CH 17

It was the same today. Nathan opened his eyes to wake up and focus on the class, but at some point, his eyes closed. His head shook wildly and he hit my head on the desk. When Nathan’s eyes closed, he had a familiar dream.

“…But…Nathan!” 

“HYUK!”

Nathan jumped up, trembling at the power that shook the chair. 

He could see Etton with a look of surprise on her face. The dimly held hand informed him that it was Etton who woke him. Nathan looked around in dismay. All the children’s eyes were on Nathan. The clock showed that it was still class time. Professor Michael’s face standing in front of the school table was scary. Nathan breathed in.

“Sorry! I’m sorry…”

“That’s great. While you’re up, go out and take a walk.”

“What?”

“My class must have been so boring. I didn’t know you’d fall asleep.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Stop, get out. Go get some fresh air. You don’t have to come to this class today.”

At Professor Michael’s firm words, Nathan was at a loss and eventually had to go out of the classroom. When the door closed behind his back, Professor Michael’s voice was heard quietly as the class had begun again.

“Oh, my-”

Nathan let out a sigh and raised his hand and swept it across his face. ‘What’s wrong with me these days? I feel like I’m losing my mind.’ Nathan also gradually noticed that his physical condition has not been very good these days. ‘Did I overdo it again? I thought about it, but it didn’t seem too much. All I could think of was that dream.’

Nathan has had the same dream every day these days.

The first time Nathan had this dream was two years ago. Maybe when he collapsed and returned to the dorm. Then he had that same dream only once in a while. Then, these days, he had similar dreams one after another. He only knew he had the same dream just before he woke up. But he would never fully remember what the dream was about. Nathan forgot what little he remembered when he washed his face. So now, he only has a sense of having similar dreams.

Forgetting dreams like that was a tell-tale sign of not getting enough sleep. However, it was not once or twice, but it continued one after another, so he was sleepy seemingly all the time and his body felt gloomy. 

Nathan took his back off the leaning door and decided to walk a little. He couldn’t doze off in the next class too. For Nathan, Professor Michael is a special person. He was a good teacher, a good adult figure. So it was natural for Nathan’s desire to make the professor proud. Nathan was in the state he was in because he was trying to make up for ‘Nathan’s’ shortfall. So the fact that Professor Michael was disappointed bothered him.

Nathan was busy in his head while he was walking aimlessly. While walking, he couldn’t think of anything else, so he reflected on the topics he learned today in class. His slender hand moved gracefully as if drawing a magic circle in the air.

Then, for a moment, he felt the world move in front of his eyes. Nathan groped his hand and tried to catch his breath by touching the tree right in front of him. He had barely calmed down his dizzy head when he heard a rustling sound above. Nathan looked up and sucked in a gasp.

There sat Hazard on the tree.

“Oh, it’s you, isn’t it?”

His blue eyes smile beautifully at Nathan. It was the first conversation they had in two years, and Hazard started it in a carefree manner as if it were just a little while.

In an unexpected situation, Nathan wondered if what he saw and heard was reality. As such, Hazard’s sudden appearance embarrassed him. ‘When I went around looking for him because I wanted to meet him just like this, he didn’t even show me his nose, and when I gave up looking for Hazard, he showed up on his own. What is this ridiculous and absurd situation?’

After giving up looking for Hazard, Nathan never once said he would pretend to know him first. ‘I never thought about it. I thought maybe I wouldn’t see him until I graduated.’ Nathan couldn’t say anything aloud about his embarrassment, so he looked up at Hazard sitting on the tree with a blank face without blinking his eyes properly.

“I guess you’re not feeling well again.”

His handsome face is frowned upon with anxiety. It was a little different from the voice Nathan had heard two years ago. His voice has grown thick and his size has grown considerably over the past two years.

“Oh, no. That’s…”

Nathan was embarrassed and uttered a word, but his nose bled at that moment. He had a bloody nose, but Nathan reacted as if he were familiar with it. But when Hazard saw Nathan, he was surprised and jumped from the tree. The boy who came close was now quite masculine and manly. 

“Are you okay?”

Hazard searched through his pockets. Maybe he couldn’t find what he wanted, so he sucked his teeth and quickly took off his shirt. He rolled it around to cover Nathan’s nose.

“Excuse me?”

“I think you’re going to smell sweat, but I don’t have a handkerchief. Just hang in there a little bit more.”

A large hand grabbed Nathan by the nape of his neck and pressed him to lower his head, and another hand blocked his nose. He could see the white sleeves in front of his nose turning red in an instant. This was also embarrassing for Nathan. His eyes trembled like an earthquake.

“How come you don’t feel well every time I see you?”

“Ha ha..”

Nathan laughs awkwardly at the words. ‘My nose is stuffed and I have a stuffy nose.’ Nathan shrugged at the strange kindness.

“It’s because I have a weak nose. That’s why.”

Nathan said it like an excuse, but it wasn’t exactly wrong. It’s less these days, but he’s had consistent nosebleeds for two years. The reasons varied. There was even a time when he sneezed too hard. After seeing it so often, he now knows the timing of “Oh, I think I’m going to have a nosebleed.” He didn’t notice it just now because he was embarrassed by Hazard. He tried to always have a couple of handkerchiefs in his pocket in case he had a nosebleed so he wouldn’t have to go through this every time he had one.

Suddenly, Nathan couldn’t figure out why Hazard was pretending to be close to him. For Nathan, the first and last time he met Hazard was two years ago, and it would have been the same for Hazard. But considering Hazard’s personality, well, it wasn’t a very incomprehensible situation.

He was a kind and righteous protagonist to everyone. If there’s a sick person in front of someone, they might be worried. But does the person act on that concern? Then ask yourself what Hazard is like. The friendly way of speaking, the face and actions that worried about his health shook Nathan’s core. 

This man, the hero of the world, was still dazzling. 

‘I once wanted to get close to him. Judging that it would be best to use him to live. But it’s all an old story, too.’ Nathan decided not to dwell on the original novel or upheaval. The more he tried, the more miserable the results were, and those results piled up, eating away Nathan’s self-esteem. He decided not to constantly think about how to solve the future.

How long has Hazard been holding the shirt to his nose? ‘I’m sure it hasn’t been that long.’ But even that brief silence was suffocating Nathan. He couldn’t stop himself from suddenly thinking that this was not a place for him to be.

“…That’s enough.”

Nathan carefully removed Hazard’s hand. Fortunately, the blood stopped quickly. As the blood was drained from the body, the body naturally became tired and the head slightly hurt. Nathan’s eyes were tired. 

“I’m glad it stopped soon. We don’t have to call Nurse Matilda today, do we?”

Hazard smiled saying, “I’m glad.” His playful remarks coincided with what he said two years ago.

Nathan thought blankly as he saw Hazard smiling right in front of him. ‘As expected, not everyone can be the main character.’ Because Hazard’s face is very beautiful even when Nathan looks at him as a man. His eyes were drawn to him, and his shirt was stained with blood. That was when Nathan came to his senses.

“Oh!”

Frustrated Nathan grabbed the shirt as if Hazard had snatched it away.

“Oh, my. I’m sorry. It’s because of me…”

“Huh? Never mind. I did it on my own.”

As he said so, Hazard shook his hand and laughed. But it was Nathan who would mind getting the Prince’s shirt dirty because of him.

“No, but..”

“It’s all right, don’t mind it.”

Nathan also couldn’t think of the idea that he could magically cleanse his thoughts, which was hardened by embarrassment, in a very slow-moving container. In addition, Nathan did not notice that he was so distracted by the red-colored shirt that he kept holding onto Hazard’s thick arm.

Dang-daeng (T/N: This is the sound of a bell)

That strange confrontation between Nathan, who is trying to take his shirt, and Hazard, who is not trying to take it, was broken by the bell ringing the hour. The bell also meant that the class was over. Soon there was a murmur of voices from afar. Taking advantage of Nathan’s distraction, Hazard pulled my shirt out of Nathan’s hand.

“Nathan! Next class!”

In the distance, Etton waved at Nathan. That reminded Nathan of what the time was. The next class was another of Professor Michael’s, even though it was a mobile class. Herbology class was supposed to go to the manufacturing room, but it’s a little remote in this vast academy, so everyone needed to hurry up.