Became the Blind Male Lead in a Reversed World

23 – Unexpected Runner-up

1.

“What kind of person is Arin’s younger sibling?”

Hanarin couldn’t answer that question readily. She didn’t seem to dislike the topic, but she appeared to be contemplating.

“He’s a peculiar child. He’s been carrying a burden since birth, and although we haven’t had many conversations… whenever he’s in pain, I can see him desperately searching for me, so… he’s an irresistible child that I can’t leave alone.”

She straightened up while showing me her smooth back.

“He’s an anxious child. You could say he’s a worrisome child.”

“I see.”

Brief silence fell. I was groping for the right settings for Hana-rin without properly remembering.

Knock, knock, knock. Meanwhile, the acupuncturist’s hands had pierced into the necessary blood perfectly.

“This time it’s the breathing technique. It’s best done after taking an energy-boosting elixir or something like that, I think? When you eat a difficult-to-digest elixir, then when the energy flows correctly through the body, like this.”

“Ah, I see…”

Until a while ago it was iron rich blood. It began to circulate along the Qi path that had been messed up with the Jeabong needle.

“The advantage is that you can do the breathing twice a day, so it’s good for practicing your skills.”

“Is this… technique made by Yudokjon?”

“Yes. I thought, if I can’t even learn the technique, what could I do. I was really worried.”

“Why?”

“Well… my grandmother is getting old, and I’m only 17, so I need the ability of at least one person.”

– Knock, knock. The sharp needles pierce the flesh.

After that, I showed her various acupuncture techniques.

“Hmm…hahm…”

“Tired?”

“A little. The voice of Confucius is leisurely and soft, and the needle doesn’t hurt either, it just feels cool enough. That’s enough. You’re better than I expected.”

“Thank you.”

Pangyahwa, who was cleaning the corridor and the shop, came in with a dumb voice.

“…Still… not done yet? Grandma’s not feeling good…”

“?! Where are you hurting, Grandma?”

“…Are you worried that grandpa is in pain? It’s time to close the store, but you’re still working…”

“Oh… I took up too much time.”

“No. Then, how about we plan out how to proceed next time?”

“Yes. Confucius. Thank you today. By the way… Namgoong Yeon-ha. Have you decided on your prize for winning?”

At that, Yeon-ha seemed to tilt her head as if to ask what she meant. She often did that.

“Prize for winning? What do you mean?”

“Since Moyoongseo-han was disqualified due to unfair actions by Magi, they will give out prizes for 1st to 3rd place. You defeated the Daedae-ja of the Volcano Clan after the Yacha attack, so you should choose your prize.”

“What…?”

“1st place is me. 2nd place is you.”

What? I looked at her with astonishment. Wasn’t the result of the competition postponed?

She sounded unsure. Pangyahwa ground her teeth, seemingly angry.

“This…is a surprise in the tournament…”

“Daegun and skill is a formidable opponent.”

Those who could have overwhelmed Yeonha have already been defeated by Moyeongseohan and Jegalseoyeon, and Hanarin has also overwhelmed Moyeongseohan and Jegalseoyeon. Yeonha’s opponents were no pushovers, but it could only be described as lucky.

Still…

“Congratulations!”

“I…came in second?”

Why did Ann say that she also didn’t know?

“When did you come to practice with a student from Hwasanpa?”

“Ah…just the other day…I was so focused on practice that I didn’t even realize I came in second. No one said anything so I had no idea…”

– Yeonha said as she held onto my clothes.

“D…Did it help…a little?”

I looked at Yeonha. She does not shine in the dark world. However. Clearly, Yeonha is in front of me.

I feel that.

Just two weeks ago…

2.

“……….I…lost…again…”

“Yeonha. I’m fine. Let’s stop now, Pangyahwa…”

Yeonha and Pangyahwa were very sad to hear that they couldn’t beat Magyo’s fingers.

“……….”

The atmosphere turned cold. I really hate this kind of atmosphere.

“Eunho…I’m sorry. I want to be alone.”

“Me too…”

“……….”

I sat beside them. Then, I held their hands.

“You both know how much you mean to me. It hasn’t been long since we met, but I didn’t know I would receive this kind of attention…”

Yeonha trembled. What I said was probably something she had been subtly concerned about.

In contrast, Pangyahwa said abruptly. I even felt a hint of tears.

“………Because I like you…it doesn’t matter how long we’ve known each other.”

A sudden confession. Then, Pangyahwa licked my hand.

“The smell of fruit.”

“You like fruit, don’t you?”

Sswoop! The sound of a knife being drawn was heard. Yeon-ha didn’t say anything and drew her knife, a gesture that showed she didn’t want to argue.

Paeng-yahwa lay down as if she was surrendering and sat on top of Yeon-ha.

“Why aren’t you resisting?”

“Why should I?”

Paeng-yahwa lay on top of me. I could feel Yeon-ha watching us with trembling eyes.

“If you don’t resist… I’ll eat you.”

I reached out to Yeon-ha, too.

“If that makes the atmosphere better. It’s okay if we can both stand up.”

Yeon-ha grasped my hand and a big tremble was conveyed.

“…Sorry…”

With an apology for some reason, Paeng-yahwa fell away from me.

“Eun-ho, I’ll become strong enough to protect you, so don’t say you’ll let your body be taken away easily… Because… Seeing you like that just now makes my heart ache.”

Yeon-ha spoke with a slight sob. It’s tiring that the chivalrous code has really been reversed.

As for me, it’s okay if the atmosphere improves by sleeping with pretty girls… But to the thugs, I must have looked like a window man.

If I saw someone trying to give me their own body to make me feel better, my heart would ache too.

No, wait, it’s not like they’re trying to force themselves on me. They actually like it… It just looks like that to the thugs.

I’m playing the role of a cool guy in this reversed world of men and women. Ugh.

…

Yeon-ha and Paeng-yahwa felt a sense of loss when they couldn’t get rid of the Mage’s fingers and put Eun-ho in danger.

A little earlier, when Eun-ho made a bomb remark.

“When I pushed you away, was this how you felt?”

Paeng-yahwa asked Yeon-ha in a subdued tone. Yeon-ha replied, biting her tongue.

“Go away for now. I don’t feel like dealing with you right now.”

“…Now, even I…have to speak formally to you…”

Before Eunho found them, it was silent in the room. Eunho wanted to make them feel better, but it had the opposite effect. Failing to protect the man they liked was a big blow to the reverse world women’s self-esteem. Eunho asked, “Do you know how much they value me? I didn’t know I’d get this kind of attention so soon after meeting, but…” Pangyahwa shrugged it off lightly. She didn’t care about that because she liked him. If there is affection for each other… “Hmm. Suddenly curious about the hand grasping mine,” he blurted out and looked at his hands. Eunho took Pangiahwa’s hand as if to comfort us both. Does Eunho like me? As a woman? She ridiculed Eunho’s hand. He didn’t realize it himself, but his chest fluttered momentarily at the groan he let out. It was the worst feeling ever. To mock a man with an excuse of feeling bad. However, Eunho did not reject Pangyahwa. Namgoong Yeon pulls out his sword. After that, it was the same. Covering Eunho with a diving motion. White neck. Soft cheeks. Thin fingers. Wanted to recover the lowered self-esteem by ruthlessly covering it up. Why… why aren’t you rejecting me. Why aren’t you pushing me away? He said that to shake off the curiosity and the slimy helplessness that tells you that you don’t have the right to know. “If you don’t resist… I’ll eat you…” “If that makes the mood better. If we can stand up, it doesn’t matter.” Namgoong Yeon almost dropped the sword when he heard those words. Pangyahwa also fell from Eunho without realizing it. It was a feeling of disgust. Accurately, self-disgust. They began to hate themselves. “I’ve been immersed in my own ideals… and I couldn’t see what was important.” “Please don’t say that… Don’t give yourself so easily like that.” “Agreed.. We were wrong.”

The only thing left between them was the desire to protect Eunho. Although it’s unlikely that something like what happened by the window with the giant grandmother, given her old-fashioned ways.. Someone needed to protect him nearby.

2.

Well, these things happen. Fortunately, their self-esteem was resolved thanks to my care.

-“..Did I help a little?”

I understood the meaning of the question, but winning the competition didn’t really help in any way.

Still…

I hugged Yeonha tightly and said,

– Hasn’t your chest grown a little? It’s so soft.

-“Yeonha has always been helpful to me.”

-“..!”

I chuckled as I saw Yeonha’s tears. As if reminded of something, Yeonha asked,

-What’s the remaining prize?

Hana-rin replied,

– I took one of the swords of the Geomjun collection. The remaining one is the Prince’s 5-star exclusive medicine, which allows anyone to reach the level 4.

-“Let’s go choose.”

-“What are you going to choose?”

-“Isn’t the 4th level exclusive medicine obvious? I’ve been aiming to feed Eunho for a long time.”

I made a slightly nervous expression at those words.

-“That’s a penalty… No, don’t you know there are side effects?”

-“Th-the growth stops clearly after that…”

-“I’m going to get stronger than 4 stars. So I’ll refuse that gift.”

I added more words, thinking that Yeonha might cry at any moment.

-“I recommend Prince’s 5-star exclusive medicine.”

-“A 5..5-star exclusive medicine? But I and Eunho aren’t 5 stars, so we can’t take it…”

-“There’s still a way.”

I felt like I had to show them the greatness of self-taught acupressure.