Chapter 108 : It's Not a Lie
Before returning to the dormitory, Namgung Il stopped by the Heavenly Doctor Hall for a moment.
'I hope he's conscious.'
The last time he had seen Jong Seo-eon, he had still been unconscious.
The doctor had said that he would regain consciousness around this evening or tomorrow.
Since he might not be able to see Jong Seo-eon from tomorrow due to his suspension, Namgung Il had come to check on Jong Seo-eon's condition for a moment before returning to the dormitory.
'He looks busy.'
As soon as he entered the Heavenly Doctor Hall, he saw many people moving around busily.
At the same time, the sickbeds were almost completely full.
Due to more than ten patients rushing in at once last night, the Heavenly Doctor Hall had been busy all day today.
'Is it alright to just go in?'
He knew where Jong Seo-eon was lying.
But still, wouldn't it be a little rude to just go in without permission?
Namgung Il looked around and was about to speak to a person who looked like a doctor of the Heavenly Doctor Hall.
"Excuse me..."
"Namgung Il, what on earth is that brat doing!"
"...?"
"If you're going to beat him, beat him in parts... Just wait until you get caught later. I'll give you a good scolding for as much as I couldn't sleep!"
The doctor he had just been about to speak to shouted in a very angry voice.
Seeing that, Namgung Il stealthily lowered his raised hand and avoided his gaze.
'...Let's just go in.'
Since he looked busy, it seemed it would be ruder to speak to him unnecessarily.
Namgung Il moved far away from the doctor with an angry face and cautiously went inside.
'It seemed to be around here.'
Just then, a familiar voice was heard from somewhere.
As Namgung Il turned his head, there, Jong Seo-eon was blinking his eyes and looking this way.
"Captain..."
As he met Namgung Il's eyes, Jong Seo-eon's face brightened, and he tried to raise his upper body.
Twitch—
At that moment, a pain that pierced his entire body.
Jong Seo-eon frowned deeply, and his body froze as it was.
"Stay still."
"I-it's alright."
"Your body is not in a state to move yet. If you push yourself unnecessarily, your recovery will only be slower."
As Namgung Il approached and said that, Jong Seo-eon barely lay down on the sickbed again.
The traces of treatment that remained all over Jong Seo-eon's body.
Although it seemed he had regained consciousness, it seemed he would need a few more days to be able to move to some extent.
"When did you wake up?"
"About half an hour ago... it hasn't been long."
"How's your body?"
"It's fine. This is at a level where it will heal if I just put some saliva on it..."
Just then, Namgung Il touched Jong Seo-eon's leg with his right hand.
At that moment, Jong Seo-eon screamed and had no choice but to swallow his words in the middle, and Namgung Il clicked his tongue as if he had known it would be like this and took his hand off his leg.
"You like to say it will heal if you put saliva on it. Lie here without moving until the doctor says it's alright."
"Ugh..."
"Got it?"
"Yes... I got it."
Still, to be able to speak like that, it seemed he had some energy.
When he had first seen him, he had also been worried that something might be wrong with him somewhere.
As Jong Seo-eon's condition seemed quite good, better than he had thought, Namgung Il was inwardly relieved.
"Uh... Captain."
"Huh?"
"Perhaps... what happened to Miss Wol-yeong?"
Jong Seo-eon asked cautiously.
To think that he would worry about Tang Wol-yeong first even in a situation like this.
Although he wanted to tell him that the one he should worry about first was his own body, in the end, Namgung Il could not say that to Jong Seo-eon.
'Well, this brat went into that place alone for Tang Wol-yeong.'
It was understandable that he would worry about Tang Wol-yeong's safety first.
Namgung Il said to Jong Seo-eon with a light smile on his lips, as if to say not to worry.
"Tang Wol-yeong is safe."
"R-really?"
"Yes."
"Are there any injuries? Don't tell me there's a wound on that jade-like skin..."
"There's none. She's really fine, so you just have to worry about your own body."
"...Hoo—"
Only then did Jong Seo-eon let out a deep sigh, as if he were relieved.
Seeing that, he must have been worrying inwardly on his own until he had come here.
Since he had been unconscious all along, Jong Seo-eon would not have known anything about what had happened last night.
"That's a relief."
"..."
"But won't Hwang Dong-jae aim for Miss Wol-yeong again?"
"That won't happen."
"...?"
"It's a bit of a long story to explain... but I've taken some measures so that he can't do that again, so you don't have to worry."
Namgung Il roughly glossed over it like that.
Besides this, Namgung Il had no intention of letting Jong Seo-eon know that he had been suspended.
Because with Jong Seo-eon's personality, he would surely think that it was all his fault.
Although it would eventually be known later, for the time being, Namgung Il wanted Jong Seo-eon to focus only on his recovery without any useless worries.
"As expected of the captain!"
"..."
"But there's one more thing I'm curious about..."
"What is it?"
Although Namgung Il asked, Jong Seo-eon did not speak right away.
He was just twisting his body, blushing as if he were embarrassed.
Why on earth was he hesitating so much to ask? Namgung Il opened his mouth again with a frustrated heart.
"What are you curious about?"
"Uh... did Miss Wol-yeong say anything about me?"
"Huh?"
"You said it, Captain. That if I just do this, I can get closer to Miss Wol-yeong."
"Uh..."
He had surely said that.
Because of other things, Namgung Il had completely forgotten about that.
'...What should I say?'
To be sure, the plan had failed.
Although the goal of safely rescuing Tang Wol-yeong had been achieved, wasn't there another goal that was just as important?
In the first place, from the moment Tang Wol-yeong had escaped on her own, it was safe to say that the other goal had failed.
'...It can't be helped.'
Let's just talk to Jong Seo-eon well and aim for the next opportunity.
Namgung Il looked at Jong Seo-eon again with the intention of saying that.
"You know..."
Just then, Namgung Il saw Jong Seo-eon's eyes and couldn't help but flinch for a moment.
Look at those sparkling, bright eyes.
Since he knew that Jong Seo-eon was now harboring considerable expectations at a glance, Namgung Il's breath was momentarily taken away.
"...It seems to have worked well."
"Really?"
"Yes. I can't say it's complete... but still, it seems she has a bit more of a good impression of you than before."
In the end, Namgung Il had no choice but to say that.
Still, it wasn't that he had lied.
Although he couldn't know Tang Wol-yeong's inner thoughts for sure, still, wouldn't a person who had fought for her usually have a good impression of her as a person?
Although the original plan was to make her feel a good impression as a member of the opposite sex, still, a good impression was a good impression.
"Thank you! This is all thanks to you, Captain."
"No, what..."
"Then what should I do now? Should I confess?"
"..."
This... is a bit dangerous.
If he were to be left alone like this, he was in a state where he would really confess to Tang Wol-yeong, so Namgung Il decided to calm Jong Seo-eon down for now.
"No, it's not that stage yet."
"I-is that so?"
"Yes. There's a saying that you should go around when you're in a hurry. A woman's heart is the same. If you approach her rashly, she'll run away even further."
"Oh..."
"For now, just stay as friends. Don't show that you like her too much. It means to approach her little by little, as if you're there but not there."
When Namgung Il said that, Jong Seo-eon let out a low exclamation.
"As expected of the captain. I almost messed things up by rushing."
"Th-that's right."
"If it's not rude, may I ask how many times you've dated so far, Captain?"
"Uh...?"
The number of times he had dated?
'...Was there any?'
To be honest, Namgung Il had never had a proper relationship so far.
Although there had been a brief encounter, that would not fall under the category of a relationship that Jong Seo-eon was talking about.
"Of course, there must be a lot, right? Because you're handsome and capable, Captain."
"..."
"To know a woman's heart that well, you must have met at least three or more."
That gaze again.
Namgung Il could not bring himself to tell the truth to his junior, who was looking at him with eyes full of expectation.
"...Don't ask."
"Ah, as expected, I asked a rude question..."
"Because I can't count them."
"...!"
At that moment, an exclamation of respect poured out of Jong Seo-eon's mouth.
"As expected of the captain! I respect you!"
"..."
"From now on, I will only trust you, Captain! Please lead my path!"
A sense of infinite trust was felt in Jong Seo-eon's expression as he was saying that.
"..."
I can't count them. That was not a lie.
Because not having any also falls under the category of not being able to count them.
Although Namgung Il was comforting himself inwardly like that, still, as if his conscience was pricked a little, he stealthily avoided Jong Seo-eon's gaze.
"...Yes."
Now, let it be as it will be.
How the course of this love would end. Namgung Il also could not know now.
***
Namgung Il was lying on his bed, peacefully looking up at the ceiling.
The time that had already passed morning and was heading towards noon.
Although it was a time when he would normally be in class, Namgung Il had just eaten breakfast at the dining hall and had returned to the dormitory.
'...It's quiet.'
Although he had thought it would be good not to attend class, as he was just cooped up in his room like this, it was more boring and tedious than he had thought.
If Jong Seo-eon had been next to him, he would have at least had a conversation partner, but now that he was hospitalized in the Heavenly Doctor Hall, he was using the room alone.
'Was this room always this big?'
Compared to the room he had used at his home, the room provided by the dormitory was quite small.
Besides, since two people were using it, not one, it could be said that it was practically even smaller.
But as they say, a person is an animal of adaptation.
As if he had already gotten used to using the same room with Jong Seo-eon recently, Namgung Il was having such a thought without realizing it as he looked at the room where he was left alone.
'If I'm going to be like this, I'd rather do something.'
Seo Shin-won had given him a suspension and also a punishment of volunteer work.
Namgung Il still did not know what that meant exactly.
He had just been told to wait in his room.
Because of that, until a precise instruction was given, Namgung Il could not go out a single step from here except for mealtimes.
"...Hoo—"
Namgung Il sighed and sat up straight.
It would be better to do something rather than just lie here.
Although he had already done his breathing exercises once in the morning, since he could not do his swordsmanship training in a place like this, Namgung Il sat cross-legged once more.
'Should I just do a light Lesser Heavenly Circulation?'
It was then.
Just as he was about to enter his breathing exercises, a presence was felt approaching from outside the door.
"...?"
As he felt that presence, Namgung Il opened his closed eyes again and looked at the door.
The presence that was getting closer to this side.
A moment later, someone stopped in front of the door.
'What is this?'
Who had come to see him at this time?
As Namgung Il had such a question and was silently looking at the door, a voice was heard from that side.
"Namgung Il."
"...?"
"Have you been well?"
A unique playful tone that Namgung Il also knew well.
Ak Simin was peeking his head in with a smile through the open door.
(End of Chapter)