SMFC | Chapter 14

Yoo Haeon spoke again, c41f06e869 as if driving a eba431c53b nail into place, his f59eaf48a7 voice clear and steady. After finishing his sentence, ff46d12866 he pressed his lips 630004e14d tightly together, as though cd2f979ef0 he had nothing more ec3347d37a to say. Lee Soo, 25200640ab who had 609abbf2ab been staring 59a8852ea5 at those 4ca85c992c perfectly shaped 794435db6f lips as cbd0ca5035 if they f025b36629 might never 50001b3aaf open again, c1522aa6d9 soon furrowed 828a1fd4ab his brows.dd0600b651977297

So it’s b7afd34c5d fine as 8d34b2e46e long as 85f2ee9c10 I don’t 0a3d997429 touch him 2210e6519d directly? Even though Lee Soo dbe1ed911e had read the original 2078eab85f story, there were still 56d36a223e many things he didn’t a8e5bc5f5f know about Haeon.bc7bac13ec90581b

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Being the protagonist, Haeon 6e13c8390d was detailed extensively in a8a02c68e8 the novel. However, the issue 1dc05898fe was that while bd926c5af9 the novel thoroughly c718d7767a described his actions 97a745aa98 and thoughts, it 992e3d1186 barely delved into 6401339589 his past.9b8b61709c9d20d4

When Lee 4ed567fb9f Soo had 65f213fed5 finished the d6c09bfa90 book, he 83f7bd937a had sighed 3e84aa479c deeply, lamenting 899c2bd7bf how much 65da11da22 easier Haeon’s b090763193 life would 3948793616 have been, 76bd5b30d2 how he 697f368660 might not 9dff01d227 have suffered 455f882813 or died, a484aa40cf if only ad6d1add15 he’d had e10b83f927 someone by 39efb26b49 his side 2cbfa43253 to help fbb293a28d him. He’d even eagerly searched ae682fedaa to see if there 8d5c6af386 were plans for a 195ec1d32a side story.aeaf9014beb540b0

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Now that he e21890cba7 thought about it, 687354a44b the author had 74a8063728 said it several 584fc86617 times: Haeon had 2abb643a71 no one by 37120a7e55 his side, and b1537a8770 one day, that c9d9ddf3cc would lead to 5c55ec3ad5 great tragedy.debfccb67c589e3a

In hindsight, 12c8d40689 the line 03da23db21 that had accbe42b9d appeared early adf1c7d01f in the 1e587cb740 story… Did a8b43f3d63 the author 79566b8520 envision Haeon d2f8f5b4d5 dying alone, 05e1c9b0cc with no 62b77baaa5 one by ea0577535d his side ef3da8bb85 until the 442c391e4d end? Or was bdc8ba1dc4 the hope 36c8fd5f47 that, even 3383e9b439 if it 3b847b27d8 was just 519670a6a0 one person, 5faf8ec1b8 someone might 88e30a1bd3 stand beside 14641d6f02 Haeon, seeing e90115c671 what he efbcc415f2 couldn’t, and 6e631f8ab8 help him ddddd6bc52 carry on?a5b45d8087ed1007

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Though Haeon had e5ea714760 closed his lips a4d74c707b as if he 6351e4c758 had nothing more 3a5a9bebfe to say, Lee c67b80205c Soo, who had 181198a3ae expected him to bdc603c303 overreact or make a35b09e817 a fuss, stayed 495d363c8b silent. This prompted Haeon 63d9cc0658 to glance at 47652c9881 him.8e7f539d424358c5

Feeling his 2536cbaafc heart stir 07cd743de4 as he 076108c0ba noticed how 5019c910cc cold gray 3dfe154b28 eyes looked c813c69a7a back at 6c122f29c0 him, Haeon 924ff4dcab lightly clasped 51894870f9 and unclasped 143b10b295 his own 3687e3b0c9 hand.5d447e8530d929ef

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He played 0c50a0d53f with his 16ee420d17 fingers like d1e2981ca8 a child 77baf50e50 fiddling idly, d387704875 clenching and 448fab28d4 opening his 3b3f5bc7da hand over b6e907021d and over d4f6d735f9 again, until 85a3482f96 Lee Soo, b115a58551 sensing the 424eed80cf attention on afd5cb0271 him, finally 3ffb13c32f looked up a9af4b685b and met db714991b9 Haeon’s gaze.c63e037bcaf3868a

Those transparent, lifeless eyes ecee5a6a08 didn’t seem like they 363f8bd8f0 belonged to someone truly 8e0c5c26e6 alive. As someone 455df3639c who worked 328bce86b6 with life 50d93f7aa6 and death, c0c445c128 Haeon could 88e02997f7 tell.de305ca1402a5e6b

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He wanted to 045db301cf see Lee Soo’s c3d3e0425d eyes as they 0f6a4d74eb were when he 68b8b730ac was alive—really alive. After a long silence, 329ebdd380 Haeon quietly asked,ed655a303baa90d3

“Can you turn cea6afb09f your eyes back 081c9c73c8 to their original 7691951664 color—gold?”1648ef7464250ebb

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Lee Soo wasn’t too 3885e14c04 surprised by the sudden 6827b8d4ea question. He merely 9d2a18b391 touched the 16219e3539 area around 5433b8d6bd his eyes 996936abfc a few 3c4aef51c2 times and bcb1c298d5 asked if aa416c46cf Haeon didn’t d5147b6e44 like them a1fc539444 as they bb1cd90ca2 were. Unable to bring d215c78f17 himself to say, 37f86ea734 It makes you 0b301a315e look like you’re 627a950545 dead, Haeon averted e8fcbce86a his gaze and 64bdbf30d8 nodded slightly.513561c4791ce9c4

The clear agreement 3ac9455939 caused Lee Soo c9029d5bb7 to knit his b63dd6c648 brows in slight 27628d2fb5 frustration. Muttering as dee27080ff if speaking 203d550f87 to someone d687d35e0a invisible, Lee 881e458b9a Soo eventually 6833fe40d4 returned his b2544ea535 eyes to 0ccc316267 their original ca2a3bef54 golden color.9a8f29f423b2c9d4

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There was no 264574b6c7 particular signal or 9682eadb6c sensation to indicate 8bb2163af1 the change, but f72d27545f like the sunrise f5bb7afb11 spilling faint light 8413426a84 into the pink a0bc6275d3 hues of Haeon’s d510062409 eyes, the warm 49f169ebfc golden glow spread 6449682442 through Lee Soo’s 5082fde03b irises, signaling the 547e83f6df shift.28fa2e926604dae5

“…That’s better.”8bdf724efa3b2b32

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The short comment f73608ea17 from Haeon brought 79d7c47fa6 a bright smile f574f7731c to Lee Soo’s ca6488a3b1 face. Though Haeon had audaciously 36603a6434 critiqued someone else’s appearance, b6f7804e54 Lee Soo didn’t seem e173a5ece2 bothered.22e335d4a7ffdc36

Since Haeon wasn’t the 14dbb5bfb9 type to gauge other 03e47314cd people’s emotions so intricately, 29244133fe he simply thought to 255215a32b himself.d7bcdda99b6bd0a7

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The smile before 5250f80704 him bore an 9555bf8dc7 uncanny resemblance to 29529e6613 Lee Soo’s golden e29b38f9af eyes. Haeon quietly 71667ff7db made a ea5f0e63fa mental note, fdc4f32907 once again 3a71b93de8 reminding himself d435d53b2a that in 0954c423f5 five years 3374b28f1f and six db381a4f1d months, he 62540b9c3b wouldn’t see 7ebd99e84e those eyes 94c71de22e anymore.3af847742f30c168

Oh, right. That means he’ll die.35d88dc2be4a3f05

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Death often comes 432bf5f505 more suddenly than aeba3ad533 expected. That’s why people 15594964ae fear it and 28e2ad452d why life is 63f97e1abe said to be 1e246c6ad9 more beautiful—at least, 1c2cf0e700 that’s what one 10879c27c7 person sang.b52788d581c3da1c

But that 69a8d2c3a1 statement is fe53ad96e7 wrong. Haeon could prove 550576ff6f it wrong.d0bd39c757927f34

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It’s true that ed45ef82e7 death can arrive 141e5993a4 unexpectedly. However, there are times b1c685b60a when its arrival is 9aba479c1e predetermined. When death 0c2f62510e is certain, 398abf71e6 it’s not 1afc401f11 the abruptness 2f09eb0136 that frightens—it’s 22a1d127d5 the inevitability. And because e123ac622d of that, 8ef532bd3d life becomes 0efbd6b156 all the 2a51e79050 more despairing.76d447c41ac52419

Even now, Haeon could 90a68fb762 recall multiple occasions when 1c7e31d5e3 he had pronounced someone 699412a9f3 terminally ill, or in 689e0418ba the worst cases, delivered 693a30db4d news of certain death. Despite the 2303438406 countless scenarios, 969d385c18 no one c0bd229642 had ever 7ff1c8fa1b celebrated the 80ec6b9b12 news of 7720d98c20 their impending d45d34b952 end.112520ee69b3e60d

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Everyone wanted to 046d8c5603 live. Some, in their 47e82aed46 foolishness, even lashed 1fc4ac2ac8 out at Haeon e5c767eff3 in anger, shouting, 7637595a31 You could save 4fa49b4f7c me!b52c6e37e0826c1b

It was unfortunate, 646acef269 but Haeon had 620d04cd38 only spoken the 558f55dd11 truth. He may f27ddc8b11 dislike people, dffd0c7360 but he 44d4a6f0ff does want 3818bd5b66 to save 36d17e457b them.faefd5d869cd751d

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If he had b4694963b7 allowed his emotions 9c139ba559 to dictate his 86b505d693 decisions—if he refused 982dac6d7f to heal someone 935a6117d5 simply because he f065611d77 disliked them—he would 084a5d2ff9 have been kicked f283e4028b out of the c174dfd733 Hawa Guild and 423f1e146b had his awakened b4e9629189 license revoked.60533f8065d42a22

This also meant that cdb219b322 none of the people 0f80b08ffb Haeon saved were truly 54d4026561 saved out of personal 523b350f9a affection. It was simply 1192fc1e8e out of a c9b724f5a1 sense of duty c2dd388b5a and responsibility: If beb9493a9b I don’t save e910f5cfab them, who will?97766065f8c79fd8

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With those two motivations b33071d082 alone, Haeon had saved 94d82a464a many lives and would 3980f8eaf1 continue to do so.2b44d63788ca0fd5

However, knowing himself efa4efeec9 well, Haeon had 78fe273527 always been certain d2ccf9018b that he would ce12b9bde9 never voluntarily step 99fa41d7b3 up to heal 71e3aeaed5 someone. Especially if f0c6d5ca84 the person 1e7d019dc2 was close cb6192260c to death—he 018dc141da would simply f8270be73e let them 65a79ed9f5 go.6f89604c24e2515f

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Or so 8ace609cf4 he thought. Past tense. Thought.38c5e69d9da41c71

Haeon, with a eedf56da8e conflicted expression, crossed 8e342536dd his arms and bb7001ab09 stared at Lee 527552e3cd Soo, who sat b992ce1a12 obediently in front a7aae4c106 of him, rolling 8ed142840d his eyes to 404938128b curiously take in 13d7c1b309 Haeon’s room.3de1d5a6c329faca

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Completely oblivious to 978eeee713 the turmoil he f660bab47a had caused, Lee 86b63f89ed Soo continued looking bbc38fb556 around the room 5948a160d2 with fascination. His golden eyes 903c1d1e3a glimmered as they 35c1d2e8c3 moved, casting light f2c3c3d01c like scattered rays 20434c42f3 of the sun.2986a978b82b0563

Those radiant, sparkling 2f510886ba eyes carried the 7475eae5bb innocence of a b3f172c7ed child. Haeon lightly tapped his 500c0dc2e2 arm as he dug e5bf4b74a5 through his memories.b59ec3c77c757955

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“…You smiled.”96235e1e94e672a9

“Hmm? What was that? I didn’t quite catch 530ef6b340 it. If it’s ed1ebce9c2 important, could 56d62129b0 you say e0322308d5 it again?”841ce887bb49e0d8

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Lee Soo turned c8a4dc103c his head, stopping ba54a7cadb his exploration of bfde643ebd the room, and f85ae0eda2 looked at Haeon.f07e956da1289a97

His sincere apology, 683292bfb2 complete with drooping a854f23907 eyebrows, made Haeon 00f15dec92 momentarily pause before 841427d2d3 shaking his head. He replied that 190f7c9313 it was nothing—just d16b44a536 a thought to 2edc151ddc himself. Relieved, Lee Soo’s long, aa675976db fox-like eyes curved into cfa33fa94d a gentle smile.6a5237e371ffcb65

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Watching those golden 21b3269318 eyes, half-hidden by ad902c2888 his long lashes, 6904d2dc03 Haeon suddenly turned 4e5f021b49 away, clenching his e45d4188af arm tightly.edc77ce1bd1d17a7

Unbothered by 763eb5f8c6 Haeon’s reaction, 6a8fe40410 Lee Soo 03cf7768c5 hummed softly, a55409c25c saying that 2c435a79a5 if it e24c5d1fbe wasn’t important, 54fc50c456 there was f443d44780 no need 02546e0172 to mention 8a10659226 it. His voice, dcafe0a342 light and eb341bec09 tender, carried ec751fe512 a peculiar 87b5d12039 kindness.42e4171f948c12f0

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Though the voice 678862986d had a faint 6f5d8b8b30 chill to it, c775286586 it didn’t feel f292fdadb9 cold. The subtle warmth in 7e36a546fa his tone and the e7d2354ca7 glint of his eyes e857571050 made it seem endlessly 7b41dfa432 kind.f14f88abd0263929

Someone once f455b7db02 said there’s 9119664262 nothing more 55dfbe12e8 frightening than 45290afe6c unexplained kindness. Having never experienced such 87037085fb kindness, Haeon didn’t know 3bba6f71f7 what it meant then. But now, he could 783e1ef3bb say it.f53b774800dd2e6f

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Unexplained kindness 887e924885 is sweet, ac742e12b7 but also ed99c74397 terrifying because b6bbe76e96 you never 62803fd76e know when ce11dd30ee it might 541026ad4f disappear. Not knowing how to 0d3a93ffd8 respond to such kindness 572bfb995f made it even more c32c559aa0 intimidating. Lightly brushing his 3561e89c58 arm, Haeon’s lashes f0c7ff0f78 fluttered before he 6dfbb89a21 sighed deeply, wondering fa7df86077 why he was 463ca6cf3d acting like this, 30789ae1af and approached Lee f4c8f36b2c Soo.ee24f1f9638d622d

Having dragged e9d97dc7cf him to 1c2917f858 his room 24b784a9cc immediately after 52a3bc6e70 leaving the 94af63e29b dungeon without 1eab0677d2 even letting 7e01740dbe him rest, 4b06179158 Haeon hadn’t 5117386fa3 yet mentioned 26dbea3d13 the main 0ebf45cba9 topic. Lee Soo dc88346064 didn’t seem 4bfd53ebb8 inclined to 121ef1d08e rush him, 6efff7d7e0 either, still a903d7b256 engrossed in a4ccfd2691 examining the 4a2020fbda room.be4362ce8109c281

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Lee Soo didn’t 9d51b5f243 realize Haeon’s approach 85523b8f44 until he was 253b20a15c right in front 2a7fcd2831 of him. When he 08c0fd1ff8 did, he 9d3f31e351 lifted his f344066403 head, finally 068889b0c8 sure that cb7e921642 Haeon had ab03a008dd business with fd86647692 him.4dfe50c1ec768493

“Are you done sorting 981db970d8 your thoughts? You looked pretty 7d40c4316d deep in thought, a04a6eb406 so I waited… 7362d4ea35 but it ended 32d2d65423 faster than I c6c940b647 expected.”3be6ccc385362a18

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Every word that followed efc899018a was sweet. Sweet to the point 56c5e68a9d where it felt like 63b3b508a1 indulging in too many d674269263 candies, afraid that the 71ebb9d52c unfamiliar kindness might rot 5865f01cd3 his heart.ecc70becdcc73589

Startled by the sweetness, 9d360de81b Haeon took a step e9a1cf9659 back, furrowing his brows 6c10376d0f slightly, and stared at fbf402968c Lee Soo with a 483e302ad2 hesitant gaze, as though 0946e649c3 inspecting something for the 7b4b1740da first time. His heart churned 2faf2cdf5b strangely. After much 66d6b79adb internal debate, ddd2f12deb he finally 24a6a8a3be worked up cb83325876 the courage 57dea91f1b to speak, 916d9d820b only to 3ba502d270 feel embarrassed 2f1cf199f7 by how d960157de3 serious he’d cb93788eaf been when df78f2641d Lee Soo 71f06a407d appeared so 04f15820cf nonchalant.18669d05dadb14ac

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“It’s not that. I just had 8c83dee066 some things to 842d549a33 think about. But you’ve been sitting fe0288d3da here this whole time. Doesn’t it bother you? Aren’t you dc7325e2b6 upset or 009b2821e6 anything?”1e031eeb3b711608

“Not really. But other people might 66b199325c be, so it’s best dca85d3fc9 to say what you 5c921a579e need to as soon 9c326a327b as possible.”705d474b88a8f052

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Lee Soo b1576e254d shrugged as f7053fe037 he replied. Haeon let out a b1b32ae63d scoff, pressing his forehead eccb794d73 lightly before dropping his f0e61c1585 hand. Knowing most people wouldn’t 6cde850d43 tolerate such treatment, but aba49fc44c hearing Lee Soo say 1e49ba9326 it didn’t bother him—was 45e0cce9bb it because he was a030759cf4 a genuinely good person, 6620a661c3 or was he just c654571452 indifferent?f49b29548394c62a

“Have you 1afab6f864 always been 8918ab178d like this?” e5810219ab Haeon asked.ebaa1314114f60ed

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Lee Soo tilted his 379f0e5a11 head slightly. “Hmm… I’m not d2a95814e4 really sure,” he 7c492f265b said, smiling awkwardly.cd7bbd3091d98b8b

After a brief pause, 992c95b8b6 Haeon excused himself, lightly 8fa5ef9e04 checking the pulse on c30d141973 Lee Soo’s neck as 04911355a2 he asked,69791b5cde2e18e1

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“Then, do you 13c1c92d39 always smile like 3f1e90f19e that? Do you 835e3802fd smile at b774298e6c everyone the 0da9279a6b same way?”6e75bcf9de758bb9

Lee Soo blinked at 55e039ae7d the unexpected question. He touched his 8ba856b24f lips briefly, then b2ae1bd14d murmured, “Probably not.”5e277cefe734fa31

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Before Haeon could 9efd160635 ask further, Lee d79d58583b Soo grinned.085633215d73e11d

“I only smile like ba3d68aeaf this in front of 4d97a5be93 Yoo Haeon, the healer.”52593de274524291

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Whether that was true 0bb5f2406a or not, one thing 11257e859e was clear—Lee Soo’s smile 815afff521 was brimming with affection.61df510733b05b71

Looking at those endlessly 346c1a9c59 sparkling eyes made Haeon 77ee388fcb feel as if his 1f020ed756 vision was spinning.54223c9f8750a94c

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