, it will definitely be the last time.
After this, Eunsoo will go to school, take his exams, finish his studies, and before we know it, a whole year will have passed.
That’s why I have to make the most of right now.
“…Alright. Let’s do everything.”
Maybe he understood my earnest feelings, because Cha Junseong didn’t say anything more about his worries.
But no matter how much I pushed myself, my condition didn’t improve.
Even all the food Cha Junseong had given me couldn’t prevent my body from slumping again.
In the end, I left the half-eaten chocolate bar behind.
‘I feel so nauseous…’
I knew my digestion wasn’t great, but this was too much.
I hadn’t even eaten that much, so why was my stomach acting up?
On top of that, sleepiness washed over me.
It wasn’t just a food coma—I hadn’t eaten enough for that.
Why was I so drowsy…?
“Sigh…”
I rubbed my eyes. I was unbearably, overwhelmingly tired.
How long had it been since I’d last taken a nap?
“Yang Heewoon. You can lean on me and sleep if you want.”
“Hmm… Then excuse me.”
I felt bad about burdening Cha Junseong, but I didn’t have the energy to refuse.
I thought he just meant leaning on his body, but when I rested my head on his shoulder, he extended his arms and pulled me into an embrace.
He lifted me onto his lap, cradling me completely.
…Was he doing this because I’d been shivering from the cold?
It was a little embarrassing, but I didn’t have the strength to protest.
I let out a slow breath.
My eyelids felt impossibly heavy.
But for some reason, I was reluctant to sleep.
There was still so much I wanted to do…
Is it really okay to sleep now?
Trying to stay awake, I opened my mouth.
“After we finish looking around here, I want to take a picture together, with the flowers…”
“…Sure, we’ll do that.”
“I can’t ride anything too intense, but I can handle the carousel or ferris wheel. So let’s…”
“We’ll ride them together. I’ll make sure you don’t fall.”
“Mm… I want to see the parade… and pick out souvenirs… And the fireworks…”
“Yeah. If you fall asleep, I’ll find a restaurant nearby.”
“Okay… Definitely…”
Please wake me up.
But it was no use.
The overwhelming sleepiness won out.
My voice trailed off into nothing.
“Okay. Sleep well, Yang Heewoon.”
The last thing I heard was Cha Junseong gently brushing my bangs aside, his voice bidding me goodnight.
Then, I slipped into unconsciousness as if I had been pulled into the depths of sleep.
I never woke up.
It wasn’t that Cha Junseong didn’t try to keep his promise.
I could feel him, Rex, Elliot, and Eunsoo all trying to wake me up. I even did wake up, briefly.
But I fell right back asleep. I was so exhausted that opening my eyes felt impossible.
If I didn’t sleep right then, I felt like I wouldn’t even be able to breathe.
“…!”
“…Stop it!”
“Because of you…”
“…should guide…”
“…Heewoon… please… stop…”
And just once. Even though no one woke me, I opened my eyes.
At first, I thought it was a nightmare.
Voices were shouting back and forth.
My precious people were directing negative emotions at each other in loud voices.
“…Don’t cry….”
When I opened my mouth, it took so much effort that I realized it was reality.
It was so hard to speak, even just a short phrase in a small voice, that I had to close my eyes again instead of saying more.
“Stop… fighting… please… you’re all… precious….”
As soon as I spoke, my breath grew short.
My body felt like it was screaming at me to stop moving and just sleep.
My precious people were fighting, but I couldn’t even ask why, let alone step in.
The helplessness crushed my chest.
If I couldn’t do anything but sleep, I thought I might as well die right there.
I tried to open my eyes again, but before I could, a warm hand touched my face.
A clear voice seeped into my ears, sharp like magic.
“We won’t fight. Don’t worry and just sleep.”
Was I reassured by Eunsoo’s words without realizing it?
Without any resistance, I lost consciousness.
The first time I closed my eyes on the safari bus, it was around lunchtime.
When I opened them again, the surroundings were already dim.
It wasn’t evening, but night, or maybe early morning.
Of course, I wasn’t at the amusement park anymore. I was in a soft bed.
‘What a shame…’
The first amusement park I had ever visited.
With people I loved dearly.
There were so many things I wanted to do… but I slept through it all.
A surge of frustration rose from deep in my chest, but it was already in the past.
Regretting that I shouldn’t have slept wouldn’t help.
I had been unbearably sleepy, so not sleeping wasn’t even an option.
There was no point in getting angry about something I couldn’t have helped.
It would just stress me out.
Suppressing the rising emotions, I deliberately thought of something else.
So…
‘Where am I…?’
It didn’t feel completely unfamiliar, so it seemed like a place I’d been before.
Definitely not an outside accommodation…
My hazy mind cleared a bit when I saw a school uniform hanging on one of the walls.
That’s right. I was in Eunsoo’s room.
As soon as one question was answered, another popped up.
‘Why am I sleeping in Eunsoo’s room?’
I had my own room.
Since Eunsoo’s room was on the second floor, it would’ve been easier to move me to my first-floor room.
So why am I here?
I had been changed into different clothes, even my underwear.
My body felt strangely fresh.
Had Eunsoo bathed me too?
Since the bathroom was also on the first floor, moving me there would have been quicker.
I couldn’t figure it out.
And the room’s owner wasn’t here.
There were no traces of Eunsoo having been around.
Where had he gone?
“Ugh… my head…”
I tried to sit up, but my vision went white for a moment.
I had to sit back on the bed and catch my breath.
The world was spinning.
Despite sleeping all day, my body was a mess.
It took a while before I finally felt okay enough to get up and look for Eunsoo.
But my steps were still heavy.
The house was too large; that wasn’t helpful right now.
In our old house, I could find his easily by just opening the door to the living room… but not here.
The fact that the house had two floors was a problem too.
In my current state, I wasn’t confident I could make it downstairs, but luckily, I noticed light seeping out from a door on the second floor.
It was the study, which also served as Eunsoo’s study room.
Knock, knock.
I carefully knocked and opened the door.
And there, I finally found my precious girl.
“Eunsoo, aren’t you sleeping?”
* * *
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good
Wa?