IDSEGI Chapter 79

Chapter 79

Yeoul had been staring fixedly at the TV, but the moment the news switched to the next segment, he suddenly clung to Yeon-oh’s waist.

“What’s gotten into you?”

He had been acting like someone completely drained of energy, yet now he came at Yeon-oh with surprising force. Startled, Yeon-oh tried to step back, but Yeoul wouldn’t let go. His eyes gleamed like a beast in the dark—sharp and hungry, like a tiger that had starved all winter.

“Please call Esper Kim Yushin.”

“Why Yushin all of a sudden…?”

“Hurry, as fast as you can. Please.”

Yeon-oh didn’t know why Yeoul was like this, but it was clear this request meant something very important to him. After hesitating for a moment, Yeon-oh pushed him away and straightened his wrinkled shirt.

“Guide Han Yeoul, you owe me for this.”

He called Yushin. After a few rings, a gentle voice answered.

“Yes, Yeon-oh?”

“Yushin, you need to come to Zone 5 right now.”

“What? Did something happen?”

Yeon-oh glanced briefly at Yeoul, then turned his head forward again. After a short pause, he spoke.

“Guide Han Yeoul is on his deathbed.”

“What?”

“He was someone precious to my friend. It’s only right to be there at the moment he dies. Come quickly.”

“…”

When Yushin seemed to hesitate, Yeon-oh gestured to Yeoul. Immediately understanding, Yeoul began coughing violently, almost convulsively.

“Cough—cough—kha—ha—!”

“Guide Han Yeoul! Stay with me!”

It was an impeccable performance. Though they didn’t particularly like each other, the two made a perfect team in fooling Yushin.

Yushin believed every word and came rushing to the hospital.

“Yeon-oh! Guide Han Yeoul—”

Throwing open the door, he found Yeon-oh standing there with a blank expression, and Yeoul leaning against the bed.

“You said… Guide Han Yeoul was on his deathbed…”

“You really looked like you were going to die if he didn’t come.”

Seeing his lover shrug so shamelessly, Yushin was at a loss for words. Yeon-oh tilted his chin toward Yeoul.

“He’s here now, so talk. Why did you want me to call Yushin?”

“What is this…”

Yushin was baffled. Why on earth would Guide Han Yeoul call for him? They were both grieving people, but they weren’t like dogs licking each other’s wounds. Yushin had no desire to see him.

Of course, he still thought about him. Sometimes the image of Ihan dying with Yeoul’s name on his lips haunted him.

But that didn’t mean he could forgive him.

Forgive—yes, he knew that word didn’t fit the situation. Yeoul had done nothing wrong. But regardless, Yoo Ihan had died because of Han Yeoul. As long as that fact didn’t change, Yushin couldn’t bring himself to see him in a good light.

“Guide Han Yeoul, why did you call me here? And you used my lover to do it, no less.”

The anger in his voice wasn’t intentional—it was just that holding back his resentment would take more time.

Meeting Yushin’s furious gaze without flinching, Yeoul bowed his head toward him.

“Esper Kim Yushin, I have a request.”

“…What is it?”

“Please take me to Jamsil. To the bunker.”

Yushin was dumbfounded. After dragging him all the way here, he was just asking to be taken to the bunker? He didn’t even care why Yeoul wanted to go there—he was just stunned that he’d been called over for something as trivial as teleportation. His voice naturally rose.

“Are you kidding me? Do I look like a taxi to you?”

“Kim Yushin.”

At that moment, Yeon-oh cut in, glaring at Yushin with a dangerous look. Yushin immediately faltered.

“What—what is it, Yeon-oh?”

“If you don’t do it, he really might die. Think of it as granting a dying wish.”

“But Yeon-oh, I—”

“What’s the thing I hate most?”

“…”

“Answer.”

With a reluctant mutter, Yushin replied,

“Making you repeat yourself…”

Of course, that wasn’t the only thing on Yeon-oh’s long list of dislikes—there were so many that you’d have to call them “things” in the plural. But one of them, without question, was having to repeat himself.

Yushin’s irritation was about to flare up, but when he caught the sharp, upturned corners of Yeon-oh’s eyes, his anger melted away.

Annoying or not, his disgustingly beautiful lover had just made a request—well, more of an order—so what choice did he have but to agree? This kind of sulking was almost cute, really. And besides, Yushin had been Ihan’s closest friend.

Yoo Ihan’s best friend—in other words, his lackey.

Anyone who knew that fact would understand just how much patience Yushin had.

With a deep sigh, Yushin extended his hand to Yeoul.

“Take it. I’ll bring you there.”

Yeoul reached for Yushin’s hand, but Yeon-oh grabbed his wrist instead. Both Yushin and Yeoul looked at him in confusion. Yeon-oh smirked.

“Not the hand—the sleeve.”

With a short “ah,” Yeoul carefully took hold of Yushin’s sleeve instead. Only then did Yeon-oh lower the corner of his mouth, which had been raised in a crooked grin.

Yushin caught a strangely familiar scent from his new lover but deliberately ignored it.

Then he tore open the air and teleported in an instant.

* * *

The moment they arrived inside the bunker, Yeoul looked around the room, as if searching for something. Watching him quietly, Yushin couldn’t hold back the question.

“Why did you come here?”

“To… look for Ihan.”

Only then did Yushin understand. He’d come to sort through Ihan’s belongings. But strangely, the items Yeoul picked up were mostly kitchenware. A frying pan? A rose knife? Why those?

The image of Ihan cooking for Yeoul came to mind. Well, maybe those things held more of Ihan’s touch than anything else. Yushin left him alone to gather what he wanted.

His eyes followed Yeoul’s small, quick steps. His thin ankles looked like they’d snap with even a light hit.

He was far too thin. Earlier, Yushin had been too thrown off to notice, but now he could see that Yeoul was frighteningly emaciated—nothing but skin and bones. So it was true he couldn’t digest food well…

As his gaze lingered on Yeoul’s frail frame, a voice suddenly echoed in his head.

‘This bastard—? Quit staring at him! Who said you could look at Yeoul’s body?’

“…You crazy idiot. It’s not like that. And my lover’s better looking anyway.”

‘What the hell are you talking about? Has your eyesight gone bad? There’s nothing in the world prettier than Yeoul.’

“Good for you, then.”

‘What’s so good about me? Everything bright and beautiful belongs to our Yeoul.’

The same over-the-top praise he’d heard so often it made his ears ring. Back then, he’d been sick of it—but now, he missed it.

Ihan, I’m sorry. I still can’t forgive Guide Han Yeoul.

Yushin closed his eyes tightly, then opened them again. The white light from the ceiling lamp made his vision feel dim. Ihan’s image blurred as well.

What did your face look like again? Even with a face that was hard to forget, over six months without seeing it had made the memory hazy. Even longing dulls with time—and that thought stung.

‘Give it more time, and you’ll let go of your anger at Guide Han Yeoul. Just… give him a chance.’

‘Give him a chance? You bastard, treat Yeoul right if you want to live.’

Even to the end, he’d only chosen words that could sting. And now, even that felt precious—maybe he was the crazy one after all.

He was still a friend he missed, and it was still anger he couldn’t let go of. But just as Ihan’s image was fading, so too would the grief eventually thin out, until it could be stored away in the corner of his memory—like a picture frame on a table, always there but passed by without notice.

The day would come when he’d go longer between glances, until he eventually stopped looking at all.

While Yushin was lost in thought about Ihan, Yeoul called to him.

“Esper Kim Yushin, could we step outside for a moment?”

“Huh? Is the door locked?”

He wondered if the bunker door was still sealed, but Yeoul gave an awkward smile.

“There’s no door here.”

“No door…?”

He must have forgotten that Yoo Ihan was an utter lunatic. Yep—same old Ihan.

Urging the bewildered Yushin, Yeoul pressed him.

“Please take me outside. There’s something important out there.”

What could be outside? A time capsule buried under a tree, maybe? But Ihan’s eccentricity was impossible to predict. Without another word, Yushin took Yeoul outside.

“Guide Han Yeoul, then take your time loo—ugh!”

Yeoul swung the frying pan he’d been carrying and smacked Yushin hard in the back of the head. Before he could even ask what the hell that was for, Yeoul swung it again with full force.

“Guh…”

Letting out a groan like a dying animal, Yushin collapsed to the ground. As his consciousness began to fade, he thought:

So it’s not just Yoo Ihan who’s crazy…

They really do say birds of a feather flock together—Han Yeoul was just as insane.

Once he confirmed Yushin was unconscious, Yeoul searched his pockets. There was nothing in them that could be used as a weapon.

“The frying pan’s broken too…”

He’d hit so hard that the cast iron was dented. Regretfully tossing it aside, Yeoul gripped the rose knife he’d taken earlier.

“Let’s go.”

Muttering low, Yeoul began walking toward the Jamsil Gate.