The Mist Vol 4 Chapter 31

Vol 4 Chapter 31

"Since that video didn't show until the end..."

Je-hwan left the rest unsaid, but the worry was palpable in his voice. Although Kapros didn't specifically ask what had happened after that, he opened his mouth with some difficulty to answer.

"Yes. We met and fought, and I almost died. Kran took the hit instead of me."

"..."

Je-hwan's expression, which had turned cold as he stared mercilessly at Kapros when he said he had almost died, soon softened and frowned slightly at the latter part of the statement.

"Then what about that guy's quest?"

It seemed he was still worried, probably due to the bond formed from traveling together. Remembering the times when Kran, Yu-wan, and Kapros had traveled together, Kapros's mood improved slightly.

"After using a potion, I used magic to log him out. His quest wasn't broken."

"...That's too bad."

"What?"

"No, nothing."

When Kapros asked back, thinking he might have misheard, Jin Je-hwan's expression, shaking his head, had returned to its usual composed and neat face. Kapros didn't ask any further.

"Well, since you've come all this way, how about we have a beer together?"

Instead, remembering the beer that should still be on the table, Kapros said this and stood up. That's when it happened.

'Huh?'

Suddenly, his stomach churned violently, and his vision spun.

"Ugh...?"

"Mu-heon!"

As Kapros's legs gave out and he sank down without realizing it, Je-hwan caught his body with a startled cry.

"Wait... a moment... urgh, gah!"

However, before he could even grasp what was happening, something burst out of his churning stomach like a cough, without a chance to suppress it.

"Cough, ugh! Gah!"

With each retch, accompanied by a splashing sound, vomit poured out between the fingers covering his mouth. Although the amount spilled was small because Kapros desperately tried to turn his body away to avoid soiling Je-hwan who was supporting him, it made him feel even more nauseous.

Thinking he needed to get to the bathroom before vomiting again, Kapros pushed Je-hwan away, but Je-hwan, seemingly not grasping the situation, held on tightly, embracing him firmly. The nausea intensified. Although it felt like he would vomit again at any moment, Kapros pushed with all his might, determined not to do it here.

"Let go!"

"Mu-heon!"

Je-hwan, who was pushed back as if about to fall, tried to grab Kapros's arm again, but Kapros ran towards the bathroom with all his strength, dragging his right leg. His vision was spinning.

Bang!

Entering as if about to fall, Kapros felt momentary relief at seeing the toilet in front of him, but then,

"Cough cough... gah!"

He was so disoriented by the vomit that seemed stuck and only came out with coughing that he couldn't properly register the unpleasant smell and the sticky, clumpy feeling smeared here and there. How long did he repeat this cycle of vomiting frantically and struggling to breathe in between?

When his stomach finally eased a bit and he came to his senses, Kapros saw Je-hwan sitting behind him, embracing his back and patting it strongly.

"Stop it..."

As Kapros spoke in a voice devoid of strength, Je-hwan immediately stopped patting his back.

"Are you alright?"

Kapros didn't answer the slightly stiff voice but pressed the button to flush the toilet.

Whoosh...

The dirty water swirled and was sucked in, replaced by fresh water. As Kapros tried to stand up, leaning against the wall to reach the sink, Je-hwan quickly supported him. After washing his hands and rinsing his mouth with mouthwash, haphazardly opening the cap of the product next to him, Kapros looked in the mirror and saw his face, surprisingly pale.

Only then could he understand why Min-hoo had worriedly asked earlier if he was sick, and why Je-hwan had asked the same question as soon as he saw him.

'Damn it...'

Looking down at his clothes with a somewhat clearer mind after vomiting, Kapros saw that his upper clothes and sleeves were soiled with vomit. Although the dizziness had subsided considerably, the feeling of his head being in turmoil didn't easily disappear. Turning around, he saw Je-hwan still looking at him with an expression as if he might grab him at any moment.

"I'm sorry for showing you such an unpleasant sight."

Apologizing as he looked at Je-hwan, Kapros noticed that thanks to his efforts to turn his body as much as possible while vomiting, Je-hwan didn't seem to have any vomit on him. That was fortunate. But Je-hwan didn't seem to think it was fortunate. His eyes looked like they might shoot sparks as he stared at Kapros.

"Your complexion wasn't good from the start. I should have made you go to the hospital right away. I think I made a mistake. Let's go to the hospital even now."

Seeing those wide-open eyes that Kapros had never seen except during battles in the game, it seemed he had startled Je-hwan more than he thought. The unhesitating concern was both touching and burdensome.

"I feel better now after throwing up. This much will get better if I take some over-the-counter medicine at home and sleep."

As Kapros pushed back his sweaty, drooping bangs and moved to go outside, Je-hwan followed right beside him, shaking his head.

"No, I think it's better to go. I'll take you, so let's go."

"It's fine. I don't want to make a fuss and go for just indigestion."

"Mu-heon...!"

"I told you I feel better after throwing up. I'm sorry about today. I think you should go home now too."

Je-hwan didn't look like he agreed, but Kapros didn't want to go to the hospital for something like this. Instead, he felt like he would get better if he lay down and rested a bit, but due to the embarrassment of showing such an unsightly scene in front of a guest who had come to his house after a long time, and the burden of having a guest in the house, he couldn't go straight to bed as he wanted. Seemingly sensing the firmness in Kapros's words that he absolutely wouldn't go to the hospital, Je-hwan's voice became smaller.

"Mu-heon..."

Je-hwan finally strode forward to block Kapros's path. As Kapros uncomfortably averted his gaze from the eyes burning with fierce determination that said nothing for a long while, he suddenly felt his body being lifted.

'What... what's this?'

Surprised by this unexpected action, Kapros tried to get down, but Je-hwan, holding his body tightly, quickly looked around, examining the insides of the open doors, and soon found the room with the bed and put Kapros down.