In the name of God (7)
ding-
“Kyaaak!”
Neftam, who was sleeping, raised his body reflexively at the sound he heard in his ear.
She curled up like a baby and trembled.
My body trembled. Rhythmic breath flowed out as his lungs rapidly demanded oxygen.
Tears streamed down Neftam’s cheeks.
“Please forgive. I was wrong. wrong… ”
The words of apology that flowed incessantly had no object.
Only the compulsion to apologize for what she had done wrong remained with her.
“ah. sorry.”
Neftam woke up to the man’s voice and looked away.
Leonhard stood holding a crystal glass of water.
“ah… ?”
Come to think of it… He wasn’t in the bathtub.
Instead, I was on a soft bed, wrapped in warm air that was not damp.
Rather than feeling happy at the unfamiliar sight, I was scared.
I wonder if another hell is about to unfold.
“… Where are you?”
Neftam asked while looking around the unfamiliar space, then covered his mouth.
He saw that Leonhard’s impression was slightly distorted.
“… uh, where are you?”
Leonhardt smiled a little and came forward to her.
“How do you feel?”
Neftam opened his mouth while being wary.
“You seem to be out of energy… no. My head is also a little blank… yo. this.”
My head definitely didn’t work as well as before.
Before, the world definitely seemed to sparkle, but now it was a bit hazy.
Is it because of the mood? Or because you drink too much water?
“It’s because I’m too weak. I’ll get you some medicine.”
Leonhard said as he sat down next to Neftam.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”
“What are you sorry about?”
Leonhardt asked as if it were absurd.
“just… ”
“Idiot? I just can’t be sorry.”
“sorry.”
“You’re really stupid.”
As if Leonhardt was cute, he grabbed Neftam’s cheek and shook it.
‘A fool… .’
To be treated as if you were treating someone like this. Neftam’s cheeks burned with embarrassment.
And being treated like this, I felt grateful for the fact that I didn’t have to go into the water.
What was even more miserable was the fact that I couldn’t come up with anything to refute.
My head seemed to be spinning much slower than before.
“Stay a little.”
Leonhard stirred the crystal glass with a spoon.
A clear sound spread out every time the spoon was mixed into the crystal glass.
Whenever Neftam heard that sound, his shoulders trembled like a seizure.
It was difficult to breathe as if submerged in water. It’s not even in the water.
“ruler. It’s done.”
Leonhard held out the cup to Neftam.
Neftam tried to receive the cup with one hand, but quickly switched to both hands to hold the cup.
“No, if you drink… ”
water.
But as the water approached, Neftam instantly choked.
The power slipped from Neftam’s hands in an instant.
If Leonhardt had not reflexively accepted the cup, the water inside would have spilled out.
“You have to be careful.”
When Leonhardt gave a low note, Neftam shook his head.
It was only a glass of water. because that’s scary
what happened to me
“I’m sorry. sorry. I will be careful.”
Apologizing repeatedly, Neftam hurriedly reached for the cup Leonhardt was holding.
He held the hard crystal glass with both hands and gave strength. However, the cup did not move in Leonhardt’s hand. Neftam trembled with the hand holding the cup and looked at Leonhard.
“Are you really sorry?”
Leonhard said, holding Neftam by the chin with the hand opposite the one holding the cup and lifting it up.
Neftam’s eyes met his and widened. Dense eyelashes were quickly filled with moisture.
“yes. really… ”
I had to apologize from the bottom of my heart.
Neftam knew all too well that lies don’t work.
Even a sincere apology may not reach you.
“I’m sorry.”
Even if you weren’t truly sorry, you had to fool yourself.
Neftam mumbled his apologies over and over again.
Let it be your true feelings.
“okay.”
Leonhardt smiled and stroked Neftam’s head.
My heart beat faster at that kind touch. It seems crazy, but I felt a strange sense of security.
I don’t know if it’s survival instinct or because I don’t want to get sick anymore.
It seemed that it was because he was an absolute existence to himself now.
“But I can’t drink alone. I will help you. Are you fine?”
Leonhard said with a friendly smile.
That smile was too precious to Neftam.
It felt like proof that I didn’t have to go back into that water again.
“yes! it’s okay… no! it’s okay! No, let me drink… Please!”
A slight wrinkle formed between Leonhard’s brows.
“You’ve been like that ever since. Do you want to speak comfortably?”
“no! no. I’m not used to it yet… I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”
Swallowing his breath, Neftam hurriedly explained.
“Well, let’s do something like that. Don’t apologize too much.”
“I’m sorry. Okay.”
Leonhardt tut and lightly clicked his tongue.
“It doesn’t fix it. Has it become a habit?”
“sorry. Go, I’ll fix it.”
“Sure.”
Leonhardt laughed and brought the cup to Neftam’s plump lips.
“ruler. ah.”
As Neftam opened her mouth, he brought the cup to her mouth.
water… It’s water.
She closed her eyes at the cold feel of the crystal glass against her lips.
Then, he swallowed the cold water that flowed into his mouth in one gulp.
I wanted to spit out the water, but I didn’t know what would happen if I spit it out here.
So, overcoming the fear and fear of overflowing, I swallowed the water.
Leonhardt watched the desperate movement of the thin scruff of his neck, then removed the cup.
After pouring a full glass of water into his stomach, Neftam coughed and coughed.
“mouth.”
Neftam tried to wipe his mouth at the command, but his wrist was grabbed.
“Not that.”
“Oh, sorry… ”
Leonhardt gently wiped Neftam’s mouth with a handkerchief.
“Are you done now?”
he asked nonchalantly.
The moment I was about to nod my head, tears welled up in my eyes.
“yes… ”
The watery answer soon turned into sobs.
When Neftam lowered his head and began to cry, Leonhard tilted his head.
“why are you crying?”
Leonhard asked, grabbing Neftam’s silver hair that was covering his face and passing it behind his ear.
Beyond that which was covered by hair, Neftam was weeping with her face dyed red.
“I don’t know… it’s I don’t know… ”
Neftam managed to answer, but that didn’t make much sense.
When he swallowed his breath, it was soaked in water and burst out crying.
I couldn’t see it in front of my eyes because of the tears that covered my vision.
“Don’t cry.”
“yes! Yes. sorry… ”
Neftam nodded vigorously and wiped away the tears with his fingers and the back of his hand.
However, the sight that had been wide open for a moment was quickly blocked by transparent tears again.
“ha… ”
Leonhard let out a small sigh.
Then he grabbed the round shoulders that trembled miserably and pulled them.
Burying his face in Leonhard’s arms, Neftam froze for a moment.
However, when he slowly stroked her back and let out a breath, the tears burst out uncontrollably from then on.
“Black… Hehe.”
It was so warm.
Since waking up, it was as if I had been soaked in the cold water of the bathtub, which seemed to freeze the blood vessels throughout my body. The sound of splashing water and the chill came like a whirlwind.
But in Leonhardt’s arms, he was able to forget that a little bit. It was a very precious temperature for her.
And at the same time, Neftam felt guilt running rampant inside me.
I am the wrong person I was wrong.
Can I feel this warmth?
“… Thank you.”
Neftam, who had been crying sadly, barely spoke in a sobbing voice.
“I cried because I was so grateful… yeah.”
thank you Leonhard muttered the words softly.
“okay.”
Leonhard held her in his arms until Neftam’s tears stopped.
I waited for her cries to subside as I fiddled with her fingers and pulled the hair from her cheeks with tears.
And when she finally stopped crying, Leonhardt brushed lightly down Neftam’s cheek.
The cheek touched by Leonhardt’s hand tingled slightly. Perhaps, it was a stomach ache.
“I need to wipe my face.”
Neftam nodded.
“Okay.”
Leonhard put his hands behind Neftam’s back and knees and lifted her up at once.
At the moment of floating in the air, Neftam grabbed Leonhard by the neck.
Terrified, Neftam tried desperately to think of something.
However, only surprisingly fragmentary thoughts came to mind. It was increasingly difficult to think rationally. I guess I’m really stupid
I was scared, but it was just a problem that I couldn’t do anything about. I had no choice but to hang on helplessly.
And the moment she entered the bathroom, Neftam was terrified and shuddered like a seizure.
“Ouch… crane… ”
Moisture, bathtub, tile.
Everything that terrified her was gathered there.
A watery hallucination was heard splashing somewhere.
“What are you afraid of?”
“yes. yes.”
Neftam said, hiding his face in Leonhardt’s arms so as not to see them.
Leonhard whispered softly in her ear.
“Be patient. I have to wash.”
Neftam trembled at his words.
Leonhard took her to the bathtub and threw her into it.
It was a bathtub without water, but Neftam’s head was spinning dizzy. Power went into my hands and feet.
“ruler. Let go of your arms.”
“ah… crane… !”
The splash sounded again in my ears. He took a deep breath, his throat demanding air. His lungs ached as if he were below the surface.
Leonhard said softly as he watched her breathe in his throat.
“Let go. Neftam.”
“Please, please. sorry. wrong… ”
“Let go.”
The moment Leonhardt’s words mixed with coolness, the strength drained from Neftam’s arms.
She hesitantly moved her hips and grabbed the hem of Leonhardt’s clothes.
The look he looked up at him was mixed with pleading.
Leonhard let out a small sigh and smiled to comfort her.
“It’s because there is no washbasin. It’s Abyss here. A lot of things are broken. Stick your face out of the bathtub.”
When Leonhardt spoke, Neftam slowly poked his head out.
He filled the basin with water and slowly washed Neftam’s face.
Neftam gasped whenever the water hit her, but Leonhard gently patted her on the back.
Thank you so much for that hand. It was scary at the same time. He could do with himself like a god.
The tears that had stopped for a moment burst out again.
Leonhard let out a blank laugh, then held her cheeks with both hands and shook them lightly.
“Are you going to be like this every time you wash your face from now on?”
“Oh, no… I’m sorry… It is.”
Neftam shook his head slightly.
He looked down at her crying with pity.
It’s cute, but I can’t help but look at it.
“What are you talking about. You should cry.”
Neftam stiffened and looked up at him startled.
Leonhardt’s eyes curved into crescents.
“Isn’t that your punishment?”
she ah… and let out a breath.
this is money Only then did I realize
He was being punished now. In or out of the bathtub, it didn’t matter.
Getting out of the bathtub didn’t mean the punishment was over.
No, it couldn’t have ended. Because it wasn’t a sin that would end so easily.
“… Yes. I’m sorry.”
As Neftam writhed gloomily, Leonhardt stroked her soft hair as if he had done well.
Then, playfully, his hand lifted the ends of her hair and kissed her lightly.
She smelled of tears from her, who always smelled fresh and clean.
I like it.
“Stay still. I’ll wash you.”
Leonhardt brought clear water in a basin.