CH 13

It was a crappy morning.

Philoso’s vice guild leader, S-class healer Baek-dam, was in a low mood today.

It wasn’t that his brother was coming home, or that he’d been distracted by some other bastard on a dungeon tour, or that he had to heal the culprit every day.

It was just that he hadn’t had an old dream in a long time, and he had a lot on his plate today.

And his brother was furious when he told him he might not be able to make it to the B-level healing.

So the sight of the bloodied man at the door didn’t do anything to improve his mood.

That stupid man sitting on the bed in a daze while he knelt down and wiped the blood off his face meant nothing to him.

Perhaps sensing his discomfort, Class B slowly opened his mouth.

“I’m busy today, so I can’t come….”

“Shut up, you smell like blood.”

“…….”

Keeping his mouth shut was better than before.

Meanwhile, Han Che-soo was puzzled by Baek-dam’s behaviour.

‘I don’t know why he’s so angry.’

Maybe it’s because he doesn’t want to mop the floor, but he’s the one who took the mop I brought.

When I was in the shelter, there were sometimes guys like that. Han Cha-soo reminisced.

They’d come back from a battle, and they’d throw all their bad tempered tantrums at you.

Then he would sneak up on you and offer you a drink.

I think I heard later that he said he had some sort of colic or something….

‘Oh, no.’

Han Cha-soo thought that Baek-dam might be that type.

Then a tiny flicker of sympathy came and went.

As a healer, you see more blood than anyone else, so I wondered how he could be so defective.

But my own situation was more pressing than worrying about someone else.

“I heard you on the way in, they said you wanted to be discharged.”

Baek-dam, who threw the soiled rag into the trash can, said bluntly.

He crouched down in front of Han Cha-soo and rested his chin in his hands.

His pale brown eyes darted between squinty slits.

Han Cha-soo pursed his lips under the dissecting gaze.

“You seemed to be adjusting well to the hospital, and then suddenly you want to be discharged?”

“What does it mean to say you’ve settled in well when it’s not where you’ll live for the rest of your life?”

“Hmm, if you put it that way.”

Baek-dam’s eyes flicked to the life contract on the table.

“But I don’t think he’s going to let you go that easily.”

Sensing the direction of his gaze, Han Cha-soo stiffened.

“I wasn’t planning on accepting it in the first place.”

“Hmph….”

“And I don’t think I’m going to listen to Mr. Baek-dam, an outsider, about the contract.”

Han Cha-soo drew the line softly but coldly.

It was a firm stance that looked like it wouldn’t go through a needle.

“Okay. I said something unnecessary.”

Baek-dam smiled as always and took a step back.

But beneath the pretty smile, the emotions that surged through him were messy.

‘…It sucks.’

A tiny bit of grumpiness bubbled up from within.

He said as his eyes catching the hem of Han Cha-soo’s loose garment.

“Do you want me to discharge you?”

Looking at the grey eyes that widened in disbelief, Baek-dam laughed.

“I can’t be bothered to come all the way here for useless treatment every time.”

If he collapsed and died in the street somewhere, Sun-yi would give up his wishes.

Baek-dam smiled wryly and asked again.

“What do you think? Do you want me to help you leave the hospital?”

Of course, Han Cha-soo was not so easily amused.

I”This guy, does he have a grudge against me?

I can’t believe you’re helping me leave the hospital all of a sudden. I thought there was all this windfall, but I couldn’t accept it easily.

All the way to the hospital, Baek-dam didn’t hide his sarcasm.

‘If it wasn’t for my brother, I wouldn’t have come to cure you.’

To Baek-dam, as an S-class healer, he’s only a B-class potion maker.

As a result, he often waited impatiently while being treated. However, Han Cha-soo was rather pleased with his arrogance.

At least it was better than feeling uselessly responsible for me like Jung Yiheon.

But then he suddenly did me a favour…

He said it was because it was a hassle to come and go, but I couldn’t trust him.

Han Cha-soo was busy racking his brains.

“You’re deaf from vomiting blood.”

A cold hand reached out with a silent thud.

Han Cha-soo reflexively reached for his hand but stopped.

Unlike the sunshine, the temperature was lower than his body temperature.

Baek-dam, who activated his healing skill, touched Han Cha-soo’s ear and rolled his eyes.

As if trying to see inside him.

Just as I felt a slight chill run down my spine at the intense gaze, Baek-dam’s hand fell away.

Staring at the hand that was slowly moving away, Han Cha-soo blurted out.

“Why do you suddenly want to help discharging me?”

Baek-dam tilted his head slightly.

“I thought you’d like it.”

“I’m not a child, and I’m not so naive as to think I’m going to be happy when something I want is suddenly in my hands.”

“…….”

“If all I wanted was a discharge, I would have signed a life contract a long time ago.”

Baekdam frowned at Han Chasoo’s words.

But his expression changed at the next words.

“If you answer me honestly, I will be happy to accept your help, Mr Baekdam.”

Baekdam pursed his lips and slowly closed and opened his eyes.

Like a man choosing the right answer from a long list of options.

Finally, his lips parted.

“I told you before, it wasn’t the medical staff here who saved your life, it was me.”

“What does that matter….”

“Technically, they have no power over you.”

An arrogant smirk settled over his soft lips.

“I saved your life, I’m putting you out pf here, what’s your problem?”

Baek-dam straightened his back.

His flaxen hair glistened in the sunlight.

Han Cha-soo’s grey eyes sunk into his own.

It was a little after lunch when Jung Yiheon learned that Han Cha-soo had been discharged from the hospital.

After solving a dungeon break in the centre of Seoul.

He hadn’t spoken to Seo-heon in a long time, and an urgent message arrived.

The message from the secretary’s office was short and to the point.

[Hunter Han Cha-soo has been discharged and is on his way under the guidance of Vice Guild Leader Philoso.]

“Yiheon, they want to see you over there… Hey, what’s wrong with your face?”

“…….”

“Yiheon-ah, Jung Yiheon!”

Lee Jin-ryul called out, clearing his throat, but to no avail.

His red eyes, once so calm as he struck down monsters, glowed with fire.

It’s been a while since he’s been outside.

He breathed the sweet freedom he hadn’t tasted in a long time deep into his lungs.

“So when are you coming to my place, now?”

“…….”

“You’re not going to use me and then abandon me, are you?”

If there was one flaw, it was the bullshit talk that followed.

Han Cha-soo sighed.

‘I shouldn’t have made a deal.’

Just moments ago, he had left the hospital with Baek-dam’s help.

Not by accepting his blind favours, but by putting conditions on them.

“I saved your life, I’m going to get you out of here, what’s the problem?”

With a line like that, it was hard for me to believe in a favour from someone who didn’t have anything against me.

But I wanted to get out of the hospital, or rather, I had to.

So, in exchange for Baek-dam’s help, Han Cha-soo made one condition.

“One-sided favours are very taxing. Let’s make a deal, between us.”

“A deal?”

“To the extent possible, I’ll do something for you, Baekdam-ssi.”

“Hmmm…. Then come over to my place.”

At my confusion, Baek-dam smiled languidly.

“Baekdam-ssi’s house?”

Han Cha-soo couldn’t contain his nervousness.

“There is no bait like Han Chasoo-ssi to bring the wandering prodigy back home.”

“Prodigy. Are you referring to Baeksun-ssi?”

“Yes, actually, he was supposed to come home after healing Han Cha-soo, but he suddenly broke his promise and went on a dungeon raid.”

I should find an item that’s good for recovery. Baek-dam muttered.

‘It’s because of me.’

Han Cha-soo glanced away as if he didn’t know.

“Are you coming?”

Baek-dam smiled and gently brushed back a strand of flaxen hair.

“Well, not if you don’t want to.”

Han Cha-soo stared at him as if he were a bastard, but then nodded.

“I see.”

A shameless way of talking to people and the power of being the only S-class healer in the country.

The combination of the two was sure to free him from Jung Yiheon.

So, Han Cha-soo promised to be the bait to lure Baek-sun.

“Then please do me a favour.”

And his choice paid off handsomely.

What he didn’t expect was for Baekdam to follow him so closely after the deal was done.

“…Aren’t you going home?”

“There’s no one waiting for me, so why would I?”

The glittery-haired man pouted his lips and followed me.

It was a bit of a burden, but not so much that I had to break away from him, so I ignored him.

Besides, there were times when he could be quite helpful.

Like right now.

“You’re getting in, right?”

Baek-dam nodded toward the limousine that seemed to have been waiting for them as soon as they stepped through the hospital doors.

Han Cha-soo nodded without delay.

He didn’t have his wallet with him.