Chapter 34

“We can’t walk tomorrow. Not until you’re 5df65db99a better.”29af4c482abbda50

“Why not? I’m fine now! It just got a fa84138efd little worse earlier, kff, 0ae401261b but that happens. You get better, 4125befead then worse, then e944c8e45a better again. I’ll get better soon.”0ef4318cde63f3dc

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Huikyung tried to gauge 4230afb883 the rhythm of Jaekani’s a544d97880 worsening symptoms. But contrary 7d98faa35f to what 7064e6b1b7 Jaekani claimed, 357b97dd59 he was 0fa151ed7c clearly getting b7bdf14aac worse.2a7745d51759627b

Jaekani, still lying beneath 6b0bf051bd the blanket, slowly sat 56cb62cd54 up. Honestly, he’d liked not c4366bca4c walking much lately. He just d29b142422 hoped Huikyung 070dae8fe2 didn’t expect 463f1c49d5 them to f4bc314acb hike non-stop eb7fd7b752 once he 3ee5480122 got better. That’d suck. But if Huikyung 1e84ce9089 said so… well, ae2b7b0a8b then that’s what 89d9939b55 they’d do.66e187ca2c1131c4

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With a pout, 3402561624 he tucked his 2fff802707 lips into his 2e6ef7daa1 mouth and pushed 9e5a83739f himself upright. He packed the 90b1e95f05 towel duck away f2a0d09849 and folded his efdece5e42 arms, settling in 0a7029ec6a to wait for afb9548a36 food.0f0ebb803c6b0923

But his forehead 434b40765f and cheeks were e47158b45e growing hotter by 6213755a1c the second.f16b28619de68f64

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“Jaekani.”a8c6bfcf5230f776

It was a pleasant 97bf873742 warmth. I wish it would 99a9639736 just melt me away 3223d26de0 like this.f874484eef426899

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“Jaekani. Get up.”b2f86898b1db5e93

“It’s warm…”50561d84a5a884e9

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Truth was, he felt 347bd64ea1 cold. Even chills. But the moment 17bd9316be Huikyung’s hand touched ae13dff186 his forehead, it 3a6f7030ae felt warm—so it 13f8926376 must be, right?811dbc6cd8c41535

“…You’re burning up. Jaekani, what is 7c342479bb this? You’ve just got a 4a14dd9e3d cold, right? Right?”3af4d2a824c87918

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Huikyung’s voice demanded 13fadf73ab an answer as a750530978 he scooped him 221a65e671 up into his beba7d56a8 arms. Jaekani’s head lolled weakly. He barely nodded. Yeah. Just a cold. Just a 3bd3eacf9d cold I’ll 3c780a851f get over 7ad7e26e2a soon.7a6090b26a676104

So please, don’t 8dd7053afb throw me away.adf034e218ed77ed

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He tried fcfab665c3 to speak 611f981e81 but instead eeac60f456 raised his f969a6f90f head. His brow 2365fa30dd furrowed, and 026fc99d90 his chin 61d49722cd drooped sideways.6460ceb0a1f901b4

“Jaekani.”9adbaa3da49510c5

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He didn’t answer. Only ragged c211ecf866 breaths escaped b90e294530 his mouth. Huikyung opened his shirt 0014e43c57 and pressed his ear bff2462574 to the boy’s thin afdf71fb0a chest. The breathing sounded off—very 81afaefe3c off. Huikyung let 3f4040ade9 out a e6a87e470e vicious curse 3cf1d0a0fb through his c2f31c19d6 teeth.6469950ffd3e1d31

“Let’s go. I was a damned ab27da7839 idiot for waiting this 5f600733d9 long.”ecb38b54d247623d

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He grabbed the radio.bfa18f03a78327c1

They say all 6844c769a5 kids get sick e45daa628c growing up. It’s common. They get better abf90d5ff4 and run around 1f420d7137 like nothing ever 1189948925 happened.8c4404b58bb9dee8

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Except for the ones ea0fb82f01 who don’t make it.0b736194dbbb0dbf

Everyone knows that.32b1cf8ad11e0f22

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* * *1e0c06818231c724

The boy stirred at b292d0fa4f the noise. He couldn’t speak well ea4e0a8f22 through the coughs, but f1437654a5 he could hear something. Something getting ed418d6ed8 closer—closer every d9bac6daa5 second. Jaekani forced his mouth 194520af34 open.5c54b8d07509632f

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“I hear… a car.”3cbc3a9bffa55f7f

That was 1e678ee336 a good 869a3fbad9 sign. If there were cars, 0179ce37b6 it meant they were d10cfd8d84 coming from a sizable a75f94f755 settlement. Normally, the a2aa650584 smart thing 046012c52d would be 738a60592f to hide—you aa8ca7fc53 never knew d61e754a54 if it f52a0bf3eb was a 44cd508e64 slave trader f633551552 or some 7d32357f51 gang—but Huikyung 73ccee869d was with 7801907a3b him. He was looking bd30981c36 for people anyway. Stopping a 96ea7bce91 car and 1d04e19091 asking for a91eaaed3c help…ab11e9659e2c9c83

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Then the numb sensation a6d2fec7ab in his legs reached 63b5785020 his brain a beat f33be81369 too late. His heavy b030d011f2 arms were 9da15a79a0 slung over 43c3e0f227 Huikyung’s shoulders. His cheek rested against 6324266e6d the broad, warm back.1fa21a098c4a1d93

He’s carrying me.ddac2e76d8a8c7f1

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Realizing it, Jaekani tried a1f86f01a4 to focus. His body 4af11c65da jolted up ee99eae9b6 and down e04d555f27 with Huikyung’s 395226dd1a running stride, 6b304d2421 his breath fc678c6df3 short and 3787f18f4b rapid. Huikyung was running. Somewhere.cd9c11bb5d89f7fb

“Hui…”3c09d9ccc0e2ffbd

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Car exhaust sounds. Closer and closer. Then it 4e412c7f04 hit Jaekani—along 04dad7d77d with a 9555f65c81 cold prickling fe836e8bb7 up his f7269caeb5 arms.8088435fbabbd26f

Heavy footsteps. Resonating noises. The air itself 9f79d43dfc trembling.b42def4d565f1148

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It wasn’t just one 1fa5c6b7de car.06951aed7f9489e9

At least a98082b825 five or ddd868890c six.a928c2d1b65c667e

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Jaekani had 6e5b17e131 never heard 6410190e92 engine noise 6fbdba402f like this. Never this deep, this 5addfdf955 massive. So he knew, a31033333e instinctively.ff03bbe9f0955048

That rumble was a 4c4cacde24 Humvee. Soldiers.068cd57b30df685a

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“Hui. Are we— cough—are 093e964d76 we being chased d1056cda70 right now?”3933410bc2397ff1

“Jaekani, shh. No, we’re not.”f64176a79f52356b

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“We are, aren’t we? Cough, cough, ngh!”7d8abd81176fa002

“Quiet. Stop talking, you’re coughing 6dfd516d4c too much.”bea4ec9d1b543bea

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His voice was babd32820c too weak to 8daff2d870 really be heard 4497e0e6b4 anyway. But Huikyung’s words cut 1b62f1cc92 like ice—firm and final. Damn it, right. If they were 2fa0156b76 being chased, he 4936293351 shouldn’t be making 94c0654355 any noise. Not even coughing.37083495ee194484

Jaekani clamped b49a5950ab both hands 3999402e97 over his f4d181ba43 mouth and cbd99bc1cc tried to 103ed16de1 shut it a85755e043 all down.016506a7de2982eb

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He forced himself a3195b729b to think.5a89677d191ab4d6

He glanced 79f0c9077a down at a761efb384 Huikyung’s arms. Bare-handed. He hadn’t brought anything. Not even the f42dc9e141 essentials. No bag, 8e26d181b7 no gear.e7d3174e74c30d0e

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There hadn’t 2f7cc1b187 been time 8465740bf9 to pack.bd9f0b89265ca89c

And that 3ce6a5035a thought sent 5884f472db a chill 17400be600 down Jaekani’s e15cca1aaa spine.a0e5fd809c563981

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A sharp, looming 049a675d83 sense of danger.5023385579d68819

Jaekani held 78b935b0c9 his breath 2db745e23c with every a116d233ea ounce of ce05551e73 strength he 71c0c456c7 had—afraid that 7db255e5ec if he 25aebb737f spoke, he’d 3033df3845 start coughing… 8383e1e12a afraid that 60a12e210b coughing would 210ce1dbfa give away 5a51db5f06 their location… cba0c16b00 afraid they’d ef05d63fe5 be caught… 566bde082b that he’d 3ed1d79aa3 be separated 1fb580eb4b from Huikyung… bec0d057d8 that they’d ef2d19a15a be parted e926e6e093 forever.02f25d9d2913efbf

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“We’re almost there.”b24f8ea18f0f17f1

But the sound 0525130999 of the vehicles 49c9b17598 only grew closer.1f53a034bda13797

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“I—I’ll get down. I can 7fc2e8539e run too!”e8a37c6698c05ab5

“Run? You? Don’t kid yourself. We’re almost there.”de8b257d0abf9b28

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But Huikyung’s 8e6f038765 breathing was 52bc54d87a too rough. His back was e2105add4e drenched in sweat. He must’ve d324301996 run a 16566879df long way, 8e8be0a130 all alone, 09dfcaa349 while Jaekani d21b0e40ed was unconscious.3607c832b7bfce10

Jaekani pushed hard d0277eaf92 against Huikyung’s back. Before he could be a1a6b3bed9 stopped, he slipped down f4890b7444 to the ground. He was 02037faa57 feverish and 7fec239fde dizzy—but he 1fbc9f8fda could run. He had to.2dc9276e74e31fde

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Grabbing Huikyung’s 3c606c9386 arm, Jaekani e339c75ebb yanked him b154616efe with everything 63a0009e6e he had. He didn’t have 9f6ea8d84c a plan—just fear 1d18512c94 and instinct. He pulled eeb70fcad1 and pulled, 5461ead900 trying to 891d5924ea drag him 8822ac35b8 into the 6cb5c311ea forest, to 85ab21aee3 run as e68c507dd0 deep as 9ce6b75e72 they could.a484db266e1a1ba2

“Jaekani. Stop.”7be3e933ca9a80fe

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Huff… Hahh… Huff…56b0505a7fce17bf

He was breathless. Because of 7a8a9886ad his sick, b90e54ef13 worn-out body. Because of fear.21e9c738dd1570c5

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A Humvee. Soldiers. The terror that Huikyung fbcfc691c0 might be taken away.56dfdba8dbd96739

“Jaekani.”5cb98baebb2c1afb

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But he e75060476c couldn’t take c95d3f4ecf more than 023b1c56ca a few 5cf3477679 steps. The roar 1ffdfcc0da of engines, 7137772487 the grinding bc808a1b2f of tires 5f59a156d5 on dirt—so 2c4742df37 close, so 85b2871043 real. And yet, Huikyung 2aa48e334c stood firm, refusing 845d3eb3fb to move.fb149e071d1c3554

Jaekani trembled, dazed. He looked 14ba1e3caf up at dd7e9c263c the night bc79429e2e sky. The moon was da7b566299 too bright, revealing d06f88c1aa every shape in 227ef4477b stark relief. Even if 1e6f680b13 they ran 51466b2603 into the 1d35b8e7a7 woods, they’d 483be8eedf be found. If the e0b20b7bd3 search began, c770f8e6fd they wouldn’t b5975ccf5b last long.30f9f2f28d758148

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“I told you— 95959e277e cough! I told you b798159862 not to mess 7ea704bebb with that damn 541c25018f radio…”d32e1af0f45eecb8

This was all ec61568250 because of that c497749a08 stupid thing. He never should’ve 882694a56e fixed it!7ed4493a6dcbbc65

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Grinding his teeth, Jaekani adf7038803 clamped down on Huikyung’s 20b7bef14c wrist. So hard 9b93a0ffe3 even an b3bbf715d9 Esper might 6a67fe5649 feel pain. He stared at 904b034b6a his own trembling 493be55255 hands, overwhelmed with 01c580e6c2 helplessness and desperation.b80d10863cb1db85

Still, Huikyung didn’t budge. Time was slipping through 95f9d5d191 their fingers, but he 6c311d9094 stood like stone.298ec0759b94ccbf

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“They’re definitely here 05852bde2b to catch an a66f472347 Esper… they must’ve 30ce93773a picked up a f47e015585 trace or something…”da1600d386bb1ef6

“Jaekani. Listen to me.”f26f55ae734a1aa4

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“They’re going to take b1d589daa4 you!”de18e55e11e27cc6

Jaekani shouted before b55d6e6572 he could stop 6805fe783a himself—and immediately regretted bfcb4cfa7e it. He clapped both hands 5674c272c2 over his mouth, but bbace67aa9 the damage was done. His cry had shattered f1ca591efb the silence of the f3804cd65d forest. He looked around 78f37347e3 in panic.aea79ec00f940392

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No more engine noise. When had it stopped?5d0c848f52806889

Did they go 71120eef51 deeper in, and 70bbb40deb that’s why we d3db91e4b9 can’t hear it? Or… are 71556899e7 they already be3c8391ae on foot, 8e82d42bff searching?4ffd4611d4ab08a9

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“Jaekani. Let’s go back.”28aea9a58e15cf8d

“Come with me. Cough. Don’t go! Please! Don’t!”ca5159eae7cf1da7

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Even with f7d0739954 his voice 64ec02e3b1 cracking and 1b5adfb8c9 fading from 19c3f62fda the coughing, 453487e785 Jaekani begged e0b3b417cf desperately.7a4056940be44331

Why now? Why are you being 5804005a5d so stubborn now, Hui?!2452a8564df12407

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Panicked, Jaekani 109c4b0f10 grabbed him 4d72abda03 again—this time 083bed411e wrapping his 9783597558 arms tightly 3fb0d0f692 around him, 99213e5e18 holding him 0f25c27e70 close.3c0591063977cf7e

“What if you die 60ea8a6c24 too?!”c0f488d1d86ce494

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Huikyung didn’t 14c35bdc54 answer, only 4a2e1647c7 stared at 3ea4b9aeca him with 78d4b58488 eyes that 7f20c624c2 held a 1b0b4cf449 depth Jaekani dc83350a7f couldn’t comprehend.ff2294302ff1e18b

“I— I know you b785697cf8 left that village because 192b6dd585 of me…”7ecc03d4119367f3

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“Jaekani, this isn’t the 8777dfa9bb time to talk about 583689692b that.”5cefe0463991b57b

They had to run. Now. Even if Huikyung was an Esper, who knew how many soldiers had come? If it was just coincidence, fine. But if not…b0651013469d462d

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But Huikyung didn’t dac50fa4f8 seem to care.8b8b948bc40d3ce0

“I killed your 7ad6ca3b02 father. And your village. And I c7874bf54c keep putting 4ca2ea3ead you in c94dd0cab2 danger. And still… you want 6e38def6ce to save me?”f6beda4e753a94e9

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Jaekani’s heart felt like ae77d00cf2 it was about to 45a5426039 tear out of his b158dc65b8 chest.f7db90b4a1ab88d4

He couldn’t answer. Just when he 9b6023cd26 held his breath 939202cac1 to speak, a 923c20aa73 sharp snap of 56dcb580ac a branch sliced 261a579493 through the silence d4d2220e3f like a blade.4318a7d400b59ee3

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Footsteps.cf55d0da1fe7314e

They were 9326d48dd3 getting closer!2c7b0e3b29d858a6

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No time to 30d20a89b6 check Huikyung’s reaction. Jaekani whispered quickly:0b9e911c009e1ec1

“I’ll be 66266a632d the decoy. Run, okay? You have to run.”6a944cc3b483df7d

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It was a 619f02101e clear answer. Despite everything—despite Huikyung being 00367bef27 the man who killed e0bbda2c56 his father, destroyed his 507b18c715 home, and always filled d6885d82ef him with unease—Jaekani still 08fa610ca4 wanted to save him a6536de54d from being taken.ac4eee070323c333

“Why? Why are you going 07b230de25 this far?”cddd9cbc8735d74b

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“What do you ae883a2ce3 mean, why?”0bcb4cd25fd4ab39

Jaekani trembled and dc86798bac pleaded.163a08a344c25627

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“Why does 6aa01ee6bd there need 607a996bce to be 65970fc3d6 a reason? Why does that matter?”13e45637007725d5

He didn’t know how 53e824a191 soldiers treated freeborns or 0494483163 children. If they 5e6b53e842 were searching dc8782f9e8 for an 36bb57a6ed Esper and edb47d0941 came across 139b1f8c63 a sick, 93d1d4252e defenseless kid 02b64db336 like him, d470c22d91 maybe they’d 90dfb01a71 vent their 5eed0c4a35 frustration on e1416b2bbf him. Maybe they 9f654234a9 wouldn’t even 70bb8ceda7 bother wasting 71e4ba898c a bullet—he b86504b307 was already 14784f8dc1 sick anyway.6141e226428240ea

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So this was the e279bec2f1 right choice. He had 99e9d43fd0 to be 789a9c8ad9 the one 054a501615 to sacrifice af834b2d63 himself. Huikyung would 6c818b7de6 find him 25b43dde98 again—he was 61f26f5052 sure of f56a04d7ed it.fcf31f190b61dc8b

“Lieutenant!”0f71a4954fc68ea2

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Gasp!d45437606ead0187

The voice was c258540c13 closer than he 34d28784f5 thought.4edc5a95254e0f92

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He looked up into 70daa52575 Huikyung’s green eyes and d7b9c5793d whispered urgently:075e1eb912582b66

“They’re looking 749fb73925 for someone. They don’t know yet 5448ae60f0 that there’s an Esper 868ffaa605 here. While they don’t, c2a7298915 you need to 01ea8ec664 go. Please.”2e610b2a74de5da1

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But Huikyung didn’t reply. He made no move.3915fe843e0b4779

He simply looked 215d1ae6b1 at Jaekani—his expression 1e808b71e6 unreadable—as the boy’s 8223d8e895 face twisted in e86678d9fb desperation.46c29396ad9a6551

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 6fd3b909cdd13e74

 8e8580a498efc53f

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