Chapter 56

56. Emergency Room

Hyun-ju shook Do-jin's body.

"Oppa! Hey!"

Do-jin blinked his heavy eyelids and, startled by Hyun-ju's urgent cries, abruptly sat up.

His sleep instantly vanished.

"What, what is it? What's wrong?"

Is there a fire?

Or a burglar?

Hyun-ju, with a pale, bloodless face, told Do-jin:

"Quickly... Si-woo is in pain... What should we do? What should we do? His fever... It's 40 degrees."

"…What?!"

Do-jin jumped up and ran with Hyun-ju to Si-woo's room.

Until now, Si-woo had grown up healthy without even a common cold or any minor illnesses.

Si-woo was in his bed, breathing heavily and hotly.

Seeing his son, who was unconscious and limp, Do-jin placed the thermometer in Si-woo's ear.

Beep.

Do-jin's heart sank.

"41.1 degrees?! I, is this even possible... Is it broken?"

He checked the other ear, but this time it read 41.2 degrees.

Hyun-ju said with a slightly sobbing voice:

"It was 40.5 degrees just a while ago... It's gotten higher..."

Do-jin asked:

"Did you give him any fever medicine?"

"Yes. I just gave it to him. They said it takes a while to take effect... Should we just wait? His fever is so high. Should we go to the hospital right away?"

"Right. Let's go. Put on some clothes... Hurry up and get ready. Where should we go? Should we go to the pediatrician near our house? Or straight to a big hospital? What time is it?"

Do-jin shouted frantically and ran to the bedroom to get the car keys.

It was 7:00 AM on a Sunday morning.

Do-jin immediately drove to the emergency room of the university hospital.

At the reception counter, after completing the registration, a nurse approached and asked:

"What's wrong with the child?"

Hyun-ju, whose words were choked with shock, was unable to speak, so Do-jin explained:

"He was fine until last night, but this morning his fever suddenly rose to 41 degrees... He's lethargic and not very responsive..."

"Did you give him any fever medicine?"

"Yes."

"What kind of medicine? When did you give it?"

Hyun-ju answered:

"About 30 minutes ago, I gave him some Brufen for the first time."

"Has he vomited or shown any other symptoms?"

The nurse asked Do-jin and Hyun-ju a few more questions and then placed the thermometer in Si-woo's ear.

Beep.

Si-woo, in his dazed state, grabbed Hyun-ju's clothes with his small hand and burrowed into her arms as if seeking refuge.

Hyun-ju, tears streaming down her face, tightly embraced Si-woo's burning body.

She was so flustered and distressed.

Her heart felt constricted.

Seeing Si-woo, who had always been healthy, in such a state made her feel as if the sky was collapsing.

"40.8 degrees... That's very high. Please sit down. We'll call your name soon."

Do-jin and Hyun-ju sat with Si-woo in front of the pediatric emergency room.

As the nurse had said, Si-woo's name was called not long after.

Inside, a doctor in a white coat came to examine Si-woo.

The doctor listened to Si-woo's breathing with a stethoscope, checked his ears, and then spoke to Si-woo to examine his throat.

"Si-woo, can you say 'Aah'? Si-woo? Can you hear me?"

The doctor, trying to assess Si-woo's dazed state, lifted his eyelids with his fingers to check his focus.

Suddenly, Si-woo's half-opened eyes moved slightly.

"…Huh!"

The doctor, who made eye contact with Si-woo, let out a gasp and stepped back involuntarily.

His hair stood on end, and he felt a chill run down his spine.

He couldn't explain it.

It felt as if a strong, indescribable force had passed through him.

"Why are you doing that?"

The nurse asked, puzzled.

The doctor, swallowing hard, hesitated to touch Si-woo's eyes again, feeling an instinctive fear.

At that moment, fortunately, Si-woo opened his eyes on his own.

The sharp energy the doctor had felt just now was gone.

Although Si-woo looked weak from the fever, his eyes were those of a typical, beautiful child.

The doctor, relieved, asked:

"Si-woo? Can you see me? Can you hear me?"

Si-woo, rubbing his red, feverish cheeks, nodded.

"…Yes."

"Good. Can you say 'Aah'?"

From Si-woo's drowsy-looking mouth, an unexpected response came.

"Why 'Aah'?"

The doctor was taken aback by the mature tone of a five-year-old.

"Eh? Uh? No... I just want to check your throat..."

Si-woo slowly looked around.

Where am I?

Not home?

Oh, it's a hospital.

Si-woo's eyes, trying to understand the situation, turned to the doctor's face.

The doctor jumped in surprise.

Si-woo glanced at his parents' faces and then looked back at the doctor.

The doctor jumped again.

Si-woo, with a pained expression, smiled cutely.

He wanted to see how many times the doctor would jump, but he lacked the energy to play.

"Aaaah..."

Si-woo opened his mouth.

The doctor, like a zookeeper examining a crocodile's mouth, carefully checked Si-woo's throat.

"Hmm, there doesn't seem to be anything visibly wrong. You said he took Brufen, an ibuprofen-based medicine, and there are no other symptoms... His fever is very high, though. High fevers can cause seizures, so we'll give him some IV fluids and run some tests, including a urine test and a blood test. We might need to take an X-ray, and if the parents want, we can do a flu test..."

While the doctor's rapid-fire words were heard, Si-woo thought:

'No, why so many tests... It's okay, doctor. Just reassure my parents and send me home.'

Boom!

The mana hole in Si-woo's heart began to stir.

The mana fell and collided with the inner energy stored in his dantian.

Rumble.

The energies inside his body began to clash again.

'Oh, really. They're not even white blood cells... Ugh...'

As the intense battle subsided, the energy dispersed, making Si-woo feel dizzy and his vision blur as if all the blood had drained from his body.

Seeing the sweat forming on Si-woo's forehead, Hyun-ju, feeling heartbroken, gently stroked his burning back through his clothes.

Si-woo's eyes, which had been closed, opened.

Seeing his mother's tearful face, Si-woo said in a small voice:

"Mom... I'm sorry..."

"No, why are you sorry, Si-woo? It's okay."

The situation had escalated.

He had intended to resolve it before his parents woke up, but his mother woke up early today.

'He ended up in the emergency room.'

"The test results are normal. All the values are very clean."

"Then why is his fever so high? What's the cause?"

Do-jin asked the doctor.

"It could be a simple fever from a cold, or it could be due to an unknown virus. It's hard to make a definitive diagnosis right now. We've run all the possible tests, and since they came back normal... It might be best to monitor him at home after discharge."

"Okay..."

The doctor left.

Do-jin and Hyun-ju, who had been emotionally drained from their long wait in the emergency room, looked at their son, who was sitting on the bed, with exhausted faces.

Si-woo...

Something about him seemed different.

His appearance was still cute and adorable, but his eyes had a deeper, more mysterious look.

"Si-woo, are you okay?"

Hyun-ju was more worried because Si-woo seemed too fine.

"Yes! I'm fine!"

Si-woo answered with a bright smile.

Do-jin said:

"The IV fluids really worked. After two packs, Si-woo looks even healthier than usual. Haha."

With the child no longer in pain, they had the energy to laugh.

Si-woo, after jumping off the bed, said to Hyun-ju:

"Mom! Let's go home. I'm hungry."

"Okay, let's go."

"Can you carry me~"

Hyun-ju picked up Si-woo.

After a long mental battle with the energies inside his body, Si-woo was a bit tired.

He cast a healing spell on his exhausted parents and rested his face on his mother's shoulder.

* * *

The fever continued to rise and fall over the next few days.

As the doctor advised, Do-jin and Hyun-ju carefully monitored Si-woo's condition at home.

Si-woo, like other children, seemed to improve during the day but struggled at night.

"Si-woo, is there anything you want to eat?"

"Tonkatsu."

"Anything else?"

"Pork belly~?"

Fortunately, his appetite was even stronger than before he got sick.

Chomp chomp.

Watching Si-woo eagerly eat the tonkatsu with his fork, Hyun-ju said:

"I hope he doesn't have a fever tonight. Eat well and feel better, Si-woo."

"Okay~"

"Sigh, he's so energetic during the day..."

"Don't worry, Mom! I'm not sick anymore. I'm all better~"

Tonight would be the last night.

Si-woo, as if trying to fill his almost depleted dantian, chewed and swallowed the meat with relish.

– Banana cha cha~ Banana cha cha~ Let's all la la la la cha cha~

Just as Si-woo was finishing his meal, the kids' phone on his wrist rang.

Hyun-ju had gotten it activated yesterday, hoping it would help Si-woo regain his energy.

"Ooh! It's a call!"

This was the first call Si-woo had received, aside from the test calls from his parents.

Putting down his spoon, Si-woo got off his chair and, with excitement, checked the screen of the kids' phone.

It was Ji-ho.

Feeling like an adult with the first call on his kids' phone, Si-woo touched the screen.

"Hello~ Ji-ho~!"

"Yep! You called me!"

"Thank you!"

Si-woo, sitting on the living room sofa, answered:

"I'll be all better tomorrow."

"Got it! Let's play tomorrow!"

"What is it?"

"Huh?"

Do you have a question to ask your mom?

A moment later, Ji-ho's mom spoke from the other side of the kids' phone.

"Hello!"

"Hi~"

"Okay."

Ji-ho was coming to the set?

It was fine if she came, but it might be boring for her.

No, wait.

Since his mom was often bored alone, having Ji-ho and her mom there might make her less lonely.

"I'm okay with it!"

"Okay!"

Si-woo answered happily.

The call ended.

Si-woo, knowing it was just a kids' phone, still blew on the screen to clear the dust and carefully wiped it to remove any fingerprints.

That night.

Si-woo went to the bathroom with his mom to get ready for bed.

"Si-woo, I'll sleep downstairs. If you feel sick, call me. Got it?"

"Yes, I got it, Mom."

"I love you, my son."

"Me too."

As Si-woo climbed into his bunk bed, Bok-sil and Nero followed and lay down next to him.

After a moment—

Si-woo, who had been waking up every night to check on him, cast a sleep spell on his mom to give her a peaceful night's rest and carefully closed the door.

"Shh~ Don't disturb Mom. Come here. The spell won't wear off until morning."

Bok-sil and Nero, after peeking at Hyun-ju, climbed back onto the bunk bed.

"Sit there and watch. You've seen a lot, right? This is the last time. Tomorrow, I'll look even better."

– Woof?

– Meow?

"…Are you laughing? Ugh."

Sitting cross-legged in the center of the bed, Si-woo, after taking a deep breath, opened the new mana hole that was now under his control.

Boom!

Instantly, the entire space in the bunk bed rippled like waves.

Oh.