DEB 16

“Hong Juan?”

“Oh. Last time we met, you seemed not to know that name, have you looked it up?”

Step by step. 

Without being told to come in, Hong Juan entered the room and sat down on the hospital bed where Huiyun was sitting. 

Even though a chair for visitor was conspicuously placed next to his bed, Hong Juan ignored it as if he didn’t see it.

When Huiyun didn’t hide his wariness, the man suddenly leaned in, pretending to look around the room as if it was his first time.

“Or did you look it up because something bothered you?” 

“…”

“It’s a joke. Why so nervous? It makes you suspicious.”

The man quietly added and narrowed his eyes. Although he spoke playfully, it wasn’t really a joke. The atmosphere was heavy enough for even a passing dog to sense, making Huiyun hold his breath.

It was different from the first time he saw him.

More precisely, it was different when he was with others.

When Jiwook, Nameless, and Huigang were there, he seemed more playful, immature, and mischievous like a child, but now that he were alone, it felt like his child-like demeanor was half feigned and this was his true self.

Sly and a bit dangerous.

If he responded wrongly, it felt like he could face some ominous accident.

“HE didn’t hear you were coming.”

“Well, HE didn’t tell you HE was coming, so of course, you didn’t hear.” 

“…What HE mean is why did you come without letting me know.”

“Surprise visits are supposed to be more touching, aren’t he?”

Wrong. 

Seeing him not making eye contact and looking around while answering lightly, it seemed impossible to get the conversation back on track.

There was a reason Kwon Jiwook was having a hard time.

It seemed like a conversation with him was impossible, being the complete opposite of logical and rational Jiwook. 

The both of them were like water and oil, fire and water, how did he even act together? 

But then he corrected his thought. He must have visited him alone like this because their companionship didn’t fit well.

Thanks to him, Huiyun had to welcome an unwelcome guest again.

Lately, why has his life been so hard?

…Is it the system’s fault?

The system administrator protests, asking why he was blaming them.

Scoffing internally, Huiyun shifted his gaze away from the golden system window. Despite its denial, Huiyun felt that things started to go awry after receiving the system’s invitation.

Was that invitation actually a ticket to his downfall?

The system vigorously objected, but Huiyun, paying no attention and convinced, suddenly felt his cheeks tingling. No, it would be more correct to say he were burning hot.

“…Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I was wondering where you were looking.” 

“Pardon?”

“You keep looking into the void. Huigang’s brother, I’m saying this out of concern, but you’re not crazy, are you?”

“No, I’m not.”

“Then why look into the void? It’s as if something is floating there.”

He jokingly smiled and rested his chin on his crossed legs. His attitude seemed to say he guessed something and would let it slide if I spoke up, making me clench my fist hidden under the blanket. Hong Juan’s gaze became more insistent. 

His palm was soaked with sweat.

Damn it. I should’ve just said I was crazy and put on a show.

Then I should’ve just entered the don’t disturb sign to block outsiders. 

No, no. Would that crazy guy really be stopped by such thing? 

Judging from his past actions, he was the type to break a window to get in.

“I think I saw a ghost.” 

“…”

He was surprised.

It was brief, but he was definitely surprised.

Although he was pretending to be nonchalant now, Huiyun confirmed with his eyes that his shoulders had slightly tensed when he mentioned the word “ghost.” This seemed like an opportunity.

“Do you dislike ghosts?” 

“…Hmm.”

“If you dislike them, you should leave quickly.” 

“Why?” 

“There are a lot of people who have died in this ward. Before the hospital was built, there was talk about it being a graveyard. It’s not just one or two ghosts here. Even though I couldn’t see them all the time, whenever I’m admitted here, I always end up seeing one or two. That’s how many ghosts there are. Just now, there was a woman in white hanging upside down above us. And…”

As he continued speaking, the man’s legs seemed to tremble slightly. He lowered his head. Huiyun couldn’t tell whether he was suppressing a laugh or feeling scared, so he decided to check.

“And right now, there’s a young ghost attached to your shoulder. Be careful. Young ghosts are stronger, especially if they died young.”

“Ahh!”

At the same time as the words, the man, visibly startled, jumped up and moved to sit on Huiyun’s lap. Then, he reached out his arms and hugged Huiyun, looking around frantically.

“W-Where did you see it…?” 

“…Yes?”

His last words were strange. He turned his head back, and when he lifted his gaze, he looked at Huiyun. 

His eyes subtly drew an arck. Huiyun, who had stiffened, realized that the sly man’s smile deepened. The man was pretending to be afraid.

His gaze openly curious about how he would react, Huiyun calmly moved the arms wrapped around his neck.

Even though he didn’t put much force into it, it seemed Hong Juan was willing to cooperate to this extent.

“Aren’t you afraid of ghosts?”

“Why would I be afraid? I’d be stronger than them.” 

“…”

His confident attitude was astonishing, and he couldn’t help but acknowledge the strangely fitting remark. He was an S-rank after all. At that level, it was convincing to say that he was stronger than any ghost. Just as he was about to speak, Juan suddenly sighed.

“But there is one ghost I can’t beat.” 

“Who’s that?”

“Perhaps a thousand-year-old ghost?”

With that kind of ghost, wouldn’t anyone be unable to beat them?

Internally, Huiyun criticized Juan for his lack of sense in joking. Wondering if all the deception was over, the man, now settling back on the bed, began humming an unfamiliar tune. The slightly high, monotonous melody felt like a lullaby and a hymn at the same time.

It felt strange, as if he had heard it somewhere before.

Although it was a melody and tone he had never heard before, there was a sense of familiarity.

As he pondered over the unusual melody and tone, suddenly, Huigang came to his mind. Huiyun hastily checked the time.

It was close to 8 p.m. That meant Huigang’s will come soon.

If Huigang met Hong Juan while checking on his condition after work, how surprised would he be?

He probably would have felt like he was still at work even after off work. Unable to leave them alone like this, Huiyun grabbed the hem of Juan’s clothes. 

Thud. 

The humming stopped, and the man’s eyes opened wide, meeting Huiyun’s gaze.

Why.

In those eyes that seemed to be asking why, he hesitated before speaking. 

“I’m curious why you came.”

In truth, he didn’t want to ask. Dealing with Hong Juan’s increasingly elusive manner of conversation had been a headache. He found himself more tense than when dealing with Jiwook, and he wished Hong Juan could just leave him alone. 

But he couldn’t let Huigang see this situation.

The thing Huiyun would do for his brother…

Hong Juan let out a long hum in response to the question asked. That song ended only after a few seconds.

“I’m here to check?”

“Check what?”

“If you’re alright.” 

Doesn’t seem like it.

There was not a single grain of sincerity in his response. But then, what can a civilian, who isn’t even a hunter, do if the leader of the top guild says so? Just as he was about to say, ‘Yes, I see.’

“…”

Where did you learn to act like this?

Suddenly, Hong Juan laid down on Huiyun’s bed. Since it was a single room and the bed was fairly spacious, it wasn’t impossible for two to lie down, but as he glared at him with discomfort, the person who laughed teasingly grabbed Huiyun’s hand.

“Don’t you want to kick me out?” 

“…No.”

“It’s all over your face, what’s the point of lying? Just be honest.”

“If that’s the case… yes.”

I wish he would just disappear forever.

Hong Juan smiled like a boy, and pulled Huiyun’s hand to his head.

“Then, would you like to pat my head?” 

“…Huh?”

“You said you want to kick me out. Try patting my head. Then I’ll leave.” 

“…”

What is this, a trap?

Huiyun, who had thrown a suspicious glance at the man who naturally used his legs as a pillow, steeled himself as he realized the time was nearing 8 o’clock.

Alright.

If it meant seeing Hong Juan’s face even a little less, patting his head was nothing.

Deciding to just do it, Huiyun touched Hong Juan’s head with trembling fingertips.

Wow, this is terrible.

It was utterly disgusting to be doing this with someone of the same gender, he frowned, and the man, closing his eyes, made another request.

“Call my name too, say, ‘Ash.'”

“Your name isn’t Ash.” 

“It is Ash.”

Let’s just give in.

It seemed better to comply with his childish demands rather than arguing back and forth, so he reluctantly agreed.

“Ash.”

“…”

“Ash?”

After calling out because he asked, but getting no response, he called out again, and the man, opening his eyes without warning, smiled more gently and softly under Huiyun’s hand than ever before.

“Yes.”