Please Give Me A Kiss, Healer! Chapter 70

A few days later, the day of the performance evaluation.

“I burned myself out completely…….”

Jiwoo trudged out of the exam hall.

The theory evaluation required answering 50 multiple-choice questions, 10 short-answer questions, and 3 essay questions—all within one hour.

Most of the material was something she had read through at least once, so she managed without much trouble, but the essay questions were a bit tricky.

‘I wrote down everything I knew, but I don’t know how they’ll grade it.’

Before she even had time to dwell on her regrets, the practical evaluation began immediately.

Unlike the theory test, the practical portion ended almost anticlimactically fast.

“Use a healing skill on that and then you may leave.”

The supervisor jerked his chin toward the crystal orb.

“Huh? I don’t have to do anything else?”

“What else would a healer do? Just use Heal and go.”

All the tension drained out of her at once. Jiwoo cast her skill on the crystal orb.

“[Heal!].”

A golden light spread through the air, and a system window appeared.

System

Due to the awakening effect of 〈Everyone’s Supporter〉, the skill’s effect has been expanded.

‘Well… it should be fine, right? It’s still just a Heal skill.’

At most, how big of a difference could there be?

Thinking lightly of it, Jiwoo left the practical exam room.

She had no idea that cracks had begun spreading across the crystal orb, or that the measuring device recording the amount of healing had shot straight through the ceiling.

Before heading home, Jiwoo stopped by the company library once more.

“I’m returning these books.”

She handed over the borrowed books along with her employee ID, and the librarian scanned the barcode.

Jiwoo asked the librarian seated at the desk.

“By any chance, did the other librarian come in today? The tall one with glasses.”

“Oh, Librarian Kim? She hasn’t been coming to work for quite a while now.”

“What? Why?”

“They say it’s an unexcused absence. HR hasn’t been able to reach her either.”

“Ah…….”

“Here’s your ID.”

Jiwoo took back her employee card with an uneasy feeling.

The image of the librarian she’d run into near the alley a few days ago flickered through her mind.

‘Her reaction after we bumped into each other was strange. It felt like she was looking at a completely different person.’

And then she vanished, followed by several days of unexplained absence.

‘Is it just a coincidence?’

She recalled the rumors about a series of disappearances near headquarters.

A chill ran down her spine.

‘Just in case… I should look into it properly.’

Jiwoo went straight to the HR department and explained everything.

An HR staff member replied flatly.

“Oh, her? We got in touch with her today.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Since you’re so worried, I’ll tell you quietly… Apparently, something came up at home, so she decided to resign abruptly.”

The staff member waved their hand dismissively.

“And all that disappearance and doppelgänger talk? Just rumors. It’s true there have been a lot of missing-person reports lately, but they’ve all been resolved quickly.”

“Wow, that’s such a relief. Honestly, those rumors had me scared to even go home.”

“Well, yeah—especially since you’re a healer. I can see why you’d be nervous. Don’t worry and head home.”

“Yes, thank you!”

Reassured, Jiwoo headed home without another thought.

 

 

***

 

 

“Nuuna, I want ice cream!”

“Yeah. Go buy some.”

“Come on, don’t be like that—go buy it with Ma—no, Kangwoo-nim instead. I’ll do the dishes in return.”

After their warm, cozy dinner, Heeseong pushed Jiwoo toward the door.

“Kangwoo-nim, I want a melon bar! There’s a hotteok stand open in front of the apartment complex too, so I want sweet hotteok!”

“Alright, I’ll get it for you.”

Kangwoo was already waiting for Jiwoo by the front door.

“Honestly, if you keep giving in to him like that, you’re going to spoil him.”

“How could I say no? He’s Jiwoo’s brother.”

Heeseong and Jiwoo shared quite a few similarities—round facial features, soft white skin like silken tofu.

They also had the same personality: gentle at first glance, but with a spicy kick when it mattered. Because of that, Kangwoo tended to grant just about every request Heeseong made.

“There are a lot of people out tonight.”

“It’s probably because it’s the weekend.”

On the open lot lit by streetlamps, people were playing soccer.

Watching the game beyond the fence, Jiwoo asked,

“Kangwoo, what’s your hobby? Or something you want to do.”

Quite some time had passed since Kangwoo returned.

On the surface, he seemed to have adapted perfectly—aside from spending every spare moment glued to her side.

“I like being with you, Jiwoo.”

“Ah, not that. I mean something like going out somewhere since it’s a day off. There must be something you want to do on the weekend.”

Going to a famous restaurant would be nice. Or watching a newly released movie. Jiwoo waited for his answer.

After a long pause, Kangwoo frowned slightly and said,

“…There is one thing. But it’s something I can’t do right now.”

“What is it?”

“I want to build a snowman. With you.”

“…Why are you saying that so seriously? When winter comes and it snows, we can just make one then.”

“Winter……”

Kangwoo murmured absentmindedly.

Maybe it wasn’t the answer he wanted—he looked a little downcast.

“Ah—well, we could also go somewhere overseas where it snows a lot. Have you ever been on a plane, Kangwoo?”

“Yeah. Probably. When I was little.”

His answer was uncertain.

‘Right. He said he doesn’t remember his childhood.’

At first, he’d said he couldn’t even recognize his own grandfather, so there probably weren’t any old memories left at all.

‘Where does it snow a lot?’

Finland? Iceland?

Jiwoo, who had never been on a plane herself, thought of travel shows she’d seen on TV.

Why not take a trip with the money she’d saved?

Even though she’d made some unexpected expenses buying a cauldron and a refrigerator, once her regular salary and dungeon byproduct incentives came in this month, she’d have some breathing room.

‘I owe Kangwoo a lot. Even if it’s not far, maybe a nearby foreign country—’

Huh, wait a second!

They weren’t family. What kind of neighbors go traveling together?!

Jiwoo smacked her own cheek lightly.

Even if Kangwoo cared deeply for her, their relationship was still—at its core—between two unrelated adults.

‘Come to think of it, we’ve been seeing each other almost every day lately.’

Living on adjacent floors, eating meals together—of course they’d grown close quickly.

Calling him just a “friendly neighbor” felt inadequate. Kangwoo’s presence was overwhelming.

As Jiwoo wavered over how much space “Seo Kangwoo” had taken up in her heart—

“Your sneaker lace is untied, Jiwoo.”

Kangwoo gently guided her to a nearby bench and sat her down.

Kneeling on one knee, he placed Jiwoo’s foot on his thigh.

“Kangwoo, you’ll get your clothes dirty!”

“It’s fine. I wanted to do it myself.”

His broad back bent before her. Flustered, Jiwoo twisted awkwardly.

“I could tie it myself……”

Her voice came out mosquito-soft.

Not knowing where to look, Jiwoo’s eyes darted around.

That was when she spotted a familiar cat in the distance.

‘Must be one of the neighborhood cats.’

The yellow cat she’d seen a few days ago slipped through the bushes in the park.

But it wasn’t just one.

Moments later, ten cats—identical in color and pattern—moved together as a group.

“W-What is that?”

A cat family?

Even if they were related, how could they all look that identical? And ten of them?

It was an incredibly strange sight, yet no one around reacted at all.

They simply chatted happily and went on their way.

By then, Kangwoo had finished tying her laces and looked up.

“Jiwoo, what’s wrong?”

“Just now, a whole group of cats that all looked exactly the same passed by……”

“A group of cats?”

“Yes, over there.”

Jiwoo pointed toward the shadowed entrance of the alley.

Kangwoo stared in that direction for a long moment, then turned back to her.

“Jiwoo, can you wait here for a bit?”

“Huh? Why?”

“Something urgent came up that I need to take care of. But I don’t think you can come with me.”

“Is it really urgent? Should I just go to the mart first?”

“No. I’ll be right back.”

Even after saying that, Kangwoo hesitated instead of leaving right away.

“What is it?”

“It’s dangerous, so I should leave you something of mine…….”

“What?”

Kangwoo pulled something out from inside his jacket and pressed it into Jiwoo’s hand.

“Hold onto this, Jiwoo. Don’t let it leave your body.”

“…Your phone?”

“If you get bored, just look at it.”

“Uh, are you sure that’s okay?”

“Yes. Because it’s you.”

To modern people, a phone was even more private than a diary.

But to Kangwoo, privacy meant nothing at all.

After he disappeared, Jiwoo was left alone on the bench, holding his phone.

“Seriously… no matter what, snooping through someone else’s phone is rude—wait, no, that doesn’t apply. Right. The owner gave permission. What’s the problem?”