A Terminal Healer Needs an Obsessive Maniac-Chapter 142

“From now on, it doesn’t matter.”

Choi Kang-Hu murmured, his voice muffled as he buried his nose in Ryu Seo-Ha’s soft, pale neck.

“...What?”

For him, it was enough to know that his young lover, who had returned safely to his arms, was there. Nothing else mattered.

“It’s okay if you don’t always make the right choice.”

“But...”

“It’s fine to make mistakes, and it’s okay if you’re not always perfect.”

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Ryu Seo-Ha blinked as he rested quietly in Kang-Hu’s firm, muscular arms. He had expected Kang-Hu to show some signs of being upset or frustrated, but his response was far from what Ryu Seo-Ha anticipated.

“When you’re afraid of being consumed by regret about the future, just think of it as a practice game.”

The gentle hand that patted his shoulder blades, as if soothing a startled child, stirred up an unexpected wave of emotion in Ryu Seo-Ha.

“There will be countless days ahead where you’ll have the chance to make better choices.”

Kang-Hu’s calm tone, as he reassured him, made Seo-Ha feel even more guilty.

“Living a long life together, for a thousand years or more, we’ll need some ups and downs to keep things interesting, don’t you think?”

Just as they had slowly adjusted to each other’s different perspectives on life, Choi Kang-Hu’s warm smile showed that he believed they would find joy in fitting the puzzle pieces of life together, one by one. His gaze was filled with sincerity, unmarred by even the slightest hint of doubt.

“And even if something big happens, I’ll take care of everything, so don’t worry.”

Even if, like today, you face death, I’ll find a way to bring you back, so don’t be afraid of regret — go ahead and try everything you want. His whispered words seemed to melt away the knot of anxiety and pressure that had built up inside Ryu Seo-Ha’s chest.

“...I love you.”

Instead of apologizing repeatedly, Ryu Seo-Ha softly confessed the words his lover would most want to hear. The deep joy in Choi Kang-Hu’s expression was impossible to hide as he slowly leaned in for a kiss. Their lips met in a passionate embrace, both of them fervently seeking each other.

[Status: Remaining Lifespan 1 hour, 9 minutes.]

Each time their tongues intertwined, the kiss was as sweet as the most precious elixir of life.

[Status: Remaining Lifespan 1 hour, 21 minutes.]

Unlike before, Ryu Seo-Ha accepted Choi Kang-Hu’s lifespan without hesitation. With the desire for eternity, and the belief that even if they were to face deep regret in the future, they would use it as a stepping stone for better decisions.

“Haah...”

Their heated kiss, which seemed to last forever, finally ended. Even as Choi Kang-Hu, unwilling to separate, planted several more kisses filled with longing, Ryu Seo-Ha eventually pulled back, his attention turning to the main core.

Soon, higher beings, sensing the danger, would swarm toward them. Although Kang-Hu had already devoured one of their cores and significantly raised his status, there was no fear. However, before this place turned into a battlefield, there was something important they had to finish.

Ryu Seo-Ha instinctively reached for the main core, but paused just before linking his mana circuit to the ring of light. It was a habit he hadn’t yet broken — the instinct to make decisions alone, to act alone, and to bear responsibility alone. His past mistakes stemmed from that.

“Would it be alright if I used some of the lifespan you gave me to connect with the main core?”

He turned to Kang-Hu, who had been watching his movements closely. After a moment, Kang-Hu sighed softly.

“That lifespan is already yours, Seo-Ha. Whatever you use it for is up to you.”

“Then...”

“And it’s my choice to make sure you never leave my side.”

Kang-Hu’s cold eyes and the hand that coiled around Seo-Ha’s wrist, like a snake, whispered silent disapproval. From the moment he sensed the immense energy emanating from the core, powerful enough to transcend time and space, Kang-Hu had already figured out how it had been used.

Understanding everything in an instant, Kang-Hu had no intention of leaving Seo-Ha defenseless, exposed to the overwhelming power that would strain both his soul and body. If anyone were to take on that burden, it would be Kang-Hu himself.

“You are my only god, Seo-Ha.”

Like a devout follower confessing his faith, Kang-Hu suddenly revealed a fragment of the sincerity he had kept in his heart for a long time.

“How could a believer leave their god behind?”

The growling tone of his words brought back memories of their second encounter.

Where do you think you’re going?

The moment Kang-Hu had trapped Seo-Ha in his arms in the worn-out locker room of a bathhouse, issuing that low warning. And the intense, inexplicable fascination in his eyes that day, so different from their first cold meeting, came flooding back.

Ever since Seo-Ha realized he could ease Kang-Hu’s headaches, he had no more doubts about him. In hindsight, though, the change in his attitude had been sudden, even considering Seo-Ha’s usefulness.

“...I haven’t had a chance to say goodbye to the Kang-Hu of the past.”

Maybe, at that time, you had a reason to leave my side...

“If I disappear like this without a word, it’ll only leave a scar.”

I don’t want to experience the heartbreak of someone I gave my whole heart to disappearing without a trace again.

Recalling Kang-Hu’s bitter words from just a few days ago in their luxurious camper, Seo-Ha quietly voiced his concern. The Kang-Hu of the Abyss had already grown strong enough to stand on his own, without facing threats to his life from monsters or external forces.

But if Kang-Hu were to experience sudden abandonment, he would likely spend decades alone, without understanding why. It would have been better to mention their farewell earlier, but Seo-Ha had feared that doing so might interfere with conveying more important information. And in the end, they hadn’t had enough time for a proper goodbye.

“Don’t go.”

Sensing Seo-Ha’s hesitation, Kang-Hu held him tightly, almost pleading. How could Seo-Ha ignore such a desperate request?

“Stay by my side...”

Kang-Hu’s voice trailed off as he suddenly paused. In that instant, he realized the true reason behind his decades of longing for the guardian spirit who had mysteriously disappeared. Even if the one who had taken Seo-Ha away was his past self, Kang-Hu could not bring himself to let Seo-Ha go, not even for a moment.

“Hah, I always wondered why.”

“...I can change it now.”

As Seo-Ha quietly responded, Kang-Hu shook his head firmly.

“I don’t want to let you go.”

At this moment, nothing mattered more to Kang-Hu than the fact that Seo-Ha was by his side. He shook his head again, asserting that he had never resented Seo-Ha for leaving, only that he had longed for him deeply.

“Like I said before, I’m not willing to give you up, not even to my past self.”

Seo-Ha, gazing silently at Kang-Hu’s unwavering conviction, slowly nodded in agreement. The satisfaction in Kang-Hu’s expression was clear.

But his eyes soon narrowed. He could feel the dark energy approaching from all directions. The higher beings had begun to recognize them as intruders, and it seemed they were preparing to move.

“I’ll finish this quickly, so don’t worry.”

With a gentle stroke on his young lover’s cheek, Choi Kang-Hu placed his hand on the main core. Then, using the stolen lifespan that Ryu Seo-Ha had been unable to access, he began the process of extracting it. His chosen sacrifice was none other than the higher beings themselves.