Chapter 105: A Familiar Face and a Lingering Shadow

The man, his brow deeply furrowed, rubbed his eyes with a weary expression. Dressed clearly as a doctor, he exuded an undeniable aura of exhaustion.

“Dr. Jung Hyun-woo always says that, but if Jin Sa-yoon didn’t build this, then who did? Only Jin Sa-yoon could have constructed something so sturdy.”

“Then Sa-yoon must have been deceived as well. If he had known this was an execution ground, he would never have cooperated.”

“He’s still a member of the Alliance, so how different could he really be—”

“Will you be quiet? Do you want to experience treatment without painkillers?”

Jung Hyun-woo, his voice chillingly menacing, pushed aside the grumbling guide and approached Kang Tae-han. He casually wiped his hands on his gown before extending one toward Kang Tae-han.

“Pleased to meet you. I’m Jung Hyun-woo, in charge of treating the villagers here. Well, I’m the kind of person you hope not to see often. But if you get hurt, come find me. I’ve been through the military, so I’m quite skilled at treating Espers.”

“Military background?”

Jung Hyun-woo gave Kang Tae-han’s hand a perfunctory shake. Without answering the question, he turned and walked back to his station. The guide approached, whispering about his rude behavior.

“He’s a newcomer to the village, arrived about two years ago. Despite his military past, he has no ties, no friends here. But as he said, his skills are unquestionable, so you needn’t worry. Though he cares for Jin Sa-yoon to an unusual degree, he’s certainly not a spy.”

As Kang Tae-han watched Jung Hyun-woo disappear, Sa-yoon gazed in the same direction. However, Sa-yoon’s reason for looking at Jung Hyun-woo was entirely different.

His chest, which had been painfully constricting since his arrival, now throbbed with agonizing intensity. Beneath his mask, his face contorted in a grimace of pain.

“Tae-han hyung.”

Sa-yoon called out to Kang Tae-han in a small voice. Even as he spoke, the pain in his chest intensified.

“Sa-yoon, what’s wrong?”

“I can’t breathe….”

His breath hitched. The girl’s voice, which had been echoing like a hallucination, grew stronger. It was a scream. The phantom cries pursued Sa-yoon, shouting in his ears: *Save me. It’s hot. Let me out.* The relentless pleas tormented Sa-yoon. His eyes stung.

“Please, bring that doctor back here.”

At Kang Tae-han’s urgent request, the villagers hastily ran to summon Jung Hyun-woo.

A moment later, Jung Hyun-woo, dragged back with an indifferent expression, led Sa-yoon into the medical tent.

“I told you to call me if you were in pain, but I didn’t expect it to be this soon.”

He roughly laid Sa-yoon down in the makeshift infirmary, a single space within a tattered tent. Indifferently, he placed a stethoscope on Sa-yoon’s chest, then scratched his head.

“Hearing things, an abnormally racing heart, difficulty breathing, huh.”

“Do you know why?”

“Sometimes sensitive people experience this when they come here. It seems there was an Esper with powerful abilities who died in the incinerator. Their grudge is so deep that their influence still lingers. Well, if you were burned alive, I suppose that makes sense.”

His tone was a strange mix of informal and formal language. Jung Hyun-woo powered on a nearby oxygen mask and held it out to Sa-yoon.

“For now, put this oxygen mask on. Take off your mask.”

“I can’t take off my mask.”

Despite Kang Tae-han’s protestations, Jung Hyun-woo merely picked at his ear, feigning deafness.

“Who’s the idiot who won’t let a suffocating person take off their mask? No matter how precious your face is, you need to survive first, don’t you? Why are you just standing there? Is it just your hair that’s white, or your brain too?”

Before Kang Tae-han could react, Jung Hyun-woo stood and snatched Sa-yoon’s mask. The thin strap tore, and the terrible stench that the mask had blocked assailed Sa-yoon’s nostrils.

“Cough. Cough.”

“I told you no, you quack! Give me back his mask!”

Kang Tae-han quickly snatched the mask back from Jung Hyun-woo’s hand. In front of Kang Tae-han, who had dropped all pretense of politeness and was now furious, Jung Hyun-woo froze.

“…Huh?”

“‘Huh’? What’s ‘huh’? This is why you shouldn’t associate with arrogant know-it-alls. I should have just moved Sa-yoon somewhere else. Why did I bother calling this strange man—”

“Sa-yoon? Jin Sa-yoon?”

Jung Hyun-woo’s voice grew louder. His widely opened eyes darted, his pupils trembling. His lips, agape in shock, quivered.

“Is it you? Could it really be you? Sa-yoon…! You were alive after all. What happened to your hair color…?”

“What? Wait, why are you—”

Jung Hyun-woo’s grip tightened on Sa-yoon’s shoulder. Behind Jung Hyun-woo, who was shaking Sa-yoon desperately like a drowning man, Kang Tae-han approached.

“I knew it. There’s no way you could have died.”

“Oh dear. This is a problem. Doctor, let’s have a little chat.”

Kang Tae-han hoisted Jung Hyun-woo up. He threw the struggling doctor over his broad shoulder and clapped a hand over his mouth.

“Sa-yoon, just keep that oxygen mask on for now. I’ll be right back!”

Sa-yoon gripped the oxygen mask, watching the two men disappear outside the tent. He had no idea what was happening, but as he brought the mask to his nose, his wildly thumping heart slowly began to calm.

Sa-yoon waited for a long time in that state.

Kang Tae-han returned about two hours later. Trailing behind Kang Tae-han, who entered the tent sweating, was Jung Hyun-woo. Kang Tae-han looked relieved, while Jung Hyun-woo’s expression was somber, a stark contrast.

“…Wh-what happened, Tae-han hyung?”

“Nothing. You don’t need to worry about a thing. Everything’s been sorted out. Right, Doctor?”

“……”

Jung Hyun-woo, returning weakly to the medical cot, properly adjusted the oxygen mask on Sa-yoon. Unlike his earlier perfunctory examination, he meticulously checked Sa-yoon’s blood pressure and pulse with firm, careful hands.

“No particular issues.”

His casually uttered voice was tinged with moisture, and his eyes were red, as if he had been crying for a long time. *Surely Kang Tae-han didn’t resort to violence or threats?* Sa-yoon looked at Jung Hyun-woo with a worried gaze, and their eyes met.

“Are you alright?”

“What could possibly be wrong with me? You’re the one who suffered… No. Never mind.”

Jung Hyun-woo stopped speaking and looked at Kang Tae-han. When Kang Tae-han nodded, Jung Hyun-woo sighed.

“I apologize for saying such strange things earlier. It’s just that you resemble someone I knew too much. Please forget what happened.”

Jung Hyun-woo said, sounding deflated, and resumed examining Sa-yoon. Periodically, he looked up at Sa-yoon’s face with eyes filled with deep emotion. The intense, almost burdensome feelings made Sa-yoon, who was sitting, feel awkward.

“Do I really resemble someone you knew that much?”

Jung Hyun-woo chuckled softly. It was the first smile Sa-yoon had seen from him since they met.

“No. Looking closely, you don’t resemble them at all. So, if anyone else reacts like I did, don’t pay it any mind.”

“Still….”

“That’s right. There’s no way anyone could be as handsome as our Sa-yoon. Besides, our Sa-yoon is living a very happy life, without a single worry. As if he’s living a new life, you know.”

Kang Tae-han interjected with an abrupt, exaggerated statement. His tone carried strong emphasis on the words ‘no worries’ and ‘happy.’ Especially when he uttered the phrase ‘new life,’ his voice was conspicuously loud.

Jung Hyun-woo covered one ear and gestured irritably at Kang Tae-han.

“The guardian is being noisy, so please step outside for a moment.”

“But—”

“I understood everything you said earlier, so don’t worry. I have my own work to do.”

Kang Tae-han, looking troubled, glanced between Jung Hyun-woo and Sa-yoon before reluctantly stepping out of the tent. He then stood pressed against the thin fabric, waiting. Sa-yoon chuckled softly at the familiar overprotectiveness, and Jung Hyun-woo stared intently at him.

“…Here. Here are some sedatives and muscle relaxants. The best thing would be for you to leave this place, but these will help for now.”

“Yes.”

“I’ll also pack a small oxygen mask for you to use in emergencies. If you feel even a little pain, come find me immediately.”

Sa-yoon nodded repeatedly, listening to Jung Hyun-woo’s kind words. Besides those, Jung Hyun-woo also packed various nutritional supplements and good medicines for Sa-yoon, then handed him a new mask, staring intently at his face.

“……”

Jung Hyun-woo silently gazed at Sa-yoon for a long time, then bit his lip tightly before speaking with difficulty.

“By the way. This is a really random question, but…”

Hesitating once more, Jung Hyun-woo scratched his head and asked,

“Are you happy right now?”

“Huh?”

Today, both Kang Tae-han and Jung Hyun-woo were acting strangely. Sa-yoon paused, momentarily bewildered by the inexplicable question, then pondered. The word ‘happy’ felt too abstract and out of the blue. After a brief moment of deliberation, Sa-yoon nodded.

“Yes.”

Sa-yoon was surrounded by good people. Though sometimes excessive, many cared for him, and many looked after him. He was glad to be getting healthier, and above all, he was happy to be able to help others.

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