The Saint Wants to Rest - vanish into fiction

The face reflected in the mirror was a mess.

The areas around his eyes were red and swollen, and his lips were puffed out as if someone had bitten them hard.

Ian repeated the process of splashing his face with cold water several times.

“I’ve truly gone crazy.”

The memories of the previous night surged in like a wave.

Those explicit and sticky acts that had taken place under the pretext of treatment. Vermouth’s hot body temperature, the tongue that had delved in persistently, and the touch of the hands wrapping around his waist.

At some point, it felt as though it had ceased to be a pure medical act. Thinking back on it, it was clearly a case of ‘predation.’ Even so, he felt pathetic for being unable to refuse and clinging on instead. He had certainly hated it so much in the past, so why did it feel alright now? Was it because Vermouth had thrown everything away to follow him? Or because he had even cast aside his one and only body in that state?

“Whew.”

Ian rubbed his face roughly with a towel. No matter how much he wiped, the sensation remaining on his lips would not disappear. To think he had to face his brother in this state. His heart was beating so hard he felt it might jump out of his mouth.

Ian took a deep breath and opened the bathroom door. As he stepped into the living room, a delicious scent pricked his nose.

In the kitchen, Choi Jae-heon was wearing an apron and stirring with a ladle. Side dishes were already neatly set on the table. It was the image of the usual, kind older brother.

However, there was one alien presence joined in that peaceful scenery.

“Are you awake, Mr. Ian?”

Standing by the living room window with the morning sunlight at his back, Vermouth greeted him with a radiant smile.

Ian flinched and nearly took a step backward in surprise.

The patient who had been practically dying just yesterday was now standing upright like a model, drinking water. His complexion was beyond healthy; it was practically glowing, and his eyes were intense. Except for the fact that he was missing an arm, he looked perfectly fine.

“…Your, your body?”

“It has improved a great deal. Thanks to you.”

When Vermouth blinked meaningfully, Ian’s face flushed a deep red.

“Ian, come eat.”

Choi Jae-heon called Ian affectionately while setting a pot down on the table. He gestured only to Ian, treating Vermouth as if he were an invisible man. Left with no choice, Ian grabbed Vermouth and sat him down at the table as well. He was still a patient, so he needed to eat well. Thus, the three men sat around the dining table.

A strange silence flowed for a moment. It seemed this often happened when this particular combination of people was together. It was likely due to the awkwardness.

Amidst only the clattering sounds of cutlery, Choi Jae-heon was the first to speak.

“Ian, try this. It’s an egg roll. I put in the tuna you like, too.”

Choi Jae-heon placed a side dish onto Ian’s bowl of rice.

“Eat this as well, Saint.”

As if refusing to be outdone, Vermouth lifted a well-grilled Vienna sausage. He was quite shameless considering he hadn’t even cooked it himself. Choi Jae-heon seemed to be thinking something similar.

With excessive attention pouring in from both sides, Ian couldn’t tell if the food was going into his nose or his mouth. Even while eating, Choi Jae-heon glared at Vermouth whenever he had the chance, and Vermouth caught those glares with a relaxed air as if enjoying them.

Just then, the sound of the front door lock releasing was heard.

Beep-beep-beep.

“I’m here! Is everyone alive?”

It was Hong Seo-yun’s voice. He entered carrying shopping bags in both hands. And behind him, a strange woman followed.

She was a woman with a sharp and intellectual impression, wearing a sharp bob cut and metal-framed glasses. This was Lee Se-ah, an A-class Buffer belonging to the Phoenix Guild.

“Who is this?”

“Ah, let me introduce you. This is Lee Se-ah, a Buffer from our guild. She specializes in purification. Ian, you might not know her.”

Hong Seo-yun introduced her. Ian tilted his head. It was a face he was seeing for the first time. It made sense, as Lee Se-ah was a talented individual who had joined the guild during the period when Ian had dimensionally shifted to Lancia and been processed as missing. Naturally, they were meeting for the first time.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Lee Se-ah. I’ve heard many rumors. I understand you are Choi Jae-heon’s younger brother. So, where is the patient?”

Ian pointed toward Vermouth, who was just standing up from the dining table.

“Then, excuse me for a moment.”

“I’d like to let him finish his meal, but our Team Leader is quite busy, you see.”

Lee Se-ah was also the Team Leader of the department that gathered healers at Phoenix. She gave Vermouth a brief, businesslike nod and examined him. After meticulously looking at the wound and even lifting his shirt, she poured out her power of purification.

“Hmm, what is this?”

“Why? Can’t you purify it?”

Hong Seo-yun approached, asking worriedly.

“No. It’s just strange. I heard he was poisoned, but at this level, it isn’t that severe? He would recover slowly even if left alone. I tried using purification, but it doesn’t seem to be helping much, either.”

“Oh, really?”

Hong Seo-yun’s eyes naturally turned toward Ian. Lee Se-ah saw that as well. Feeling guilty for no reason, Ian poked at his egg roll with his chopsticks.