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Right.
Ahn Ijeong.
The rare A-rank Esper who had once shown me genuine kindness.
“I never expected we’d meet again like this, but it’s really been a while, Jaeyoon-ssi. Have you been well?”
“Ah, Ahn Ijeong-ssi…”
His voice was as gentle as ever as he greeted me casually.
But even after recognizing me, instead of stepping aside, he gradually closed the distance between us and gently pushed me backward out of the elevator.
Startled, I instinctively stepped back—
And nearly lost my balance.
“Careful.”
No.
I would have fallen if Ahn Ijeong hadn’t suddenly grabbed my wrist and pulled me toward him.
“If you hit the back of your head, who do you think loses out then?”
It had been nearly a month since I last saw him.
And yet somehow, he looked both completely different and exactly the same.
The ash-gray hair that used to shimmer brightly had been dyed a deep black.
His overly long bangs — once sharp enough to stab into his eyes — were now neatly trimmed above his eyebrows.
The multiple piercings once hanging from his ears had been replaced with a single transparent stud that unexpectedly suited his cleaner appearance.
Only the dark holes left behind where the old earrings used to sit felt strangely out of place.
Looking closer, he seemed thinner too.
“Wait, Jaeyoon-ssi. What happened to your hand? Did you burn yourself on something?”
“…It’s nothing. I was just careless and hurt myself. I’m heading to get treatment anyway, so please don’t worry about it.”
“…Then were you on your way to the Medical Center just now? Meaning I interrupted you?”
His cheerful expression from our unexpected reunion vanished immediately the moment he noticed the burn on my hand.
Only then did he seem to realize he’d blocked my path.
Worried my wound might get infected from dirty clothing, he avoided grabbing my wrist again and instead carefully held both my shoulders before dragging me into the still-open elevator.
Like a puppet pulled by invisible strings, my body was tossed this way and that entirely according to his movements.
The constantly shifting view made me dizzy.
“I’m genuinely happy to see you again after almost two months, but I’m definitely not happy you’re injured, so let’s hurry and get that treated. I was actually heading to the Medical Center myself anyway.”
“…Wait a second, Ahn Ijeong-ssi. If you were heading to the Medical Center, then why were you coming down from upstairs just now? The Medical Center’s several floors above us.”
“Mm. Let’s just pretend you didn’t notice that. Our little secret, alright? Someone’s injured, so whether I was going up or down isn’t exactly important right now.”
Unable to follow the logic of his conversation at all, I ended up entering the Medical Center alongside him.
The sharp scent of alcohol drifted heavily through the air as exhausted medical staff rushed endlessly around us.
Ahn Ijeong immediately headed toward the information desk to find a doctor who could see me right away.
Apparently a large-scale fire had broken out earlier that morning in District 3’s relief zone, leaving the emergency ward overflowing with patients.
Registration was mandatory.
“Hey! Stop right there! That’s mine!”
“There’s no such thing as yours or mine when it’s a library book! Why can’t we read it together?!”
Children’s laughter echoed brightly through layers of shattered sunlight.
Several kids in oversized hospital gowns ran noisily nearby.
It had been a long time since I last visited the Medical Center.
But aside from a few rearranged pieces of furniture and televisions, almost nothing had changed.
Still chaotic.
Still disorganized.
Still overflowing with people desperately trying to save lives.
‘Jaeyoon-ssi, you’re here? Just wait there for a moment. I’ll treat you as soon as I can.’
Because of that, I couldn’t help thinking about Kim Kyungwoon.
‘Seriously, you need to be more careful. What’s the point of warning you every single time if you just come back injured again? Jaeyoon-ssi, are you cursed this year or something?’
He had always been here.
Because of his background, he never quite fit in with the other medical staff and mostly lived isolated from the group.
But Kim Kyungwoon had been a truly good doctor.
Someone capable of empathizing with patients and understanding their pain.
Whenever our eyes met near the fountain outside while he wandered around between shifts, he would always greet me first with a bright smile.
Still wearing a doctor’s coat stained with food from hurried meals.
Still carrying pockets stuffed with candy and snacks meant for children.
Back then, I’d always been too embarrassed to respond properly.
But secretly, knowing at least one person inside the Center welcomed my existence had often made my chest tighten unexpectedly.
Sometimes, it even comforted me.
Just as he’d gained the courage to continue enduring life in the Center because of me.
“Jaeyoon-ssi! I just checked with the desk. They said you can go into Examination Room 2 in about ten minutes. A nurse will handle the treatment separately, so we can sit over there and wait.”
“……”
“Jaeyoon-ssi.”
“……”
“…Jaeyoon-ssi, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell? Ah—your hand. Does it hurt badly?”
Ahn Ijeong hurried closer and anxiously lowered himself to look at my face.
The guilt over Kim Kyungwoon — who would probably still be here working if not for me — mixed together with the humiliation from what Park Suchang had done earlier.
My eyes burned hot.
I bit down hard, trying to suppress the trembling sounds threatening to escape.
But hiding emotions from an Esper whose senses far exceeded those of ordinary people was nearly impossible.
Flustered, Ahn Ijeong eventually muttered that he’d at least go get tissues before hurrying off again.
“It’s a second-degree burn.”
Leaving Ahn Ijeong outside, I entered Examination Room 2 alone.
The doctor waiting inside immediately pulled out a chair for me the moment he saw my face.
“You should’ve run your hand under cold water immediately after getting burned to remove the heat, but since you couldn’t, recovery may take a bit longer. First we’ll give you painkillers, antibiotics, and a few additional medications. We’ll also need to apply ointment and wrap the area, so treatment will take some time. Is that alright?”
“…Yes, that’s fine. But… is it serious?”
“Well, I’d say so. Blisters and discharge may develop later, and if they do, we’ll have to drain and clean the area manually. Also, infection would be dangerous, so absolutely avoid getting the wound wet.”
“……”
“As you know, you’ll need daily treatment. Otherwise it could scar badly, so make time to come in no matter how busy you are.”
I nodded mechanically at the doctor’s faintly unfriendly tone.
Once the examination ended, the nearby nurse stepped outside first and said she’d guide both me and the friend waiting outside to the treatment room.
“Jaeyoon-ssi, what did the doctor say? Are you okay?”
“They said it’s just a burn. If I keep getting treatment consistently, it’ll heal fine, so don’t worry.”
“Ah, thank god. I thought your skin had actually melted off or something.”
Together with the visibly relieved Ahn Ijeong, I headed toward the treatment room.
The Medical Center’s scale was enormous enough that even the treatment room resembled an entire hospital ward.
Medical beds lined both sides of the room.
Likely because of the fire in District 3, there were unusually many burn patients inside.
Trying not to disturb anyone, Ahn Ijeong and I sat quietly on one of the beds while waiting for the nurse.
Click—
“The injections already contain antibiotics and painkillers, so please confirm that. I’m going to disinfect the wound now, so it may sting a little. We’ll explain the aftercare instructions again during payment, and we’ll schedule tomorrow afternoon’s treatment before you leave, so please make sure to come back.”
“Yes.”
“This may feel cold for a moment.”
The instant the disinfectant-soaked cotton touched my skin, unbearable pain surged through me all at once.
It felt as though someone were repeatedly stabbing the wound with a sharp awl.
Every time I flinched slightly from the pain, Ahn Ijeong’s expression twisted alongside mine.
Judging from his appearance, he’d probably just returned from a mission or was on his way to file a report afterward.
Yet despite clearly being exhausted, he remained here worrying over someone he’d merely shared a few meals and conversations with.
For some reason, that made me quietly grateful.
“Alright, the gauze and bandages are finished. Even if it feels uncomfortable, absolutely do not remove them midway. Especially avoid water contact. Good work.”
“Thank you.”
As soon as the nurse left, Ahn Ijeong’s tightly crumpled expression finally relaxed again.
He stared sadly at the bandages wrapped around my hand before handing me a bottle of water he’d apparently bought without me noticing.
The things even teammates I’d spent three years with never bothered noticing—
He somehow caught immediately.
Maybe he’d always been this attentive by nature.
“Thank you so much for today. For bringing me here, and for staying beside me to take care of me even though you’re clearly busy. Really… thank you for everything.”
The excitement doesn't stop here! If you enjoyed this, you’ll adore The Shining Knight’s Odd Eyes. Start reading now!
Read : The Shining Knight’s Odd Eyes
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