When consciousness briefly returned, I was surrounded by medical staff. I was wearing an oxygen mask, and I felt all kinds of machines hanging around me. When I opened my eyes, someone called my name.
“Patient Park Garam, can you hear my voice? Patient Park Garam!”
But the voice didn’t continue for long.
I couldn’t hear what they were saying. Light shone into my pupils and disappeared repeatedly. I guess I’m not dead. Or am I dying? It was regrettable that I couldn’t ask. My stomach hurt as if it were burning.
I couldn’t tell if I had surgery or was about to have it. I chose to close my eyes again. My eyelids were too heavy to hold up.
“Patient Park Garam! Open your eyes! Patient Park Garam!”
I could feel the doctor calling me desperately. I’m sorry. It’s too heavy. I would accommodate you if I could, but the situation is difficult right now. While making long excuses inside, I relaxed the strength in my eyes.
Am I dying like this?
Still, it seems I can’t help it. I don’t think I have the strength to stop it. That thought dimly swept over me.
“No!”
Until someone’s shout rang out as if to tear my ears. My ears hurt so much. It was a sharp sound as if blood would come out of my ears. It was a girl’s voice. Could there be a girl here? I slightly put strength in my eyes and frowned.
“Wake up!”
The voice didn’t end and kept continuing. I was in so much pain that I wanted to cover my ears. But I couldn’t do anything. As if submerged in black unconsciousness, I couldn’t move my limbs.
Stop it. It’s too noisy. I think blood will come out of my ears.
Even struggling in agony was useless. The girl’s voice was now continuing like an electronic beep. The sound kept tormenting me.
‘No, fuck. This won’t even let me die peacefully.’
I shouted to please stop. But no voice came out either. The sound, which had been at a constant volume, started gradually getting louder from some point.
Now it was as loud as having a large speaker placed against my ear. When the decibels rose to the limit, it was no longer felt as sound but only as vibration. Thump, thump, thump—a constant vibration.
Then an incomparably large vibration went thump and hit both my ears. My eyes snapped open at a sensation worse than pain.
The moment I opened my eyes, the sound stopped like magic. As if it had never existed in the first place. The only sounds I could hear were the medical staff moving busily and the sounds of daily life.
“Doctor! Patient Park Garam has opened his eyes!”
I exhaled roughly like someone who had been submerged for a long time and came out. I felt cold sweat flowing down my back. Who was that girl? When I looked around, there were only adults wearing masks. There was no girl. Just then, Nam Ihyeon, who had pushed aside the doctor, thrust his face in.
“Hey! Are you okay?”
It was a face that had turned pale blue. I nodded slightly to mean I was okay. Nam Ihyeon was caught by the medical staff and backed away. I thought I saw Kim Haewon behind him, but I didn’t have the energy to look carefully. My eyes became heavy again. But compared to before, it was as light as a feather.
Before that girl screamed, I really felt the weight of parting from the world. I had the intuition that I would never be able to open them again. I survived thanks to that girl. But I couldn’t tell who she was.
I had clearly started to find answers, but it seemed like I was getting farther from answers and only having more questions. There was a lot of homework to solve. First, let me sleep a little…… I closed my eyes again. The stabbed place stung. Like an intense signal that I wouldn’t die sleeping like this.
* * *
When I woke up from a long sleep without dreams, there were three men before my eyes. Kim Haewon, Nam Ihyeon, and Cha Hyeonseok.
“Park Garam!”
Nam Ihyeon shouted and approached me. This bastard was now calling my name freely like his dog. Kim Haewon also approached with Nam Ihyeon. Cha Hyeonseok greeted with a nod.
“Hello.”
“Yes, hello.”
My voice cracked and an unseemly sound came out. Cha Hyeonseok made a sympathetic expression and kindly continued his questions. However, perhaps because his features were cold, it didn’t feel particularly overflowing with warmth. There was only the feeling that he was doing his duty.
“How is your body? The surgery was simple, but it almost became a big problem because the detoxification didn’t work.”
“I see. I’m fine. Guide Han Miyeon……”
When I asked, Nam Ihyeon shook his head. I had a premonition the moment I saw the purple blood flowing from the corner of her mouth. However, I also held a thread of hope. Because she might have survived like me.
“The type of poison was the same, but the effects seem to differ according to dosage and method of use. Among them, the effect appears strongest when ingested orally.”
Cha Hyeonseok showed me a small amount of poison contained in a small bottle from his pocket. The poison’s color was a vivid green. I only nodded. It was no different from a narrow escape from death. If that girl hadn’t screamed, I too would have been in the morgue with Jeong Sanghyeop and Han Miyeon. Lying side by side waiting for an autopsy.
“For the time being, you’ll use this hospital room. When your body is a bit better, we’ll proceed with questioning. Rest well today.”
“Yes.”
At his words, I looked around the hospital room. This hospital room looked similar to the one Guide Han Miyeon had used. It probably meant it was a prime room. However, the door looked more solid, and there was no window. It seemed like a place with enhanced security.
“Ihyeon, you return to the branch immediately.”
“Yes. Hey, I’m going.”
I raised my weak arm and waved it around. It meant to hurry and go. There was no longer any paleness on Nam Ihyeon’s face. It seemed he had been shocked earlier too.
Cha Hyeonseok and Nam Ihyeon turned around, but Kim Haewon stood still and looked at me. I looked up at him as if asking, aren’t you going?
“Director, I’ll talk a bit and follow.”
“Guide Park Garam just woke up. Talk next time.”
“Just a moment will do.”
“Fine. Come down to the parking lot right away when you’re done.”
“Yes.”
Nam Ihyeon glanced this way and left the hospital room with Cha Hyeonseok. When the thick door closed, I felt like my breathing was also being blocked.
Wondering what he was going to scold me about again, I quietly lowered my eyes. It seemed like Kim Haewon wouldn’t cut me any slack for being a patient who almost died. While I was thinking about what to do if he shot at me like a sparrow, Kim Haewon didn’t speak for a while. I sneaked a glance at him. Kim Haewon finally opened his mouth when he made eye contact with me.
“I didn’t think it would become such a serious problem. For not seriously considering it and hastily concluding it was a delusion. I apologize.”
It was unexpected words. I hesitated and answered.
“No. I didn’t know it would be to this extent either.”
It was true. In the novel, it said I just had to avoid Jeong Sanghyeop’s hypnosis. It didn’t tell me how the development would change if I avoided that. There were no words like Jeong Sanghyeop would come with poison in his mouth, and Han Miyeon was also hypnotized so be careful.
“Esper Department 1 will take responsibility for this case and conduct the investigation. The Association is also aware of the seriousness. Guide Park Garam’s contribution is great.”
“What contribution…… Two people died.”
I couldn’t say I had distinguished myself. Because the dying faces of Jeong Sanghyeop and Han Miyeon were too vivid. In the end, I couldn’t protect them. Like characters who should have originally died, I just let them disappear. And in such a futile way at that.
“Do you think Guide Park Garam failed to protect them?”
“No. It must have been an unavoidable problem. What could I have done?”
It wasn’t empty words. Even if I had known in advance, I might not have been able to save both people. I didn’t have that kind of ability.
Frankly speaking, it was Nam Ihyeon and Kim Haewon who saved the two people at the western gate. I was just there beside them. I hadn’t done anything. Powerlessness seemed to weigh me down.
“Do you really think that?”
Kim Haewon asked. I looked at him, unable to understand what the question meant. And I asked outright.
“What do you mean?”
“Guide Park Garam has performed many missions over the past 20 years. Just because people died in the process, just because you couldn’t prevent all of that.”
“……”
“It doesn’t mean what you did well disappears.”
I opened my lips slightly. I couldn’t give any answer. Because I never thought Kim Haewon would say such a thing. I moved my lips for a while before speaking.
“Thank you.”
“……”
“For saying that.”
Just because he said it didn’t mean I could understand everything. But it seemed like my mood improved just a little. Perhaps those were words he was saying to himself. Because he would have lost more comrades than me during operations.
“From next time, I won’t leave you alone.”
“I wasn’t alone. Esper Nam Ihyeon was there, and other A-class espers were there too.”
“I wasn’t there.”
“……”
“I hope such a thing never happens again. Guide Park Garam experiencing such a thing without me.”
Kim Haewon seemed to feel some responsibility for my injury. As if, as a pair that should have moved as one team, he had neglected his duty. The meaning of pair that he thought of was quite solid. There was no way to change that thinking. I just smiled faintly and continued speaking.
“Yes. I’ll be counting on you from now on.”
At my words, Kim Haewon nodded once and continued speaking.
“Rest. I’ll be going today.”
He finished speaking neatly and turned around. I spoke to his back.
“Thank you for the lenses. Thanks to them, I survived.”
He stopped for a moment. But without turning around, he left the hospital room as is.
