I Became the Academy's Disabled Student-Chapter 359: Old Relationship (3)

“Huyul, don’t just stay in the corner... come here, take my hand.”

“Huh? Hahsol, why is he...”

After that night, Ihayul started to take care of Huyul more actively.

Of course, before that, Ihayul was the one who mostly helped Huyul.

But it was a duty.

There were times when Ihayul found it burdensome and, with many worries brewing inside, he couldn’t care for him properly.

“If you’re cold, don’t just stay still, you need to tell me... Hm, if something feels off, you need to express it. That way, I can cover you with a blanket or help.”

But now, things were different.

Rather than treating it like a chore, he did it because he wanted to.

He would go out of his way to find Huyul, who stayed quietly, and bring him over to check on his condition and speak to him.

People around them would look on in confusion, but Ihayul didn’t mind.

While he had been worrying about the distant future, an unexpected gratitude from Huyul had changed his mindset, and curiosity started to build.

As a result, he learned more about Huyul.

“Now, where is this?”

The forearm

“Below it... how about here?”

The wrist

The most basic characteristic: like a machine.

Not only was his expression emotionless like a doll, but once he was taught something, he would remember it. His memory was so good that he didn’t forget things.

And he would perform the teachings without skipping anything.

“What’s this heat...! Huyul! Why were you just sitting still?!”

Huyul’s body was weak. He couldn’t even run properly, and he couldn’t carry anything even slightly heavy.

He had frequent bouts of minor illnesses. With his already weak body, these small ailments often made him seem incredibly fragile.

I’m fine.

“What do you mean fine! I need to tell the director right now!”

The problem was that he wouldn’t let anyone know.

One day, when Huyul was unusually quiet, Ihayul touched his forehead and was horrified by how hot it was. He grabbed the note that read “I’m fine” and quickly realized the situation.

It seemed that he was just sitting still, waiting for his illnesses to subside.

“You can’t hide your pain! You need to speak up if something’s wrong! Whether it’s your body being hot or cold, or something stinging, or if your stomach hurts!”

I understand.

It was a chilling memory. Ignoring and neglecting small ailments could lead to serious consequences.

Huyul’s already frail body made Ihayul shiver at the thought that these minor illnesses might turn into something far more serious.

Thank you.I’m fine.I understand.

“......”

On a day when the note Huyul handed to him became three pages, Ihayul continued to learn more about him.

“Huyul, does it hurt even when it touches like this?”

I’m fine.

“...Could you tell me more? Is there no pain?”

There’s no pain.

Huyul’s right arm, with hideous burn scars up to his forearm, had to be touched during daily activities, including changing the bandages. But there was no pain.

“Can you not speak at all? Or is it just difficult?”

There’s pain.

Huyul felt pain when using his neck. Eating or breathing was fine, but when he tried to speak, his throat hurt as if it were being torn.

“How about the front... what can you see?”

I don’t know.I see fog, clouds, and steam.

It wasn’t that his vision was entirely black or blurry. It seemed his sight was obscured by fog and clouds.

“How about the taste? Does it taste good?”

I don’t know.

“...Huh?”

He didn’t have a sense of taste. Additionally, he had problems with his sense of smell, which was closely related to taste. He quietly ate tasteless porridge without a hint of flavor.

The problem wasn’t just physical, though.

‘Ah, again...’

Late at night, when everyone had gone to bed, Ihayul furrowed his brows at the noise coming from outside.

The outskirts where the orphanage was located were a common site for small accidents and incidents.

Luckily, the security was good in the Korean Peninsula, so accidents caused by monsters and dungeons were rare.

But it was common for drunkards from the nearby entertainment district to stir up trouble.

That night, a commotion erupted unusually close by. It woke him from his sleep, leaving him annoyed. That was all.

“......”

“...Huyul?”

Ihayul’s reaction wasn’t as trivial as he had expected.

Huyul’s body trembled. His face, usually frozen, was covered in cold sweat.

His violent reaction, so unlike the emotionless Ihayul, made Ihayul’s eyes widen.

“Huyul, Huyul...! What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

Startled, Ihayul pulled Huyul into his arms, and for a while, Huyul trembled as if terrified.

At the time, Ihayul didn’t understand the reason, but as time passed, he began to figure it out.

Huyul hated alcohol and cigarettes. It wasn’t just a mild dislike; he had a strong aversion, almost to the point of causing a fit.

He didn’t know the reason. He couldn’t directly ask Huyul about it.

But for some reason, he would have a fit from the smell of alcohol and cigarettes.

‘......’

This was the extent of what Ihayul had calmly figured out. Even without professional knowledge, he could tell it was a serious situation.

Ihayul recalled how the adults had looked at him.

In their eyes, there was pity, regret, and self-loathing.

There was no sign of hope or expectation. Ihayul, as a child, could easily deduce the meaning of that look.

For Ihayul, the reality felt distant, even though he had no health issues.

For Huyul, who had far more problems with his body and mind, the future would be much harder.

‘Ah.’

Ihayul was afraid of the future. He didn’t know much yet, but ignorance and uncertainty made him even more terrified.

Ihayul felt that way too.

“Huyul...”

What would the future look like for Ihayul, who was in far worse conditions than her?

Ihayul felt the difficulty, but Huyul had to first face the impossibility of it all.

Thinking about Huyul’s situation, Ihayul felt a tightness in his chest.

The uncertainty weighed heavily in his heart. His own worries seemed small in comparison to Huyul’s struggles.

“...Awakening, phenomena?”

But perhaps the heavens hadn’t abandoned him, as there was still a streak of luck.

“Hold on! Hahsol! Don’t move, stay still! I’ll call the association, calm down...”

The awakening phenomenon. A change into a superhuman that happens to a small number of people.

For those who belong to the superhuman forces, it’s an expected event, but for ordinary people like Ihayul, who have no connection to superhumans, it’s a miracle that comes with good fortune.

‘Do I have no connection?’

Ihayul didn’t even know his parents’ faces. Naturally, he had no idea who they were. She didn’t °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° know, but one of his parents might have been a superhuman.

‘It doesn’t matter.’

At the moment of awakening, Ihayul didn’t dwell on those questions.

A superhuman. He didn’t know yet what qualities he had or how far he could go.

But for now, he had become a superhuman. That alone could solve most of the concerns an ordinary person would have.

‘With this...’

Problems that an ordinary person could never solve might be solvable.

Without thinking, he casually grabbed the rock, which then flashed brightly.

Everyone around him was just as startled as Ihayul, trembling as they felt the power in his arms before carefully setting the rock down.

Thud! The ground vibrated, and those nearby flinched.

Startled by Ihayul’s sudden awakening, they widened their eyes, scared as the rock fell.

“......”

Ihayul, still with his emotionless face, looked up at Ihayul from his side.

“Ah.”

Ihayul reflexively reached for Huyul’s hand, but stopped as the power from his arm made him hesitate.

If he grabbed that frail hand with the strength he had just used to lift the rock, it would probably snap like a twig.

But he wasn’t afraid of that strength. In fact, if anything, he was pleased by it.

‘...Can I fix that?’

Burn scars on his arm. His voice, his eyes, his weak body. His troubled mind.

I don’t know. It’s uncertain.

He didn’t immediately think it was impossible.

Ihayul felt a surge of emotions just from that alone.

‘...I thought about it, but...’

A past swiftly flashed through his mind.

Blinking, the view shifted from the orphanage to a private room in a café.

[?]

What Ihayul saw was the same, but the appearance was vastly different.

Since the memory of the past came to mind, the contrast felt vivid. As Ihayul caressed the glass of water, he took in Huyul’s appearance.

‘...He’s changed a lot.’

His hair, now dyed white as if shedding its old self, the burn scars erased from his right arm. Though he had grown a bit taller, he still had a frame smaller than hers.

What exactly had he gone through during all this time? His looks had become even more refined...

[...Why are you like this? Did something happen?]

“No, I was just watching.”

[Is that so?]

But the biggest change was clear.

Vibrancy.

His facial muscles moved slightly, and his lips twitched. His fingers fidgeted as he looked up and spoke first.

Every movement of his was filled with emotion.

‘...Has it all been healed?’

Seeing him like this, the joy naturally surged within Ihayul. All the worries and anxieties he had held onto in his heart vanished in an instant, and he couldn’t help but feel happy.

...It was a rather foolish thought, but there was a hint of relief as well.

Recalling the various elixirs, herbs, and artifacts he had stored away, Ihayul’s face slightly drooped.

[By the way, Hahsol, are you okay without any drinks or snacks?]

A question was suddenly asked from across the room.

Was it an intentional cute gesture, tilting his head? Ihayul thought briefly and shook his head.

“I don’t eat snacks much when I’m with Huyul.”

[Huh? Why not?]

“Huyul can’t taste anything. It makes me uncomfortable eating alone in front of him.”

[Hick]

“...Ah, I must have forgotten. I knew that from before.”

Huyul took a deep breath. He hadn’t remembered because he had forgotten those past memories.

With a bittersweet smile, Ihayul shook his head.

Ding!

[Hmm?]

It was at that moment. An alarm went off from Huyul’s smartwatch.

[Ah...]

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“Why are you...?”

Ihayul’s face suddenly brightened.

The sudden and surprising shift in his emotions made Ihayul widen his eyes as he asked. Huyul pointed to the door with a subtle gesture.

A little while later.

“Ah! So you were the one who took care of Huyul!”

“My Huyul.”

“I’m glad to meet you. I’m Elia Slayde. I’ve heard a lot about you, Hahsol. You’re the top student of class 122.”

Elia, clasping his hands together, smiled brightly.

His yellow hair shone brilliantly, and his innocent, beautiful smile paired with an alluring figure made for a striking contrast.

Elia Slayde.

One of the women tied to Huyul’s fate.

“...Yes, I’m also happy to meet you, Slayde. My name is Hahsol.”

Ihayul, who had been silent until then, smiled slightly in return.