By Zephyria 
‘But you don’t have to watch if you don’t like Jin Mu-hae.’
‘Do whatever you want, and go to sleep.’
In fact, when Mu-hae first picked him up, he was planning to find Joo-oh’s missing family and get some money.
After realizing that Joo-oh had nowhere to be thrown away, let alone any compensation to live on, he tried to use him in any way he could. If only because he didn’t want to waste the money he spent on food.
In fact, he was quite helpful. While taking Joo-oh with him, Mu-hae gained more benefits and changes than at any other time in his life.
Around the time he realized that, he had already intervened in someone else’s life like a lie. As an annoying roommate, an unreliable colleague, and an eye-catching person to protect.
He was always by his side. Day and night, he was always there within reach.
It was enough time to become attached to a baby Beast he had brought in and raised. So what else could he do?
Although he wasn’t very willing, Mu-hae had no choice but to embark on a troublesome task as a human being.
‘Jin Mu-hae……?’
‘What are you standing there looking at? Do what you were doing.’
To be honest, he doesn’t know how to fix someone who is mentally unstable. He doesn’t have any brilliant ideas to make someone stand on their own.
Mu-hae is just treating Joo-oh as he sees, experiences, and knows. He only believes in the unfounded intuition that the more things he can do on his own, the more he will gradually find his past memories.
‘I’m going for a walk.’
‘…….’
‘I’m going for a bit of a long walk.’
‘Do as you please.’
Surprisingly, Joo-oh was a man who was harder to ignore than to serve.
The embarrassment and shock that bloomed on his smiling face. The way he tilted his head as if wondering if he had done something wrong.
Mu-hae almost shook off his clothes when he saw his eyes fixed on him, then drooping. After that, he just turned his back on him completely.
Even so, he could still feel his gaze persistently. It was a relief that he often moved on his own as intended after that.
Joo-oh seemed to be the type to do whatever he was told. As soon as he thought it would be okay, Mu-hae immediately gave him a job.
The face that had been beaming, as if he hadn’t really expected him to allow it even though he had begged him, flickered before his eyes.
It was inevitable that the speed of the bike was faster than usual. He had to finish his work quickly and go back to check if he had done his job properly and if he had had any accidents.
Whoooosh-.
Kicking up the dirt, he returned to the Small aircraft he had parked in the middle zone. Mu-hae looked for Joo-oh first before even turning off the engine.
He saw the man leaning against the Small aircraft and sitting on the ground. Why is he waiting for him out here instead of going inside?
“Jin Mu-hae!”
Joo-oh, who had been moving his lips while looking at the sky, jumped up as soon as he heard the sound of the bike.
He quickly ran towards Mu-hae. His eyes were full of life and he was stomping his feet, as if they had been apart for almost a week.
“I missed you.”
He was overly happy for someone who had only been apart for an hour or two. His cheeks were a little red from excitement.
At this rate, he doubts whether he did his job properly when he wasn’t there. His hair is a mess and he’s covered in dust as if he rolled around on the dirt floor.
“Did you check the Detector?”
“Yes! Everything’s fine. Support beam number 21 is a little bent.”
“Send me the pictures you took.”
He manipulated his Link Watch and sent him a perfect image. He had even considered the situation where he would have to go back because the pictures were taken poorly, but unlike his worries, the results were better than he expected.
Joo-oh suddenly held out his head at the words of thanks for his hard work. Is he asking to be petted?
If that’s the reward he’s thinking of, he can’t refuse. Actually, he was waiting for him to ask for money to buy something to eat, but it seems like he still has some snacks left. He’ll ask for money when he gets desperate.
Jin Mu-hae ruffled his black, fluffy hair. Joo-oh gently closed his eyes and enjoyed the touch of his large hand.
He turned his head and rubbed his cheek, smelled his unwashed hands, and pressed his lips tightly. Mu-hae, who was watching him, thought it wouldn’t work and removed his hand.
“……Why?”
“I haven’t washed yet. Don’t put your face on me.”
He thought about the reason for a moment and nodded with an understanding expression. Then he stared at Mu-hae with a face as if he was expecting something.
The messy hair that came into view again. The dirt and dust on his clothes and the crumpled collar.
He wanted to comb his hair back right away, dust off his body, and wipe it with a wet tissue, but that was Joo-oh’s job.
Constantly encroaching on his share would only hinder his growth. Mu-hae put his hands in his pockets, talking about growth with a man who was already grown up.
Joo-oh stared at his profile as he turned away with trembling eyes.
“Get in. Let’s go.”
“I can’t.”
“What can’t you do?”
“My clothes. They’re dirty and will stain the seat.”
“Shake them off, then. Wipe off anything that’s on them.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Joo-oh quickly turned around the bag he was carrying on his back, hugged it, and rummaged through it. He found the wet tissue he had thrown to him earlier and quickly handed it to Mu-hae.
What is it, is he asking me to wipe it for him? A glimmer of hope hung on his drooping eyes.
“You do it. Your hands are fine.”
At the blunt refusal, his terrifyingly red eyes were filled with confusion.
Joo-oh, who was gaping as if he couldn’t believe it, dropped the wet tissue on the floor.
“My hands. Can’t they be fine?”
“Don’t talk nonsense. I told you not to make me do things you can do on your own.”
He quickly put his foot down, thinking he was thinking something strange. Even if he was a man whose head hadn’t fully recovered, he wouldn’t mess with his own hands, but you never know. Common sense often didn’t work with Joo-oh.
He flinched at the look in his eyes telling him not to do anything stupid. Joo-oh, who had been standing there blankly for a long time, mumbled a word.
“Did I do something wrong……?”
He didn’t feel it was worth responding to, so he just ignored him. He picked up the fallen wet tissue, put it in his hand, and went back to the Small aircraft, and he heard rough breathing from behind.
For a moment, he felt a chilling sensation that made the back of his neck tingle. It was the instinct that had saved Mu-hae throughout his mercenary life.
He quickly looked around to see if any Aberrant had appeared, but there was nothing unusual caught by his eyes or radar.
It was just that Joo-oh was standing there with his head bowed.
“Get in quickly. This place doesn’t feel good.”
“I didn’t do it on purpose. I was trying to help Jin Mu-hae.”
“Yeah. You helped me well, so get in.”
As he waited, he approached him and heard him muttering.
I think I got caught again. But I helped Jin Mu-hae. He couldn’t understand what he was saying at all, but he could tell that he was acting strangely even if he was blind.
Mu-hae grabbed the shoulder of the man who had suddenly broken down and shook him lightly. Crazy. He didn’t shake at all, wondering why he was standing there.
Meanwhile, the eerie feeling grew stronger and he kept looking at the radar. It’s near the city. A dangerous Aberrant is unlikely to appear often, but his instincts repeatedly warned him.
Thinking it was dangerous to wait any longer, Mu-hae lifted Joo-oh up. He was stiff and dangling like a log.
Whoosh-.
Only after the Small aircraft took off did he let out a sigh of relief. Mu-hae rubbed his still goosebumped skin and turned his head to Joo-oh.
When his eyes met his sad eyes, he suddenly felt a surge of emotion and shouted.
“Are you out of your mind? I told you to get in.”
“…….”
“If you’re going to act like this on your own, don’t follow me. I warned you that you’d only be a hindrance.”
Joo-oh’s eyebrows drooped even further at the cold scolding. His red lips trembled and he let out a small sigh.
He was the one who did wrong first, but he had the face of someone carrying all the burdens of the world. His hair was still a mess, and he hunched his shoulders and looked around.
This. He almost reached out his hand without realizing it. Mu-hae crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair with a look that said, ‘Try to make an excuse.’
But Joo-oh didn’t say anything. He just lowered his head again with a sad expression.
It was to the point where he could see the illusion of his messy hair drooping down. It’s not like he said he was going to throw him away in the forest.
Mu-hae frowned and rummaged through his childhood memories.
‘Do it yourself. You can do it.’
Mu-hae had definitely heard those words from his father, so he just did it.
After that, he didn’t think his father would help him, so he took care of things himself if anything happened.
That was all. He never got angry at his father or clung to him.
He wasn’t the kind of person that would work on. He was always busy in his own world, only showing his face when he was eating.
Compared to that, Joo-oh is shocked every time he is ignored. As the same thing was repeated, he was now discouraged and even lost his spirit.
Wasn’t he happy to tighten his shoes on his own when he first started living together, even if he was given shoes that didn’t fit?
It’s been consistently difficult to know what he’s thinking in that head of his since the first time they met.
‘Is he hungry?’
When he handed him a meal replacement pill as if throwing it, Joo-oh received it listlessly. He smacked his lips once, which meant he was definitely hungry, but he didn’t seem to be in a good mood even as he shook the pill out of his hand.
Is it because there’s no meat? That’s a plausible guess. When he gets back, he’ll have to spend more of his living expenses to put food in his mouth.
Looking down at the rough wilderness scenery out the window, Mu-hae rummaged through his bag for a temporary measure.
He touched a rustling plastic bag. It was a few candies that Joo-oh kept giving him whenever he went out.
“Hey.”
Joo-oh only peeked his eyes out at the cold call. Mu-hae was about to hand him the candy, but he saw his dirty hands.
If he doesn’t nag him, he’ll definitely unwrap it with those dirty fingers. But if he nags him, he’ll get even more sulky.
“Ah.”
In the end, he took a step back. When he gestured for him to open his mouth, Joo-oh wiggled his eyebrows and obediently opened his mouth.
Pop. Mu-hae unwrapped a bright yellow candy and put it inside. Joo-oh, who had rolled the sweet treat around in his mouth for a moment, blinked and opened his surprised eyes.
His lips seemed to protrude a little, then they pouted sadly.
“Jin Mu-hae.”
“What.”
“Are you not angry anymore?”
Hope returned to his eyes, which had lost their vitality. Mu-hae clicked his tongue without answering, but he seemed to feel the lighter atmosphere.
Joo-oh, who was rolling his eyes around and thinking hard about something, stretched out his arm. He was asking him to dust off his dirty clothes.
“Don’t you know how to do it?”
“No.”
He answered quickly, then hesitated for a moment. After a few seconds of silence, he opened his mouth hesitantly.
“But I like it when Jin Mu-hae does it for me.”
His face, full of unwavering expectations, broke his heart, which he had hardened for once. Mu-hae finally sighed deeply and picked up a wet tissue.
This is the only time. Because he’s working. Because he doesn’t have time to argue.
Rationalizing to himself, he pulled out two or three tissues and pulled his hand first. It was all covered in dirt, as if he had rubbed the floor with his bare hands.
“Heu-eu. Haha.”
Joo-oh, who made a strange laughing sound, clenched and unclenched his clean hand.
Suddenly, he jumped into his arms. The pounding of his heart, beating anxiously, was transmitted through their touching bodies.