Escape from the Iljinhoe Project 13

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# Chapter 13

My physical condition was completely restored.

Once the indigestion subsided, my body felt so light that, adding a bit of humor, I felt like wings might sprout from my shoulder blades. I seemed to have taken about three days’ worth of the medicine prescribed at the hospital. Yet somehow the amount didn’t seem to decrease, still looking plentiful—or was that just my imagination?

“Teacher, what kind of medicine is this?”

However, I had been struggling for the past three days and frequently ended up in the infirmary bed even during class. As a result, I naturally became friends with the health teacher. All the teachers at this school acted as if I’d scammed them out of money or something—they would flinch and use polite speech whenever they saw me. The health teacher was no exception. Even though he was male, I could tell he was afraid of me, which honestly left me with nothing but emotional scars.

At first, I would just quietly sleep and leave, but after coming several times, I got bored and started speaking to him warmly. Now he was finally treating me like a normal student. This is how it should be, but what kind of existence was Gu Haejin at this school until now? Being social is seriously difficult.

I was lying on the bed, then got up and wandered around the infirmary, looking at everything. I found a medicine bottle labeled ‘analgesic’ on the health teacher’s desk while he was working and picked it up. When I opened the lid, it was full of thin, apricot-colored oval pills.

“Huh? Ah, that’s a multivitamin I take. Would you like to try one, Haejin? They’re tasty.”

“Wow, a vitamin? I’d love to.”

I’m at an age where I should start taking care of my body. Twenty-six isn’t as energetic as you might think. Even though I’m unemployed, staying up all night gaming, reading comics, and just lazing around makes my body ache…

With the teacher’s permission, I quickly took one. Wow. It was sweet like a vitamin and exactly the flavor I liked. Since it’s a vitamin, I could probably take one more, right? Hmm. Delicious…

“Is it good?”

“Yes. This is totally my style!”

“Actually, I originally had a separate container, but I accidentally dropped it at home before and they all broke, so I had no choice but to put them in an empty analgesic bottle.”

“Ah, so this word in English means ‘painkiller’? Wait, shouldn’t you not put original medicines in different containers? I think I saw on TV that there’s a risk of taking the wrong one by mistake…”

“Yeah, that’s true, but I’m a professional so I know better, and besides, I’m the only one who takes them.”

“But I just took one today.”

“Ah, that’s right…”

Did I hit the nail too hard on the head?

The health teacher’s face turned red, seeming embarrassed. Hehe. I may not look it, but I’m actually quite smart. I pinpoint only the core facts. The teacher scratched his head as if acknowledging my point.

“You’re right, I made a mistake. Haejin, you always skip class and come here, so I thought you didn’t study at all, but you’re secretly quite smart.”

Hahaha. That’s a dig.

“Hah… I’m going to start studying now. So, can I have these vitamins!?”

“Well, I don’t mind, but is that all you want?”

Yes. They’re freaking delicious.

Instead of answering, I nodded my head enthusiastically. At my reaction, the teacher readily agreed, saying, “Alright, take them.” ‘Gu Haejin has acquired multivitamin!’ Score!

To celebrate my new possession, I proudly took another one. The tangy orange flavor lingered in my mouth. Well, although the container labeled ‘analgesic’ bothered me a bit, it’s not like I could change it right now…

“Then I’ll be going now~”

“Alright.”

The bell rang, signaling lunchtime. With the vitamins tucked into my side pocket and after saying goodbye to the teacher, I headed to the classroom with a spring in my step.

True to the nature of a class full of energetic high school boys, the classroom was already empty, even though lunch had just started. These Sonic-like bastards. I sat down at my seat, popped another vitamin in my mouth, and carefully placed the bottle in my desk drawer. What if someone steals it? Then I felt something plastic and, with slightly furrowed brows, wondered what it was and pulled it out.

Ah… a string of 12 medicine packets, enough for 4 more days, came out. Now that I’m better, should I throw them away? I was just pondering this when the back door slid open.

“Haejin, let’s eat.”

As always, right on cue at lunchtime, the trio appeared. After the Devil staff (…) meeting where they spouted things I couldn’t understand, their behavior surprisingly hadn’t changed much. I wonder if I misheard them back then, or if they were just talking nonsense.

Well, whatever.

“I need to go to the bathroom. Go ahead.”

“No, I’ll wait.”

You don’t have to do that, Jung Ion?

I felt somewhat burdened, and Ion’s unusually subdued attitude bothered me, but my bladder, which felt like it might burst any second, was more important. So I stuffed the medicine packets out of sight and headed to the bathroom.

The trio stared blankly as Haejin disappeared into the bathroom. And the moment no one remained in either the classroom or the hallway, their actions became frantic.

“I’m sorry, Apex…!”

Hanseo closed his eyes tight and offered a prayer of apology over Haejin’s desk.

Today was their opportunity.

They had to confirm the identity of the medicine packets that Amin had discovered and Haejin had tried to hide! They had been watching for a chance, but Haejin rarely left his seat. The trio’s suspicions grew stronger because of this. Fortunately, they got lucky today as the Apex went to the bathroom. If not today, they might never get another chance! They had to finish this before Haejin returned. That thought made them anxious.

“I think he was putting his hand in the desk drawer earlier.”

Ion remembered seeing Haejin looking into his drawer when they entered the classroom. At those words, Hanseo quickly searched through the drawer.

And rustling—he stopped abruptly when he felt something. Without hesitation, he pulled it out.

“…!”

A transparent medicine packet containing 12 individual doses came up in Hanseo’s hand. Each packet contained 7 pills of various unknown shapes. Amin let out a small gasp.

“This appears to be what I saw.”

Amin’s voice echoed sorrowfully in the terrifyingly quiet space. At Amin’s words, Hanseo trembled, holding the medicine packets.

Given Haejin’s personality, it was obvious he would only bring what he needed for school. Yet there was this much—how much had actually been prescribed? Tears welled up in Hanseo’s eyes. It was a terrible moment when their worst fears became reality.

“Wait. There’s something else here.”

Ion searched the drawer more thoroughly, wondering if there was more information about Haejin’s condition. He pulled out something cylindrical from a corner among the medicine packets Hanseo had removed.

“Ha… Isn’t this… a medicine bottle…?”

A white medicine bottle.

Click—when he opened the lid, it was full of orange pills.

Not just what Hanseo had found, but another medicine had been discovered. Ion was speechless at the shocking situation. Tears finally streamed down Hanseo’s face. How much pain had Haejin been enduring, taking all these medicines, and trying so hard to hide it from them?

“Shin Amin. Do you know what this English word means?”

“I’ll search it up.”

Ion, who had been staring at the medicine bottle with an anguished expression, placed his last hope on the English word written on it. Following Ion’s direction, Amin took out his phone and typed the word’s spelling into the search bar. His fingertips trembled subtly before searching.

analgesic

US/UK [ˌænəlˈdʒiːzɪk]

Medical. Painkiller (=painkiller)

“Fuck!”

BAM!!

Ion couldn’t contain his anger and mercilessly punched the wall. The force caused the classroom wall to crack and cement fragments to fall. But no one stopped Ion. No, no one could stop him.

“What do we do… hic… Apex! Apex!!”

Confirmation kill.

The screen’s search results drove the trio to the worst-case scenario. All hope was shattered.

Hanseo clutched Haejin’s desk and sobbed uncontrollably, while Amin sank to his knees. A single tear fell from Amin’s usually emotionless eyes. The medicine packets and the bottle labeled analgesic on Haejin’s desk proved it all.

Below the meaning of ‘analgesic,’ the knowledge encyclopedia entry said “narcotic analgesic.”

Narcotic analgesic.

A potent drug used to suppress severe pain in cancer patients.

“Ah, that feels better~ Let’s go now. I heard they’re serving hamburger steak today.”

“……”

“Why are you all standing there looking stupid?”

Haejin tilted his head and looked at them in confusion. The most beautiful and noble being in this world, worthy of tears…

The supreme ruler who had raised Devil to the position of the 2nd ranked school gang.

Our eternal king with the most beautiful smile.

The ice flower of the school gangs, the Thousand-Year Prince.

Devil Apex Gu Haejin had been diagnosed with a terminal illness.

***

The trio acted strangely throughout the entire meal.

The three of them barely ate, just picking at their food. They sat there in a daze. If it was just one person, I might think they weren’t feeling well, but all three? Something was definitely off! Just a moment ago, I was so excited about the hamburger steak that I could have danced, but these guys completely ruined my appetite.

After eating in such a gloomy atmosphere, these guys who usually hung around my desk talking about Devil immediately said they had something to do and left. What’s going on? I feel seriously excluded. When did I become the outcast? Damn! They’re all over me when it suits them, and then they suddenly change. Hmph! I’m sulking too!

After school, I walked alone across the field that we usually crossed as a group of four, grumbling to myself. Ah, my side feels cold. Damn it. As cringe-worthy as these school gang members are, they’re the closest people I’ve had since my reincarnation, and I must have grown attached to them because I suddenly felt empty.

They say appreciate people while they’re around, but to think I’d recall such a warm saying in this world. Creepy.

“Gu Haejin.”

As I was trudging along, someone called me.

I looked up at the familiar voice and saw the damn Choigang Apex Oh Eundo, who had humiliated me in front of the entire school, standing at the front gate with his hands in his pockets and a crooked posture.

What the hell. Why are you here again? Didn’t you say other school gang leaders don’t casually visit another Apex’s school! It’s sacred ground (bullshit), you said!

“If you’re here to grab my collar again, just leave, okay?”

“That’s not it, asshole!!”

As I was about to ignore him and walk past, Oh Eundo grabbed my shoulder, flying into a rage. Ah, this is so annoying. I frowned as much as I could and faced Oh Eundo with an expression that said ‘what, asshole.’

He just stammered despite my generosity. Despite my piercing gaze urging him on, Eundo kept hesitating whether to speak or not. Finally, as if he’d made up his mind, he muttered.

“I’m sorry.”

“What are you sorry for?”

This wasn’t meant to be sarcastic but came from genuine curiosity. What exactly is he sorry about? With my head full of question marks, I stared at Oh Eundo with bewildered eyes.

“Ah, shit. I’m sorry for barging in suddenly the other day!”

If you’re sorry, just be sorry—why are you swearing, you hypocrite!

If you barged in, you barged in—I don’t understand what kind of conversation this is, apologizing for barging in. Wait, aren’t you an Apex too? Where in the world does one top dog apologize to an enemy top dog? And for barging in, of all things! Isn’t that what school gangs do all the time? They’re always barging in places. Hmm. Look at this unexpectedly polite guy.

Eundo covers his face with one hand, embarrassed. So you also know it’s funny. The more I look at you, the more honest you seem.

“You’re sorry?”

“…Yeah.”

“Then hang out with me a bit.”

“Are you crazy? Why should I?!”

“You said you were sorry. I’m bored today.”

Eundo looks at me as if I’m absurd. What? You said you were sorry. Then you should be able to do me this small favor!

“Where did all your minions go, that you’re bothering me?”

“Don’t know. They all disappeared.”

“Gu Haejin. Your personality seems different these days? You used to not even treat me like a human being.”

“Shut up and buy me food.”

“Your terrible personality hasn’t changed, I see.”