273 – HGL 273

273

Finally, someone who can understand me has appeared. If things go well here, I won’t have to worry about penalties! I wish Lee Sa-young could hear this too. The end of his voice trembled with joy.

“Um… how much time is left?”

However, Nam Woo-jin’s face became even more grim. He sighed as if the ground was sinking beneath him, then replied gloomily.

“…I wouldn’t be surprised if you died within a few days. It’s a miracle you’ve lasted this long. We have to hope your ability returns soon.”

Nam Woo-jin is a quack!

Eui-jae clenched his fist tightly inside the thick blanket. No, if he showed how excited he was, it might arouse suspicion. He cleared his throat and put on a gentle smile. Like Jung-bin.

“You’re amazing.”

But Nam Woo-jin shouted.

“Don’t pretend to be okay!”

Huh? Eui-jae blinked blankly. Nam Woo-jin paced restlessly around the hospital room, then pointed at Eui-jae with his index finger and shouted again.

“How many times have I told you? That’s your problem! Acting like your life is nothing!”

“Yes? No, that….”

“The mindset of sacrificing yourself? Throw it away! Live selfishly! Stop wandering around! And what the hell were you thinking, jumping into the Whitening sea like that! What if you mutated!”

“…….”

“Do you know what it means to be similar to a civilian when you lose your ability? It means you’re that much more vulnerable to Mutation!”

“Y-yes….”

“Haa….”

Nam Woo-jin, having poured out his anger, slowly swept back his hair. He glared and pointed precisely between Eui-jae’s eyebrows.

“I’m telling you as your doctor. Don’t even think about going out until your body recovers! Stay put in this room! If you go out, I’ll tell Jung-bin to drag you back, so you better know it!”

I’m screwed. Eui-jae hurriedly tried to get up.

“But I….”

But his weak body had no intention of helping him. His vision wavered.

“Ugh.”

He grabbed his spinning head and leaned back against the soft pillow. Nam Woo-jin snorted as if to say, “See!”

“I won’t watch you wander around outside and shorten your lifespan even more. Stay right here!”

Nam Woo-jin stormed out of the hospital room. Eui-jae didn’t even have a chance to beg for mercy from the terminally ill with his excellent acting skills. He pitifully clutched the pillow and trembled. Then, he heard a mocking voice.

“For once, I agree with Nam Woo-jin….”

It was Lee Sa-young. He was wearing his usual Gas mask and coat instead of a white protective suit. Eui-jae steadied himself on the bed with arms trembling like a newborn deer’s legs and raised his upper body.

“How much did you hear?”

“Hmm…. From the part where Hyung is terminally ill.”

He heard everything. It’s better this way. Eui-jae put as much strength as possible into his eyes and looked at Sa-young. So that he could feel his sincerity.

“It’s good you heard. I have to get out of here quickly. I don’t have time to be here.”

“Aha?”

Sa-young fiddled with the filter part of his Gas mask. There was laughter in his voice.

“Are we running away together?”

“Of course, we have to run away. I don’t think Nam Woo-jin will ever let me go.”

“Nice. I like that…. The most out of everything Hyung has said here.”

Sa-young rummaged in the air and piled something up on one corner of the bed. Rings, gloves, even a jacket. There was a variety of items. They looked expensive at a glance. Eui-jae’s eyes widened.

“What is all this?”

“I raided the Hunter Market a bit. Hyung is vulnerable to Poison right now.”

Everything Sa-young brought had Poison immunity. Eui-jae stared at Sa-young with a serious face.

“…Did you do it physically?”

“Legally.”

“…Where did you get the money?”

“There are ways.”

I don’t believe it. But there was no time to hesitate. He had to escape while Lee Sa-young was being cooperative. Eui-jae threw off the blanket and quickly took off his hospital gown top. His upper body, scarred in many places, was revealed. Sa-young crossed his arms and tilted his head.

“Aren’t you being too reckless?”

“There’s no time. Do you have a T-shirt?”

“Here.”

Sa-young handed him a black turtleneck. Eui-jae put on the turtleneck in one swift motion and stood up from the bed. Sa-young’s hand grabbed his arm to support him. He was a little dizzy, but he could handle it. Sa-young handed him black pants and asked.

“Ah…. Should I turn around?”

“Isn’t that obvious?”

“We’ve seen everything already.”

“I didn’t see anything!”

“Aha…, you haven’t seen the most important thing yet.”

“Be quiet, seriously.”

“Don’t think about hitting me. Hyung’s hand might break.”

Damn it. Eui-jae quietly unclenched his fist. And he quickly changed into the hospital gown pants. During that time, Lee Sa-young was quietly turned around, but the occasional low laughter was annoying. Eui-jae put on the items Sa-young had brought, one by one. Rings, gloves, and a jacket. Since it was similar to the combat uniform he used to wear, there was no sense of incongruity.

Eui-jae neatly folded the hospital gown he had taken off and placed it neatly on the bed.

“I’m done changing.”

“Okay. Then, the last thing.”

Sa-young, who had turned around, took off the glove on his right hand. And he held out his blackened fingertips.

“Want to hold it?”

“…….”

Eui-jae took Sa-young’s hand. It was the first time he had held his hand with gloves on. Eui-jae had always held his hand with his bare hands. He seemed to vaguely feel warmth through the thick leather gloves. Sa-young, who was carefully examining Eui-jae’s face, nodded.

“You should be okay. With this much.”

“Are you really okay?”

“If there was a problem, the gloves would have melted.”

Sa-young let go of his hand and carefully supported Eui-jae’s legs and back, lifting him up. It was the so-called princess carry. It was also a position that had given him terrible nightmares. Damn it. How embarrassing. Eui-jae closed his eyes. He heard a small laugh above his head.

“It’s not the first or second time. Get used to it.”

“Shut up.”

“Hmm…. Want to grab my neck? It’ll be obvious if we go out through the door….”

Ah, you’re going to jump out the window? Yeah, that’ll be faster and less noticeable. Eui-jae quickly agreed and reached out his arms to hug Sa-young’s neck. And he realized one thing he regretted when he put on the gloves.

‘Lee Sa-young’s hair is so soft.’

He couldn’t feel the texture of the soft hair. Eui-jae fiddled with the back of Sa-young’s neck with his gloved hand for no reason. At the same time, Sa-young’s hand, which was supporting him with one hand and opening the window with the other, stopped.

“…Hyung.”

Hiss, the sound of air escaping from the Gas mask. Huh? Eui-jae raised his head. Sa-young muttered.

“Stop it. I can’t concentrate….”

He couldn’t see his face because of the Gas mask, but he could clearly see his ears between his hair. Lee Sa-young’s ears were…

Dyed bright red.

‘Ah.’

Aaaah, damn it! Eui-jae also shut his mouth and turned his head. The sound of swallowing, the sound of his Adam’s apple moving, the sound of his clothes brushing against each other, and the sound of the window lock being released. All the sounds were excessively loud. Eui-jae bit the inside of his cheek for no reason. Ah, I want to run away.

Then, Sa-young sighed.

“It won’t open any further.”

Even if he pushed the window that opened from the bottom to the top as much as possible, it was far from enough for a person to escape. Moreover, since neither of them was small, it was even more so. Sa-young took a short breath and suddenly went back to the bed. And he took off his coat and wrapped it around Eui-jae.

Their eyes met. It was ominous. Unfortunately, Eui-jae could guess what Sa-young was going to do. It was something that Eui-jae would have suddenly done normally. Eui-jae gestured at the window with his eyes and asked.

“…Don’t tell me?”

Sa-young just nodded without answering. For some reason, they understood each other without speaking. They only communicated well at times like this. Only at times like this.

Eui-jae was wrapped in the coat like a bagworm and hugged again. He had no strength, so he had no right to refuse. Sa-young hugged Eui-jae tightly,

Crash—!!

Clang!

He kicked the window and the surrounding wall. The wall shattered like a cookie. Eui-jae closed his eyes as he watched the wall and glass fragments fly around. And he realized why the sages emphasized the importance of early education.

‘I should have taught him better….’

He had never taught him, but anyway, Eui-jae regretted it. A cold wind swept through the gaping hole. Sa-young jumped down through the hole without hesitation. Thud, his two feet landed stably on the ground. Eui-jae looked up at the white sky and quietly called him.

“…Sa-young.”

“Yes.”

“Didn’t you think this would be more noticeable?”

The sound of people murmuring was getting louder and closer. The filter part of the Gas mask touched Eui-jae’s forehead.

“I tried it Hyung’s way, how is it?”

“…….”

“Do you like it?”

No, I don’t like it. Eui-jae squeezed his eyes shut. He heard Sa-young giggling nearby.

“Do you understand my feelings a little now?”

“…….”

“Try to learn a little empathy, take this opportunity.”

I don’t want to.

He seemed to hear Nam Woo-jin’s angry shout from afar. Sa-young started running with Eui-jae in his arms. The surrounding scenery quickly flashed by. A voice that didn’t waver even though he was running with a person in his arms asked.

“Where do you want to go?”

‘Oh well, whatever.’

Eui-jae put strength into the arms that were hugging his neck.

“Let’s go to Hong Ye-seong.”