I Became The Only Healer In The Academy [EN]: Chapter 49

49

‘This is the power of faith…’

The scene unfolded from Jinseok’s perspective.

Though Jinseok was now collapsed, Seonghyun retained the images imprinted in Jinseok’s mind—the last things he saw before losing consciousness.

Thanks to the power of faith, he already knew the location; all that remained was to go there.

In the meantime, Jinseok’s treatment was complete.

He could have continued healing him, but it was better to render him unconscious first to minimize the pain during treatment. That’s why he finished the treatment after he lost consciousness.

“So, what are you going to do with him?”

“…”

Jeonghwan appeared conflicted.

Even though Jungseok had tried to kill Jinseok, Jeonghwan still harbored some lingering feelings, or perhaps he was simply hesitant to act.

“…It’s best not to leave any loose ends.”

With those words, Seonghyun turned to leave.

“Loose ends…”

Jeonghwan wore a complicated expression for a moment, then rose from his seat and approached Jungseok, who was collapsed and trembling in pain.

Seonghyun deactivated the stigma [a mark or sign of disgrace or infamy] at that moment, allowing Jungseok to face Jeonghwan in a somewhat normal state.

“Jungseok-ah.”

“Je, Jeonghwan-ah!”

It was an expression Jeonghwan had never witnessed before.

He felt like he now understood the look of someone consumed by pain and fear.

“Why did you do that?”

“I, I was wrong! Huh? I committed a crime worthy of death!”

With the pain subsided, Jungseok grabbed Jeonghwan’s leg and begged for mercy.

“Jungseok-ah.”

“Uh, uh?”

Jeonghwan roughly shook off Jungseok, who was clinging to his leg.

“Your expression right now… it doesn’t look like someone who’s repenting at all.”

“Wh, what?”

Jeonghwan wondered if he should give him a chance if he was truly remorseful, but Jungseok’s expression was far from repentance.

Rather, it was the look of someone searching for an opportunity to escape.

“You know me well, right? That I’m a rigid and inflexible guy.”

“N, no! Yo, you’re righteous! That’s right! You’re a righteous person!”

“A righteous person?”

“Yes! A righteous person!”

Jeonghwan lowered himself to Jungseok’s eye level, who was still unable to stand, and said.

“That’s right. I’m a righteous person.”

“Right? A person like that wouldn’t kill someone. Right?”

Jungseok forced a smile and said, concealing one hand behind his back.

“But you know.”

Jeonghwan instantly tensed his arm.

“I’m not a pushover who’s just nice.”

“Je, Jeonghwan-ah?”

Jeonghwan slammed Jungseok’s head into the ground.

He struck with all his might, to the point where he wondered if he had ever been capable of such force before.

“Keuh…”

Jungseok had only felt internal pain until now, but now he began to experience external wounds as well.

Moreover, Jeonghwan didn’t stop with just one blow.

With each punch, the force intensified, causing the ground to tremble slightly.

And Jeonghwan, carrying out the assault with a blank expression, looked nothing like someone who would leave loose ends.

Before long, the vibrations shaking the ground ceased, and a deep sigh echoed in the brief silence.

“Hoo…”

A sigh of relief, as if he had successfully completed a necessary task, rather than a sigh filled with worry about the day’s events.

“Kim Seonghyun.”

“Yes.”

“Thank you so much. If it weren’t for you…”

It wouldn’t have just ended with Jinseok losing his life.

Jeonghwan had no relatives, so he would have simply died alone, but that wasn’t the case for Jinseok.

Moreover, Jinseok’s parents hadn’t fully recovered from their illnesses, and there was no greater filial impiety [lack of respect for one’s parents] than a child dying before them.

“It’s okay. More than that, he’ll wake up soon, so you don’t have to worry too much.”

Seonghyun was about to leave, but then he sat down next to Jinseok, deciding to at least confirm that Jinseok was awake before departing.

Jeonghwan, having finished his grim task, wiped the blood dripping from his fist and sat beside Seonghyun.

As Seonghyun predicted, Jinseok woke up quickly.

“Ugh…”

Still suffering from a headache, Jinseok grabbed his head, furrowed his brow, and sat up. He looked at Seonghyun and quickly greeted him as if he had suddenly regained his senses.

“Ah, Ki, Kim Hunter-nim, why are you here… More than that, what happened?”

Jeonghwan explained the situation to Jinseok, who was still confused.

Because of what happened at the sparring match, Jungseok had tried to kill Jinseok simply for being nearby, and Seonghyun’s sudden appearance had barely saved his life.

“Kim Hunter-nim again…”

Jinseok lowered his head in shame.

He kept receiving favors too great to repay, and he didn’t know what to do.

“Kim Seonghyun.”

“Yes?”

“If it’s okay with you… how about we go to Jinseok’s house together?”

“Yes…?”

Jinseok was even more surprised by Jeonghwan’s suggestion and waved his hands dismissively.

“Ah, no! I already received help today, and you must be busy…”

“Jinseok’s parents said they definitely wanted to thank you, but Jinseok told me to just convey their thanks to you since you would be busy.”

“…”

After a moment of contemplation, Seonghyun called Inhwan.

“Inhwan-ah.”

“Where are you? You still haven’t come.”

“Something came up.”

“Something? What is it?”

“It’s hard to explain over the phone; I’ll tell you tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow? So you’re saying you can’t come today?”

As expected, Inhwan was quick to catch on.

“Uh… yeah. Sorry.”

“It’s okay. If you, who likes hunting more than us, are saying that, it must be something serious. Then I’ll see you tomorrow~”

When he hung up the phone and looked at the two, Jinseok, who had been wearing a sorry expression, was now looking at Seonghyun with a face full of anticipation.

“Yes, well… I think it’ll be okay.”

“Good thinking.”

Seonghyun and the two got up and left the alley.

“But what about that…”

Jinseok looked back with worried eyes, but Jungseok, who should have been there, had completely disappeared.

“That equipment is prohibited for reasons like that. People who die before the barrier ends… disappear as if they’ve completely evaporated.”

“A dead… person…”

Jinseok looked at Jeonghwan with a face full of guilt.

Would Jeonghwan have won if he hadn’t been there?

“What are you thinking about? Hurry up and lead the way.”

“Ah! Right.”

When they arrived at Jinseok’s house, a rather warm smell wafted out.

“I’m home.”

“You’re here?”

Jinseok’s mother appeared at Jinseok’s words, and she looked at Seonghyun and asked Jinseok with a puzzled expression.

“But who is that…”

“He’s Kim Seonghyun Hunter-nim. You know, right?”

“Wh, what? You said he’s Kim Seonghyun Hunter-nim?”

At Jinseok’s words, his mother completely erased the wary gaze she had been holding towards the stranger.

Then, she looked at Seonghyun with tearful eyes, as if she was facing a benefactor who had appeared after decades.

“Ah, hello. I’m sorry for being rude at our first meeting…”

Wiping away the slightly flowing tears, Jinseok’s mother said as if she had realized something.

“Please come in! Honey! Honey!”

His mother hurriedly ran inside and called for her husband.

“What’s wrong? Why is your voice so urgent?”

Jinseok’s father, who was wiping his hair with a towel as if he was in the middle of washing up in the bathroom, also showed the same look as his mother from earlier when he saw Seonghyun.

“What are you doing! Hurry up and greet him!”

“Ah, no, ah, hello.”

Jinseok’s father, not knowing why, greeted him with wet hair and hurriedly tried to go into the room.

“He’s Kim Seonghyun Hunter-nim!”

“Wh, what? You said he’s Kim Seonghyun Hunter-nim?”

The father, who was wiping his hair with a towel, suddenly threw the towel into the bathroom and quickly approached Seonghyun.

“Oh my, Kim-seonsaengnim [term of respect, like ‘Mr.’ or ‘Master’]. I’m finally greeting you like this. I’m Jinseok’s father.”

“Haha, yes. Hello.”

“Oh dear, if I had known you were coming, I would have prepared something…”

The father was suddenly embarrassed by his shabby tank top and smiled awkwardly, asking for a moment of understanding.

“Oh… this kid should have told me when Kim Hunter-nim was coming…”

The mother, who lightly slapped Jinseok on the back, maintained a smiling face and said to Seonghyun.

“You’ve taken such precious steps, but we don’t have anything to properly treat you with…”

“It’s okay. I also came to check if you’re doing well and if there’s anything uncomfortable.”

At Seonghyun’s answer, Jinseok’s mother showed a slightly touched expression.

He was said to be a year younger than Jinseok, so he must be 20 years old now, but his actions and words were very mature.

Moreover, after he woke up that day, she looked into Seonghyun a bit and found out that he felt the pain instead when he treated someone.

‘I still can’t forget the pain of that day…’

She probably would never forget it.

To have that kind of unforgettable pain felt on their behalf, and not just once but several times, was not something that could be easily glossed over with words.

It wasn’t just about saving their lives.

Seonghyun was the one who allowed them to remain a harmonious family, or even if not harmonious, just an ordinary family that could be seen anywhere.

‘If Kim Hunter-nim hadn’t been there…’

“Still, if it hadn’t been for Jeonghwan-sunbaenim [senior/older colleague or friend] here, I wouldn’t have known at all.”

At Seonghyun’s words, Jeonghwan next to him looked at Seonghyun with a slightly surprised expression.

In a way, the most selfish one was himself.

Under the guise of basic conscience, he had introduced Seonghyun with the vague expectation that he might heal him.

Nevertheless, Seonghyun was now praising him.

Of course, it wasn’t related to great things related to social status or power right now.

He didn’t seem like a person who existed in reality.

However, it wasn’t that Seonghyun was purely good.

Judging from the fact that he had said it was better not to leave any loose ends a little while ago, he clearly had a cold and rational side as well.

He was worried that he might ask him not to kill that person, but it was an unnecessary worry.

He seemed to have a vague prejudice that a person who usually saves people and heals wounds would never do such a thing.

“Of course. We can never forget our Jeonghwan’s help either.”

“Ah, no. Mother.”

Jinseok looked at them with a happy expression.

When would there be another opportunity like this?

When else would he be able to see such a heartwarming scene?

Jeonghwan, who had shown Jinseok the way to the last hope, and Seonghyun, who was at the end of that road.

“Haha, sorry for making you wait. Honey! Did you order something?”

“What? You’re telling me to treat them with delivery food?”

“Delivery is delivery, but you know, those expensive and small things. Huh? The amount of food you made is too small right now.”

“I can keep making it, but…”

Jinseok’s mother didn’t seem to want Seonghyun and Jeonghwan’s treatment to be lacking.

“It’s okay. I feel more treated when we’re having a conversation together.”

“Oh my… Kim Hunter-nim even speaks so beautifully…”

In the end, according to Jinseok’s father’s opinion, they ordered a lot of the most expensive and smallest things, and they all enjoyed the dinner that Jinseok’s mother made herself.

It was a meal with a stranger they were meeting for the first time today, but it was a warmer place than ever.