Chapter 59 - Healing

Okay. I have to admit what needs admitting.

I've always complained that my abilities are trash, but when you get down to it, they're actually pretty decent.

Telekinesis is... well, its versatility is incredible. And Teleportation is the perfect ability for someone like me who needs to avoid Heroes.

Sure, both lack raw power on their own... but they have the advantage of being able to unleash massive force if I disregard the consequences. If I let the Telekinesis stack up without using it and then release it all at once, it's actually quite powerful. Teleportation, too, can theoretically cover vast distances. It's just what comes after that's the problem.

Anyway, all things considered, they aren't that bad.

Though, okay, they're still trash. Is there any other Paranormal Ability user out there who passes out for days from recoil just because they used their power intensely once?

And now, it's gone beyond just fainting; I'm coughing up blood.

"Cough."

Since the bridge terror incident...

Floating around all day with Telekinesis, stopping that car at the very end, and then the long-distance Teleportation.

Having overworked my body yet again, I passed out for three days from the recoil. I'm practically a sunfish at this point...

Of course, fainting has become such a daily occurrence that this actually felt short. When I collapsed at the hotel in Busan, was I out for about a week? Compared to that, this was brief.

But I wasn't coughing up blood back then.

"No!!! Oppa!!! I told you, let's go to the hospital and get this checked out!"

"Seo-eun, and say what exactly...? 'Doctor, I think my insides are twisted from using Telekinesis?' I'd get reported as an unregistered Paranormal Ability user and thrown in jail."

"Then what are you going to do!! Are you just going to keep coughing up blood like that?"

"Cough, I'll get better with time. Sigh, I'll handle it, so just go inside and get some sleep. It's late."

Seo-eun continued to examine me with a worried expression.

I waved my hand at her, shooing her away, while wiping the blood from my mouth with a tissue.

Subin also looked at me with concern, saying that if this continued tomorrow, she would definitely come up with a countermeasure.

Then there was Lee Ha-yul's younger brother, Cha-yoon, who likes me. His eyes were brimming with tears as he begged me not to die. Are elementary school students these days usually this emotional?

And Lee Ha-yul.

While everyone else was crowding around me, she stood alone by the door, watching from a distance with a pale face.

She wore an expression of guilt.

She was probably blaming herself for not stepping forward, even though she could help me.

The healing ability Lee Ha-yul awakened when she was young.

Because of the trauma of nearly being sold off by the Orphanage Director who discovered that power, she never revealed her ability to anyone.

Due to the Director's strict control, even her own younger brother didn't know about it.

That's why she hid her ability when she first met me. To be fair, I was incredibly suspicious back then.

But now that some time has passed, it's safe to say she's opened up to me quite a bit.

When we first met, she used to tick me off with her rude casual speech, but now she uses polite honorifics.

Huh, come to think of it, everyone in this house uses polite speech with me now, don't they?

...I feel like I've become some sort of patriarchal figure.

Anyway, the conclusion is that she seems to be feeling guilty towards me.

I gave her a home, food, and money, but she feels she can't repay me with anything.

And now that she actually has a chance to repay me, she isn't taking it, so she's likely beating herself up over it.

I get it, though. It would be awkward to suddenly say, "Actually, I have a healing ability~ Sorry I didn't tell you~" right here. No matter how much she likes us, she has a fundamental distrust of people.

Tsk, can't be helped.

Still, let's stack up some more guilt points for now. The day will come when she reveals her ability on her own.

With that in mind, I coughed up blood even more dramatically.

"Cough! Haaack!"

"Eek! Oppa, we can't go on like this! Let's go to the hospital!!"

"That's right, Da-in. We have to do something."

"Hyung, don't die! Waaaaah."

...But since everyone else was freaking out more than necessary, I just stopped.

A guy can cough up a little blood, can't he? Why is everyone making such a fuss?

Still, seeing Ha-yul's face turn an even darker shade of gloom, it seems to be having some effect. Huh, my conscience is prickling a bit, though...

Anyway, after that commotion ended, I sent everyone back to their rooms since it was late. I told them I was feeling better and the coughing had stopped, so I would rest and recover on my own.

They all looked at me with anxious eyes, but I insisted I was fine. I did overact a bit just to provoke Ha-yul. I really need a Healer.

After everyone withdrew.

I lay alone on the bed in my room.

Hmm, should I get an IV drip or something?

The Fatigue Recovery Device is great for recovering from exhaustion, but it doesn't cure illnesses, so it has its limits.

Actually, it's a bit of a stretch to call side effects from ability overuse an "illness" anyway.

Sigh. No, but seriously, why am I coughing up blood? Is it because I woke up after only three days instead of my usual week-long coma? Or don't tell me... is my ability degenerating?

I felt a sense of anxiety. Nah, couldn't be.

...Still, how hard is it to briefly stop a falling car? The momentum itself shouldn't have been that massive.

...Or was it? Was it massive? I don't really know.

Anyway, the more terror attacks I pull off lately, the more I feel the strain on my body. It's getting tough.

I mean, I've committed four terror attacks in a year; it'd be weirder if my body didn't break down. Even among the main Villains in the original work, no one committed terrorism this frequently!

Well, I guess it's inevitable since I'm trying to single-handedly replace almost every main Villain that Stardus faced. Even ten bodies wouldn't be enough.

...No matter how much I think about it, I need to form the Ego Squad—that is... the Villain Alliance—as soon as possible. I need to outsource the work and get some rest. I'll just handle the general management. I'll make the other kids do the terror attacks. If I just place a few restrictions on them and let them loose, wouldn't that work? The ability users I've recruited so far are more support-oriented than combat-focused... Right, who was there in the original work that had combat power and was controllable...?

So, I lay in bed with the lights off until dawn, not sleeping, just continuously formulating plans.

I mean, I just woke up from a three-day coma; there was no way I could fall back asleep just by lying down.

While I was lying there drawing up the big picture, suddenly—

Creak.

I heard the sound of my door quietly opening. 'What the?'

I thought about getting up, but decided to just keep pretending to be asleep for now. Whoever it was, they probably didn't enter expecting me to be awake at this hour.

Tip-toe, tip-toe. I heard someone approaching my bed. 'Who on earth is it?'

Unable to overcome my curiosity, I opened my eyes just a slit.

A small human shape was visible in the dark room.

I could only see the silhouette, but the only person in my house with that height... seemed to be Ha-yul.

As she came close enough that I might see her face, I hurriedly closed my eyes again.

Soon, the sound of breathing was right in front of my nose.

She stood in front of my bed for a moment, then whispered in a very small voice.

"...Mister, are you asleep?"

'Nope, I'm awake.'

But I couldn't exactly answer like that. I just kept my mouth shut tight, pretending I hadn't heard anything, and continued to feign sleep.

She waited for my answer for a moment, and when I didn't move a muscle, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Then, suddenly, she placed both hands gently on my body. 'What are you doing?'

Then, she began to whisper in an even softer voice than before.

"Mister. I'm sorry. For hiding that I have an ability..."

"I'm really grateful to you for helping us, and I really like you, but..."

"Still... still, I couldn't say it yet. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for being such a selfish kid who can't trust people. I'm sorry for being a wretched girl who can't even do this one thing for you after receiving so much help."

She began her confession to me with a trembling voice.

'No, hey. What's wrong with you? Are you getting all emotional because it's the middle of the night? Snap out of it, kid!'

I wanted to tell her to stop, but officially, I was supposed to be asleep right now. There was no way I could open my mouth.

...The coughing blood performance earlier must have been a little too effective. Did I look like I was on the verge of death or something? I couldn't get a grip on this sudden storm of emotions. Why is she suddenly digging herself into a hole of self-blame?

Now, I could even hear sniffing sounds beside me.

'Hey, are you crying? Don't cry! I'm sorry...'

This made me feel like a terrible adult. I felt like trash for making a high school girl cry...

After sniffing for a while, she blew her nose, knelt in front of my bed, and whispered again.

"Even though... even though I can't confess my ability to you yet... I'll help you, even if it's from the shadows. I promise."

She spoke quietly, but with a slight edge of grim determination.

Then, suddenly, a small light flashed from her hands where they held my body.

A warm energy began to flow into me, spreading from where her skin touched mine.

Something soft, fluffy, and embracingly warm wrapped around my body.

How much time passed like that?

Once that warm energy had circulated to every corner of my body, she finally pulled her hands away.

The hands that had been resting on me for so long were lifted.

Panting slightly, she stood up and rubbed her face, seemingly wiping away sweat.

"Phew... I'm sorry that this is all I can do. But still... thank you always, Mister."

With those final words, she finally left the room.

I heard a faint whisper of 'Good night...' from the doorway before the door clicked shut.

Only after the sound of footsteps in the hallway had completely faded did I open my eyes.

"Whoa..."

I sat up and swung my arms around.

My body, which had been aching and on the verge of death just moments ago, was suddenly overflowing with strength, as if I had been completely revitalized.

The twisting pain in my gut had vanished, and I felt good as new.

"Ha-yul..."

Yeah. No matter how I looked at it, recruiting Ha-yul was the best decision I ever made.

My physical condition had gone from rock bottom to the best I'd felt all year in an instant!

"Thank you...!!"

Now I can push my body as hard as I want!

Judging by what I saw today, aside from being a little overly emotional, she seems like a really good kid.