Chapter 7
The trampled grass beneath my heavy dragging feet released an intense fragrance. The sharp scent that burst forth like popping granules tickled my nose and pushed heavily into my lungs.
What I thought was ground was actually tree roots, and the disorderly sprouting plants obscured my vision and deceived my feet. As I waded through, swinging my toes with each step, sometimes I’d catch on a tree trunk or be swallowed by a sunken puddle. If not for Kim Doyun who skillfully caught me each time, I would have been rolling on the ground with injuries all over my body long ago.
Sweat began to build up. Not just sweat—I desperately exhaled when I could no longer hold my breath that had risen to my chin. Though the dense trees blocked the hazy morning sunlight and the dampened vines lowered the temperature inside the forest, it made little difference to me. Largely due to walking continuously on my uncomfortable leg, the forest environment that anyone would have welcomed in midsummer seemed to bypass only me. It was too hot.
Kim Doyun was also walking slowly with his suit jacket draped over his arm. But it seemed more that the jacket was uncomfortable rather than him feeling hot. His clean face still hadn’t broken a single drop of sweat and gleamed pale in the sunlight reflecting off the leaves.
Walking ahead, he stopped and turned to look at me. Then without a word, he sat down on a tree stump and closed his eyes. I was momentarily surprised by how unconcerned he seemed about grass stains on his expensive suit, but understanding why he was doing this, I carefully sat beside him.
The wind passing through the forest gently rustled the leaves and brushed past our heads. I gathered my resolve that was about to melt in the cool breeze. We were essentially refugees, and this place was the center of an urban area that had become ruins in all but name.
“Where do you think we are?”
“Hmm, I’m not sure either.”
Kim Doyun answered my question after genuine contemplation, not just out of politeness. What a sincere man.
“It would be good if we at least knew our location…”
I took out my phone from my pocket and fiddled with the broken screen. It would be so helpful if I could use the location finding function. My fingertips felt the bumpy cracks spreading like a spider web across the screen. I held the dead phone in both hands and sighed. Ah, I still had so many installment payments left on it.
“Would you like to rest a bit if you’re very tired?”
“Pardon?”
“You look tired. Your complexion doesn’t look good either.”
“Ah, my face probably looks strange because of the bruises.”
Remembering my face as I had seen it in the mirror, I felt a bit embarrassed. Even to me, the dark bruises that had settled on my face were grotesque; honestly, they could have been repulsive. If not for the chaotic situation, people probably wouldn’t have been able to overlook them so easily. But Kim Doyun shook his head.
“That’s not it. Your eyes are half-closed.”
I hurriedly rubbed my eyes. I thought I was putting in considerable effort to keep them open, but it seems they had closed without me realizing. Swallowing an embarrassed laugh, I made excuses.
“…Haha, I am a bit tired. But not so much that I can’t walk…”
Though I spoke with a smile, I diligently assessed my physical condition. The accident happened around 4 PM yesterday, I was taken to the hospital and sat there for a while, then another incident occurred, and after things settled down somewhat, we left the hospital. That was around dawn, and as we walked, morning had broken… I realized I hadn’t addressed my hunger or fatigue at all during this day of upheaval.
While it would be okay to complain, I had to pull myself together. Kim Doyun’s experience probably wasn’t much different, so he must be feeling considerable fatigue too. Plus, he had been watching out for my safety throughout our walk, so he must be more tired than me. Looking at his profile as he was deep in thought, I felt apologetic.
“Um… I’m sorry. You must be having a hard time because of me. It would be easier if my leg healed, but it doesn’t seem like it will get better anytime soon.”
I had only meant to apologize, but additional words followed without me realizing. Human hearts are truly fickle—though inexplicable kindness made me uncomfortable, I didn’t stop him when he said he would follow me because he didn’t want to be alone. And now look at this. I was draining his energy, making my words about not wanting to be a burden seem empty.
“Haha.”
But Kim Doyun burst into laughter after hearing my apology. Seeing my wide-eyed surprise, he shook his head and said:
“Ah, I’m sorry. I just found it quite… amusing.”
“Excuse me?”
Kim Doyun threw out this puzzling remark and then pressed his lips shut. Was he amused because he understood my conflicted feelings, or was there something else? If it was the former, it would be truly embarrassing, but I couldn’t think of what the latter might be. My face reddened as I lowered my head. How humiliating.
“There’s no need to think that way. I wanted this, and helping was my choice. Besides, I’m very strong.”
He said this with a polite face. There was a discrepancy between his proper, quiet face and his playful tone, but somehow they subtly harmonized. Thanks to Kim Doyun’s words, my embarrassment subsided. As it gradually diminished, gratitude and apologetic feelings toward him filled the space. I wiped away my sweat and smiled.
“Then, may I rely on you a bit?”
“Of course.”
Kim Doyun seemed rather pleased. Certainly, I thought rest was necessary rather than forcing ourselves to slow down. For both me and Kim Doyun. Though his strength was remarkable, physical endurance has its limits. Being strong doesn’t necessarily mean having good stamina.
“I’d like to sleep a bit. …Actually, I’m so tired I want to just lie down right here…”
“Well, it is time for a rest.”
However, I realized my thinking had been quite naive. When I got up and looked around, there was nothing but trees and waist-high undergrowth, with no place to lie down. Places that seemed suitable at first glance had thigh-sized roots tangled in a messy web, making them uninviting. But Kim Doyun, who had been quietly looking at the sky, abruptly stood up.
Before I could say anything, he stood in front of a tree so massive it would take at least three strong men to encircle it. Then, using nearby vines and branches, he climbed the tree with large strides. His hands grabbed tough vines without hesitation, and the way he placed his slippery dress shoes on tree knots to support himself was quick and effortless.
His agility, moving easily despite the uncomfortable suit, made me briefly question his identity. His polished appearance and attire gave the impression of an elite, but could he actually be some sort of athlete?
“This looks good.”
Kim Doyun stopped at around the waist of the enormous tree and shouted.
“Pardon…?”
“This would be a good place to sleep.”
After shouting this again, he jumped down the tree in leaps. Leaves scattered with a rustling sound, following his path like a trajectory. The leaves adorning the air were quite a spectacle, but I had no time to shift my gaze to them. His story struck me as too absurd.
“Up in the tree?”
“Yes.”
Kim Doyun’s voice was firm. As if there was nowhere else to go. With my face full of bewilderment, I pointed to my leg.
“Isn’t it… too high?”
“But there’s no place safer than there. I’ll help you climb up.”
No, climbing a tree would require more than just help. But Kim Doyun smiled and persuaded me, saying he could do it. Feeling that it would be difficult to change his mind, I kept quiet.
A tree that large would likely have deeply embedded roots and could withstand considerable vibrations. Additionally, the branches seemed wide enough for two men to curl up and sleep comfortably. Though someone with bad sleeping habits wouldn’t even dream of it.
All things considered, it was the optimal sleeping place, but climbing up was the issue. I sighed. He would probably change his mind after experiencing some difficulty. Lifting an adult man into a tree by sheer strength would be impossible without machinery.
And I had to retract that thought less than a few minutes later.
“Wait, just a moment, ahhh!”
Kim Doyun hoisted me onto his back and began climbing the tree.
“Aaahhh!”
As soon as I agreed, he started climbing—what kind of human is he? His superhuman strength and balance in holding my body were beyond the realm of normal people. But my surprise was brief, as I had to struggle to suppress the nausea rising in my throat.
The world was shaking rapidly. The distant ground, and my body dancing along with his feet as they climbed up in leaps. It was a continuous series of scene changes worthy of a 3D movie. I shut my eyes tightly and prayed for a quick arrival. Having climbed to a height where stopping midway would be disastrous, I desperately wanted to reach a branch and rest rather than hoping for Kim Doyun to give up.
As if understanding my feelings, the shaking world quickly quieted down. But still fearing I was hanging from a tree knot, I couldn’t easily open my eyes.
“You can open your eyes now.”
“…Have we arrived?”
“Yes.”
My eyelids trembling, I swung my feet. Then I heard a small laugh from beside me. Yes, I know. My current appearance must be incredibly funny. But after what I had just experienced, the fear wouldn’t easily disappear. Only when I heard the crackly sound under my feet could I finally open my eyes.
“…It’s, it’s high.”
“Yes.”
The moment I opened my eyes and looked down, no other thoughts came to mind. Surprise and shock welled up about the person who had carried me to this height. I retreated cautiously and sat down.
“Do you have a fear of heights?”
Seeing me kneeling, Kim Doyun asked with concern. With a complexion that must have looked deathly pale in addition to my bruises, I answered him.
“…No. I’m about to pray.”
“Pray?”
“Because you saved my life.”
Kim Doyun burst into laughter. He seemed to think I was joking, but I was serious. I rubbed my trembling fingertips against my knees. Of all the tremors I had experienced so far, this moment of climbing the tree was the most frightening.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
