If the test results had been bad, he would have contacted him already, but seeing as there’s no contact like this, his physical condition must be better than expected. Maybe it’s naturally healing, so is he trying to distance himself like this? Actually, that wouldn’t be bad either. If the body becomes distant, the heart becomes distant too, and if he’s forcibly prevented from meeting him, his feelings toward him will surely fade. But still, isn’t it a bit much to end things like this? Looking at how he came all the way to the convenience store near his house, he must know his phone number too. Shouldn’t he at least make one phone call? Or, maybe… did I do something wrong?
When he thought about him, he kept drifting away from reality. He walked around in a daze and bumped into walls, and like someone with dementia, he couldn’t remember what he had just been about to do or would drop things around. Also, his sleep quality had already deteriorated, but when he lay down, it became difficult to even fall asleep because of his face that came to mind. It felt like his meager daily life was calmly falling apart. So he had to forcibly not think of him. He had to control his mind so his thoughts wouldn’t spread recklessly. That was quite difficult.
He exhaled the breath he had deeply inhaled and picked up his bag. As he was getting up from his chair, clunk, his knees buckled and he sat back down. With surprised eyes, Joo Seonghan sat there, then raised his hand. His forehead was drenched in sweat.
“Are you alright?”
“…Ah, yes.”
He answered the server with wide eyes a beat late, wiped his forehead, and got up from his seat again. His body was heavier than before. Joo Seonghan, who had wiped his wet neck with the back of his hand, paid and went outside the store.
Thinking about it, it was the same yesterday. In the evening, he went to a cafe and sat for about an hour drinking coffee when he suddenly broke out in cold sweat and his body became hot. Fortunately, it got better quickly after a short while. It seemed like the accumulated fatigue had built up to its limit without him knowing. It was nothing serious, so like yesterday, this time would also get better soon. But, what did I do yesterday?
The thought rose and then sank. Joo Seonghan stopped walking and blinked his eyes. He blinked rapidly and continuously. He couldn’t see anything. But his head hurt.
Joo Seonghan’s migraine warning symptom was seeing afterimages of light even though he hadn’t looked at any light. If left in that state, the right side of his head would start to hurt and he’d feel nauseous. But this was different from that. There were no warning symptoms, and he didn’t feel nauseous. His head just hurt like it would split. And he had a fever. To get home, he’d have to walk for at least another 15 minutes. In the end, Joo Seonghan went out to the roadside and caught a taxi.
“Where should I take you?”
His body was heavy. With eyes he barely managed to lift, he gave his home address and leaned his head deeply into the seat. Many thoughts passed by. They passed too quickly, so he couldn’t see what those thoughts were saying. He felt like he shouldn’t fall asleep… Joo Seonghan closed his eyes.
* * *
A car entered a wide parking line. The engine turned off, and the car door opened.
“Headache and fever and… what else did he say?”
With his phone to his ear, Yeon Dogyeong locked the car and walked into the villa where Joo Seonghan lived. He entered the passcode on the front door to unlock it and called down the elevator on the fourth floor.
「Vomiting. The physical reactions seem like they’ll stop at that level, but I’m not certain.」
Doctor Choi, Yeon Dogyeong’s phone contact, spoke clearly.
“What additional reactions do you see, Doctor Choi?”
「I think hallucinations or auditory hallucinations could also come.」
The elevator arrived. Yeon Dogyeong, who had entered inside, pressed the fifth floor.
“How many hours do you expect?”
「At minimum, one day.」
At minimum, one day. Should he take more vacation? Yeon Dogyeong, leaning against the elevator, counted the calendar in his head.
Semi-human DNA had been found in Joo Seonghan’s body. Being a virus for humans, it had settled deep inside Joo Seonghan’s body and spread very quietly and delicately to various places. It was unknown when he had been infected, but the reason there had been no particular symptoms until now was because of the incubation period. Even though he had told him to take it slow, Doctor Choi had researched day and night, and as a result, discovered that the virus’s incubation period would end around today. When the incubation period ends, awakening begins.
「Should I not go?」
The elevator stopped. Yeon Dogyeong stepped out beyond the open door.
“Why?”
「I need to observe for appropriate treatment.」
“Mm… No. Doctor Choi, please continue researching the infection route, treatment, and vaccine there.”
「…Do you actually intend to administer treatment?」
At Doctor Choi’s direct question, Yeon Dogyeong smiled and pressed Joo Seonghan’s doorbell. Not right now. But once all the secrets of semi-humanization were unraveled, he planned to cure him then. Yeon Dogyeong also didn’t want Joo Seonghan’s smooth legs, which he quite liked, to be covered with animal fur.
But what if he couldn’t find the answer before he completely transformed? Would he have to lock him up in the secret research lab and raise him then? Thinking about it, that didn’t seem bad either. He was curious what expression Joo Seonghan in the form of a semi-human would make from beyond the glass door Yeon Dogyeong had made. Yeon Dogyeong, who had deepened his smile, pressed the bell once more.
“When the time comes, I’ll have to cure him. He seems like the son of a precious family. I’m hanging up.”
「…If you need anything, please call.」
“Yes.”
He ended the call and knocked on the door. Seeing that there was no answer, it seemed the awakening had already begun.
“Joo Seonghan-ssi.”
Calling out to him, he knocked noisily on the door. He didn’t know the door lock password. Unable to enter unless Joo Seonghan opened it, he called his name several times, then took out his phone. Just as he was about to call a locksmith, the door lock was released. The door opened. A body filled with heat collapsed toward Yeon Dogyeong. Aigoo, making a joke, he caught him. Yeon Dogyeong supported under Joo Seonghan’s buttocks with one arm and carried him inside the house.
Hot breath scattered beyond Yeon Dogyeong’s shoulder. Yeon Dogyeong took off his shoes and entered the house. A spacious living room was visible straight ahead, and on the right was a kitchen. And at the end of the kitchen, there were stairs leading up to the loft. At a glance, the interior was luxurious. He truly was the son of a precious family.
“Does it hurt a lot?”
“Ugh…”
“Is the bed upstairs?”
Without much effort, he carried him on his shoulder and went up the stairs. As soon as he went up, he lifted the disheveled blanket on the wide bed that came into view and laid Joo Seonghan down. Unable to even open his eyes properly, he groaned.
“Look at me.”
Sitting on the edge of the bed, he grabbed Joo Seonghan’s cheeks, damp with sweat, and faced him. Even though it was dark all around, his pupils were tightly constricted.
“Where does it hurt? Hm?”
“…Head…”
“Your head hurts.”
He soothed him and swept back his wet bangs. When he touched various spots on his hot face, he closed his eyes. His wrinkled brow twitched.
“What medicine did you take?”
“Fever reducer… fever reducer and pain reliever…”
Pain reliever was placed on the small table next to the bed. He had heard it was better not to take medicine if possible. That was even more true after completing the awakening. Joo Seonghan’s body could no longer be called human.
“Since when have you been hurting?”
He asked while stroking his wet eye area. Joo Seonghan’s face twisted miserably. With his eyes tightly shut, he whimpered. As he just quietly looked down, he fumbled and extended his hand to grip the hem of Yeon Dogyeong’s t-shirt.
“…It hurts.”
His eyelids lifted. Having opened his eyes that were heavily swollen from crying with difficulty, he looked at Yeon Dogyeong and cried streaming tears. Honestly, it was a bit arousing. But it’s not like he could do anything with a sick kid. Yeon Dogyeong smiled and climbed onto the bed. He leaned back against the fluffy pillow and slid his arm under Joo Seonghan’s neck. Joo Seonghan, who had sniffled, squirmed and clung to Yeon Dogyeong. Only at times like this does he act cute, so I have to come. Yeon Dogyeong stroked Joo Seonghan’s body.
Joo Seonghan, who didn’t know how to ask anyone for anything, was a person who only became honest at the very end. Beyond the Guimun, which he had concluded was a dream he would wake from someday, he asked Yeon Dogyeong if he could kiss him. It was the same after he returned. He said on his own that he wanted to suck Yeon Dogyeong’s penis, and with his own will, he grabbed Yeon Dogyeong’s wrist and led him. He also boldly took off his pants every time to the suggestion to have sex. Having acted as if both his body and heart were wide open like that, once the memory wasn’t erased, he distanced himself from Yeon Dogyeong.
With his eyes he said he liked it, but with his hands he pushed away, and yet when actually pushed, he couldn’t properly refuse. Only when his safety was guaranteed did he look inside himself that he had been ignoring without realizing it. And when safety was certain and he reached the end, only then did he express his emotions. A defense mechanism from an unknown source seemed to make him a dull and timid coward. So unless it was a situation like now, it was hard to peek at his true feelings. When his reason became clouded, like when half-asleep or in pain, Joo Seonghan became honest regardless of his will.
“Should we take off your clothes?”
He asked while ruffling through Joo Seonghan’s hair. Joo Seonghan, who had put his hand inside Yeon Dogyeong’s t-shirt, grabbed and scratched his skin. Opening his eyes drowsily, he put his hand in deeper and touched Yeon Dogyeong’s bare skin.
“Hm? Should I take off my clothes?”
“…Yeah.”
He sat up and took off his t-shirt. When he dropped it outside the bed and lay back down, Joo Seonghan placed his head on Yeon Dogyeong’s chest and closed his eyes. One hand that was moving gently was placed on Yeon Dogyeong’s waist. Yeon Dogyeong enjoyed the amusing spectacle he couldn’t often see and stroked his body until Joo Seonghan fell asleep.
It was five hours later that Joo Seonghan, who had fallen asleep shallowly, opened his eyes. It was still pitch dark all around, and Joo Seonghan’s body was laid down in the living room on the first floor, not the bed in the loft. There were many blankets spread beneath his body. Joo Seonghan sat up with difficulty, bearing a head like a stone. Tears came naturally.
