Please Give Me A Kiss, Healer! Chapter 23

Jiwoo couldn’t believe her eyes.

“How did you even get here?”

This was an A-rank dungeon.

Even with one of Korea’s top hunters—the Guild Leader—by her side, she’d nearly died multiple times.

And this was the deepest part of the ant nest.

Kangwoo answered calmly.

“I came to find you.”

“No, I mean, I know that, but how…”

She had countless questions, but Jiwoo forced herself to stop.

Because no matter the reason— she survived thanks to Kangwoo.

It would be rude to interrogate the person who just saved her life.

“Thank you. Really. I barely survived because of you. I… I don’t even know how I’m supposed to repay this…”

Jiwoo took hesitant steps toward him to properly thank him.

But—

“…Huh?”

Kangwoo, who had been quietly waiting for her to finish speaking, suddenly began tilting sideways.

And then—

thud.

He collapsed to the ground like a puppet whose strings had been cut.

“Kangwoo!”

Jiwoo rushed forward on instinct and pulled him into her arms.

His whole body was burning hot, drenched in cold sweat.

The large hand that had reached out to her trembled uncontrollably.

“Why—why did this happen all of a sudden? Are you hurt? Hey?”

He had taken down the Ant Queen in one strike, so he wasn’t injured. Then why—

Jiwoo quickly scanned him from head to toe.

And she soon found the cause of his pain.

His right hand—the one that had held the sword— dark veins crawled from his palm all the way up his forearm.

As if he’d been cursed.

“W-what… what is this…”

She couldn’t say another word.

Kangwoo’s face was pale, trembling, twisted in agony.

All the complicated feelings she’d had about him instantly evaporated.

Seeing him suffer like this made her chest ache.

…But there was one thing Jiwoo didn’t know.

Right now, Seo Kangwoo was incredibly happy.

To find Jiwoo, he had fought through hundreds of monsters, and cleared in 30 minutes the same route that took Jiwoo and Shin Woo-hyuk hours to break through.

He had been forced to use the power he kept sealed away— and the agony now consuming him was the price.

Agony like someone slicing flesh from bone, muscle from muscle.

Yet even in this hellish pain, Kangwoo felt only joy.

Because in this moment… Jiwoo was reaching out to him.

Touching him. Holding him close.

He desperately wished—

‘If this is a dream, please don’t let me wake up.’

Jiwoo always left him. Even in dreams… she never stayed.

He could count on one hand the number of times he’d slept properly in the last ten years— and even in those rare dreams, she walked away.

Sometimes, if he was very lucky, she’d brush his hair back before disappearing. Softly, like now.

“Jiwoo…”

Kangwoo burrowed deeper into her arms, breathing hard like a feverish child.

Thankfully… she didn’t push him away. She didn’t vanish like a dream.

Slowly blinking, he asked,

“Jiwoo… are you hurt anywhere?”

“I’m fine. I should be the one asking, Kangwoo—”

“Let me see.”

Even though she told him she was okay, Kangwoo forced himself upright to check her injuries.

Just as Jiwoo said, she only had a scrape from brushing against some rocks.

But Kangwoo reacted as if it were a mortal wound.

“I’m sorry. I should’ve come sooner.”

“Why…”

Jiwoo finally snapped—her chest tight with frustration.

“Why are you apologizing? I was the one who lied and pushed you away!”

At this point, she didn’t care whether the person he’d been looking for was her or not.

Seeing the pain twisting his handsome features made her heart ache.

His broad shoulders sagging into her made him look pitiful.

“Sigh… I’ll heal you.”

She was exhausted—mind and body wrung dry— but she could squeeze out a little more mana if she forced it.

Jiwoo raised her hand.

Of course, Kangwoo immediately read her condition.

“No. Instead… this is enough, Jiwoo.”

He gently took her hand and brought it to his cheek.

Then rubbed into it like a needy puppy.

“…How is this supposed to be treatment?”

“As long as Jiwoo’s here… I’m fine. This is enough for me.”

Clinging to her like an anxious dog, Kangwoo lightly held the hem of her clothes, watching her every reaction.

Jiwoo couldn’t help it—she surrendered.

Soon, her small hand rested on top of his large one.

Maybe the warmth soothed him… maybe her familiar scent calmed him…

Kangwoo quietly closed his eyes.

Startled, Jiwoo lifted a finger under his nose— and thankfully, she felt his breath.

“Whew… you’re just asleep.”

With a relieved sigh, she brushed back his hair.

The strands of gray-white sticking to his forehead curled gently around her fingers.

‘How did he find this place…’

There should have been hunters posted outside the gate. No way he just forced his way in… right?

More concerning was the small communication device strapped to his thigh.

Something only hunters could receive.

How did he get one of those?

It would’ve been nice if he could at least vaguely explain… but she couldn’t bring herself to wake him.

“Ugh, my head is spinning…”

So much had happened in such a short time.

Now that everything was over, her body finally realized how brutally it had been pushed.

Jiwoo slowly looked around.

The nest still smoldering, the bisected corpse of the Ant Queen, the slime pooling on the floor, the gray smoke drifting in the air.

And finally—

Kangwoo sleeping in her arms and Shin Woo-hyuk collapsed beside him.

“…Wait. Hold on.”

Jiwoo froze with a creak.

“With both of you down, what am I supposed to do?!”

I’m also one step away from dying here!!

Realizing her situation again, Jiwoo screamed.

Apparently, being a supporter meant you were also responsible for the cleanup after battle.

“Hahh… forget it. I give up.”

She couldn’t leave the two injured men lying here in this hellhole.

After sitting in stunned silence for a long moment, Jiwoo finally took out her last resort.

Ignoring the very real premonition that this would become extremely troublesome—

“Skill activate: [Welcome to My Home].”

She still wasn’t sure if bringing these two into her house was the right choice.

But abandoning them here felt worse.

…Probably.

…Right?

 

 

****

 

 

“Damn it, I want to collapse too.”

If Shin Woo-hyuk hadn’t acted like a wingless angel all this time— and if Kangwoo didn’t have that sinfully beautiful face, she would’ve already abandoned them both and run for her life.

She didn’t have enough mana to teleport all three at once.

Jiwoo moved Kangwoo to the safe zone first, waited for her mana to recover, then returned to the dungeon.

Just as she dragged Shin Woo-hyuk inside the safe zone—

ding!
A cheerful sound effect popped up along with a system message.

System

You lovingly took care of your teammates.
Effect: Strength +1

Love, my ass!

Jiwoo dumped both muscular men beside the hut without ceremony.

“Ugh, I can’t do this anymore! Everyone can fend for themselves!”

Forget healing—she couldn’t even lift a finger right now. Thankfully, both men were breathing steadily enough.

Honestly, just bringing them here was already an extraordinary act of kindness.

Exhausted, Jiwoo flopped onto the dirt floor.

After several days away, the safe zone was still the same—silent and peaceful.

The bonfire and the pile of firewood next to the shack were untouched.

“Still… home is home. Being here really is relaxing.”

Even if this was inside a dungeon, it was still her home.

The first place ever to carry the name “Do Jiwoo”—a precious home of her own.

Though instead of furniture, the surroundings greeted her with open plains and overgrown bushes.

“Ughhh, I really need to fix this place up.”

But she had no idea where to even start. She’d done construction labor before, but never actual building work.

As Jiwoo groaned at the sight of the collapsing shack—

A blinding flash burst right in front of her eyes, without warning.

※Advertisement※

You’ve dragged your exhausted body home!
Have you perhaps become interested in interior design?

For someone like you, we’re offering a special package!

★ Newlywed Home Upgrade Package ★
Grand-opening mega discount! Buy now!

The description below the ad immediately caught her attention.

A 3-bay layout with a living room and 2 bedrooms. South-facing windows with amazing sunlight, cool in summer and warm in winter thanks to the latest utilities.

And best of all…

Everything is fully prepared for you! Refrigerator, washing machine, dryer, dishwasher, robot vacuum, TV, bed, sofa… (and more)

Full appliances and furniture included?

“Oh my gosh, I have to buy this!”