But that fact should never have been acknowledged. Though he couldn’t pinpoint exactly why, he sensed something was off about Kang Yun-jae’s expression.

“You must be busy with the irregular gate anyway, so go. Don’t waste time unnecessarily.”

Once Yun-jae seemed strange, it was also odd how he was trying to end the conversation too hastily. His previously blurry focus suddenly sharpened with piercing clarity.

“Wait.”

Thud.

Myung-hwon forcefully grabbed the closing door. Forcing the gap wider and squeezing through, Myung-hwon’s expression hardened.

“What are you doing?”

Though Yun-jae was about the same height as Myung-hwon, there was a clear difference in build compared to Myung-hwon whose body was surrounded by muscle from intense training.

‘Come to think of it.’

Ju-eon was wearing hospital clothes. He had definitely said he was going to a friend’s house.

“I have something to ask.”

“What.”

“Why was Ju-eon, who was supposed to be at your house.”

“……”

“Why was he wearing hospital clothes?”

The strange points he had felt while thinking he needed to get Ju-eon back right away were only now surfacing.

“Why should I tell you that?”

“What?”

“You didn’t care whether Ju-eon was sick or not anyway.”

“What nonsense is that? Ju-eon is sick?”

“Sick? You’re asking that now?”

Yun-jae let out a hollow laugh before suddenly turning serious and glaring at Myung-hwon.

“Is Ju-eon sick!”

At Myung-hwon’s shout, Kang Yun-jae smiled coldly.

“Sick? That’s wrong. He was sick.”

“…What does that mean?”

“Every time he guided you, Ju-eon was in pain. You really didn’t know?”

He knew it was hard for him. So when Lee Ho-yun joined Attack Team 1, knowing he couldn’t just drive him away… He kept him close, planning to use his guiding ability hoping Ju-eon would have it easier.

“He was having a hard time, so…”

Before Myung-hwon could finish speaking, Yun-jae’s face crumpled. He had watched from the side just how much Ju-eon loved this insensitive man. Yun-jae hated that. Why couldn’t you see it when you were right beside him?

“Weathering syndrome.”

“How can a guide get weathering syndrome?”

Sometimes it’s harder to notice changes in someone you see every day than someone you see occasionally. At Myung-hwon’s incredulous voice, Yun-jae shot back.

“Since when are impossible things impossible?”

“Stop lying.”

“Going all at once might have been less painful.”

“Kang Yun-jae.”

“You asked why he was wearing hospital clothes. You bastard.”

Unable to contain his anger, Yun-jae grabbed Myung-hwon’s collar. But Myung-hwon had no intention of submitting to Yun-jae. Myung-hwon grabbed Yun-jae’s collar right back and threw him against the wall.

Bang!

“Cough!”

After coughing from hitting his back hard, Yun-jae soon wiped his lips with the back of his hand and glared at Myung-hwon.

“Stop lying.”

“That’s just your wish, isn’t it? Are you denying it now because you might feel guilty?”

“Ha. No… That can’t be.”

“……”

“Tell me it’s a lie!”

Myung-hwon hated that expression Yun-jae showed when speaking about Ju-eon. Though Yun-jae seemed still unaware of his own feelings toward Ju-eon, Myung-hwon had known that look from before. Because he had the same eyes.

Kang Yun-jae roughly ran his hand through his hair.

“Yeo Myung-hwon. You probably think I’m sh*t, but I think you’re sh*t too.”

“…Where is Woo Ju-eon?”

“I told you he’s gone.”

“……”

“We have nothing more to talk about. We were only pretending to be friends anyway because Ju-eon was between us.”

“Don’t talk like Ju-eon is gone now.”

Myung-hwon said through gritted teeth. Why was everyone saying Ju-eon was dead?

“They say there are five stages of accepting death. The first is denial like you’re doing. You know deep down but you’re denying it.”

At the word death, Myung-hwon warned in a fierce voice.

“Shut up.”

Who’s dead?

Myung-hwon’s eyes sank darkly. If Ju-eon was gone, the world couldn’t keep turning so normally like this. When the world is still turning so normally like this. To say Ju-eon is dead. And that he had weathering syndrome before dying.

Looking at Myung-hwon’s confused face, Yun-jae brushed off his wrinkled clothes where his collar had been grabbed and spoke.

“Even though being by your side made him sicker, he wanted to stay with you.”

“……”

He remembered the moment Lee Ho-yun had sneered at Ju-eon. Ju-eon had apologized then. It wasn’t that he had failed to manage his stamina, but that he was sick.

“Until you said to break up.”

What had he said then?

His expression twisted like a demon’s.

**

The world ending slowly was too tedious.

Even without Ju-eon, each day rolled by. Myung-hwon also went to work, did his job, and returned home as usual every day. When he came home, he returned to a dark house with no signs of life. Even opening windows was done carefully. He felt like he would go crazy with anxiety as Ju-eon’s scent disappeared day by day.

He bought new things identical to what Ju-eon had used. Ju-eon’s outerwear, pajamas, perfume, shampoo, even underwear just like he had worn – he bought them all to fill the empty spaces. So he could return anytime.

‘Myung-hwon.’

Perhaps because he yearned so desperately, sometimes he heard Ju-eon’s voice. Each time he turned his head, and each time he could only face empty air in despair.

As time passed, all his senses began to slow. But because he was still alive… Because there were things he had to do… He moved as commanded. All emotions weathered away as he moved like a machine.

He didn’t know how much time had passed. When he came to his senses, snow was falling from the sky.

Crash, crash, CRASH!

Myung-hwon mechanically wielded his power toward the monsters rushing at him. With green skin and about the height of a child, they were goblins. Unlike normal monsters, they were annoying beings that fought using strategy and weapons.

Unlike before, Myung-hwon’s rough and unstable power sparked and slightly missed its target.

KIEEEK!

The goblin that hadn’t died screamed and let out a horrific cry. The scream echoed throughout the dungeon, and soon monsters began gathering from all directions.

“Focus!”

Kang No-hun shouted at Myung-hwon.

Kiek!

A monster that had been hiding between rocks waiting for a chance aimed its sharp blade at Myung-hwon’s arm. The knife dug into his arm. With a crack, it was about to cut through flesh and into muscle.

“Mr. Myung-hwon!”

Boom boom boom.

Seo Yun-jin used her power to unleash attacks on Myung-hwon’s arm. The monster fell to the ground, burned black. Having attacked urgently, Myung-hwon’s skin was also singed. Though blood dripped and his skin smelled of burning, Myung-hwon’s face showed not the slightest reaction.

Kang No-hun bit his lip hard. They had nearly lost a teammate. What was more infuriating was that this hadn’t happened because Myung-hwon’s power was lacking or because he was careless.

“Your arm could have been cut off just now.”

Despite No-hun’s exclamation, Myung-hwon replied in an indifferent voice.

“…Yes.”

He had nearly died because he was indifferent to whatever happened, even neglecting his own life. Kang No-hun’s face crumpled mercilessly.

“Stay in the back.”

Though he thought things were getting better since he followed orders well, that wasn’t the case. At some point, Yeo Myung-hwon had completely broken down.

Kang No-hun didn’t give Myung-hwon vacation time. He thought forcing a regular routine would be better than letting him be alone. And until this moment, No-hun thought his choice had been right.

‘I made a mistake.’

But perhaps Myung-hwon had needed time to accept Ju-eon’s death.

Though it would be a shame to say this, No-hun had thought Myung-hwon’s feelings for Ju-eon were much smaller than Ju-eon’s feelings for Myung-hwon.

‘But maybe it was the opposite.’

Ju-eon’s love was honest. Ju-eon had diligently loved Myung-hwon with the size that showed. That’s why those around them could tell how much Ju-eon had loved Myung-hwon. In contrast, he thought that perhaps they hadn’t noticed Yeo Myung-hwon’s emotions because they were too deep to measure. Even Yeo Myung-hwon himself.

No-hun, who originally focused on defense and supported from the back, took the front attack position.

“Ms. Yun-jin!”

“Yes. I’ll support from the side.”

And beside him, Yun-jin assisted No-hun.

Whoosh. Each time the wind cut through a monster’s body, the monster was cleanly divided.

While Kang No-hun dealt with monsters approaching quickly, Yun-jin took charge of support fire with her long-range attacks.

Thud! Myung-hwon, who had been standing in the back briefly, was grabbed. It was Lee Ho-yun.

“Aren’t you going to guide?”

“Do radiation guiding.”

At Myung-hwon’s calm words, Ho-yun sighed as if in disbelief.

“It won’t be as fast.”

“I’m taking medication.”

“Why are you taking medication when I’m here?”

“Because I don’t want to be touched.”

The warmth of others made his skin crawl. But he didn’t want to explain that. Ho-yun bit his lower lip as if his pride was hurt.

“Are you resenting me?”

“I’m not.”

As if throwing away formalities, Ho-yun dropped honorifics and asked in a sharp voice. Even when he spoke informally at will, Myung-hwon showed no reaction. That fact hurt Ho-yun’s pride.

Though they couldn’t do without him, he bit his lower lip looking at that emotionless face that acted like it didn’t matter at all whether he was there or not.

Even though Ju-eon was A-class, guiding an S-class was an overwhelming task, and since he could feel Ju-eon becoming more overwhelmed day by day, he had planned to take advantage of it. Since he had come in as a surveillance role anyway, he thought it made sense to use him as much as possible.