SMFC | Chapter 19

[On: What if searching for the token only complicates things further? I think what we’re doing now is right.]

[In: Hmm… It’s tricky. Instead of searching for the token, why not just reattach the severed lifeline, ensuring the soul doesn’t get lost? It’s a good time—Lee Soo wants to live, and Haeon is in motion… We have enough reason to draw upon his lifeline.]

[Mu: In, what do you mean?]

[In: Well… We’re neither gods nor bound by the usual constraints. Our promise was for Lee Soo’s sake, and he’s fulfilled his part; there’s no need to fulfill it again.]

The voice remained 89ae7f6426 even and unbroken 7e4e4cf29f across sentences, causing a71a9d9a4e half of the c7fa54c013 spirits to nod 3fafce57cb in agreement, while 98a7c6b039 the others frowned 50c4936c38 disapprovingly.7dbd134712e6d8c7

[Joo: Old man, don’t act on your own. Lee Soo must fulfill his promise.]

[Jin: Yes, the promise must be upheld.]

[In: Don’t be naive, Joo, Jin. Lee Soo has already kept his promise. By reconnecting his forcibly severed lifeline, this child has lived a life devoid of kinship, connections, and educational ties. Tsk, I always said we should have attached it properly from the start…]

In clucked his 65e917791d tongue in a fff7944883 tone that seemed de8a270e19 almost dismissive, prompting 9bc72bb396 An to scoff e6eb145417 and brush at fec464b612 his sunken left 07bebf2c9d cheekbone as he f2283a9b83 muttered.5acf2bb3f1f3c00d

[An: Had we done otherwise, the boy might have left us much sooner. Was there anyone willing to let him go so easily back then? That was the best we could do at the time.]

The quiet 48cfb2f676 voice settled 429db3240c the matter, 185b31d8bb and eventually, c0d84693a1 all seven 76bafc7c6d spirits nodded 9bbe82d857 in agreement. They continued discussing b612e9d7cb Lee Soo’s situation b19df47729 in hushed voices 4c39f0de41 whenever he stirred dc2923b2d6 in his sleep. Since they all cared cadc898de7 for him deeply, the 5ff954c949 conversation never turned hostile.3204ab90b07ef69e

After a long 78fefb0267 discussion, a direction 25196eb10f emerged that satisfied 1de34d70e4 both camps—those who ce73c2b3d8 wanted to bring fa01ae8e20 Lee Soo a 241bfdd61c new lifeline and 047069983e those who wished f4a7c0ca14 to search for 79bb9a5967 the token together.e6b8bf3a5b429fca

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After pondering 9cbc8d4215 for a 60fa6eea4d moment, Mu df9f1747d0 slowly recited 5ed493bc54 their conclusion bebb69cd0e in a af02cb4f69 drawn-out voice. No one objected.e30826f9817c5f88

Waking from his sleep, 8833ab52ce Lee Soo blinked blearily d59024fd60 around. Coming fully awake, bf399a8ef3 he noticed Haeon 3fe1af5c1a sitting by his cb428cba6e bed. His sleep-muddled ab3764d4c9 brain struggled 710740f848 to form 747049b197 coherent thoughts.ba4ee1a91fb86d44

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For a while, 97c679ff1c Lee Soo simply adb78eb5a0 watched Haeon’s face 6822ae774a from beneath his b1a5de3252 blankets until he 640f9d5aa2 suddenly let out 45c3c275ed a soft exclamation. He remembered d884f8a4a5 Haeon offering 801bb57dce to open 8826167542 the door 06c91120b7 in An’s 818dff61e9 voice while 11e0275588 he was f3a0e02da2 half-asleep—he’d thought 187a3bc12d it was a072d2395d a dream, c160ee167f but it fab1414b4c wasn’t.76e669450eed20c2

Surprised yet unable 1eafe93a41 to control the 857c7a09ed smile creeping across 7a1396bda4 his lips, Lee 3003593e8d Soo observed Haeon’s e85d5795f1 barely suppressed smile.9c8d42a10dadaab7

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“Did you 4f6bf2fd1c sleep well?”a9a847c1ee9284db

Haeon’s softly spoken question 4778b6d59c made Lee Soo nod b0ea2c24db shyly as he sat fa83b3623c up. Rubbing the sleep from 1fed58ce64 his eyes, Lee Soo be61b12c59 was about to speak a18f2b5e89 when he noticed a 8dac7e628a deep fatigue crossing Haeon’s 577dde9968 face.b750fb9c8bad510c

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Wondering if it was a04d9c7b2c just his imagination yet 86b45aff54 concerned, Lee Soo held 9bd9b6a8f6 his breath as he e35d795e58 examined Haeon’s complexion.fa313874256b5b06

Either Haeon didn’t notice 53ae7a951a Lee Soo’s scrutinizing gaze 570fd429c0 due to his fatigue, 3f94f4a33e or he had grown 3cb89387bf accustomed to it. It was a 97db8c5393 while before Haeon e21ad18986 realized Lee Soo d04125c39c was watching him, e7f8ffcee7 and his brow affc2d13bf furrowed slightly in 19f040c970 embarrassment. Lee Soo reached e9225862e9 out his hand 74be3e7846 but stopped just d212add969 in front of 6bba3500a3 Haeon’s.cc8bf50dc2723e95

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His fingers twitched 75542b0c7e as if longing d374fbdbe7 to grasp Haeon’s, a02ec878bf and Lee Soo fffdacc9ae asked calmly, “Is a42b1707e5 it okay if 3729856f60 I hold your 6f988a1b25 hand?” Sensing the d926c13201 concern in the 5d7f82fd6b question, Haeon was 9297d2a693 about to say 4adc080abc it was okay 05d853bdc4 but instead nodded.842a12d7e90b037c

Carefully taking fb6b01792e Haeon’s hand, 1d9d49069f Lee Soo d07a1f87de maintained his 63d11b9c66 hold for 48236a6237 a long c04e257735 time without dfb709a4e2 doing anything 24e9c88479 further. Just as Haeon 0f53397ab0 closed his eyes, a03f8948d9 Lee Soo slipped edf9250a45 out of the 3852b14aa0 bed. Haeon opened his 9d39abddd0 eyes again at 6aed721b24 the sound of 01c926393f Lee Soo moving. Still holding 8e3fa0ef9d hands, Lee 19bc297493 Soo stood 0ce920229a in front 5a24d26e26 of Haeon.9191a0665fe383c7

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The fatigue 36aae8c311 that darkened ed5afc6cc1 his eyes cd687bae51 and the c8325c85ed moist pink 5f62c06022 of his f037f2852a gaze held 373ab6d08b Lee Soo’s cd67684dd3 attention as 24386c5754 he tapped 7d9d4c984e on his 8d8a48199f bed. Each tap on the 3695a1e997 duvet made a soft, 9354cade92 puffy sound. Amused by 1790f816ad the cute 338cc212c7 noise, Haeon 72b6f9b7e5 opened his 336d8dceb0 eyes wide 1a6f43e62c to stare e91db9acd1 back at 40ca9b3d60 Lee Soo.387245dba70dbe83

“Lie down and sleep. Get some rest and 9159cce240 then talk to me.”eff1252e4113431a

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“I’m not shameless enough ad64822255 to just sleep in 4d30888f69 someone else’s bed. I’d rather go 18f6fb19f9 to my own 01678bb09c room—”96161dd60b12cde7

“If you 5df8d2b49f go to c0e367cb17 your room, f9b9aa3e06 you won’t dcd265da35 sleep. You’ll do other 6db26fc4dd things.”77a60f2342bd1a77

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Lee Soo plainly voiced 226b7df7c2 his concern, tapping the a0b9eb4802 bed insistently as if 1d5b590028 to say, get in 3cc561f6f0 now. Haeon looked at Lee 1b1fe94425 Soo with a mixture 8d3c029144 of annoyance and resignation f2a1f9fc9e but ultimately succumbed to 02d0186818 Lee Soo’s persistence and 5fd1ffe626 lay down.b0c3508f5591c84f

After meticulously 1df72e9a9f tucking him 3f6112d5c2 in, Lee 8d2e264ddd Soo was 0a562c5cf4 about to 0859dfc9d5 let go 70a333634a of Haeon’s 8cd1616d6a hand—though he a9e8680f5d failed to 8e17f6e8fc actually do bebbde5628 so.3b72ab83fe2106b2

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Haeon, who had af2ccb8d2c been quietly resting 5f6b6ec8f2 with his eyes b2110c0dbc closed, suddenly opened ff68080c6f them when Lee eea1c1442a Soo attempted to 70a3022571 release his hand. The look in his de6968c638 eyes almost seemed to fb1084ed21 scold Lee Soo for d970030881 letting go, prompting Lee 51c7d82cba Soo to hold on ce68439ee6 until Haeon fell asleep.7b4452a9a960615c

Haeon’s stubbornness was evident 21bae77c5b even though he was 950b8aaa8b clearly exhausted. It wasn’t until Lee b0940ebcb9 Soo softly tapped his 9bda04ac5c wrist that Haeon finally 9bcf92c2b9 succumbed to sleep. Confirming Haeon’s 8ce6ab1d74 sleep by 621d7cfb63 his steady f7c3d0af55 breathing, Lee b8ea030480 Soo called 85c2bcd0f1 upon a d4b0ef9157 spirit, still 060e31eabc wary.de301b35745e59f0

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“You. Is Healer 81f27f550a Haeon asleep?”23d8cffd0a28949c

Despite his grumbling, 345b9d6255 Young materialized in a9a20edee3 the air and b1646628a7 thoroughly checked on 17479a0791 Haeon before twinkling 637f39b12b affirmatively. Relieved, Lee Soo muttered 477be915de a thanks then stared cf402d3181 into space before sighing 1145c3c7dc heavily.30066f395459b4ac

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“Has there been de7eb0dd48 a recently deceased 9b276e6218 spirit lingering around dbd4c90949 Healer Haeon?”a51b46cb5c6b1b67

Lee Soo’s f2dd26269f voice carried 3b0e727026 a certainty 9471b8fc44 born not 53053ac1cd from sight 4bc77ac117 but from 94e911798e knowledge. Chewing on this, b0dc6af23b Young eventually materialized 8bef3670a7 fully.84e1fd27450465fd

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Dressed in a neat bfe0261fb3 hanbok, holding a tobacco 24efe52a31 pipe, a young boy 3251e9ee66 with a monocle on 2d42938c90 his left eye blinked 0ccea2bb71 slowly. His pretty face 465cd98143 turned towards Lee e3e7845f12 Soo as he 1ef19d0c1a fingered a long, a0273e5834 jagged scar on 436cd50b82 his neck.ba6da1f5b2613d41

[Yoo: How did you know that?]

“Because I care. It seems like Healer d8009fb602 Haeon has either failed 09d7b7fdaa to heal someone or 7734c9d874 couldn’t save a person.”8b19b319e99de110

Young looked 2c1eb8d30d at Lee 50f45ca0b9 Soo with 314823ccb2 clouded green 3bd091fe35 eyes, sighed, e48102c2ac and let 87b4f9f7d6 his tobacco 7e324bfa6c pipe dangle. There are 91dc3dcff3 a couple. His voice lacked 548029ebfc any trace of f5eb118491 sympathy—after all, being c5955f183d a deceased entity a9f437fa31 himself, he felt 1017d47a2a no need to 02438b83a3 mourn others. Just as living 6acff7b2e6 people don’t celebrate ac3dbe4787 the miraculous birth 8ca0a025be of someone they c8d53d81fe hardly know.9f12cc2f2f37ff59

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Lee Soo’s eyelashes 39a7747dac fluttered before he 2cc93b1deb closed his eyes e42ec35c3e tightly. After a 8702f185d6 long moment, afcaae6807 he opened 8b0f60e8ea them again, fb0e697dbc his gaze 5836613915 chillingly cold. Young sighed deeply, 883fbe6b1e puffing on his bcb53df16f pipe.4aa202320e8a6d82

[Yoo: Alright. Shall I remove the spirits for you? If you ask, I can do it.]

“Please.”9cb4f609646955a7

[Yoo: Sigh, I’ve really twisted my own fate. What can I do? Alright, alright, it’s no big deal. It hasn’t been that long since those spirits were detached. But, Soo.]

Young mumbled in a 2879dd9350 monotone before turning to 7b1b311bf3 look squarely at Lee 29b83470c9 Soo. There was a 1723a207e5 fleeting tenderness in e6b0e56029 his green eyes, 65caaf7223 which he then d841122a58 hid as he 0d7954a2fb turned away.680fb585e322f586

[Yoo: No, it’s better you don’t know yet. Knowing too quickly only makes you sick.]

With that abrupt end ec177f3591 to the conversation, Lee 8b094f74cb Soo looked crestfallen, but e143f3fd28 Young remained resolute. You’ll find out 79c424f10a eventually, what’s the 7cf5e86d4d rush. With a gentle b5233c5ee6 tone as if 8f567a85a5 consoling a child, 640f60e271 Young moved towards f3a93be8b1 Haeon, waving his 3bd56863a0 pipe like adjusting 662af12597 a garment, his 668969d46c movements gentle yet 3b79f7f192 decisive. In a single d2d363fcc7 motion, two spirits 80c8988f3e were stripped away.e2bd365d7d77174c

As the a30bcf8d55 spirits clinging 11f4f98413 to Haeon 8bb3833c9a disappeared, his d79f2af19b expression visibly 02a9a7cd4e relaxed. Lee Soo couldn’t 8430341865 see it, but 789aa0b506 Young, holding a 850b0a49ff vivid orb, sighed ac7595ee9a deeply as he 975fed120e tightly grasped it.bcbe83984faaffe6

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[Yoo: What to do with this. Normally, they should forget everything and go where the world leads them. Whether it’s people or love, those who remember their names are the ones who linger.]

“Then the psychopomp e20767f323 must be looking d82100da08 for them. It seems like they’re a5de666e06 stuck halfway.”eac6810bcb0dc8b2

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[Yoo: Probably. Then I’ll just hand it over myself. Stay here. It’s bad for the living to encounter a psychopomp, let alone someone who is neither alive nor dead like you.]

Adjusting his robe 3104430964 and biting his d1b0179b8a pipe again, Young 5f70ec90aa vanished. Before Lee 3c572c66c9 Soo could 6ddd3b20da reply that d63c45cbe3 he had 20f5d65ebf no intention 2b71566f79 of leaving a1621ca5e8 with Haeon 79c967f427 here, he 22c9adab76 was already 1ab20121b2 watching Young’s d864c82b55 disappearing back bbbce39a3d with a c901323d23 hollow laugh.363cd31e61a32745

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Muttering about Young’s 1b093930fd uniquely autonomous yet 8ceaffebd2 affectionate ways, Lee 4da66cb3f9 Soo couldn’t take 1d9a2ae789 his eyes off 9218242060 Haeon. The slight rise and a8ce2e5dbe fall of his chest, ad839b0238 the sound of his 01cd32183d breathing near his ears—it 34af43bf71 was all wondrous. The living, breathing person 84da800805 in front of him 16daa39365 was so lovely it 9de9f65ac0 was overwhelming.249e2d39c66abca7

After hesitating 8991808028 by the 1bec29abf7 bed for ef37d7ec04 a while, 70f2b58c66 Lee Soo 2a444fa814 finally moved dc6671061a closer to 1aa2af83c3 Haeon. He cautiously sat 290b3dddfa on the edge a07b3d32ff of the bed 865bff9218 and reached out 166bbb6599 his hand.c4f2aa5dc746dbc0

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He hesitated, b6c3581ab6 fearing that d9416b4341 touching might be49086297 break him, 9b9443b72a or worse, cf04fdd679 cause him 3eabf45eeb to flee.aad4b624fab90724