Obsessed to Hate Him-Chapter 49: Delirious

Chapter 49: Delirious
KIAN
If I can avoid potential suffering by taking care of my enemy then, hell, I am willing to do this even if I have to shove my pride up my ass and take care of him.
I took Lain to the coffee shop intentionally knowing that he would be warm there and he would get to drink something aside from coffee. He doesn’t drink coffee. This should be obvious by now because I have never seen him touch something that contains caffeine.
But the longer we ventured through the village market to take a tab on the children working there—so that we can identify who went missing if any of them got missing—the redder Lain’s face got, and his suppressed shivers weren’t quite suppressed anymore. Hell, he was even sneezing more violently than before.
I noticed that and dismissed the work sooner than usual. I brought him back to the cottage by lightening his weight a little so that he wouldn’t notice that I was helping him. I made the chief make something warm and good to the stomach. I did all of it with so much nonchalance and casual that Lain didn’t pick up on it. And even if Jennifer noticed my out-of-the-line behavior, she didn’t show it.
What am I doing?
I dwell on the question as I bring a wet cloth with me back to Lain and my shared bedroom. I told him to sleep early, saying that I needed him to do something for him tomorrow, so he had to wake up early. He didn’t object because I could see the dizziness and slight waver of his form from time to time. It makes it easier for me to take care of Lain without him noticing.
Lain is not a light sleeper nor a heavy sleeper. He sleeps according to how tired he is. And judging by his face earlier, he is maybe sleeping like a corpse now.
My footings are airy as I approach the wooden door of the room and push it open gently, making sure not to make any unnecessary noise. Just as I thought, Lain is out cold. But I can see him suffering from his fever, which seems to have increased.
His cheeks are flushing the brightest and the prettiest color of red and his brows are knitted so tightly together that his smooth forehead is wrinkling. The termor of his body doesn’t go unnoticed by me as well.
I sigh as I walk to him and drape the wet cloth on his forehead. I can’t let Lain’s fever get worse; otherwise, he will make me suffer with him as well. I can simply let him die. I know. But then I will never know who he is and have the pleasure to kill him myself. It would be a pity to let him die just like this.
I touch his burning cheek with the back of my hand to check the temperature. Thankfully, he is not unconscious, as the temperature isn’t out of his hands yet. But it is not good as well. I am doubting he can be a little delirious from it.
I drape my coat over him and tuck him under it with so much gentleness that I am surprised that I am
actually
capable of such a gesture.
Has anyone seen someone treat their enemy with such tenderness? No? Then they should look at me now. I am the first fool of the century after all.
I run exasperated fingers through my hair as I force my eyes from Lain. He is going to be the death of me. And I might be a fool to know that and still not do anything about it.
There is a soft knock on my door and I wince out my trance. I straighten up and walk to the door with barely a step. I swing open the door.
"What are you doing here?" I blurt out, surprised as I asses my aunt by the door.
"I came here to check on Lain dear." Jennifer tries to peek into the room but the attempt is futile as my broad shoulders block out her sight. "He looked unwell."
I am not surprised that she has picked up on it as well. I quirk a questioning eyebrow at Jennifer’s ’dear’. "Dear?"
"This is how an old hag should address the youngsters you fool." She chides me as if she is greatly displeased at my lack of ’knowledge’. "Young people these days don’t know anything." She sighs dramatically, which makes me roll my eyes so hard that I wouldn’t be surprised if I reached another dimension.
Nope. Still here.
"Where are you picking these things up from?" I say disdainfully, looking down my nose at her.
Jennifer’s palm shoots out and smacks my head. I grimace at it. "What the fuck?! Why did you hit me?" I bristle at her smack.
But to my pleasure, Jennifer seems to have gotten equally hurt while hitting me. She scrunches her face up as well as she shake her hand limply as if trying to wave off the stinging pain. "You have no manners of how to talk to an old lady, much less your aunt. You deserved it."
I shoot her a disgruntled look. "Lain is sleeping. You can’t see him now. Go back."
"Aww, what a pity." She doesn’t sound pitiful at the least. "Anyway, have him breathe him in this." She shoves a small bottle of lavender aroma. "It will cure his sneezing and help him with any soreness in his throat. It helps with headaches as well." She explains.
I play with the bottle between my fingers a little before asking, "Why are you doing this?"
She smiles—to my greatest surprise—genuinely, "For the same reason you are doing this."
I can’t help but smile mildly and nod.
"Goodnight. Don’t let him die."
"Goodnight." I return and close the door.
I walk back into the room and set up the aroma medication.
"M-Mother..." Lain blurts out and my attention shifts to him.
I walk to the bedside and check if he is awake. No, he is just delirious from the fever. It is a little endearing to see. But the next word drains the blood away from my face and creates a lump in my throat. I am particularly immobilized in my place as he blurts out,
"E-Eiden..."