By Zephyria 
His attitude was so blatantly unpleasant that no one could doubt that he was really his Darling. In Yeon-rok’s opinion, Moon Kyeon-woo was almost as good at acting as Choi Hwan. Chief Kim quickly took his hand away and apologized.
“I’m sorry. The research topic is so unpleasant for Name Awakened that even simple requests for cooperation have been rejected. But I can’t hide the research topic and ask for it. I was just so grateful……”
What is it? What kind of research is it that just hearing the topic makes you feel unpleasant? When Yeon-rok became a little uneasy, Moon Kyeon-woo quickly and naturally intervened and sent Chief Kim out.
“Chief Kim, haven’t you eaten yet? I’ll watch here, so go and eat first.”
“Oh, is it already this late? Now that I think about it, I’m a little hungry. Then I’ll be right back.”
As soon as Chief Kim left, Yeon-rok distanced himself. The vicious researcher raised his eyebrows with his arms crossed. Yeon-rok, ready to run away from the lab at any moment, grilled him fiercely.
“What is it? Tell me honestly. What kind of research are you doing? I won’t let you get away with doing anything stupid!”Moon Kyeon-woo, looking quite troubled, tilted his head and looked up at the air for a moment, then, after finishing his thoughts, readily confessed to Yeon-rok.”
“I’m researching how to erase Names.”
“What……?”
It was a completely unexpected answer. A way to erase Names? Yeon-rok had never imagined such a thing. But surprisingly… he was a little tempted. It was because he had suffered so much physically and mentally because of Name partners. But on the other hand, it didn’t quite make sense.
“Are there that many people who want to erase Names?”
“Surprisingly, there’s quite a bit of demand. For example, people who have Awakened but don’t want to meet their Name partner, relatives of Name Awakened, or Name Awakened who are terminally ill and worry about their partner’s life after death. You were even hospitalized recently, so you know how much Name restricts a person’s life, right?”
This was the first time he had ever seen someone describe Name Awakening as a ‘symptom.’ However, apart from the unfamiliarity of the expression, Yeon-rok understood the meaning of Moon Kyeon-woo’s subsequent statement that Name restricts life. If a Name suddenly appeared on a family member’s or Darling’s body, they wouldn’t be able to just welcome it. It’s said that Name partners can be healthy for the rest of their lives if they’re together, but if they can’t, the results are harsh.
If they Awaken, they may have to break up with their Darling of long standing against their will, and if they are unlucky enough not to be with their Name partner, their health will gradually deteriorate, which is the same as a terminal diagnosis.
If there was no ‘Name’ in the first place, this harsh fate could be avoided. Even if they Awaken, they can live a normal life if they don’t meet their partner and just suppress the unconscious desire to find their partner. That’s why there are people who don’t register with the Name Matching Center even after Awakening.
“Honestly, it looks like a kind of disease to me. So I’ve wanted to get rid of it since I Awakened.”
Then Moon Kyeon-woo opened his mouth and tapped near his lower lip with his finger. Only then did Yeon-rok realize where the other person’s ‘Name’ had Awakened. His four-leaf clover-shaped Name was on his tongue. Yeon-rok didn’t know because he had never been interested in the inside of Moon Kyeon-woo’s mouth. He asked without realizing it.
“Even now that your Name partner is your Darling?”
“Well……”
Moon Kyeon-woo looked at the reagent flask in the fume hood with a look of confusion for a moment. He soon said to Yeon-rok in a familiar, cold voice.
“Anyway, don’t tell anyone about this research. It’ll be a headache if crazy religious people who talk about Name as if it’s fate or a miracle find out.”
“I don’t have anyone to tell.”
Yeon-rok said that, but Moon Kyeon-woo, not feeling relieved, insisted on presenting him with a contract. Chief Kim returned just as Yeon-rok, who was annoyed by the argument, tore the contract to pieces. Moon Kyeon-woo quickly hid the torn non-disclosure agreement and pretended that nothing had happened.
“I bought some coffee and snacks.”
Yeon-rok gratefully accepted the snacks that Chief Kim handed him with a friendly smile. Yeon-rok ate some snacks and watched Moon Kyeon-woo, who was pretending to prepare for the experiment himself. Chief Kim spoke to Yeon-rok in a friendly manner.
“I’m doing this kind of research with Seonbae, but I’m honestly so envious of Name Awakened. How romantic. It’s truly a partner of fate.”
Because of what he had experienced so far, Yeon-rok couldn’t easily agree. From the moment he first found out that he had three Name partners, he thought it was closer to an administrative error or someone’s prank than fate. Chief Kim seemed to really love his job, so he rattled off the research details to Yeon-rok without being asked.
“Although it hasn’t been proven yet, Name Awakened can sense when their partner is in danger.”
“Oh, I’ve seen quite a few posts like that in the Name Awakened Community.”
Yeon-rok, who was able to have a real conversation with these researchers for the first time, quickly agreed. There were cases of people fainting after sensing that their Name partner who was far away had died, or feeling emotionally very anxious about a seriously injured partner, or finding a missing Name partner with just their intuition.
“It’s amazing. When I see things like that, it seems like telepathy really exists. But it doesn’t make sense scientifically, does it?”
Chief Kim thought for a moment at Yeon-rok’s words and then opened his mouth.
“Have you ever heard of chameleon vines?”
“No?”
“The scientific name is Boquila trifoliolata… It’s a really amazing plant with mimicry polymorphism. It doesn’t even have eyes, but it can mimic the shape of nearby plants. Even artificial plants made of plastic. Doesn’t it remind you of Name Awakened who have the exact same shape as their partners? Who knows? Maybe telepathy is really possible.”
This was very interesting information that was difficult to obtain in the Name Awakened Community. While Chief Kim was kindly dealing with him, Moon Kyeon-woo finished preparing. Yeon-rok reluctantly dragged his feet closer as he gestured with a tool in his hand.
“It doesn’t really hurt, does it?”
“I told you I’m just going to watch. Are you that scared? Cute……”
Moon Kyeon-woo pretended to coax and appease him as if he were really talking to his Darling. Yeon-rok, who was grumbling for no reason, screamed inwardly after suffering tremendous mental damage.
Fortunately, it didn’t hurt as Moon Kyeon-woo said. He just carefully cleaned the ‘Name’ area, looked at it with a magnifying glass, and took dozens of photos. He also collected something as a sample, but all he did was wipe it off with a damp cotton-like tool.
“Chief Kim, come here and take a look at this.”
Moon Kyeon-woo and Chief Kim, who were completely focused on looking at the sample, seemed to have forgotten Yeon-rok’s existence. Their breathing even became a little rough, making them seem like perverts. Yeon-rok, who wanted to go to the bathroom because he had even drunk Moon Kyeon-woo’s drink, quietly got up from his seat. The two didn’t even know that Yeon-rok had opened the lab door and left.
“Ugh, it’s stuffy.”
Yeon-rok, who came out after using the restroom, took off his stuffy mask and fanned himself. It was when he was drying the humid inside of the mask.
“Excuse me.”
Yeon-rok turned around at the sound of someone calling him and flinched. He hadn’t heard anything, but a researcher in a white coat was standing tall behind him. But he looked familiar somehow.
‘Where have I seen this person before?’
As he tilted his head, the researcher with a gaunt face took another step closer. He scanned Yeon-rok’s handsome face and bit his lip tightly.
“Excuse me, are you really…… Gyun-woo Hyung’s Darling? Are you really, really Name partners?”
Only after hearing his tearful voice did Yeon-rok recall a vague memory. He wasn’t sure just by looking at his face, but judging from the atmosphere, it seemed like he was the person who was kissing Moon Kyeon-woo in front of his house last Christmas. So that means he’s his ex-Darling.
‘Gasp. I guess this person is the stalker Moon Kyeon-woo was talking about.’
Yeon-rok, feeling nervous, carefully examined the other person. He didn’t seem to be carrying any weapons. Thinking of running away immediately if he was in danger, he fiddled with his cell phone and agreed for now.
“Yes, I’m his Darling.”
Tears streamed down the other person’s gaunt eyes, showing how difficult a time he had had after the breakup. Taking advantage of the gap, he tried to quickly leave the bathroom, but unfortunately, the other person quickly blocked his way.
“Just a moment……. I really, really can’t give up……. Can you at least show me your Name? If you just show it to me once, I’ll really give up. Please……. I’m begging you like this……
Yeon-rok is worried. The other person seemed really desperate. He was someone who knew how hard it was to be dumped by a Darling he loved. Feeling a bit of sympathy, he scanned the other person up and down again. He looked so slender and weak that Yeon-rok could easily subdue him if necessary. He didn’t get the feeling that he was in any particular danger.
“Are you really going to give up if you confirm it?”
Yeon-rok said firmly, intending to solve the stalker problem and get Lime back early. Then he fumbled and unbuttoned his shirt.