Zero by One: Take Me Home

26. Change of Heart & Valley of Lies

this chapter contains rapid switches in POVs and scenes

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Chapter 26
'ACTION' Arc
EP: TWO ‹pt.2›

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Eyes wide open and staring up at the ceiling in an anemic daze, my hand brought itself to the moistened cloth laying on my forehead. The coolness of the fabric contrasting with the heat flushing from head to toe of my body felt too real to be a dream. But for obvious reasons, my mind was like the untainted sheet on my desktop when my artist's block strikes.

Out of all turbulences, this one by far was a full-blown wrecker. The cause of the fever could very well be due to not being able to sleep a wink, or the headache following the dramatic flow of waterworks, or the after-breakdown fatigue in general catching up with me. Perhaps it was everything, all at once.

Luckily, even though my sanity came and went like a lightbulb on voltage fluctuations, I wasn't too out of it not to know that my eye was unprotected. Which was why earlier, I couldn't give that girl a proper dirty look; not because I didn't have the heart to.

The humid weather wasn't getting any better even past midday, and I knew at this rate my hoodie would soon turn into a death trap of unevaporated sweat.

Languid, I removed the towel and sat up to heed the girl's advice as well as take a fresh eye patch from my dresser.

After all, my dramatic ass couldn't be bothered to lock the door in the first place so who else was to blame for this situation? And commotions are my least favourite things. Arguably, it seemed that reckless chick had made a sensible decision - for once - by not taking me to the hospital.

All the better if Aunt Lim didn't know about this. She would give my pathetic ass a whooping if she heard how I became as weak as leaning on someone else for my recovery.

To look on the bright side, though, at least the girl proved herself to be a decent human being. Not many would be concerned about the wellbeing of the person who had recently cussed them out, let alone take care of them after finding out they're sick.

　
　

.ꔛ‬♡

　
　

Upon returning, Hyewoon witnessed slight developments. A plain, gray tee with a tiny Nike logo now loosely clung to the icicle's lean physique to pool at his waist and crossed legs. The suffocating, black hoodie prior was now dumped in one corner of the bed.

Some of his disheveled dark hair, though pushed back with a careless run of fingers through it, still hung above his forehead. From underneath the ungroomed strands stood out the goddamn medical eye patch that raised more questions each time than the other.

　"Here. Have some of this."

From the entrance, Hyewoon threw half a wholewheat loaf wrapped in plastic at the icicle, maybe a tad rudely due to the effect of the eye patch.

While the other person regarded the food questionably, she went to the bedside to sort all the medications she brought since she didn't know which would be the best.

A trip downstairs to the kitchen really aided to get her senses back. Not only did she realize her spontaneity was just the carer instincts from home kicking in - given she was mostly the one to take care of Yeosang when he's not well - she even started to take note of the puffiness under the icicle's exposed eye.