"Nine…? What are you doing over there? Did you finish your food?"At Nine’s feet sat the bowl Sawon had given him. When he craned his neck, he saw the contents were untouched.“Kkii…”“Eat yours. I even sliced a banana for you.”But suddenly, Nine charged at Sawon like crazy.Sawon opened his arms to catch him, but Nine’s target wasn’t Sawon.Planting a small foot against Ji Hayeon’s back, he kicked off, sprang to the wall, then shoved off Ji Hayeon’s head to vault up onto Sawon’s bed.The spoon slipped from Ji Hayeon’s hand and spun across the floor. The contents of the tipped porridge bowl spilled over his thumb.Sawon hurriedly grabbed the porridge bowl first.“Is it hot? Are you okay?”“…It’s not hot at all, I’m fine.”Nine kept screeching, then darted in, snatched up the fallen spoon, and slashed it through the air like he was outraged. Sawon let out a sigh and dragged a hand down his face.“Ha… I don’t know what’s gotten into him lately. Sorry. I’m really sorry.”“He probably wanted to eat with the spoon. I’m fine, so don’t worry about it.”Sawon checked Ji Hayeon’s hand again and wiped it off with a tissue. It was a damn good thing he’d cooled the porridge a bit before bringing it, just in case.When Sawon said he’d make more, Ji Hayeon firmly refused. Once he got a new spoon, he went back to eating, and Nine, hands pinned by Sawon, was dragged off to the small room.“Nine. Seriously, what’s wrong with you lately.”“Kki!”“I hate you. I hate you more than anyone in the world.”When Sawon scolded him, Nine flopped onto his back, pressed to the floor, and flailed his arms and legs like he was furious.“You stay here and think about what you did until the Chief finishes his meal.”At that, Nine started wailing even louder.Sawon realized it was time he started disciplining Nine too. Nine had shown flashes of hostility toward others before, but since he was almost always with him, he hadn’t expected it to get this bad.Gibbons were classified as wild animals even in the human world, and they weren’t exactly easy to handle. Considering that temperament, this might actually be the natural response.But lately, the number of times he didn’t listen was steadily increasing. Sawon pried Nine off as he clung to him. Still, that didn’t make his heart sit any easier.“Sit here and think about what you did wrong.”Even as he said it, his resolve softened and he turned the TV on for him. Nine’s sulky mood was bleeding into him too.He flipped through channels and settled on the quietest program. It was an animal documentary. Just then, a segment on apes was playing.“Look at that. See how well-behaved they are.”Sawon gestured at the TV.“Watch and learn while you’re reflecting.”Sawon put up a long safety barrier with his Metena and turned to leave.In the meantime, Ji Hayeon finished his meal without incident. As Sawon picked up Ji Hayeon’s porridge bowl, he couldn’t bring himself to clear away Nine’s still-full dish. Ji Hayeon took out a teaspoon and set it in Nine’s bowl.“He’s still a baby. Apes are supposed to be strong-willed and stubborn to begin with. Yesterday’s sealing went smoothly thanks to Nine too. Whatever you say, he’s still a young animal. Go and comfort him.”Ji Hayeon’s words shook Sawon’s resolve to discipline Nine. He scratched at his forehead.He hadn’t even raised a hamster before. His relationship with Nine always felt easy and hard at the same time.Ji Hayeon held the bowl of banana and cereal out to him again.Sawon gave a faint smile and headed for the small room. When he took down the safety barrier and stepped inside, he saw Nine’s back. Nine was sitting quietly, watching the TV. He actually looked pretty focused.“Nine.”At his call, Nine glanced back over his shoulder. Sawon sat down carefully beside the little monkey.“Are you mad?”Nine didn’t react.“I don’t want people to hate you. And a minute ago, the Chief almost got hurt. That was your fault.”Nine fixed his eyes back on the TV. Sawon poured his heart out like he was talking to a human child.“I don’t like scolding you either. But if you’re going to live around people, you need to know what you’re not supposed to do.”Sawon carefully held the bowl out to him. The teaspoon Ji Hayeon had stuck in was still inside.Nine stared down at the bowl, then turned to look straight at Sawon. Then, with clumsy hand motions, he started mimicking something over and over.“Huh? What’s that supposed to be.”“Kkii.”Sawon couldn’t figure out what Nine’s repeated gestures meant. But from the feeling pressed into his chest, he could guess.“Yeah. I know. I like you the most too.”At that, Nine ran straight into his arms in agreement, clinging to him like a baby to its mother. Sawon set the bowl down and patted him.Watching the two of them from the doorway, Ji Hayeon was at a loss for words. He glanced between the TV and Nine.On the TV documentary, a video was playing of people teaching sign language to animals. And Ji Hayeon knew a few basic signs. The gestures Nine had been making were sign language. In that short time, the little animal had picked up what he’d seen and was telling Sawon, over and over,I like you the most.***Weird. I was definitely with Nine just now.When he opened his eyes, Sawon was in an unfamiliar room. The home he’d never seen before felt so empty it was hard to feel any trace of human warmth.The sudden situation threw him. He had no idea how he’d ended up here. It was like his memories had cut off and jumped straight to this place. On the bed pushed into the corner of the room, a blanket was mounded up.'Ji Hayeon.'The low, sunken voice was his own. Sawon panicked. His body wasn’t listening to him, moving on its own.His uncontrolled body sat on the bed with a worried look. A big hand felt Ji Hayeon’s forehead where he lay. A groan came from beneath the blanket.'How did you get here…?'Ji Hayeon squirmed, pulling the blanket down from where it was covering him up to under his eyes. His face looked much younger than the one Sawon saw every day. Even in a loose short-sleeved T-shirt, Sawon could tell his frame was a bit smaller than he remembered.Sawon tried to recoil in surprise. But his body wouldn’t obey. Instead, with a worried touch, it brushed up Ji Hayeon’s bangs.It felt like his body was being controlled by something else. Sawon’s mouth moved regardless of his will.'How do you think. You don’t pick up your calls, you skip meetings. If you caught a cold you should’ve said something. Come on, sit up. At least eat some porridge. What about your medicine?'There was rustling as Ji Hayeon pushed himself up.'Porridge… Where did that even come from?''Where do you think. I made it. Apparently there’s no porridge place that can match your tastes. Not too salty, has to have seaweed on top—what shop is going to do all that for you.''…You made it?''Yeah. I’ve been puttering around here since earlier and you were just sleeping. Thought you’d passed out.'Sawon scooped up a spoonful of porridge and held it out. To be precise, his flesh did.What are you doing, my hand.He might be a sick patient, but it wasn’t like his fingers were broken—he could just hand him the bowl and let him eat. Yet his cursed hand was trying to feed him, even adding a little “ah” to coax him.'I’ll eat it myself.'Ji Hayeon answered.Right. You can at least hold the spoon yourself.But his body said something else.'And spill it all and hurt yourself again like before? Just eat.'Sawon thought he was going to lose his mind. He screamed inside.Gu Sawon’s body, get a grip. Chief Ji, you try noticing that something’s off here. You’re an independent, mean-tempered guy who hates other people touching you.But ignoring his cries, those clumsy hands just kept gently offering the spoon, urging him to eat. In the end, Ji Hayeon parted his red lips and slowly accepted the porridge like a baby bird.What the hell is this. Is this a dream?Sawon looked down at the bowl of porridge. Seaweed flakes were sprinkled over the white rice porridge. It looked… exactly like the porridge he’d made. Enough that he could swear it was the same bowl.It must be a dream. Has to be.He took a deep breath.I have to wake up from this.Sawon raised his hand toward his cheek. Or tried to.Get a grip, body. Stop having weird dreams and wake up.At that, the hand holding the bowl started to shake. The real Sawon’s mind and the Gu Sawon inside the dream were colliding.Ji Hayeon, head turned the other way as he coughed, had no idea. Wiping at his mouth, he said,'I’ll eat on my own now, so just leave it there…'Clang!In that moment, the strength went out of Sawon’s hand.

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