Thanks to J's efforts, the chaos was subdued in no time. After locking the last patient's door, the boy bowed his head toward the hunters.
"Because of your help, it ended quickly. Thank you."
"What caused the mass seizure?"
"That can only be confirmed once my master wakes up."
"Tch, told you to work on your stamina."
"My thoughts exactly. How's he supposed to manage being so frail?"
Taking advantage of the rare moment when Honeybee and Gyu-gyu seemed to agree, Jung Bin approached J, who was crossing his arms and scanning the ward. With a small cough and a polite smile, he spoke
"I thought you had gone back to your room, but here we meet again."
"Ah, haha…"
"You moved so swiftly… I take it your body is really fine?"
"I told you, it was just a brief fainting spell. My body's perfectly fine. Being sturdy is my greatest asset."
J scratched the back of his head awkwardly. Under the fluorescent light, his hair gleamed pale white. Whiter by the day.
No kit to identify mutations had been developed yet. With all resources poured into vaccines, visual confirmation was the main method.
'But… Can we judge by the hair color alone?'
Perhaps noticing Jung Bin's gaze, J lowered his hand and casually clasped it behind his back.
"…"
"…"
Jung Bin kept scrutinizing him. J avoided the stare, turning his head away. Just then, Gyu-gyu slung an arm around Jung Bin's shoulder, grinning.
"Oooh, what's with the tension? Let me join in."
Jung Bin pushed him away lightly with his shoulder, still smiling.
"Assistant, Gyu-gyu here says he'll help with cleanup. Drag him along and work him as much as you can."
"Eh? I never said that."
"Is that so? Even so, thank you for your help."
"I said I didn't… hey!"
The boy grabbed Gyu-gyu's arm and began dragging him away. Gyu-gyu was pulled along, dumbfounded. Honeybee smirked.
"Serves you right."
Jung Bin's eyes returned to J. Maybe it was just Gyu-gyu trying to provoke suspicion. Maybe it was just a ploy. But still,
'Variables must be eliminated.'
For an Awakened, the first principle was protecting civilians.
Jung Bin extended his hand.
"Could we speak for a moment, privately?"
"…"
J looked around helplessly, then looked at Honeybee. She blinked between the two of them, flustered, before abruptly blurting out.
"Oh! Silly me, I just remembered I, uh, have an urgent appointment? Gotta run!"
"Honeybee-ssi!"
"Right, it was nice seeing you too! Let's meet again sometime!"
She vanished like the wind. The two men were left alone. Smiling, Jung Bin pressed on, and J reluctantly followed him, shuffling his feet.
Searching for a place out of earshot, they eventually climbed all the way to the rooftop. The Seowon Guild roof had a helipad. Jung Bin pulled open the loosely locked door, crossed the painted H, and leaned against the railing. J trudged after him.
Eight years had passed. Jung Bin studied the young man who collapsed onto the green floor with a thud. Aside from his hair and clothes, J looked almost exactly as he had back then, as if time had skipped over him.
"Mind if I smoke?"
"Go ahead."
"Thank you."
Jung Bin pulled a pack from his jacket. As he lit one, J muttered
"Still haven't quit?"
"Haha, hard habit to break. Want one?"
"…No. Someone raised hell about me quitting."
J clicked his tongue and looked away. 'Who dared give J such trouble?' Jung Bin struck his lighter, inhaling deeply. The answer wasn't hard to find. 'Who else but Lee Sa-young?' A cold chill slid down his spine.
J in the Jongno underground dungeon, rampaging out of control, was more terrifying than anything else.
The hand holding his cigarette trembled faintly. Gyu-gyu's voice echoed in his mind, stripped of all humor.
"If J ever turns into a monster… I don't even want to imagine what'll happen."
Jung Bin didn't either. If even a civilian mutation was this dangerous, then what if a hunter, what if the strongest Awakened, mutated?
"…J-nim."
"Yes."
The words stuck. Could he even ask? And if he did, would J answer? If J didn't trust him, what would be the point?
In the end, instead of the question on his mind, Jung Bin blurted out something else entirely.
"…Have you filed your taxes?"
"…What?"
"…No, forget that. I misspoke."
"…Actually, if someone dies and comes back… do they still owe taxes?"
Thankfully, J took it as a joke. Jung Bin rubbed his mouth, chuckling faintly.
"Probably. Best to consult a tax accountant."
J propped his chin on his hand, grumbling.
"Man… back in my day, Awakened didn't even have taxes."
"Haha, many systems have been implemented since then. Many laws too. Too many hunters were dodging taxes."
"Stability's not all good news, huh."
"Well, back then it was the wilds. Wilds had their perks too. Now even mana stones are taxed, you know?"
"…There's a mana stone tax?"
"When you sell them through the market, yes. Part tax, part fee."
"What about Tomato Market…?"
"Oh, sell there and you're a tax evader."
"…"
Their exchange, half-joking, loosened the tension. Jung Bin's fist tightened in his pocket. He'd interrogated countless hunters, extracted countless secrets. But never before had he felt so inadequate in speech.
J stretched his arms, yawning.
"You've got something you want to ask, don't you?"
"…"
"Just ask straight. Don't beat around the bush."
"…Then, J-nim."
Jung Bin held his breath briefly then asked
"Are you mutating?"
J lifted his head. The answer came surprisingly easily.
"Yes."
Thud. Something heavy sank inside Jung Bin. Struggling to keep his voice steady, he asked again.
"…Since when?"
"Not sure. Probably since I was inside the West Sea Rift… but I only realized not long ago."
"…"
"Eat a white monster, and you become a mutant. If there's ever a food shortage, make sure no one eats monsters."
"…Did you… consume one, in the Rift?"
"…"
No answer. The black mask betrayed nothing. Realizing his slip, Jung Bin rushed to add
"I don't mean to blame you or your fellow hunters. I just wanted to confirm. If you'd rather not answer, that's fine."
"It's fine. It's all in the past."
J toyed with his hair. Faded gray now, the color of falling ash.
"Luckily, the pace is slow. You could say I'm the first mutant of this world, but aside from lighter hair, I've had no other symptoms."
"That's… fortunate."
"What you fear won't happen."
His voice brimmed with certainty. How could he be so sure? Perhaps catching the doubt in Jung Bin's eyes, J raised a finger and pointed skyward.
"Because I'm going to meet the Apocalypse."
He said it lightly, as if announcing a stroll. Jung Bin nearly dropped his cigarette, coughing.
"Wait, are you serious?"
"Of course. We can't just sit and wait for it. If I can strike first, I will."
"But"
"Even in that brief moment 'it' opened its eyes, the damage was immense. You know that better than anyone."
"…"
"Better try something than do nothing."
"Even if that path leads to death?"
"Yes."
The answer was firm. Jung Bin fell silent. How could he answer so quickly, so decisively, when his life was on the line? And hadn't he already once entered a dungeon where only death awaited?
Steadying his breath, Jung Bin asked
"So you've already decided?"
"Yes."
"…Just minutes ago, I told you not to shoulder everything alone."
"Come on, as if I'd do it all alone."
"…What?"
Eyes widening, Jung Bin saw J sitting comfortably, palms on the floor, ash-gray hair scattering like embers in the wind.
"While I fight, you'll protect the people."
"…"
"Each of us do what we're best at."
J tilted his head upward. The mask hid his face, but Jung Bin could almost see his expression.
"Division of labor."
He was smiling.