Chapter 49: Change (6)
Chapter 49: Change (6)
Though they had parted with a promise to see each other again, Ariel found herself utterly unable to reach out to Jin afterward. She had thought a good night’s sleep would clear her mind, but that was arrogance on her part. Every time she felt like she’d calmed down enough to call him and finish what had been left unsaid, the heat of that day would resurface, scorching her thoughts and throwing her off balance all over again.
And Jin never reached out first either. As a result, Ariel hadn’t seen him again, not even in the three days leading up to her scheduled trip.
That morning, as always, Ophelia stopped by Ariel’s hospital room to check on her. Today, she was more meticulous than usual, carefully examining Ariel’s wounds and reapplying the medication. The bandages were wrapped more securely than normal. As she removed the IV line, Ophelia spoke.
“Your blood test shows your nutrient levels are back to normal, and your shoulder wound has healed significantly. The Chief Pharmacist said it should be fine for you to go out for a day.”
As scheduled, today marked the end of Ariel’s IV treatment. She looked at her hands, now completely free from the encumbrance, as though they were unfamiliar. Just then, three packets of medicine were suddenly held out in front of her.
Ariel took them and looked up at Ophelia, who spoke again.
“Take one now, and the rest as usual, thirty minutes after meals. Make sure you don’t skip any meals.”
“Okay.”
“Be especially careful with your left arm. Even if it doesn’t hurt, overusing it could reopen the wound. Try not to exert too much force. And only use magic when absolutely necessary; keep it to a minimum.”
“I will.”
“You’re coming back before the day ends, right?”
“Yes.”
“Let me know when you’re on your way. I can’t sleep until I get word from you, so promise me, okay?”
Ariel nodded. Even after listing every precaution, Ophelia still didn’t look reassured. With a sigh, she met Ariel’s gaze for a long moment, her expression slightly crumpled with concern, then rose to her feet.
“Take care out there.”
“Thank you, for everything.”
With that, Ophelia left the room. Once she was gone, Ariel packed the medicine into the bag she had prepared in advance and began moving. She washed up in the hospital room’s private bathroom and changed into the outfit her fellow trainees had brought the day before. Then, she checked the time.
There were just over two hours left until the train’s departure, and it was around the time Joshua was supposed to arrive at the station. After confirming the time, Ariel used the coordinates she had memorized and cast teleportation magic for the first time in a while.
Her destination: Dorr Station, the northernmost train station in the inland region of Dantella and the closest stop to the military base at the northern border.
* * *
Ariel arrived just outside the entrance of the train station. Leaning against a nearby wall, she closed her eyes and pressed her temples firmly, trying to shake off the dizziness. Motion sickness, of all things, despite the short distance. She exhaled slowly, realizing just how much her health had deteriorated.
A few minutes later, when the dizziness had subsided and she opened her eyes, a tall figure stood before her. Judging by how he was standing and his distance from her, it was clear he wasn’t just a passerby. He had been waiting for her.
To meet his eyes, Ariel naturally lifted her gaze. Under the bright sunlight, she was met with the sight of a man with fine, radiant golden hair and striking features, Joshua.
His violet eyes met hers. A moment later, a brilliant smile bloomed on his lips, even more dazzling than his hair. Raising a graceful hand, he waved it in front of her cheerfully.
“Hey, long time no see. You’re still recovering. Why come all the way here? You should’ve just told me to meet you at the hospital.”
The gold bracelet on his slim wrist jingled as he moved. Ariel’s eyes lingered on the bracelet, and she realized how lavishly dressed Joshua was. He looked completely different from his time in the army, not at all like Aynkel, who always preferred simple, practical clothes. Despite their similar features, the contrast in style made them feel like entirely different people.
‘Still, it suits him. Then again, what wouldn’t suit a face like that?’
Whether dressed plainly or extravagantly, his looks stood out. Ariel let out a wry smile, struck once more by just how handsome Aynkel, no, Joshua, really was.
“You found me. Why didn’t you say anything? Just stood there staring.”
“You didn’t look so well.”
Shrugging, Joshua’s eyes flicked down and landed on the travel bag in her hand. He blinked a couple of times.
“You’re going somewhere?”
“That’s why I asked to meet here.”
“I thought you came to meet me.”
“As if a patient would come all the way to a train station to greet someone.”
Ariel let out a short laugh at his teasing. Really? Joshua grinned broadly in response.
“So, where are you headed?”
“My hometown.”
“Hometown? Where’s that? Nearby?”
“Wellington. You know it?”
Unlike Ophelia, Joshua seemed familiar with the name. His face twisted oddly as he gasped.
“That’s like, a six-hour ride even by train, isn’t it? With your condition? Your wound hasn’t even healed completely yet!”
“I got permission for a day trip. What about you? Going back today?”
“You really shouldn’t push yourself. Yeah, I’m heading back. I’ll stop by the hospital with my team sometime soon.”
“Sounds good.”
Ariel nodded with a faint smile. The dizziness had fully passed now. She pushed herself off the wall, and Joshua suddenly held out his hand. Not understanding what he meant, Ariel looked at the hand, then at his face. Joshua clarified.
“I’ll carry your bag.”
“It’s okay…”
“You’re a patient.”
Before she could even finish refusing, he snatched the bag from her hand like he had expected her to decline. To cut off any protest she might make, he immediately changed the subject.
“How much time until your train?”
“…”
Ariel stared at him in silence, eyes fixed on his smug expression as he slung both bags over one shoulder with ease. Even under her piercing glare, his smile didn’t waver. His shamelessness was practically armor-plated. Eventually, Ariel gave in.
“About two hours.”
“Plenty of time. Want to grab a drink and talk while we wait?”
Wearing the smile of a victor, Joshua pointed somewhere with his free hand. Ariel followed the direction of his finger and saw a small café not far away.
She nodded in agreement, and the two of them headed there.
For just over an hour, they chatted casually about this and that. With Joshua’s gift for conversation, the time passed quickly and enjoyably.
About forty minutes before the train’s departure, they left the café. Joshua accompanied her as she retrieved her ticket and entered the platform.
“Take care, and travel safe. See you next time.”
“You too. Take care.”
* * *
Next time.
Jin had taken her at her word and waited faithfully. But Ariel, after saying those words, vanished for three days without a single message.
“Hmm…”
Right after what had happened between them, he’d been in such a daze that the day passed in a blur. But the next day, once he had his wits about him, he realized something.
She had worn the same expression as he had.
Not one of rejection, but of shame and confusion, of someone flustered at having unconsciously harbored such raw desire for the person before them.
Of course, their positions had been different. He had acted, she had nearly been acted upon. Yet he, too, had been carried by instinct rather than intention. In that sense, wasn’t she just like him?
The same situation, the same expression. Couldn’t that mean they had the same thoughts?
And if so… could it mean they shared the same feelings?
When Jin reached that thought, he felt his heart lift despite everything. After all, even just hearing her say she didn’t resent him had been enough to make him feel saved. Perhaps it was only natural that his emotions would shift. Feelings that had long been weighted down and submerged began to rise. It was unfamiliar. He hadn’t felt anything like it in years, but still, somewhere in his heart, he remembered this feeling, and it was unmistakably pleasant.
It was faint, thin and fragile, but it resembled the happiness he’d once known.
That entire day, Jin was buoyed by that feeling.
But then.
The next day, the elation began to subside. Morning turned to noon, then dusk. Two full days passed, and still there was no word from her. That’s when the anxiety crept in.
Why hasn’t she contacted me? I miss her. I have so much to ask, so much I want to say.
He spent that night wide awake, and dawn broke on the third day.
It was paperwork day, and Jin sat at his desk, but he couldn’t concentrate. At first, he only paused while writing, but the pauses grew longer and more frequent, his hand slower. Eventually, he stopped writing altogether and let out a quiet groan.
Then, as if he couldn’t hold back any longer, he stood up abruptly, scooped up the stack of documents, and stormed off with determined strides.
His destination: the tent of Commander Michelle Frey.
“I’m heading out on deployment today. You can’t.”
Michelle, letting Jin in, cut him off coldly before he could even speak. She hadn’t intended to, but she had glimpsed something human in him recently, something to do with Ariel Elias. She assumed this was the same. There was no need to hear him out; his appearance already explained everything more clearly than words ever could.
And the words she spoke? Jin had already known them. His reply was even colder than hers.
……
T/N: Could it be that Michelle secretly likes Jin?? 🤔
