I Have A Damn Family Again - Chapter 118

Chapter 118: The House of Ipheros (11)

-Thud! Thud!

The sounds were sickening.

Heavy, dull thuds echoed through the park as the evening sun cast long shadows across the grass.

Passersby simply assumed it was a fight between children and walked on, their eyes averted.

No one offered help.

It was a brutal, one-sided beating, a gang of students relentlessly attacking a lone boy.

But despite being outnumbered, the boy refused to back down. He staggered to his feet, his resolve unwavering.

“Pant… Pant…!”

“Damn, he’s up again…!”

“He’s relentless. Doesn’t he ever get tired?”

They were amazed by his stubbornness, his refusal to stay down.

The boy’s body was covered in bruises, dark purple marks staining his skin. Cuts and scrapes were visible, evidence of their relentless assault.

His uniform, once crisp and clean, was now stained with dirt and grime, soaked in blood in some places.

Anyone witnessing this scene, judging by the injuries alone, would have declared him the loser.

“….”

But despite the one-sided beating, he didn't give up.

There was no defeat in his eyes.

He gritted his teeth, ready to fight back, to land even a single blow.

They might have mocked him, taunted him if he had cried, but his defiance, his unwavering anger, made it impossible for them to find amusement in this act of cruelty.

Eventually, unable to break his spirit, they retreated.

Left alone, the boy spat out a mouthful of blood-tinged saliva and slung his bag over his shoulder, heading home.

But his expression was far from cheerful.

“….”

The evening sky was dark, the air heavy with the chill of winter.

He reached his house, his hand hovering over the doorknob.

He should have been eager to step inside, to shed his bloodstained uniform, to wash away the grime and tend to his wounds. He needed rest, nourishment, a chance to recover.

But he hesitated.

He knew he shouldn’t linger outside, but…

…he couldn’t bring himself to open the door.

After a long moment of silence, he let out a hollow laugh and finally stepped inside.

“Oh, you’re home? What took you so long, Min-hyeok?”

A voice, filled with annoyance, greeted him.

It was his second eldest sister.

She emerged from their parents’ room, her eyes widening as she took in his appearance.

“What the… Damn it, did you get into another fight?”

Another fight?

That meant this wasn’t the first time. He had come home looking like this before.

And it was true.

But the words he needed, the comfort he craved, were never spoken.

“You idiot! Didn’t I tell you to stop fighting?”

How could he possibly want to come home to this?

To her sharp words, her constant lectures?

To his youngest sister’s mocking laughter?

To his eldest sister’s indifferent glance as she walked past him, offering him a glass of water before retreating to her room?

Even though he had been bullied, targeted.

Even though he had fought back, defended himself.

Even though he wasn’t at fault…

…no one asked if he was okay.

They weren’t his family. Not really.

“Are you ignoring me?! Hey!!”

Ignoring her, Min-hyeok headed straight for the bathroom.

He turned on the shower, and a blast of cold water hit him.

His youngest sister had deliberately turned off the hot water.

But he had to wash his uniform.

He had school tomorrow.

With trembling hands, he scrubbed the bloodstains, ignoring the throbbing pain in his bruised knuckles.

The water stung his wounds, but he clenched his jaws and endured it.

He finished washing his uniform and stepped out of the bathroom, his body shivering.

And that night…

…he came down with a terrible cold.

It was worse than the one he had gotten during his second sister’s birthday, longer lasting and more debilitating.

The chills wracked his body relentlessly and his temperature plummeted.

He needed care and attention.

If anyone had touched him, felt the coldness of his skin, they would have realized how sick he was.

But…

…bad luck seemed to follow him wherever he went.

Misfortune piled upon misfortune.

The next day was Saturday.

Outside, the cherry blossoms were in bloom, signaling the arrival of spring.

It was a beautiful day, perfect for a family outing.

“We’re going out with Mom. Make sure you rest and take care of those wounds, you idiot!”

His second sister tossed a bag of medical supplies into his room before leaving.

Ointment, bandages, anti-inflammatory medication… everything he needed.

But they were useless.

No one came to check on him.

He was alone, left to battle the chills and fever in the silence of his empty room.

No warmth, no comfort.

***

The scene, so vivid, so real, made me realize I was dreaming.

“Damn it.”

A curse escaped my lips.

Why was I dreaming about this?

It was just a memory, a painful one, but a memory nonetheless.

Why were these people, these… family members, haunting me?

I tossed and turned, desperate to wake up.

I didn’t want to relive this nightmare.

But…

…my body felt heavier than usual.

And it wasn’t just the weight.

It was the warmth.

The warmth I had craved in that dream, the warmth I had been denied.

It spread through me, a comforting, gentle heat.

Soft and comforting.

‘What is this?’

I opened my eyes, curious, and…

…my breath caught in my throat.

Harnie.

She was sleeping next to me, her body pressed against mine.

I stared at her, speechless, for what felt like an eternity.

Trying to remember…

Trying to understand…

Two mistakes, Harnie had said.

If I had been in my right mind, I would have caught those errors.

I couldn’t deny it.

She had given me a special tea, designed to help my body adapt to the demonic energy. She had warned me that it would induce sleep, that my body’s natural defense mechanism would be activated.

She had said she wanted to see how long I would sleep, to test my claims of being fine.

…I understood all that, but…

‘Why… Why are you sleeping next to me?’

That question remained unanswered.

-Rustle.

‘Oh no!’

Lost in thought, I shifted my body, trying to get comfortable.

And…

“Hmm…?”

“…”

Our eyes met.

Hers were wide with surprise, a flicker of recognition in their depths.

Then…

…panic.

“Aah!”

She scrambled away, grabbing the blankets, and I froze, my body stiffening.

Her exposed shoulder…

Had she lowered her neckline?

“Y-You…!”

“I-I didn’t do anything! I swear!”

I had just woken up! What could I possibly have done?

No, wait…

I wasn’t even thinking about touching her!

…But…

I had shifted in my sleep, hadn’t I? Before I woke up…

Had I… touched her?

No! I couldn’t admit that!

Harnie, her face flushed, wrapped herself in the blankets, creating a protective barrier between us.

And then…

“Ugh!”

…she threw the blankets over my head.

“Stay still!”

“But I didn’t touch you…! Gah!”

She ignored my protests, tightening her grip on the blankets.

I felt a knot forming, the fabric constricting around my head.

I was starting to panic, worried that this would trigger a suffocation status ailment, when…

…her voice, trembling slightly, reached me.

“I-If you stay still… I’ll let you go. So just… be quiet!”

“…Alright.”

She seemed furious, so I decided to comply.

I raised my hands in surrender as she continued to bind me with the blankets, effectively blocking my vision.

The pressure eased, and I heard the rustling of fabric as she adjusted her clothes.

Finally, the blankets were removed, and my vision returned.

I kept my hands raised, just in case, and asked cautiously,

“…Are you done?”

She nodded, her face still hidden from view.

Another long silence stretched between us.

Neither of us could find the words.

The air in the room felt strangely… warm.

Harnie, breaking the awkward silence, spoke first.

“It’s… morning.”

“What?”

“Y-You were exhausted, weren't you? Don’t you remember?”

…Right.

If it was morning, it meant I had fallen asleep after drinking that tea.

“This proves it, doesn’t it? You were pushing yourself too hard. So you need to get enough rest from now on.”

“…”

She stood there, hands on her hips, her voice firm, her gaze unwavering.

I wanted to tell her that it was only because this was Carsein’s body…

But I knew that wouldn’t change anything.

“Fine. I’ll sleep for at least three hours a day, is that okay?”

“Yes! But no short naps, those don't count!”

Well, that was a compromise I could live with.

I had lost this bet, fair and square.

If it had been my own body, I could have powered through, but Carsein’s body clearly needed more rest.

“Well, Uh, let’s have breakfast. I’ll call for the servants!”

She quickly left the room, as if fleeing the awkwardness of the situation.

I wasn’t sure why she was in such a hurry, but…

…I was grateful.

***

Harnie stepped outside, her cheeks burning.

The warmth, the lingering memory of their close proximity, refused to fade.

‘What have I done!’

She had managed to maintain her composure, but now, as she stood outside his room, the image of their tangled bodies, the warmth of his skin against hers…

‘No, I was just… trying to save him. Y-Yes, that’s all it was.’

She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, to cool the heat rising within her.

The cold air helped, somewhat.

But the warmth, once ignited, lingered, a constant reminder of their shared intimacy.

-Thump. Thump.