The SSS Rank Babysitter chapter 31

* * *

Do Hajun quickly ran and scooped up Lee Cheongmyeong in his arms.

Without even needing to check his temperature, he could feel the searing heat from Cheongmyeong’s flushed, feverish cheeks.

“I don’t know. He collapsed during class.”

Hajun hurriedly checked Cheongmyeong’s status window.

[Status: High Fever / Chills / Body Aches]

[He has fainted due to the high fever.]

[His body cannot withstand the high temperature.]

[Lee Cheongmyeong’s breathing is not smooth.]

[Lower his body temperature quickly. Time remaining: 03:23]

There was no time to ponder what the remaining time meant or what would happen when it ran out.

Hajun took Cheongmyeong from Ahn Eunseon and dashed to the shower room.

Holding Cheongmyeong, he began dousing them both under the lukewarm water from the showerhead.

“Team Leader!”

Eunseons voice was heard urgently, unable to enter the shower room.

“Moojin, go get a doctor.”

“What?”

“Tell someone in the medical room to come! Hurry!”

Despite his childlike appearance, Cheongmyeong was a Hunter who didn’t catch common viruses like colds or flu.

This meant his symptoms were unlikely to be a simple illness.

“Got it.”

As Lee Moojin rushed out, Hajun stripped Cheongmyeong’s soaked clothes.

[The fever is rapidly subsiding due to appropriate measures.]

[The remaining time has been lifted.]

[Breathing difficulty has been resolved.]

Hajun sank to the floor, exhausted.

Cheongmyeong’s pale complexion had regained some color, averting the immediate crisis.

“Hunter Do Hajun!”

Doctors entered the shower room.

“What happened?”

“He collapsed during ballet class. The fever was so severe that we’re trying to bring it down temporarily.”

Upon hearing about the fever, one doctor took out a thermometer from his medical bag.

“39.7 degrees, the fever is still very high.”

“Were there any unusual symptoms before this?”

“No, there weren’t.”

That morning, Cheongmyeong had been his usual self. He ate well and played energetically.

“We need to conduct an examination.”

Hajun stood up to go to the medical room.

However, as soon as he stepped out from the shower, another message appeared.

[Warning: Lee Cheongmyeong’s fever is rising.]

[Breathing is becoming difficult.]

[Lower the fever quickly. Time remaining: 3:00]

The time was even shorter than before.

As soon as Cheongmyeong was exposed to the shower water again, his condition stabilized.

“When he leaves the water, his fever rises.”

“What?”

Even if a fever drops, it doesn’t spike back up in mere seconds.

Instead of trying to persuade the puzzled doctors, Hajun quickly formulated a plan.

“Moojin, find a tub that Cheongmyeong can fit in. Doctors, please prepare for the examination!”

As Moojin and the doctors hurriedly left the shower room, Hajun held the burning-hot Cheongmyeong tighter.

He could feel the intense heat from Cheongmyeong’s flushed cheeks and rapid breaths.

“Is this okay?”

Moojin returned with a large rubber basin he had found somewhere.

Nodding, Hajun filled the basin with lukewarm water.

He then quickly placed Cheongmyeong in the rubber basin.

Messages indicating the fever rising and subsiding flashed rapidly.

“Now, let’s go.”

“Okay.”

Moojin, effortlessly carrying the heavy water-filled basin, headed to the medical room with Hajun.

“Place him here.”

As soon as the basin touched the ground, the doctors swarmed around Cheongmyeong.

While they drew blood and set up an IV line, Hajun bit his lip in helplessness.

“He’ll be okay.”

“Yeah.”

* * *

Contrary to Hajun’s belief, Cheongmyeong’s fever didn’t subside easily.

It had been 48 hours since he lost consciousness.

After numerous tests, the doctors reached one conclusion.

His abilities were overwhelming his child-sized body.

In other words, Cheongmyeong’s power was too great for his child’s body to handle.

All the doctors and Hajun could do was keep him in lukewarm water to prevent the fever from rising.

Various articles began to flood in.

– Lee Cheongmyeong collapses during ballet class. What is the cause?

– Excessive training for a child. Is it true?

– Shocking statement from a center official: Experimenting on Lee Cheongmyeong Hunter who asked to be treated as a child!

– Lee Cheongmyeong Hunter unconscious for three days. Where is caretaker Hunter Do Hajun?

[I trusted Do Hajun [99]]

My hands and feet are trembling, and I can’t stop crying.

I really thought Do Hajun cherished Cheongmyeong. But now I see that’s not true. How could he not notice until the child collapsed? He asked for Cheongmyeong to be treated as a three-year-old, but he pushed him until he collapsed?

Right now, I feel like going to the center and killing Do Hajun. I’m so angry.

└I trusted him too. I’m so upset I could die.

└Experimenting on a child who changed into a child is so upsetting that I can’t stop crying.

└Considering the center hasn’t responded despite this uproar, they must have something to hide. How could they do this?

└I wish Cheongmyeong could leave the center and go somewhere he could be happy!

└I posted on the whistleblower site! Sign to punish Do Hajun and rescue Cheongmyeong!

https://www.epeople.go.kr/ehgownsgjsxj

└Signed.

└I signed too. I hope this opportunity leads to a complete overhaul of the center!

Ignoring the harsh criticism directed at him and abandoning his beloved Delta team, Hajun stayed by Cheongmyeong’s side.

“Cheongmyeong.”

Hajun vividly remembered how Cheongmyeong used to smile whenever his name was called, even waking up from sleep.

But no matter how much he called now, Cheongmyeong only breathed hotly and didn’t respond.

Hajun held Cheongmyeong’s small hand, rested his forehead against it, and took a deep breath.

Though it seemed like an exaggeration, it felt as if the gods were punishing him for hesitating to take care of another child.

Even if Do Hajun were to take on Aileen Spencer’s role, he knew that it wouldn’t solve the issue quickly, as Riley West wouldn’t wake up immediately.

“…Still, if I hadn’t hesitated.”

Do Hajun clenched his hand around the small, warm hand he was holding.

There was only one way for Lee Cheongmyeong to wake up.

To return to his original adult form.

Do Hajun stood up from his seat.

He picked up his phone to say that he would take on Aileen Spencer’s role.

“…Jun?”

A voice filled with disbelief made him turn his head, and there he saw Lee Cheongmyeong weakly opening his eyes, seemingly struggling.

“Cheongmyeong! Doctor!”

The doctor who was in the consultation room ran in and examined Lee Cheongmyeong’s condition.

“Jun.”

Lee Cheongmyeong started crying, perhaps because he disliked the stranger, or maybe because he was in pain.

“Make him stop crying quickly! His fever will rise more.”

Do Hajun hurried to Lee Cheongmyeong’s side.

However, he couldn’t bring himself to use the “Stop Crying” skill, so instead, he wiped the tears from the corners of Lee Cheongmyeong’s eyes with his thumb.

“Cheongmyeong. Don’t cry. It will hurt more if you cry.”

“Sob. Jun. Cheongmyeong hurts. Hug me.”

Lee Cheongmyeong’s outstretched arms, asking to be hugged, trembled.

Do Hajun looked at the doctor.

“Hugging him will make his fever rise more.”

“Waaah. Hug me. Waaah.”

Do Hajun alternated between looking at the crying Lee Cheongmyeong and the doctor, and a thought came to his mind.

‘If his power is too strong and that’s why he’s sick…’

Do Hajun disregarded the doctor’s objection and hugged Lee Cheongmyeong.

“Team Leader Do Hajun!”

As the doctor had warned, a message popped up saying that Lee Cheongmyeong’s fever was rising rapidly, possibly because he was being held or because he was out of the bathtub.

[Warning. Lee Cheongmyeong’s fever is rising.]

[Breathing is becoming difficult.]

[Lower the fever quickly. Remaining time: 2:30]

Ignoring the message, Do Hajun, holding Lee Cheongmyeong, ran to the bathroom attached to the medical office.

He closed the door and spoke to Lee Cheongmyeong.

“Cheongmyeong. Shall we stay in the water with Jun?”

“Sob. Sob. Water?”

“Yes. Let’s fill this with water.”

Lee Cheongmyeong, still sniffling, looked at Do Hajun.

His face was turning red from the rising fever, and his eyes were becoming hazy.

“We’ll just fill it up to here. Our Cheongmyeong can do well, right?”

He spoke urgently but slowly to avoid startling him.

The remaining time was 58 seconds.

Hoping that Lee Cheongmyeong would use his skill, Do Hajun tightly closed his eyes.

Suddenly, water began to fill the bathroom from the floor.

As if remembering the bathtub, the moment the warm water rose to their chests, a message appeared.

And the message was entirely different from before.

[The accumulated power is starting to release.]

[Abnormalities in the body are disappearing.]

[The fever is decreasing.]

[The aches and chills are disappearing.]

‘As expected!’

“Oh?! I feel better!”

With the successive messages, the light returned to Lee Cheongmyeong’s previously hazy eyes.

Do Hajun hugged Lee Cheongmyeong tightly.

It felt like his heart, which had stopped, was beating again.

* * *

“Look, a plane!!”

Lee Cheongmyeong ran to the large glass windows as they entered the military airport lounge.

Excitement and anticipation were evident on the child’s face.

“Hey, Lee Cheongmyeong, don’t run!”

“No!”

Where he had learned it from, Lee Cheongmyeong stuck out his tongue and resumed running, with Lee Moojin chasing after him.

“If you get caught, I’ll show you around Seoul!”

“Kyaaa!”

As Lee Moojin barely missed catching the running Lee Cheongmyeong, they continued their playful chase.

Hearing Lee Cheongmyeong’s giggles, Do Hajun looked towards the arrival gate.

As expected, Lee Cheongmyeong’s illness was caused by the power being trapped in his body for too long.

The doctors explained that Lee Cheongmyeong had been fine initially when he transformed into a child because he had used many skills in the dungeon.

They said that since he had continued to use his skills during subsequent dungeon expeditions, there had been no problem.

However, after returning from the B-grade dungeon, he hadn’t exerted himself significantly, so the unreleased power accumulated in his body, making him sick.

Listening to the doctors, Do Hajun felt it was all his fault.

It was entirely his fault for not allowing Lee Cheongmyeong to use his power freely.

So, Do Hajun had informed them that he would take on Aileen Spencer’s role and resigned from the Delta Team.

He intended to focus on raising Lee Cheongmyeong and Aileen Spencer to prevent such incidents from happening again.

However, Shin Misook rejected Do Hajun’s resignation.

She reasoned that it would be difficult for Do Hajun, who was no different from an ordinary person when he couldn’t use his abilities, to tackle the dungeons.

“Stop now and come over here, both of you.”

At the sound of the landing plane, Do Hajun called the running child and the grown man, who had the mental age of a child, over.

“Come here!”

“Kyaa! Haha. Stop it.”

Holding the still giggling Lee Cheongmyeong, Lee Moojin walked towards Do Hajun while tickling Lee Cheongmyeong under his arms.

As he caught his breath from laughing so much, the doors of the arrival gate opened.

Men in American military uniforms and armed to the teeth poured out.

They surrounded the entrance, as if guarding it from all sides.

* * *