By Zephyria The next day, Yohan woke up after a deep sleep, his face slightly puffy, and thought.
‘Wow, that was really good.’
He had always thought his libido was around the average for someone in their twenties, but yesterday, he felt like he had not only tested his limits but surpassed them. Perhaps it was because he had been practically abstinent all year, or because it was the first proper night he had spent with his lover, or maybe both. In any case, it was incredibly, truly, immensely good….
Feeling a bit stifled, he glanced sideways and saw Lee Hyun-muk, who had wrapped Yohan in the blanket and was holding him close in his sleep. It was a sight he hadn’t seen in a long time.
Ever since escaping the Abyss, Yohan knew that the Corruption of Lee Hyun-muk and the other team members was no longer increasing. On the other hand, he was also well aware that the indelible traces of Corruption left deep scars on their bodies. Thus, he subtly let out a gentle light. Seeing Lee Hyun-muk’s expression become even more relaxed and comfortable, he lounged lazily on the soft, clean bed for a long while.
While purifying the other person, Yohan unknowingly dozed off again and woke up to a delicious smell. He was alone in the bed, still wrapped snugly in the blanket. His stomach growled so loudly that Yohan crawled out of the blanket and slowly headed to the kitchen.
“You’re awake? Hungry, aren’t you.”
Lee Hyun-muk was busy simmering something. Smelling the appetizing Korean food, Yohan sat quietly at the table and waited. Soon, bubbling doenjang jjigae, freshly made kimchi, seaweed, fried eggs, seasoned dried shredded squid, and stir-fried anchovies were served. With freshly cooked rice placed before him, his mouth watered involuntarily.
“Did you make all of this yourself?”
“Actually, I’m not much of a cook…. Seung-ryong brought most of it, I only made the fried eggs. It’s a little embarrassing.”
Lee Hyun-muk smiled sheepishly. Only then did Yohan recall that his and Lee Hyun-muk’s cooking skills were about the same. Still, grateful for the effort, he quickly took a bite of the fried egg dipped in ketchup and another spoonful of the fluffy rice. After chewing and swallowing diligently, Yohan praised him.
“It’s really delicious!”
“Well, I’m glad the fried eggs are good.”
Truthfully, the dishes Yoon Seung-ryong had brought looked tastier, but he could easily offer such flattery for his lover.
After a delicious breakfast, they had coffee time on the terrace. The bright sun shining in the blue sky was something he never tired of. Even the rather strong wind blowing from the high floor felt welcome. It smelled of exhaust fumes, but it was nothing compared to the foul stench of the Abyss. He waved to the Special Unit members who were staring up at them from the mansion entrance.
The two of them watched the sun for a long time until they were tired of it, then ate lunch and watched a movie in the living room. The combination of salty popcorn and cola was delightful. In the evening, they ordered plenty of delivery food with others, and late at night, they rolled around in bed with Lee Hyun-muk. After several days of such leisurely rest, Yohan woke up and immediately looked at his phone.
Lee Hyun-muk quietly got up, embraced Yohan from behind, and kissed his ears and cheeks with light, ticklish pecks. Yohan gazed endlessly at a family photo and murmured.
“Finally, I can go meet my family.”
Yohan caressed the faces of his family in the photo and mumbled. His nose was already stinging, and he sniffled lightly. Today was the last day of the government-imposed embargo, meaning he could go meet his family. Tears, rare for him, stopped soon after. They were replaced by a burning hatred and thirst for revenge. Yohan turned off his phone screen and said in a determined voice.
“And Park Seung-min too.”
Since their son, Yang Yohan, disappeared in the Rift some time ago, Kim Ye-ju and Yang Hwa-pyeong had not slept properly for a single day.
Their second son had always been a worry. Compared to their firstborn, he was always slow and needy in everything he did, never quite measuring up. He had been prone to frequent illnesses since childhood and was so gentle that his heart was too soft.
So, they worried if he would be taken advantage of in this harsh world, or if he could even make a living in the future. When he was offered a position at the company, he even defied them, saying he didn’t want to clean up after his older brother. Wasn’t the world already harsher after the Rift broke out? They scolded him for being ungrateful, and he stormed out.
For several days after that, he didn’t come home and didn’t answer their calls, leaving the two of them sighing. They were planning to scold this thoughtless child until he cried when he returned. Then, Park Seung-min, a friend he had known since high school, came to their house crying and in a terrible state. A dark premonition struck them, and their faces turned pale as he delivered the news.
‘Sniffle, Auntie, Uncle. What do I do… Y-Yohan, he’s going to undergo an Awakening, and he found an Awakening Party….’
‘What? Awakening? He found an Awakening Party?’
‘He got separated from his companions, sob sob, and went missing…!’
It was devastating news. The words that followed plunged the couple into darkness. Their second son, wanting to Awaken like his older brother, had used all his money to hire mercenaries and headed into the Rift! What’s more, he had gone into a pharmacy alone to get medicine when monsters attacked, leading to their separation.
‘Y-Yohan, our Yohan is missing in the Rift….’
Before he could finish speaking, Yang Hwa-pyeong fainted, causing Kim Ye-ju to scream. Though he regained consciousness shortly after, both were utterly distraught and flustered. Park Seung-min tried to comfort them, saying.
‘If you could lend me some money, I can ask some acquaintances to search for him. The chances of finding him are higher if we search right away. You understand, we must start the search immediately!’
Without a second thought, Yang Hwa-pyeong hastily withdrew cash and handed it to Park Seung-min. However, a week passed, then two, and there was still no news of Yohan being found. In the meantime, Park Seung-min asked for more money, bringing the total to 500 million won. They had also spent a considerable amount hiring their own people. But as long as they could find their second son, it didn’t matter. The couple hired other mercenaries separately to form a search party.
‘If only we hadn’t scolded him like that that day. If only we had reasoned with him kindly.’ They regretted it dozens, hundreds of times, unable to focus on anything. They held onto the vague hope that their son was alive somewhere in the Rift area, but at the same time, experts’ words about the high possibility of his death made them clutch their chests and writhe in agony. To make matters worse, one misfortune followed another, and eventually, they were so overwhelmed they could do nothing but lie in bed.
With their minds half-gone, they naturally paid no attention to the incident of Lee Hyun-muk’s return from the Abyss. They could only pray desperately every day for their Yohan to return home, even if he wasn’t whole, as long as he was alive.
The couple couldn’t even eat properly. While not all those lost in the Rift were found dead, the longer time passed, the more their chances of survival drastically decreased. Four weeks passed like this. A mercenary searching the Rift told them to give up and accept reality. While spending their days in tears and sighs, they received a call.
— Is this Kim Ye-ju?
“Yes, I am Kim Ye-ju. May I ask who is calling….”
— This is Hyunsan Hospital. Yang Yohan is currently admitted here. Are you Kim Ye-ju and Yang Hwa-pyeong, the guardians of the patient?
Kim Ye-ju, who had numbly answered, her strength drained,’s eyes widened. Goosebumps rose all over her body, and suddenly, a surge of energy coursed through her. She asked urgently in a hoarse voice.
“Y-Yohan? Yang Yohan, right! Is our Yohan there?! Is he… alive? How badly is he injured?”
At her words, Yang Hwa-pyeong, who had been lying in bed, not even going to work due to his grief, sprang up. He rushed to Kim Ye-ju’s side, panting, and asked.
“W-What about Yohan? What happened?”
“Honey, Yohan is alive! He’s at the hospital right now…!”
They didn’t remember much after that. They just barely threw on their coats and drove straight to Hyunsan Hospital. Only upon reaching the hospital room where their second son was admitted could they finally catch their breath.
With trembling hands, they opened the door to find their second son standing by the window, bathed in sunlight. For some reason, a faint, almost sacred aura seemed to shimmer behind him. Yohan turned around upon sensing their presence. Seeing his son’s face, Yang Hwa-pyeong collapsed onto the floor in relief.