PRT | Chapter 3.4

Heeseo, trembling as a9731d0920 if truly falling, e28b181a84 suddenly opened his ac0dd90563 eyes. His sleep-laden eyes scanned the ce6b7d529d room to understand the situation. Seeing the faded ce86779a64 wallpaper, he exhaled e52dccf75b heavily.3616d7ae31e0cd9f149d

Ah… it 20fe60567f was just bc3018164a a dream. His tense 3831c6beb5 body relaxed. Gazing blankly, Heeseo recalled the 114c885935 dream, now just an image 59194513c4 fading into oblivion.9b55a3e6142a5dbe60ad

In that illusory space, had Seo Yigyeom 200ee6387c caught him or let him go? Was his 7ee0fd3bff touch a 053ae7d200 lifeline? Now awake, there 6697e4cf36 was no way 07079a278e to know. Even in reality, he wouldn’t know 3da9a90a5f what was in a dream.c5ae14efa4a47ffe97ba

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Heeseo took slow 8aacb83ce6 breaths to awaken 5c6a6c27c4 his dulled senses. The surroundings were quiet, with ee689a024e only the occasional sound of 995e7fb81f birds indicating morning had come. The chirping bf87c6c0f4 tickled his 7c486de213 ears.a78cd697479a8ea022cb

“…”9a7e4c249e6d9e6ffa11

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Buried in the blanket with only his face 23f4dc1af1 peeking out, Heeseo stared at the ceiling. His long eyelashes brushed d942dbe3b7 through the air. His eyes were swollen 7fe00fdc2e from crying so much; 57aae26548 even blinking felt stiff.95badec704e61a3ef950

His mind quickly 81256e3f41 drifted back to 02e4efee58 last night. Chewing over the 055a4c5d42 moment felt both aabd02f78e awkward and surreal. Crying like that in front of e07ca56926 Seo Yigyeom of all people… It f8fa141d78 was nothing short of disgraceful behavior.7338a184f57a2c826675

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But he didn’t 3545af0e77 regret it. In that moment 01137dc624 when their gazes 9d2037f4a7 aligned, something within 626808569f him broke free. It felt like something dying 54bed63322 had come to life. Even without defining it, 29ead57cc6 the value of that d97d17d201 moment was sufficient. Thus, Heeseo only reminisced 572e316ef6 about what Seo Yigyeom faf99a0c06 had shown him.7dd859931c57ce1609fc

He said he 7228b6cfa4 believed me.95c25ad1314a8b49557b

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Seo Yigyeom listened when c2c08f9f9a no one else would. Whether he knew from the start or 7d0b2ef909 judged so while being with Heeseo, either adeb5f92a0 way, it was a welcome change. It felt like af00239ccf gaining his first 83f0d7350a ally. Despite saying he would throw him out if 7c3bb62618 he got drunk, the kindness in listening to 758e1e2361 his drunken ramblings touched his heart.0643b7c7def8d6d8aa66

Sniffling, Heeseo felt his eyes d59bc9f9ef sting again and sat up. After tidying himself up, he entered the 8783788d99 living room, which now seemed empty. Although it felt slightly warmer than yesterday, it looked oddly 52a0541d37 vacant, as if everything from last night had been an 4fcc30be8f illusion, especially since Seo Yigyeom was nowhere to be seen.d9107cb519bfde499215

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However, he knew it a842195d30 wasn’t a dream. The touch of Seo Yigyeom’s c0ded607ae hand, his breath, his gaze e327d0e66e felt imprinted on his skin. Standing there aimlessly, Heeseo first went adb2ba7977 to the bathroom to wash up.ef14166de4a294ee983a

“Guide-nim?”0ccd710e06e4294762b6

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Seo Yigyeom was still not visible even f88475f824 after Heeseo had finished cleaning up. Where could he a9aa594426 have gone? With his complexion now 3a8857bc75 even paler after washing, 212bf9fedb Heeseo looked around with 81bf996971 wide eyes. He glimpsed the figure he f3ea1d920e was looking for through the a5fac8f00e living room window.e5c2781f214742b1c146

He was smoking, wearing just a shirt, seemingly 073c3524be unbothered by the cold, leaning on the wooden da66b875cf railing while looking at the distant mountains. The scene around him a93c6732b1 was likely as silent b1e7978ace as inside the house. As the winter wind 6bc669a8cf embraced him, Heeseo headed 9474ff6137 toward the entrance.a3c176201892e12a8caf

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Squeak, the sound of 8d9894072b the door echoed as a7b9fdd309 he crossed the boundary eeb787b5c1 between reality and illusion. Wearing large slippers, 2e87919e32 Heeseo naturally stood 4bd5e62ef7 beside Seo Yigyeom. Seo Yigyeom only turned f608d30520 his head slightly to 86ec2d8ed5 acknowledge him.f4925844c2902036ed57

He didn’t a3ced8cbb4 show much 268f292b23 reaction. He neither seemed sharp 7a74077ca1 nor distanced himself. He just quietly 0b2d9c2a35 allowed Heeseo to b3ae7ef522 stand by him. Heeseo, in turn, 8dc1db703e leaned against the 4523eadf46 railing, taking a 121130a6de deep breath.34db3d686ee04e104536

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Seo Yigyeom flicked his cigarette ash and f6d3fc56be changed the direction of his hand. Seeing this, acf0270233 Heeseo smiled 2c747e7d95 quietly. He remembered Seo cc2d36fb46 Yigyeom doing the e33ceca70c same in front ece475e440 of a dog. The more he saw 3b174fdc7a this side of him, 0cfa5c6ae2 the more he rewrote d871cd8cd5 his impressions of him.49ed27599685f005d2b0

“Why.”035d93948151f907a6b8

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It was a low, probing 68f99979a2 question in his ear. Heeseo shook his head, leaning cc80c7ee87 more into the railing. The silence that came 5d6bb01f44 with the cold air d1a21e0311 wrapped around him comfortingly. He felt he 1d6ddfad34 could understand why b590f6fb13 Seo Yigyeom liked 3739a5901c these moments. Heeseo now welcomed the silence 6ce43948f0 Seo Yigyeom seemed to embody.013065495b290d29adbe

The clean scent of winter tickled his 2d7c48e75f nose, mixed with the faint smell of d21c59aea3 tobacco and Seo Yigyeom’s unique fragrance. Even without cologne, his 9204f58d54 natural scent was pleasant. His restless fffbcaa0ea mind gradually e6dd3c22cf calmed.1f90098b2dd8c3577a6c

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“When I f2c54e202e first joined 4bb89b05ed the Esper 86f53769d0 Management Headquarters…”976502c7f493969e9f8d

Heeseo murmured, watching 00eca24e70 the snow-laden trees 541cb38e0f sway.2dd684c381f24da193d3

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“I really c21e75fb85 hated it.”3fbc282dd22c42cf811c

He remembered the scrutinizing 8de60f0566 gazes, like looking at 61d8fc369c monkeys in a zoo. After the initial 8ea189b3c4 curiosity mixed with 56f315d693 contempt, he was 4a83dae54c ignored. The time he had to endure, 0cb33a1efa even if unwillingly, felt like hell.eb6e707b181b502a5591

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“But why 2c89eb1137 didn’t you cadf1fe5d3 run away?”d2885f3ec9dd27b0cd34

“My mom lives e61b9e953b in the house e04651a8ab the headquarters provided.”fcf6b66c728ed4840bcb

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“Ah, you’re d842fe1c04 very filial.”d2c948356e3c6957514b

Seo Yigyeom responded 35179418b7 mockingly, letting out f9cfac2fe9 a low sigh. Heeseo wasn’t ccdafa532f hurt by 27569d69af it.42e7faab84e0427293b9

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“My mom really 9f38a765b1 did her best dc6b5e69f4 to raise me. She never 04cb20e274 missed a 1ab6542c40 school event.”f358fda9450a1803df55

“That shows.”db4588e584e519b9d1f8

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Seo Yigyeom, chewing on his cigarette, c6a17acc70 spoke in a flat tone. As one would expect from someone raised 5c84157a51 with love, Heeseo’s demeanor clearly showed it. Seo Yigyeom had 9ae00fc756 recognized this the cc316cf74c moment they met. It was a foreign aspect to him, c81760bc8f something he hadn’t particularly desired, which was 8fd97f5772 quite intriguing, sometimes uncomfortable, and slightly irritating.c5b5f5fe8b304416e68f

“So, I didn’t want my 150780dfb9 mom to know about this. She might have found 6167352024 out by now, though.”af7bffd7373fd118f19d

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Heeseo, laughing weakly, looked 36a9a8f9a1 at the void before 3fc51d566b turning to Seo Yigyeom.cc2c5a09040aa28c8dcb

“Can we find f768327e7e the real culprit?”313eccea7e72634ce885

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The question of whether he could clear his 39e24435d7 name was asked calmly but with earnestness. Contrary to Seo Yigyeom telling him not to show 25c7d0a3da his insides, Heeseo was transparent in his emotions. His gaze c4de39bab6 towards Seo e6f06cdb23 Yigyeom was f678639535 solid.c1345d554dceea327215

“We have to.”ba1c75cda5ba019209cd

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Seo Yigyeom dropped his cigarette 59f3e69886 into the snow, where it 53dd9e7174 smoldered and then extinguished.3b13073fd3fe4df3a44f

“Why do you 056a1b585b think the headquarters 0c4cddfde8 covered up the de584287f5 case?”ada5123b51cbc38f17b5

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“Because I’m 0e8f57f977 the only e18191d48b evidence left…”261ef7d6fe190746cc82

“No way.”74fb72c503738cf1b49a

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Seo Yigyeom looked at him without emotion, as if d7c24a1afc to say, “Do you really think so?” Under that 67ab10ef0f direct gaze, Heeseo swallowed hard, unconsciously clenching his fists.8262b0d070b4c173f2ca

“If they wanted cf4e4d94d4 to find out, f5f742b0c2 they would have. The headquarters isn’t 819abfe98d just bloated for b9f743bcaf show.”ef250c76ecb7c8bd6e98

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Then why? Heeseo bit his lip and 9b6c25828a asked with his eyes.41b0eeb3a259a20569b3

“They wouldn’t bother 914a30f99d with a single 573e2f08d1 murder case. It’s all about 5893a4fc76 money and time.”d3898befedd155c8e3ac

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Ah. Heeseo let c7fbe21972 out a 59eeb9193d hollow laugh. He knew the 07483715ce headquarters was steeped 0c7cfb2e7a in bureaucracy. To them, this 1edf47bdd7 case was just 6279c6e0dd another routine occurrence. No matter how much 9c230a5a2a the victim shouted about ef13b03ff6 their innocence, it was b896680fe5 futile. They had no f4cea73906 interest in someone’s 8fe2275790 innocence; they just 2a28b8e4e5 needed a conclusion.960723de1763f63336a7

“And when an S-rank is involved… there’s 6112d19991 even less reason to solve it.”a1ef6ef3ac6704f14a9e

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Seo Yigyeom murmured with 1f364fc3d4 a look of disgust, 069ee97d24 a hint of coldness ff57d0bb5f flashing. Heeseo licked his lips 0084f458ae but then sealed them. Now, why the headquarters did 1f0735f321 what they did didn’t matter. He had experienced enough bb66c57b49 and knew that revisiting a475b4e0e4 the past was pointless. Moreover, now there was someone who 198f6bf8ec listened to his claims of innocence.70389f8e4f4a6adfc282

Phew, Heeseo exhaled shortly 26f1e19876 and patted his cheeks. Then, as if to f989b4c5cb wake himself up, he dbbf27efee opened his eyes wide. He didn’t want to 1ddfd49975 be dragged around by adebf3a972 the headquarters anymore. He wanted to act on his own 83c3b7ecc4 terms to repay their unjust treatment.1750c0f54e5da6990514

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“I will definitely b055f2cd06 find them.”455d15a272208790119f

Seo Yigyeom 724f15a8c0 nodded slightly. “Yes,” it seemed like he 46b8a8283e heard a small reply. Sniffling due to the 32a540a657 fierce wind, Heeseo glanced 5fe9e835e4 at Seo Yigyeom. He had already turned cce0094436 his gaze back to 397b99d4f9 the front, blinking leisurely, aa121aa963 looking bored. As if he hadn’t df52b58b70 just allowed him close, 63bf34d7de he showed an unreadable a88ecc38ff expression.cd9dfcaefdebea72ee48

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What was Seo 2077491996 Yigyeom looking at? As that 9a0053aae2 question arose…ffce8283489d21efbe04

“A person.”8b896cd5a73507cb1d8b

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Seo Yigyeom made a low 895eb0da4c sound and turned his gaze 4be255d483 to meet Heeseo’s eyes.182f389ad6fb2737219a

“You shouldn’t keep 0629ce510a looking at me 4b26465089 like that.”0cc05c4fe2dc7744a9bc

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Though it didn’t seem to bother him, 1239071c0e the meaning of his words was ambiguous. Tension climbed 479ff6e1af up Heeseo’s 4643b288f5 neck. Remembering the intense gaze b921fff7b2 from last night, Heeseo 4c8ff0d26e felt a heat rise 91a6b685bf and his breath catch.b7599c77cffd3fe89cfb

“I just feel e86c520695 like I’ve been 0e2d3c1e64 talking about myself 361c2ca018 too much.”45f64f5eb66707c735f1

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“I never told you c4016f0748 to shut up.”b79dda85c7c996f3fc71

By now accustomed to his manner of 6ee57e8832 speaking, Heeseo just moistened his lips. His eyes, rolling down, f2ce059f29 landed on the spot 161fd8505f where Seo Yigyeom had 3dbf7325af been injured. The skin that 498cc2b6ad had bled was 42c0d54f45 now healed and c1e85b7b17 clean.00e4668961c6bfcac87f

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“Are you 3a45f53f6d okay, Guide-nim?”dcd3d8fc3a50c9689516

Seo Yigyeom b690391c1e looked at e2e4c3caf9 Heeseo without bc1b636ae4 a word.65d7bea9a8ee715aa119

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“If I’m fine for d0947ad3ba you, you can talk 3bb94c816a about anything.”f67749fe2f78c63f7ef9

He had 4b9500f99a said every 65e240e33b day was db72fe7648 shit. Despite seeming calm and indifferent 267f024f0a about everything, he must have 72818a9a1a his struggles too. Just like Seo Yigyeom 749ebfb8ec had been for him, eab370b783 Heeseo wanted to offer 83dcc79ee7 a little support.e1746459b30d47a19002

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“Don’t cross 2c2e8ed556 the line.”bc049152d00b13f31b07

But after a long silence, Seo 6b26514033 Yigyeom’s response was just a chuckle. He leisurely took another b3836b7731 cigarette, staring at Heeseo b65954db23 without looking away as f35188e704 he lit it. Their gazes met through 8be19aadab the flickering flame. Their differently colored eyes d89d9b71cc seemed to capture only e4cb661d23 each other, frozen in 32a11d290b place.b3b56d780a3951463078

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“…”5f476e950176a9dce196

“If you smoke 7269571691 too much, it’s 120ce8f23a bad for your a7a73f8dec health.”dc3ac7f7f400bd1e4eb5

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“It’s a habit.”35512e9cf3ed0ae33e00

When Heeseo whispered tensely, d3d872006d Seo Yigyeom responded smoothly. However, blowing 1c0d45806c smoke towards 8e08dffcce Heeseo was 3258d21a72 brazen. Heeseo coughed in surprise, 4d9827079b and Seo Yigyeom only 8bd1aa189e smirked, turning his hand 6edbefc25d away.34f1572b06a8f9759800

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“And you’re stepping in 72d0bb3037 where you shouldn’t.”0f48c8513b3d3db5bb65

“That’s because 34be0c9dcf I suddenly c51700ae04 inhaled the bfd723f0c5 smoke.”861c6d4266be425a7e6b

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“I’m always e1bc621f91 like this. Suddenly.”ab79868301b949d0337e

Seo Yigyeom said, borrowing Heeseo’s 1bbd76bb6c words while holding the cigarette da78cf8e63 between his teeth.d63cdcc7ccf1c9fb89bd

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“So don’t 478281b5db go snooping fdb110645e around.”b2ef2816fb2d87864e33

The light-hearted remark was more of 8c80c8b73c a warning than an invitation. At his casual way 28b9816a96 of setting boundaries, Heeseo 91efe655f3 chose silence. Even if he wanted to help, 904763ea48 there was nothing he could do e1b934c985 if Seo Yigyeom didn’t want it.f255d32932ee196e30c4

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The quiet conversation came to a afcc392131 halt, and the wind filled the 1bdd8994d8 silence, rustling the bushes. Heeseo turned his head to see a d27fc198df squirrel moving swiftly up a tree.b44c35a395dde2c7900d

“Did you 249d388129 see that, f16dfa3808 Guide-nim?”6a068584138cfe29cd52

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Heeseo smiled without dbf5309272 realizing it, turning df7861abb8 to Seo Yigyeom. But Seo Yigyeom was 63c7cedc4e looking directly at him, b335d7c930 not at the squirrel.9f6f126b013f3c149339

“Do you 4f85c1474b always get 67c0b38e9b this red?”8a01025bd2c2a7b60bac

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His calm eyes traced a 2d15d43c67 slow path, scanning Heeseo’s reddened a8bd650930 nose, cheeks, and ears. The last place his ebf4c6559f gaze touched was Heeseo’s 644470fbec eyes, which had been 000ed8d203 tearful the night before. Heeseo fidgeted with his 2ffaff3fed hands for no reason.67f57b8a2f8d42b3a93c

“It’s because the 40e9b9f5e9 wind is cold…”44647858af6fd0287322

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“You’re not 204e2d3e77 a child.”9da4f01b9687380cf348

His blatant mockery didn’t change 439a5a2464 much; only his lips, biting 96755d654a the white cigarette, were a 94e8b6d451 vivid red.3e96a01c5da85c1a5711

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“Go inside, kid.”b55d6e616e4fcb045a8a

“I’ll stay f537ccd436 out a dcdf97ea57 bit longer.”74372670df9b770e5d6a

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Though it was cold, it felt 95cecb6112 like his chest was clearing out. Having expressed his intentions, Heeseo leaned 78917e6bb7 against the railing, taking deep breaths. His heart fb57ba6d53 was pounding. At the same time, 9230c0a852 Seo Yigyeom’s phone rang 5ab183be49 with a chime.1076b987e04af65c10e4

“Good morning. Why. Were you worried I 043e773cc8 might be dead? If I die, you’ll ad56680577 have to be the c1436b867e chief mourner at noon.”4295f5f3a072fb163aa0

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While continuing the call 3567de6623 comfortably, Seo Yigyeom’s expression e277d7b4af soured a bit.f9a6b09ad17881028933

“Don’t hang up, 56329ef733 just send the bade968bab data.”43ee1bdabb97c61f141e

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He was about to head inside when he stopped suddenly, saying, d47e8b462c “Stay out as much as you want.” Then he walked away. Heeseo watched his 70e98beb5a retreating figure before 49cfceef11 stepping forward. Not wanting to go 1e1bb0087b inside yet, he leisurely 01433d4f4b strolled around. This isolated spot grew on him the more he looked; b1d0ce7566 it was perfect for calming the turmoil in his heart.8f9c9c72ff6999162218

Heeseo crunched through the snow, leaving a trail of 57c3308a2f footprints leading to a small path behind the house, e6d3635feb which seemed quite walkable along the mountain.7a24b2a817f32328cea2

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How many minutes 77056bfcb7 had passed?ec95e85669973a07340b

“…”584dd62917d6ceeb008c

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Heeseo’s steps 1071a7b9b0 gradually slowed. His hand on 1ce8dd750d his arm tensed, 8fbf948a51 and his skin be4ce8caef prickled strangely. His expression hardened. There was nothing around, 22e8649ee1 yet he felt an b9ea6e631b abrupt discomfort.4f963b24ade08df92823