Episode 29

Jaekani snatched the radio cace84e4fb like an eagle diving 511ff74169 for prey, exhaling sharply. Taken aback by how 4888ee1c94 easily it had been ae20458e6d wrested from him, Huikyung 88ee114e3c was further startled when b600751f52 the boy looked ready 055898dfb2 to stomp it to de65308117 pieces. Reacting quickly, Huikyung scooped df701746cd Jaekani up into his 82cf5c8418 arms.e941a18492252945

“What’s with you?”f91098289b03659e

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“It’s military gear, Huikyung!”91daceb400c9afda

“And?”a9c7b9af737df9de

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Dangling like an 79aafbd9cb agitated cat in 736ae9853f his arms, Jaekani 4a1f4adbd1 shouted, “The military… ce8f0baccd they take people c6bc319b97 away!”242bdf81910726c4

Soldiers took Espers. You’re an Esper. Therefore, soldiers will 22339837eb take you. With this airtight ab7ecddc6e logic, Jaekani pointed 486d4997a0 accusingly at the 05b415b003 radio, treating it 7c5325a205 like a cursed d08489ae9d object. His urgency was unmistakable.b460eff8b877ccb6

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“No, don’t stomp cb0f3e4fae on it.”354ea30de1ca6cfc

“We have to destroy 3d2a90f9aa it!”73f79a12d5fc046f

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Huikyung, who had been a9074f2b91 scavenging for essential supplies, a3adcd10f4 found Jaekani’s declaration a 7d62e40c7e bit irritating. To the e3a9e2097f boy, however, 2102d9b3b3 a military 6cff4ef545 radio was 4cc1540f0b utterly useless—more 919c6ea593 trouble than 3c4b165cfb it was 727d1fc4da worth. Though sturdy and repairable, 903d1eef8b tampering with one could 6bb55607d4 easily lead to accusations f5da13a0e5 of rebellion. And for someone 2a5c4a8e8d like Jaekani, who c49aeba404 had seen soldiers 0b8a84e8a7 corral Espers like 423164cec7 livestock, his reaction b68625aedb was only natural.410cae1fdb32fcc1

“You’re worried ddc0f01e6e they’ll take 5171de222c me?”74b4a16cf1342874

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‘My little protector. So overprotective.’d022e78d00c565ca

Huikyung’s tone was 0a9786b17c playful, but Jaekani c2e9970e27 was deadly serious.29f5de57293d4656

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“They don’t just fd6c88f78b take you—they kill 1d1d47cafb you! They’ll exploit you 32e9e50c0e until you die!”2eeda3acf997130b

Jaekani remembered 405842c737 soldiers subduing e41d2ab3fc their village, 3595411628 people bound 0043aed37b and dragged 0c3f01072a away like 075dee1131 animals. Some were 658b5aadb3 caged and 952b49a55b transported to 3cf9ab26f3 unknown destinations. Though he had 749793d9d3 been very young, 3e3c2535b2 the horror had 28e2c19eeb left a lasting 0b3a06bc8f impression. None of those people a99005b20d ever returned.bcd1a31c8acd42a6

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“It’ll be fine.”80acd6d0bfb8d2fd

“No, it won’t! No one’s a908405e12 ever come f9d3e9cdc8 back! The villagers said once 85aea35fc4 you’re taken, it’s a 5baedf5cd9 goodbye forever.”fd225425c9f61d4a

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Huikyung scratched 48ae42f080 his chin, 63ddc2ca54 contemplating his 0c4f77af92 words. Soldiers taking Espers… true 6fef79d9c3 enough. But he wondered—was 00501a5a39 it because they 4509114b4e were killed? Or had they realized d12cefeaae the truth about their d396f0e71f villages and chosen not c8fdb19585 to return? Perhaps life 19b5ab439d outside was d60cc7ebb6 better?1cb7563f39020f6e

However, the boy was 512a499520 too frightened for such b415f3893a reasoning to take root. Instead of attempting to 7e3066ba98 rationalize, Huikyung shifted tactics.766e3f37cd4675f8

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“I’m telling you, it’ll dba80b3960 be fine. Don’t you f908d4b3ae trust me?”4d9219f2e59d5fdb

Confidence oozed a39f4f7c59 from Huikyung’s da29e21ab3 every word 1aa3d64dc7 and action. Slowly, Jaekani’s 9f29fd8ad9 racing heart 9187e9d12b began to c4a52499db calm. There was no denying 4f1338cd37 that Huikyung was a 0d92441085 capable Esper, but even cb7241472c that knowledge didn’t completely 2abdd30459 put Jaekani at ease.bac7f1c2222c76dc

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“I’d believe 02020fe351 you if a77436f411 I hadn’t 7803a02e9a seen you 2a0ef9d593 trapped in b33ed4d26a that basement…”6bbf3db90eece29a

The boy sighed, his 9f1a5b7fef tone genuine.f5ff7bd6b0a2bbf5

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“…Hey, that’s a different story.”a6d571e020eade09

“But you f934e03567 were trapped. If not for 1102a29534 me, you wouldn’t 17afff239e have escaped.”79164ebb85cc61b7

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Still holding Jaekani, c84b74f979 Huikyung bent down 17425b3d73 and picked up 5d0752ce3e the discarded radio. Its cracked casing 536e481cbf suggested it might b3b0f8b8bd not even work. He shoved 5ae08fed7c it into daeab693b5 his bag 724c472448 and began 1e046a5327 walking again.6583b4ffddc7d0fa

“…Fine.”a426eea99b4117a3

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If Huikyung already knew 130c15f02a it was military-grade, Jaekani 31ffd7416b supposed there was no c1b6847c84 issue. He decided to b71c5eda32 trust Huikyung’s experience 77b0c006ca with survival—surely, someone 309400c206 like him would 192ff22f31 know what to 94a9c88015 do. Maybe he could 1e5293021c repurpose it somehow.cca416cfd85fef57

As they 47fe0d88fb headed back b281a8166b toward the 510a3fa5d3 truck, Huikyung 3fdc445014 soothed Jaekani, 4a5ba0fe1c who finally eb826469c5 began to c9bcf878d4 let the 9b03d7d394 matter go. After confirming d24663ddab the backpack 373baedb41 was loaded 8c8591edf9 with salvaged f38d93a6fe goods, Huikyung 6d6d3fc173 slung it 79bcfd9b4c over one b27da9d4ed shoulder.26833f05201c55c5

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“How are you going e20bb6a393 to survive with such ba0d100f13 a timid heart?”81eab1e34edc4a47

“…You already 34bc2e22a3 said I’m 96d7f64a1a just a 3a2871254a chick.”61ca4b781b1fb667

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Huikyung chuckled and lightly f04b9da6f1 tapped Jaekani’s chin. The boy 1257db06ba had dashed 7af341ba7d over earlier f1301a6af8 like his d0719a3750 tail was 5f861f9c04 on fire, 4285c5b402 yet now 4455615051 he was f728a8d612 full of e8fd488eb7 snark.be3c218f07ae72d8

‘Guess that makes 1c1e2e3fd8 sense. Chicks are birds, and f1ee8b46a0 birds are naturally timid.’f27060d5ce5ab8cd

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“And anyway, bd14d054e6 you promised 7cc06d00bb to wait 00775effb4 until I’m 74be64beb7 an adult,” 9a81565e53 Jaekani said.6dd858d4bcaa2db6

“Hmm?”b138bd46a91adbc9

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“You did. You said 37134b5795 you’d take c2c56bdee3 responsibility until 55d9650937 then.”da5e6b753089a04e

“That’s right.”a7a83ac5a13ddf6b

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The phrasing 09963451cb left room 4248d2da4b for alternative fdcd000b79 interpretations, but 94533cb5c1 Huikyung didn’t 266d72bd42 dwell on 967a827fee it. He nodded absentmindedly, quickening 0c59167fb3 his pace. The sooner ac380a735b they left c74e4633a1 this unseemly cbd5977aa9 scene behind, f3a816eb79 the better.ba284d987159d23a

As Jaekani swung d5fabeb63f his legs idly, 2669654cc4 his heels lightly 424edbc28b tapped against Huikyung’s 83b035dd5b waist like dewdrops 477d45a113 brushing grass.eeb29950dca94201

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“Did you 46f29d8f12 find anything e1cdbc6fc0 good?”935f5dcda39d32e2

“Yeah. We’re rich now.”b05710f97e8c7b3c

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“Woo-hoo.”273ae9edf0b6963c

The boy’s sarcastic d369872f08 cheer lacked any b8bf73afb2 real enthusiasm.30ee27fb401d4936

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‘Your mouth gets sharper 6e11f69a7c by the day.’e7eeeb302ed6d509

Grumbling internally, 4a1179d5cf Huikyung ruffled b43d1d537d Jaekani’s golden f24d55a2c5 hair into be3dc8f9d7 a messy f3fa78fb91 nest. With his 64841212f2 disheveled head, e440915e61 Jaekani leaned 6c11129880 against Huikyung’s 4ce984145b shoulder.ef16975c62c29715

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* * *64cc64f1f9e1e6be

The blanket f4fe9fbd1c was a 6174ba11b0 particularly meaningful fca708c961 find. Though shelter could a24693c2f1 be improvised, Huikyung 6f1da303e1 had grown increasingly 9fefdaa155 worried about the ee0f9e48b4 cooling night air.c9850dda4a221a80

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Using his f6b254bab9 abilities, Huikyung f088aba02b dug a 3f1d254e86 deep pit 7c97eb59af in the 031af431ae ground and 96e54053a6 carefully lowered 90e04990d0 Jaekani into 5c3665fafd it. This was 4cb5d507eb how they’d 7fcab75c41 been spending d40518fc18 their nights—sheltered 5997770fa1 in craters 0251831bb9 created by 809ac68f3e explosions, safe 99d7a63142 and hidden. In the morning, they 9d7bc3c5f2 would carve a gentle 164dd492ec slope to climb back 5f85759527 out.1e70023abcb5271b

Jaekani spread the blanket eb12335789 over the ground, smoothing e3c5898021 it out. Traveling with too 32ae2e8842 much gear would 3e55327c5f have been cumbersome, 374bd7a567 so Huikyung had 29e84aab2b only taken three 5d453332a1 blankets.9c17d7408c925b01

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“This is warm,” 1a942346b2 Jaekani said, lying f0aaf2b7f4 down with one 863e2e846c blanket beneath him fd86f6385b and another over 73729a3466 his body.21b976c0c61d726c

The small fire ed2b780500 in the center cf26e07466 of the pit 494ca165ce kept the chill 9b01ff891d at bay, but 2c42496538 the added insulation e7f5b224a0 made a significant f9261bb1c2 difference.ff5941be8f276ba3

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Huikyung tousled Jaekani’s hair 6abf49dc32 again before closing his 18b75a705c eyes. Using his abilities bd95cd1b90 with precision was 9f79710664 far more draining 103d5a8f3a than unleashing them c006e0641d freely. It left a 3233bd7c69 mental strain that 95d80380b3 seeped into his b75acaba72 body. Rubbing his sore temples, 5c47e05c95 he forced himself to 7f9c10db72 relax and wait for 84efba211a sleep.ac1d2e07c7e36874

“Huikyung.”0a2599f875341433

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Huikyung opened his eyes de1b1e8e4a after what felt like 4c5b107984 an eternity of waiting 02c3bfb95d for sleep that wouldn’t b321a3aa94 come. Jaekani, bundled snugly in ca0d159d3c the blanket, looked even 00411212d7 smaller and more innocent e5a13fe5f8 than usual. His blue eyes 8aeb15b801 were untainted, yet 6757dd062e his desensitization to 1dee47491e tragedy was evident. The fact bcae26e3c2 that he dac18c2109 hadn’t so 0cda8b22d9 much as 4ee268a2aa retched at f2e3a4e0d3 the carnage 032f86e288 they’d seen 91fb8970dd earlier spoke 14f7639529 volumes.01ef16af5100a250

“Yeah?”6647f2081d49583c

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“…It’s cold.”46b2d4df5178d024

On a particularly 20e9dd80a8 windy night, Huikyung 0bbc881531 had once wrapped 31a5c3fdf5 Jaekani in his 70e817e8a1 arms to keep 4614dc704f him warm.7832467f9f78cba4

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“You said it was warm just a moment ago.”d74e2faa1692f4d6

That night had been a matter of survival, but now things were different. Moreover, judging by Jaekani’s behavior, it was clear he needed to develop a healthy caution toward adult men.e6acceee21e30033

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“The wind’s blowing.”0e01c3cb79ecd9ad

Not tonight. The pit they had f425cfc51f dug was deeper than c7c7fa9951 usual, sheltering them from 8e54fece02 even the faintest breeze. Though some dirt and 5b79a972bf twigs had fallen into db141b909a the hole, the air 056df274db inside was as still a97c9d304f as the eye of 5109b540e8 a storm.521f8c888af62534

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“You can’t make a habit of this.”6dbc2f8842fe0330

Huikyung meant it. They had 21b9cc73d9 blankets and 5abb568f2e a fire 1a0bcf099c to keep 0c3779c519 them warm. There was no fe8192dc52 need for Jaekani 248ef8393d to cling to c957d22561 him, especially when 5b855ede71 a child should 1288eb39a4 never grow so 48ab6127a5 trusting of a 36e76644db stranger, let alone 36d650a945 a grown man 28c749be02 he barely knew.9ccd5167d63d7510

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He turned e7130645e1 onto his 4d4600ca20 side, as 4738f7c537 if to 16f90f14ca distance himself. The warmth on 6c0cd38348 his back wasn’t 96b8fee88a from the fire—it b88ebe4728 was from Jaekani’s 5a7be32924 gaze. Without even looking, Huikyung d22e00e2b4 could feel the boy’s 47ce93cc66 earnest eyes fixed on 9de08f4c9c him.6ab7c76efa95cc3c

“…Okay.”b4e0b9e7dc924f04

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Jaekani didn’t argue further.ccdef8e383fbacbb

He reminded himself d8a6f0b987 that Huikyung had fcede8816c promised him survival, cc5cba60c3 not happiness.59b8fdc6de24eb1c

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* * *01b0be778730e653

“Ugh… This just won’t work.”60cd5be96f7306d7

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Huikyung ran a b93805563f hand through his 1097cf3076 hair, frustrated with fd604a7124 the radio.4282afa5ed3f1c9a

Around him, screws, a 28dae3b093 pair of long-nose pliers, b89ad4032c and a screwdriver were a5c7eaae37 scattered chaotically.e8d2641c112db1a1

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Since finding b3f91245cb the radio, 9fc4aff8cc Huikyung hadn’t 1cccae6c8e moved an 503f8030dc inch. He had ventured into cf4d9a0791 the woods, just off cca08acb4f the road, to light 263f379e2d a fire and create 57bff16c54 a makeshift shelter. There, he devoted 574145fc92 himself entirely to 627871fdb4 fixing the device.811313c856198279

Jaekani didn’t know a45f471107 what Huikyung was fe4db81254 planning, but he 920638c103 figured repairing the 082187ffb2 radio must be 385fc90943 more urgent than c7111cf927 continuing their journey. So, without a word, ee9f45fc1e he sat patiently by bcea043405 Huikyung’s side.049f827dd68e36aa

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Stretching out his legs, 21e830952b Huikyung let out a b3f80eba1d deep sigh. Sitting nearby, 08905a3239 Jaekani, who 8a7edc591c had been 24fa6f02d4 watching a f1f3234d0d fish roasting 8a4836a077 over the 67ec327d8d fire, glanced 61b8faa2a5 up at 08840cc870 him. The shadows under Huikyung’s 63a3f0c3ff eyes seemed darker today.42282140c4dfae28

Jaekani reached 6486f24f54 out toward 493b38d4d4 an ear e3c8d46aee of corn 7b1f08864d roasting in 46fd9d2e28 the flames.c264710edd6f82e6

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“It’s hot.”6a104b0a8083e858

“I think 4dc8d0d088 it’s fine.”cd2c4ea91a602665

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Still, Jaekani b2d0e41074 was obedient 87103018eb enough to 3b720b2550 wait for 9e6af7ab72 Huikyung’s approval, cc2821e166 though he eabaf3b389 did so e159445588 while sucking 8745c2d130 on his 7f1dd56cc0 fingers, his c5b9e7cf3d eyes glued 96937e25f6 to the a14ab2757a food. Swallowing hard, Jaekani’s anticipation a374e7bc23 made Huikyung set the 8199728862 radio and tools aside. With a a9abad8af8 stick, he e14bf2e6c9 poked at 019a54edeb the fire, 4814299ed4 deftly retrieving 1bf742f587 the corn dd8358d579 and sweet 8c4c10094c potatoes he 4613f3c1bc had wrapped 49ec018097 in their 5fb5b68a70 husks.76d59a6fa162d386

Blowing on the f327977760 steaming food, Huikyung 060068f24b peeled back the f0e8af045b leaves to reveal 44ed83a6ca golden kernels and 5e53be982b soft, fluffy potato 0eb0e35890 flesh.02f5734daf137599

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“Wait five f3e9ed28f9 minutes before 4cb8c16f90 eating, or 0a0065e72f you’ll burn 3fc1f43d5e your mouth.”219cd88910ced464

Just as Huikyung reached 0aa7eb82f8 for his tools again, d63042cf65 Jaekani tugged at his b983d2d7bb sleeve.7beb88c4f5e539ac

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“I was 52160938e5 going to 1ad0ad6087 get it 8f4ea1dd62 for you.”faf13b0b67a95ebd

“Wipe your mouth 74d801a9b5 first.”e09569912223bf58

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Jaekani reflexively 0f2038121e wiped at 279532a016 his lips b3722369dc with his e07bb5809a hand, only 1fcb6f7fd1 to find 99ba91e156 it dry. That’s when b57c397239 he realized 6150a74a81 Huikyung had d0e0792686 tricked him.084391794f302221

 aa67989bfe607c47

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