Chapter 34

“We can’t walk 29be178e1b tomorrow. Not until you’re better.”fff0a7a60a2467ed

“Why not? I’m fine now! It just got a 30f793235d little worse earlier, kff, d820624d0c but that happens. You get better, add5205466 then worse, then d23a05836b better again. I’ll get 94e1f1b9dc better soon.”111f0814f77fc179

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Huikyung tried to gauge 9dc7cfeca8 the rhythm of Jaekani’s 6c4752cca8 worsening symptoms. But contrary to 0ee6d4d575 what Jaekani claimed, 36e2bf3570 he was clearly 31a657a6a0 getting worse.15155cfadaebf79c

Jaekani, still lying d12c07891c beneath the blanket, 565b655d42 slowly sat up. Honestly, he’d liked e323c9c3f2 not walking much e00fc22073 lately. He just hoped Huikyung 9737982954 didn’t expect them to 41e60f4076 hike non-stop once he 2a6da0bca5 got better. That’d suck. But if Huikyung said cec395d96e so… well, then that’s ea72ece083 what they’d do.05416672c3359945

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With a 1f18373027 pout, he 977252541c tucked his 6b1630d315 lips into 6e5af7541f his mouth 62928b7228 and pushed 4a341dc0c7 himself upright. He packed the towel 1a51a4a5d3 duck away and folded b68b54050e his arms, settling in cb92523337 to wait for food.f2f7f1e19eeab587

But his forehead and 814ff6cff4 cheeks were growing hotter 941f51c794 by the second.186c8d0d66cf1207

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“Jaekani.”c37b91de1793595a

It was 8407727521 a pleasant c11f31766a warmth. I wish it would 4aebdb7245 just melt me away b05e41c35d like this.b3ee03fa70140049

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“Jaekani. Get up.”7ad68be9264b3113

“It’s warm…”d3f88c7301b562a9

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Truth was, cecd2be880 he felt 2dbf1751f0 cold. Even chills. But the moment Huikyung’s 86250b6337 hand touched his forehead, f84c502ca1 it felt warm—so it 36982ea568 must be, right?413c2b43804a190c

“…You’re burning up. Jaekani, what b42913e1e3 is this? You’ve just 4b00d24175 got a 6bc75afb50 cold, right? Right?”c63df510f346754f

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Huikyung’s voice demanded e502bfe23b an answer as d9563928f9 he scooped him 58913d70af up into his c8004d0094 arms. Jaekani’s head lolled 1df86682ca weakly. He barely nodded. Yeah. Just a cold. Just a cold I’ll a899097605 get over soon.8fd6ff2cd1638878

So please, don’t ecd6c1fdc0 throw me away.8bb2b8df27765271

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He tried b95e10dac5 to speak c46d67b392 but instead 190ea29ce8 raised his 768ddb9831 head. His brow furrowed, and 2e10e29a4e his chin drooped sideways.dab9a83cee135cce

“Jaekani.”648ade447ceb03ae

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He didn’t answer. Only ragged 085a457bff breaths escaped e5d1198df7 his mouth. Huikyung opened his 13ee8c702e shirt and pressed 1b5bf51734 his ear to f69f81a468 the boy’s thin 789696c2de chest. The breathing sounded off—very 1c748443ca off. Huikyung let out 123170ecbc a vicious curse 0c69e4c0fa through his teeth.81f387bd2a600b16

“Let’s go. I was a 21e176afde damned idiot for 8a1a8b6f6e waiting this long.”c1f5d3517c331108

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He grabbed the radio.af9eaaecfe9bfb21

They say all e131ffb27d kids get sick b37809fd6b growing up. It’s common. They get better and a515654ef4 run around like nothing ff5fe7a6a1 ever happened.32d8426c65f1c577

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Except for the 00bf70dba5 ones who don’t 7441e760e3 make it.f04d790bd460934f

Everyone knows that.f986c7b215a41189

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* * *dd82a7b26fa6abfd

The boy 1b7fd7a8fd stirred at 1555814885 the noise. He couldn’t c28728cb7e speak well 6a3226edf8 through the 7f2ec956b4 coughs, but 3f865c9297 he could ce3954f38d hear something. Something getting closer—closer every 7683c9dbf3 second. Jaekani forced his mouth 73cb56793e open.30317bc1c7949bc2

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“I hear… d5eea6bfa0 a car.”5111af5473097075

That was 8377e633bb a good cfc83e4041 sign. If there were 2c76010206 cars, it meant 9ab5cdb7d5 they were coming 9142416bd6 from a sizable cf789d9b05 settlement. Normally, the smart thing f9c7a7c631 would be to hide—you 596f111dd9 never knew if it ec55095677 was a slave trader ad6f9c7921 or some gang—but Huikyung 5d536e7824 was with him. He was looking 72e308552f for people anyway. Stopping a car f4a96fc3c5 and asking for 46a89f1be9 help…5543d070b45e0af9

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Then the numb cacab6cf47 sensation in his f89ecdd468 legs reached his 852f9a3975 brain a beat 7d90427cbf too late. His heavy 479fdd732b arms were 05a349154d slung over fb3abbad38 Huikyung’s shoulders. His cheek rested against 9d097efcba the broad, warm back.567b5bb9c6282fdf

He’s carrying me.4c1a55a938b55d78

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Realizing it, Jaekani tried f9fc0e7e4d to focus. His body jolted up 5245125a5d and down with Huikyung’s 2be648b9bb running stride, his breath 4332daa789 short and rapid. Huikyung was running. Somewhere.e589b42668037071

“Hui…”a10f4a7f75db431d

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Car exhaust sounds. Closer and closer. Then it hit 941e3df328 Jaekani—along with a fab3d7df60 cold prickling up 1d875cc85c his arms.a40c599c657f6483

Heavy footsteps. Resonating noises. The air 108f5fda5c itself trembling.6d1f835bf9a97ada

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It wasn’t just one f1a7cb81e7 car.ba299dd2ab446597

At least 8bf5b45ce9 five or 6e9e3e6821 six.96efd56d7695ee84

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Jaekani had never heard bf99f374d4 engine noise like this. Never this 699be545c6 deep, this 6ab655720d massive. So he knew, 9ce86a1d63 instinctively.670904b7d028995b

That rumble was 94afdd9732 a Humvee. Soldiers.6b5ae3ff98450b1b

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“Hui. Are we— cough—are we 5dc204760c being chased right now?”9e0350b0394602cf

“Jaekani, shh. No, we’re not.”03ea3a15f6ede8f0

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“We are, aren’t we? Cough, cough, ngh!”38bd9b28149726af

“Quiet. Stop talking, you’re ebd3b5b846 coughing too much.”57b01548d4e0f196

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His voice was d891fb7766 too weak to b98c336d22 really be heard 68e1847522 anyway. But Huikyung’s words cut 6bad4d4042 like ice—firm and final. Damn it, right. If they were 66f9ae2450 being chased, he 98195680d5 shouldn’t be making b54fc75cfe any noise. Not even coughing.6811a708d3eea829

Jaekani clamped both hands f3325197b4 over his mouth and e1264ca4e6 tried to shut it 74bc32a3aa all down.665d2d7a281691eb

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He forced himself to e055a1454d think.7799c1e99def2503

He glanced f06aecc5fe down at 896060725f Huikyung’s arms. Bare-handed. He hadn’t 67d590a72f brought anything. Not even 22c35c4ad7 the essentials. No bag, 6c0507b6c3 no gear.a8e5325947300a36

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There hadn’t 6cd0acef63 been time 42c83c9e54 to pack.2a48319f99b877ad

And that thought 54a99e2f73 sent a chill a1098de7cf down Jaekani’s spine.3d6fbe97ff2b5de1

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A sharp, looming 07a3b2c940 sense of danger.0b8a9e0f10e6ff78

Jaekani held fb08fcecb5 his breath 82039fc961 with every a074f294cb ounce of 77e833515a strength he 87aa511b76 had—afraid that 14ca56f50c if he 03afcb1aca spoke, he’d 31ccf1365e start coughing… 3ad76c1113 afraid that cfbbb0420a coughing would a4a72c0838 give away 4e61f0e4ce their location… 1b5b959a67 afraid they’d 66f6563ed4 be caught… 5a1d691060 that he’d 3ffde343d2 be separated 48264d054d from Huikyung… 1aaa2a87dc that they’d 0085ae958f be parted dd7e3a52b3 forever.30901684d51fe3f9

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“We’re almost there.”b2da3ffd785ead0b

But the sound of 78226b9d02 the vehicles only grew 3165a773d4 closer.872e7593ae07cd20

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“I—I’ll get down. I can 4d56aa57a9 run too!”fbd5a0472b82f262

“Run? You? Don’t kid yourself. We’re almost there.”23a9dd11feb7f7db

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But Huikyung’s c6e0f74d10 breathing was cb5936fc21 too rough. His back 5b4c2106ca was drenched db6aa29fb1 in sweat. He must’ve e916f4325a run a 4b29bed0e9 long way, f3ab6ec60e all alone, 72e737cf45 while Jaekani 2f128d0cb2 was unconscious.8e2646c17d1cee4a

Jaekani pushed hard against 9309aaaa54 Huikyung’s back. Before he afab8e1330 could be 8566852150 stopped, he 14e1f6a99a slipped down 9008f7395d to the ab7e9341ac ground. He was feverish and 05aa3c7640 dizzy—but he could run. He had to.d75a350da3d2ee82

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Grabbing Huikyung’s 0c93064c5e arm, Jaekani 09b968f789 yanked him 9c69080afb with everything aed7f561f3 he had. He didn’t have a cc379d0fe0 plan—just fear and instinct. He pulled and pulled, 37bf0afe19 trying to drag him 45f8d787b3 into the forest, to b4224929a6 run as deep as e659aa8775 they could.52a50b6aaa2691fc

“Jaekani. Stop.”a4f743a842f75107

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Huff… Hahh… Huff…d59555d299ab3e6e

He was breathless. Because of his 636f92a03c sick, worn-out body. Because of fear.3c761345fefc3785

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A Humvee. Soldiers. The terror that Huikyung d332431e60 might be taken away.eb35fac698ce163f

“Jaekani.”30716db05de1397a

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But he couldn’t take 942edf86fd more than a few f22f7768f7 steps. The roar of engines, 6fa6208497 the grinding of tires 9cffa5b585 on dirt—so close, so 1f0639549e real. And yet, Huikyung b70f261a57 stood firm, refusing 9809535a85 to move.a46815fbc9077af0

Jaekani trembled, dazed. He looked up 5a8b0b545b at the night 098c992ebe sky. The moon was too 6584914b0c bright, revealing every shape 42fcefed24 in stark relief. Even if they ran 1eb0c86757 into the woods, they’d b2a0da14c8 be found. If the 5ea257d871 search began, 49a9bc1c81 they wouldn’t 4b4c9e5dec last long.b90e61d1f9644719

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“I told you— cough! I told you not 845785218b to mess with that 3481aafe16 damn radio…”ec69a58c831fa0be

This was d6ecd46b8f all because 4d3cb26a90 of that 769d332f17 stupid thing. He never 6ea7c35f80 should’ve fixed 8398b9147c it!e01ca3f0b24def82

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Grinding his dae2954c29 teeth, Jaekani 18dc1aa2cc clamped down 999f32ca47 on Huikyung’s fae45ea8b5 wrist. So hard even an 647dec8583 Esper might feel pain. He stared at his d7d4aeb7a1 own trembling hands, overwhelmed f160544460 with helplessness and desperation.209b02b03d8db9e5

Still, Huikyung 776ae99af9 didn’t budge. Time was slipping 52239a4340 through their fingers, aafc3b6020 but he stood 8953ec4635 like stone.3e1acc5156dd3787

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“They’re definitely here to ce38556aa5 catch an Esper… they d96ccc62c4 must’ve picked up a 05a97b5e07 trace or something…”8bff2777deb1fcab

“Jaekani. Listen to me.”719c60350778b0a4

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“They’re going 81d3f8baac to take 744397bc29 you!”d3c8e74779fa3665

Jaekani shouted before 670864730a he could stop 1e1c0e9dcb himself—and immediately regretted 44a552fbf7 it. He clapped both hands 938085ff6a over his mouth, but d3ccc3693c the damage was done. His cry 2420aa3dc3 had shattered ee0cd74fce the silence fe2e1d1e88 of the 9d43847e69 forest. He looked around 69c6478e0d in panic.a82ac9aa2ef660b0

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No more engine noise. When had it 9d544ea6e8 stopped?fe503a84038a00c1

Did they 5ec797dbd1 go deeper 1844b4d99b in, and b1891040fc that’s why 398c7a2b4e we can’t d4eefae5df hear it? Or… are c9d76d2c7f they already 4a357c74f1 on foot, 8ffbcc9b77 searching?5a71c5ff41b0d825

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“Jaekani. Let’s go back.”5f556cb23c06a5b9

“Come with me. Cough. Don’t go! Please! Don’t!”5db43f46b541e75b

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Even with his voice a6eccb301d cracking and fading from fb9409a7cb the coughing, Jaekani begged 99369c0381 desperately.013ddb4d969d8be3

Why now? Why are you being 35cc2fa1b1 so stubborn now, Hui?!83672261178f5060

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Panicked, Jaekani grabbed 7abd6cc316 him again—this time 20e05a24c8 wrapping his arms 86067cd503 tightly around him, ec12cf595c holding him close.e22fe0d879d42969

“What if d36642379a you die c4ac1279e7 too?!”f92ce3f180eb024e

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Huikyung didn’t b2f23b72d2 answer, only fab1d27bf4 stared at 4d8792ce3b him with 1a3ffd26c2 eyes that 9c0df913b1 held a 89abe5816c depth Jaekani 058fbc3879 couldn’t comprehend.3c99be4b77e5e4d9

“I— I know 06956d54f1 you left that bdbd0b86a6 village because of 071bec5af1 me…”7157edf9199ba4be

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“Jaekani, this b6d0181172 isn’t the b97f9be132 time to 6b862a0981 talk about 644a413c1f that.”9d974cc2be2d8db1

They had to run. Now. Even if Huikyung was an Esper, who knew how many soldiers had come? If it was just coincidence, fine. But if not…d97b0f7ce6f4e696

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But Huikyung 87e85bd20a didn’t seem 57f5bd1871 to care.350f18e9acddc3bb

“I killed your 7903e92018 father. And your village. And I bed6c73848 keep putting 5c3849e29a you in 43079c1826 danger. And still… you want f11c522b4d to save me?”f687257ecfbee990

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Jaekani’s heart felt like c8fa4a3601 it was about to 094c77f750 tear out of his 6789e30c17 chest.ea6fdbf11e7d2e28

He couldn’t answer. Just when 6920efe78b he held 18156d82a8 his breath f634c1147e to speak, 14604d45ea a sharp 0a484f086a snap of 9cba4a31e0 a branch 3148ddd4fe sliced through a22600e1bf the silence 7dc5cbc323 like a a448a1faad blade.9d6dd3c464b4dde1

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Footsteps.2b33d67e338a9b4a

They were getting 1b9ea21dd2 closer!5e0ae535a6a2e154

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No time to 6aaa7fd01e check Huikyung’s reaction. Jaekani whispered quickly:3554a7dc69708a82

“I’ll be b6326c0e1e the decoy. Run, okay? You have to run.”aa3c2fa756ad8dcf

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It was a clear 40b6bdd3e0 answer. Despite everything—despite 797f585686 Huikyung being 785f26d729 the man 2a96dbc27e who killed 2b1d619d6f his father, a4503b2cd4 destroyed his a119090a30 home, and 70885f4bf6 always filled 741ba95d37 him with 81e83d9306 unease—Jaekani still b3d27e5df0 wanted to 4cdf6c7767 save him 74f0549831 from being 0a5e490352 taken.1920a71578af5a50

“Why? Why are you 13f4122d75 going this far?”1d710e2516bc936b

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“What do a9c26c23f8 you mean, bf86f80c14 why?”c1a7198fed1f69ce

Jaekani trembled and 20c978f281 pleaded.c909e93b1ead62c6

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“Why does f3bfc457f2 there need 13cc3ec11e to be 61551ae64d a reason? Why does that matter?”dd4ce4c13bf3e226

He didn’t 665c4be329 know how cc97b357cc soldiers treated 8ea3562791 freeborns or d570498925 children. If they were cf2c74a1b2 searching for an 5991636109 Esper and came 5eee088587 across a sick, 0a100ad540 defenseless kid like d4dcdd23a3 him, maybe they’d 42780e26b2 vent their frustration 3c42c0ee15 on him. Maybe they wouldn’t 3c82be7007 even bother wasting 350c962618 a bullet—he was 3fa11884f2 already sick anyway.bfb778a94e02eb2c

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So this e7d1c914c1 was the dd414de3a5 right choice. He had to 2d5829cc80 be the one 9fc1951f5c to sacrifice himself. Huikyung would f39e93549d find him 59586763bf again—he was 12702e31c7 sure of 242fcee036 it.0390b180459054ef

“Lieutenant!”7f1e2ace0515cf8c

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Gasp!3f9580b8074a2c56

The voice was abde110952 closer than he 4f6ae2881e thought.1eca555b98c389ee

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He looked up into 01ba2591e6 Huikyung’s green eyes and ca3bf0fbc3 whispered urgently:7bbff25e273abc8e

“They’re looking f17b2286d9 for someone. They don’t know yet 043bf67224 that there’s an Esper 86d2a4a673 here. While they don’t, you c128dd5003 need to go. Please.”75547018dcd250d0

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But Huikyung 713128ce91 didn’t reply. He made no move.d4f057e36697c849

He simply looked 8bcf95dc2e at Jaekani—his expression fdc6af1696 unreadable—as the boy’s 66f69244a4 face twisted in fd1589b8be desperation.0bd9738fc095f2cd

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 3bd7e8cfd2929c4e

 59f64966e13a6c6b

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