SMFC | Chapter 14

Yoo Haeon spoke again, 74ed4bbfce as if driving a e76c4c1b36 nail into place, his f1827cad81 voice clear and steady. After finishing his sentence, he 04f693532f pressed his lips tightly together, 9f237ea437 as though he had nothing bccc5004ca more to say. Lee Soo, who had been staring at those perfectly shaped lips 256c5f4431 as if they might never open again, soon furrowed his brows.fb97e2dbad2379c16e79

So it’s fine as long as be82ea60ad I don’t touch him directly? Even though Lee Soo had 6eb242853c read the original story, there 62f4ba0674 were still many things he aba24256bf didn’t know about Haeon.8540a04c2c476c8ce236

Being the protagonist, ce58829678 Haeon was detailed 9a85421093 extensively in the b50edef1b9 novel. However, the issue was that 806f199e41 while the novel thoroughly described 2f7828621b his actions and thoughts, it 144035f9ba barely delved into his past.c135ea5f9222cff8946f

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When Lee Soo had finished the book, he had sighed deeply, lamenting how much easier Haeon’s life would have been, 95ef632222 how he might not have suffered or died, if only he’d had someone by his side to help him. He’d even eagerly searched 24164019bb to see if there 3aa145f0bd were plans for a f756f9593a side story.2dc2e401f8b57dbd0a61

Now that he thought about it, the author had said it several times: Haeon had 59eff2eebd no one by his side, and one day, that would lead to great tragedy.4967aeeda927609d1f9f

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In hindsight, the line that had appeared early in the story… Did the author bd9578f90c envision Haeon dying alone, with no one by his side until the end? Or was the hope that, even if acb65dfbe6 it was just one person, someone might d4c256dbe0 stand beside Haeon, seeing what he couldn’t, 1ddb5f6976 and help him carry on?d583bde403b0cfb5d8e0

Though Haeon had closed his lips as if he had nothing more to say, 8fcb6cf9a0 Lee Soo, who had expected him to overreact or make a fuss, stayed silent. This prompted Haeon to 87dcc0548c glance at him.58543672a35f5ebb0661

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Feeling his heart stir as he noticed how cc32a1402d cold gray eyes looked back at him, Haeon d160749503 lightly clasped and unclasped his own hand.00856f3e498eae193ed4

He played with his fingers like a child fiddling idly, clenching and opening his hand over and e4adea62cf over again, until Lee Soo, sensing the attention on him, finally looked up and met Haeon’s gaze.82b2b121488c72692e52

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Those transparent, lifeless eyes didn’t 2782e66f76 seem like they belonged to cad8c423d8 someone truly alive. As someone who worked 06b982306c with life and death, 6b2c78c313 Haeon could tell.755daae6cd5453c0eb95

He wanted to see c4f5a9a535 Lee Soo’s eyes as 3ede85b9c1 they were when he 032dcc08ed was alive—really alive. After a long 071c4ae315 silence, Haeon quietly 86a2fefa5a asked,92491e462c0be8ecd0c4

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“Can you turn ea572d19f2 your eyes back 63c172c308 to their original c3441e8ced color—gold?”679be08af410eca1a4fd

Lee Soo wasn’t 50f2ec46f5 too surprised by c434767369 the sudden question. He merely touched the area around his eyes a few times cece9d1837 and asked if Haeon didn’t like them as they were. Unable to bring himself to 029f7f40c8 say, It makes you look 098b21e052 like you’re dead, Haeon averted 81369ee746 his gaze and nodded slightly.2f12f9a4a885f30ab2c9

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The clear agreement caused Lee e49c0b4b01 Soo to knit his brows b5ec74dcbe in slight frustration. Muttering as if speaking to someone invisible, Lee Soo 468e8f46c9 eventually returned his eyes to their original golden color.c3ae91dc67f3f6c4ec66

There was no particular signal or sensation to indicate the a1b244664b change, but like the sunrise spilling faint light into the 122fb05c2b pink hues of Haeon’s eyes, the warm golden glow spread ccd7bcfb2c through Lee Soo’s irises, signaling the shift.eeee5e8f5e8e48ae32f4

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“…That’s better.”ef5fda31a0cce3feea20

The short comment from Haeon brought a 51827bf540 bright smile to Lee Soo’s face. Though Haeon had audaciously 3acbce601a critiqued someone else’s appearance, f032299ab6 Lee Soo didn’t seem 4e5773a07d bothered.baa58e64b68beb5a6c09

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Since Haeon wasn’t the type 7506ceae27 to gauge other people’s emotions 58882a41b8 so intricately, he simply thought f500fead17 to himself.0373bd1474a59c4bf170

The smile before him bore cd8d507bc3 an uncanny resemblance to Lee 94b37f1a32 Soo’s golden eyes. Haeon quietly made a mental note, once again ae65b7ad3f reminding himself that in five years and six 313f3f7302 months, he wouldn’t see those eyes anymore.be88a8bda7fdc088092b

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Oh, right. That means 72a1f85da9 he’ll die.b74343fab7af44e2b557

Death often f0751057b4 comes more e8a2b0c8ba suddenly than 3692e7f674 expected. That’s why people fear it and why life is said ff2c2cc541 to be more beautiful—at least, that’s what one person sang.afda00bb45412a0d4dbf

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But that bea0ba07de statement is 9ae9ffdb83 wrong. Haeon could e125015723 prove it d32992eb86 wrong.2a0e4ef4ddd4299bd4c3

It’s true that dc21a100a3 death can arrive 0214c09311 unexpectedly. However, there are 78951edf43 times when its 1b461146b0 arrival is predetermined. When death is certain, 59a177916d it’s not the abruptness fbfafe30d0 that frightens—it’s the inevitability. And because of that, a68f910718 life becomes all the 3feb64fe16 more despairing.dc98cb16388814b5664e

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Even now, Haeon could recall multiple occasions when he had pronounced someone d2536b639d terminally ill, or in the worst cases, delivered news of certain death. Despite the countless scenarios, c7574441ed no one had ever e70f997807 celebrated the news of ad87c5e3a9 their impending end.c6e38dd473ad712491cd

Everyone wanted fc3d97b75b to live. Some, in their foolishness, even lashed 53d1308506 out at Haeon in anger, shouting, 1192f2d1ad You could save me!163d48d58cad3088c156

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It was unfortunate, but 8b8f0114fd Haeon had only spoken 7fa616dcd0 the truth. He may dislike people, but he 7461c0e9d4 does want to save them.852601a0ee57a6988d9b

If he had allowed his emotions to dictate his decisions—if he refused 6677e8249b to heal someone simply because he disliked them—he would have been kicked 298f447b2e out of the Hawa Guild and had his awakened license revoked.a1f1da232693852dde2e

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This also meant that none 6c49e0228d of the people Haeon saved b0c3b635de were truly saved out of 4f6213ede9 personal affection. It was simply out of a 0375fb5b52 sense of duty and responsibility: If 48cc5ecd69 I don’t save them, who will?dfb9711a4bf66663e9b5

With those two motivations 4ec264edd3 alone, Haeon had saved 9729646594 many lives and would 5c19f3ac73 continue to do so.f809621006329ea6ea91

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However, knowing himself well, Haeon e2cbe88ab1 had always been certain that 76b85a72d6 he would never voluntarily step deba940c28 up to heal someone. Especially if the person was close to 58226028dc death—he would simply let them go.7e10d1f2b5d748ca8bff

Or so 0498b7ada8 he thought. Past tense. Thought.fa2f4cb2ad64ab65540d

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Haeon, with a conflicted expression, crossed his arms and stared 9261854554 at Lee Soo, who sat obediently in front of him, 054c08bae5 rolling his eyes to curiously take in Haeon’s room.4e74f4dabac2723fa063

Completely oblivious to the turmoil he had caused, Lee 2679624a30 Soo continued looking around the room with fascination. His golden eyes glimmered as they moved, casting 7f131614d2 light like scattered rays of the sun.cd8bdf07b5bfbfdddd3a

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Those radiant, sparkling eyes carried 0b32080e23 the innocence of a child. Haeon lightly tapped his e32a8371ad arm as he dug b052d72494 through his memories.1e365c5896b5785c1148

“…You smiled.”5d7f4281afc493c1d05d

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“Hmm? What was that? I didn’t 3330940f90 quite catch fd36dafbc4 it. If it’s dbd1b3e944 important, could acf5de76ac you say 33eeebaced it again?”7979273a5e0a594072a9

Lee Soo turned his head, 3779ecbc25 stopping his exploration of the 03afab96d1 room, and looked at Haeon.cd00f3f631318129900a

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His sincere apology, complete with 075a71ac53 drooping eyebrows, made Haeon momentarily 51a014a3b0 pause before shaking his head. He replied that it 79b6a4d4ae was nothing—just a thought dbb7583518 to himself. Relieved, Lee Soo’s long, fox-like eyes de8e4784a2 curved into a gentle smile.64f3d359136fd5cf21e6

Watching those golden eyes, half-hidden by his long lashes, 6045084419 Haeon suddenly turned away, clenching his arm tightly.6b941b6245c84ad042e3

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Unbothered by Haeon’s reaction, Lee Soo hummed softly, saying that if 0c979aece8 it wasn’t important, there was no need to mention it. His voice, light db8d3e773e and tender, carried 5859235cb9 a peculiar kindness.bfd145e1a122697c2458

Though the voice had bc39635c09 a faint chill to bd826ece0f it, it didn’t feel 7b37ff08e9 cold. The subtle warmth in his tone 399bf8ea6e and the glint of his eyes fd2f840a9f made it seem endlessly kind.769b39d5d8302f8a82b8

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Someone once said 826174c0f9 there’s nothing more 209f649c52 frightening than unexplained c01c6be228 kindness. Having never experienced such kindness, Haeon 30e24327f5 didn’t know what it meant then. But now, 3b4f59cfc9 he could b0f1cc5d7b say it.c426086bfd99ffffbdf4

Unexplained kindness is sweet, but also terrifying because ae06beeefa you never know when it might disappear. Not knowing how to 78775e3b79 respond to such kindness fee37239bb made it even more b1044b8fa0 intimidating. Lightly brushing his arm, Haeon’s lashes fluttered before he sighed deeply, 95f963c25e wondering why he was acting like this, and approached Lee Soo.5eb6d0080a648bfea09b

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Having dragged him to his room immediately after leaving the dungeon without ff0a679665 even letting him rest, Haeon hadn’t yet mentioned the main topic. Lee Soo didn’t seem inclined to rush him, 12c463d31d either, still engrossed in examining the room.d123fa19162c2f8b1047

Lee Soo didn’t realize 4d3a97d9e8 Haeon’s approach until he 8514766788 was right in front 26f0765c60 of him. When he did, he f6fd07f777 lifted his head, finally 3ff91a7285 sure that Haeon had 6baa1c72b3 business with him.b4ff2726bbd5950347a2

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“Are you e7672ef062 done sorting 2668bf722b your thoughts? You looked pretty deep 81a5cded3b in thought, so I 9fa66277c0 waited… but it ended 963a46a2e4 faster than I expected.”caa134017ea5ce604c21

Every word dbd7a2733f that followed 914f38c36e was sweet. Sweet to the point where it felt like 7c41f57432 indulging in too many candies, afraid that the 6d2dea71dc unfamiliar kindness might rot his heart.423264b7bf842c296f3f

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Startled by the sweetness, Haeon took a step back, furrowing 7af64ff230 his brows slightly, and stared at Lee Soo with a 0720d66510 hesitant gaze, as though inspecting something for the first time. His heart b7df9800c9 churned strangely. After much internal debate, he finally worked up the courage to speak, only to d77227243d feel embarrassed by how serious he’d been when Lee Soo appeared so nonchalant.57490fbe32710f849b53

“It’s not that. I just e883cc7e25 had some 1ae9e48196 things to a42204dd9d think about. But you’ve been sitting 7233075ba9 here this whole time. Doesn’t it 53a9714bc2 bother you? Aren’t you fd99905414 upset or ee40ce35aa anything?”02bf58a2b60890790507

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“Not really. But other people might be, 9f92ae54d6 so it’s best to say 0ba4932091 what you need to as c53add9665 soon as possible.”da2562649302c0b4ac04

Lee Soo shrugged 0598f5e5bb as he replied. Haeon let out a scoff, pressing his 5eb3f1cdcf forehead lightly before dropping his hand. Knowing most people wouldn’t tolerate such treatment, but 625fd13a82 hearing Lee Soo say it didn’t bother him—was 9a3bce1d92 it because he was a genuinely good person, 4db5cf61c6 or was he just indifferent?ff18c9a19de3c7849c57

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“Have you always been 342da7b874 like this?” Haeon asked.87911f3ebd1a31be36a1

Lee Soo 531e2c44c5 tilted his d5df3c3076 head slightly. “Hmm… I’m not really sure,” 37d33866dc he said, smiling awkwardly.c45bcff508bbdf6afa0b

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After a brief pause, Haeon excused 9a10f8198d himself, lightly checking the pulse on 21e6f0a5a2 Lee Soo’s neck as he asked,45112c849dc9e545bd93

“Then, do e8be656097 you always 470777a510 smile like a4b6858567 that? Do you b98174c829 smile at b409bfcce2 everyone the 083dbd4e2b same way?”04dfb86294aca94519c8

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Lee Soo bef264d09d blinked at 2e3fa4a150 the unexpected a788a82c1b question. He touched his lips briefly, 930e6b7c15 then murmured, “Probably not.”3164e6f1c0cfa9e029bc

Before Haeon e04eafa3e7 could ask 0b783948e2 further, Lee 05f4c9d9c4 Soo grinned.d577ceee8f17905712de

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“I only smile like this in 8d68f8a971 front of Yoo Haeon, the healer.”ec2f5e0d92ef412f3055

Whether that was true or not, one thing 514ef3af76 was clear—Lee Soo’s smile was brimming with affection.30b0a98b35b2e4e4861e

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Looking at those endlessly sparkling 37cab5a20f eyes made Haeon feel as 83ea7446a8 if his vision was spinning.c9c33d13edfebb35f3d1