DEB 25

Huiyun never imagined he would end up as a mere specimen, dissected at some point to satisfy someone else’s curiosity, and then resurrected as a corpse. 

Suppressing his horror at the thought, Jiwook handed him a contract. Curious, Huiyun skimmed through it and realized he had no choice but to sign. Jiwook raised an eyebrow as if surprised by Huiyun’s compliance.

“You were furious just a moment ago, now you’re obediently signing away,” 

“You don’t want to give me a choice.”

“While surveillance might be the primary objective, bodyguard duties are included as well. You can relax a bit,” 

After signing the documents, Jiwook gave Huiyun a smile that seemed forced.

You smile like that when you say something you don’t mean to say.

Although the smile on his face was refreshing, he had heard too much to accept that smile in a positive sense. Huiyun, who does not trust him, thought back on the period written in his contract.

Four weeks.

Let’s see who wins in the remaining month.

It was a matter of life and death. With determination fueled by this thought, Huiyun resigned himself to a life that might as well have been scripted for him. He remained confined to the ward for a week after signing, rarely stepping outside, even frustrating his watchers to the point of annoyance.

To be precise, it was mainly Hong Juan who was annoyed.

“Huiyun.”

“Yes?”

“Huiyun.”

“Yes?”

“Huiyun…”

“Please sit a little further away, Mr. Hong Juan.”

Once someone who would occupy his bed without a second thought, now Hong Juan endlessly clamored for attention. Whenever he leaned in, Huiyun felt the weight of his body, and when pushed away, Hong Juan would cling to him and nuzzled him, behaving like an obedient puppy.

Since their outing together, or rather since Huiyun became the focus of attention, Hong Juan’s demeanor had become exceedingly docile, to the point where Huiyun often confused him with the dog next door they used to watch over in middle school, named “Baduk” or was it “Hong Juan”? It was hard to tell.

When Huiyun turned down his suggestion to go outside, Hong Juan’s annoyance was evident. 

“Why won’t you go out? Let’s go outside.”

“I told you. I won’t go out until I’ve fully recovered.” 

“You seem fine now.”

“It’s still uncomfortable.”

“Then when will you go out? I’m bored. Hmm?”

This wasn’t a case of a dog eagerly asking for a walk.

The corners of his eyes were slightly drooped already, giving him a soft look, but he looked so purposeful and pitiful that it had quite a ripple effect. He felt shaken for a moment, but every time he thought about it, he remembered that he would stuff Yasha if he found him, and he came to his senses.

Who was the one truly in a pitiful situation now?

Having suddenly been thrust into a situation where he was living with three S-class individuals, Huiyun found himself the most pitiable of them all.

As Jiwook, who had been reading nearby, couldn’t tolerate Hong Juan’s disturbance any longer, he interjected. 

“Ash, shut the fuck up.”

If anyone could elicit a curse from Jiwook, it would likely be Hong Juan.

Unfazed, Hong Juan, still leaning against Huiyun, began to hum a tune as if nothing had happened. If he was so bored, he could go out alone, but his reluctance suggested a meticulous dedication to surveillance.

“You’ve been staying in too much lately. You didn’t used to live like this, did you?”

Nameless who hand been silent, spoke up. Although his tone was the politest of the three, Huiyun, wary from their previous encounter, avoided his gaze. He didn’t want to engage unnecessarily.

“I’ve always lived like this.”

“Is that so? My investigation yielded different results.”

With a smirk, Nameless resumed fiddling with a doll made of straw, which Huiyun found eerily unsettling.

Why would someone carry around such a thing? Whether it was due to necromancy or not, the possession of such an item was undeniably creepy.

Trying not to show any interest, Huiyun averted his gaze. Perhaps, if he held out a few more days, he would have a chance to go outside.

They were getting too close.

Even Huigang, who was initially reluctant, had been persuaded, and since Huiyun signed the contract, none of them had left his side for even a moment. It was as if they had abandoned their homes and guilds, solely sticking by his side. By now, both the Ash Guild and the Blue Flame guild were probably paralyzed.

Whatever measures they had taken, the media and reporters remained silent, but they couldn’t fool the eyes of the countless citizens. Though their posts were quickly deleted, after seven days of the trio’s disappearance, posts searching for them began to surface on various social media platforms.

Perhaps, in about ten days or so, they would take some measures of their own. They would have returned to their guilds at least once for maintenance, and each would have gone about their own business, leaving a gap in surveillance that could be exploited.

That his opportunity.

The “Aftercare Service for the Savior” quest was still ongoing. There was still a week left until the deadline. So, Huiyun found himself leisurely reading a book.

“Yasha.”

“…”

Suddenly, the name escaped Jiwook’s lips. Huiyun tried not to react and flipped the pages of his book. Feigning ignorance, he felt Jiwook’s persistent gaze on him. It was like being scrutinized.

Huiyun understood the minds of animals waiting stealthily for their prey to pass by, hoping Jiwook’s gaze would shift away. But the persistent stare didn’t seem to budge.

Had his silence been a mistake?

“Do you know Yasha?” 

“Huh?”

Turning to face Jiwook, Huiyun raised his head as if surprised by the sudden question, as if he hadn’t been muttering to himself all this time. Jiwook, with narrowed eyes, repeated the same question as if it were the first time.

He’s being too blatant.

With no attempt at subtlety, it was clear Jiwook intended to monitor every single one of his reactions. Huiyun, who had spent the past seven days tirelessly simulating scenarios, was able to maintain an expression of ignorance without much difficulty.

“What about Yasha?”

“Do you really not know?”

“I need you to explain what you’re talking about. How would I know if you just say Yasha? This is my first-time hearing that.”

He shrugged his shoulders and leaned his upper body forward. As his body moved, many eyes followed him. 

The person I was talking to was Jiwook, but I could feel with my whole body that Nameless and Juan were also watching me closely.

“You really don’t know?” 

“What on earth is a Yasha anyway?”

After continuously pressing for answers, Jiwook’s interrogation only made Huiyun feel more uneasy. Observing him intently, Jiwook finally withdrew his gaze, apparently satisfied with his scrutiny.

“It’s nothing.”

With that, the matter was closed. Huiyun, feeling a wave of relief wash over him, resumed reading his book. While he wasn’t particularly fond of reading, he had realized the usefulness of hiding his emotions behind a book in such situations.

Back in the quiet confines of the hospital room, Hong Juan tossed and turned in bed. Singing a song about wanting to go out, he implored Huiyun. In order to accommodate his request, Huiyun personally pushed him out of bed.

“What’s this? Why are you pushing me away?”

“You said you wanted to go out. I was just trying to help you even if it’s from the bed.”

“You’re too much, seriously.”

Laughing as if he had heard a joke, the man persisted in sticking close to Huiyun. Huiyun, who felt like his energy was being sucked just by being held by him, looked back at Jiwook.

Was he observing them while reading his book? Their eyes met almost immediately. When Huiyun threw a helpless look Jiwook’s way, he turned away as if he were an irresponsible parent avoiding eye contact.

Sigh…

Huiyun let out a deep sigh and set the book aside.

He couldn’t quite tell if he was being under surveillance or if he was babysitting Hong Juan.

“If you’re that bored, why don’t you go out by yourself? Don’t you have guild work or something?”

When Huiyun redirected the conversation to imply that Juan had nothing to do, Juan furrowed his brow.

“Huigang’s lil bro is rather clueless. I want to go out with you.”

“Why is that?”

“We agreed to go out before, but it didn’t work out. So, we should go out this time. That way, I’ll also get a reward.”

Ah, so that’s it.

Huiyun wondered why Juan was being so persistent until he realized that Juan was still holding onto the promise of being petted after they went out that day. Huiyun suppressed a sigh of frustration.

While it might calm him down if Huiyun petted him now, he didn’t want to do it in front of others. Sensing Huiyun’s dilemma, Juan chuckled.

“Okay, let’s do this. If you pet me now, I won’t bother you for the remaining three weeks.”

“Three weeks is too long.”

“Then let’s make it once a week.”

“Were you planning on that from the beginning?” 

As expected, Hong Juan was quick-witted.

Tsk, as Huiyun clicked his tongue, Juan gave him an incredulous look before bursting into laughter.

“At first, you were so guarded and scared, and now, after spending just a week together, you’ve become a completely different person.”

Is that what you’re going to say?

The words that came out of Juan’s mouth before and after suspecting Yasha were as different as night and day. Huiyun lightly tugged his hair in warning not to speak nonsense, Juan’s expression changed.

“His attitude is very similar.” 

“What?”

“When I’m with you, it reminds me of when I’m with Yasha.” 

“Ash!”

“Hong Juan.”

Juan’s remark elicited simultaneous reactions from Jiwook and Nameless. As the gazes poured down as if to silence him, Juan grinned mischievously and pleaded quietly for Huiyun to continue petting him. Huiyun checked the sharp looks of the two men, glanced at the calm-faced Juan, then pursed his lips.

Certainty, not speculation, gripped his mind. 

Juan had encountered Yasha.