He Awakened When I Died - Chapter 8

‘What’s wrong with him?’

 

When Shana looked at him with a curious look, he cleared his throat.

 

“There’s no one in charge of taking care of the garden, hence it is shabby. So……”

 

He hoped Shana didn’t expect much from the garden.

 

Bliss, who seemed indifferent to the separate house till then, showed a little shame for the first time.

 

It seemed he was insensitive because he had been alone all this time, but he actually felt embarrassed to show this messy place to others.

 

Shana smiled so he wouldn’t feel embarrassed.

 

“Why does it matter? We are here for guiding, not a picnic.”

 

She repeated what he had said earlier. Bliss slightly nodded his head and continued to walk again, more self-assured than before.

 

‘Wow.’

 

Shana was mesmerized upon reaching the garden with Bliss.

 

‘It’s not shabby, just a little messy, right?’

 

Unbranched shrubs were growing messily, and there were unknown plants all around, which just stood tall without getting even a little bit of sunlight.

 

Tiny rotten fruits were rolling on the floor, and the flowers had shriveled petals.

 

The grassy place was dark like a thick forest in the midday, and it had a dangerous feel to it as if a wild beast would pop out anytime.

 

It was said there was a colored water pond in the garden, right?

 

Even if it was not the water in the bathtub that Baek Ryong first soaked in, it was so murky that no living things could survive in it.

 

“Shall we go under the shade of that tree?”

 

Shana said with a lack of concern. Bliss wordlessly agreed.

 

They headed towards the thickest tree.

 

‘If I just sit on the ground, I might get skin irritation.’

 

She was about to take off her cloak when Bliss took off his coat first and laid it on the ground.

 

When Shana looked at Bliss with wide eyes, he frowned.

 

“What?”

 

“Did you lay down the coat for me to sit on?”

 

“……It’s unbecoming of a gentleman to let a woman sit on the ground.”

 

Shana laughed unconsciously when a 12-years-old started talking about the code of a gentleman.

 

It was a cute laugh, but Bliss assumed she was laughing at him.

 

“If you don’t want to sit down, then it’s fine.”

 

“No! I want to sit down, thank you.”

 

Shana quickly sat down when he was about to roll up his coat.

 

“You are so considerate, and you will definitely be very popular among young girls in the future.”

 

“Don’t say something weird.”

 

“What do you mean by ‘weird’? It’s obvious.”

 

Shana noticed Bliss’ flushed ears.

 

‘Are you embarrassed because of the compliment?’

 

Bliss kept his lips closed and had an expressionless face, but his red ears gave him away.

 

[Do it more.]

 

At that time, Baek Ryong, who had been sitting quietly on Bliss’ shoulder, suddenly said to Shana.

 

[Make my master even more embarrassed.]

 

As she widened her eyes, Baek Ryong opened his mouth again.

 

[I’m saying that Master is an adolescent boy who’s bewildered on how to act to the opposite sex.]

 

“……”

 

It seemed that Baek Ryong only had one thought in his head, which was to provoke Bliss.

 

Shana couldn’t help but open her mouth in front of Baek Ryong’s big and bright eyes.

 

“When you become an adult, you will meet a beautiful woman and naturally fall in love.”

 

Bliss’ neck immediately turned red when he didn’t answer.

 

“A nice and kind man like you will make many women prisoners of love, right Young Master?”

 

“Stop it.”

 

Bliss said, staring at the ground as if he didn’t want to hear any more of it.

 

“Do you also want me to say, ‘I’m going to fall in love with a guy that is nice to me’ to you?”

 

“Does that sound good?”

 

Shana replied casually.

 

It’s not nonsense, but a well-wishing remark, isn’t it?

 

“When I grow up, I shall meet a wonderful man and fall in love with him.”

 

Bliss raised his head and looked at her.

 

“If you are a kind person, you’ll get married right away and no other woman will get an eye on you.”

 

Shana rolled her eyes playfully and slightly startled when she found Bliss looking at her.

 

Bliss was looking at her deeply with calm gloomy eyes.

 

“What is wrong, Young Master?”

 

“……What?”

 

“You don’t look so good.”

 

Bliss didn’t know what kind of expression he was making, so he turned his head away from her again and hardened his face.

 

“I just thought you were stupid.”

 

“Me?”

 

“Do you think you can get out of this house?”

 

“Pardon me?”

 

The question appeared on Shana’s face.

 

“Like it or not, you have become my guide, so don’t expect yourself to live like a normal person.”

 

Bliss spoke in a flat tone, but to Shana, it undoubtedly felt as if he was also cursing.

 

“It should be written in the contract. If I don’t get awakened, you can’t leave this place.”

 

The corners of Bliss’ lips went up.

 

“You may be locked up in this separate house with me and will be forgotten by everyone.”

 

“What kind of…….”

 

His words scared Shana.

 

‘Now, whoever wants to, let’s prepare to face a devastating end with me!’

 

Shana frowned slightly and looked at Bliss. He was talking to her all the time, but his profile, only staring at the ground, looking stubborn.

 

“I’ve been expecting it for a long time now, so it’s okay, but you don’t know what you are talking about, such as courting or marriage.”

 

Shana was speechless. It wasn’t because she couldn’t refute her words, but because it was absurd.

 

‘That’s why he said it was nonsense.’

 

Bliss was pessimistic about his future and had a strong belief that he could never be awakened.

 

He couldn’t live a normal life like everyone else, so he didn’t want to hear about Shana who told him to fall in love with others.

 

‘For that kind of person, when he meets a woman, he would immediately fall in love.’

 

Shana secretly pouted her lips.

 

He was setting up a candle as if to put a curse on his own future, but she felt a little sorry for him.

 

Where she used to live, children around Bliss’ age believed that they could be anything they wanted to be in the future.

 

Whether it was to be a president or an astronaut, he was at the age to dream with no bounds.

 

It also meant that he was at an age when children had never experienced real hardship and adversity.

 

But what did Bliss think about that?

 

He had already decided that he would spend the rest of his life cooped up in this separate house.

 

Shana felt sorry for him who grew up as a child who had no choice but to think negatively, rather than being astonished at his mature negative nature.

 

Every time Bliss hid his feelings and acted like an adult, her heart would become more uncomfortable.

 

“What are you talking about, Young Master will succeed in awakening.”

 

Shana shrugged her shoulders and replied indiscreetly. She was worried.

 

‘You don’t have to put me through that unnecessary anxiety.’

 

I knew it was the right thing to say, did he think I would cry and say, ‘We’re screwed!’?

 

“I hope Young Master will succeed in awakening soon. I’m going to meet a young, handsome, wealthy man with broad shoulders and six-pack abs after that.”

 

As Shana spoke blatantly, Bliss looked at her with a puzzled face.

 

“How can you speak so openly and snobbish……”

 

“Then shall we slowly try guiding?”

 

She asked, ignoring Bliss’ nagging. Not wanting to talk any further, he also took a stance and prepared to start meditation.

 

“Ah, before that, first of all, your hands……”

 

“Don’t touch me.”

 

Bliss said coldly, clenching both his fists. Shana quickly withdrew her hand upon his refusal.

 

‘Is he upset?’

 

She glanced at Bliss. He closed his eyes and was concentrating to feel mana in the plants surrounding them.

 

Bliss took at least half an hour until he got absorbed into his meditation.

 

Shana had nothing to do in the meantime, so she made a crown by cutting wildflowers around her.

 

She thought if she imagined the whole thing. The flowers seemed to wither noticeably faster at her sloppy touch.

 

Shana wondered how much time had passed.

 

“Ah.”

 

Bliss opened his eyes after letting out a long sigh. Sweat was glistening on his forehead.

 

It took a lot of concentration, hence he looked pretty exhausted after just one attempt.

 

“How was it?”

 

Shana asked carefully.

 

Bliss shook his head and answered in a calm voice.

 

“I can’t feel anything.”

 

“You must not expect too much at your first attempt.”

 

Shana said while opening the basket. She put the cookies on the plate she had prepared and handed them to Bliss.

 

“Good job. Recover your stamina as you eat these biscuits.”

 

As she spoke with her signature smile, Bliss took the plate with a little sarcasm.

 

“You’ve been sweating quite a bit, may I help you wipe it off?”

 

“No need to do that. I can do it by myself.”

 

Shana decided to dry it for Bliss when she saw him trying to wipe his sweat off roughly with his sleeve.

 

“Your clothes are getting dirty.”

 

She took a handkerchief out of her bosom and gently pressed it on his forehead before Bliss could refuse.

 

His ears slightly flushed, but Shana assumed his body temperature had risen because he was concentrating on the meditation.