Chapter 11: The Beginning of the Request

The moment they arrived at the hospital’s emergency room, the girl was whisked away by the medical staff, and Clint followed as her guardian. Simon tried to follow them, but his strength finally gave out, and he collapsed in the middle of the hallway. He huddled in a corner to avoid being an obstacle to others, planning to search for Sonia and Clint once he recovered a little.

However, no matter how much time passed, his energy didn’t return, and as his mind cleared, only negative thoughts began to flood in.

The girl will be okay, right? Because we found her quickly? But what if something goes wrong…

The fact that he could have prevented the accident in the first place tormented him.

He had been leaning his head against the wall in self-reflection for a long time when he felt a gaze from somewhere. Simon reflexively looked up. Clint was standing a short distance away. Clint looked at him with an expression that was somehow complex. When their eyes met, Clint approached him.

“Why are you doing that over there?”

“Ah… I’m just exhausted.”

Simon stood up hurriedly. It wasn’t enough to just show his best side, so showing such a pathetic side was out of the question! Because he had been sitting for so long, a prickling sensation rushed through his feet as he stood up suddenly. Simon’s body swayed. Clint quickly grabbed Simon’s arm, preventing him from falling.

The hand wrapping around his arm was very large and strong. Feeling that, Simon’s ears turned hot. Clint’s hand let go quickly. Whew. Simon let out a sigh—not knowing whether it was disappointment or relief.

“Soniya—ah, that’s the name of the girl who collapsed.”

“Ah, Soniya. What did they say? Is she okay?”

“Yes. She bled quite a bit, but they said she’ll be fine. The treatment was successful, and she’ll recover if she gets enough rest.”

“That’s a relief. I was so worried something terrible would happen…”

Simon was sincerely relieved. He didn’t know how pale the girl’s face had been while being moved by carriage, nor how terrified he was that she might die as she had in the past. Clint’s words gently soothed Simon’s anxiety.

“The doctor said it’s thanks to arriving at the hospital so quickly. It’s all thanks to you, Mr. Grayan. I thank you on Soniya’s behalf.”

Clint bowed his head to Simon. Simon’s face turned red with embarrassment.

“Ah, no. I only did what you told me to do, Mr. Clint.”

“No. If it weren’t for you, Soniya would have been in danger.”

“But you were there, Mr. Clint.”

“…The truth is, even that is thanks to you, because I had no intention of coming to the party.”

It was true that Clint helped Soniya, but there was no need for him to follow her to the charity party. However, he knew that Simon was constantly looking for him, and because he didn’t want to run into him, he had followed her to the charity party instead. And Simon had followed him to that very party.

“In the end, if it weren’t for you, neither of us would have been at the charity party, and no one would have noticed that Soniya was pinned under the tent.”

“…I see.”

Hearing Clint’s reasoning, Simon understood why Soniya had been neglected and died in the past. At that time, neither Clint nor Simon had been there. Thinking that a minor, trivial action had prevented someone’s death gave him a bit of a chilling sensation. He wished he could change his own death like that.

Then, Simon suddenly realized that Clint had just confessed.

“So you were avoiding me!”

“That’s right. I was avoiding you.”

Clint answered honestly.

“Then last time, at the office, were you angry with me too?”

“Yes.”

Honestly, it hurt a little.

“Why? I thought about it too… but I don’t know what I did wrong. No matter how much I think about it.”

Simon said gloomily. Clint groaned, “Eum,” and ruffled his hair. He looked quite troubled.

“It’s because you didn’t do anything wrong. I was just being sensitive on my own. I’ve been tricked by similar words before.”

That damn ‘dying man’s wish.’ Clint spat out a curse internally. He had come to this region to fulfill that “dying man’s wish.” And because it was a “dying man’s wish,” he had to stay in this area for a year. Hooked by that wretched wish, he couldn’t leave this tedious town where he had no friends or affection, even while suffering from all sorts of rumors calling him a thug or a criminal. Since Clint was someone who used to wander freely, this restraint drove him even more insane.

That was why he had snapped at Simon for saying the same thing. He was fully aware it was pure venting, and it was beyond embarrassing.

“I’m sorry.”

Clint bowed his head and apologized.

“It’s okay. I’m just glad it wasn’t my fault.”

Simon was sincerely relieved. He was just happy to know it wasn’t because he was stupid and made him angry. He thought it was cool how Clint cleanly admitted his fault and apologized when he could have just brushed it off.

Simon’s heart had lightened enough, but it seemed Clint’s hadn’t. He instead furrowed his brow.

“You shouldn’t just let it go like that.”

“Then what?”

“You could ask me to fulfill your request since I was in the wrong…?”

“Will you fulfill it?”

“Well. I do want to hear your story again. I’ve become interested.”

Clint’s green eyes sparkled with curiosity. It was such a beautiful light that Simon almost lost his soul again. He barely managed to hold onto his senses and nodded.

Clint wanted to talk in a quiet place. Since moving elsewhere was a hassle, Simon spoke to a hospital staff member and secured an empty patient room. The place the staff led them to was a special room for high-paying donors. It happened to be the very place Simon stayed every time he was hospitalized, so he didn’t feel very good entering it.

“Let’s go to the sofa,” Clint said.

Looking at his face, Simon’s unpleasantness vanished instantly. Come to think of it, we’re alone in this room, aren’t we? It wasn’t like anything would happen, but his heart couldn’t help but throb. Simon sat on the sofa on one side of the room. Clint followed and sat next to him, not across from him. Huk. Simon sucked in a breath. What is it? What is it? His heart beat recklessly.

“Excuse me.”

Clint wrapped both of his hands around Simon’s hand. His palms were unexpectedly soft and hot. Since he usually wore gloves, the sensation of someone else’s bare hand was unfamiliar.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Simon’s heart beat violently. He stared at Clint’s face, frozen. His green eyes were gazing down at Simon intently. It was a gaze that felt like it would dig into his deepest thoughts.

“Why… my hand…” Simon asked in a trembling voice.

“I want to know if you’re sincere, Mr. Grayan.”

Clint said nonchalantly. It was a method he often used. Even someone skilled at lying is bound to be flustered when they feel they are being watched while a sensitive part like the neck—or in this case, a direct point of contact—is held. They tend to become overly conscious of the touched part and show signs of lying in other body parts.

Simon was visibly agitated, and Clint liked that.

“My… sincerity?”

“Don’t mind me and just speak.”

Clint smiled lightly. How can I not mind you! Simon felt dizzy.

“What… what should I say?”

“Why do you think you’ll die in half a year?”

Simon swallowed hard. Then, thinking that his tension was being conveyed directly to Clint’s hand made him feel like he was going crazy. Even though he was the one making the request, he felt like he wanted to run away. But he couldn’t back down. Simon looked at Clint with all his might. Since my story is the truth without any lies, let’s have confidence.

“That’s… because I’ve experienced it myself.”

Simon poured out his story. About dying from a heart attack in the winter. And about returning to the past and becoming terminally ill with only six months left. About making a wish list to leave no regrets when he dies and trying to achieve them, and needing Clint’s help, and so on.

Facing Clint’s eyes, it was impossible to lie. He didn’t have the luxury for that. The words popped out of his mouth as they came to mind. It was a miracle he didn’t blurt out a desperate confession of love to him. At any rate, he said everything he had made up his mind to say last time. No embellishment was needed. Because it was all sincere.

Did it get through?

Simon examined Clint’s expression. Clint was listening intently with a slight furrow in his brow.

That’s absurd.

Clint thought. Dying and returning to the past—such a thing is impossible. He didn’t believe everything Simon said. It was an nonsensical story.

However, he believed that Simon was sincere. The movement of his eyes, the reaction of his hands and feet, the minute movements of his muscles. Indicators that could never be hidden or faked pointed to the fact that he was telling the truth.

Simon believed that his preposterous story was entirely true.

What should I call this? Delusional disorder?

The name of the disease didn’t matter since he wasn’t a doctor. No, rather, it was fun. Clint felt more interested in this person named Simon Grayan than ever before.

Until now, Clint had no interest in Simon. He had seen him occasionally before, and he thought Simon was like an 80-year-old man. It didn’t mean his appearance looked old. His appearance was actually on the handsome and neat side, except for being excessively pale.

However, there was no vitality in that face. No matter when he saw him, he was indifferent as if he had no interest in life and wore a weary, bored expression. His lack of energy made his 23 years of age seem meaningless, and his presence looked faint. He looked like an old man enduring tedious time while just waiting for the day he dies.

But the Simon he saw today was a bit different from before. How should he put it? Like water splashed on a plant that was withering away, a vitality he’d never seen before was circulating. Clint didn’t know Simon well, but he could notice the fact that the face that looked like an 80-year-old man had changed like a young man of his age.

With his sensitive keenness, Clint immediately recognized the small change that others might not notice.

He found Simon’s change fascinating. The fact that the basis for that change was the result of that nonsensical delusion of regression was quite interesting. He had heard that Simon Grayan was in poor health. Gossip-mongers chattered about when Simon would die and what would happen to that vast fortune if he died. Certainly, Simon’s condition looked bad enough for people to chatter like that. Even so, saying he would die in half a year sounded like a peculiar story, but it piqued his interest. And what about those things he brought as wishes! Contrary to Simon’s thoughts, Clint didn’t care whether he had a conflict with Dalton’s gang or not. A few days ago, Simon’s story simply hadn’t been interesting.

It looks like it might be unexpectedly fun.

At the very least, it seemed like it would be enough to kill time. As if to prove this region was the countryside, the people were all the same, and the incidents that occurred were predictable. Clint was insanely bored, and anything that could be more fun than a newspaper crossword puzzle was welcome.

There’s no reason not to accept.

After finishing his thoughts, Clint looked at Simon. Simon was waiting for his answer with an expressionless face. Unlike his calm appearance, his brown eyes were desperate. He could see Simon’s fingertips trembling slightly with tension.

“I understand well that you are sincere, Mr. Grayan.”

“Then…”

“I will formally accept your request, Mr. Grayan.”

“!”

Simon clenched his hands without realizing it. I did it! I succeeded! Simon cheered internally. Clint watched that scene. He didn’t show it at all on the outside, but it showed very slightly. The body language that differed from his expression was quite fun. It seemed Simon was a person very different from his appearance. The thought that getting to know him might be fun brushed past his mind. Though it vanished quickly.