BKR Ch 9

Their pasts, until now completely unknown to each other. Even though they didn’t know everything, the fragments revealed, like the tip of an iceberg, showed that both of their wings were torn. Irreparably damaged by cruel suffering.

Dohan, having written down the answer to the problem, sat up. Kim Jihan followed suit.

“How old were you then? How did you survive?”

Kim Jihan asked incredulously. Dohan tilted his head slightly.

“I was eight. I barely escaped, but I was hospitalized for months… I couldn’t even think about going to school.”

Kim Jihan stared into space for a moment, a calculating look in his eyes.

“And then? Where did you live after you were discharged?”

Dohan stared directly at Kim Jihan, who was peppering him with questions.

“I believe this is a fair exchange of information, comparable to what I’ve shared with you.”

Drawing a line at what he considered fair, Dohan saw Kim Jihan visibly swallow his mounting curiosity.

Dohan handed the notebook with the answer to Kim Jihan. The pen was tucked inside. Seeing it, Kim Jihan reached out with a smile.

“Oh, than…”

“I’ll just say it. Don’t come here again.”

The smile on Kim Jihan’s face instantly disappeared. His outstretched hand dropped.

“Let’s end things here.”

Dohan’s face was as cold as frozen river water. His voice was utterly dry.

“What…?”

Kim Jihan looked bewildered, taken aback by the sudden shift.

“I’ll be honest. I’ve gone along with what you wanted because I’ve received help from you. If you have any more problems you can’t solve, bring them. Whatever the reason, you’ve shown me kindness, and I can reciprocate that much.”

Dohan, having expressed his intentions, recalled the feeling he had experienced earlier.

The strange feeling of his heart pounding and his whole body burning like coal. And the way he had fumbled, unsure of how to react.

He felt that being with Kim Jihan would continue to be like this. It only added to his confusion, which was already difficult enough.

“But only that much. As I’ve clearly stated before, I don’t want to get involved with anyone.”

Dohan continued resolutely, without a moment’s hesitation.

“Now that you’ve heard about my past, you understand, don’t you? Why I don’t want to get involved with people.”

“Since I’m the only one who comes here anyway… are you saying you’re going to live on a deserted island?”

Kim Jihan asked incredulously.

“A deserted island is better than hell.”

Dohan’s voice was firm.

He no longer wanted to keep the bud that was Kim Jihan by his side. Therefore, by honestly revealing a part of his past, he had created a justification for cutting him off.

Dohan stared at Kim Jihan with a stern gaze, the notebook still outstretched. It was a warning not to push it any further. Kim Jihan bit his lip, looking displeased, and ran a hand through his hair irritably.

That’s when it happened.

Tremble… The hand Dohan was holding out the notebook with suddenly started shaking.

“….!”

Dohan flinched, grabbing his trembling wrist with his other hand. But his uncontrollably shaking hand couldn’t hold onto the notebook, and it fell to the floor.

‘Ah…’

Despair washed over him.

‘No…!’

Shudder-

Kim Jihan saw it. Dohan’s wrist beginning to twist unnaturally. And his whole body trembling and convulsing.

‘Damn it…!’

Dohan gritted his teeth against the involuntary onset of the symptoms.

It had finally hit. The doping side effects, which had been dormant for a while.

He had just barely recovered from the aftereffects of his escape, just started to feel somewhat alive again.

As always, there was no warning, no sign.

Dohan, trembling, forced his mouth open before the pain intensified.

“Go!”

“….”

“Get out!”

But Kim Jihan, perhaps because of the suddenness of the situation, just stared wide-eyed, frozen in place.

“I said get out—!”

At that moment, pain like a stampede of wild horses crashed over Dohan’s entire body.

“Gasp…!”

Dohan cried out in agony, collapsing forward.

Kim Jihan, seeing this, jumped up from his seat with a shocked expression.

What’s suddenly wrong with Dohan? He had seemed perfectly fine just moments ago. Kim Jihan couldn’t understand what was happening.

“What’s wrong?”

Kim Jihan asked in a panicked voice. But Dohan, sprawled on the floor, couldn’t even answer.

“Ugh…”

His vision was blurring.

Doping side effects… As expected, the pain was excruciating. It felt like his whole body was being ground by a saw, his insides being ripped apart. Perhaps because it had been so long, even though he had reduced the dosage, the intensity of the pain remained the same. Moreover, it was accelerating mercilessly.

Dohan, in this miserable state, squeezed his bloodshot eyes shut. Of all times, the side effects had to hit now. In front of Kim Jihan, no less.

‘Go…!’

At this moment, he wanted only one thing.

‘Please, go—!’

He didn’t want to scream in front of Kim Jihan. He absolutely didn’t want to show that side of him. Anything but that…

Despite his desperate wish, the peak of the doping side effects, the burning pain said to be the most agonizing for humans, finally hit him.

“Ah, aaagh—!!”

A scream finally tore from Dohan’s lips. This was unbearable for anyone. For any living being.

The cries escaping his strained voice were so horrific they sent shivers down the listener’s spine.

“….!!”

Kim Jihan’s eyes widened in shock. Seo Dohan, the one who hadn’t even groaned during the agonizing electric torture, was now writhing and screaming.

‘Oh my god…’

Kim Jihan was speechless, stunned by the unimaginable situation. What on earth…?

“Aaagh—!!”

At that moment, the most horrific scream a human could make pierced his ears. Kim Jihan gasped.

‘He’ll die at this rate!’

He didn’t know what was going on, but hearing the scream, he was certain of one thing. That was the sound of someone dying, a death rattle.

Convinced of the gravity of the situation, Kim Jihan shook the collapsed Dohan violently.

“Hey, wake up! Wake up!”

“Ugh… ah…”

“Wake up—!”

But no matter how hard he shook and slapped him, Dohan couldn’t regain consciousness. Worse, he was gasping for breath, unable to breathe properly.

‘Damn it, I have to get him to a hospital…!’

Kim Jihan frantically pulled out his phone. After quickly calling an ambulance, he hoisted Dohan onto his back. The alley was too narrow for the ambulance to enter, so he had to carry him to the entrance.

Running down the alley with Dohan on his back, Kim Jihan gritted his teeth.

‘What the hell is wrong with him?!’

It was Seo Dohan, of all people. Someone who didn’t even know the meaning of the word “exaggerate.” And he was screaming, unable to even breathe properly.

This was definitely not normal.

Late at night. The emergency room of a large military hospital, busy even on the weekend, was overflowing with patients.

“…You’re telling me to register and wait?”

Kim Jihan, standing at the reception desk, asked the staff member incredulously.

“Ah… aaah…”

Dohan, who had been brought in by ambulance, was groaning in pain on a makeshift bed against the hallway wall. Kim Jihan pointed at him.

“Can’t you see how much pain he’s in?”

“Even so, you have to wait. Everyone who came before you is waiting their turn. Unless it’s a real emergency.”

The staff member replied indifferently.

“Isn’t this an emergency? If he’s in this much pain, you should see him first!”

“Sir, please wait your turn. We’ll call you when it’s your turn. Do you think you can jump the line just by barging in here?”

The staff member inside the clear acrylic wall looked at Kim Jihan, who was dressed in civilian clothes, with a tired expression, and then gestured to the side.

“Wait over there.”

Kim Jihan looked towards the waiting area. Most of the people sitting there were soldiers in uniform. Looking at the display board, he saw that their turns were based on their rank. Civilians without military identification were pushed to the very back.

“Ha…”

Kim Jihan let out a frustrated groan. He wet his lips and spoke calmly.

“Excuse me, we’re Army cadets.”

“Cadets?”

The staff member’s eyebrows rose slightly. Then he asked,

“And?”

Seeing the lukewarm reaction because they were cadets, not yet official soldiers, Kim Jihan spoke as if trying to persuade him.

“As you said, we’ll wait. But please give him some painkillers first. Just to help him breathe.”

“Salute! What brings you here?”

Suddenly, the staff member stood up abruptly. Kim Jihan turned around to see why. An officer with hibiscus flowers on his shoulders was walking towards the reception desk with a frown.

The colonel-level officer ignored Kim Jihan, who was already there, and spoke to the staff member with a grimace.

“I played golf this afternoon, and my back hurts a bit. Is Professor Ryu in?”

“Ah, he’s currently on break, but I’ll call him right away. Please go to the emergency room. Give me your ID, and I’ll take care of the registration.”

“Alright, thanks.”

“Salute!”

The staff member saluted the officer, took his ID card through the slot in the acrylic wall, sat down, and picked up the phone.

“Ha…”

Kim Jihan’s lips twisted at the sight. The staff member, hanging up the phone, raised an eyebrow at Kim Jihan, who was still standing there.

“What are you doing? Aren’t you going to wait?”

“It’s not like there’s an appointment system…”

Muttering incredulously, Kim Jihan glared at the staff member.

“Are you telling me this hospital prioritizes emergency treatment based on rank?”

Because of something as trivial as rank. He was appalled by the reality of this hospital, where they were supposed to save lives, neglecting someone dying while prioritizing someone with a minor ailment.

“Hey, do you know who that person is? Stop arguing and go to the waiting room!”

The staff member spoke condescendingly, dismissing the young cadet and dropping the honorifics.

“How can he wait in that condition! I’m asking you to at least give him some painkillers!”

Kim Jihan finally raised his voice. The staff member’s face crumpled.

“You really don’t understand, do you? Painkillers? What kind of nonsense are you talking about!”

“What’s nonsensical about it? He’s in so much pain he can barely breathe!”

“How can I prescribe something without knowing if that patient needs painkillers or sedatives? What if he’s like that because of a mental illness…”

Kim Jihan’s vision suddenly went white.

Slam!

Two large hands slammed onto the acrylic wall.

“Mental illness…?”

Kim Jihan pressed his face close to the transparent wall. The staff member looked slightly flustered by the sudden change in atmosphere.

“…What?”

“Someone’s dying!”

Kim Jihan said in a trembling voice, his pupils abnormally dilated. The staff member inside the safety of the protective wall, after a moment of hesitation, let out a scoff.

“What are you trying to…”

“Someone’s dying—!!”

Crash—!!

Like a fired projectile, the reinforced acrylic wall cracked instantly.

“….!!”

The staff member jumped up from his seat like a compressed spring. People waiting nearby murmured in surprise at the sudden commotion.

“Someone’s dying, and you’re talking about mental illness? How can you say such a thing?”

Seeing the menacing Kim Jihan, the staff member frantically grabbed the phone and pressed the emergency button.

“That crazy bastard is completely insane! I knew this would happen. This is a hospital! Guards! Take him away!”

“How dare you say that—!!”

Bang! Kim Jihan slammed his fist against the reinforced acrylic wall again. The entire transparent wall shattered like a spiderweb under his furious blows.

Kim Jihan’s lips, visible through the cracks, were pale and trembling. As if a horrific memory from long ago had resurfaced vividly before his eyes. As if it were agonizingly painful.

“Ah…”

Dohan, his mind hazy from the intense pain, barely managed to focus his gaze and see the scene. His distant, pain-filled eyes struggled to see Kim Jihan, surrounded by military police.

“You are under arrest.”

The armed military police officers, with the authority to arrest, spoke sternly to Kim Jihan, taking out their handcuffs.

“Ha…”

Kim Jihan, his eyes bloodshot, looked at those surrounding him and took a shaky breath. He placed his hands obediently in front of him. The military police immediately cuffed his wrists.

“That crazy bastard, someone like him should be expelled before he even graduates. He needs to learn his place!”

The staff member shouted from behind, relishing the sight.

“Come with us.”

Kim Jihan, his arms restrained, glanced at Dohan lying on the makeshift bed and then obediently followed them.

As they reached the hospital entrance, out of Dohan’s sight, Kim Jihan suddenly raised his cuffed hands.

“Hey, mister. You’re going to be in big trouble if you touch me any further. I’ll just make one phone call, so listen first and then decide whether it’s bullshit or not.”

Kim Jihan, as he spoke, took out his phone from his pocket with his cuffed hand.

— Hey, Jihan.

His cousin, Kim Daehan, answered immediately. Kim Jihan spoke calmly.

“Hey, I’m at Daeyeong Military Hospital, let the director know I’m here. And before that, tell these people who I am… Oh, it’s nothing much. I’m just waiting, but these handcuffs are a bit uncomfortable.”

After finishing the call, Kim Jihan held out his phone to them. The highest-ranking officer among them reached out.

“Yes, hello…”

The officer’s face contorted strangely as he spoke, his complexion gradually turning pale.

“Ah… Yes, yes…?”

His voice trembled. The officer looked at the handcuffed Kim Jihan with a shocked expression.

Kim Jihan showed him his wristwatch with the solar system on it. He pressed the button on the side, and the planets around the sun in the center moved along their orbits, forming the number “1” before stopping.

The unique mark of the nation’s first successor.

“Haa…”

A groan escaped the officer’s lips.

Kim Youngho, the head of the military junta, the leader of the Tri-Service Political Committee. The son of the absolute ruler who commanded the entire South Korean military, the future supreme commander. This was the moment they came face to face with the veiled figure.

“Gasp, pant…!”

The hospital director hurried down the hallway, almost at a run, gasping for breath. A string of renowned professors followed him. High-ranking officials, including the head of the headquarters, were also present.

“W-welcome. But how did you get here without any notice…?”

The hospital director, arriving before Kim Jihan at the reception desk, bowed his graying head at a 90-degree angle. The professors, who had followed him in hopes of making a good impression, also bowed their heads respectfully. It was essentially a full mobilization of the military hospital’s executive staff.

Kim Jihan, who hadn’t wanted things to escalate to this point, looked at the staff member with cold eyes.

“…My rank must be quite high for even the hospital director to come running.”

Gulp, the staff member swallowed hard, his face pale.

The hospital director, raising his head, looked around the reception area, now cleared of soldiers, with an even more bewildered expression. For some reason, the acrylic wall was broken, and armed military police had been called. The reception staff stood with their hands clasped, like criminals.

Kim Jihan stepped forward and approached the hospital director. He spoke quietly, so that only the director could hear.

“Is this how you run a hospital? What do you gain from revealing my identity and causing this commotion by bringing all these people here?”

The hospital director lowered his eyes at the mention of the professors standing behind him.

“All I wanted was for my classmate to receive timely treatment.”

Kim Jihan glanced at the reception staff with quiet fury in his eyes.

“But it seems rank is more important than human life in this place.”

“Ah… this is… I’m so, so sorry.”

Finally grasping the situation, the hospital director apologized profusely, bowing his head repeatedly. He couldn’t even meet Kim Jihan’s eyes.

“If you’re running a prestigious hospital designated as the representative military medical institution by the military command, then act accordingly. Instead of wasting time groveling to me…”

“….”

“…dedicate yourself to treating as many patients as possible.”

Kim Jihan, after delivering his cold rebuke, turned sharply and walked towards the emergency room where Dohan had been taken.

As the nation’s first successor disappeared from view, the hospital director’s lips trembled as he looked at the staff member. The staff member, meeting his gaze, held his breath.

The hospital director’s face turned red with anger.

“Who’s in charge here?!”

“I am. I’ll take care of it.”

The head of the military hospital headquarters hurriedly stepped forward.

“What kind of staff training are you providing?!”

The hospital director roared and then hurried after Kim Jihan, who was heading towards the emergency room. The professors followed the director again.

The head of the headquarters, watching them leave, turned his gaze back to the staff member. Ugh… the staff member trembled, his face ashen. The head of the headquarters spoke in a sharp tone.

“…Come to my office.”

A strong narcotic painkiller was administered behind the emergency room curtain. Kim Jihan, having dismissed the hospital director and professors, stood outside the curtain, waiting.

A military nurse emerged from behind the curtain, carrying a stainless steel tray with an empty syringe.

“The effects should kick in soon.”

The nurse said, pulling back the curtain that had been drawn around the bed. Dohan, who had been given priority and received the injection, was lying on his side, his back to them.

Kim Jihan approached the bed. Standing before Dohan, he quietly observed his pale face.

Dohan, eyes closed, looked utterly exhausted. Cold sweat beaded on his smooth forehead and nose. His lips, usually so alluring, were pale and dry, looking as pitiful as a faded photograph.

At least he was no longer groaning, so it seemed the injection was working quickly, as the nurse had said.

“Guardian Kim Jihan… is that you?”

The emergency room doctor approached Kim Jihan and asked cautiously.

“Yes.”

“Oh, it’s an honor to meet you.”

The doctor bowed deeply, looking honored. Kim Jihan, not wanting his identity to be further discussed, quickly asked,

“He just received painkillers, what should we do now?”

“Ah, yes… Well, we need to complete the hospitalization procedures first. Since the patient is complaining of severe pain without any external injuries, it would be best to observe him here. And we also need to conduct a thorough examination to determine the cause.”

Kim Jihan glanced at Dohan.

“In cases like this, what’s the usual cause?”

“Well… it’s difficult to say for sure yet, but based on his symptoms, we suspect ‘CRPS,’ Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. It’s a rare case, though.”

“Ah…”

“Anyway, please take care of the hospitalization procedures.”

The doctor bowed deeply to Kim Jihan again and then stepped back.

Kim Jihan, watching the medical staff leave, turned to go and complete the procedures.

“….?”

But someone grabbed his arm. He turned to see Dohan, now awake, clutching his sleeve tightly.

“Ji…”

Dohan, his face pale, parted his trembling lips.

“Let… me… go…”

A raspy, strained voice mumbled weakly. Kim Jihan frowned slightly, unable to hear him clearly.

“What?”

“Send… me… home.”

Dohan repeated his words, his eyes pleading. One hand desperately clung to Kim Jihan’s sleeve.

“Sigh…”

Understanding what he meant, Kim Jihan let out a soft sigh and sat down in the visitor’s chair. Dohan still didn’t let go of his sleeve.

“The doctor said you need to be hospitalized.”

Dohan swallowed hard and closed his eyes. His lips stubbornly moved.

“Send… me… home…”

Kim Jihan firmly shook his head.

“No. You’re in no condition to leave. You need to be treated and examined here.”

“Home…”

“And the curfew will be starting soon, so you can’t go out any…”

Kim Jihan stopped mid-sentence. Dohan’s jet-black eyes, now open, were glistening with tears.

“Please…”

A single tear rolled down his cheek and soaked into the pillow.

“I beg you…”

Kim Jihan’s light brown eyes followed the wet mark on the pillow. A faint wrinkle appeared on his smooth brow.

He had never been moved by the countless tears of others he had seen. No pleas had ever reached him.

But the plea from those lips that had only uttered cold words, the tears flowing from those eyes that had always glared at him so coldly, for some reason, wouldn’t leave him.

Kim Jihan, experiencing this strange feeling for the first time, reached out and touched Dohan’s wet cheek with his finger. Another teardrop rolled down and landed on his long, white finger.

An unbelievable emotion spread through Kim Jihan as he looked at his tear-stained finger. That cold, aloof person was crying pitifully. For some reason, it made his hardened chest ache. As if an unexpected crack had appeared in a solid wall.

“Please… I need to… go home…”

Dohan, with his remaining strength, reached out and clutched Kim Jihan’s chest. He clung to him desperately.

“I have to go…”

“…”

“I’ll do… anything…”

Dohan closed his eyes tightly, his expression pained. Tears welled up in his closed eyes and spilled over.

Drip, drip… He cried silently, but he never let go of Kim Jihan’s sleeve. As if he were the only one who could save him from this merciless execution ground.

“…”

Unexpected confusion clouded Kim Jihan’s eyes.

The trembling he felt from the thin hand clutching his sleeve. How desperate must he be to plead so desperately to someone he had just moments ago tried to push away? That desperation seeped through the newly formed crack in his heart.

‘Ha…’

Kim Jihan groaned silently, grabbing his hair in frustration.

‘…This is driving me crazy.’

The taxi drove through the quiet night streets.

Kim Jihan glanced at Dohan sitting beside him. Dohan’s hooded head was bowed, swaying weakly with the movement of the taxi. Kim Jihan, seeing this, moved closer.

Thud-

Dohan’s head rested on Kim Jihan’s shoulder. The relentless swaying finally ceased.

Kim Jihan looked down at Dohan leaning against him. His eyelashes, cast against his closed eyelids, were still damp. Kim Jihan, after observing him for a moment, turned his gaze to the window, his expression complex.

He didn’t know why he had given in to the plea. He had never been so foolish as to be swayed by someone else’s tears.

But if he hadn’t granted that request…

He felt like he would never see Dohan again. His intuition told him so.

That was all.

Screech- The taxi stopped at its destination. Kim Jihan, getting out at the entrance of the alley, helped Dohan out and carried him on his back.

“….?”

The moment he carried Dohan, Kim Jihan felt something strange. Dohan’s limp body was ice-cold.

‘What is this…?‘

His heart sank. Something was wrong with Dohan again.

Kim Jihan hurried inside the house. He laid Dohan down and quickly examined him.

His face was as pale as a sheet. His lips were blue, and his forehead was icy to the touch. He checked his breathing; it was faint, barely there.

It seemed his weak body couldn’t handle the strong painkillers.

“Dohan, Seo Dohan!”

Kim Jihan slapped Dohan’s cheeks, trying to wake him up. Dohan’s eyes fluttered open. Thankfully, he wasn’t completely unconscious.

But his condition seemed clearly bad. Dohan was trembling uncontrollably. As if he had been pulled out of freezing water in the dead of winter.

‘Damn it…!’

Hypothermia on such a warm day. Sensing that Dohan was suffering from hypoglycemia due to the extreme pain and seizures, Kim Jihan quickly pulled out blankets and bedding from the closet.

‘No…’

He gritted his teeth. He had brought Dohan out of the hospital because he felt he might never see him again, and now this.

If something went wrong, if something really went wrong…

Kim Jihan carefully laid Dohan on the mattress and covered him with the blankets. Then he rushed out of the house.

It was 40 minutes before curfew. All the stores would be closing soon.

Kim Jihan ran at full speed to the convenience store near Dohan’s house.

‘Absolutely not…!’

He couldn’t let this happen. He hadn’t made that decision yet.

“Gasp, I’ll pay!”

Kim Jihan bought orange juice at lightning speed and raced back to Dohan’s house.

It had only been two or three minutes. But during that short time, Kim Jihan’s heart pounded with anxiety, fearing that something might happen to Dohan.

Those few minutes felt like an eternity to him.

“Dohan!”

As soon as he arrived, Kim Jihan checked on Dohan. He tapped Dohan’s pale cheeks, and his eyes fluttered open slightly.

Thank goodness, he was still conscious.

“Ha… haa…”

Kim Jihan, out of breath, wiped the sweat from his forehead and then helped the still-lying Dohan sit up, supporting him with one arm. He inserted a straw into the juice carton and held it to Dohan’s lips.

“Drink, quickly.”

It was a first-aid measure to raise his blood sugar, but Dohan remained limp and unresponsive. His mouth just hung open weakly.

“Drink it.”

Kim Jihan said again, bringing the straw closer to his lips.

But Dohan’s parched lips didn’t move, let alone suck on the straw.

Finally, Kim Jihan ripped open the juice carton with his teeth, took a mouthful, and then lifted Dohan’s head, pressing his lips against Dohan’s open mouth.

Glug.

Little by little, very slowly…

Kim Jihan poured the juice into his mouth. He held his breath, focusing only on getting Dohan to swallow, making sure he didn’t choke.

Fortunately, Dohan swallowed the juice trickling into his mouth.

“Haa…”

Kim Jihan parted his lips, took another mouthful of juice, and then kissed Dohan again.

After giving him two mouthfuls in a row, Dohan coughed weakly. His half-opened eyelids fluttered closed.

Kim Jihan felt Dohan’s body, draped over his arm, was still incredibly cold. He had administered first aid, but if the hypothermia continued, it would be dangerous.

Something could go wrong very quickly…

‘No!’

Feeling dizzy, he laid Dohan down and unbuttoned his shirt. He quickly took off his shirt and then pulled up Dohan’s hoodie.

Dohan’s sweat-soaked shirt came off, revealing his pale upper body. It was so white it looked like frost.

Kim Jihan got under the covers and lay down next to Dohan. His body, naturally warm, was even hotter now from running.

Kim Jihan pulled Dohan’s cold body close, holding him tightly.

“You… what did you say to me earlier?”

He whispered in Dohan’s ear.

“You said you’d do anything, right?”

Of course, there was no answer. But Kim Jihan continued whispering.

“Then don’t die. Never…”

If Dohan had any consciousness left, he would surely hear him. Kim Jihan held him close, leaving no space between them, as if trying to melt his icy chest with his own body heat.

But even pressed so close, he could barely feel his heartbeat.

It felt like it would fade away at any moment.

Suddenly, Kim Jihan was overcome with emotion and buried his face in Dohan’s neck.

An unbearable anxiety washed over him. He felt like Dohan would never open his eyes again. Like he would leave him at any moment. He was terrified that Dohan would turn into a cold corpse in his arms.

“Who said you could die…”

He hadn’t made that decision yet. He hadn’t given him permission. How could he just leave like this? He was doing all this to prevent that from happening.

“Don’t die.”

Kim Jihan squeezed his eyes shut.

“…Please.”

A suffocating silence descended. The dark sky gradually turned a dusky blue.

Kim Jihan didn’t sleep a wink all night.

Softly, evenly, Dohan’s shallow breaths filled the small room. His ice-cold body gradually warmed, and his fading heartbeat regained its strength.

Kim Jihan, staring at the blue window, looked down at the sleeping Dohan. Dohan was still nestled in his arms.

Kim Jihan reached out and stroked his black hair.

Perhaps because he was alive, the hair felt as soft as silk beneath his fingertips.

“Haa…”

Kim Jihan breathed a sigh of relief and hugged Dohan tightly. He gently kissed his ebony hair.

‘He’s definitely…’

The identity of the person in his arms.

‘A spy.’

He had suspected it for a while. That Dohan was a spy planted by the enemy.

A first-class spy, an elite special agent.

There were many clues.

His incredible fighting skills witnessed during the confrontation with the gangsters, his ability to solve difficult math problems mentally, his awkward social behavior and peculiar way of speaking, and finally, his past, which was highly likely to be fabricated… Everything pointed to him being a spy.

What if he succeeded in capturing a first-class spy alive?

He could demonstrate his potential to his father, who had always been a towering figure, by personally eliminating a threat to national security. He would be awarded a medal of valor and would take his first step as a highly respected officer.

It could be an opportunity to solidify his position as heir, showcasing his heroic image to the nation and further strengthening the hereditary power.

Not through his father’s influence, but through his own capabilities.

But if Dohan died before that, everything would be for naught. Dead men tell no tales.

‘But…’

Kim Jihan stroked Dohan’s cheek with his finger. His flawless skin was as soft as a baby’s. His finger moved to Dohan’s lips and paused.

That sweet kiss from before.

The unfamiliar heat that had spread through his body uncontrollably.

The memory of the infirmary flickered before Kim Jihan’s eyes like an afterimage.

It had only been a few days, but it already felt like a fading dream. He had never felt such regret at the thought of forgetting the touch of someone he hadn’t even bothered to remember before. It was the first time he felt a pang of sadness at the thought of it becoming a fleeting dream.

He wanted to experience it again. He had barely dipped his toes in the water. It was too precious to let go of so easily.

‘Not yet. You have to stay with me a little longer.’

Kim Jihan pulled Dohan closer, holding him tighter.

‘You can’t escape yet.’

Two strands of greed intertwined within his heart, growing larger and larger.

✦✦✦

Dohan was lost in a sleep as deep as death.

In his dream, he was traveling through his tightly sealed past.

Just a year ago. As an S-class member of the 1st Special Abilities Brigade, he was with the familiar faces he saw every day.

“Major, it seems the enemy is approaching!”

The squad members, moving through the passage, shouted with anxious expressions.

Thud, boom-!

Dohan, known as Major Heukma (Black Devil) of the S-class, looked up at the ceiling of the underground bunker, which was vibrating.

Rumble.

Missiles fired by countless armored soldiers and arc tanks exploded one after another on the ground above, where a fierce battle was raging. The vibrations, signaling the presence of a large army, drew closer.

Gulp, the squad members who had infiltrated with him swallowed nervously. They were all afraid, unsure when the enemy would swarm in.

“Don’t worry. The enemy is still unaware of our presence.”

But Dohan, unfazed, scanned the branching bunker passages.

He had a strong heart. No matter how harsh the training or how severe the trials, he had never shown fear or weakness.

Everyone considered him to possess extraordinary mental fortitude. They even saw him as a cold-blooded individual who wouldn’t shed a single tear even if stabbed.

“Yes, sir!”

The squad members looked at their cold, young commander with reassuring gazes.

As if drawing strength from his steely resolve.

‘Second left. G sector.’

Dohan continued forward, recalling the information he had memorized.

He had memorized the detailed layout of the enemy bunker, obtained through intelligence, with his exceptional memory. Therefore, he could find the secret area where the enemy leader, President Osek, was hiding, even without a map.

Step, step-

Dohan and his squad members were all wearing special electromagnetic combat suits designed to deflect bullets.

They wore mechanical masks integrated into their suits, covering their noses and mouths. This was a precaution against the enemy deploying CS gas (tear gas for combat) or poison gas.

And they all carried greatswords, the symbol of the Berserkers, as tall as themselves.

Only Dohan held two long, sharp black swords.

[Assassination-type S-class]