“You cannot enter inside.”

“They’re with us. Just came out for investigation.”

When the police tried to stop them, No-hun showed his ID from behind. The police looked suspiciously at Myung-hwon in his hospital gown but didn’t stop him from entering any further.

He stood in a place where counting floors had lost meaning as it had collapsed from the top. He shouldn’t have let his guard down after confirming AGT’s departure.

Myung-hwon’s jaw tensed as he held back his anger. Don’t be ridiculous. He’s not dead. How could he die when he was perfectly alive right in front of me?

He had protected him with these two hands. You never know. There might be space under the debris, and he might miraculously be alive.

Though using his power would be faster, afraid that Ju-eon might be alive underneath and get hurt, Myung-hwon started digging the ground with his hands.

Glass shards and cement pieces were mixed in, causing cuts on his hands every time he dug, but Myung-hwon didn’t care.

“Mr. Myung-hwon. Please stop.”

After watching Myung-hwon’s sudden behavior for a while, Yun-jin pleaded with a trembling voice.

“There might be space underneath and he could be alive.”

“Mr. Myung-hwon.”

“You said they haven’t even found the body. So why are you giving up already?”

It was a meaningless action, but he felt he would go crazy if he didn’t do at least this. Myung-hwon’s eyes gleamed strangely.

“He’s not dead.”

“Mr. Myung-hwon. We’ve done everything we could.”

“Who’s dead?”

He couldn’t be dead. How could you die leaving me behind?

“How could he die like that?”

“Mr. Myung-hwon.”

“It doesn’t make sense.”

Bang. Myung-hwon struck the ground. He felt like he would go crazy from frustration.

‘I hate things that make me weak.’

He remembered when he had said he hated things that made him weak. It was a paradoxical statement. They hadn’t made him weak; he had become weak because he fell in love. Becoming weak was entirely his own fault.

I shouldn’t have said that.

It was just that he hated how weak he became whenever he felt he loved Ju-eon too much. That’s why he had said that.

Myung-hwon knelt at the place where he had last been with Ju-eon.

He wanted to tell him when he became stronger. Even that had been ruined because of Yeo Han-ol, and he had promised to confess.

“He’s not dead. Woo Ju-eon.”

Myung-hwon muttered as if making a promise. Maybe he had gone crazy. Maybe he was being stubborn because no body had been found, but until Ju-eon was found, he would never acknowledge Ju-eon’s death by his own will.

‘When I come back… then… tell me then. Myung-hwon.’

He recalled what Ju-eon had said before his consciousness completely sank. He said he would come back. So surely he had just gone somewhere for a moment now. Myung-hwon clutched his chest. When he thought of him as alive, strange points started catching his eye one by one.

“Mr. Myung-hwon. This will make Ju-eon suffer more.”

Yun-jin’s words didn’t properly reach his ears.

Myung-hwon slowly got up from his spot. He didn’t have time for this. He needed to find Ju-eon quickly.

Maybe he had gone home first and was waiting. When he got home, he would be angry about why he was so late. Then Myung-hwon would hug him and beg until he accepted him.

Maybe it would take quite some time until he forgave him.

“Mr. Yeo Myung-hwon!”

Kang No-hun grabbed Myung-hwon’s arm with an almost screaming voice. A body that normally wouldn’t have budged an inch swayed greatly.

“What is it?”

He needed to go see Ju-eon, but he didn’t understand why everyone kept getting in the way.

Despite Myung-hwon’s cold gaze, No-hun didn’t let go of his hand.

“Please get treatment before you go.”

Yun-jin’s painful gaze was directed at the ground. Blood-covered feet could be seen. Only then did Myung-hwon realize he wasn’t even wearing shoes. But strangely, he couldn’t feel any pain.

People around were looking at Myung-hwon as if he was strange. It was an unfamiliar kind of gaze for Myung-hwon, who had always received admiring looks.

“Mr. Myung-hwon. Stay with me for a while. It might be cramped, but let’s stay together for a while…”

Though Kang No-hun offered to accompany him, Myung-hwon firmly refused.

“When Ju-eon is there, why would I?”

He couldn’t let anyone into their nest meant for just the two of them.

“Mr. Myung-hwon. I won’t approve your leave, so come to work tomorrow. After getting some sleep and waking up in the morning. Okay?”

Everything would return to normal if only Ju-eon was there. So there was no need for Kang No-hun to speak so insistently like this.

“…Alright.”

Myung-hwon reluctantly nodded at No-hun who was giving him excessive instructions.

Myung-hwon had an unusually strong belief. That Ju-eon would be there when he returned. That he would be anxious and angry about him being slightly injured when he returned. He believed that would happen.

‘No one worries about an S-class like you do.’

Myung-hwon thought he would hug Ju-eon with all his might and tell him he was fine.

**

When he opened the front door, a desolate scene entered his view. The house looked empty with Ju-eon’s personal belongings missing. For a moment, his breath caught.

His brain desperately tried to think of reasons why Ju-eon wasn’t home.

“You must still be angry.”

Come to think of it, he hadn’t properly explained yet. So is that why he’s still at a friend’s house? Because he hadn’t explained yet, because he was unconscious for too long and couldn’t explain. He thought maybe that’s why he was so angry.

But soon everything would be alright. Since Ju-eon was diligent, he would come to work at the agency tomorrow and they would inevitably meet. He could explain tomorrow at the agency.

“I must explain tomorrow.”

He would also need to find whoever spread the malicious rumor that Ju-eon was dead. He planned to handle it quietly so Ju-eon wouldn’t know.

The thoughts wouldn’t stop. Myung-hwon kept thinking about Ju-eon, with an ominous feeling that if he stopped thinking, a reality more painful than death would come.

His hands were trembling finely. Myung-hwon bit his lower lip. He couldn’t breathe. In the silence, he felt like burying his face and dying.

If he explained everything to Ju-eon. Then tomorrow everything would return to its original place. So this terrible sensation of feeling distant was all just an illusion. Myung-hwon repeatedly clenched and unclenched his fists until his hands turned white. Deep nail marks were carved into his palms.

Strangely, the night was long. Sleep wouldn’t come. His whole body felt heavy as if was pressed down by lead.

“Huu…”

With each breath, his heart gradually sank. Myung-hwon turned on the shower and let the water hit him for a long time, hoping the strange emotions clinging to his body were water-soluble.

“Ju-eon.”

His name had always been sweet enough to make his tongue ache when calling it, but today strangely left a bitter aftertaste.

Myung-hwon sat at the edge of the bed with water still dripping, watching the dawn break. He stroked the place where Ju-eon usually lay. The cold bed sheets wrapped around his hand.

Though he could clearly see the dawn breaking, he couldn’t tell if the world was night or day. Though the sky was bright, his heart was still too dark to possibly think it was morning.

Myung-hwon set out earlier than usual. He thought he should help carry the luggage when returning since it would be hard to carry alone.

“Need to bring it back.”

Recalling Ju-eon who sometimes acted carelessly despite seeming meticulous, he covered his mouth and smiled slightly. But soon his expression hardened as he thought of Kang Yun-jae.

‘Kang Yun-jae.’

Though he couldn’t say it openly since he was hiding under the guise of being Ju-eon’s friend, Myung-hwon disliked Kang Yun-jae.

**

Knock knock.

Myung-hwon headed to the research lab instead of Attack Team 1’s office.

Knock knock.

Only after knocking several times did the office door open. He hesitated momentarily at the face that was much more gaunt than he remembered. Dark circles were deeply set under his eyes as if he hadn’t slept properly. It was clearly different from when he had seen him relatively recently. Yun-jae opened the door irritably, confirmed it was Myung-hwon, and openly hardened his expression.

“What.”

“Here to get Ju-eon’s things.”

Yun-jae faltered at Myung-hwon’s casual tone.

“He left his things with me, why are you taking them? It’s fine.”

“They should be at home since Ju-eon has a home.”

“What?”

“It’ll be inconvenient when Ju-eon returns.”

Yun-jae, who was about to close the door, opened it wide again at Myung-hwon’s words. Yun-jae looked at Myung-hwon as if measuring him. Was he being this defensive because he heard they had a big fight?

“What are you… saying?”

“What did Ju-eon say? That we broke up?”

“……”

“But we made up.”

“……”

Yun-jae sensed the conversation was going wrong. For a moment he thought Ju-eon might have told him, but that wasn’t it. Myung-hwon’s gaze was unfocused. Unlike himself, he was speaking long and elaborately.

“I’m going to beg until Ju-eon’s anger is gone. Since Ju-eon is kind, he’ll forgive me. So Ju-eon will come home soon.”

“Yeo Myung-hwon.”

“What.”

Yun-jae had thought Myung-hwon would handle Ju-eon’s disappearance well. Because the Myung-hwon he knew from training together had always been strong.

“Ju-eon is gone now.”

“…Bullshit.”

“The last I heard was that you two broke up. Even if you say you made up, I haven’t heard anything about it. So I’ll keep his things.”

“I said we made up.”

Kang Yun-jae coldly pushed Myung-hwon away. Myung-hwon wasn’t in his right mind now. Nevertheless, Yun-jae knew that at least Myung-hwon’s words about making up with Ju-eon were true.

“I haven’t heard anything.”