DP Episode 140 -End

Episode 140

「Gate Closure D+99」

The final night in the infirmary at the center.

A tranquil darkness settled between the two, who lay facing each other. Yeon-woo, with his arm wrapped around Seo-joon’s waist, pulled him closer and listened to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.

“Still feels like a dream,” Yeon-woo murmured. His lips brushed softly over Seo-joon’s, like a fleeting whisper.

“That you’re here, looking at me like this.”

“…I’ll be looking at only you for the rest of my life, so don’t tell me you’re sick of it later,” Seo-joon teased, gently caressing Yeon-woo’s earlobe.

Yeon-woo frowned, his face suddenly stern.

“You better not say you’re sick of me, Lieutenant. You’re mine now. I made you. So whatever I want, you have to do.”

Seo-joon burst into laughter, already curious about what whimsical demands Yeon-woo might make in the future.

Days spent filling their lives together, in a world where neither gates nor his existence would stand as obstacles—those were the days Seo-joon looked forward to.

“What do you want? Tell me. I’ll do anything,” he said.

Yeon-woo’s expression turned serious, almost solemn, as he began to speak.

“When I tell you to eat, you have to eat. No exceptions.”

Seo-joon let out a hearty laugh, his breath tickling Yeon-woo’s nose.

“That’s it? That’s all you want?”

“No…”

Seo-joon caressed Yeon-woo’s face, noticing the blush that colored his cheeks, even visible in the dim light.

“There’s more.”

What could he be blushing so much about this time?

Seo-joon genuinely intended to fulfill every single one of Yeon-woo’s desires. If Yeon-woo wanted kisses at random times or even made ridiculous demands in unexpected places, Seo-joon would happily oblige.

“When I ask for kisses, you have to give them. Always.”

“…”

Again, my thoughts went somewhere inappropriate.

Seo-joon stared at Yeon-woo, whose face was now entirely red. Whispering that he could give him a hundred kisses a day, Seo-joon watched as Yeon-woo swallowed a shaky breath.

“Even if I ask while you’re eating, you have to do it. If I wake you up in the middle of the night asking for a kiss, you have to kiss me with your eyes open.”

“Alright. I swear.”

Seo-joon smiled as he replied with mock solemnity. Compared to what Yeon-woo had done for him, these were such simple requests.

“Anything else, no matter what, I’ll do it if you want,” Seo-joon added, brushing his lips over Yeon-woo’s in a tender whisper.

In the stillness, their breaths mingled, and Seo-joon rested his forehead against Yeon-woo’s.

“They say everyone has a moment in their life when a god visits them.”

“…”

“For me, that was you.”

Seo-joon once thought his life was wretched and despicable, yet looking back, it was filled with miracles. Meeting a thirteen-year-old Yeon-woo at the ruins of the orphanage, reconnecting with him years later with a miraculous compatibility score of 98.8%, falling in love with him—it was all a series of improbable events.

Many others had refused to give up on Seo-joon, even when he was ready to surrender.

In truth, his life was a collection of miracles, none more significant than the one Yeon-woo had risked everything to make possible.

“From now on, I want to fill your life with beauty and joy,” Seo-joon whispered, gazing into Yeon-woo’s eyes—eyes that seemed to hold the entire universe within their blue depths.

“For the rest of my life… no matter what happens, I’ll stay by your side.”

Tears rolled down Yeon-woo’s round cheeks, crossing the bridge of his nose and dampening the pillow. Seo-joon wiped them away with his thumb, only for Yeon-woo to bury his face in Seo-joon’s shoulder.

“I love you, Lieutenant. You’re mine. You can’t go anywhere. You have to love only me forever.”

Chuckling at Yeon-woo’s tearful demands, Seo-joon wrapped his arms around him.

“Alright. I’m yours now, Yeon-woo.”

The quiet infirmary was steeped in darkness, but Seo-joon didn’t feel lonely. Not tonight.

No whispers gnawed at his ears, no creeping shadows haunted his vision.

Seo-joon still didn’t fully understand what “it” was. Perhaps, as some said, it was truly divine, a power beyond comprehension.

But it no longer mattered to him.

For the most beautiful, extraordinary being in the world—his one and only god—was Cha Yeon-woo, who lay in his arms.

✽✽✽

There were many good days in Cha Yeon-woo’s life.

Surviving the collapsed orphanage with his younger brother Jeong-woo, meeting the kind-hearted boarding house owner Choi Jung-sook, awakening as a Guide, joining a team of great colleagues, and saving countless lives…

There were so many blessings in his life that he couldn’t count them all.

“Yeon-woo, hand me the keys. I’ll drive,” Seo-joon said.

“Nope! I’m driving now.”

Yeon-woo replied, hiding the car keys behind his back to keep them from Seo-joon’s grasp.

“How long have you had your license? Do you think I’m just going to let you take the wheel so easily?”

“I’ve driven your car plenty of times, Lieutenant.”

“That’s different. Why bother driving when I’m here?”

Yeon-woo cupped Seo-joon’s face, smiling so brightly his dimples showed, and wrapped his arms around Seo-joon’s waist.

“You said you’d do whatever I wanted. From now on, I’m driving. Just so you know.”

Seo-joon chuckled, half exasperated but entirely amused. “Alright, alright. Who could win against you?” He turned around, but Yeon-woo laced their fingers together before he could take another step.

In the first-floor lounge, a large TV was broadcasting a live press conference. Staff members from the center stood with their arms crossed, intently watching the disaster management chief’s speech.

The chief finally concluded with a momentous declaration:

―From this moment on, I hereby declare the complete closure of South Korea’s gates.

The room flashed with camera lights as reporters scrambled to ask questions. A scrolling red caption at the bottom of the screen read:

【D+100: Gate Closure. Official government announcement. The disaster management chief declares South Korea a completely gate-free zone.】

Though the staff had already been informed, a subtle sense of relief and pride lingered in the air.

Seo-joon and Yeon-woo passed through the group, dragging their luggage from the infirmary. A few people recognized them and greeted them warmly.

“Lieutenant Ji, you’re being discharged today, right?”

A familiar face emerged from the group. Seo-joon smiled and saluted Colonel Jin.

“You retired ages ago, so stop saluting me. I’ve had enough of that,” Jin replied with mock irritation.

His gaze softened when it shifted to Yeon-woo’s kind and innocent face, a stark contrast to the chaos of the Mega Tower incident that flashed through his mind.

Seo-joon’s sacrifice may have saved the world in that moment, but Yeon-woo’s desperate determination not only saved Seo-joon but also ensured the future salvation of countless others.

Knowing the depth of human recklessness driven by love—and the miracles that such recklessness could produce—was already a step forward for humanity.

“You’d better treat that kid right for the rest of your life. You hear me?” Colonel Jin lightly tapped Seo-joon’s arm.

“Remember, he’s not just your precious kid anymore. He’s a treasure for all of us.”

He added the jest with a grandfatherly smile that made Yeon-woo chuckle nervously.

“Kiddo, bring Lieutenant Ji over to my house sometime. I’ll cook something good for you.”

“Thank you. I’d like that,” Yeon-woo replied, bowing shyly, his reserved demeanor now showing hints of maturity.

“Alright, take care now. Get some rest.”

With a wave, Colonel Jin bid them farewell. As they stepped outside, the warm spring sunlight spilled over them.

Seo-joon glanced up at Yeon-woo, who held his hand up to shade Seo-joon’s eyes.

Finally, they were going home—to the place they could call their own. Seo-joon smiled.

“What should we do now, Yeon-woo?”

“Anything is fine, as long as you’re with me,” Yeon-woo replied, his radiant smile as dazzling as the spring sunlight.

Cha Yeon-woo’s life had many good days. People called what he had accomplished a miracle. But to Yeon-woo, the only miracle in his life was Ji Seo-joon himself.

A gentle breeze tousled Seo-joon’s hair. Yeon-woo reached out to smooth it, wrapping an arm around his shoulder as they walked toward their car.

Seo-joon laced his fingers with Yeon-woo’s, glancing at their matching rings glittering in the sunlight.

“Look, Lieutenant. The ring looks perfect when I’m sitting in the driver’s seat,” Yeon-woo said, tapping his ring against Seo-joon’s.

Seo-joon’s laughter filled the car, a warm and content sound that echoed through the small space.

The sunlight pouring through the windshield illuminated them both, casting no shadows.

Above them, the sky was a clear, worry-free blue, untouched by even a single cloud.

• Deep Pivot Fin.

Footnotes

1) NASA-Korea IGTS: Institute of Gate Technology and Science

2) “Gate’s Horizon”: A term inspired by the “event horizon” in general relativity, referring to the boundary of spacetime from which no interaction or observation is possible—essentially, the surface of a black hole.

3) Kim Man-jung, 1687, 「The Cloud Dream of the Nine (구운몽)」 Complete Edition, 105 chapters.

TL/N: This is the End!! I don’t even know where to start because there’s so much I want to say. First and foremost, thank you—thank you for being here, for reading this story, for sticking with me.
There were times when I was ready to give up, then I’d see your comments and it was like a light in the dark. It gave me the strength to keep going when I thought I couldn’t.
This story doesn’t have the flashy adult content or the big dramatic twists you might expect. But it has something I’ve always wanted to share: hope. Hope for people who feel like they’ve lost everything, who think there’s no way forward. It’s about starting over, about finding love and light even when everything feels impossible.
Writing this has been more than just telling a story—it’s been a personal journey, one that you’ve been a part of every step of the way. Thank you for your time, your words, and your belief in me and this story. I’ll carry this experience—and your kindness—with me forever.
With all my love,
Brie.