By Zephyria Nam Woo-jin’s hair and even his pupils were pure white. He greeted Sa-young with a nod, then turned his gaze to Eui-jae, Grandmother, and Ha-eun, who were standing behind him. His white eyes behind silver-rimmed glasses scanned the three of them as if observing, then he bowed.
“Nice to meet you. You are Choi Pil-soon, the patient here for treatment, and Cha Eui-jae, the guardian. Is that correct?”
“Ah, yes. That’s right.”
Eui-jae also bowed politely. He had been nervous because he thought he was quite close to Sa-young, but he was relieved that Nam Woo-jin seemed to be a reasonable person. The white-haired man straightened up and checked the watch on his wrist.
“Then… shall we start with the examination first? Time is precious. I’ll guide you to the examination room.”
“Can I take Ha-eun with me?”
“Yes, it doesn’t matter.”
Eui-jae had been worried and asked for understanding, but the person in question didn’t seem interested in the adults’ conversation at all.
Ha-eun was busy looking around, turning her small head in all directions. It seemed her eyes were spinning because it was the first time she had ever seen a library with so many books. Even Eui-jae was a little surprised by the scenery here.
Ha-eun was distracted by the sight of a librarian pushing a book cart and rushing somewhere from among the densely packed books.
‘I think she wants to ride that…’
He was wondering which direction he should run and when he should grab her if she ran out to ride the book cart. Eui-jae and Woo-jin’s eyes met. Nam Woo-jin smiled faintly.
“Ha-eun… seems to like looking around the library more than coming to the examination room. Don’t you think so?”
“…I guess so.”
“Then Ha-eun can look around our library a little more, and we’ll take the guardian and the patient. Our Guild member will support the patient.”
“Oh my, I’m alright….”
She waved her hand lightly, saying she was old, but Nam Woo-jin responded skillfully and firmly.
“You may be able to walk well, but it’s a bit of a distance to the examination room. It would be better for your legs to be supported. Then….”
Was this the experience he gained from dealing with grandmothers and grandfathers when he worked in a general hospital? While Eui-jae was inwardly admiring him, Nam Woo-jin gave a short laugh and turned around as if to follow him. A librarian with a yellow armband stood next to Grandmother and carefully supported her.
Eui-jae’s gaze reached Lee Sa-young, who was standing back.
“Lee Sa-young, what about you?”
“There’s no need for me to follow, is there?”
“That’s true, but….”
Before taking a step into the hallway behind Grandmother, Eui-jae looked at Ha-eun, who was shining her eyes. She looked like she was about to run into the bookshelf at any moment.
Eui-jae grabbed Sa-young’s arm and moved closer to him.
“Hey, Sa-young.”
“…….”
The Gas mask stared at Eui-jae. The gaze that lingered was somehow a little subtle, but Eui-jae didn’t care and whispered quietly in Sa-young’s ear.
“Can you watch Ha-eun for me?”
“…….”
The purple eyes behind the Gas mask lenses were momentarily filled with disbelief.
“Are you trying to use me as a babysitter right now?”
“No, I don’t want to ask you for this favor either, you know? But look now.”
Eui-jae pointed to Ha-eun. Park Ha-eun’s interests were changing in real time. For 20 seconds, her head didn’t stay fixed on anything, moving busily between the bookshelf, the librarian, the book cart, the librarian, and the book. He would feel a little relieved if she was engrossed in reading an interesting book, but there were too many things more interesting than books here. Eui-jae muttered.
“I think… Ha-eun might get lost while Grandmother is being examined.”
“…….”
“Just stay next to her so she doesn’t get lost. I’m just asking you for that.”
“…….”
Sa-young looked down at Eui-jae without a word. Eui-jae also didn’t avoid his gaze and looked into the eyes behind the Gas mask. After a while, Eui-jae smiled brightly and patted Sa-young’s back when Sa-young nodded very slightly.
“Thanks. I’ll be back!”
Then he ran off.
‘…Does it always hurt this much when you get hit on the back?’
It was a tingling pain he felt for the first time in a long time. Lee Sa-young rubbed the back that Eui-jae had patted for no reason, then slowly followed Ha-eun, who had disappeared between the bookshelves.
Ha-eun was squatting in front of the bottom shelf of the bookshelf, pulling out a hardcover book as thick as her forearm. Sa-young checked the title of the book.
『T-0783 Physical Experiment Report』
It didn’t seem like it was appropriate for a 9-year-old to read at all. How does she pick a book like that no matter how she picks it? Is it because she’s Cha Eui-jae’s niece? Sa-young quickly approached and spoke to her.
“Hey, kid.”
“…….”
There was no response. Her ears should be fine. Sa-young frowned slightly and changed his title.
“…Park Ha-eun?”
“What?”
Only then did Ha-eun look up at Lee Sa-young with round eyes. Ah, she didn’t like being called a kid. She didn’t even answer and ignored him. Sa-young pointed to the hardcover book Ha-eun was holding.
“I don’t think your uncle would like you reading that.”
“What’s it about?”
“Something your uncle wouldn’t like.”
It seemed that the child in front of him didn’t like being treated like a child. So Lee Sa-young was going to say that it was something a child shouldn’t read, but he changed his mind and said that her uncle wouldn’t like it. Because people want to do more when they’re told not to.
A look of concern appeared on Ha-eun’s round face. Sa-young gestured to a passing librarian.
“Hey, you.”
“Yes? Ah, Guild Leader Lee Sa-young. What’s wrong?”
“Are there any books this kid can read?”
Sa-young gestured to the little kid who was much smaller than him, and the librarian kindly guided him.
“Ah, there’s a picture book corner for children over there. There’s also a learning cartoon corner.”
Sa-young had visited this library several times, but it was the first time he knew there was a picture book and learning cartoon corner. All the books in this library must be the ones Nam Woo-jin has read. He should be grateful for his thirst for knowledge today.
Sa-young looked down at the round head and said.
“I think your uncle would like you to read learning cartoons.”
“Hmm….”
“That book probably doesn’t have any pictures.”
“…….”
There might be dissection photos of a human or Monster who was experimented on. Sa-young swallowed the rest of his words. Ha-eun, who had been worried, groaned and finally put the hardcover book back in its place. And she muttered sullenly.
“Where’s the learning cartoon corner?”
Good. Sa-young smiled slightly with satisfaction and followed the librarian. The librarian led them to the children’s book corner, which had relatively low bookshelves and colorful books. There was a soft, fluffy mat on the floor, and large dolls were placed here and there.
‘It’ll be okay to leave her here.’
Ha-eun started flipping through the books with sparkling eyes, as if she had forgotten her sullenness. Sa-young asked the librarian to bring a chair, then sat next to the bookshelf where he could see the children’s corner at a glance, closed his eyes, and crossed his arms.
Just when he thought she was quiet now that she was engrossed in the book. A small, familiar presence wriggled towards him. It was Park Ha-eun. Sa-young slightly opened his eyes and looked down at Ha-eun.
“…….”
“Um, you know.”
Her innocent eyes were shining like when she first saw the scenery of the library. Sa-young felt an inexplicable sense of foreboding when he met her gaze.
Ha-eun spread out her five fingers and drew a V on top of them with her other hand. It was the gesture Lee Sa-young had made in the public service advertisement.
“You’re the one who did this on TV, right?”
“…….”
“Can you do it for me just once?Ha-eun’s eyes sparkled uncomfortably. If he did it once, she would lose interest and go read a book. It’s not that difficult…. Sa-young didn’t want to drag it out, even though he didn’t want to, so he made the same hand gesture as in the advertisement and showed it to Ha-eun.
But Park Ha-eun was very firm, like a picky ceramic The Artisan.
“That’s not it!”
The clear, round eyes staring intently at him were like a small Hong Ye-seong who was obsessed with something. Sa-young gestured for her to go away.
“I did it. Go read a book.”
“Aaaah, just one more time. Please?”
Sa-young sighed briefly. Then he made the gesture from the public service advertisement again. Hoping that this time it would please the girl’s eyes. But to his dismay, Ha-eun shouted firmly.
“Again!”
“Read a book.”
“Just once.”
‘I was only supposed to watch her so she doesn’t become Mia, damn it….’
At this moment, Lee Sa-young missed Cha Eui-jae so much.