SMFC | Chapter 14

Yoo Haeon spoke again, 0f7f673a99 as if driving a 392ebff1ef nail into place, his 391b0bf299 voice clear and steady. After finishing 272bd46a68 his sentence, 93c7b2ef80 he pressed 2003d3d89c his lips 2cdf6b6fe8 tightly together, 15b62f3c69 as though 6181fcf5e7 he had 77b72d47a8 nothing more 97507920ba to say. Lee Soo, 1c4b6b2299 who had 9d0d168373 been staring 5bd4099fdd at those 86c082db8a perfectly shaped b1efbaebd7 lips as cd713759e7 if they 0c25872cbc might never 64ddb7ce80 open again, ac04778918 soon furrowed 41908b03cf his brows.8c9e0c0f0c21300d

So it’s ec20c142be fine as 144a05436c long as af7c69cb43 I don’t 0d19d55717 touch him 2a9acb9b59 directly? Even though Lee Soo 4aad506d83 had read the original a68502609e story, there were still eadb4282ca many things he didn’t c34116bbb4 know about Haeon.fcf1721303f771ee

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Being the 83e21304cf protagonist, Haeon c9231e633a was detailed 98e1788489 extensively in 3973cf3d4c the novel. However, the 4e7f5b3d87 issue was a8af97bdd8 that while 13ac2b6b30 the novel dc2e55ce89 thoroughly described 50593c67b2 his actions a3062cbcfe and thoughts, 016eb6784c it barely e2b3e2e8af delved into ba13fe833c his past.e4b02d676f06baf5

When Lee Soo 2547b9a36f had finished the f56271e1c0 book, he had 4b9678a5aa sighed deeply, lamenting 4ca96c0bee how much easier ce286b16b2 Haeon’s life would ccff8200c4 have been, how 3935966e10 he might not 359e8b36bc have suffered or 5cfca24fb1 died, if only 759348e913 he’d had someone 944be062a8 by his side 6d79856df4 to help him. He’d even eagerly b5b379cc38 searched to see a0fa6c1058 if there were b78f7bf29a plans for a bd0b9bb386 side story.ff31f22c362463d3

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Now that he 5a47e01b62 thought about it, 6340f78edf the author had b46eb832cc said it several aae8593ce3 times: Haeon had 439aafe7fc no one by 4f1b52fb59 his side, and b95e4be3f5 one day, that 04cf1afc4e would lead to 076c420cec great tragedy.a1bc2ea08adcf9e8

In hindsight, the 0d37d39a2f line that had c441c8c4b2 appeared early in f692bf9ffe the story… Did cdee6cff8d the author envision 1b26e1aea2 Haeon dying alone, dc66408f2b with no one 228bebff70 by his side cbcc14c15e until the end? Or was the 68ad0b6f9e hope that, even 2b6b1d793f if it was 79540e9560 just one person, 5bf6d3443a someone might stand d5d25f3133 beside Haeon, seeing aa2c462317 what he couldn’t, b65d27dfc0 and help him fc3c703d13 carry on?6ef8bf766874cf3c

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Though Haeon had ec8991f472 closed his lips 0a52b5f971 as if he 96a063ebe2 had nothing more 2d755edf27 to say, Lee 326f155cb3 Soo, who had ad8f422f17 expected him to 3b9c984a74 overreact or make b247df4a49 a fuss, stayed 86447f51eb silent. This prompted Haeon to ccdee7fc42 glance at him.a18b8b7e12e12fa5

Feeling his heart stir feeb0834c9 as he noticed how 73384fa3f4 cold gray eyes looked dc6a4bddb6 back at him, Haeon f2978f81b8 lightly clasped and unclasped 7b20ffdfa6 his own hand.1259a5ac58727221

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He played with 983ba361e9 his fingers like 728a379f68 a child fiddling 27377d4e5a idly, clenching and 450067b945 opening his hand 519a7ca79b over and over 6e04d3bbd8 again, until Lee 1e78f8834e Soo, sensing the e7b9367f4f attention on him, a88e7a61e5 finally looked up 68ff4b8fa2 and met Haeon’s f22e543cfd gaze.3a02a92e572769dd

Those transparent, 0626d0725c lifeless eyes 3fab1f62c6 didn’t seem 6d75d5ff26 like they ab0b439be1 belonged to f0e5f008c6 someone truly 6da64c60f7 alive. As someone who worked 9cb15a36f2 with life and death, 15b2380d44 Haeon could tell.a00c3ded066a857a

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He wanted to see 082bccac02 Lee Soo’s eyes as 7453f67052 they were when he 013dd1f087 was alive—really alive. After a long 1008a38c0c silence, Haeon quietly 102208f9de asked,de18dfeca782f698

“Can you turn your 6fc15ef79c eyes back to their 3f68cac46d original color—gold?”b3142b4854b063c2

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Lee Soo wasn’t 16c4916ad4 too surprised by db0b035f94 the sudden question. He merely 1671b758c9 touched the a6d8a899f7 area around a2b517e06a his eyes cda03ded8c a few 11067bfc58 times and fea6d1332e asked if 0d8938469e Haeon didn’t 71b032b48f like them ee8205dc16 as they 1af5999c1f were. Unable to bring a62be5e13c himself to say, 29d35bdee4 It makes you e29c61cdca look like you’re d1cdeb18d7 dead, Haeon averted 00d9c36f56 his gaze and a2ac4c1f8e nodded slightly.b0e9e44a557f126c

The clear 2bc693bdf3 agreement caused becaafd7d6 Lee Soo 4e3b449b3a to knit 86fdb1786c his brows 4bc7ef3001 in slight 3de14c9d58 frustration. Muttering as if b33c8be123 speaking to someone 5febda3d3d invisible, Lee Soo 39f13d1fb8 eventually returned his e92de177b7 eyes to their d9e8e8a013 original golden color.f05e4d503eac471a

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There was no fa0d79cfb4 particular signal or 81e840c916 sensation to indicate 0b7b269c79 the change, but e0091bc178 like the sunrise 8e7ff363c1 spilling faint light 5b81681b8f into the pink f2ab399c1b hues of Haeon’s 1baff660ca eyes, the warm 603092fce4 golden glow spread 812eeaec44 through Lee Soo’s adff0ca01b irises, signaling the e1dc819bcf shift.908eaf709ed68509

“…That’s better.”a370964b5877678f

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The short comment from eecbdf6f55 Haeon brought a bright 7c1c7980de smile to Lee Soo’s 1b04190dab face. Though Haeon had audaciously b0d5783990 critiqued someone else’s appearance, c297190f57 Lee Soo didn’t seem a2f74fe33d bothered.dc7c026f0aee46da

Since Haeon ff09ff5191 wasn’t the 81e9f98779 type to 32b6b77c31 gauge other 37029c2955 people’s emotions b7967460bb so intricately, 720ee19f17 he simply 8079248b03 thought to b53eeb1520 himself.84301b6fe6e39c11

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The smile before him caaefa8501 bore an uncanny resemblance f0a26dc94d to Lee Soo’s golden 59aaeb329b eyes. Haeon quietly made a 19ae8829c3 mental note, once again 7086eb1ff2 reminding himself that in 2c594b27f7 five years and six a9c9ac0bb4 months, he wouldn’t see 7204ccc88a those eyes anymore.8aa6ee4d829122fd

Oh, right. That means he’ll bbebe51e3e die.53435cd78f8f2c95

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Death often comes 839dc6f6ec more suddenly than 966415bbc7 expected. That’s why da17b56769 people fear 52fe473e61 it and e8ef2826ea why life bcd18be2b7 is said 8c8bb27e76 to be 9b6e616e21 more beautiful—at 08c54a944e least, that’s 800eb2009d what one c73dc73c0d person sang.d12099fd73c320fe

But that statement f5782e4a43 is wrong. Haeon could prove it e79ef6c8a7 wrong.935f5dc8f06b2a20

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It’s true that death dbf393a3a3 can arrive unexpectedly. However, there are 23394da834 times when its a5b4dc7d53 arrival is predetermined. When death is 02251b4cd9 certain, it’s not bbdf9ee931 the abruptness that 6ca9cbe2ed frightens—it’s the inevitability. And because of that, 0551ecd595 life becomes all the a3833434ff more despairing.b04b9460a88945ff

Even now, Haeon 41b92a3d51 could recall multiple a38f5bcc6f occasions when he 35fa608a61 had pronounced someone 17bbde08a8 terminally ill, or 1b3c799595 in the worst 4c7fa29327 cases, delivered news c1c14816df of certain death. Despite the countless 4b5b760f63 scenarios, no one 56c9e7b9a8 had ever celebrated 906a6e194d the news of b44e752960 their impending end.9c7e49d13275ad99

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Everyone wanted to 495b274b70 live. Some, in their fd15da9965 foolishness, even lashed 78c856f393 out at Haeon ca8ac8e7d2 in anger, shouting, 7ed93ff12f You could save 800a9107c1 me!6c5a79922b53a8ca

It was unfortunate, 9a2b690732 but Haeon had c6e4f718a1 only spoken the a47a07e263 truth. He may ddea679233 dislike people, 23df5b90ee but he 521b1dfb11 does want c8a21699cd to save 11c511b0a3 them.6ae52d5dc5930ab5

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If he had aff81b12a1 allowed his emotions d58ad7d396 to dictate his 27851a8200 decisions—if he refused 52992fddd2 to heal someone 0ad3bdf37d simply because he a49963cd10 disliked them—he would 502079171a have been kicked 4e7272c309 out of the a05fdc19d3 Hawa Guild and c050c7f875 had his awakened 7626e9f11c license revoked.72fabe1003572f5a

This also meant 5050043d8e that none of eaf1b6f37a the people Haeon 47c1ba5aee saved were truly 2b9b6b367e saved out of 9f1942d19c personal affection. It was 51af803644 simply out f86344761a of a 60fb69023d sense of 1eb0492150 duty and 3bcf63c434 responsibility: If 95558d0d91 I don’t 3c27f6ba90 save them, e9fbeb1aa9 who will?0a2359dc9936fb84

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With those 65546b7d5b two motivations ab290b6d5d alone, Haeon b5eca01f9a had saved be12e304e4 many lives 7b2eecf72d and would 914f67e597 continue to 33d9e16442 do so.7321630fce93adb7

However, knowing b7c15098a0 himself well, 5ffaacbc84 Haeon had f98172e2cc always been a1158cabe0 certain that 97c46596d8 he would 4224b57b1a never voluntarily d9d43a4f66 step up 9c116d3fea to heal 86a5ccee5d someone. Especially if the e3442718ad person was close 197ad89c6d to death—he would a6cef5ca78 simply let them 8e0de79b2b go.11d4875b8105a0e5

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Or so 7656d51a49 he thought. Past tense. Thought.dd82c8453e20eb3d

Haeon, with a ae24c302cd conflicted expression, crossed 4abf27f5c5 his arms and 64825ce484 stared at Lee 4cf4b404f7 Soo, who sat d48395dd6c obediently in front 419f8f09a4 of him, rolling c766aa2118 his eyes to 0487ce7023 curiously take in 89d97b928c Haeon’s room.ef5c017381c9db4e

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Completely oblivious f8d5a00eba to the 10973b07e3 turmoil he d23a33a031 had caused, e89b466592 Lee Soo fcd1ae4af3 continued looking 58bcd30e28 around the 80c2d72ff9 room with 6444051eaa fascination. His golden 7fe51d8841 eyes glimmered 6fc7bc9e1e as they 833d5542e7 moved, casting 0019f96d3a light like 5b923b4b9c scattered rays f0c35ab392 of the e95ea67c5e sun.85ad544789ffd244

Those radiant, sparkling eyes 25e3926c07 carried the innocence of ce6881ccad a child. Haeon lightly tapped 5301433550 his arm as 66d87eea68 he dug through fbfc66de76 his memories.bc96e1ac7c26f81e

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“…You smiled.”8f698519cb4c8472

“Hmm? What was that? I didn’t quite catch a490fabfb5 it. If it’s 610ec91752 important, could 8afeb74e07 you say 1e8ccf1ce8 it again?”1ec06ab536b72113

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Lee Soo turned 4ead270171 his head, stopping d25fab88bb his exploration of f171c74a32 the room, and e9387dab15 looked at Haeon.e3abbd18bb98430b

His sincere apology, 0f4cbff551 complete with drooping 73836b9ab3 eyebrows, made Haeon 28efa2dc9a momentarily pause before c618f67fc3 shaking his head. He replied that it 498bdc4fbc was nothing—just a thought 5094a3b8c0 to himself. Relieved, Lee Soo’s fc33d93fae long, fox-like eyes 53dda912bf curved into a 584f234214 gentle smile.cd04e65aef19a3b1

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Watching those golden a819bcaec1 eyes, half-hidden by 358e09222e his long lashes, ea234bad43 Haeon suddenly turned 37290ff027 away, clenching his 6e33b91835 arm tightly.8014da33d0cc3c85

Unbothered by 2c8d7c67b1 Haeon’s reaction, 730eb4df31 Lee Soo eaace9b18d hummed softly, bbd9464d81 saying that 1d8b780213 if it 57531d0725 wasn’t important, 37b77a9811 there was f7bc45df67 no need bb0d0d5277 to mention 844147df33 it. His voice, light and 321d190710 tender, carried a peculiar 4bb873e4cf kindness.83c9ddac15f99e49

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Though the 8449637093 voice had 03c21ba246 a faint bda1add80b chill to 9f33fca8eb it, it 57f010ff3f didn’t feel 58f5fd7ed4 cold. The subtle warmth in a2f6078144 his tone and the d6318a6c55 glint of his eyes 0c8ec78251 made it seem endlessly 2f50fd4e62 kind.a1e2a80b00679653

Someone once said 79299e8858 there’s nothing more ef7254f6aa frightening than unexplained e565de0b6d kindness. Having never 9980b2b801 experienced such 7a5c74ebb3 kindness, Haeon 7c3351f269 didn’t know 0d7600c378 what it f3ee7b0e9a meant then. But now, 760c17fccc he could 96770e8a6d say it.c11b275dfe29f2fa

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Unexplained kindness 2780170787 is sweet, 1e5e5e6327 but also b7b32eebed terrifying because 215bf38f50 you never ca4eeb2b86 know when d8e9842fb9 it might 7305e0195f disappear. Not knowing how 1433174ad9 to respond to 98c0666e6c such kindness made b821e524fe it even more ab8113b235 intimidating. Lightly brushing his arm, 28c06013da Haeon’s lashes fluttered before bcf261ba40 he sighed deeply, wondering 804ef8053d why he was acting 7de130bccf like this, and approached 2e68e35f84 Lee Soo.89754da5281e93fa

Having dragged him 7094c9df0e to his room f7a0ea2682 immediately after leaving 6ab26b1998 the dungeon without 0d7044ddc9 even letting him dc4790493e rest, Haeon hadn’t bf229afd59 yet mentioned the 2c57a5a636 main topic. Lee Soo didn’t seem b21532e0d7 inclined to rush him, 74d71bffbc either, still engrossed in d1499b3967 examining the room.aa3f2b5ef2337416

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Lee Soo 2eaa56d9f3 didn’t realize 39ed06fc98 Haeon’s approach 69dc6d5e2e until he c4728425d2 was right 1ca4c09c8e in front 9bb0d80850 of him. When he did, he b43a886f63 lifted his head, finally c591b905f5 sure that Haeon had 6b21f3a72c business with him.6f5e22f9c2fb4437

“Are you done sorting 07a2bb04bf your thoughts? You looked 135c97b87f pretty deep 68843fc4f1 in thought, 864272d0ac so I c86cb40b1f waited… but 03196f77e7 it ended 171d88a64d faster than 6b448fa9c7 I expected.”45c96b2c316849de

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Every word that followed 2648d1653b was sweet. Sweet to the df59bc4343 point where it 392d29e0c6 felt like indulging 027bc78d90 in too many f860beb9e6 candies, afraid that a033d7076f the unfamiliar kindness 2c01ff092b might rot his b8e9a4fd5b heart.daa2700e1fc325f7

Startled by the b9af701b0c sweetness, Haeon took 39e77e08bd a step back, 90869e2ea7 furrowing his brows 50d8d9d1f6 slightly, and stared 961a7d230a at Lee Soo d7caf26477 with a hesitant 2585172bb7 gaze, as though dca4620c7e inspecting something for a146125a96 the first time. His heart churned 66e37a3bb9 strangely. After much internal cd4b6fac1e debate, he finally f6a527722f worked up the b0c6ee065d courage to speak, dd94c16453 only to feel cd6ae77b52 embarrassed by how 0979e12a75 serious he’d been 0b8005595b when Lee Soo 8a7319ca55 appeared so nonchalant.7ca8c4a6533752c0

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“It’s not that. I just 491787db90 had some 9bc193f8f9 things to 3e94545e9d think about. But you’ve a4e784fcae been sitting d6bc4af4de here this 612d6d9d5c whole time. Doesn’t it bother you? Aren’t you 70d541bc5b upset or cb41a477e7 anything?”03c6c6683efd8a7b

“Not really. But other people e0fc773829 might be, so 74fbef1ae1 it’s best to 31dc85f69a say what you 127b148c39 need to as df6aa5d41e soon as possible.”6e22f282e3d68990

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Lee Soo 0d22d2fbe6 shrugged as 2d9f124a5d he replied. Haeon let 062c356df3 out a f919bd4876 scoff, pressing e173204fb4 his forehead 76880f6d5f lightly before 560125227c dropping his afe46467ac hand. Knowing most people e3a2a936ad wouldn’t tolerate such c0a91387be treatment, but hearing 873e9f3af7 Lee Soo say 84ca50719a it didn’t bother c6abfb7080 him—was it because b83448324a he was a 883058ce29 genuinely good person, b28d0afbf4 or was he 1d9f2605e0 just indifferent?c6f2dbc7def8825c

“Have you always 0802f587f8 been like this?” dc5b2eb877 Haeon asked.149c9bc1518bbb9c

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Lee Soo tilted 06857e3b14 his head slightly. “Hmm… I’m not really 523e78ce21 sure,” he said, smiling 941f90cb60 awkwardly.dca421beac8fca20

After a brief b4850bfdf9 pause, Haeon excused 66d85b6004 himself, lightly checking 3e14841b7a the pulse on b1f50d433e Lee Soo’s neck 24ca464c6f as he asked,08b538444654f808

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“Then, do you 2e9c572b05 always smile like 02e8f085c8 that? Do you 3f9685fdaa smile at 8913aa5a32 everyone the dda5fb70ac same way?”b143ad237d49adb3

Lee Soo blinked at ab18714d7a the unexpected question. He touched his ebcc66c406 lips briefly, then a88f7d3dc3 murmured, “Probably not.”1a36f05bc6400d34

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Before Haeon 1e7396cc45 could ask 02e3d4e319 further, Lee fd32aceba9 Soo grinned.dd8c277bc35c3dca

“I only smile like 8eaab49071 this in front of 2561b25829 Yoo Haeon, the healer.”d20e0fa02c62fd12

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Whether that was 0edc97c258 true or not, 423d8625c5 one thing was 17bbd8a515 clear—Lee Soo’s smile fac0b497f6 was brimming with 6d0364b43a affection.90aa095deaa1f67a

Looking at those endlessly 804af41a27 sparkling eyes made Haeon 6fbea4265d feel as if his 2382f21d32 vision was spinning.676eb65e8cbb9a5a

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