“If that kid knows the location of those bastards’ hideout, we can attack right away!”
Im Yena got worked up again and jumped up. This time, Seo Yul pressed Im Yena down to sit without saying anything.
“Ah, why! Isn’t time of the essence? That lunatic Wi Seokwoo probably doesn’t have a plan or anything either, right? Those things might attack the Seoul Center today. They might even pull something off at night when no one’s around.”
“That’s not it. Why would that attention-seeking bastard move at night when no one’s around? He has to cause trouble when there are the most people to get media attention.”
At Seo Yul’s logical rebuttal, Im Yena immediately agreed, saying, “Ah, that’s true.” Wi Seokwoo’s neatly groomed appearance came to mind. Seeing how he cared about his appearance, he did seem like the type to be conscious of others’ gazes.
“Then when are we going to attack! I’m dying of boredom. I want to fight. I just want to beat up anyone.”
So she wants to go fight because she’s bored? Her face was pretty but her mental state didn’t look good. With those thin arms, it seemed like she couldn’t even break a twig, but she was also a Transcendent. When deployed in actual combat, she would definitely demonstrate strength greater than Yeojin’s.
“There’s one thing I’m worried about. Whether we can actually stop it even if we try. Even if we somehow prevent this incident, Wi Seokwoo’s gang will continue to commit reckless acts endlessly. If this incident fails, they might try to pull off something even bigger.”
That was also correct. Weeds continue to grow unless you pull them out by the roots. Even if they stopped this Seoul Center raid, the fundamental problem wouldn’t be solved. In the end, they had to pull out the weed by the roots, but honestly, Yeojin didn’t want to get involved that far.
He didn’t want to care about Earth’s internal affairs or the organization’s future, things like that. The most important thing to Yeojin was his and Haeju’s safety. Even getting involved with the Seoul Center matter was because it was his former workplace and he was worried about Chief Im and other staff, and the quarantine subjects still isolated there.
He said he hated seeing anyone bleed and get hurt, whether civilians, National Security and Peace Maintenance Department officials, or Wi Seokwoo’s gang, but in fact, if it hadn’t been about the Seoul Center, he wouldn’t have gotten involved this much. Yeojin also had non-violent pacifist tendencies, but that didn’t make him a saint.
“Let’s kill Wi Seokwoo.”
Breaking the brief silence, Im Yena said ominously.
“He’s the axis of evil. If we eliminate him, the organization will scatter too. Since they’re just a ragtag bunch anyway, if the leader disappears, they’ll scatter and self-destruct, right?”
She banged the bowl with her fork and muttered once more.
“Yeah, let’s kill that lunatic.”
“You’re crazy. You’re not in your right mind. Say something that makes sense, Im Yena.”
Seo Yul snorted and shook his head. Kim Hanseong and Im Junwoo also let out empty laughs.
“I think noona is right.”
While everyone ignored her words, only Han Daesik seriously picked up her words.
“Daesik, don’t you start too.”
Im Junwoo gently admonished Han Daesik.
“But Wi Seokwoo being the axis of evil is right. That gang is nothing without Wi Seokwoo. There’s no one who thinks seriously, agonizes, and knows how to use their brain like Hanseong hyung or Junwoo hyung. Even if there’s such a person, Wi Seokwoo would kick them out. Because he’s the type who has to be the king of the group. People with thoughts are bound to not last in that organization and get kicked out.”
“Even if they continue to pull Transcendents to their side, in the end only empty-headed ones who follow Wi Seokwoo will remain.”
“Right.”
At Im Yena’s words, Han Daesik nodded.
“Yeah, we have to kill Wi Seokwoo.”
Im Yena repeated the same words again. But this time, Han Daesik immediately picked up those words.
“We have to capture and kill Wi Seokwoo.”
The talk of killing sounded absurd, but the talk of capturing and killing sounded quite plausible. The single remark Im Yena tossed out became a plan and grew in mass. Yeojin also agreed with Han Daesik’s thinking.
Starting with Wi Seokwoo, the leader of the group, he was just a kid with only strength. He had such a strange personality that even his followers didn’t seem to follow him wholeheartedly.
“Rather than dealing with all those insane kids, it would be more efficient to concentrate on dealing with one ringleader.”
When Kim Hanseong spoke, Im Yena made a fuss saying, “That’s what I’m saying!”
“However, the problem is how to capture and kill Wi Seokwoo, that’s…”
“I hate Wi Seokwoo.”
Haeju’s voice was heard.
“Those bastards tried to drag me away like hunting wild beasts. They didn’t treat me like a human. Even though they’re Transcendents themselves.”
Haeju’s cheek twitched as if recalling what he’d suffered at their hands.
“And they tortured you, Doctor. They dared to hurt my Doctor. That’s what I can’t forgive the most.”
The expression “my Doctor” was slightly grating, but Yeojin decided not to say anything now.
“I can’t forgive them.”
Saying that, Haeju ground his teeth. While his eyes shone. If Wi Seokwoo were in front of him, he was in a state to throw a punch right away. Responding to the kid’s hostility, Kkamang opened its beak and cawed. The crows that must still be surrounding the house also cawed and flapped.
“I got it, so calm down.”
When Yeojin spoke, Haeju’s eyes turned toward Yeojin. The kid stared this way for a moment without saying anything, not blinking once—the gaze was chillingly clear. Taking a deep breath, staring at Yeojin, perhaps calming his emotions, Kkamang soon calmed down and the crows outside also became quiet.
“I’ll protect you.”
Haeju’s lips moved.
“I’ll protect you, Doctor.”
He repeated it once more. It was utterly resolute. Suddenly, a chuckle came out. He didn’t know why, but this situation was just funny.
“Yeah, thanks.”
Yeojin laughed while patting the back of Haeju’s hand.
“Don’t worry. Since the Doctor is the only civilian, we’ll do all the dangerous work!”
Im Yena shouted boldly.
“The Doctor won’t be exposed to dangerous situations.”
Kim Hanseong also backed up Im Yena’s words. It must be words to comfort Haeju since he was so worried about his Doctor. But somehow Yeojin felt bitter. He newly realized the fact that he was the weakest in this group.
“If you’re in a dangerous situation, just hide behind me, Doctor.”
Im Yena said that and grinned, but Yeojin couldn’t bring himself to laugh along.
“Now, now.”
Seo Yul clapped to focus the scattered audience’s attention.
“Let’s think seriously now, shall we? How do we capture and kill that bastard Wi Seokwoo?”
Seo Yul’s eyes shone calmly. It was a serious attitude like a chairman conducting a meeting. Matching that atmosphere, all the group members also seriously straightened their postures. Housekeepers quietly appeared, refilled everyone’s empty cups with coffee or tea, and brought out fruits and refreshments. A rather long meeting began.
***
“Ugh.”
Yeojin woke from sleep shivering from a sudden chill. Wondering why it was so cold, it seemed he had kicked off the blanket in his sleep without knowing. He fumbled with his hand with his eyes closed, searching for the blanket.
Then he noticed the space next to him was empty. It seemed like Haeju had also secretly crawled in last night and slept curled up beside him. Even during the night, he woke once because it was cold and realized Haeju was curled up beside him, thought to himself I knew it, covered him with the blanket, and went back to sleep.
It couldn’t be that he went back to his own room to sleep. The empty space beside him bothered him somehow and he couldn’t fall asleep. Yeojin groaned and got up from his place groggily.
Looking at the wall clock, it was still 6 AM. Where did this kid go at this hour? It was bothersome when he stuck close beside him, and bothersome when he wasn’t visible.
Forcing himself to lift his sluggish body, he walked out of bed and first gulped down some water. Still not waking up, he washed his face with cold water, put on clothes, and went outside. The bleak chill of dawn was quite fierce.
First, he went to the room next door assigned to Haeju. The door wasn’t locked, so when he grabbed and turned the doorknob, the door opened smoothly.
As expected, the room inside was empty. Thanks to the kid secretly coming into Yeojin’s room and sleeping every time, his bed was too clean.
Where did he go, really? He didn’t go attack Wi Seokwoo alone, did he?
When his thoughts reached that point, his mind became alert. Sleep flew away completely.
Throughout the strategy meeting that continued until late last night, Haeju had been lost in other thoughts. He didn’t join the meeting. Yeojin had thought that the kid definitely had other ideas.
Don’t think about doing anything foolish.
So when the meeting ended and everyone returned to their rooms, he grabbed Haeju and clearly said that.
Don’t make me suffer mentally. Don’t make me worry. Got it?
I got it. I won’t make you worry, Doctor.
Then Haeju laughed and reassured Yeojin. He decided to trust those words. Though he had unexpectedly stubborn and self-willed aspects, he was also a kid who cherished Yeojin terribly. He wasn’t the type to hurt the heart of a Doctor he cherished so much.
He believed that. But he thought that belief might have been wrong. Perhaps to avoid exposing Yeojin to dangerous situations, he might have thought to capture and kill Wi Seokwoo by himself.
