* * *

Sunlight streamed down as Hyeonyul opened his eyes. He gazed blankly at it.

Today was his last day in this little house.

From beneath a thin blanket, with not even a mattress under him, he reached toward the sunlight. The hill was brutally steep and the place cramped, but he had liked this home with its streaming sunlight.

He felt no regret about leaving. He simply wanted to remember this warmth.

Hyeonyul sat up and looked around. He could simply take everything into the darkness, so there was nothing he needed to prepare.

As planned, he put his belongings into the darkness one by one. He needed all of them. After putting in one thing after another, he simply swept the whole lot inside.

'... I really do have a lot of stuff.'

How had he been living all this time? He had never even noticed, but now he understood why Jeongmin said the same thing every time he visited.

["Hyeonyul. Tidy up, will you? Tidy up!"]

'Where should I put it all in the new place?'

He had never learned how to organize things. Should he buy a book?

Still pondering, Hyeonyul started to rise, then turned his head. His gaze seemed to cool slowly before he walked toward the sound he heard.

A key was turning in the lock.

"What brings you here so early, Doctor?"

Jeongmin startled at Hyeonyul's sudden appearance.

"... What are you doing up?"

"I just woke up. Isn't this rather early for you, Doctor?"

Hyeonyul looked at Jeongmin. The climb must have been quite taxing; he was covered in sweat.

'He hasn't slept.'

One look at Jeongmin's face told Hyeonyul what had happened. The test subjects he had rescued yesterday were dead.

There was nothing to be done. Several days had passed since Asan's death, and without funding, they probably hadn't been able to keep the test subjects alive. Their breathing had already been faint when he rescued them.

'Maybe I shouldn't have brought them to him.'

Just in case. He had brought them hoping there might be someone like him, but it seemed to have turned into another stab through Jeongmin's heart.

'I'll be more careful next time.'

"Hmm..."

Jeongmin hesitated for a moment. Hyeonyul seemed to have caught on. He had tried to hide it, but that was proving terribly difficult.

When test subjects died, they turned to ash and vanished. Disappearing without even a trace denied them even a human end.

The bastards who had made them were cruel to them to the very last.

"You said yesterday that you were moving. Your things..."

Keeping his expression under control, Jeongmin looked inside, then let out a long breath.

"They're gone?"

"I've put everything away."

"Have you eaten?"

Hyeonyul was about to answer, then briefly gauged his reaction. He hadn't given it any thought. Had he even planned on eating?

"Where's the new place?"

"Here."

Hyeonyul fetched his phone and read out the address. After staring at it, Jeongmin looked up the location. He checked various details, then smiled as though pleased.

"First, let's get something to eat."

* * *

"Doctor."

Hyeonyul glanced at Jeongmin before speaking.

"Yes? Want something else to eat?"

"No. I've had enough."

"Normally, you'd at least have a coffee with me out of politeness."

"More importantly, I heard some rather significant information yesterday."

The moment he heard that, Jeongmin pulled over to the side of the road and stopped. He immediately removed the memory card from the dashcam.

"... What is it? Were you caught? Or did you go after someone?"

His questions came urgently.

"Neither. At the experimental site I visited yesterday, I met someone directly involved in their work."

"You met someone...?"

"Yes. He said the Empire created the power people possess."

["The Empire created the power we now take for granted."]

That was certainly what he had said yesterday.

Whatever else he did, Hyeonyul thought Jeongmin ought to know. No one cared more about the test subjects than he did.

"Power...? You mean the power we're born with?"

"Yes. I understood it to occur naturally, but apparently that isn't the case."

"... What?"

"Considering that they were directly overseeing the experiments, along with what he said about how many people were sacrificed before everyone had power, it does point to one conclusion."

["How many people do you think were sacrificed before everyone had power? You say this isn't a noble cause? How can you say that?"]

Hyeonyul watched Jeongmin's face turn deathly pale.

"... The Empire experimented too? The Empire?"

"I can't say for certain yet. I expected this would shock you, but I still thought you should know."

"... N-nothing happened to you, did it?"

Stammering, Jeongmin gripped Hyeonyul's shoulders. If those words were true, it meant the Empire might target him. Hyeonyul had been created in pursuit of greater, more perfect power.

He was the product of horrific madness.

"I don't understand what you mean."

"The Black Eagles haven't pressured you, have they? There's been nothing suspicious? Anything like following you!"

"Nothing. I was wary myself because of the time I spent working as a villain, but according to the Team Leader, the Empire actually welcomed me."

"... Ha."

Only then did Jeongmin release his breath. He covered his face with both hands. At times like this, his lack of power to protect Hyeonyul frustrated him beyond measure.

"You'll leave marks on your glasses."

"... I can wipe them off."

When Hyeonyul plucked his glasses away, Jeongmin lowered his hands and looked at him. He was cleaning the lenses.

"Doctor."

"..."

"You've already done enough. You've given me so much that I don't know what to do with all the feelings pouring in."

"You're only perceptive at times like these..."

"It was an emotion I could read."

Hyeonyul smiled and held out Jeongmin's glasses.

"Those were my feelings, and I did it because I wanted to. You don't have to return them."

"I was told I should."

"By whom?"

"My teammates."

"They don't seem like bad people. I mean, they don't seem like people who'd harm you."

"I think so too."

Hyeonyul stopped, slightly surprised by his own words. Had he let his guard down?

'... Hmm.'

He didn't think that was particularly good.

"Oh, Doctor."

"What...is it now?"

"About the welcome party. How perfectly must I prepare it?"

"Isn't it your welcome party, Hyeonyul?"

"It is."

"Then why...are you preparing it?"

Jeongmin narrowed his eyes. He immediately took back his assessment that they weren't bad people.

Had they noticed that, despite his perfectly normal appearance, Hyeonyul had a screw loose somewhere? Were they exploiting him because of it?

That was how it had been at the company run by a villain. He had been exploited.

Was it happening again?

"You can't kill them this time, Hyeonyul. This isn't like last time! You'll be in serious trouble!"

"I know that too. Please don't worry, Doctor."

"Then why are you preparing the welcome party?"

"Isn't it essentially another company dinner?"

Jeongmin sighed heavily. Hyeonyul had worked at a villain's company to pay medical bills and debts before he even reached adulthood. Was he still slow to adjust because he had never experienced the things ordinary people did?

"... No, Hyeonyul."

"It isn't?"

"You don't need to do anything. Actually, let's buy some small gifts."

"Why buy gifts?"

He knew receiving gifts made people happy. He just wasn't sure this was the right occasion.

"That way, they'll like you even more."

Jeongmin smiled brightly, as though shaking off his worries.

"Why are you the one who's happier, Doctor?"

"Just imagining it makes me happy."

"Does it?"

"Shall we pick out the gifts before we go? We have time, right?"

"... What should I choose?"

"Leave it to me."

Jeongmin gripped the wheel again and set the car in motion. Hyeonyul had all sorts of thoughts, but since Jeongmin was happy, he kept them all to himself.

* * *

Standing before the door, Jeongmin took a deep breath. Hyeonyul's new home had everything going for it: the location, the nearby shops, even the transportation options.

How much better would the inside be? The apartment building had been quiet all the way here.

"You live in an apartment too, Doctor. Why are you so nervous?"

"Because I'm happy. Aren't you happy, Hyeonyul?"

"I am."

Despite his words, his expression barely changed. But Jeongmin saw the subtle shift. Hadn't the corners of his mouth lifted, ever so slightly?

Hyeonyul suddenly turned his head, and Jeongmin followed suit. Hurried footsteps were coming up the stairs.

"Wait, just a moment!"

The stairwell door opened at once, revealing several people.

"...?"

Jeongmin's eyes widened. There were three of them.

"... Do you know them?"

"They're my teammates."

"What...?"

Jeongmin was startled all over again.

"... When did you contact them?"

"They contacted me out of the blue."

Perhaps Haeryeon had told them it was moving day; each had contacted him separately.

"They messaged me while you were looking at things earlier. It was difficult with everyone contacting me separately, but then they invited me to a group chat. They asked there whether they could come over, so I said yes."

"... Well, that's good."

Listening to his explanation, Jeongmin quietly patted Hyeonyul's shoulder.

'I don't know who arranged this, but they certainly work fast.'

They had invited Hyeonyul into the group chat so naturally. He himself seemed largely unaware of it.

'You're the one who stepped into hell, Hyeonyul.'

Delighted at the mere thought, Jeongmin greeted the other Black Eagles.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Lee Jeongmin."

"Doctor, it's me, Nayun. You don't have to be so formal."

As Nayun pointed to herself, Jeongmin beamed.

"Why haven't you visited since then?"

"That's why I came today. Surprised you, didn't I?"

"Surprised is hardly the word."

"Doctor, this is Baek Sinu, and this is our youngest, Ye Jihwan."

"Oh, nice to meet you."

Jeongmin shook hands with Sinu and Jihwan too.

"I'm a little embarrassed to say this, but please take good care of our Hyeonyul."

"Doctor, don't worry. Hyeonyul's like a little brother to me."

"And he's my bro, Doctor."

Sinu and Jihwan flashed toothy grins. Jeongmin looked at them fondly, enough to feel guilty about the unkind thoughts he'd had earlier.

"Hyeonyul, open the door. Don't leave your guests standing outside."

"Yes."

Hyeonyul opened it.

Inside, unorganized belongings lay piled high. Startled by the sight, Jeongmin whispered to Hyeonyul.

"What's all that stuff?"

"My belongings."

"Yes, but why did you..."

"I intended to sort it out gradually."

"Bro, I'm really good at organizing."

Jihwan casually came over, pointing to himself with a grin.

"I'm pretty fantastic at organizing too."

Sinu approached, rolling up his sleeves.

"Me too..."

"Stay out of it, Chu Nayun. You'll make a mess, not organize it."

Sinu narrowed his eyes at her.

"What...?"

"Bro isn't wrong this time."

When Jihwan nodded too, Nayun's eyes drooped.

"... Jihwan. You shouldn't do that to me."

"It's all right. Hyeonyul can't organize either."

As though he understood everything, Jeongmin patted Nayun's shoulder and went inside.

Left standing there, Hyeonyul and Nayun looked at each other. She offered her hand, and he reflexively shook it. Looking proud for no apparent reason, she went inside.

A question mark floated through Hyeonyul's mind. He had no idea what she was trying to convey, but he entered the apartment.

Bright sunlight streamed in. Whatever else the place offered, this sunlight was what had made him choose it.

The first thing he had seen after Jeongmin saved him was brilliant sunlight.

* * *

"... Did the move go well, Hyeonyul?"

As they all piled in, Haeryeon paused her busy typing and smiled brightly.

"Yes. Everyone helped."

"That's a relief."

"Team Leader, did a major case come in? Look at your face. You barely look human!"

Nayun stared at the deep, dark circles beneath Haeryeon's eyes. This didn't bode well.

"Team Leader, you did...go home, right? You're not about to tell us some horror story, are you?"

Nayun's gaze drifted toward the nap cushion she had spotted as soon as she entered. Things were bad enough to need that?

"... We had a lot to discuss in meetings. Everyone went home, then got called back."

"Ah...because of the Poison King incident, I assume?"

Jihwan asked tactfully. The only major recent incident was the poison the Poison King had spread. The Team Leader would be handling the aftermath alongside the White Sparrows.

"That's right. Thanks to Hyeonyul, we prevented really, really massive damage. But the city was still paralyzed, and we've been getting criticism from above. While we were trying to predict what the villains might do next, we even heard some shocking news."

"Shocking news? What is it?"

Sinu asked with undisguised curiosity.

"It's still confidential. That's all you get of the interesting stuff for now."

"That's unfair, Team Leader."

"What's unfair? I didn't even get to go home! If I ever step down as Team Leader, I'll nominate you as my successor, Sinu. You're such a fine talent."

As Haeryeon's smile broadened, Nayun clapped her hands.

"I agree, Team Leader!"

At that, Sinu hurried to the kitchenette, fetched a whole armful of energy tonics, and set them on her desk.

"Our esteemed Team Leader. Please, please remain our Team Leader for many years to come."

"All right. I'll think about it."

Chuckling, Haeryeon downed an energy tonic in one go and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

"... Ah. Now I feel alive again."

"Doesn't it take time for the medicine to work?"

At Hyeonyul's question, Haeryeon stared at him blankly. He was quite serious, which made her burst out laughing.

"It's just how I feel. Somehow, I feel more energized. Now, shall we all sit down?"

Haeryeon rose, gesturing them toward the seats. Everyone sat down. As she approached them, her steps slowly grew heavier.

"Now, everyone. First, we've received some sad news for all of us."

She spoke very carefully, looking particularly at Hyeonyul.

Today, Hyeonyul had been assigned the very easy task of examining company logos and suspicious emblems to determine whether they belonged to villains. Easy though it was, he was the only one who could do it.

And now she had to tell him this. She felt as though she were committing a sin, and at the same time, a chill crept over her neck.

"Remember that company investigation Hyeonyul and Sinu carried out last time?"

"I remember."

"I remember too."

After their replies, Haeryeon once again addressed Hyeonyul.

"The investigation connected to that assignment revealed that a villain is leading a village as a cult leader. The village is fairly large, and the population is so mixed together that we can't tell who's a villain and who isn't."

Everyone except Hyeonyul grew anxious at her words. As though the inevitable had finally arrived, Jihwan squeezed his eyes shut.

"Our team has been assigned the mission."

"Ah..."

Despair escaped everyone's lips except Hyeonyul's.

"We have a maximum of five days. We need to eliminate or capture every villain in the village and liberate the people. There's also a strong possibility that everyone has been brainwashed through the hallucinogen in the snacks you handed over last time."

Having finished explaining the assignment, Haeryeon immediately looked at Hyeonyul. Somehow, he seemed colder than usual.

"... Hyeonyul."

"Yes."

"You...won't be able to go home for up to five days. Will that be all right...?"

Haeryeon's voice grew quieter and quieter. Her heart was already pounding violently.