Because Ju-eon couldn’t imagine a future without Myung-hwon. He naturally thought he would still be by Myung-hwon’s side 10 years later.

‘Okay.’

Myung-hwon buried his face between Ju-eon’s neck and shoulder.

‘Ah!’

And soon Ju-eon let out a soft moan at the sensation he felt. Myung-hwon’s gaze grew intense. Just as Ju-eon moistened his lower lip with his tongue and wrapped his arms around Myung-hwon’s shoulders.

Click.

‘What are you two doing?’

Yun-jae, the roommate, stopped in his tracks at the scene he walked in on.

‘It’s not what it looks like.’

Ju-eon quickly pushed against Myung-hwon’s chest and got off his lap. The towel that had been tightly secured had somehow loosened. If they’d been just a bit later, Yun-jae would have seen something he shouldn’t.

‘Then what were you two doing?’

‘…Talking about our future plans?’

‘Did you decide where you’re going?’

Ju-eon glanced at Myung-hwon, and Myung-hwon nodded as if to say it was okay to tell him.

‘…Yeah.’

That’s how our paths were decided. I should have talked more deeply then instead of avoiding it. If we had left for another country, if we had imprinted, if I had refused when you said you’d take me to Attack Team 1 for my sake… Could we have stayed together even a little longer?

**

Myung-hwon packed his things and left just like that. It was fortunate that today was the weekend. After being in a daze for several hours, when he came to his senses it was already evening.

What should he do first?

He couldn’t go looking for Myung-hwon, nor could he just sit and wait for him endlessly. Ju-eon decided on the first thing he needed to do and made a phone call.

-Hello?

After the dial tone rang a few times, soon Yun-jae’s exhausted voice came through.

“Yun-jae. Could I leave some things at your place?”

-I don’t mind, but what things?

“Not just one thing. It’s my stuff… and there’s quite a lot.”

-How much are we talking about?

“All my belongings.”

There was a moment of silence. Soon a sigh could be heard from the other end of the line.

-I get that you want to say something to Myung-hwon… but acting so suspiciously…

He could tell what misunderstanding Yun-jae was having. Since he said he couldn’t tell, Yun-jae clearly thought he was trying to send indirect signals to Myung-hwon. Instead of explaining in detail, Ju-eon just stated the core fact briefly.

“We broke up.”

-What?

“More accurately, I was dumped…”

The fact that we had broken up still felt strange. The words ‘broke up’ rolled around in his mouth, feeling gritty like sand.

-Woo Ju-eon. Where are you right now? Are you okay?

“If anything, it’s for the best. I was going to leave anyway but couldn’t bring myself to say we should break up.”

Though he wanted to laugh and act like it was nothing, he couldn’t quite manage to laugh.

-Should I come over now?

“No. I need to pack. I’m better than you’d think.”

Ju-eon ended the call saying he’d call when he finished packing everything.

Actually, he wasn’t okay. Time seemed to have stopped from the moment they broke up. The moment Myung-hwon said they should break up kept replaying in his head.

It was laughable how we thought we’d be different, that we’d be unlike other couples, yet we had such an obvious breakup just like any other couple.

And the D-day for the clinical trial was approaching fast.

**

Ju-eon clicked his tongue as he looked around the house again. Since it seemed impossible to finish organizing everything in time, he had no choice but to use the vacation days he had returned.

Sweat dripped as he moved his belongings. Ju-eon put his hands on his waist and looked toward the living room that was still not organized.

“When did I get so many things?”

When he first moved into this house, he came with just himself, but he wasn’t sure when he’d accumulated so much.

“I guess I’ll just leave all the ambiguous items.”

Since most things were bought together, he could reduce his luggage a lot by leaving behind items that couldn’t clearly be determined as belonging to whom. During the days he spent organizing, Myung-hwon didn’t come home.

Only after using up his last vacation days and even his monthly leave was Ju-eon able to return to work.

Fortunately or unfortunately, he didn’t run into Myung-hwon at work. Myung-hwon was busy with the irregular gate, and Ju-eon was busy finishing up Team 1’s work in the office.

Most people at work knew that Myung-hwon and Ju-eon were dating, but since they had tried to minimize being alone together in public settings, no one seemed to notice anything was wrong between them. Since neither Ju-eon nor Myung-hwon were the type to go around talking about it, unless they specifically said something, people probably wouldn’t know they had broken up for quite a while.

He didn’t want to announce their breakup. He was glad he wouldn’t have to hear about their breakup from others’ mouths until just before he disappeared.

“Take care, Ju-eon.”

“Yun-jin. You must be having a hard time with the irregular gate.”

“Can’t be helped.”

“Are you leaving now?”

“From tomorrow it’s just me and the team leader, for now. We can’t keep Team 1 empty indefinitely.”

“Hang in there. Well, I’ll head out first.”

“Take care.”

That must mean Myung-hwon had gone today. After naturally thinking of Myung-hwon first, Ju-eon shook his head.

The difference between growing distant and becoming complete strangers was as vast as heaven and earth. Before, there were times he felt hurt when they only had contact for guiding. He had wanted to be seen more fully for himself.

But now he wanted to reach Myung-hwon even if just through guiding. Though even this wasn’t allowed anymore.

**

After he was transferred to Team 2, our professional relationship was limited to meeting only during large-scale dungeons that required both Attack Team 1 and 2, or during company dinners.

The days weren’t passing by but being endured. At times it was as unbearable as receiving a death sentence.

Ju-eon walked the fully winter night road after work. He pulled up to his chin the muffler Myung-hwon had given him before, and walked with his hands in his coat pockets.

“Excuse me. Hello, Mr. Woo Ju-eon?”

Someone stopped Ju-eon, who had been lost in thought, in front of the apartment.

“Yes?”

Though he responded reflexively after being suddenly stopped, the person was a stranger.

“Could I have a moment of your time?”

“…Who are you?”

The person acted like they knew Ju-eon, so he tried to recall, but couldn’t remember at all. Only then did the person apologize for the late introduction and handed over a business card.

“Ah. Sorry for the late introduction. I’m Kwak Sung-kwan, reporter from Ju-an Daily.”

Ju-eon looked back and forth between the business card and reporter Kwak Sung-kwan’s face.

“…What business do you have with me?”

“I’d like to request an interview about the recent hospital explosion incident, if possible?”

Was this because of the tabloid article No-hun had mentioned? He felt more displeasure than surprise.

“I’ve never avoided investigation, and I’ve already provided my alibi, so I have nothing more to say.”

No one would be happy about articles suspecting them as criminals. Ju-eon replied in a cold voice and tried to walk past. But the reporter seemed unwilling to give up and followed behind Ju-eon.

“Ah. You must be thinking of that tabloid article. I’m not someone who writes speculative articles based only on assumptions.”

“……”

“I don’t think Mr. Ju-eon is the culprit.”

“……”

“So I did my own investigation. Because I thought you must feel very wronged. But I found out it wasn’t your associate at that hospital, but rather S-class esper Yeo Myung-hwon’s associate?”

Stop. Ju-eon’s quick steps suddenly halted.

He had explained his reason for going to the hospital during the police investigation under their request to maintain confidentiality. But why did this reporter know that reason?

Kim Eun-sun had no official connection to Myung-hwon in the family registry. That was the only way the information could have leaked. There was no way a mere reporter could find out information that even the police didn’t know until Ju-eon told them.

“I’m very curious how you conducted your background investigation.”

The reporter laughed awkwardly at Ju-eon’s cold response. Unlike his assumption that Ju-eon would have a mild personality, his tone was incredibly sharp.

“Don’t worry, we won’t publish anything without permission…”

“Then there’s no need for an interview.”

Because he had no intention of allowing any article to be published.

Ju-eon coldly dismissed him and walked past the reporter. But the reporter, seemingly unwilling to let Ju-eon go so easily, threw words at the back of Ju-eon’s head.

“I’ve been hearing that AGT has been acting on grudges lately, do you have any thoughts about that?”

AGT, who they had encountered by chance in a dungeon but were destroyed by Myung-hwon’s attack. AGT, who originally didn’t kill civilians. But AGT, who were now said to be acting for revenge with grudges.

He had thought they wouldn’t attack innocent civilians, but what if AGT found out that one of the hospital patients was Myung-hwon’s family?

“I’m not foolish enough to easily believe information without sources.”

“So you do have some thoughts on this.”

While it was a subtle difference that ordinary people would never notice, the reporter who had built his career on his sharp intuition quickly caught that moment.

“……”

“I’m not making things up either. I’ll give you some premium information first. As a token of trust.”

“……”

“Though I can’t be specific, AGT is planning to occupy a certain department store soon for revenge…”

The reporter’s eyes sparkled as he asked, seemingly not having obtained information about incidents that could have caused grudges. Regretting having responded to the persistent gaze, Ju-eon played dumb.