Male Lead, Please Dump Me Three Times - Chapter 59

Strange noises woke me up.

Despite my hazy consciousness, I could clearly tell that the warmth enveloping me had disappeared.

Feeling empty, I tapped the bedside with my palm where Ray should have been…

But only the soft and thick blanket brushed against my fingertips.

It was still the dead of night.

The only thing slightly illuminating the dark night was the faint moonlight.

“Ray…?”

I rubbed my eyes, looking for Ray.

A little distance away, I could see Ray’s broad back in a white shirt.

“Ugh…”

Ray was hunched over, emitting a pained groan. His body was trembling slightly.

“Ray? Are you okay?”

I got up and approached Ray.

Then carefully turned his trembling arm towards me.

With cold sweat beading on his forehead, Ray was squinting his eyes in pain.

Deep wrinkles were etched between his brows.

Suddenly, Ray’s appearance in the Forest of Dreams flashed in my mind.

“Wait! I’ll call someone…”

“No, don’t go.”

Suddenly frozen by Ray’s pitiful voice, I hesitated whether it was okay to leave him alone, even for a moment, to call for help.

He was biting his lower lip as he exhaled ragged breaths.

How long had he been biting it?

A clear bite mark was already on his lip.

I brushed away the sweat-soaked hair from Ray’s forehead and said urgently, 

“What should we do now? Weren’t you feeling better? What should we do… You’re bleeding… Ray, what can I do…”

Suddenly, I locked eyes with his moist red irises.

“I’m fine… Don’t be scared.”

The red eyes holding mine shook violently before disappearing from view.

“I’m not scared. Your body is trembling… Look at this cold sweat, what should we do…”

I wiped away the dew scattered around Ray’s eyes with my hand and said,

“We can’t do this. I’ll call someone right away. Just wait a moment.”

As I was about to get up and turn away from him,

‘Thump.’

Suddenly, Ray’s hand urgently grabbed my wrist. The reaction made my body fall into his embrace.

Struggling to get up with his own body, Ray caught me.

I pushed myself off him with my hands and said,

“No! Stay put… Don’t move…”

My trembling voice reached him.

Ray clenched his teeth hard, barely holding back a groan with his severely crumpled face.

Then he carefully cupped my cheek with his trembling hand.

“Daisy… I’m really sorry but…”

“Huh? What should we do, does it hurt a lot? What can I do…”

“It’s okay. Can you just close your eyes for a moment?”

“Close my eyes?”

“Yes. Just until I say it’s okay.”

“Why…?”

Ray buried his head in my shoulder and then spoke with breaths mixed with pain,

His forehead was burning like a fireball.

“I don’t want to show you this.”

“You’re in pain! Why worry about that?”

I couldn’t understand.

Was he acting this way because he was worried I might feel upset seeing him in pain?

“Daisy. Ugh……, please. I beg you. Okay?”

“…….”

“Then, I think I’ll be alright.”

Ray pleaded with me, begging.

At this moment, he was more worried about how he appeared to me than his own pain.

“Alright. Then, if it gets too hard…… don’t bear it and make sure to tell me. Promise?”

“Yes.”

“I’ve closed my eyes. I’m not scared of you at all. So, don’t worry about how you’ll appear to me, okay?”

He leaned on my shoulder and weakly nodded. Then, he said in a soft voice,

“I’m sorry for not keeping my promise…….”

Suddenly, I couldn’t feel the warmth from his body on my shoulder.

A chill replaced the feverish heat from Ray’s forehead that had been resting on my shoulder.

The weight of him leaning on me also vanished suddenly.

“Ray……?”

I cautiously opened my eyes.

But Ray was nowhere to be found.

He had disappeared without a trace.

“Ray!”

I called out for Ray with a desperate voice. Still, no answer came,

I got off the bed and looked around the room with hurried steps.

Clearly, there had been no sound of the door or windows opening.

If he had left the room, there should have been some noise, however faint.

I checked the door and windows one by one. But they were all tightly closed without any gap.

It was clear that these were the only exits.

There was no sign that Ray had passed through anywhere.

Where could he have disappeared to?

I searched every corner of my room, under the bed, and the wardrobe.

I was certain I had been with Ray. But he had vanished like a mirage.

Then it hit me.

I hadn’t asked Ray how he entered here when he arrived.

At that time, I was just relieved that he had come and immediately embraced him.

But if Ray had safely returned, none of that would have mattered.

My mind was filled with worry for Ray’s condition.

“Ray…… will he be okay?”

Anxiety and restlessness wouldn’t leave me, and I kept biting my nails incessantly.

At this rate, there would be no nails left.

I knew it was a bad habit, yet my lips couldn’t stay away from my nails.

“Sigh…….”

With a heavy heart, I ran my hands over my face.

I couldn’t forget the expression on Ray’s face as he endured the pain.

His body was burning like a fireball. And the sight of him breathing heavily and sweating coldly.

It was exactly like how I saw Ray several years ago in the Forest of Dreams.

Even the dew that formed at the corners of his eyes…….

Surely, I had thought at some point,

I wanted to see Ray in pain at least once.

But that was truly a thoughtless wish.

The moment I saw his eyes wet, it felt like the string of reason inside me snapped.

When I saw him in pain, no other thoughts came to mind.

I just wished that whatever was causing Ray pain would disappear from the world forever……

I wanted to hold him tightly in my arms.

It wasn’t long before dawn broke.

Gradually, the sun rose and the world brightened.

All fears in the darkness or whatever,

I spent the night worrying only about Ray.

I pressed hard against my throbbing temples with my fingers, drawing circles.

“It hasn’t gotten better……”

I thought it would be okay.

Since meeting him again, I had never seen him like this before.

Or maybe……

“I wanted to believe it would be okay…….”

But occasionally, when I subtly asked about his condition, he answered as if nothing was wrong at all.

“Why didn’t he show it……? It must have been very hard…….”

So, had Ray…… been suffering alone like that every night we spent together?

“Not knowing that…. Maybe I’m really oblivious….”

What should I do now?

Pretend not to know……

Can I continue to stay by his side……?

“What can I…… do for him…….”

I decided to put aside my complex thoughts for a moment.

The most important thing for me now was Ray’s current condition.

I wanted to see for myself that he was alright.

But I couldn’t just rashly go to his house.

-It’s okay. Could you close your eyes for a moment?
-I don’t want to show you this.
-Daisy. Ugh……, please. I beg you. Okay?

Clearly, he didn’t want to show me his condition like that.

“If I go rashly, Ray might feel uncomfortable…….”

I paced back and forth anxiously, biting my nails nervously.

Even in such a situation, feeling powerless about not being able to do anything overwhelmed me.

“For now…… let’s try sending a letter.”

* * *

It was Wednesday.

There was still no contact from Ray.

I considered all possibilities.

First, my letter could have been lost in transit.

Second, if not that, then Ray might not have regained consciousness yet.

Third, if not either of those, Ray might not want to talk about this incident.

But if it were the third case…… If it were the Ray I know……

He wouldn’t have ignored my letter just for that reason.

I placed a high probability on the second case.

“I have to do something. I need to try something.”

I hurriedly started preparing to go out.

If Ray’s condition had improved, he would be at his office by now.

For his sake, I didn’t want to think about what I should do right now.

I was just worried about Ray.

I wanted to see for myself that he was really okay.