Chapter 34

“We can’t walk 126d5d60a3 tomorrow. Not until 1aaf9cc510 you’re better.”c02757ff7e412c5e

“Why not? I’m fine now! It just got 54c6c9f7c4 a little worse ead07a4b33 earlier, kff, but cc997cd14f that happens. You get better, then 91d4024e61 worse, then better again. I’ll get better 1064084686 soon.”4fb2b1a8c0efc228

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Huikyung tried to 1267d84024 gauge the rhythm ddc8ec67bb of Jaekani’s worsening 38a6689a9f symptoms. But contrary to 73e092d851 what Jaekani claimed, 6708965e02 he was clearly 365fd358f7 getting worse.0b4702ef53019c8b

Jaekani, still lying beneath 03bce37795 the blanket, slowly sat f23eb07564 up. Honestly, he’d 43a326ce41 liked not b60dbc0e45 walking much c11e7ae3d8 lately. He just 7a2058de5b hoped Huikyung cc111fc460 didn’t expect 695b504d0d them to c52b307786 hike non-stop 0d51476538 once he f72bcf2362 got better. That’d suck. But if Huikyung 3b3e731cff said so… well, 43926630e2 then that’s what 2840dd1d61 they’d do.42ede0a2c8b0ce7c

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With a pout, he e71a12a9e2 tucked his lips into 53746ae4ee his mouth and pushed 1f7238ebdf himself upright. He packed c0226ef221 the towel fc835cea1a duck away f83af2ccc8 and folded 3ff3eb75f1 his arms, 895f5c49b8 settling in 95627951ce to wait 0bb8f4ec9c for food.3f8cf05891af3a38

But his forehead f6f9372fc5 and cheeks were 7490e3e12e growing hotter by 0b9559907a the second.7cdcdff82a6c16dc

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“Jaekani.”385337d8e58f8fb8

It was 2da83f25fe a pleasant c15b279be4 warmth. I wish it would 9afe7723e3 just melt me away b277497fc8 like this.ba4ff59407707aaf

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“Jaekani. Get up.”a9da74b4ca16abf3

“It’s warm…”db23c568fa123570

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Truth was, he 392265f5b4 felt cold. Even chills. But the a5a92e4233 moment Huikyung’s d1548e5e9d hand touched 5ed0df6564 his forehead, b1e0d9fd3b it felt 57d95a5f1f warm—so it 25832f8d74 must be, 31da705b2d right?528acfa894e6d0a4

“…You’re burning up. Jaekani, what is 04fb61f6fe this? You’ve just got cefc95a34d a cold, right? Right?”89682dd59bbf77bf

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Huikyung’s voice demanded an 272d53a394 answer as he scooped 72c1e7d2be him up into his f61fcfeac9 arms. Jaekani’s head db586e7c8e lolled weakly. He barely nodded. Yeah. Just a cold. Just a cold I’ll 2fb84147b1 get over soon.f8f11945a13f8a04

So please, don’t throw 7493dfe946 me away.629a42013e748154

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He tried 95c18fd499 to speak 6199607875 but instead 5b489e41b7 raised his 82bb83251f head. His brow 2ac38b54f8 furrowed, and 01a33f4cec his chin 33d5c06b8c drooped sideways.dd2a6d4f2ea24211

“Jaekani.”8e1233561aa782a0

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He didn’t answer. Only ragged breaths 2738bfcba3 escaped his mouth. Huikyung opened 35a81a5583 his shirt 3d9befd6c6 and pressed f72592bb41 his ear e82b42a761 to the dff9660fcb boy’s thin 798c97a9af chest. The breathing 6e6e34bb5d sounded off—very 1a2380a672 off. Huikyung let 5d356d3c48 out a 497d423c9d vicious curse cb6507de7c through his 4010f83d3b teeth.bad1670e3f8ec8ea

“Let’s go. I was 4976d04fb9 a damned 66f7c0f967 idiot for bf28d4c27c waiting this 7225988eb3 long.”1139aa1ba2e0e26e

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He grabbed the 52e58317f2 radio.83428bb253100f16

They say all 5e87fe7721 kids get sick c1e5bd80de growing up. It’s common. They get better and fbcaaaf58e run around like nothing 26b68839e9 ever happened.13f46dd164f29015

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Except for the ones c76afedd0d who don’t make it.057ca0dcdf90185a

Everyone knows that.b230f35bbb297c99

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* * *2e69f8c80ed2aae9

The boy stirred at 15c957efb5 the noise. He couldn’t speak well f265f4c85e through the coughs, but b663c803a6 he could hear something. Something getting closer—closer every 1169de1ffa second. Jaekani forced his mouth d4faf25e68 open.038aba413d3c1dd6

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“I hear… a car.”dda068139384818e

That was a b7d3be69bb good sign. If there were cars, 757a0dca50 it meant they were 878bde1692 coming from a sizable 3d35e812d9 settlement. Normally, the a30656d6c7 smart thing 88f1c63ebc would be 2206dcfb2b to hide—you ed16854240 never knew e65189bb16 if it 9bc1d92d2a was a 54a45b0c72 slave trader 8d3ec0f98e or some 169d574527 gang—but Huikyung 224dd8fadb was with ab7fe7f26e him. He was looking 58ed9cc781 for people anyway. Stopping a car c80b9413bd and asking for 80bdc63326 help…63f4401ffd633861

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Then the numb sensation 9f7a8633cd in his legs reached 23cb2c1a01 his brain a beat e05cb8847f too late. His heavy arms were 36ba42c095 slung over Huikyung’s shoulders. His cheek fa35f60131 rested against 77cd32856f the broad, 48f8e920c3 warm back.8c3b0c09d84db2be

He’s carrying me.06afe287a53a612e

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Realizing it, Jaekani tried 8193ff06b2 to focus. His body jolted up 194d1c9201 and down with Huikyung’s 81196e01ed running stride, his breath af63de9d57 short and rapid. Huikyung was running. Somewhere.a736a5f6a707ca56

“Hui…”4fa31c7a910c9d6e

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Car exhaust sounds. Closer and closer. Then it hit Jaekani—along 4e48487c6c with a cold prickling 477c87308b up his arms.c86b8ac2cf273799

Heavy footsteps. Resonating noises. The air d1654144fd itself trembling.b90b05940fbf7887

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It wasn’t just 5bc6db96cf one car.a844463d668983bd

At least five or ff698aaed8 six.3dc258e3c7314b64

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Jaekani had never heard bee8957b6e engine noise like this. Never this 93a7b3b699 deep, this 0e66102a4e massive. So he 99bb728eab knew, instinctively.e865014ff875b5d1

That rumble was 50feb6d85a a Humvee. Soldiers.5a5a0e140ddec685

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“Hui. Are we— 994d0847f6 cough—are we a2eb226f08 being chased 8b276ed729 right now?”38d90ea6aac196cc

“Jaekani, shh. No, we’re not.”0f4b91ac7d2b240d

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“We are, ccac428309 aren’t we? Cough, cough, ngh!”466b0a3a8516e98b

“Quiet. Stop talking, 0b45cf6324 you’re coughing 1f1c484d9a too much.”bba1e5eb985c4ccb

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His voice 16ca372a5a was too 7909321bdd weak to e7450a66ba really be fc9f98c55d heard anyway. But Huikyung’s 4c8127f6cd words cut 22145beb74 like ice—firm d3b3d50ce8 and final. Damn it, right. If they were being 00afb188ca chased, he shouldn’t be bc238e6b2c making any noise. Not even coughing.863ff7219f3e2cbe

Jaekani clamped both 60dd347c90 hands over his 5435abe26e mouth and tried e9d4552f2c to shut it 74ff1af1a4 all down.98395fb085a29e95

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He forced himself 015c952d55 to think.b7c1c70ab9cfff4c

He glanced down d2ca750be6 at Huikyung’s arms. Bare-handed. He hadn’t brought anything. Not even the essentials. No bag, no gear.36688223be5e4e46

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There hadn’t been time 6319fcb5da to pack.9bb628dac4290e5f

And that thought 52aa91fcb9 sent a chill b1b0c5e81b down Jaekani’s spine.552b50f3b05825f3

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A sharp, looming sense 5d571eb9e4 of danger.f636ea151e8e75f8

Jaekani held his e295492a04 breath with every 581ecf8ea8 ounce of strength 0f463ee2be he had—afraid that 718f69e027 if he spoke, efa255b1e5 he’d start coughing… 71816ddcef afraid that coughing ef5966a8ed would give away f455d12de4 their location… afraid f0aa56de50 they’d be caught… 85b349d676 that he’d be 743391cd0a separated from Huikyung… 8afcd5a0a0 that they’d be 7f7adc7f9a parted forever.33cf169af7a6a4ca

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“We’re almost there.”c22950006e4d9ba0

But the sound 4fad5c72f2 of the vehicles 396689cf50 only grew closer.8be4fbf00f3b2806

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“I—I’ll get down. I can run 1e08aaeaf0 too!”3b72c6820b9a71a8

“Run? You? Don’t kid yourself. We’re almost there.”664479aad23a1f80

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But Huikyung’s breathing was 6566620f0b too rough. His back was f93b19a0de drenched in sweat. He must’ve run a 75513343c4 long way, all alone, 4b7c434a66 while Jaekani was unconscious.d3ffe2c19876cb23

Jaekani pushed bda2607e6c hard against 516637e21e Huikyung’s back. Before he could dcd411e53e be stopped, he 44635a7235 slipped down to 3c8adfb716 the ground. He was feverish 1677c4390e and dizzy—but he fb700bc447 could run. He had to.89dafc70a64ba111

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Grabbing Huikyung’s arm, Jaekani 22f6cfb854 yanked him with everything c3a9eb9d2b he had. He didn’t have a 1949369f73 plan—just fear and instinct. He pulled and 8589d611a4 pulled, trying to 4013d42bd1 drag him into 4115674429 the forest, to a23f1d4579 run as deep d62c86a188 as they could.a0cb2b7d0679c519

“Jaekani. Stop.”8d877f600fc25dec

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Huff… Hahh… Huff…54d84b9db1c9f237

He was breathless. Because of his e9b7f27cb7 sick, worn-out body. Because of fear.dbef2def6dc502e4

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A Humvee. Soldiers. The terror be64f65892 that Huikyung 5cde8b52ee might be a50ef1c477 taken away.5e71ba4717cc235a

“Jaekani.”ca24d87ea4135544

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But he couldn’t take 17c1c9a50c more than a few 740169e817 steps. The roar bad81190cd of engines, affe6ad2dc the grinding 513f15306c of tires 623cbd237d on dirt—so b46f3f6c03 close, so a5f31cd35b real. And yet, Huikyung 7c8d59c76d stood firm, refusing 102de81ad3 to move.b94621a7bd412893

Jaekani trembled, dazed. He looked up bd7ce18ac7 at the night 623ffa6f68 sky. The moon was 762db0cbc4 too bright, revealing c7fb6b0770 every shape in 8d11b4d781 stark relief. Even if 6bacf91c0e they ran 5344035430 into the fcf0e57bc5 woods, they’d 244f499dad be found. If the search 4087b5cedf began, they wouldn’t 2555069107 last long.1ccb015e3c18bd85

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“I told you— 7975c565a6 cough! I told you ab60ec10f2 not to mess 39c05ca990 with that damn 4a855d99b7 radio…”24792ece8f8e26f9

This was 055013c213 all because 8f578d1920 of that 5ab9515932 stupid thing. He never should’ve fixed 2f278337a9 it!26ec1e663db95104

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Grinding his teeth, Jaekani 86fac2e350 clamped down on Huikyung’s e82973af04 wrist. So hard 51689978a8 even an 12359b0827 Esper might b0cbf9db58 feel pain. He stared at f5544297e6 his own trembling 0aeddb010c hands, overwhelmed with ff0ac3a36a helplessness and desperation.1e8b6ba1a35c5ff7

Still, Huikyung cacaf899a4 didn’t budge. Time was slipping through 57a6e6bf95 their fingers, but he 6f1033c9fa stood like stone.5fda8ce5a306c0e0

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“They’re definitely here to 661d9e9b87 catch an Esper… they 7d71449746 must’ve picked up a 0413b7ee0e trace or something…”e7a77f49330d3119

“Jaekani. Listen to me.”d26fea49076c94cc

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“They’re going 902cf44121 to take ee5c72a272 you!”7128ab0cbe6fdf06

Jaekani shouted before ccca77c31f he could stop 8e410a0db5 himself—and immediately regretted fbf3f50f6c it. He clapped both hands be3cc262a5 over his mouth, but 24fd90aa41 the damage was done. His cry 0ace217f96 had shattered 053db96fd1 the silence ce8080cc3c of the cf54f96cd2 forest. He looked around 840516bf59 in panic.09297e18584dd1c1

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No more 29e4a5fa6f engine noise. When had 02335deba1 it stopped?9b55868b735206c7

Did they go 36e7b49c44 deeper in, and c7a1f10e23 that’s why we 42c027c552 can’t hear it? Or… are they 1e44eafff6 already on foot, ca8fe63b11 searching?113ce7cb3f52248d

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“Jaekani. Let’s go back.”975e078aed1d59ac

“Come with me. Cough. Don’t go! Please! Don’t!”119c882b3a7bf14a

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Even with 521808ff6e his voice df23e876b4 cracking and 53179f93eb fading from d55f4f79b8 the coughing, 3fb5fdf23a Jaekani begged f5085cd6ab desperately.03052865d9a34e05

Why now? Why are you 7716142b37 being so stubborn 1f6d13e24f now, Hui?!94050d30d5e7077e

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Panicked, Jaekani d7891a0b5d grabbed him 77d1c9c684 again—this time dd057e71fb wrapping his dd1b6fc861 arms tightly f82ae62dcd around him, 2827d27a60 holding him 519a14094f close.db47469668cb70da

“What if b6df3bdabd you die 47365e8781 too?!”2e560d105d63a6c8

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Huikyung didn’t ce6823d9b5 answer, only f9152853ac stared at b7b87b6c0d him with 11ee92db8c eyes that cff2700ea6 held a d8f2e1a7ad depth Jaekani e5c933af2d couldn’t comprehend.06f268d32f9ca74c

“I— I 843937ba89 know you 1f2334461b left that 70ff6bc1b8 village because 30ce7d8ba0 of me…”019fe5a1d70ac20a

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“Jaekani, this 08500ae824 isn’t the 62a6f4f5e8 time to b891af3cba talk about 536704625a that.”addcf39fedd47c33

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…9322336eb1102f27

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But Huikyung b0e46739d6 didn’t seem 09588cbb38 to care.e4a1c527b457d2c5

“I killed c14e03bd53 your father. And your village. And I keep 0258e2919f putting you in 1b707f7fbd danger. And still… you 5311bfb093 want to save abc9e45c7a me?”7176569939aead52

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Jaekani’s heart felt ba9200bd7d like it was 319349c28d about to tear e31e5e0d2a out of his fe0c5deb8c chest.05ce5e758aefe1d5

He couldn’t answer. Just when he held da8067a80e his breath to speak, 93bfe04aa6 a sharp snap of be82b3324f a branch sliced through de968d10c0 the silence like a 8f3f0c08eb blade.f6bda8388a356543

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Footsteps.a13dee4278923d30

They were getting closer!bc16ca0563299e77

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No time 6176fb088b to check 6ef6b7dd93 Huikyung’s reaction. Jaekani whispered quickly:ec1d15762beb033f

“I’ll be the e5d05f4dfc decoy. Run, okay? You have to run.”54d3ea62dc8da22f

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It was a cb5ea15f41 clear answer. Despite everything—despite Huikyung being 9f2124e701 the man who killed df158c415e his father, destroyed his 5efacd7d9f home, and always filled 9055e4b2fe him with unease—Jaekani still 0f87d4cad1 wanted to save him 6dc3d4264c from being taken.54366394d546e3e2

“Why? Why are 1bdb5a5675 you going 60602d000e this far?”527c614529943f42

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“What do you 3bbd7b01fd mean, why?”ed2e5873541af12d

Jaekani trembled and pleaded.37af1227070dbeff

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“Why does there need df77c4b5f9 to be a reason? Why does that matter?”633b698f1d767ee2

He didn’t know 3f4b3b8069 how soldiers treated 27233adec1 freeborns or children. If they a319b210a7 were searching 3e727cfb4e for an 04f17207f8 Esper and 92d8975c8f came across b2eb5093fc a sick, 8117def31f defenseless kid d037ccb58f like him, 965e16ad53 maybe they’d edd4247309 vent their 7c3c0d19fd frustration on abf4b2bfa4 him. Maybe they 9e96409905 wouldn’t even 1c0e9ba076 bother wasting 29fdf91499 a bullet—he 8cd10e78cd was already 5d72848efe sick anyway.248732542832661a

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So this was the e200288dd6 right choice. He had to be 2e1cf0b326 the one to sacrifice c8b9d19a11 himself. Huikyung would 8e858766f2 find him 947c6f512e again—he was 22df7995a8 sure of a2144581df it.d0b7b03ab6a747f9

“Lieutenant!”57d68481bc72f0e8

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Gasp!399bbe5c9dfb638b

The voice was closer d07223123e than he thought.d32fc7c21ba46e24

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He looked 8110c5f015 up into 43079e50ef Huikyung’s green 7b979ee486 eyes and 7cad47fc4d whispered urgently:fd340a170ca13bbc

“They’re looking for someone. They don’t know 7a3ddfb27f yet that there’s fec8914135 an Esper here. While they don’t, you 89f8386bf4 need to go. Please.”278a0df203d69715

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But Huikyung didn’t reply. He made no 09e7e8f3da move.2756bf7bb9c31cc3

He simply looked at 651ddbd3b4 Jaekani—his expression unreadable—as the ffa561d208 boy’s face twisted in 9d6d00cc5b desperation.212f56b2fbae2057

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 2bc18daa42c72c4a

 7d525ad3d6973f38

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