EFME Ch 3

In the small, white room, Sunyul curled up. A small machine attached to the ceiling blinked a red light, staring at him.

It was a CCTV. Sunyul knew that even though no one was in the room right now, someone somewhere was watching him through it.

How he knew, even Sunyul didn’t know. There were many blank spaces in Sunyul’s memory. There were many instances where he naturally knew what something was, yet couldn’t recall anything related to it.

Sunyul bit his lip, feeling a little anxious.

The day he was suddenly dragged outside. The monster disappeared before his eyes, and the experiments on him stopped abruptly.

Sunyul wasn’t relieved that the experiments had stopped. He clearly remembered the head researcher’s furious face before entering this room.

He didn’t know why the experiments had stopped, but it was obvious that if they started again, they would do worse things.

Being examined on various machines, taking strange pills or injections, having his blood drawn…

Thinking about all of that made him want to cry. But tears didn’t come easily.

‘Is it because I’m an item?’

That thought made him depressed. Ever since he opened his eyes, there had been nothing good, nothing enjoyable.

‘Status window.’

As he thought to himself, his status window appeared before his eyes.

Calculating…

A single sentence, which felt almost nonchalant, was written there. He wished the status window would clearly show him what he was, but nothing went his way.

Sunyul dismissed the window and curled up again.

After some time had passed,

At the sound of the door opening, Sunyul was startled and sat up. The person who entered was an ability user whose face he had seen a few times before.

“Change into this and come out.”

The ability user handed him a paper shopping bag. Glancing inside, he saw clothes. Unlike the clothes Sunyul usually wore, it was a light blue sweatshirt and black pants.

The ability user closed the door and left, and Sunyul, glancing at the CCTV, went to the blind spot as much as possible and changed his clothes.

After changing, he went outside, and the ability user beckoned him. Sunyul followed the ability user who led the way.

Where were they going now?

Thinking about the time he faced the monster sent shivers down his spine. He was glad the monster had suddenly disappeared. If it hadn’t, he would have been bitten for sure.

However, it seemed like the monster’s disappearance wasn’t intentional, as there seemed to be some unknown commotion outside. The sounds from outside were muffled inside the training ground, so he couldn’t tell exactly what had happened.

He hoped this outing wouldn’t involve facing a monster. Not that other things were good, but being thrown in a place alone with a monster like that… was truly terrifying.

The monster was scary, but what was scarier was their indifferent judgment, casually leaving him alone with a monster. It truly felt like they treated him as an item.

‘I’m not… an item…’

He wanted to believe that, but even Sunyul couldn’t be sure. Because Sunyul didn’t remember anything. He just wished he wasn’t something like an item.

Filled with fear, Sunyul was led not to the familiar research lab, but to a neat room on the second floor. There was a table and chairs, and both people sitting there were familiar faces.

One was the head researcher. And the other…

‘It’s him.’

It was Kwon Muyoung, the first man Sunyul saw when he opened his eyes.

Seeing him again, he seemed even more intimidating. He felt scarier than the head researcher. He had an air of someone who was used to being in a position of authority over others.

Even though his presence made it difficult to meet his eyes, Sunyul’s gaze was drawn to the man’s well-defined face.

Sunyul, who had difficulty discerning which of two moderately attractive people was more handsome, couldn’t mistake this overwhelming handsomeness. If humanity were lined up in order of appearance, this man would surely be standing far ahead of countless others.

“Sit.”

At the head researcher’s command, Sunyul only blinked. Then, the ability user pulled out a chair for him. As Sunyul sat down, the head researcher stood up and approached him.

The head researcher opened a box on the table. Inside was a round patch, about 2 cm in diameter. The head researcher picked it up and attached it to the back of Sunyul’s neck. The patch stuck firmly, as if it were a part of Sunyul.

It was an item that automatically activated when the subject to which it was attached attacked a target recognized as human. The powerful electric current flowing from the patch would almost incapacitate I-21. He wouldn’t die, thanks to his regenerative abilities.

“Im Sunyul isn’t dangerous, even without that.”

Muyoung said, making no attempt to hide his displeasure. But the head researcher didn’t back down.

“I am aware that Hunter Kwon Muyoung’s character is trustworthy. However, I cannot return him without this level of safety measures.”

“Im Sunyul is my property.”

“The reason the Supernatural Ability Agency is handing over I-21 so readily is because we want to maintain a good relationship with Hunter Kwon Muyoung and Cheongyeon Guild. I hope you understand this much. We initially planned to install a bomb, but we reduced it to an electric shocker.”

Muyoung clicked his tongue. Because everything the head researcher said was correct.

Muyoung, who was about to say something more, closed his mouth when he saw Sunyul reach up to touch his neck, then lower his hand. He didn’t want to unnecessarily agitate Sunyul, who was visibly anxious after hearing the head researcher’s words.

“Is this enough?”

“……Yes.”

Muyoung stood up and approached Sunyul. Sunyul was frightened by Muyoung’s approach. He clearly remembered Muyoung questioning him harshly and then knocking him unconscious as soon as he opened his eyes.

Muyoung, looking at the frightened Sunyul, raised his hand and suddenly ruffled his hair. Sunyul stared at Muyoung with wide eyes.

Muyoung’s action of stroking his hair was far from hostile.

“You’re coming with me now.”

“…….”

“Follow me.”

Confused, Sunyul glanced at the head researcher. Seeing that the head researcher didn’t object, it seemed that Sunyul was indeed going with Muyoung.

Sunyul quietly followed Muyoung, who led the way. Before the door opened, the head researcher’s voice pierced from behind.

“I-21 is an item, Hunter Kwon Muyoung.”

Muyoung stopped. He then turned around and retorted irritably.

“Don’t make assertions when you haven’t even clarified exactly what he is.”

“The system designated him as an item.”

“It didn’t designate him as anything. The format of his status window is just the same as an item description.”

“Such sophistry……”

“The ones resorting to sophistry are the Supernatural Ability Agency and KIRA. Know your limits.”

With that, Muyoung opened the door and went outside, as if there was no more value in talking. Sunyul’s heart pounded as he followed behind.

The head researcher, as Sunyul had seen him so far, was the absolute authority among the researchers. It was the first time he had seen someone refute the head researcher’s words like that. It was fascinating… and scary. Just how great a person was he to make the head researcher speechless?

“Im Sunyul.”

Kwon Muyoung spoke, standing in front of the elevator.

“……Yes.”

“My name is Kwon Muyoung. I’m the guild leader of Cheongyeon Guild, and the hunter who acquired the box you were in.”

“Yes……”

“You can call me by my name, or Guild Leader. Whichever is comfortable.”

“……Guild Leader.”

“Alright.”

The elevator arrived just then. Muyoung and Sunyul boarded the elevator. The gazes of the people inside the elevator instantly focused on Sunyul. Uncomfortable with the attention, Sunyul lowered his head.

Most of the people got off on the first floor, and only Muyoung and Sunyul remained, heading down to the basement level. As soon as they were alone, Muyoung spoke again.

“We’re going to my house now.”

“The Guild Leader’s house?”

“Because I’ll be taking care of you from now on.”

Even though Muyoung had personally brought Sunyul out, he couldn’t quite grasp the meaning of those words. Taking care of him… until now, he had only been subjected to experiments, and Muyoung was the first person to say such a thing to him.

Muyoung stared at the small head lost in thought.

“If you don’t like it, you can go back to the research facility.”

“No, I don’t! I don’t dislike it. Please don’t send me back.”

Startled, Sunyul pleaded in a panic. Muyoung, thinking he shouldn’t speak carelessly in front of a child, calmed Sunyul down.

“Don’t worry, I won’t send you back. As long as you don’t mind living in my house.”

“I, I don’t mind. I won’t mind. So……”

“Alright. Then there won’t be any reason to go back.”

Sunyul stared at Muyoung, trying to gauge his expression. It didn’t seem like this man was lying. Sunyul breathed a sigh of relief.

The elevator stopped in the underground parking lot. Muyoung, arriving at his car after crossing the parking lot, opened the passenger side door and noticed something odd.

“Why are your clothes inside out?”

“My clothes?”

He hadn’t realized because the clothes had no pattern, but looking closely, the neckline was lower in the back.

Sunyul, not quite understanding Muyoung’s words, examined his clothes. Then he grabbed the hem of the sweatshirt he was wearing and slightly pulled it inside out.

“That’s not what I meant. Just take your arms out of the sleeves.”

Sunyul obediently followed Muyoung’s instructions. Muyoung took the inside-out clothes and rotated them half a turn to straighten them out. Sunyul, putting his arms back into the sleeves, moved a little and then widened his eyes.

“……My neck isn’t tight.”

“The side with the wider neckline is the front.”

“Oh, I see……”

So bits and pieces of common sense were missing.

Muyoung, looking at Sunyul who was staring with wide eyes as if fascinated, helped him into the passenger seat. Then, he fastened the seatbelt for Sunyul, who was sitting blankly. He thought he was quite a handful. Still, it wasn’t too bothersome.