Chapter 119 - Don't Abandon Me

* * *

The Bomber's eyes widened. Then, recognizing who it was, the Bomber asked with a face full of ecstasy,

"Is this poisoned?"

What was so enjoyable about this?

"No. You were choking on your drink. You should drink water when that happens."

At Hyeonyul's matter-of-fact reply, the Bomber's interest instantly vanished. The look was almost one of staring at garbage.

"I don't know how to make poison. But I'll consider it next time."

"Really...?"

As soon as the Bomber heard the promise of murder, a smile returned as though nothing had happened. The Bomber was as insane as ever today, so Hyeonyul paid it no mind.

He had arrived home and been about to lie down when he realized he hadn't stopped by to see the Bomber. He had dragged his heavy body all the way here; he had no desire to get swept up in that incomprehensible behavior.

"Oh, I..."

With an impassive expression, Hyeonyul drove his dagger straight into the hand the Bomber held out.

THUNK.

The Bomber's eyes widened, and everyone in the shop turned to look, but Hyeonyul's expression didn't change in the slightest.

"I ask the questions. You answer them."

"... You're so impatient. This is the same hand you stabbed with a fork that time."

The Bomber forced the corners of the mouth upward as the hand trembled. Blood soaked the glove, turning it bright red.

"That's what you get for being ridiculous."

The dagger had already vanished from Hyeonyul's grip. He couldn't hide the flowing blood, but what did that matter? Both of them were in disguise anyway.

"I never know when you'll come, so I always have something ready—"

Before the Bomber could finish, Hyeonyul pulled a bomb from the darkness and tossed it over. On his way here, he had spotted several bombs attached to the café. Knowing what the Bomber intended, he'd removed them as soon as he saw them.

The moment the Bomber saw the bomb land in that waiting embrace, laughter erupted like mad.

"I've seriously never seen this before. It came back to me. How does it come back to me...?"

The exhilaration was enough to flush the Bomber's cheeks.

Hyeonyul didn't so much as blink at the sight of the Bomber's shaking shoulders and the bomb cradled tenderly like a doll. He merely leaned back against the sofa.

"I don't have the energy today. Normally, I might play along, but a lot has happened."

The Bomber's laughter abruptly stopped.

"Really...? What happened?"

"If I tell you, will you let me ask two questions?"

"Yes. I will."

Taking a fork in the other hand, the Bomber cut off a piece of cake and ate it.

"During today's mission, I met someone who was trying to seize a major corporation. You understand why it was exhausting, don't you?"

Hyeonyul deliberately let the information slip. Would the Bomber know anything? The Bomber was a noble, after all.

"Oh, that? That must have really gotten on your nerves."

The Bomber answered as though familiar with the matter. Just as he'd expected. This really was a source of information. The rank of noble wasn't there for nothing.

"Yes, it did. It may take me longer to come see you."

"Deal with it. You can come after you've dealt with it, can't you? Can't you even do that?"

"If it could be dealt with that quickly, wouldn't all the villains be gone already?"

"That's true. All right. Ask away. I'll answer until time runs out. About a minute left, isn't there?"

The Bomber shook the bomb to show him the timer. The number kept dropping.

"Is this related to the living test subject you mentioned before?"

"Yes. As far as I know."

"Do you know who that living test subject is?"

"No. I don't know that. I'm curious too, but this one's really hard to figure out. Even though I'm curious."

"That's all I need."

CLICK.

The Bomber stopped the bomb.

One second.

Leaving exactly that much time on the clock, the Bomber let out a breath and bounced both feet as dopamine surged.

"I'm going crazy! Seriously, I'm going crazy...! Ever since I met you, I feel alive!"

The Bomber knew this situation had been deliberately engineered, but even allowing for that, leaving just one second!

One more second, and death could have come. This exhilaration was different from toying with the Black Eagles; it felt as though the Bomber's brain might burn up.

"Is that so?"

"... Seriously, I think I'm going to get addicted. I'm in trouble."

"Yes. By all means, get thoroughly addicted."

When Hyeonyul stood, the Bomber rose too.

"Why are you leaving already?"

"I'm going home to rest. I have a job. I have work tomorrow too."

"... Oh, true. You do have a job. Somehow, that's a combination I never would have imagined."

"Villains like you are why I have to work weekends."

"But there's not much difference between weekends and weekdays."

"Now that you know, restrict your activities to weekdays. Personally, I'd prefer it if you voluntarily dropped dead altogether."

If they did that, all the bastards who'd made him this way would disappear too.

Hyeonyul gave a small bow and was about to leave when a hand reached toward him. He immediately turned.

"I'll buy you a meal."

The Bomber smiled.

"Why? I don't want to eat with you."

"I'm not expecting that either. I'm just offering because I have lots of money. Take it home."

Hyeonyul stared silently. It was extremely suspicious. Why would a villain buy him a meal? What was the Bomber trying to gain?

"I'm going to kill you slowly too. You need to stay healthy until then, don't you?"

"Are you fattening me up before eating me?"

"Think of it that way."

"But I have no money. I can't buy you a meal next time."

"I'm not looking for a meal from you."

"Is that so?"

"Why would I?"

"Understood. I won't refuse, then."

The Bomber chuckled at his answer.

"You're truly unusual. Truly special."

A Black Eagle, yet accepting the offer so readily. Whether that was permissible or not, it was entertaining, and that was enough. You always saved the tastiest morsel for last.

"There's nothing particularly special about it. We aren't eating together, and you offered takeout, so I simply judged it an efficient way to save on food expenses."

"Do you need money, by any chance? Want some?"

"I don't need it."

At Hyeonyul's cold stare, the Bomber smiled.

"Prickly, aren't you?"

That only made him more appealing.

'I'll dig into him myself.'

Using the power that came with noble status would make it easy to uncover everything, but that would be no fun.

'What should I do about the corporation? Interfere, or leave it alone?'

The Bomber pondered it while walking ahead.

* * *

Hyeonyul's eyes flew open at the alarm as though he were having a fit. Yesterday, he'd eaten the considerably expensive meal the Bomber had bought him and fallen straight asleep. Now he opened his eyes, and it was morning.

He thought there had been messages from Nayun and Jihwan somewhere in between, but he couldn't remember what they'd said or how he'd replied. His shoulders sank as he exhaled.

'Working weekends really is awful.'

It felt as though it went beyond unpleasantness to teach him what true horror meant. If he couldn't remember everything, why remember anything at all? The memory of dying from overwork before he became Seo Hyeonyul made his body stiffen involuntarily. Perhaps that was why it felt so heavy.

Remembering his past ought to come with some sort of perk or benefit, but there was nothing of the kind.

Hyeonyul started to get up, then stopped to check his messages.

[Team Leader Oh Haeryeon: You have work today!!!]

[Team Leader Oh Haeryeon: Don't forget.]

He immediately squeezed his eyes shut. He'd seen something he hadn't wanted to see.

'Why do I have to go to work?'

He knew there was an easier path that didn't involve going to work. But as easy as it was, he couldn't become the person Jeongmin wanted him to be that way, and he might become the monster he hated most.

Hyeonyul reached into the darkness, rummaged around, and took out his medication. If stray thoughts were surfacing again, it was time to take it.

He stood and headed for the refrigerator, then turned his head to the side.

"...?"

There was Jeongmin.

He closed his eyes and opened them. A hallucination? No matter how many times he looked, Jeongmin didn't disappear. He approached and touched him. The sensation beneath his fingertips left Hyeonyul startled.

"... Doctor?"

"Sleep well? That alarm was loud."

Jeongmin yawned widely and scratched his side.

"Why... are you here?"

"Why else? I came to bring you side dishes."

"Side dishes and sleeping are unrelated subjects."

"I know that too. But did you know you fell sound asleep by the front door yesterday?"

"I did...?"

Hyeonyul asked as though he couldn't understand what that meant.

"Thinking about it, I wondered if it was around this time."

"Pardon?"

"The day you escaped that place. There's nothing physically wrong with you, but you strangely start sleeping more and feeling tired. Well, you do tend to sleep a lot anyway."

"... Oh."

Only then did Hyeonyul realize.

Jeongmin had said it was psychological. It wouldn't disappear overnight, and there was nothing wrong with his body, so he didn't need to worry.

"But when did I fall asleep? I definitely ate."

"I woke you up and fed you."

"I checked my phone too."

"It kept buzzing so much that I told you to check it."

"Oh."

"Hyeonyul. I wanted to ask yesterday too, but who bought you that meal?"

"..."

Hyeonyul fell silent and averted his eyes.

'... What on earth has this kid been getting up to?'

Jeongmin struggled to calm the anger boiling inside him.

"It looked awfully expensive. The price shocked me, and so did the taste."

"Are you going to scold me...?"

"Would I really do that first thing on a Monday morning? We both have jobs."

Oh.

Hyeonyul immediately understood and nodded a couple of times.

"A villain bought it for me."

"Which villain?"

"The Bomber."

As a hand came flying toward him without hesitation, Hyeonyul grabbed Jeongmin's forearm.

SMACK!

But Jeongmin's hand went for his forehead. Hyeonyul clutched his forehead and squeezed his eyes shut.

"You're the death of me!"

"Doctor. This is—"

"You really are the death of me, honestly!"

Next, Jeongmin's hand went for his arm. Hyeonyul was flustered.

"Doctor. This contradicts what you said a moment ago."

"Of course it does! You think this is the same? Chatting and laughing with a villain, then bringing home a free meal?"

"There was no chatting and laughing. I didn't solicit a meal; I simply didn't refuse when the offer was made."

"That's the same thing!"

"But I refused the offer of money."

Jeongmin glared at his confident declaration, and Hyeonyul lowered his gaze. Even the corners of his mouth drooped a little.

"... This wasn't a villain who experimented on me. I was told I wouldn't have to buy a meal in return, and I could save on food expenses. If you're referring to pride, I don't have any—"

"It's dangerous."

Jeongmin's words seemed to wake Hyeonyul completely.

"Why is it dangerous? There's no faction. The Bomber works alone."

The noble status was a concern, but not enough to make the Bomber impossible to kill. Was this dangerous?

The Bomber was different from other villains. In fact, he did wonder whether the Bomber really was a villain. More of a criminal, perhaps—but being a noble made the danger greater.

Wasn't this a noble setting themself against the Empire? That alone could pose a danger to the Empire, so he could only conclude that the designation of villain was correct.

"You probably think that's a rational judgment, but have you considered that having no faction and working alone makes the Bomber more dangerous?"

Hyeonyul frowned slightly. Seeing that he didn't understand, Jeongmin continued.

"Being alone means being able to do anything. It means there's no one to stop you, doesn't it? For example, attacking the Black Eagles' Nest itself for a spectacular final death, or going after someone closest to you, Hyeonyul—"

"I'm sorry."

Only then did Hyeonyul immediately apologize. Someone close to him—that would be Jeongmin, wouldn't it? He hadn't considered that. So certain he could kill the Bomber, he'd failed to look at those around him. And wasn't the advantage in information that came with noble status considerable?

"It would be best if you didn't come to see me for a while."

His expression stiff, Hyeonyul spoke to Jeongmin again. If anyone found even the slightest leverage against him, Jeongmin would be in the greatest danger.

"I'll be careful, but you be careful too. So many incidents have been happening lately."

"Yes. Still, I'm gradually learning more."

"About yourself?"

"Yes."

Jeongmin was pleased by his answer, so Hyeonyul couldn't say the rest. There was a simple reason he had recently been encountering people connected to him whom he hadn't met before.

They were looking for him. Like beasts waking from hibernation, they were combing every corner for prey.

"Oh, go wash up first. Let's eat."

Jeongmin smiled brightly and held out some water.

"Yes."

Hyeonyul looked at the medication in his hand, then raised his eyes to Jeongmin. Would learning this make him sad? Did he have to tell him anyway?

"... What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

Unable to reach an answer, Hyeonyul took the medication he hadn't yet swallowed as the noise in his head grew louder.