Jinha was earnestly chasing Doyoung's eyes, waiting for an answer, while Doyoung subtly avoided his gaze and picked up another Band-Aid. His fingertips, fumbling with the wrapper, were hopelessly clumsy, mixed with hesitation. That was how complicated Doyoung's thoughts were.
'Why did I come back to help you?'
It was because he didn't know what to say. Of course, it was because: You are a protagonist of this webtoon. You're the one who will save Dohee later. 'And also….'
The several reasons he had calmly lined up in his head were all things he couldn't say out loud, and somehow, they didn't sit right with Doyoung.
And so, Doyoung had no choice but to give a rather impulsive answer for someone who had thought so hard. There might have been a more plausible excuse if he'd searched, but for some reason, it just popped out. Perhaps that was why it was closer to Doyoung's true feelings.
"This is the first time I'm telling anyone this, but…"
"..."
"Getting hit and getting hurt... it really hurts."
After saying this, Doyoung, as if embarrassed, scrunched his nose and turned his gaze away.
Jinha's eyes, which had been watching him, finally noticed the dark purplish-blue bruise on Doyoung's cheekbone. Connecting that bruise... with all the medical supplies that had poured endlessly from Doyoung's bag, anyone, no matter how dense, could have guessed the situation, even though Doyoung didn't say another word.
Maybe that was why. Jinha's expression, which had been sharply busy sizing Doyoung up, instantly softened, like that of a small child who wanted to apologize for his mistake.
Embarrassed by the atmosphere he himself had created, Doyoung smiled and mumbled, "It's just."
"It looked like it hurt. Just. I just wanted to. Is that not allowed?"
He spoke casually, and unlike before, he gently placed a small Band-Aid on Jinha's mouth.
Jinha couldn't take his eyes off him.
After applying most of the Band-Aids, it thankfully looked like there were no more serious injuries. Doyoung was crumpling the leftover trash in his hand and gathering his things when it happened.
Without Doyoung noticing, Jinha's hand reached out and gently touched his cheek.
Doyoung, whose eyes went wide with surprise, looked at him, but unlike him, Jinha's thumb was gently sweeping over his bruise, as if to soothe it.
"Did it hurt?"
It was a somehow child-like, innocent question. One without any hidden agenda, as if he was truly just wondering if it hurt. Because of that, Doyoung forgot he was even surprised and let a bashful laugh scatter. He shook his head.
"It doesn't hurt anymore."
"Should I punish them for you?"
"In that state?"
"…Right. Saying that while looking like this would be pretty ridiculous."
Jinha, who was so embarrassed his ears turned red, was so amusing that Doyoung burst out laughing, "Ahaha." It felt like the first time he had laughed so freely and without worry since coming here. The laugh must have been a bit too loud, as Jinha pouted and grumbled under his breath.
"It's just because I was trying not to deal with them. I'm not weak."
"I know. I didn't do this because you look weak."
"Lies. What do you know?"
"I just... don't want you to get hurt. That's why."
Jinha, who had been idly fidgeting with his hands, stopped as if surprised and looked at Doyoung.
'Why does he look like he's never heard such a thing in his life?'
Doyoung, his heart going out to Jinha, couldn't help but add a bit more nagging.
"I'll figure out my own stuff, so I'm just worried I'd be upset if you got dragged into it and got hurt more."
He was comforting him, but then...
"I don't know what's going on with you, but don't just take the beatings. From what I've seen, kids like that don't know they're in the wrong unless you give it right back to them. They'll just see you as a pushover and it'll get worse."
He found himself giving advice, like lessons he actually wanted to follow himself.
"No, wait. What if you get hurt more while fighting back? Then there's no point."
He worried aloud to himself.
This was, therefore, purely Lee Jinha's fault. Because he was listening so intently, his swollen eyes as wide as they could go, Doyoung ended up chattering on about this and that.
They had just met today. He hadn't even solved his own problems. The thought that he was lecturing him struck him as ridiculous, and he eventually just put on a small smile. With that, the long-winded speech came to an end.
"Anywhere else hurt?"
When he asked, Jinha shook his head.
'Then it's time to part ways.'
Doyoung, who had already finished packing his bag, shouldered it with a small "Eusha."
"I'm going. I don't know if we'll see each other again, but... stay safe and don't get hurt."
Jinha looked up at Doyoung, who said this and didn't forget to grab his convenience store bag as he stood, looking a little bit sad. He seemed a little reluctant, but Doyoung had mercilessly said, "I don't know if we'll see each other again," as if it were a final goodbye, so he couldn't easily speak.
As a substitute of sorts, just as Doyoung had taken in Jinha's name, Jinha saw the three syllables written on Doyoung's chest and quietly rolled the name 'Cha Doyoung' in his mouth.
Cha Doyoung.
Cha Doyoung.
Over and over, as if memorizing it.
In that time, Doyoung, who had been about to turn away, glanced back at Jinha as if he'd left something unsaid. Jinha, inwardly hopeful that he had more to say, quickly asked, "What?" Doyoung, who was hesitating and kicking at his shoes, opened his mouth.
"Later on, I mean."
"Yeah."
"If someone is in the same situation as you were today, if that happens... I hope you'll help them, too."
'Of course, that kind of thing should never happen in the first place.'
He swallowed the one sentence he couldn't add, and then Doyoung finished, "Never mind. It's just... nothing. I'm really going now."
Doyoung heavily lifted his feet, which somehow didn't want to move. Once he'd taken the first difficult step, the next ones put a few more paces between them. Then, Doyoung, who glanced back one more time, realized Jinha was still watching his retreating back. Seeing him like that made him feel at a loss, so he gave an awkward wave and turned back around.
And in the moment he took another step.
'Right. It was suspiciously quiet.'
Tiring, tiring, tiring. The all-too-familiar sound rang in Doyoung's ears.
[WARNING] [WARNING] [WARNING]
As his vision began to turn red, Doyoung set down the bag he was holding with an expression of complete resignation. He had forgotten about it at some point while they were talking; it had been far too peaceful.
'Right, you wouldn't be the damned System if you just let this slide.'
Doyoung, who had no image left to protect in this world, humbly accepted his fate of being in the ridiculous situation of 'collapsing himself right after treating someone else.'
'Go ahead, do your worst.'
A fatal error will occur.
[A fatal error has occurred.]
See, I'm a psychic now.
Error location: Cha Doyoung, Lee Jinha.
[Error Location: Lee Jinha] [Similar Error Case: 1 (Kang Hyun)] [Analyzing...]
Huh?
[ERROR] [Cannot be restored.]
'What? Where'd my name go?'
[WARNING] [Repetition of similar error can seriously impact system operation.] [Caution required.]
Some new phrases popped up.
[ERROR] [System is unstable.] [Temporarily pausing some programs for system stabilization.]
Is it getting a server expansion or something? Or maybe the system was upgrading itself based on experience. The conclusion was that, even though it was the same error, it thankfully wasn't rampaging with a flood of 'Not Responding' messages like last time. That alone was a relief.
The warning window he dreaded had appeared, but something was a little strange.
'No, it skipped my name, and now what's this about a temporary pause?'
But what was the point in agonizing over it? Doyoung soon came to view the situation with a cynical eye. In Cha Doyoung's life, it would probably just be a 'faint' anyway.
Doyoung surrendered to the system's tyranny and slowly closed his eyes.
But... somehow...
...It's quiet?
He peeked one eye open, and his vision was completely unchanged.
'What is it?'
Normally, whether it was a forced shutdown or a faint, his vision should have gone black or he should have felt a heavy thump. This was a new phenomenon, and Doyoung tilted his head. There had never been a time it was this peaceful after an error window popped up.
'Is there something else I don't know?'
Then, a thought struck him. 'Ah. Is it really because my name wasn't in the error this time?'
But it said it would pause something.
'Wait? If I'm not the one on pause, then…'
Doyoung's body spun around. The error location that had just popped up was clearly Lee Jinha. Then was Jinha the one being paused? But Kang Hyun was fine last time. Was that system bastard ganging up on me last time, deciding to single me out for a beating?
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