FLIA 98

The glass door slid open, and the very person Yohan had been yearning to see stepped inside without hesitation. Yohan shot up from his seat and ran toward him, and the man leaned forward slightly with a wide smile, making it easier for Yohan to throw his arms around him.

“…I missed you.”

It was embarrassing to say he missed him after only a few days apart, so his voice came out muffled. But Lee Hyunmook hugged him tightly in return and replied,

“I missed you too, Yohan-ah.”

Yohan had wanted to see him just once before being discharged, and now that they’d met, he felt relieved. Lee Hyunmook gently cupped Yohan’s face in both hands and looked at him for a moment before asking,

“Yohan-ah, did you cry? Why? Wait, did you have your interview with Director Kim Jongseok?”

His voice was gentle, but there was something his tone was a little chilling. Yohan, overjoyed to see him, didn’t notice. Rubbing the corners of his eyes, still red from crying, he answered sheepishly.

“He kept pushing the contract no matter how many times I said no, so… I just cried like a spoiled kid. It was embarrassing, but it worked.?”

He leaned his cheek against Hyunmook’s chest with a sigh. Maybe it was because they’d been apart, or maybe it was because Hyunmook was so much older, it unconsciously made him want to cling to him and act spoiled. Stroking Yohan’s back affectionately, Lee Hyunmook spoke.

“You did well. Then, should we get you out of here?”

Yohan looked up, his face instantly lighting up. He didn’t say it out loud, but he’d grown so tired of the isolation room. When he nudged Lee Hyunmook with his body, eager to go, Hyunmook glanced around the room and asked,

“Do you have any luggage to pack?”

“Yes!”

All he needed was his phone, which they’d just returned. As they stepped out, Yohan suddenly remembered something and spoke up in a panic.

“Oh, they took my weapon!”

Back during the initial corruption check, all his belongings were confiscated along with his clothes. He didn’t care about the clothes, but he’d been worried sick about his weapon, wondering every night if he’d get it back.

“Don’t worry. I kept it safe. Let’s go.”

At that, Yohan beamed and followed Hyunmook with light steps, his spirited demeanor evident. Surprisingly, the person handling the discharge procedure wasn’t a regular officer from the Special Task Force, it was Commander Jeong Siyoung herself. Nervous, and resisting the instinct to purify her, Yohan carefully positioned Lee Hyunmook between them.

Jeong Siyoung’s curious gaze followed him.

But she wasn’t the only one. Even regular members of the task force who showed signs of accumulated corruption often stared intently at Yohan. Though he was doing everything to hide his ability, they seemed to sense, instinctively, that he could cleanse them. Just thinking about it made his feet tingle.

“Strength-enhancement type, huh…”

Jeong Siyoung muttered to herself, and Yohan flinched. Lee Hyunmook noticed and smiled faintly, he shielded him a little more deliberately. Jeong Siyoung raised an eyebrow and stopped walking. They had arrived at the entrance of the Rift Management Bureau’s Special Isolation Unit.

Only after stepping outside did Yohan realize how much the facility resembled a prison.

“When are you coming back?”

Jeong Siyoung’s question was abrupt, but everyone knew what she meant, when would Lee Hyunmook return to fight monsters again? Her eyes were bloodshot from fatigue, and Yohan couldn’t even think to ask what right she had to demand that. After all, Jeong Siyoung was just as much a hero as Lee Hyunmook.

“I plan to get some real rest first.”

“How long is ‘real’?”

“I don’t know. Maybe… a month?”

Her already dark expression turned to stone at the word “month.” She glanced toward a nearby military vehicle and replied flatly.

“I’ll assume that’s a joke. Please come back soon and make lots of money.”

With that, she gave a short nod and walked back into the building. Only then did Yohan realize that she probably lived in the Isolation Unit due to the severity of her corruption. He felt a strong urge to purify her… but before the thought could linger, Lee Hyunmook tapped his cheek lightly.

“Everyone’s waiting. Let’s go.”

“Ah, yes!”

Yohan opened the waiting vehicle’s door to find Lee Chanha and the others already inside. He jumped in excitedly. It felt so good to be reunited after being alone in isolation. Seo Yakrin ruffled his hair, eyes gleaming.

“Should we celebrate our escape from the Abyss and release from isolation?”

“A team dinner?”

“Come to think of it, has our Yohan ever had a team dinner? You never had a job, right? Ever done part-time work?”

Yoon Seungryong’s question made Yohan smile awkwardly, he hadn’t had a job or even a part-time gig. Ju Hoyoung, just as giddy as Yohan, shouted,

“Let’s do it! Team dinner! And I want to go to karaoke too!”

“Oh, karaoke sounds great! It’s been ages since I heard real music. I’ve forgotten all the songs I used to like.”

Seo Yakrin agreed enthusiastically. As they chatted loudly, the vehicle reached the Rift Management Bureau gate. The barrier lifted and the heavy doors opened, but as soon as they passed through, a black wave of people swarmed toward them.

Yohan’s mouth fell open. A swarm of reporters descended like hornets, slamming against the car and shouting wildly.

“Lee Hyunmook! Are you inside?!”

“Is it true you’re too corrupted to keep working?!”

“Please, just crack the window! Just one word!”

“Just say one thing! One comment!”

Even through the heavily tinted windows, the flashes bursting outside were painfully clear. While Yohan sat frozen, the others laughed out loud.

“Wow, this really takes me back.”

“Never thought I’d be happy to see reporters.”

“Look at Yohan’s face. He’s totally shocked. First time seeing this, huh?”

Yohan nodded blankly. Since the car couldn’t move forward, guards at the gate began pushing reporters back with practiced ease. The awakened journalists were helplessly shoved aside, yelling and pointing, but the guards didn’t react.

“Yohan-gun will get used to this too.”

Lee Chanha’s words went in one ear and out the other. Yohan’s eyes were glued to the crowd. If nothing else, it was clear they wouldn’t be having dinner or karaoke out tonight.

***

Yohan gazed out the window like a tourist seeing Korea for the first time. Just watching people go about their daily lives on the street brought tears to his eyes. As he sat there, overwhelmed with gratitude, the vehicle arrived at the entrance of a mansion.

Persistent reporters were stopped at the gate. The car passed through easily and descended into the underground garage. Yohan looked around in confusion.

“Where are we?”

Ju Hoyoung answered brightly, practically bouncing.

“Our team leader’s place!”

Yohan’s eyes widened. Hyunmook’s house? The excitement hit all at once. Yoon Seungryong thanked the special task force officer who had driven them. The man nodded and then walked to the mansion entrance, standing guard. There were others like him, Yohan could sense the presence of more monitors scattered throughout the area.

“Technically, it’s a guild facility provided for members to use freely. The top floor is the team leader’s home. The floors below are for staff. I didn’t live here before, but my old place disappeared while I was gone. Same for Hoyoung.”

Yoon Seungryong explained casually as they stepped into the elevator. Yohan remembered hearing about it on the news, when people went missing in a rift or the Abyss, they were often declared dead, and families processed their assets. These two had likely been through that. It had been three years, after all.

But they both looked completely unaffected. Maybe they had grown used to hiding their emotions, or maybe they’d been in the Abyss so long that they no longer showed any longing for their families.

When the elevator doors opened at the top floor, someone called out.

“Hyunmook!”

A middle-aged woman ran forward, pacing anxiously until the doors opened. She burst into tears and collapsed as soon as she reached Hyunmook, who caught her quickly.

“Thank goodness, thank goodness you’re okay. You’re not hurt… you’re not corrupted…”

“I’m fine. Look, all limbs intact. I’m perfectly normal.”

“Your hair’s gone all white. No, never mind. As long as you’re alive. I told myself over and over, just come back alive… Thank you. Thank you for coming back…”

“Yeah. You must’ve been worried… I’m sorry.”

Yohan stared, wide-eyed. Lee Hyunmook’s tone was calm as he soothed the woman’s frantic sobbing. They seemed close. As Yohan turned to Seungryong with a questioning look, Seungryong mouthed quietly:

“Team leader’s older sister.”

“Oh…”

No wonder she looked familiar. Now that he thought about it, she did resemble Hyunmook quite a bit. Yohan remembered seeing her on the news. She was the hospital director who had made several public statements about the condition of awakened patients. Her name came to mind, Lee Hyunmyeong. The name alone made it obvious they were siblings.