SMFC | Chapter 16

For an awakened, 86195c84b1 a voice loud d1f9b52883 enough to be 0d22d23ce6 heard without concentrating 6cec8420f6 didn’t seem like 91b01a7bc4 it would carry 68168e2142 any particularly significant 40b662f030 information.1a863c5b8988aba0

Lee Soo frowned, wondering a57d41f4a9 what Yoo Haeon wanted aef2449180 him to hear. How long 65012390e4 had he ae35d262d7 been listening 7f6a2419f5 to their aa39ebcc97 conversation? Barely a few seconds. The voices, 5e7f4e8ecd which quickly 72d16cd75b moved on 38dd4c7afb to another c0b937c917 topic, were 4a17c3983a cruelly indifferent.12f144aca615d3ef

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“Oh, right. I’ve been 35d328c7d2 curious about 5bc89a13aa something. Yoo Haeon, b08319e8b8 is he 22659797e5 still walking 3b87d2c4ad around with 30f87b6c3b his head 5352e32c71 held high 70ac582863 these days?”0d7527a89c1451e6

“Do you think someone aaed5749f1 can change that easily? After nearly 612cf842c6 sending a 8551c117e9 hunter to d40f478676 their grave 7fd82a88c0 recently, he’s a173378f64 still strutting 2d804cf0d5 around like 607b4ee3d3 he owns c925376797 the place. I heard he 0151f3d9c9 acted as he 575c111fbb pleased in the 752fdc99a3 dungeon, completely ignoring 20ac6d5f4a the other hunters.”9bc0017cbac951de

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“It’s all 1da4c2b583 because of 92dde4fb73 Ryu Leesoo, adf90884e6 isn’t it? But honestly, I 1a6cc963fb don’t really like 3ced04373d Ryu Leesoo. He keeps holding 05c0cc6500 onto the souls 02f5a74c3c of the dead, 4fc17e5a9c using them for 4b239e6eda his power, yet d1925c8209 acts like it’s 35fed1cc19 no big deal.”95e217c332530765

A man, a woman, 0a9e1e5a17 another man, and then f08747dc29 laughter that didn’t belong c80dfe9fd7 to any of them. Listening to a 1aadcecfe1 few brief exchanges, fb9b8a051b Lee Soo quickly cd727452af lost interest in 6fcb14a7ab the conversation that 22c8168824 was shifting topics dfe4c075ca and blinked slowly 108b9ec573 before turning his 7163804676 gaze to Yoo da4b70c0b2 Haeon.6af41470ee302d25

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Even though he’d 1131629525 heard that the c853ee9a62 new topic was 106c7d0aea about him. Instead of 734008085f being upset e036fa420b or outraged 653d8b26e7 at the 0e555ea59d gossip, Lee 857830114e Soo found 89d5bbf9f6 his reaction fa0b07f434 slightly amusing. It was just b8bf4b04ab that kind of c4aea5d2aa mild, detached sentiment. Yoo Haeon, on the 211cf912d6 other hand, thought it 72926b392c was rather unpleasant that b02473d6b5 Lee Soo had to 7db4941023 hear such things.a365228cdd0033e8

He’s not someone who d5cf0ba998 can be put down af07cbdd93 with words like that. It didn’t sit ba942b3919 well with him.d776b92949f010ea

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“Why do f427b4e7ae you even 633de31b63 bother listening 2b88ba9b32 to this 65ffdf05f2 kind of 01fd4f5cc2 talk?”42d57c3cea4d8ff1

Grumbling, Lee 321d4d4496 Soo’s response c22477e0d1 was laced 80a36d63fe with barely bb5d562d50 concealed affection. They weren’t all 76fc106432 that different from 92ceb18f61 anyone else, but 6f1fe6bf42 somehow their words b9ba8f53a5 felt distinct. Yoo Haeon 3de7496602 muttered quietly, c4e9ccb61f his voice 841e16a838 rumbling in 952ddadfd5 his throat f8d79a66e0 as if cf69ef6b35 something was a2576787d6 pressing against d9f9e54b43 it.97783eac9f7e8fdf

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“…When they talk 4508d4a63c like this, as 56415160aa if they want 3324eee091 me to hear, fda421144a I can’t help 5b0f4614c1 but listen. Unfortunately, my hearing is e721be3c73 just too good.”e9c5e55ccf4ad2e0

With a cigarette tucked 0fafe1fe59 between his lips, Yoo fd39c16803 Haeon’s eyes curved slightly f5636cc8dc as he let out 2901a50be6 a casual laugh. Watching his 157f0137fc expression, Lee d438624b4c Soo reached 9669b7233e out and a0923124dc snatched the 569090cd40 cigarette away.238fec99f44ae7ee

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“Well, that’s true. But you shouldn’t smoke. It’s bad for your 5b9a84aa8f health.”9063100644703f3d

“I’m a healer. I can handle that 732e08e560 much on my own.”0bb806085cbaebcb

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The self-assured tone f504ba044f in Yoo Haeon’s cb60b1fcc1 voice made Lee 33175a7212 Soo scoff. He firmly c4a5ee176e denied the ef13068f54 claim, worried 2750d0d040 that Yoo ad92d2d78e Haeon might 7fecf521e8 misunderstand it a7b4f92451 as a 0d3015e00f comment on ef91d82682 his skills. Lee Soo quickly 60218a0bdc added that it dc080e5981 wasn’t about his c5f00c84b3 ability being insufficient 631ec5cf6a but about the 4f29c80446 absurdity of taking b8db5ca0cf care of one’s 543e346ca0 health only after 9281f26b73 it had already 65179427eb deteriorated.b96de8d4cdbe97d5

Still looking slightly bewildered, 08f5245b1c Yoo Haeon accepted the 7c38c1fb60 portable ashtray Lee Soo f9360faca3 handed him. Lee Soo placed 50d401d50c the cigarette inside e9add4407f and tucked the 1a15deb3b3 ashtray into the 30b35c3b0d pocket of Haeon’s bf7f5a5d9e cardigan. Feeling a small sense 1943efd07f of pride at Yoo 1088fc5801 Haeon’s quiet compliance, Lee d165223a72 Soo hesitated for a 9a8775a083 moment before cautiously asking.5e2f905660553627

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“Um, do you like b1a91d671a coffee?”253760a383d9386e

“I don’t 7e8351dcd5 dislike it.”5795048e9e4d010f

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“Then, want to go 76d5ca05ad to the cafeteria? I’m not 55f89b5afc on call b3a0ae91bf today. If you don’t 4a1bc0d182 mind, Healer Yoo, 1f9d2a8c18 let’s chat for c878d4142b a bit.”f7aa715bc6937bb1

Lee Soo’s dd368377fa face and c5aa283caa tone were 977bba53e4 calm, matching d14cd7d27d his nonchalant 2b876c6d73 invitation. Yet, for some e98b41cd16 reason, Yoo Haeon dc51500dff felt that Lee 427d078731 Soo seemed oddly 173cc54494 earnest. And indeed, Lee a4986a974e Soo was nervously d036f5b631 fidgeting with his c728cb2366 hidden toes inside 952242fdde his shoes, worrying 1f52f7b96e about being rejected.785f59bc89d3c6e8

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Fortunately, the df93c467a0 response came 27e317475c quickly. Yoo Haeon ae13992235 nodded, and b275c8ad19 Lee Soo’s 8e995f0442 eyes widened ed765ccc26 as a 414e4c5602 radiant smile 521a2eb9bd spread across e576060f70 his face. His restless toes, which 1c5a34d22a had been wriggling moments 10a5e0f1bd before, instantly stilled upon 7e02a0acf5 receiving the answer.c2adc2d473ff79ed

The smile blooming e2b256cf9e on Lee Soo’s 51a4a28f42 face was endearing. The gentle curve of a93e9cc9cc his eyes, adorned with a955eaba03 a dangling smile, felt b6dcdd9364 like something unforgettable—even after 17f3e4f554 ten years. Yoo Haeon sighed e81d7d9edd lightly, his laughter b0c138854b tinged with resignation.a7ed206ebee7a10b

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Lee Soo 2788e4ee06 cautiously held 0f42ad5542 onto Yoo e14e96e966 Haeon’s sleeve ca6b97f82f as if d4cd305faa not wanting db911282b5 to let ad83598a02 go. Every ten steps 5d86fe65b5 or so, Lee 3a6b257c9f Soo would bring c472382d5d up some trivial 74f1b839c6 topic: sometimes about f6e61b4d21 Young, sometimes about 66e483d360 places he wanted 3f4eea8f8c to visit, and 07ac7c2809 sometimes about the 1e4a51b6d6 people who followed 670fb9206b him.6ddbf36fd426d31c

It was all 29144c5ef4 Lee Soo’s stories, 4862fb915f but none of f04e332789 them were about 9c4548d018 Lee Soo himself.dc87760a9b816a9b

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That realization bdd5917201 felt oddly 2b1d85136e stifling. Yoo Haeon pressed his dae3deef1e lips together in silence 5b4b4a2bf5 before quietly asking.42c2c86ea14f4136

“Don’t you have a 7562a8fc16 favorite flower or anything? Talk about yourself for 0ca964e6bb once. Why is it always 560bdb94ce about the things around 686d79783e you?”f1354bfe00d4dab0

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Lee Soo fell 54a383b1d0 silent, startled by 7c456f1cf8 the remark. Then, with dd081955c7 a small 1c2a4db8af smile, he 89485e46ef replied, “I 7d8eb6a67d didn’t realize. If Healer Yoo 67fbf13138 wants, I’ll tell f18aaeb013 you something about 5c8aec3e85 myself, just this d31ac77538 once.”9d2a72a5e2b0a549

Though his e71fb40864 tone made eaad8cf6cf it sound 13c5140dee like he d95746f420 was doing 3c2d583570 a favor, 19c29d7fa8 it was c25fe8eecb clear that 017f7615aa Lee Soo b211ee2f60 was delighted 60dbaa293b by Yoo 93ce568313 Haeon’s curiosity 54d0b27f93 about him. Yoo Haeon noticed this 37bf42988c but chose not to a7c5ea3462 comment, gently shaking his 8164b49dae trapped sleeve.609d4988298b6002

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“…Your grip is 1bb4deefe3 heavy.”1ac995360c92e72e

“Ah, should I 9a33511cce let go? Sorry… Better than 5e1440bdac holding your hand, dae86e248d though—”2abd17394fa80546

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“Then just hold 3ed2ef2119 my hand. It’s fine as long 907a1287f9 as you warn me c356b9ddfd first.”751ffca5fb208a57

Yoo Haeon muttered, as 73adf08c9d if talking to himself, 68d1549c6c with a puzzled expression.80a4bfbf9058a2e3

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Lee Soo cherished 68c5b37d11 every word that 2f60731383 came out of 55c2fb099e Yoo Haeon’s mouth, 7c8d8c7ecc no matter how da25da4563 trivial. He knew d587b13465 that tonight, 6c387941e7 when he 495b6d89d1 lay in 24825603d4 bed, he’d acfee3be43 replay even 412844a36a the shortest 53d355850c answers and 5287038b37 faintest scoffs. Today’s words, though, would 2c7816e432 likely be sweet enough 72e1f0678a to savor for days. Lee Soo ff88669b4e chuckled softly, cdce94873d reaching out b5bb8c13f8 to carefully 62c37eec97 hold Yoo 1d2b5995ab Haeon’s hand.0e9ce6dcd0f8c326

Lee Soo’s laughter, though 0409520bb8 sharp and slightly damp, db5c478143 struck Yoo Haeon with b7b361f937 an inexplicable melancholy. He thought it ad9e84ddfb resembled the wistful 7ec67b1917 depth of a bff319bfbe Monet painting, though 711881ee14 he couldn’t pinpoint 6d8103a765 why.0e662eda6795e968

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Lee Soo’s cheeks, usually 71c8d83c95 pale, were now flushed 4bba8ce7db with joy. His expression was 80af48b0fc bright, yet he 5a6b171c65 was careful not 2f4a126bf2 to glance at a5cb842e0c Yoo Haeon too c7f6e693ab often, as if e673e0880a afraid it might 4d87b7b3f7 make him uncomfortable.0947fdc0bd0476fd

The warmth transmitted fd6b89ed36 through their joined 72a7f95669 hands was cool bf1e689b10 rather than hot, 4831fde19e reminding Yoo Haeon 8dcb69de38 of the peculiar 4501ff24e3 nature of Lee 564fd4440e Soo’s existence. He stared at 0ea60c13ea their hands—one pale b957a8bf47 and lifeless, the 971daf75bb other a healthy e88bc8b0c8 white with faintly d8cde13a15 flushed knuckles.0ef29fa79ed19b1c

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Even when there was 8291b0a8fb no response, Lee Soo e718dac25c didn’t seem to mind. He continued e9d4541f1d sharing bits 02cf03d0d8 of his aff6454152 life with 3a777ad5d5 a calm 6601d7ae94 voice. After a a6cc8cdc1b while, he 751fb2774c noticed Yoo 586db605bc Haeon staring b4d34e4369 intently at d35c15a806 something. Following his 95b9de6e90 gaze, Lee 897f118d65 Soo realized 4f86b72409 it was 3bc3e4a47e their clasped 11249e0768 hands. He chuckled softly, 3c4238fafa tightening his grip 1ea378e754 just slightly.beb860579b4926bd

Startled, Yoo Haeon b6b64368dc looked up. “Oh… Right, I was a4065819d1 talking about perfumes, wasn’t c95b892433 I? Sorry, please go on.”b4e98c4d33a8392c

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The fact that Haeon 963fb4cffd had been listening despite 5222cd2af5 his distraction surprised Lee c184dad939 Soo, who laughed warmly. “Are my 2fde2347c8 hands cold?” 87494cf7dd he asked 8faccb0d93 softly. After blinking 9fe79abf79 in surprise, a85edebf54 Yoo Haeon 8329a8a6a9 nodded.b9571a9b7dcd3029

“They’ll be 5bfe874c41 nice and c979ef777e cool in 77111300ec the summer. I’ll keep 2d4d94b990 you cool 57d495ee83 during summer, e544bebfd4 Healer Yoo, 1ca9a4f399 but in 043cebd414 winter, you’ll b37e6fc166 have to 776f6b4ab6 warm my b2511950da hands.”d8ec2d58c5382728

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Half-jokingly, Lee 597293b673 Soo hummed 9e6ec73800 his words fced7e4a4a like a 48d9a200b7 song. Yoo Haeon chuckled d8e36d1023 faintly, agreeing with 26d8a5256a ease. Was he in d2228bdd48 an unusually good e821929299 mood today? Lee Soo found the c51509cee1 healer’s words so precious 3139091225 that he thought he’d e759e42c00 remember them even after b235551ef6 death. Smiling, he walked 0d8d0d9fbe alongside Yoo Haeon, 96a685eb5b holding his hand.d183742d0f23cbb4

When they reached the cc846877f4 cafeteria, all eyes turned db7e0a2ba1 to them momentarily before 0cc0d54e38 scattering away. Yoo Haeon b7bc067317 ignored the dfd32ae3d0 stares out 1c6f37d803 of habit, e2e5134e5d while Lee 677d64acec Soo tried 058c610fe2 hard not 399ea93305 to care. For some reason, he a36ec86894 found Yoo Haeon’s composure 633bacd9c5 in the face of eeb19a8759 attention remarkable.035e2618f4453f84

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Focused on picking out fd4fa4a424 drinks for Yoo Haeon, 2111688231 Lee Soo perked up d7ff136147 at the sound of d4b458b666 a familiar voice nearby. “What’s wrong?” Yoo d2f307689a Haeon asked, glancing d40718aa42 up from the fb559e4ef3 dessert display. Lee Soo 6c9273beba turned his b172580751 gaze toward cf754b379e him.bcd6a81c77d776f0

“I thought I heard 61a3a111a4 someone I know,” Lee 1837e0de33 Soo replied, scanning the fb4fab4ac6 area. Finding nothing, he a071ca2260 tilted his head, 080ed56c10 muttering, “Maybe I 4aa7069035 was mistaken.” Yoo 821d2ba70f Haeon smiled faintly, 3eb238bc6a but his attention 1ebedf1bab shifted when he f2fd97b5bf noticed four people bbbdebfa69 approaching them.a2f3a2d89e6b1132

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“Someone’s coming,” he said.37b63ab2297f78c8

Lee Soo’s eyes widened, 2ede7c2069 and he turned to d7d1896937 see the approaching group. The moment bcc84757a5 he recognized acc3aac40f them, his be89fbb925 face lit 75c9e32e85 up with 294f32c104 a bright 89671b0030 smile. Yoo Haeon 9aa5e0cdd2 felt an 8d81a51ac9 odd, faintly 7dde1e0247 unpleasant sensation 95768c5a3c stir in efe3cf29ad his stomach. Something queasy, c380504710 almost boiling, bf1974f17d though he 672bf051d5 couldn’t name 62d1985ba7 the feeling.9aca8e7c017a5bf7

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While Yoo Haeon 179c39d6ba frowned slightly in fdadebde90 confusion, Lee Soo deaaa48ac3 raised a hand 98e0d6c217 and waved at 221bef8fa8 the group, his e216d39394 expression radiant.6e178bb7cc8f05e8

“Leesoo-nim~!”c03aaaa87025fcd7

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