He ran into the Center’s main building, but the lobby was completely empty. The security guards and information desk staff who worked in the lobby were also nowhere to be seen. It feels strange, like I’ve been dropped into a world where all the people have completely disappeared.
He ran up in one breath to the third floor of the main building where his examination and consultation room was. If I were Seo Haeju, I would have definitely come to Yeojin’s examination room first. But the third floor was also completely empty. The door to Yeojin’s examination room was wide open.
Looking inside, the desk and floor were a complete mess. The medical records that had been packed full in the bookshelf had all disappeared, and the computer was also gone. Crumpled pieces of paper were scattered messily on the floor. Kkamang hopped around on the office desk that looked like a storm had passed through, playing with the papers.
Haeju wouldn’t have run off with medical records or the computer, so this was definitely the work of those National Security and Peace Maintenance Department bastards. It was obvious. Under the pretext of search and seizure, they suddenly barged in and took all of Yeojin’s office belongings.
Evidence that Seoul Center Doctor Min Yeojin was a Rebel, or evidence that he was a Rebel collaborator. Honestly, if they nitpicked to find evidence, it would be full of it. Even when Yeojin didn’t even know of Earth’s existence, he was active in a civil organization advocating for Transcendents’ human rights.
“Ahhh!”
A scream was heard from outside. When Yeojin rushed toward where the sound came from, Kkamang had already flown along to follow him. The place where the voice was heard was one floor up.
Running up, he saw a woman sitting collapsed on the hallway floor. It was in front of some office door. She was looking beyond the open door with frightened eyes and backing away hesitantly. It seems she was startled by something inside the office and collapsed.
“Director Im!”
She turned her head at the sound of Yeojin’s voice.
“Doctor Min!”
Color returned to Director Im’s face. It was a face that said she was alive.
“Doctor!”
A thick male voice followed. Some large man jumped out from inside the office and shouted while looking at Yeojin. Yeojin’s breath stopped for a moment. It was Haeju. Director Im was horrified and jumped up to stick to the wall.
“Doctooor!”
Haeju shouted happily and ran over to pull Yeojin into his arms.
“Doctor, Doctor. Are you okay? You’re okay, right? I was really, really worried. I missed you.”
Haeju hugged Yeojin and muttered endlessly while rubbing his face and rubbing his whole body against him. Yeojin just stood there awkwardly with his mouth gaping open. I thought I’d have so much to say when I met Haeju again, but not a single word came out.
“The guys who attacked me said the government wouldn’t leave you alone either, Doctor. They said they could only save you if you joined them. But I couldn’t trust those guys. They were weird. They didn’t smell good either.”
“Uh, yeah. Right.”
“I came here thinking maybe you came to work, Doctor. If you weren’t here either, I was going to storm into the National Security and Peace Maintenance Department.”
“Uh, yeah. That was good. Really good, but.”
“Still, I didn’t attack anyone. People ran away startled because of the crows, but I didn’t hurt anyone.”
“Good job. Good job. Wait, Haeju.”
He patted Haeju’s back, who was muttering ceaselessly, and tried to pull him off, but the guy hugged him more strongly. As if he couldn’t let go.
“Doctor. You were really scared alone, weren’t you? I’m sorry. For leaving you alone.”
Yeojin’s hand, which had been trying to pull Haeju off, hesitated. Something hot bubbled up from inside his stomach. Yeojin had been worried about Haeju all along, and it seems he was too.
“I’m sorry. I should have protected you. How scared you must have been alone.”
Haeju muttered in a voice full of tears while burying his face in Yeojin’s neck and his shoulders trembled for a moment. Crying again, you crybaby. A full-grown guy sniffling like this, who are you going to protect?
It’s like the pride of being tightly hugged by a grown son who says ‘Mom, I’ll protect you now.’ A strange emotion that can’t be expressed in words moistened his heart. His heart felt warm and fuzzy.
We were worrying about each other like crazy. We were both anxious worrying about the other person being alone. Even though they were strangers who didn’t share a drop of blood, he even felt a strong bond like family.
“It’s okay. I wasn’t scared. I got a lot of help thanks to the crows. The crows, you sent them, right?”
“Yes. I sent them to protect you, Doctor.”
Yeojin smiled and patted Haeju’s large back and stroked his round head. Good boy. Well done. Good. You did well, you little guy. Hugging Haeju’s body and sharing warmth, his heart, which had been pounding like crazy all this time, settled down calmly.
“Thank you.”
He whispered with deep emotion. His voice was full of tears. I’m going to cry embarrassingly.
“You endured well. You held out well, really.”
Thank you for enduring well while hiding here and there in the mountains, in empty houses, after becoming a fugitive, and for not carelessly using your ability to hurt people. Haeju hugged Yeojin as if to crush him. His strength was so great it felt like he’d break, truly.
“Heu, heuk. Haeju. Haejuuu. It hurts. It hurts, really.”
He smacked Haeju’s arm because it felt like his bones would be crushed. Only then did Haeju hurriedly pull away, saying “I’m sorry!” Finally, he could see Haeju’s face in detail. Even though his appearance was shabby and dirty, he was still bright and pretty. Red scratches were noticeable here and there on his face. He could also see dried scabs of blood stuck to the ends of his hair.
Tsk. Yeojin clicked his tongue inwardly and frowned. Haeju also saw Yeojin’s wounds and immediately reached out, distorting his fine brow. He could feel large fingers stroking near his cheekbone.
“Are you hurt?”
He didn’t know he was hurt there, but it stung when the guy’s hand touched it.
“It’s nothing. Are you hurt too?”
“It’s nothing.”
Haeju smiled and Yeojin also smiled faintly. Yeojin grabbed Haeju’s hand that was touching his face with a touch full of worry.
“Let’s go with me, Doctor.”
He firmly gripped the guy’s hand. Haeju grinned. The guy smiled innocently like a child while sneakily interlocking fingers. Thick fingers pushed into the gaps between Yeojin’s fingers and held on tightly.
Would a child do this kind of thing? He seems like a child, but when I see this, he’s completely an adult. You don’t actually have infantile regression symptoms, do you? Just as he was about to ask out of sudden curiosity, someone smacked Yeojin’s back hard. It was Director Im. When did she come to her senses and get up?
“What are you guys doing? Shooting a love scene? Hurry up and go. Soldiers will be coming.”
It was Director Im’s back smashing after a long time. As expected, her hand is heavy. His back was all tingly.
“Yes. I’ll be going. I’m sorry for startling you from the morning.”
“Just go!”
“And since it’s come to this anyway, turn all staff to work from home or close the Center for a while. It’s good to make excuses to the higher-ups. ‘We request the Center be closed due to the risk of attack from a Transcendent organization that has escaped government control,’ this kind of excuse.”
“I got it, so go. Please go.”
Director Im said that while pushing his back. He bowed in greeting and Yeojin pulled Haeju’s hand. How many steps did they walk? “Doctor Min!” Director Im ran over. She came running out of breath and took out all the bills from her wallet and stuffed them into Yeojin’s pocket.
“It’s fine. What money? You’re not a grandmother giving pocket money. Don’t do things you don’t usually do.”
“Endure well.”
Normally she would have nagged saying ‘what do you mean grandmother,’ but this time she only said that one thing with determined eyes. Yeojin nodded while smiling. Director Im’s sharp gaze turned toward Haeju this time.
“You, protect Doctor Min well. Doctor Min, he has a damn high pride, so he’ll always stand at the front throwing a fit saying ‘what protection, I’ll protect everything!’ but don’t forget. You’re a Transcendent and Doctor Min is a civilian. The strong must protect the weak. Got it?”
“Even if you don’t say that, I’ll protect Doctor.”
Haeju bluntly spat out. It was quite a different tone from when dealing with Yeojin.
“You stay healthy too, Director. If I get the chance, let’s definitely meet later.”
Instead of just nodding his head in greeting, this time he bowed deeply at the waist and greeted properly.
“Oh my? I gave you some spending money and you’re doing things you don’t usually do.”
Director Im also smiled then. Finally, Yeojin showed her a smiling face and turned around and ran.
“Hurry up. Military vehicles are coming!”
He could hear Im Junwoo shouting from the first floor. At first it was the state of running while bringing Haeju along, but before he knew it, Haeju had gone ahead and was pulling Yeojin. The guy was so fast he couldn’t keep up and was dragged along. His breath came up to his chin.
“Doctor, why are you so slow?”
“You’re the one who’s too fast.”
When he panted, Haeju suddenly lifted Yeojin up. There wasn’t even time to be surprised. Although smaller than Haeju, Yeojin was also an adult man so he must weigh a tremendous amount, but to just lift him up like a teddy bear.
“Doctor, you have to hold on tight. You’ll fall.”
“Uh, yeah.”
Because it was such an urgent situation, he couldn’t even ask to be put down, so Yeojin answered reflexively.
“But aren’t I heavy?”
“Light as a feather. Doctor, why are you so skinny? You need to gain more weight.”
It was humiliating. Light as a feather. Although not as much as when he was active duty, he’d still always been managing his body. Haeju, who had stopped for a moment to lift Yeojin, started running again.
