Becoming the Terminally-Ill Villain Who Torments His Disciples - Chapter 13.1
Ryan rested his chin on his hand and quietly watched Cielo.
As soon as Oscar burst into the clinic and saw Cielo, he broke down in loud sobs.
In the past, Cielo would have scolded him for being noisy, but now he was hugging and comforting Oscar, gently stroking him.
It was a sight that would have been unimaginable just three months ago.
Cielo had changed.
No one knew if it was because of a specific turning point or if it was really due to hitting his head.
But whatever the cause, Ryan welcomed the change with open arms.
‘…I never intended to fall this hard.’
The feelings Ryan held toward Cielo had started as nothing more than guilt.
Five years ago, they had been friends, and Ryan had fully believed they would remain that way.
Back when he first met Cielo, he didn’t even like him.
Maybe he even disliked him a little.
‘Maybe… I actually disliked him.’
But now it was different.
At some point, Cielo had changed.
The man who used to glare at people with sharp eyes had completely transformed.
When he was deep in thought, his lips would stick out slightly.
When he saw something ridiculous, he would frown just a little.
When he was tired, he would yawn without hesitation and quickly shut his mouth if their eyes met. Or he would roll his eyes sheepishly.
The way he looked at Oscar with genuine affection. The rare smiles that escaped his lips in soft laughter.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
As Ryan tapped the desk, he gazed at Cielo’s face while he chatted with Oscar from a distance.
Even if someone lost their memories, habits ingrained in the body don’t change overnight.
But Cielo had become a completely different person in a single day.
“I’m probably not the person you remember anymore.”
For some reason, Ryan couldn’t stop thinking about those words Cielo had said the day he was strangely forgiven.
‘The Cielo I knew…’
The Cielo from his childhood, who had briefly been his friend, and the Cielo now—
Were they really the same person?
As soon as the doubt crossed his mind, Ryan began trying to find proof that the person in front of him was truly Cielo.
“He remembers the fight we had? No, he could’ve just seen medical records or asked around.”
No matter how he thought about it, he couldn’t find a clear answer.
‘If he’s not the real Cielo, could it be a twin?’
He knew that Cielo’s older siblings were twins.
If Cielo himself had a twin that no one knew about, maybe that explained it.
“It’s not completely impossible.”
As he continued to run through all sorts of speculations, Ryan ran a hand through his hair.
‘…Though maybe it doesn’t matter.’
Ryan had only started to look at Cielo differently after his personality changed.
He had only planned to shake off the guilt that weighed on his chest.
But the words Cielo once said ended up tying Ryan down completely.
“You showed me how hard you were trying—how could I keep rejecting you after that?”
To Cielo, it might have been a casual comment, but to Ryan, it was something he had longed to hear all his life.
Everyone around him had dismissed his efforts as meaningless and pointed fingers at him.
Only Cielo recognized them, accepted them, and validated them.
He told Ryan that what he had done wasn’t for nothing and showed genuine belief.
‘Even if you’re a completely different person…’
The feelings taking root were clearly for the person in front of him.
‘That’s why… I’m not going to let you die.’
With that quiet resolve, Ryan took a deep breath and looked at Cielo.
Cielo was now gently wiping under Oscar’s eyes while speaking with him.
Without realizing it, Ryan began to listen to their conversation.
“Why do you have such dark circles under your eyes? Couldn’t sleep?”
“I was worried about you, Master… but Sir Doberman told me to go back to my room…”
“Still, you need to get proper sleep. If you’re tired, go back and get a little more rest.”
“Together…?”
“Yes, together.”
Just as Oscar’s face lit up at Cielo’s words, Ryan cut in firmly.
“No. We still need to monitor your condition for another two days. You’ll stay in the clinic for now.”
At his firm tone, both Cielo and Oscar turned to look at him.
When Ryan raised an eyebrow as if to ask “Do you have a problem with that?” Cielo lowered his voice and said:
“He says no. Then… shall we sleep together here instead?”
Saying that, Cielo met Oscar’s eyes and gave him a gentle, beautiful smile.
Watching that calm expression from a step away, Ryan instinctively turned his head and covered his mouth with his hand.
Cielo hadn’t even smiled at him, but just seeing his face made Ryan’s chest feel strangely light and ticklish.
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