SMFC | Chapter 28

Haeon, who didn’t even flinch at being called butterfly by Mu, frowned slightly at his cryptic words.

Are all spirits like this? he wondered. They always seemed to have secrets, dangling truths just out of reach while keeping their true intentions hidden. It irritated him. With that thought, he took another step forward.

As he passed through Mu, an unfamiliar tone reached his ears.

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[Mu: In time, you will understand. When that time comes, you’ll thank us. You won’t resent us for not telling you sooner. …Don’t worry. In the end, everything we’ve done is born out of love.]

The voice, soaked with damp emotion, lingered in his ears and made Haeon pause momentarily. But he soon resumed walking. Watching Haeon’s retreating figure, Mu closed his eyes for a brief moment, as if imagining the delicate silk hem of a robe fluttering gently like a tail behind him.

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I have stopped here, but you continue to flow along the bends and curves of life. While I stagnated, unable to grow, you flowed endlessly, unable to find roots. This time, bind each other. Tie yourselves together so you’ll never be separated again. Stop the flow. You’ve died five times; now live five times. That’s all it will take. That’s all you need to do.

Even if the gods can love you, the world is not kind enough to keep bending its rules for the sake of one pair of lovers.

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***

“Has it been ten days already?” Haeon muttered to himself as he rubbed his darkened under-eyes. He had spent every single night by Lee Soo’s side without a break. Staying up all night wasn’t the problem—what exhausted him was the constant tension and strain on his nerves, leaving him twice as drained.

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Every time he tried to close his eyes, vivid images of Lee Soo abandoning him to leap into the gate burned into his mind, as if seared there with fire. He couldn’t sleep. He thought he’d grown used to being discarded—it had happened so often—but apparently, he hadn’t. Pushing those intrusive thoughts aside, Haeon furrowed his brows in frustration.

This whole situation was unbearable. Lee Soo, who stirred his emotions so inexplicably, was frustrating enough. But now, with no sign of him waking up, Haeon felt like he was on edge, teetering between despair and annoyance. He found himself wishing Lee Soo would wake up, even if only to frustrate him further.

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His emotions were a tangled mess, a whirlwind he couldn’t define. But one thing was clear: this chaotic reaction was something only Ryu Leesoo could evoke—a reaction that defied logic or reason.

Haeon had encountered plenty of people who were indifferent to him, but none who were as unexpectedly kind as Lee Soo. Perhaps that was why his thoughts kept drifting to Lee Soo’s radiant smile, the way he warmly called his name. Even when he wasn’t thinking about him, the memory of Lee Soo crept back into his mind.

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Haeon stared blankly at Lee Soo’s frowning face before collapsing onto the edge of the bed. He reached out to lightly tap Lee Soo’s chest, a gesture that had become much gentler and softer over time. The tension in Lee Soo’s expression eased, and his breathing evened out into a steady rhythm.

Was Lee Soo angry with him? He still hadn’t opened his eyes, no matter how much time had passed. At first, Haeon muttered complaints, calling him unfair, but now he was too exhausted even to grumble.

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The spirits, who had initially stayed by Lee Soo’s side with no apparent purpose, had all vanished. Many people had asked about Lee Soo’s condition, but Haeon, citing the need for absolute rest, refused to let anyone visit. The room had become a world of just the two of them.

No one would know what happened here. He could kiss Lee Soo in desperation, touch his face, scold him, or talk to him. No one would ever find out. While that secrecy was comforting, the fact that even Lee Soo wouldn’t know left a bitter taste.

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Murmuring softly to himself, Haeon carefully turned Lee Soo’s hand over. He pressed his forehead to the pale palm and sighed deeply. Conflicting wishes tugged at him: the hope that Lee Soo would wake up soon, and the selfish desire for him to stay like this just a little longer.

He remembered the moment Lee Soo had emerged from the dungeon. The air had been so charged that even Haeon, usually numb to such things, had felt his hair stand on end. Everyone had stared at Lee Soo, unable to look away. Haeon had wanted to shout at them to stop staring, to focus on healing instead, but he knew he couldn’t blame them. He understood all too well what they were feeling.

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Even now, closing his eyes brought back that moment vividly. The sight of Lee Soo, bloodied and exhausted but still worrying about others, evoked a strange mix of anger and exhilaration in Haeon.

His gaze lingered on Lee Soo’s faint pulse, and his heated, reddened eyes narrowed as he pressed closer to hear it. Then, a knock at the door interrupted his thoughts, and he reluctantly looked up.

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Annoyed, Haeon glared at the door before slowly rising. Carefully, he tucked Lee Soo’s hand back under the blanket, smoothed his hair unnecessarily, and finally opened the door. The intruder, Eve, was grinning broadly, as if oblivious to the irritated energy radiating from Haeon.

“Time to get back to work, don’t you think, Healer Haeon?” Eve said cheerfully.

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“…I think saving the Hunter who saved twenty lives is more important,” Haeon replied curtly.

“Oh, come on. He just needs someone to keep an eye on him until he wakes up. Even a freshly awakened rookie healer could manage that,” Eve said, smirking.

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Haeon didn’t bother arguing further and simply crossed his arms. His body, depleted from overuse of healing abilities, shivered slightly. Eve noticed and sighed loudly, running a hand through his hair.

“Why do you look like you’re the one on death’s door? I’ll bet my day’s work that Hunter Ryu Leesoo, lying over there, looks healthier than you do. You look even worse than I imagined. If I joke about it, I’ll feel like a villain.”

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“Since when has the Guild Leader not been a villain? If you don’t have anything important to say, leave,” Haeon snapped, starting to shut the door. Eve quickly stuck his foot in the gap.

“Are you insane? Who sticks their foot in front of a healer trying to close a door?”

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“…Don’t you find Hunter Ryu Leesoo suspicious? He just happened to go out and got caught in a dungeon?”

“……”

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“Doesn’t it feel like he knew exactly what was going to happen? Almost like a prophecy. If that’s true, imagine the—”

“Eve Jung,” Haeon interrupted sharply.

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As Haeon’s fatigue-dulled gaze sharpened into a cutting edge, Eve laughed, baring his teeth as he patted Haeon’s shoulder.

“Relax. Do you really think I’d start weighing Hunter Ryu Leesoo’s value like that? I’m not here to pick a fight; I’m just letting you know the kind of rumors that are spreading. Necromancers are so rare that no one really knows the full extent of their abilities. If you don’t want to see the person you care about being treated like a billion-dollar asset…”

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Take care of him. When something is precious, don’t let it slip away, trusting it’ll return on its own. You can’t just leave it untended, expecting a promise to bring it back.

Eve’s voice was calm, almost warning. With a bright, cheery goodbye, he waved and disappeared, leaving Haeon standing in the doorway. His hand clenched the slightly ajar door as he stared down the empty hallway. Finally, with a heavy sigh, he shut the door.

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Turning back toward the room, Haeon froze. Lee Soo was awake, sitting up and looking straight at him. For a moment, Haeon’s heart dropped. Did he overhear my conversation with Eve? But Lee Soo’s expression was unbothered, like someone who had just woken up.

In the dim room, where blackout curtains blocked out the sunlight and only minimal lighting remained, Haeon approached Lee Soo. He adjusted the brightness of the bedside lamp as he neared.

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“…Did you sleep well?” Haeon asked, his voice soft.

“Yes, thanks to you. How long was I out?” Lee Soo asked, frowning slightly, as though the answer would trouble him.

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Haeon hesitated. He didn’t want to admit that he had lost track of time in the shadowed room, the curtains drawn and the clock ignored. Instead, he murmured softly, “…A long time.”

When tears began welling in Haeon’s reddened eyes, Lee Soo was startled. Reaching out, he tugged lightly on Haeon’s arm, pulling him to sit on the edge of the bed. Haeon complied, remaining silent as Lee Soo’s concerned hands roamed over his arms and shoulders, his worried murmurs filling the room.

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“Why is your body so cold? You’ve lost more weight. Did you even eat properly? Have you seen the sunlight at all?” Lee Soo muttered, his words tumbling out one after another. He stopped only when Haeon’s tears fell freely, spilling down his cheeks. Alarmed, Lee Soo pulled Haeon into an embrace.

“Even if I tell you not to go… If it’s necessary, you’ll still go, won’t you? Right in front of me, like last time… like that…” Haeon’s voice was damp and trembling, but no response came. Neither of them needed an answer; they both already knew.

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“Then… if you go, promise me you’ll come back. You’ll return to me first, before anyone else. Even if you die, promise me you’ll die in front of me. Promise me that.”

It was a heavy promise. Listening to Haeon’s words, Lee Soo couldn’t help but think so. No one could predict what might happen in the future, yet Haeon was asking for an unbreakable vow—to return no matter what, and even to die by his side. It was a weighty demand, but…

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Feeling the desperate sincerity in Haeon’s trembling touch, Lee Soo reached out, brushing his fingers gently through Haeon’s hair. He offered the promise Haeon longed for.

“I promise. I’ll come back to Healer Haeon, no matter what. Even if I die… I’ll die by your side.”

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