By Zephyria 
“The Committee found out somehow and is in an uproar. An order has been issued to incinerate everything.”
“Even the experiment subject named Yona?”
“Yes. It’s a shame, but we plan to dispose of her. We’ve determined we can’t control her. Her attachment to the child is stronger than we anticipated. If things continue like this, it could disrupt the experiment.”
“And the child in her womb?”
“It’s a boy, and no unusual findings have been detected yet.”
Stirred by the faint sounds, Hayun woke up and went to the living room. His mother was on a video call with his maternal grandfather. Even in his sleep, the words incineration, Yona, and child were particularly jarring.
Lately, Kim Ha-yoon had been going to the research institute less often, and it had been a long time since he had last seen Yona. How much had the child in her womb grown? When would he be born, and when could he see its face? He had often thought about such things, but hearing his mother’s phone conversation made the hair on his arms stand on end.
“Kim Ha-yoon. What are you doing there?”
His mother, having finished her call, was approaching him.
“Are you going to the research institute today?”
“Yes. I’m leaving now.”
“Can I… come too?”
“No. I have something important to do today.”
“Still, I want to go….”
“Why are you being so stubborn, unlike yourself?”
Realizing his mother’s voice was gaining strength, Hayun instinctively flinched. Yet, he mustered his courage one more time.
“Next month is my tenth birthday. Instead of a gift, can you take me to the research institute? Please, I’m begging you!”
Seeing her son unwilling to back down, she wore a perplexed expression. He rarely threw tantrums, so why was he being so unusually insistent today? Checking the time, she let out a quiet sigh.
“On one condition. You stay in the car. You are not allowed to come outside.”
Hayun nodded quickly. Yes. Then, he hurried to get ready, and they set off for Zone D. On the way, his mother was engrossed in calls with someone and reviewing documents. Hayun, who had been watching the passing scenery, grew increasingly anxious as they neared Zone D.
“Mother…?”
She kept her eyes fixed on the screen, not even glancing his way.
“If Yona gives birth… where will the child grow up?”
“In the research institute, I suppose.”
“And Yona? Will she be with the child?”
She paused for a moment before replying. “Who knows. I’m not sure. What will happen.” Hayun slowly clenched his fists resting on his thighs. The question, Are you really going to incinerate her? You’re not, are you? rose to his throat, but he couldn’t bring himself to speak it aloud.
The car soon entered Zone D and, unlike usual, stopped at a distance from the research institute. Before leaving, his mother repeatedly instructed the driver. Absolutely do not let Kim Ha-yoon out of the car.
A short while after his mother entered the research institute, Kim Ha-yoon leaned his face towards the driver’s seat. “Uncle. I really need to pee….” The man wore a troubled expression.
“Can’t you hold it a little longer?”
“I can’t. I might wet myself.”
The man sighed and glanced around.
“The Doctor strictly told me not to let you out of the car….”
“I know. That’s why I’ll quickly go to the nearby woods and take care of it.”
He knew that Kim Ha-yoon was unusually mature for his age. Trusting that he wouldn’t cause any trouble, the driver readily agreed. Once outside, Hayun hurried into the woods.
When he was no longer in the driver’s sight, he abruptly changed direction and began running towards the research institute. Ducking low, he passed through the main gate, but people were exiting. He quickly hid behind a pillar.
They were carrying a stretcher covered with a white sheet and moving towards the Incinerator, which was quite a distance away. Come to think of it, the Incinerator had been emitting smoke into the sky all day. People kept coming out without rest, so Hayun had no choice but to move to the back and enter through an open window.
He passed through the corridor and hid in the emergency stairwell, quickly ascending to Yona’s floor. The sights he had just witnessed flashed through his mind. His heart rate gradually quickened. He had heard stories of infected individuals being burned in the Incinerator, but this was the first time he had witnessed it with his own eyes.
Finally, the room where Yona was confined appeared before him. Today, too, she was sitting blankly on a dining chair, watching TV. Breathing heavily, he approached the glass and placed his hand on it. Her gaze followed him. Her belly, which he saw after a long time, was greatly swollen, and her face looked exhausted.
“Come here….”
He gestured, but she didn’t even stir.
Growing desperate, Kim Ha-yoon pressed his lips tightly against the glass.
“You, you have to run away… they’re going to take your child!”
“……”
“Do you understand me? Do you understand?”
Yona remained motionless, and Hayun fumbled in his pocket. He was glad he had stolen his mother’s access card from her study before leaving. He swiped it at the entrance, and a beep sounded. However, just as he was about to open the door and enter, his neck was grabbed, and the door was locked again.
Turning around, his face pale, he saw his mother and her assistants with terrifying expressions.
“Kim Ha-yoon, you!”
His mother’s face contorted fiercely, and Hayun felt his breath catch, unable to utter a word. Turning his head to look inside, he saw Yona still sitting in the same spot, her expression unchanged.
“Mother….”
“I knew something was wrong when you started acting out of character!”
“It’s not that,”
“Just know how much you’ve disappointed me today.”
The icy atmosphere sealed his lips. Bowing his head in fear, his mother ordered her assistants to take Kim Ha-yoon back to the car. Dragged by their hands, he arrived at the car. Seo Yi-soo, who was usually kind to him, only sighed.
“Tell the Doctor you’re sorry when he arrives. Understand?”
Grabbing her gown as she turned to leave, Hayun asked in a trembling voice,
“Noona… is Yona going to die today?”
Seo Yi-soo’s eyes widened slightly. She sent her colleague inside first, then knelt down to meet his eye level. The usually prickly boy offered no resistance as she stroked his head.
“Yona is already dead. When she became infected.”
He wanted to argue how she could speak so coldly, especially since she used to give her a name and liked her so much, but his throat tightened, and no words came out. After Seo Yi-soo also left, Hayun was trapped in the back seat of the car.
The driver wore a grim expression, anticipating his employer’s reprimand, but he couldn’t bring himself to scold Kim Ha-yoon. Time passed, and he leaned against the seat, staring blankly out the window, when the ground trembled slightly.
The driver checked the alert with a calm expression. Is it an earthquake? Before he finished speaking, a loud BOOM echoed, and a fierce blaze erupted from the research institute’s windows. The startled driver leaped out of the car.
“Young Master! Don’t move, stay right here! You must not move! Or I’ll get scolded by the Doctor again!”
He rushed towards the research institute. Explosions occurred in succession, and Kim Ha-yoon, finally snapping out of his daze, also ran outside. Then, he stopped abruptly in front of the main gate. The driver who had just left was dead, his neck twisted.
Stepping back in shock, he heard a rustling sound from the woods. Turning, Hayun froze in shock. Why was Yona, who should have been in the research institute, here….
Seeing her blood-soaked dress sent a chill down his spine. He stood there, mouth agape in fear, when the building shook with another explosion. He shifted his gaze to the research institute, then looked back, but Yona, who had been before his eyes, had vanished without a trace.
Ire stood still, looking down at Kim Ha-yoon’s sleeping face. For some reason, his face was contorted, and he was groaning in pain. Did his wound get worse? Why did he have to go all the way up to the rooftop? He was sweating and in agony, so Ire carefully reached out and touched his face.
Gradually, his breathing calmed, and he seemed to breathe more easily. Feeling awkward, Ire started to pull his hand away, but Kim Ha-yoon’s consciousness returned. He hid his hand behind his back, and dark eyes followed him.
“Yona gave birth to an angel….”
He was exasperated by the nonsensical ramblings of someone waking from sleep. He shook his head, about to leave, but his hand was held.
“Go later. I’m scared because I had a nightmare….”
“Does someone like Captain have nightmares too?”
“Yes….”
He tried to pull away, but seeing his pale complexion, he just looked at him. This time, Kim Ha-yoon patted the empty space beside him. He asked Ire to come up and lie down for a moment. He promised not to do anything strange. He just asked him to stay until he fell asleep.
After some hesitation, Ire lay down beside him, keeping a distance. Then, Kim Ha-yoon’s eyes slowly closed. It was quiet. Had he fallen asleep already? He waved his hand in front of his eyes, but there was no reaction. Ire was about to get up and leave when his voice stopped him.
“Aren’t you curious about the person who gave birth to you?”
Ire pursed his lips. He had a general idea, though not in detail. He had heard things from Kwon So-young in passing when he was hospitalized.
“I saw her before.”
Ire’s eyes widened at the words, I saw her myself. When? he asked. He said it was when he was young. How young? he asked, and there was silence for a moment. Then, after a long pause, he began to recall old memories as if speaking in his sleep.