I Became the Only Healer in the Academy - Chapter 31.2
Having experienced similar situations throughout high school and middle school, he had finally manifested his abilities at the age of 20, gained recognition for his talents, and enrolled in the academy.
Back then, everything seemed happy.
Meeting the person who used to torment him before brought happiness, and even when he had a traffic accident and spent weeks in the hospital, he felt nothing but joy.
He believed that with the start of a new school year, a new life would unfold, and all the unhappy past until now was just a cocoon. He thought the moment the academy started its new semester would be the moment of transformation.
However, that was Sung-wook’s misconception.
His ability was only useful initially, and he couldn’t increase its proficiency throughout his academy life.
“When I get home… I wonder how they’ll react.”
Not long after starting the new semester in the past, he had returned home covered in wounds, and at that time, people with exceptional talents had gathered, engaging in a scuffle around him.
Even after that, when he returned home with injuries a few times, his parents no longer asked Sung-wook about the cause.
Just like in middle and high school, they didn’t get answers when they asked.
With a resigned expression, Sung-wook, who had been sitting in the alley for a while, stood up from his spot.
“…Let’s go.”
Exhausted both physically and mentally, Seonghyun emerged from the alley with a battered body and an even more shattered state of mind.
Unexpectedly, there was someone waiting for Sung-wook, welcoming him.
“Kim… Seonghyun?”
Seonghyun, intending to go home, found himself strangely drawn to the familiar feeling and waited near the area for Sung-wook.
“You… What happened to you?”
As if seeing him for the first time, Sung-wook showed a reaction of surprise. Realizing it, he wiped away the despair-filled expression and attempted a somewhat confident look.
“Haha, well, just a common fight.”
“How bad was the fight? By the way, what’s your name?”
“I’m Kang Sung-wook.”
After Sung-wook’s response, a brief silence followed. Seonghyun looked at Sung-wook and cautiously asked.
“Should I… heal you?”
“Huh? Uh… no, I’m fine.”
Knowing that Seonghyun could feel the pain of the target, Sung-wook declined the treatment. There was also a fear of others knowing about the pain he was currently experiencing.
“Huh? N-No, I’m really okay…”
However, Seonghyun still healed Sung-wook.
The last words Sung-wook uttered kept echoing in Seonghyun’s ears, and he couldn’t just let it pass.
‘You should… at least be happy when you’re going home.’
Considering that his parents were already worried whenever he left the house, bringing back these injuries would surely hurt them deeply.
“Thank you…”
“No need for thanks.”
Another moment of silence lingered between them.
As the silence grew longer, gradually turning awkward, Sung-wook spoke.
“Maybe we could grab a drink or something…”
“That sounds good.”
They went to a nearby convenience store, bought some drinks, and headed towards a park bench.
“Is your body okay?”
It was Sung-wook who brought up the question.
After all, Seonghyun didn’t feel any pain during the treatment.
“Ah, it’s nothing. I’m used to it.”
Sung-wook forced a bitter smile.
“Why am I not getting used to it?”
“You shouldn’t get used to it.”
“Huh?”
Sung-wook looked at Seonghyun with a puzzled expression at the unexpected words.
“I’m the one who should get used to it. Not you.”
“…”
Sung-wook realized he had misspoken. Perhaps he had looked at Seonghyun with a bit of envy, maybe even a slightly resentful gaze due to his special ability.
However, there was a significant difference between the pain Seonghyun and Sung-wook experienced.
While both seemed to not desire pain, if Sung-wook said he would eventually overcome the pain, Seonghyun implied that he would live a lifetime with pain ahead.
“It’s not all sunshine and rainbows.”
“That’s right. You may not know it, but before my ability manifested, it was locating vital spots of the enemy.”
With the mention of pinpointing pressure points, Sung-wook also revealed the nature of his ability.
“My ability is ability recognition. It allows me to perceive the abilities that the target possesses.”
“Ability recognition…”
Regardless of the current situation, Seonghyun felt empathy towards Sung-wook, who seemed to share a similar feeling.
Ability recognition, like vital spots location, becomes increasingly less useful as information accumulates beyond a certain level.
‘At least it’s better than mine.’
Considering it could be quite versatile for a hunter, it was a slightly better ability than Seonghyun’s.
However, in the academy, it was like measuring acorns.
“If it’s locating weak spots… it must have been similar to mine.”
Seonghyun was one of the few who could understand how the academy, initially entered with great expectations, turned into shackles holding their time.
“I’m just a lucky person. But I don’t think you can get through everything with just luck.”
If someone else had said it, it might have been easily dismissed, but coming from someone with a similar past, it felt like there might be something they could achieve.
“Thank you.”
“Now, let’s go.”
Seonghyun and Sung-wook got up from the bench, finished their remaining drinks simultaneously, and went their separate ways.
‘Yeah, no matter how tough it gets, we just move forward…’
With a tiny and insignificant hope, they were almost home when a familiar voice echoed under the streetlight.
“Why are you coming now?”
“Eui-Hyun?”
It was Hwang Eui-hyun, waiting near Sung-wook’s house.
“Saw you having quite an intimate conversation earlier?”
“No, it’s not what you think—”
“It’s hard to believe it’s just a misunderstanding when you look so refreshed. Why did Kim Seonghyun bother to neatly heal someone like you who has nothing to do with him?”
“T-That’s…”
“I think we need to have a more in-depth conversation.”
Hyun had a facial expression that had not been seen until now.
It wasn’t the usual cheerful expression he often wore, nor was it an expression of anger or irritation—it was a blank face.
Now, near his home, Sung-wook had no choice but to engage in a conversation with Eui-Hyun in that alley.
A slightly different kind of conversation.
