[Chapter 153]
[The Price of Changing Life (2)]
"...What?"
"Our mom isn't someone who would like us skipping school because of her. If she found out, she'd probably get angry and tell us to go study, right?"
"No, but that's just saying─"
"─I think that's right too. Isn't that obvious?" ""...""
"To make mom and Taehee live well, I have no choice but to become a Player. For that, I need to learn as much as I can while attending the academy."
At this moment,
On Taeyang was just irritated.
At the world that wasn't going his way and the situation that seemed to be filled with only misfortune.
So he just gave in to his emotions and spouted whatever came to mind.
As a result─
"─It's okay... Oppa needs to work hard and become a Player. Mom... I promised I'd take care of her. I'm sorry, oppa. For always whining to you..."
"Taehee!!"
"It's okay, that can happen. If there's something difficult next time, just contact Yehwa unni instead. She'll solve everything."
"Okay..."
"On Taeyang, you really..." "But Ara, how are you here? Did you skip class to come here too?" "Hah..."
Taehee wrapped things up on her own.
On Taeyang stroked his younger sister's head once.
Then ignoring Jo Ara's gaze, he reached for the snacks on the table.
He hadn't even eaten lunch, having rushed out of the academy as soon as he got the call.
He was hungry.
He ate a few cookies.
"...Delicious?"
Munching on cookies,
He felt his anger dissipating as the sweet taste spread in his mouth.
As he ate another cookie, he asked On Taehee:
"Taehee, where did these come from? They look quite expensive, did Yehwa noona bring them?"
"...Those cookies were brought by a guy named Lee Yucheon from Luminous Group yesterday."
"...!" "I'm not sure what happened but... he said Luminous Group would provide various help from now on. I heard that oppa is Eunha oppa's friend... Huh? Op...pa...?"
Lee Yucheon, Noh Eunha.
Hearing those names, On Taeyang couldn't control his expression.
Even as his puzzled sister looked at him and called out timidly,
On Taeyang couldn't suppress his anger.
So I ate what those bastards brought?
Anger rose to the top of his head.
Finally, his pent-up emotions exploded.
"On Taehee─!!!!" "...!" "Didn't I tell you not to get close to that bastard!?"
"O-oppa, um, that..."
"Don't you really know they're pitying us? No... do you know what those bastards did!? Huh!?"
Total chaos.
On Taeyang raged furiously.
Not only did he push all the snacks on the table to the floor,
He stomped on the cookie box in front of On Taehee.
"O-oppa, calm down...!!"
"Does this look like I can calm down!? You're being deceived by those guys right now! Being deceived!"
"What on earth am I being deceived about!? Eunha oppa is just helping us...!"
"Does oppa's words not make sense to you? Huh? Do you need to get hit once like in the old days to come to your senses!?"
"Kyaaaa─!!"
Eventually On Taeyang raised his hand.
Seeing him raise his hand before her eyes, On Taehee screamed while covering her head with both hands.
The moment he swung his hand at her,
─Slap!
""...!!""
On Taeyang's hand missed.
Jo Ara who stepped forward to protect her slapped his cheek.
"..."
"U-unni...?"
On Taeyang who turned his head after being slapped.
On Taehee calling out in a trembling voice.
Eventually On Taeyang looked at Jo Ara with an unbelieving face.
Jo Ara put strength in her eyes and─
"─What are you doing to your younger sister as an older brother. Did you do this to Taehee when I wasn't around too?"
"...Ara. This is our family matter..."
"I know very well this is your family matter. That's why I've tried not to get involved as much as possible until now. Because it's your family business!" "..."
"But I really couldn't stay still seeing you try to hit Taehee. Your mother is sick and lying down like this, what kind of commotion is this in the hospital room?"
Whether he approached and looked down at her with his head taller,
Jo Ara didn't avoid his gaze as if she wouldn't back down.
"What. Hit me too if you're going to hit!"
"..."
"If you do, that'll be the end of our relationship." "...!"
"If you don't want that, get out right now. Go to the academy you like or do whatever you want. If you hate coming here so much, don't come anymore."
"Ara..."
"I said get out, hurry!"
An expression he'd never seen on his childhood friend.
On Taeyang was greatly flustered by Jo Ara's firm attitude.
But as if she didn't want to hear any more of his words, she pushed On Taeyang's back trying to drive him out.
In the end, On Taeyang had to leave the hospital room pushed by her attitude.
"Ara, I didn't mean to do this..."
"I don't know what you're so excited about, Taeyang, but don't try to take out your anger on innocent people. You, that's a really bad habit."
"...!"
"Cool your head. I'm really disappointed in you."
At his childhood friend's cold gaze,
On Taeyang who turned towards the inside of the hospital room couldn't say anything to her.
She felt like a stranger.
"Ara, listen to me."
Meanwhile the door closed.
On Taeyang urgently tried to grab her to apologize for his actions while explaining to her.
He tried to tell the truth that his mother ended up in this state because Noh Eunha promised the Elixir but ended up giving it to someone else.
So On Taeyang called Jo Ara through the door gap and met her eyes─
"─Eunha has such a big heart and deep thoughts... I don't know why Taeyang is so small and short-sighted..."
"...!" "Why does he keep comparing unfavorably to Eunha?"
Really small and short-sighted.
Hearing those words, On Taeyang couldn't grab the closing door.
I'm... small and short-sighted...?
Just standing in front of the door for a long time,
On Taeyang muttered the words Jo Ara had just mumbled.
"Uwaaaaah─!!"
Finally, snap.
On Taeyang's reason broke.
He screamed as if to shake the hospital.
☆
A few days after Lee Yoojung received treatment,
They say visits will be allowed from tomorrow limited to family since Lee Yoojung regained consciousness and showed no particular symptoms.
There's no way there could be side effects.
What kind of potion is the Elixir...
Though Eunha obtained the Elixir for the first time in this life,
He still knew about the Elixir to some extent.
The phenomenon of the body being reconstructed completely ends a day after taking the Elixir.
So unlike Lee Yucheon who had been worried about Lee Yoojung's condition, Eunha wasn't very worried.
So─
"─Ugh."
That night,
After hearing Lee Yucheon's explanation, or rather boast, that visits would be allowed limited to family,
Eunha came out of his hospital room window and was heading towards Lee Yoojung's room.
The weather's getting cold.
Seeing how chilly the night wind is...
Noh Eunha walking on the wall.
Then feeling the night wind, Eunha suddenly thought of Lee Yoojung.
No, he had been doing that for the past few days.
Is Yoojung's room well heated?
Even if she got healthy after eating the Elixir, you can't be careless about colds...
It was really needless worry.
But Eunha's heart was serious.
He decided to check the room facilities while visiting her room.
Even though Alice Hospital gave her the best facilities.
I know the treatment went well... But I should check with my own eyes.
Just... let's just look and come back.
Though it hadn't been long since he resolved not to get close to Lee Yoojung,
Eunha made various excuses and finally reached Lee Yoojung's room.
Easily penetrating the protection magic,
He slightly opened the window and rolled his eyes into the room.
Looks like Yoojung is sleeping.
It was late at night.
Of course the room was dark.
She seemed to be lying in bed.
Eunha quietly entered the room so his footsteps wouldn't make a sound.
...Sleep well.
Lee Yoojung sleeping soundly in bed.
Eunha looked down at her quietly with a pleased smile.
Then he roughly checked the room.
He just stared blankly at Lee Yoojung.
He didn't touch her.
Just looking was enough.
Right at that moment─
"─Mmm..."
"...!"
Lee Yoojung tossed and turned.
Eunha flinched.
"Is someone... there...?"
A voice mixed with sleepiness.
Startled, Eunha muffled his voice and threw himself at the hospital room window.
At the last moment, he saw Lee Yoojung raising her upper body.
Eunha carefully closed the window.
"...Strange. I thought someone was here but was it my imagination..."
It seemed he wasn't discovered.
Pressing his body tightly against the window, he listened to the sounds coming from inside the room and sighed in relief.
In the previous life and this life...
She's still a light sleeper.
Lee Yoojung before and after the regression.
Eunha became emotional discovering the Lee Yoojung he remembered in Lee Yoojung who lived a different life than before.
So he let his guard down.
─Click!
Suddenly the window opened.
Eunha froze in place.
"..."
Was he discovered?
Was he not discovered?
Judging by her reaction, it seemed he wasn't discovered.
He thought so, but─
"─You're the Grim Reaper, right?"
"..."
He was discovered by Lee Yoojung.
Eunha couldn't raise his head and heard a voice from above.
He was afraid to look up.
Regardless, Lee Yoojung continued speaking happily.
"So the dream I had that day wasn't a dream after all." "..."
"Strangely... the dream I had that day was particularly vivid. Someone came... and gave me warm encouragement."
"..."
"So I really wanted to dream it again. No, I really wanted to meet you again... I think I got through the surgery well because you encouraged me then, Grim Reaper."
Eunha felt his mouth itching at the story he heard from above.
Finally unable to hold back─
"─I told you. I'm not the Grim Reaper."
"Ah... Come to think of it, you did say that... I'm really sorry. But you know... how long are you going to stay there? Isn't it hard?"
"..."
"Don't stay out in the cold, come inside."
This is a bit embarrassing.
It feels like I was caught peeking.
He felt his earlobes getting hotter.
Then when Lee Yoojung gave permission to come inside,
Eunha opened his tightly closed eyes.
"...Can I really come in?"
"Yes, come in."
Eunha asked for confirmation again.
Lee Yoojung gave permission again.
Soon realizing she was stepping back to make it easier for him to enter,
Eunha turned his body and walked on the wall into the hospital room.
And facing Lee Yoojung head on, Eunha─
"──!!"
"...Grim Reaper? Ah... you said you weren't the Grim Reaper... What's wrong?" "You... Your eyes..." "Ah, my eyes?"
"..."
Lee Yoojung had her eyes closed.
Eunha was at a loss for words seeing her act as if she couldn't see.
On the other hand, she smiled bitterly as if it was no big deal─
"─I can't see..."
"..."
This can't be.
Eunha denied reality over and over in his mind.
But the fact that Lee Yoojung couldn't see remained unchanged.
☆
'─Very well. Then I shall take the insufficient price in your next life.'
'That's fine.'
'Lee Yoojung.'
'...'
'You who wished to change one person's life will never─'
A pure white space.
A voice neither female nor male.
The voice spoke in a heavy tone, as if pronouncing judgment.
'─be able to see the life that person will change.'
'...'
And the price is never light.
Equivalent exchange.
To obtain what you desire, you must give up something of equal value.
Therefore─
'─It's okay. If Eunha is happy... I'm satisfied with that.'
'Incomprehensible. We cannot understand you at all.'
'Thank you... I was prepared for the possibility that I might not exist at all in that world...'
'...'
'This is nothing compared to that. Thank you so much!'
'...We shall grant your wish.'
To one who wishes to change the life of their loved one,
The life that person will change,
That is, their sight will be taken away so they cannot see the world.
For that shall be the harshest yet most fitting price.
The laws of all creation shall never be defied.