I returned to the empty space where only a shallow puddle remained—what was left of the King of Harmless. My hands were still cold. Stiff like the limbs of a corpse with no blood flow. The snow that had clung to them turned into droplets and dripped down. Dropping from my sleeves, from the tips of my hair.
— Chirp chirp.
— Daddy.
I wanted to answer, but my lips wouldn’t move. My whole body felt heavy, like it was stuffed with water-soaked cotton. I didn’t know how to move, so I stood there blankly, and finally said:
“...I’m okay.”
I’m okay. I can go back. I already got one chance—there will surely be a second.
“I’m okay. I really am.”
— Chirrp.
“Chirp, can you get back safely? It might be dangerous.”
It would probably exit through the original dungeon. I didn’t know if it would truly be dangerous for Chirp. I gently cupped the floating baby bird in both hands.
“I don’t know what you really are, or what your purpose is.”
— Chirp.
“But thank you.”
Whatever you are, the one certain thing is that you brought to Yuhyun. Chirp flapped his tiny white wings. The fact that he knew exactly where Yuhyun was—did that an he was connected to the White Bird? He had white feathers, so maybe he was part of the sa kind.
The White Bird that took Yuhyun.
I still didn’t know the reason. At first, I was angry and resentful. But now, I even felt grateful.
If Diarma had taken him instead, I can’t imagine how my brother would’ve been treated. But the White Bird carried Yuhyun away gently, without a single wound. If it keeps protecting him like that—until I co to bring him back.
And if, when the ti cos, it doesn’t interfere—I’ll be truly thankful.
“...Myungwoo must be worried. Let’s hurry back.”
— Chirp!
Chirp tilted his head. Did he not understand?
“Myungwoo, I an Myungwoo! You ate all those magic stones at his house. You rember, right? Go to Myungwoo.”
Chirp! With that, Chirp vanished. Hopefully, he made it back properly.
— I have to sleep now, Daddy.
Changeling flew over in front of , eting my eyes.
“Thank you, too. Really.”
Even knowing what feelings I had when I crafted the magic stone, Changeling looked at with warmth in those golden eyes, and I felt a pang of guilt. Changeling swished his long tail. His fluttering wings sparkled like a prism.
— It won’t take long. I’ll seal the mana imprint again. Be careful, Daddy.
“I’m fine. Don’t worry.”
The silver baby dragon’s form dispersed like a mirage. Instantly, the scenery around shifted. Birds chirped between lush trees. And then—
“Hyung!”
Yuhyun.
“Mister!”
And Yerim.
— Kyang!
“Mr. Han!”
Peace and Noah ran toward .
“Chief Han made it out safely too... No one’s left behind, right?”
Moon Hyunah looked around for no reason.
“Seems like you ca out a bit late.”
Seong Hyunjae scanned sharply from head to toe.
“What is this, hyung...”
Yuhyun’s expression darkened as he looked down at my torn sleeve and the hole in my pants. The pants had blood on them, even if the sleeve was just ripped. Right.
“Mister, are you hurt?!”
— Grroooowl.
“I’ll heal you right away!”
“No, I’m fine. Yuhyun, Yerim, really, it’s nothing.”
I smiled as I said I was okay. And it almost felt true. Yuhyun frowned as he checked over my body. Yerim joined him, and Peace rubbed against my injured leg. Noah and Moon Hyunah also voiced their concern.
The tightness in my chest, the heavy weight—it finally started to ease. Yeah. I’m okay. I have to be okay.
“Yuhyun.”
My little brother. He looked up at with a pout, sulking. Pouting again.
“What you lost, I...”
My throat closed up mid-sentence. Wait, my hands. Both my hands were...
Empty.
“...Hyung?”
Gone. I’d definitely had it in my hands. Right up until I went there. But while I was holding Yuhyun. While I held him... what did I do? The chill crept back into my limbs, my chest crushed once again. No, it can’t be.
“What’s wrong, hyung.”
“Mister? Did sothing happen while we were gone?”
My fingertips trembled. I hadn’t even noticed. That the orb holding my brother’s mory had rolled out of my hand. How could I make such a stupid mistake...
I lost it. After leaving my brother behind—I lost even that mory. In the end, I brought back nothing. My hands were completely empty. Not even that... not even that could I manage.
Crack. Sothing inside broke. That thin thread I’d been clinging to.
“I... I’m sorry...”
“Hyung, what’s going on—”
“Yuhyun, please, just for a mont...”
Don’t look. I had to get out of here. I had to run. I didn’t even know why, I just had to.
“Hyung!”
“Let go, let go, let go!”
I shook off Yuhyun’s hand as he tried to hold . I stumbled away, flailing like I was trying to escape sothing. I couldn’t breathe. It felt like soone had jamd their fist deep into my throat.
“Sir, please calm down. Yerim, you too. Hunter Noah, stop him.”
“Move!”
“What are you even trying to do, rushing like that!”
Soone picked up as I staggered aimlessly. Long strides carried us away quickly.
“Breathe.”
“Gah—huff—kuh... ugh...”
A hand patted and brushed my back. But I still couldn’t breathe properly. It felt like my throat might rip open at any mont. I wanted to throw sothing up, but nothing ca. It was completely blocked. Like trying to force a boulder through a coin-sized hole. It hurt. It hurts.
“Han Yujin. Yujin-ah.”
“Huuh... ngh, ugh...”
“It’s okay to cry. No one can hear you out there.”
My eyes were dry, and my throat still felt strangled. Only a choked rasp escaped my lips.
I’m not okay. I’m absolutely not okay. How could I be? How am I supposed to be? How am I supposed to sleep, eat, breathe? How do I just... go on living?
My insides burned. Like I’d swallowed fire. It was turning to ash. No—maybe it had already burned out long ago, leaving nothing but ash.
A broken gasp ca out, not even a proper sob. How was I even still alive like this? I was a ss. Truly.
“...Hyung.”
“Ugh, haah...”
Yuhyun stood in front of . I tried to wriggle away, but the arms holding didn’t budge.
“Hyung.”
My brother lowered himself. He knelt before , looking up with gentle eyes, saying nothing, not rushing , just waiting.
“...Koff! Hahh, huuh...”
With that gaze, the breath that had been stuck finally burst out. My throat still burned, and every breath felt like it was lting the inside of my chest. The hands holding slowly let go. As I collapsed, Yuhyun caught . I grabbed onto his arms in return.
My broken gasps turned into sobs. Harsh, ragged cries like a dying animal. I cried like I was dying. I let it all out—all the things I’d been holding in for so long. Until I was an empty shell.
And even then—
“Yuhyun, I...”
Not everything was gone. There was still sothing left. More than I expected. Things that had built up over the not-so-long ti we had now.
Just enough that I didn’t completely collapse, that I could still speak.
“I’m not okay...”
“...Yeah, hyung.”
“I’m really not okay, and maybe I won’t be... for a long ti.”
They say wounds heal. But so scars you carry for life. They might fade to the point where you forget they’re there—but sotis, they get worse. Sotis they throb, split open. Just like how people say old wounds ache when it rains, sothing that seems small to others could beco a downpour for .
“I... Yuhyun...”
I’ll never forget. I’ll bury it in my heart and layer things on top of it, but it’ll never disappear. It’ll surface suddenly, hit in the chest, make stumble.
“I’ll keep hurting, keep struggling. And maybe that’ll make you—and everyone else—worry. I want to say I’m okay. I should be okay...”
“It’s okay, hyung.”
Yuhyun hugged .
“It’s okay to not be okay. It’s okay to hurt. Of course, I wish you didn’t hurt—but you don’t have to force yourself.”
He whispered gently, tenderly.
“I love you no matter what, hyung. Even if you’re so tired that you want to give up everything. No matter what you choose or decide.”
“...Sorry, Yuhyun. I...”
“It’s okay.”
After a brief pause, Yuhyun continued.
“To be honest, it hurts to see you suffer. But I’m also... happy.”
“...Huh?”
“I’m happy that you told . That [N O V E L I G H T] you leaned on .”
I lifted my head. Yuhyun was smiling faintly.
“So I’m even sorrier, hyung. I wonder if that makes you uncomfortable.”
“No. No, not at all. I’d be happy too if you told everything that hurts you.”
His smile deepened. I didn’t have much strength left, my whole body felt limp, but my heart felt lighter. Like I was soaking in warm water. Gentle, clear ripples washing over .
I let out a long breath and smiled back. It’s okay to not be okay.
“May I extend a hand?”
Seong Hyunjae’s voice ca from behind. When I turned, I saw him holding a soundproofing item in one hand. Standing tall, guarding us.
“Do you still have a hand to offer?”
“Of course I do.”
He extended the arm he’d once lost. I grabbed it and stood. Then I reached out my hand to Yuhyun. He didn’t need help standing, but he took my hand and rose with .
“Well then, thank you.”
Embarrassnt hit late. My face must’ve been a ss. I couldn’t rember the last ti I’d cried like that. Before Seong Hyunjae could say anything, I quickly started walking, saying the others were probably worried.
“Mister!”
— Grruh, ?
“Mr. Han, are you alright?”
Yerim, Peace, and Noah all ca running with Moon Hyunah close behind. She gave a worried look too. It was embarrassing—but also, I was grateful.
“I’ve just been going through a lot lately. And before we got out, I ran into that jellyfish guy. The one who dropped us into that weird dungeon.”
“Hyung!”
Yuhyun paled. Yerim and Noah were flustered too. And then the nagging began. I an, co on, this ti I really was just the victim. I didn’t even start it!
“So that beast protected . The King of Harmless is dead too.”
I briefly explained that a beast, born from the magic stone I crafted, had imnse power—though it was single-use—and that it resolved the situation. Seong Hyunjae’s gaze held a hint of sothing aningful, but he didn’t comnt further.
“First, let’s clear the dungeon. We don’t know how much ti has passed outside.”
“Here, Mister.”
Yerim created a lump of water the size of a washbasin and held it out to .
“Your face is a ss.”
“Thanks.”
After washing up with the comfortably lukewarm water, a hand towel was offered to . Noah healed with a skill, just in case, and Peace enlarged himself to stand by my side.
“Hey, Mister.”
Yerim, saying I looked super tired, quietly whispered as she urged to ride Peace.
“This ti... it felt like it had sothing to do with Han Yuhyun, so I held back, but... I wanted to go with you too.”
I couldn’t help but smile at her words, that she definitely wouldn’t miss out next ti.
“Yeah, of course you should. I’d be sad if our Yerim was left out.”
Yuhyun climbed on behind , as if to protect , and we set off. Since it was an A-rank dungeon, our current group would clear it quickly. Everyone split up in different directions to finish it faster.
Perhaps thinking of , Peace walked slowly, with barely any sway. Leaning against Yuhyun’s back, sleepiness washed over . It was that pleasant exhaustion you feel after a good, hard cry.
‘I should tell them everything.’
To as many people as possible—at least to my brother. Even if the Unfilial Children forbid it until the very end, I’ll still tell him. As long as the world doesn’t literally end the mont I do, I will.
That you saved .
I didn’t want to talk about the painful years. But I wanted to say how I was able to be here now. How we were able to be together again.
And that I’m happy now—even if I’m covered in scars.
“When we get outside, there’s sothing I want to tell you.”
I spoke with my eyes half-closed. Aside from the occasional distant screeches of monsters, everything—the rustling wind, the shifting green shade—felt peaceful.
“Then I’ll tell you sothing too, hyung. There’s sothing I’ve never said.”
“Huh? What is it? I’m just saying this in case, but you don’t have to force it.”
I felt Yuhyun shake his head.
“It’s about .”
“You?”
“Yeah. The part of I hate.”
What... what’s this all of a sudden? My sleep vanished instantly. I quickly turned my upper body to look back at Yuhyun.
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