I Became a Villainous Character with a Limited Lifespan

Episode 55

“I clearly said no alcohol…”

Professor Kim, who was waiting for Seung-hyun, ran out as soon as he spotted him. Seung-hyun hurriedly brought his finger to his lips.

“Ah… You have a companion.”

The quick-witted Professor Kim immediately realized that Seung-hyun didn’t want to inform his companion about his physical condition. He guided Seung-hyun into the examination room.

“I didn’t drink it on purpose. I definitely ordered non-alcoholic.”

It was the truth, but why did it sound like an excuse? Seung-hyun made a slightly embarrassed face and lowered his head.

“Did the staff make a mistake?”

“No. It wasn’t the staff… I think the other side deliberately ordered a strong alcoholic drink with a strong sweetness.”

“The other side?”

Professor Kim asked with his eyes wide open. Although it was right not to ask about a patient’s private life, he couldn’t just overlook the word “other side” that came out of Seung-hyun’s mouth.

“…I think the person I met at the bar intended to get me drunk.”

At the word bar, Professor Kim’s eyes grew a little bigger. He didn’t add any words, but it was obvious what he was thinking.

“I understand you didn’t drink on purpose. But… Director Han. Weren’t you someone far from such places?”

“Don’t they say people change when they’re about to die? That can happen too.”

“…Even so, there’s no need for you to abuse your body, is there?”

Professor Kim said carefully. It might be presumptuous, but it seemed like Seung-hyun needed to hear these words now. 

His physical condition was definitely not good. Although it wasn’t very noticeable on the outside, during regular checkups, various levels were slowly dropping.

They were minimizing the pain with medicine, but that medicine only helped reduce the pain he felt and couldn’t improve his condition.

“First, I’ll give you an injection prescription, so it would be good to get it with an IV before you go.”

Professor Kim prescribed without a long explanation. Although he was concerned, he wasn’t close enough with Seung-hyun to say more than that. He decided to focus on his job as a doctor and looked over Seung-hyun’s last checkup results.

“Your rut cycle is almost here, but since your pheromone levels are very low, there’s a high possibility that you won’t have a rut or it will pass in the form of a short cold.”

There were many other visible changes, but Professor Kim closed the chart without explaining them. If it couldn’t be fixed, it would be better not to talk about it.

“Is your companion a friend?”

“A friend…”

Seung-hyun thought for a moment. He probably couldn’t call him a friend anymore. It was a bit of a bitter feeling, but it couldn’t be helped. Seung-hyun shook his head and answered.

“No.”

“He seemed very worried, but about your condition…”

“He doesn’t know. I have no intention of telling him either. I’d appreciate it if you don’t tell anyone about my condition.”

“Of course I won’t. But… wouldn’t it be good to inform your family after all?”

“Family?”

Seung-hyun let out a hollow laugh. The idea of “Han Seung-hyun”‘s family worrying. It was ridiculous even though he hadn’t lived long in this body.

Professor Kim probably knew about Seung-hyun’s family too. Despite his first impression, he seemed to be a quite compassionate person.

“No. There are no exceptions. Please keep it a secret. Anyway, everyone will find out before the end of next year at the latest.”

Even if they found out, nothing would change, but even if there was a reaction different from what he thought, it didn’t seem like it would be pleasant. It seemed he had become quite synchronized with the life of “Han Seung-hyun” during that time.

“If you’re done talking, I’ll be going.”

Seung-hyun got up from his seat. He couldn’t force it if the person himself didn’t want to. Professor Kim was about to say goodbye to Seung-hyun when he remembered something and asked,

“How is Secretary Lee doing?”

“I don’t know. He’s not my secretary anymore. He got a new job, so he must be doing well.”

At Seung-hyun’s words, a troubled expression appeared on Professor Kim’s face. Seung-hyun, who thought he knew why, asked,

“I guess he came and asked about my condition.”

“…I thought it was okay since Secretary Lee knew. I’m sorry.”

Professor Kim bowed his head and apologized. Well, it would have been stranger if Lee Seok-hyung completely lost interest in Han Seung-hyun overnight.

“It’s fine.”

Since he changed his number and even moved, it would be okay to let him know that much. Seung-hyun quietly shook his head.

“Just don’t tell him my changed contact information. Secretary Lee needs to live his own life now too.”

Seung-hyun said only that and left the examination room. Although it was still burdensome to see Seok-hyung’s face, he also knew what Han Seung-hyun meant to him, so it seemed right to allow that much.

“What did he say?”

Jae-young, who was waiting for Seung-hyun to come out in front of the examination room, immediately approached him. Seung-hyun stepped back from him and said,

“It’s just that my condition got a little worse because the medicine I was taking didn’t agree with the alcohol. I’ll get an IV and go back, so you can go back now, Ju Jae-young.”

“…I’ll take you back when you’re done with the prescription. Getting one IV doesn’t mean you’ll be completely fine, right?”

“I can call a proxy driver.”

Seung-hyun shook his head. He had no choice earlier, but now he had to send him back.

“Why were you taking medicine? The medicine packet was on the floor earlier too. You never mentioned having an illness…”

“I’m tired. Go back.”

“Is it that hard to just tell me that one thing? At least…”

“Do I have an obligation to explain my condition to you, Ju Jae-young? What are we to each other?”

Seung-hyun deliberately spoke sharp words again. Jae-young, who stared at Seung-hyun frozen for a moment, took a small deep breath and calmed his anger.

“Didn’t you say we were friends? Can’t I ask that much as a friend?”

“Until yesterday, you could have said that… but we can’t call each other friends anymore, can we?”

Bitterness seeped into his laughter. Seung-hyun spoke without even properly looking at Jae-young.

“We’re closer to sex partners.”

Jae-young froze, unable to even answer. It was a name for a relationship he had never even thought of. Certainly, they had crossed the line too much to be called friends, but sex partners?

“Fortunately, I clearly remember this time. It was good. To the point that I regret not remembering last time. If I had, I wouldn’t have said something like friends from the beginning.”

“……”

“Ah, it’s not too late now either. What do you think? You enjoyed it yesterday too, didn’t you, Ju Jae-young?”

At Seung-hyun’s words, Jae-young bit his lower lip hard. This was definitely a situation that wasn’t in his expectations. Seung-hyun clearly seemed to be timid and far from head-on confrontation, but he wasn’t someone who would sharpen his words this much either.

But right now, Seung-hyun was wielding words as if he only wanted Jae-young to get hurt and leave.

“Okay.”

However, Jae-young was also not normal to that extent. If Seung-hyun wanted to push Jae-young away with such a low-grade name, Jae-young wanted to stay by his side with any name.

“I was just thinking the same thing. We were lucky to connect well with each other. I’m really glad we match well, at least in this aspect.”

Jae-young didn’t think everything Seung-hyun showed him was a lie. Seung-hyun wasn’t someone skilled at acting.

Even now. Even while saying hurtful words, his wavering eyes checking his reaction, his trembling fingertips, his lightly bitten lower lip were telling him.

“Let’s do it. Sex partners. It’s not a difficult thing.”

So he wanted to stay by his side with any name. Until the hedgehog-like Seung-hyun could retract his spines and look at him properly someday. For that, it was important to not let go of the connection with Seung-hyun first.

“So, when should we schedule the next meeting? Partner.”

But he couldn’t help his tone becoming sarcastic. Jae-young was also human, so he was hurt, and he wasn’t mature enough to hide that wound.

“…Set it up as you please. Right now… I want to be alone right now. I’ll contact you, so go back for now.”

Seung-hyun lowered his head deeply while looking at such Jae-young. There was nowhere else to run anymore.

“Go back for now.”

This was probably the best he could do today. Jae-young looked at such Seung-hyun for a moment and nodded.

“Be careful…”

Before he could even say be careful going in, Seung-hyun disappeared following a nurse. Jae-young, who watched his back for a moment, grabbed a nurse and asked,

“There’s something I want to ask.”

“Yes. Go ahead.”

“That patient, is he really okay?”

“Ah…”

The nurse checked Seung-hyun’s face and made a troubled expression for a moment. Then she shook her head and answered,

“I can’t tell you about the patient’s personal information. I’m sorry.”

The nurse lightly bowed her head to Jae-young and left. Is he really okay? He was worried, but with the relationship of sex partners, there was nothing more he could do.