By Zephyria 
Da-yeon rushed to the break room late at night at Ha-jin’s sorrowful cries. Finding Eden awake, she was relieved and did her best to treat him. Even if he looked fine on the outside, she couldn’t ignore the possibility of internal injuries, so she had to check his condition as thoroughly as possible.
“Fortunately, his speech, eyesight, hearing, and gait are all normal. But since it hasn’t been long since he woke up, he may feel nauseous or dizzy, so don’t overdo it and get plenty of rest for a few days.”
Da-yeon, wiping the sweat from her forehead, packed her examination equipment and urged him. She tried to act calm, but Eden’s intense first impression was still vivid in her memory, and her voice trembled.
Eden, who had heard the story from Ha-jin while being examined, thanked her for giving him space and helping with the treatment.
“Seong Da-yeon, thank you.”
Da-yeon awkwardly scratched her messy hair as if she had just woken up and replied, “Y-yeah…” halfheartedly. She wanted to thank and apologize to Eden as well, but she couldn’t speak properly, feeling overwhelmed by the man’s sharp gaze.
Da-yeon, about to leave, suddenly pointed outside the door as if she had remembered something.
“Um, you two look dirty, so it’s better to wash up and sleep. The bathroom is just to the left when you go outside. Jeong Tae-geon, be especially careful not to get water in the wound on your forehead.”
As soon as Da-yeon left, Ha-jin approached Eden with a swollen face.
“Shall we wash up? I’ll help you.”
Eden, naturally being supported, frowned slightly. Ha-jin’s face, seen under the bright light, was excessively swollen.
“What happened to your face?”
Ha-jin couldn’t possibly answer that he had been beaten by Hee-soo and even harmed himself, so he avoided eye contact as if he hadn’t heard. He didn’t want to recall the moment Eden was injured, but the question brought back vivid memories. Eventually, Ha-jin pouted and couldn’t help but hug him and burst into tears again.
A while later, he left the room with Eden and groped along the dark lobby wall to find the bathroom. He turned on the light and almost screamed at the sight of himself in the mirror. How did I make it here looking like this…?
Ha-jin sat Eden down by the sink and busily moved around. The sight of his lover, holding his forehead and catching his breath, as if he still had aftereffects, was heartbreaking.
“Jeong Tae-geon, are you okay? I’ll wash you quickly.”
Eden quietly accepted Ha-jin’s touch as he took off his top, like a well-behaved child. Ha-jin, unable to let him bend his head, turned him around and carefully washed his hair, lathering soap even on his scalp.
The moment had come when he, who had always been taken care of, was taking care of Eden. Ha-jin smiled bitterly and wiped his body with a wet towel.
“I was really worried. Because you wouldn’t wake up, Jeong Tae-geon.”
“Stop crying, because I feel bad.”
“…I’m done crying now.”
“Your eyes are still moist.”
Ha-jin’s ears turned light pink at the gentle gaze.
“Are you really okay now?”
“I feel refreshed, like I just woke up from a nap. I’m a little dizzy, though.”
By the time the two had finished showering, an hour had passed.
Back in the room, they applied the ointment Da-yeon had left behind and added new patches to the areas where they felt muscle pain. As the tension eased, overwhelming fatigue set in. Ha-jin flailed his weak arms and legs and lay down on Eden’s mattress.
Then, a warm hand landed on his right cheek.
“I unintentionally made you suffer because I got hurt.”
A languid voice tickled his ear.
“No, it’s only because you stayed in Korea with me that you’re suffering, Jeong Tae-geon…”
“It’s my choice, so it’s okay.”
Ha-jin tilted his head and carefully turned Eden’s head back to face forward.
“What if your brain moves? Just to be safe, sleep looking at the ceiling.”
It was absurd, but Eden quietly followed Ha-jin’s words. He lowered his hand and gently stroked Ha-jin’s right palm, where the bandage was.
“How did you hurt your palm?”
“I don’t know. Maybe it got scratched while climbing the mountain…”
It was a wound he got while pulling up the fallen Eden, but if he told the truth, it would only weigh on his mind. Ha-jin skillfully changed the subject.
“You have to thank my siblings when we meet them tomorrow. Like I said before, everyone worked hard to save you, Jeong Tae-geon. They even tied ropes around their bodies and pulled you up. And Pie brought me here too…”
Eden was silent for a moment. He seemed to be deep in thought as the story of the three siblings came up. Ha-jin, glancing at him, asked with a worried expression.
“What are you thinking about? Do you have a headache? Do you want to take another pill and sleep?”
“No, I’m fine.”
Eden continued to stare at the ceiling for a long time afterward. After a while, he opened his mouth in a heavier voice.
“Lately, I’ve been strangely… questioning the path I’ve walked.”
Ha-jin didn’t understand his words immediately and blinked rapidly.
“As Do Ha-jin knows well, I’m a person who prioritizes my own interests above all else. I don’t care what the other person thinks or what situation they’re in. Like when I lightly ignored Do Ha-jin’s request for a ride on the helicopter.”
Eden’s voice was rough as he delivered such a sudden confession. Ha-jin felt a pang in his heart at the sound of his voice, which seemed much weaker than usual. He gently shook the hand he was holding, as if to say he was listening, and Eden continued.
“I thought goodwill was purely self-satisfaction, and that humans would betray each other anyway. Especially in this dog-eat-dog world.”
“……”
“But since I met Do Ha-jin, things that contradict my beliefs keep happening.”
Even though he had refused Ha-jin’s request for a ride on the helicopter, Eden was saved by him, and even though he had ignored an old man asking for help, he was given a warm meal. It was the same today. He had defined the three siblings as complete strangers, but they willingly tied ropes around their bodies and saved Eden.
‘The campsite is gone anyway, and they’re no longer related to us.’
Eden clearly remembered the words he had carelessly uttered. He spoke self-deprecatingly, his voice sounding as if he would collapse at any moment.
“Every time something like this happens, I feel like everything I thought was right is shaken to its core. It feels like I’m being punished. Maybe that’s why I couldn’t easily accept Do Ha-jin as a colleague, because of that uncomfortable feeling.”
Ha-jin, surprised, unconsciously squeezed Eden’s hand.
“You didn’t do anything wrong, Jeong Tae-geon. It’s just a difference in personality.”
“I know. I can’t ignore my innate nature either.”
“Then why are you suddenly saying this…”
“I don’t know. Maybe the world looks different after surviving death.”
Even at the joking words, Ha-jin couldn’t easily laugh and just looked at him with a worried expression.
“Actually, if it weren’t for Do Ha-jin, I might not have helped Seong Da-yeon that day.”
“……”
“If that were the case, I wouldn’t be on the mattress right now, but wandering the streets bleeding.”
Eden’s voice was so low.
‘Jeong Tae-geon needs someone like me. Someone who can show him that there are other options besides just one right answer.’
He recalled the words Ha-jin had once said to him, pressed his temples, and sighed deeply.
“You were right, Do Ha-jin. I need someone like you.”
Eden turned his head and kissed Ha-jin’s lips deeply.
“I won’t get hurt again. I’m sorry for making you worry.”
“……”
“You must be tired, close your eyes and get some sleep.”
The sound of crickets chirping beyond the window echoed in the quiet room, and the sound of the curtains fluttering in the cool night breeze could be heard.
Ha-jin closed his eyelids only after confirming that Eden had fallen asleep, breathing evenly. He felt anxious that he might not be able to open his eyes again, but he was filled with relief by the warm body temperature coming from the skin touching his.
However, unlike his tired body, he couldn’t fall asleep easily. Eventually, Ha-jin, who had closed his eyes, opened them again, tossed and turned, and reluctantly got up from his seat. Eden, who would have quickly grabbed his wrist in normal times, was already fast asleep.