AEPOB 16

Chapter 16

“Abeli!”

My hazy mind snapped awake.

It was because of Kiki’s voice shouting to wake me, along with the repeated pressure pressing down on my chest. The voice that had been rumbling from afar now sounded vividly close, so I seemed to have finally escaped that godforsaken space.

“Abeli, open your eyes!”

“……”

“Please, just open your eyes!”

I wanted to open my eyes right away and say I was fine. But damn it, my body still wouldn’t move as I wanted.

Shit! I was fine just a moment ago.

What kind of nonsense is this, working there but not here?

Just like people try to wake from sleep paralysis by wiggling a finger, I focused all my nerves on my finger.

“Abeli!”

Damn it, it’s not working.

I couldn’t even twitch slightly.

Cruelly, time kept passing.

Then, the strength began to leave the hands pressing on me. Kiki’s voice gradually became tinged with moisture.

“I… I should have been by your side. Hic, then this wouldn’t have happened…”

My heart grew impatient.

Especially because of the story about Kiki that I’d heard from Uncle Frive last time.

Kiki, who lost his mother at a young age.

If he saw someone nearly die right in front of him again, would he really be able to keep his sanity?

If things continued like this, it might leave a scar on Kiki.

‘Hey, Conversation Window! Isn’t this enough! I swear I won’t curse you out anymore, no matter how angry I get!’

I pleaded earnestly in my mind.

‘Just let me open my eyes, please. Huh?’

At the same time, Kiki, having finished CPR, clasped my hand. His hand was chillingly cold and trembling violently.

“…Please, please just stay alive.”

Did both of our earnestness reach even the heartless Conversation Window?

Finally, my tightly shut eyes slowly moved.

“…Cough!”

“A-Abeli?”

“*Cough, cough*!”

The joy of opening my eyes was short-lived; an uncontrollable fit of coughing burst out, and water streamed from my mouth.

“Abeli!”

Kiki lifted me and supported me.

He patted my back, helping me stop coughing.

How long did I keep vomiting the water inside me?

It felt like all the water had been expelled from every hole. Now, I could slowly feel strength returning to my body.

I raised one hand, signaling Kiki to stop, that it was enough.

My voice didn’t come out well from all the coughing, so I cleared my throat.

“Ahem. Ah, ah!”

“…”

“Kiki.”

Kiki, who had been watching me from the side, quickly came closer.

Then he asked cautiously.

“Abeli, do you… recognize who I am?”

“It’s Kiki. I’d know just by your voice.”

At that moment, an entirely unexpected turn of events unfolded.

Kiki, who had always avoided me until now, suddenly pulled me into a tight embrace.

“Huh…?”

I was quite flustered.

But before I could fully process that feeling, I realized Kiki’s condition was worse than mine, the one who had nearly drowned.

I thought only his hands were trembling, but Kiki’s entire body was shaking like an aspen leaf.

‘Kiki’s body is so cold.’

I reached out my hands, which I had been holding awkwardly. Just as Kiki had given me warmth in the water, I hugged him tightly.

It seemed the experience of nearly losing a friend had brought back memories of losing his mother.

‘Damn it.’

I had tried so hard not to touch upon Kiki’s pain.

But because of that damn Conversation Window, all that effort went down the drain.

In the end, it made Kiki anxious.

“Huu, I was so worried about you!”

Kiki hugged me tighter, burying his face deeply into my shoulder.

Soon, the area near my shoulder became damp and warm. That aloof Kiki was crying his heart out in front of me.

‘This isn’t what I wanted…’

I only used success points to become friends, but it led to this worst-case scenario.

Regardless, a sense of guilt crept up on me for hurting his young heart.

I sincerely apologized.

“Sorry. I must have scared you a lot.”

“Hiccup. You’re alive… hmm, so it’s okay.”

Even while his shoulders heaved, unable to contain his sobs, Kiki shook his head, saying it was fine.

But still anxious, he didn’t want to let go when I tried to pull away. His hands holding me were still filled with tension.

“You’re alive this time. That’s all that matters. Yeah, that’s all that matters.”

Then, as if brainwashing himself, he repeated those words several times.

A person who has experienced great loss cannot forget that memory; they only hide it in a corner of their mind.

That’s why I had been extra careful.

Because I too knew how the loss that occasionally surged up could eat away at a person.

‘Damn it, Conversation Window! You need to respect some basic decency!’

I was so angry I could feel the veins bulging on my forehead.

But seeing Kiki sniffling beside me quickly cooled my head.

‘Phew, in times like this, awkward comfort won’t help as much as this.’

Just like my grandmother used to do when I was young, I repeated patting and stroking Kiki’s back.

By the time each other’s body heat had warmed the surrounding air, Kiki’s trembling had also subsided.

Suddenly, Kiki called my name.

“Abeli.”

“Yeah.”

“Abeliiii—”

“Yes, Kiki. I’m here.”

Kiki called me several times.

To soothe Kiki’s anxiety, even a little, I answered every time, letting him know I was here.

Only after a long while did Kiki let go of me.

“Abeli.”

The aftermath of crying heavily hadn’t completely faded, leaving a tremor in his voice.

But unlike when he had called my name aimlessly just to check on me, his voice now carried strength.

Had Kiki ever called my name so solemnly before?

No, never, not even once.

Was he about to scold me like when I got lost in the market last time?

I grew tense.

I bowed my head deeply like a guilty person and waited for Kiki’s words.

“Abeli, look up.”

“……”

“I want to talk while looking at your face.”

Huh? Wasn’t he going to scold me?

At his gentle tone, I lifted my head.

I saw eyes brimming with moisture and tightly bitten lips.

“…Was it really hard for you, being alone after losing your memory?”

Kiki seemed to think that me falling into the water was a voluntary act.

Well, anyone would think that.

I was looking at the river from the bridge when I suddenly jumped into it.

Just as I was trying to think of an excuse to correct the misunderstanding, Kiki grabbed my hand firmly and spoke resolutely.

“If you need help, I’ll help you from now on, Abeli. So don’t torment yourself recklessly.”

After finishing his words, Kiki dropped his head. It seemed the emotions he had contained were welling up again.

‘What? You… help me?’

Why would you say that?

My face contorted instantly.

You were the one who recalled painful memories while looking at me just a moment ago.

You’re even still sniffling with tears now.

Kiki, shunned by the villagers and with no one on his side, is currently in a desperate situation.

The weight of the words ‘I’ll help you’ coming from such a child wouldn’t be light at all.

People usually become more consumed by their own hardships the worse their situation is, but you’re trying to help others.

I couldn’t do that.

After losing my parents as a child, I thought I was the most unfortunate and didn’t have the leeway to look around.

Besides, the people who approached me were only after my parents’ insurance money, so I was too busy being wary of everyone.

Maybe that’s why.

I kept looking at you, who lost your parents at a similar age to mine.

‘At least I had my grandmother by my side for a long time…’

Why, despite being in a worse situation than me, are you offering to help me?

You, so similar to me yet so different.

I couldn’t understand you at all, yet your words were strangely comforting.

Because after my grandmother, my only person, passed away, no one ever reached out a warm hand to me.

As I stiffened my expression, Kiki kept stroking my hand. A gesture as if hoping my mood would improve.

His tears were still plopping onto the back of my hand. Yet Kiki didn’t take his hands away from me.

He can cry and still have the capacity to care for others.

‘Like your father said, you’re really a strong kid, Kiki.’

Even though we started through a mission, I now truly wanted to be your friend.

I called Kiki in a low voice.

“Kiki.”

Kiki, who was kneeling beside me, snapped his head up.

His vision blurred with tears, he rubbed his eyes vigorously.

Then he pushed his dripping wet bangs back.

“……!”

At that moment, I was struck speechless.

I rubbed my eyes and looked again, wondering if I had seen wrong.

Still, nothing changed.

“Kiki, you… you!”