Sawon lay still, staring up at the ceiling. Morning sunlight had been streaming in for a long time already, but his body, sunk deep into thought, had lost all will to get up.He’d coaxed a few stories out of Ji Hayeon, but nothing impressive. Their relationship was dismissed with a “we weren’t close,” and every core question was dodged with vague explanations about not remembering.Awakened show signs even before they awaken. A mind-type Awakened like Ji Hayeon must have shown signs even before his Metena circuits formed—being good at studying, having a sharp mind, or some similarly exceptional disposition. For a person like that to have only the memories related to S9 turn blurry made no sense.Either he hadn’t told the real information, or he filtered out the information he should not tell. Just how important was the thing he refused to say?There was another question. This time, Sawon thought back to the burger place. The moment the fissure black-sphered, Nine reacted, and almost at the same time he’d felt a strong jolt himself. Yet the wave he sensed—Central Bureau hadn’t detected it, and neither had anyone else.“Why is everything so complicated……”The past Ji Hayeon was hiding, and the mutated fissure. Neither had any clear solution.“Kkii.”A monkey sound came from beside him. When Sawon turned his head, Nine was staring at him, though he had no idea when he’d gotten there. Sawon shifted slightly and slipped an arm out from under the blanket. He gently pressed Nine’s nose with his index finger.“Did you sleep well, Nine?”Nine happily grabbed Sawon’s finger and rubbed his cheek all over it. His tiny hand, smaller than a newborn’s, held tight to Sawon’s finger. The soft feel of the fur made Sawon’s eyes curve faintly.“Cute little thing.”From the very first moment they met, Nine had followed him blindly and moved only in ways that helped him. Sawon could feel with his whole body that the little creature cherished him.Others might find it strange, but Sawon often felt that Nine’s mind and his own were connected. Too many things had happened that made no sense otherwise. The way Nine changed shape according to his thoughts, or acted exactly according to his mood. Nine was already practically a part of his body. And Nine had rejected it. He’d steered him away from sharing the anomaly he sensed with anyone.There had to be a reason Nine didn’t want him to talk about what happened at the burger place……Sawon’s unfocused gaze fixed on Nine. In that tiny black world, his own reflection appeared. He slowly rubbed the small head.“You little thing. You think more than I do.”Just then, Nine abruptly nipped his hand. It only tickled. For now, it was better to watch the situation and wait until Nine wanted to talk. Revealing that he’d sensed the wave ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) would come afterward. When it came to fissures, Sawon followed Nine absolutely. Because Nine had proven himself countless times over the last five years.Sawon followed that thought to its end and glanced sideways. But Ji Hayeon’s bed was already neatly made. Sawon slowly pushed himself up. His bare torso surfaced above the blanket.“Where’d the Chief go?”Nine hopped off the bed and hurried to the partition. When you opened the entrance door, Sawon’s quarters were a large living room that served as the bedroom, and beyond that a kitchen separated by a partition. The two proper enclosed rooms were used as a study and a storage room.“You’re awake?”Ji Hayeon’s voice came from behind the wall. He stepped out holding an empty mug.“How does your house not have even one packet of coffee sticks?”“Coffee?”Sawon looked back and forth between the cup and Ji as he swung his legs out of bed.“Did you check the cupboard?”When he stood up, hair a mess, Ji’s prim little expression twisted sharply.“……Put some clothes on.”He snapped his head away. Sawon was wearing nothing but tight drawers.“I just woke up. Who wears clothes to sleep.”“Most people wear clothes.”“I don’t.”Even so, Sawon picked up the sweatpants he’d tossed over the sofa and pulled them on. He’d always put Ji to bed first and gotten up earlier, so this was the first time Ji had seen him right after waking. Ji, face red, retreated back into the kitchen. As Sawon followed, Nine tugged lightly at his pant leg.“Kkii.”A worried look followed. Sawon understood exactly what Nine meant. He reached out his large hand and stroked him.“Don’t worry. I’m not telling him yet.”Nine squeaked happily and ran back to the bed, jumping onto it.Cute little thing.Sawon left Nine to play on the bed and stepped into the kitchen. The moment he entered, the sight of the table came into view. A tablet PC sat on the island table, surrounded by dozens of hologram documents.“What is all this.”Sawon bent down to look through them. Among dense charts and formulas, clipped articles were scattered. Materials related to black-sphering.“……How long have you been doing this?”“Just find the coffee.”Ji shot him a sideways glare and stood at the cupboard with his arms crossed. Now that he looked closely, not only were Ji’s cheeks red, but dark fatigue showed under his eyes. Sawon slowly approached him. When he stood right behind him, mixed with the warm skin smell, there was a faint scent of grass. He reached up and opened the upper cupboard.“I should still have a box someone gifted me.”“I looked. It’s not there.”“Yeah?”Just as Ji tried to sidestep away, Sawon reached his other arm out. Opening the cupboard door wider, he trapped Ji against his chest, and Ji flinched. When Ji tried to slip out under his left arm, Sawon lowered it and braced it on the sink.“Where did I put the coffee.”“……I’ll move. Move your hand.”“No, you can stay there.”Sawon answered in a playful tone and pressed in closer. His firm chest, separated only by a thin layer of fabric, pressed against Ji’s pale back. Ji shot him a sharp look over his shoulder.“What. Why. I’m not doing anything.”Ji dropped his gaze and bit his lip hard. His face was flushed all the way to his ears now.“Move.”At the weak shove, Sawon pretended he couldn’t win and lifted his arms away. He answered with a faint laugh in his voice.“Our Hayeon is so cold.”On his way back to the table, Ji grabbed the hem of his T-shirt with one pale hand. Sawon caught the embarrassment immediately.Ji seemed to have no immunity to teasing like this. His bookish nature and sharp attitude didn’t match jokes at all. Sawon stretched his neck to peek at him.The eyes that darted back at him were glossy with moisture. He couldn’t tell if they were always like that or if it was because of his teasing. Ji normally had eyes that looked like he’d cry if you so much as tapped him. Sawon gave an awkward smile and soothed him again.“I won’t tease you.”Only then did Ji sit at the table.The cupboards were filled not with dishes but with canned food and beer. After rummaging behind them, Sawon pulled out a packet of protein powder, then opened the lower drawer. The sound of it sliding open and spoons shifting echoed. Digging through a pile of wrapped utensils, he found a small box. Instant coffee.“So it was here.”The box he handed over passed into Ji’s hands. Ji inspected the front and back. Watching him, Sawon poured himself a cup of milk and sat across.“I got it last month. It’s not old. You can drink it.”Ji gave him a sharp look and boiled water in the electric kettle. As Ji made his coffee, Sawon mixed the powder into his milk. Ji clearly disliked that Sawon sat there with just a drink, not eating with anything.“That’s your breakfast? Do you always eat like that?”“No. It’s an appetizer. Breakfast is something I have to take my Hayeon out for.”“……Don’t call me that.”Sawon stopped mid-sip and lifted his gaze.He dislikes being called that too? So uptight, so uptight……Without showing it, Sawon corrected himself immediately.“Okay, okay. This is just a snack, and breakfast is something I’m going to go eat with the Chief.”Ji sat across from him with a warm coffee. Sawon shrugged with his cup in hand. Ji shook his head in disapproval, but Sawon ignored it, gulping his drink while scanning the documents. Dates, times, and types of black-sphering events were organized. It wasn’t something you could finish in an hour or two. Sawon swallowed loudly as he moved his eyes to the tablet screen.“When did you get up? You stayed up all night sorting this, didn’t you, Chief.”“I couldn’t sleep, so I just did it while I was at it.”Sawon tilted his head.“You treat Metena overload too lightly. If fatigue stacks before you’re fully recovered, you’ll really suffer later. Lots of rookies push past their limits and end up wrecking themselves.”“Don’t worry about it.”“There you go again. How do I not worry. I’m your guard, and we’re friends from the same district. Is that all? You’re frail enough that you get nosebleeds at the slightest thing.”“Who are you calling frail.”Looking at his face alone, Ji reminded you of a gentle herbivore, but his body wasn’t like that. His build was solid and well-rounded, and he was actually taller than Sawon. The exterior was clearly that of an adult man, but the impression branded in Sawon’s mind was the first one—Ji clinging to him, panting hard. Sawon propped his chin on his hand and spoke sincerely.“You are frail. Very frail and……”Sensitive. Stubborn. And despite all that, someone who made you want to take care of him.“……Anyway. I do worry. If you don’t like that, then just be a good Chief who listens well and eats well.”

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