DP Episode 135

Episode 135

“Lieutenant, I’m a good driver, aren’t I?”

Gate Closure D+62

Wearing a gray hoodie over his school uniform, Yeon-woo started up Seo-joon’s car, which had been sitting idle in the parking lot. Hee-min had reluctantly allowed them to venture out, though only within District 1. Freshly licensed, it was Yeon-woo’s first drive with Seo-joon.

The sleek black car glided smoothly along the quiet roads of District 1, passing the Awakener Research Center and training facilities one by one.

“When we go on trips later, I can drive. I can take you wherever you want, pick you up, drop you off. Doesn’t that sound great?”

No matter what Yeon-woo said, Seo-joon simply stared blankly out the window, his gaze fixed on the passing scenery. He seemed a little glum, as if missing the glowing Christmas tree he had become so attached to.

“…Hmm.”

Yeon-woo stole a glance at him, thinking deeply. Seo-joon had always been the one driving before. Maybe if their roles were reversed, it would help spark a memory.

Descending to the underground parking garage of the center, Yeon-woo cautiously navigated the car to an empty spot on the lowest level, his inexperience with parking showing as he fumbled to get it just right.

After turning off the ignition, Yeon-woo unbuckled Seo-joon’s seatbelt and helped him out of the car. He gently guided him into the driver’s seat and secured the belt around him again. Seo-joon remained passive, compliant as ever.

“How does it feel, Lieutenant? Familiar?”

Sliding into the passenger seat, Yeon-woo watched him closely. The sensors clicked off, and darkness enveloped the garage. In the dim light, Seo-joon simply stared at the emblem on the steering wheel, lost in thought.

“When you used to drive, you always held my hand.”

Yeon-woo murmured, sliding his hand under Seo-joon’s and intertwining their fingers, just like before. He tugged on Seo-joon’s hand to lower his hoodie and leaned in to kiss him.

“Like this… You’d pull down my hood and kiss me a lot.”

The silence in the parking garage was heavy, oppressive. The stillness pressed down on Yeon-woo’s heart, threatening to shatter it. If he didn’t speak, the silence would stretch on endlessly. Seo-joon, who wouldn’t look at him, who couldn’t remember him, felt like the hollow shell Hee-min had described.

An ugly, selfish thought flared in Yeon-woo’s mind: ‘What if the Gates opened again? At least then I’d know Seo-joon hadn’t truly left.’

“Where are you, Lieutenant?”

His trembling breath carried the words into the cramped space of the car, where they hung uselessly.

‘Why are you so late? I’m waiting for you.’

Yeon-woo thought, his heart heavy. He pressed his tear-streaked lips against Seo-joon’s, kissing him deeply.

Even as Seo-joon’s mouth yielded to him, passive and unresisting, it felt hollow. If only Seo-joon would push him away, shout at him—anything but this lifeless compliance. It was like holding a puppet, a lifeless creation molded by Yeon-woo’s desperation.

“Lieutenant, Lieutenant…”

No matter what Yeon-woo did, Seo-joon remained a doll, swaying at his every whim. Overcome, Yeon-woo kissed him fiercely, biting down on his unresponsive lips.

“Ah—”

A faint sound escaped Seo-joon as his fingers tightened around Yeon-woo’s hoodie. Startled, Yeon-woo released him, running his thumb over the teeth marks on Seo-joon’s lip.

“I want to hear your voice, Lieutenant.”

He whispered, his voice breaking.

“…”

“Just once… Call me Yeon-woo. Please…”

But the only sound that came from Seo-joon was a weak, unfinished murmur. No words, no recognition. Overwhelmed, Yeon-woo pressed his forehead to Seo-joon’s and wept silently.

‘Is this really my Lieutenant?’

He couldn’t shake the doubt, the fear that this was nothing more than a hollow shell, the “Seo-joon” Hee-min had warned him about. What if the real Seo-joon was gone, lost forever with the Gate?

‘Where are you? When are you coming back?’

A surge of bitter resentment rose within him, fueled by the pain he had kept buried.

‘If this was how it was going to be, why didn’t you take me with you? If you were going to leave behind only an empty shell, why didn’t we die together that day?’

The fragile hope he had clung to crumbled, leaving behind an unbearable weight of anger and grief. Choking back a sob, Yeon-woo shook his head.

“No, no, I’m sorry. Lieutenant, I didn’t mean that. I was wrong, I—”

He stopped short, startled by a light touch on his cheek. Seo-joon’s fingers, hesitant and clumsy, brushed away his tears. Yeon-woo stared, unable to suppress the tears still falling, as Seo-joon’s hand moved again, gently wiping at the wet trail on his face.

“…”

For a moment, the gray eyes that watched him seemed impossibly steady, as if silently telling him, ‘Don’t cry, Yeon-woo.’

Yeon-woo leaned into the touch, allowing himself to assign meaning to the gesture, no matter how faint or imagined. His tears dripped onto Seo-joon’s hand, staining it with his grief.

‘No one knows him like I do. Seo-joon hasn’t left. He wouldn’t. He’s still here. Somewhere.’

“I’m not sad, Lieutenant. I can wait, I can be strong. It’s just… I love you so much, sometimes it makes me cry,” Yeon-woo murmured, pressing his damp cheek into Seo-joon’s hand.

One day, Seo-joon would return. One day, he’d smile again, just like before. Yeon-woo was sure of it. One day.

✽✽✽

Who Left the Door Open, Hwang Hyun-hee: What’s with Kang Hee-min’s nickname? It’s so childish.

Ricks2D: Who’s “Aggie” here?

[Park Bbak-bbak]: Koreans, use Korean nicknames.

[Park Bbak-bbak]: Are you embarrassed by Korean?

[Dr.kang_POWER]: No chit-chat.

[Park Bbak-bbak]: He hasn’t arrived yet.

[Baby] has entered the room.

“Hello.”

Yeon-woo looked at the laptop screen with a slightly nervous expression.

《The video conference has started.》

The video conference screen lit up one by one, showing a total of eight participants. Four unfamiliar foreigners and three familiar faces appeared on the screen.

Captain Jin Cheong-oh, Lieutenant Park Min-geon, and the head of the research center, Kang Hee-min. They had taken the time to assist Yeon-woo, who was not fluent in English.

“Ah… Hello. I’m Cha Yeon-woo, a dedicated guide for No-Named in South Korea.”

As he introduced himself in a slightly clumsy accent, the four foreigners of various ethnicities brightened up and waved. They were Eric, a No-Name from the United States, his dedicated guide Rachel, and No-Names and their guides from Brazil.

―[How is ‘he’ doing?]

Eric’s speech indicator appeared on the screen.

―[Still the same?]

“Yes. No… um, he’s getting better and better.”

Yeon-woo answered cautiously.

―[We’ve heard about you even over here. We still have so many questions.]

Rachel, who had been attentively observing the nervous Yeon-woo, spoke seriously.

The disappearance of South Korea’s gate was a widely known fact. However, the survival of Ji Seo-joon, a No-Name, spread rapidly to other countries with No-Names as well.

This video conference, with Yeon-woo as the central figure, had been difficult to arrange. Kang Hee-min, who was currently on assignment at a NASA research base, had facilitated it.

The No-Names and their guides from two countries looked at Yeon-woo, holding on to the hope that perhaps they, too, could replicate the miracle Cha Yeon-woo had achieved.

―[Tell us in detail about the moment of guiding.]

“What… kind of…”

―[Anything. The emotions you felt, or the methods you tried.]

“I’ve already told the head of our research center everything. Uh, I don’t really remember that time well…”

In truth, Yeon-woo didn’t know exactly what he had done or how he had done it. It felt like he had been in a very long dream, or like he had endured extreme pain, or perhaps like he had experienced an unprecedented, overwhelming sensation of pleasure.

―[When humans experience severe pain, don’t they release endorphins? I believe it might have been a similar principle.]

Kang Hee-min supplemented his words.

―[What were you thinking at the time of entry? Weren’t you scared, being alone?]

A No-Name guide from Brazil asked with a sympathetic expression.

“I… didn’t feel like I was alone.”

Yeon-woo slowly answered, stumbling over his English.

“Because, um… I was with him.”

―[Were you certain that the gate belonged to your No-Named?]

―[It might have harmed you. Didn’t you think you could die?]

“No.”

Yeon-woo, rare in his decisiveness, firmly answered, “No,” before continuing.

“No-Named don’t harm their dedicated guides. Connection… uh, the… connection, response…”

―[Resonance?]

“Yes, resonance.”

With Captain Cheong-oh’s help, Yeon-woo calmly looked at the screen and spoke.

“Because we are resonating with each other.”

Gate Termination D+71.

Amidst the ongoing wait, Yeon-woo had grown stronger than ever before.

TL/N: Okay i think i was right before his name was Aggie- Aggie translates to baby in korean. Here [Aggie] 님께서 입장하셨습니다. This was in raws but imma go with baby