“No.”

Going toward the ward corridor, he could only see people escaping outside, with no one going in. Ju-eon was the only one trying to enter.

“There’s been an explosion!”

“Get out of the way!”

“My God, what on earth is happening.”

People were busy fleeing with faces full of shock. Each time Ju-eon took a step forward, people rushing out bumped against his shoulders as they passed.

‘An explosion.’

Why suddenly?

Even though it was a small hospital, it was always full, so there were quite a few people. He had no idea who or for what purpose had caused the explosion. That made it even more bewildering.

Was it just terrorism? Why today, why here, of all places?

Each time people brushed past him, Ju-eon looked around desperately hoping to see a familiar face.

“Ma’am!”

When Ju-eon urgently grabbed someone, they turned around. The moment their eyes met, as Ju-eon’s grip weakened, the person sharply knocked away his limp hand.

“What are you doing? Let go!”

“I’m sorry.”

He grabbed anyone with a similar build wearing hospital clothes, but none were Eun-sun.

“The authorities have been notified, please evacuate first!”

One of the people leaving grabbed Ju-eon as he tried to go inside. It was a security guard from each floor. Ju-eon grabbed the guard’s arm as if relieved.

“I think there are still people who haven’t gotten out inside.”

“What?”

The guard who was about to leave together glanced anxiously toward the entrance.

“In room 302… I think patient Kim Eun-sun hasn’t come out yet.”

“We’ve checked everywhere we could check. Please go down first.”

“Then let me check quickly.”

Ju-eon tried to pass by the guard, but the guard grabbed his shoulder.

“She probably went outside first.”

No one knew how long it would take for rescue teams to arrive after receiving the report. Smoke that came down the stairs instantly filled the first-floor corridor. The acrid smoke blurred his vision. His nose burned and his eyes stung.

“What if she’s not there when I go out?”

Ju-eon’s voice came out trembling terribly.

“You need to evacuate first.”

If he hadn’t noticed, it would be one thing, but having seen someone going up, he couldn’t just leave it alone. The guard spoke again in a firm voice. The guard’s hand on Ju-eon’s shoulder grew heavier.

“I’m sorry.”

“Ah!”

Ju-eon sharply knocked away the guard’s wrist with the back of his hand. Then, just as he was about to run upstairs without thinking—

BOOM-!

The explosion that had temporarily stopped erupted again. Ju-eon reflexively raised both arms to cover his face, but it was impossible to block the blast. The explosion’s pressure sent Ju-eon flying into the wall.

A massive explosion sound rang out as if tearing his ears apart. Ju-eon’s body visibly stiffened at the sound that shouldn’t be heard.

“Ugh…”

His skin was scratched by building debris mixed in the air. Fortunately, there were only scratches, and he wasn’t buried under the debris. Ju-eon staggered to his feet. When he spat, debris fragments and blood came out mixed together.

When the air calmed slightly, Ju-eon moved forward without thinking. But when he reached the stairs, he had to stop. He stared at the blocked stairway with a dazed expression. The stairs were broken from the explosion’s impact, and the rebar inside the adjacent pillar was exposed.

Since he was leaving, he had to leave other family behind. Not seeing and being unable to see were completely different things.

In the distance, ambulance sirens wailed. When he wiped his face with his shirt, black soot and dust came off. Having rushed only looking at the stairs, he belatedly noticed the guard lying down bleeding from debris that must have hit his head.

“Please…”

Be outside.

After looking at the stairs several more times, Ju-eon finally turned his back.

“Are you alright?”

“Ugh…”

Seeing the faint groan, he hadn’t completely lost consciousness yet.

“Stay with me. I’ll get you outside.”

Ju-eon quickly grabbed the guard’s arm, draped it over his own shoulder, and supported him toward the exit.

**

“An explosion occurred at Chungsan Hospital located in XX-ri, Wollong-myeon, Paju-si, Gyeonggi-do, District 2. Fortunately, the damage wasn’t too severe. Suspicions have arisen that AGT was involved in this sudden explosion. Citizens are saying that if AGT is running rampant in District 2, government agencies cannot avoid criticism…”

Click.

Ju-eon turned off the news flowing from the radio. Various sensational articles were coming out non-stop.

From the explosion that started at the end of the hospital’s 5th floor, most patients on the 5th floor lost their lives. Even if the damage was small, it meant there were people who lost their lives. Ju-eon clenched his fist so hard his nails left marks on his palm. The guilt of not being able to protect weighed heavily.

‘Was it really AGT?’

Unable to find evidence yet, they were struggling to catch the culprit who caused the explosion. Though all media was criticizing AGT as if they had been waiting for this, there was no reason to terrorize a small hospital in District 2.

Though they were a terrorist group, AGT had never carried out terrorism against civilians, and they seemed to have their own beliefs.

‘Then who on earth…’

Ju-eon’s complexion turned pale. His legs were numb from kneeling too long, but he couldn’t move. Because it was cut from a group photo without a proper individual photo, Eun-sun’s picture looked blurry. Ju-eon couldn’t face Eun-sun’s photo and bowed his head deeply.

‘You’re from Special Abilities Agency Attack Team 1, right?’

‘Yes, that’s correct.’

‘But you’re saying you couldn’t do anything?’

‘…Yes.’

‘Well then.’

Called in right after the accident for witness questioning, he couldn’t give any answers. Because he could only watch the explosion like a fool.

‘Don’t you get paid quite well there?’

‘……’

‘Were there any notable peculiarities?’

‘I was at reception then…’

‘Ah, you said you were on the phone in the emergency stairwell. We’ll check that.’

‘…Yes.’

Though the police looked at him with contemptuous eyes, Ju-eon didn’t back down and only answered what they asked. While an esper’s abilities can be demonstrated, a guide’s abilities are not like that. It was natural that he couldn’t do anything, but the police showed their displeasure openly.

He ignored it since it wasn’t the first time receiving contemptuous looks. Even without the police, there were mountains of things to worry about. Though he contacted Myung-hwon, he hadn’t returned even by the second day of the funeral as his business trip seemed quite long and couldn’t be reached.

There was an offer from the government to hold a joint funeral, but Ju-eon declined. Though he knew holding separate funerals couldn’t atone for everything, he still wanted to send her off as comfortably as possible. Ju-eon sat alone in the empty funeral hall, rubbing his blurring eyes.

He explained briefly to Kang No-hun too, excluding the story about Myung-hwon and the detailed circumstances. Since he explained while removing Myung-hwon as the connecting link, No-hun must have noticed Ju-eon was hiding something, but he didn’t ask anything and approved Ju-eon’s vacation request for that day. Thanks to that, he could keep watching over the funeral hall.

His face noticeably grew gaunt after keeping vigil at the funeral hall for two days as his strength rapidly declined.

‘I used to be fine rolling around in S-class dungeons for days before…’

It was when dawn was faintly breaking.

Tap tap tap. At the sound of approaching footsteps, Ju-eon who had been dozing suddenly raised his head. Myung-hwon appeared at the entrance. The few people present glanced at Myung-hwon.

Unkempt hair, slightly disheveled clothes, reddened eyes – no different from his usual tired appearance, but today more than ever, his appearance looked infinitely sorrowful.

“Did you see my text?”

“I came as soon as I checked it.”

Ju-eon tried to stand up to greet Myung-hwon. But his legs were numb from sitting in one position for so long.

“Ah!”

He almost fell back down, but Myung-hwon who quickly approached caught Ju-eon in his arms.

“Careful.”

“Yeah. Sorry.”

The two who suddenly got close looked at each other wholly.

“How long have you been sitting here alone?”

“…Since I contacted you.”

It had already been two days since his last contact.

“Why are you keeping vigil here, get some rest.”

“No. I’m fine.”

“…Hah.”

At Myung-hwon’s sigh, his heart sank.

“I’m sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing?”

“Still, I was there then. But couldn’t do anything.”

Seeing Myung-hwon, emotions welled up. Throughout being alone, he hadn’t shed a single tear. His dry, rough eyes suddenly filled with tears.

The body couldn’t be found because the explosion happened too close, they said. I was there, I tried to save her but couldn’t. He needed to tell this news too, but his throat was blocked by a hot lump and he absolutely couldn’t speak.

He didn’t want them to meet like this. The now-impossible assumption that things might have worked out if they had talked just one more time made Ju-eon devastated.

Myung-hwon pulled Ju-eon slightly closer into his arms.

“I told you not to get involved.”

“I went to see her for the last time.”

“You should have told me before going.”

Being held in his arms, he couldn’t see what expression he had while saying this. Ju-eon hugged him as if clinging to his back. Only the white shirt he was wearing entered his field of vision.