DL Episode 75

#75

Baek Sa turned his back on Dr. Kim and fixed his gaze on the room beyond the lab. Inside, a guide lay in a state not much better than the corpse they had just examined. Though technically alive, she had been unconscious for months.

“Is it even accurate to call that living?”

Baek Sa’s eyes moved from the oxygen mask strapped to her face to the faint rise and fall of her chest. A feeding tube was inserted into her nose, and her once smooth skin was marred by bulging veins and discolored patches—bluish from vascular damage and reddish where the skin had festered. Yet, the sheet covering her torso was pristine, as if it had just been replaced.

It was evident that Dr. Kim had been taking meticulous care of her. His hands, which had been calm until now, clenched into fists, a silent testament to his dedication.

“Still, it’s meaningful. She came back alive,” Dr. Kim said, his voice shaking slightly.

“…”

“…Ah-rang did.”

The Ah-rang that everyone believed to be dead.

Dr. Kim, his face pale, continued hurriedly, “When she wakes, we’ll learn a lot from her.”

“Maybe. But we won’t know until she does.”

Even with her energy and vital signs appearing normal, there was no guarantee she would regain consciousness.

Baek Sa felt a sharp headache as he looked at Ah-rang’s room, which was even whiter and more sterile than the lab he stood in. It resembled a meticulously preserved tomb. He could understand Dr. Kim’s obsession; in a world teetering on the brink of collapse, people were bound to cling desperately to something—or someone.

“Spending so long locked up in a place like this, without even seeing sunlight, it’s no wonder her mind might never recover.”

“That’s not…”

“Take a few days off. Get some fresh air. I’ll make a report about it,” Baek Sa suggested, his tone unexpectedly gentle.

Dr. Kim immediately shook his head. “No, thank you. This is my home now. It’s quieter here, with fewer distractions. You might not understand, but this is where I feel most comfortable.”

Everyone has their own abyss to confront. Baek Sa understood that better than most but had no interest in diving into Dr. Kim’s. No amount of care or attention would increase Ah-rang’s chances of waking. In Baek Sa’s mind, ending her suffering might yield answers faster—in the afterlife, if nowhere else.

“Isn’t that why you keep coming here, Baek Sa? To find out for yourself?”

Dr. Kim’s tone was sharp, his words laced with accusation. Baek Sa, already drained from the lack of proper guiding, wasn’t in the mood to argue. The truth was, Ah-rang had long been pushed out of his thoughts, replaced by someone else entirely.

“Upper management,” Baek Sa replied flatly, pointing a finger upward.

Dr. Kim followed the gesture and then bit his lip as if regretting his earlier outburst.

“No change,” Baek Sa added. “That’s how you’ll report it.”

Without another word, Baek Sa cast one last glare at the glaring fluorescent lights before turning on his heel. The roar of the ventilation fans echoed behind him as he walked away, leaving Dr. Kim’s unanswered thoughts hanging in the air.

* * *

Ha-gyeom lay on the bed alongside Park Ha. Outside the room, Dr. Cha, who had been peeking through the blinds, flinched at the sound of familiar footsteps.

Click.

The sound of the doorknob turning seemed heavier than ever. Dr. Cha adjusted his glasses reflexively, his posture tense and suspicious as he turned to face the door.

As expected, it was Baek Sa. He stepped inside, his sharp eyes surveying the room as though he could see through the blinds without lifting them. His expression turned icy.

“What the hell did you do to your assigned guide to end up like this?”

Dr. Cha lowered his voice as much as possible, barely restraining his frustration. Ha-gyeom, who had a compatibility rating nearing 99% and was officially Baek Sa’s exclusive guide, was inexplicably curled up in Park Ha’s arms. It was enough to drive anyone to the brink of curiosity.

Something had clearly happened outside, but every time Dr. Cha tried to pry, Ha-gyeom would glare at him like a wildcat. Even if Ha-gyeom had been cooperative, his hazy consciousness made any coherent answers impossible.

“Well? Baek Sa. What’s going on?”

Dr. Cha tried again, but Baek Sa remained silent, his gaze locked on the room beyond the blinds with a murderous intensity. He stood there, motionless, for a long time before suddenly stepping forward and opening the door without asking for permission.

‘…’

Park Ha had already sensed his presence. His lips curled into a mocking smile, his rough hand resting on Ha-gyeom’s pale cheek. Baek Sa’s eyes flashed coldly at the sight.

“Isn’t he so much cuter when he’s quiet? Soft, delicate, just my type,” Park Ha said, tapping Ha-gyeom’s cheek lightly before tracing his jawline with the back of his hand. Ha-gyeom’s bruised face looked even smaller in Park Ha’s broad hand, causing Baek Sa’s brow to furrow deeply.

“I’ve always wanted to knock him around when he talked back, but seeing him up close like this…”

Park Ha’s tongue flicked against his teeth as he trailed off. As Dr. Cha nervously observed the escalating tension, Baek Sa approached the bed where Park Ha and Ha-gyeom lay.

Baek Sa’s eyes dropped to Ha-gyeom’s lips, pale from blood loss, and he swiftly slapped Park Ha’s hand away. He reached for Ha-gyeom’s neck, checking his pulse. It was fast and shallow. Ha-gyeom’s severe internal injuries, coupled with his refusal to connect with Baek Sa despite their high compatibility, explained his slow recovery.

“….”

As Ha-gyeom’s half-lidded eyes fluttered open, they blinked slowly, like submerged glass marbles. The moment their gazes met, Ha-gyeom abruptly turned away and burrowed into Park Ha’s arms.

Park Ha smirked again and moved as if to embrace Ha-gyeom, but Baek Sa’s icy glare froze him in place.

“Can’t you feel anything? Looking at how messed up he is?” Baek Sa’s voice was low and sharp.

“…What?”

“Get the hell out, you useless bastard,” Baek Sa snarled, his voice laced with venom.

Park Ha’s expression turned blank, and Dr. Cha’s eyes widened in shock. Baek Sa, who rarely displayed anger, now radiated pure malice as he glared at Park Ha. His usually immaculate temple was pulsing with a visible vein, and his reddened eyes were filled with restrained fury. Even his tightly closed lips trembled.

Though Park Ha met Baek Sa’s gaze with defiance at first, his own eyes soon softened. With a mocking surrender, he raised his hands in mock compliance.

“Can’t a guy have a little fun? Damn, so uptight,” Park Ha muttered, grumbling as he began to move off the bed.

But before he could leave, Ha-gyeom grabbed the hem of Park Ha’s shirt, making Baek Sa’s piercing gaze shift from Park Ha to Ha-gyeom.

“I didn’t expect you to be the clingy type,” Park Ha said, gesturing toward the fabric Ha-gyeom clung to.

Without waiting any longer, Baek Sa grabbed the IV line attached to Ha-gyeom’s hand and yanked it out.

“Ahh…!” Ha-gyeom winced, clutching his hand instinctively.

Ignoring Park Ha, Baek Sa scooped up Ha-gyeom’s frail body. Though Ha-gyeom glared at him through gritted teeth, he lacked the strength to resist. He went limp in Baek Sa’s arms, his body weak and trembling.

“The IV was almost finished anyway!” Dr. Cha called after them as Baek Sa left the room without a word.

Park Ha, still seated, blinked in surprise, while Dr. Cha stood frozen, mouth agape like a goldfish, unable to process what had just happened.

As Baek Sa walked down the corridor with Ha-gyeom in his arms, the few passersby stared openly. When he stepped into the elevator, he met Tae-seong’s eyes. Tae-seong took in the scene: Ha-gyeom, red-eyed and limp in Baek Sa’s arms, and Baek Sa himself, radiating fury like a live wire. He pieced together the events without needing an explanation.

Without a word, Tae-seong followed Baek Sa to the room. When they reached the door, Baek Sa, struggling to keep his composure, issued his orders.

“For the next 48 hours, no one comes in.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Prepare soft meals he can swallow easily. Bring fresh ice every two hours. Guard the door yourself—don’t leave it to anyone else.”

“Understood.” Tae-seong adjusted his rifle and nodded crisply.

Once inside, Baek Sa locked the heavy door behind him. He laid Ha-gyeom on the bed, drenched in cold sweat, before grabbing his belt from the table. Without hesitation, he tied Ha-gyeom’s thin wrist tightly and secured the other end to the bed frame, ensuring he couldn’t leave.

“Ugh…” Ha-gyeom winced, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he struggled to speak.

“I… couldn’t… move anyway…”

Baek Sa ignored the weak words. His mind was filled with the haunting image of Ha-gyeom curled up in another man’s arms, clinging to another man’s shirt. His grip on Ha-gyeom tightened, as if to erase the memory by force.