episode_0064

“… … .”

Shihyuk reached out for the hammer.

I have lived as a blacksmith up until now. I thought it was a luxury to even consider other paths.

Having lived a life of always hitting the hammer, Sihyuk knew only this. Ironically, he was still a craftsman to this day.

It wasn’t that I had decided specifically to create something. The owner who would use it? I didn’t choose it either.

I just had dark emotions churning in my stomach and shaking my head, and I needed an outlet to vent them.

Anything is fine.

Something that can be cut, broken, split, and carved.

Something that can be crushed, broken, and crushed.

Something that can be pierced and stabbed.

Weapons.

Only weapons.

A weapon that can destroy everything in the universe and trample on all of the forces of nature.

“… … .”

But when he actually grabbed the hammer, he couldn’t raise his hand.

I couldn’t work.

Lee Si-hyuk, the hammer with his name engraved on it. The master’s last legacy.

The consideration of his teacher that he could never give up, even though he could make something much better. That heart.

An object that he cannot let go of even if it means giving up all his possessions.

The hammer in Shihyuk’s hand had a round, light sheen on its surface, illuminated by the fluorescent lights illuminating the basement.

Because it resembled his teacher who always consoled him in a soft tone.

Shihyuk, you punk.

I thought of his family who had previously tried to stop him from living like a machine, without being able to lose his humanity or become even an animal.

Shihyuk could not tarnish his teacher’s affection. He could not bring himself to strike down that poisonous thing, which was his father’s heirloom. He could not lift the hammer with such ugly feelings.

He is still a craftsman to this day.

At the same time, he was the disciple and son of a man named Baek Hyeon-man.

So I had no choice but to put down the hammer and sit down.

Well then, what should I do?

I knew there was someone out there who shined beautifully, but… .

There are more and more ugly and dark people, so that beautiful light is constantly being swallowed up.

Is there value in such a world? Is there a reason to live?

Do we have no choice but to leave them alone?

Please tell me, Master.

But no matter how much Shihyuk shouted, there was no answer. The teacher who was always wise and kind was no longer here.

The old man who had shown him the way in place of his teacher was now gone. He had no choice but to wander aimlessly like a child who had lost his parents’ hands.

What good is the power you have, what is the point of the lofty realm?

Even though he grew older, he was still just a little kid with a big body.

I didn’t know exactly what my feelings were or how to express them on an unbearable topic.

All he could do was throw a tantrum because he had lost something precious and didn’t want to forget it any more. He was no different from a little child who was stamping his feet because his treasured possession had been taken away.

Sihyuk covered my face with his palm.

He was left with nothing to do but despair.

Only the hammer remained still, reflecting the light.

-.-.-

“Arrived.”

“… Thank you.”

The next day, around lunchtime, Si-hyuk got out of the car and arrived in front of Seoul Metropolitan Hospital.

It wasn’t because I was feeling unwell or worried about my wounds that I came here. I came here because I received a call.

4:15 AM [Mr. Sihhh, I’m here]

4:21 AM [I’m going to send you texts]

4:28 AM [It’s hard to read because it’s so hard to read, so please hurry]

4:32 AM [Mr. Hyeong, I don’t know if you can eat rice cake soup]

4:36 AM [Let’s meet up]

It was Eunha who contacted me.

It was around 4 in the morning when the first text message arrived, which was sent very slowly, either because he had not slept well or because he had woken up early.

It was late in the morning when Shi-hyuk saw the text message, having been stuck in the basement feeling depressed.

The content was gruesome, but I could read it roughly. The gist of it seemed to be, if you weren’t busy, could you meet up? If you wanted to see me, could you come?

Of course, how can you be so short-sighted? Shi-hyuk had to reflect on himself.

Although he was unable to regain consciousness due to the loss of his elders, he never imagined that his sister in the galaxy might have been injured.

Even though the old man had vowed to protect them, it is unlikely that they were completely safe during the fierce and horrific battle that was evident on the news.

It was a mistake to be so absorbed in your thoughts that you neglected to notice another precious treasure.

Fortunately, the galaxy has made it easier to find by showing the location using a map app instead of going through the trouble of writing out the address in text.

There was no need for any preparation.

Sihyuk went down the mountain wearing only his work clothes and a beanie pulled down low. The only way to get there was to take a taxi.

Even though it is Seoul, it is not like there are no private taxis on the streets.

Upon arriving at the hospital, Shi-hyuk headed straight to the reception desk. The receptionist seemed preoccupied with organizing files and giving directions at the same time.

“Hello. Did you make a reservation?”

“No.”

“Ah, to register for treatment, please take a number over there, fill out the questionnaire, and then wait. Then we will call you.”

“I came here to visit a patient, not to treat him.”

“Ah… ?”

The receptionist, who had been putting in files for a while, glanced up at him and nodded with an embarrassed and nervous expression.

“Hey, here’s a simple application you need to fill out. Would you please fill it out and wait?”

“Yes.”

Sihyuk received two pieces of paper and absentmindedly looked at his reflection in the glass partition attached to the reception desk.

Indeed. He frowned slightly.

He looked so bad that it wouldn’t be strange to mistake him for a patient.

He already looked gloomy and his complexion was also bad, so he was likely to be misunderstood even more.

For some reason, the taxi driver would occasionally glance at him through the rearview mirror whenever he stopped at a traffic light, and it was all for this reason.

“Yes, I will accept your application. Is the name of the patient you wish to meet, Eunha? What is your relationship to the patient?”

“I’m your acquaintance.”

“Yes, it has been confirmed. Our galaxy patient is in the private room for the awakened, room 417, 4th floor. Please leave your contact information separately in case of an emergency. ”

“Yes.”

Sihyuk climbed the stairs, even writing emergency contact information on a note. It occurred to him that he should have brought a gift for the late visit.

“Ms. Galaxy, this is Sihyuk.”

“Come in!”

After getting permission from inside, he opened the door and saw a girl lying alone on the bed in a cream-colored space.

Shi-hyuk, who was covered in wounds all over his body, had his neck and face exposed, and his entire body, from hands to toes, was covered in slashes to the point that the receptionist mistook him for a patient.

One leg was limping slightly, perhaps because it had been beaten up quite a bit, and the scabbed wounds looked quite serious, combined with his pale complexion.

But even he wasn’t like that to the girl.

The small body visible through the gap in the baggy hospital gown clearly showed traces of a fierce battle.

The right arm was in a small cast, and the thin calf revealed by the blanket that had been pulled away was covered in bandages all the way down to the ankle bone.

The beautiful face that made everyone, regardless of gender, turn around whenever she walked down the street had a large gauze bandage attached above her eyebrow and on one cheek. It was pitiful, like a wounded flower petal.

The size of the room was about 8 pyeong. The sickroom, which was so white to the point of being pathological, seemed too big for Eunha’s already small body.

At that place, a wounded young man and a girl met. After staring at each other for a moment, the two opened their mouths at the same time.

“Thank you for coming.”

“Long time no see.”

The greeting was simple.

Shihyuk looked at the girl’s left hand, which was shaking slightly. Even the left hand that was exposed was wrapped tightly with a bandage above the wrist.

I bet you were sweating profusely trying to write that message with your own hands.

Eunha hid her hand behind her back, awkwardly greeting Shihyuk.

“That, is it too big for me to use alone? [Heenari], my friend was considerate. Since my recovery speed was not bad, a general ward would have been fine, but he insisted on paying for everything himself… .”

“I see.”

“So, it’s spacious. Since I’m the only one using it, it’s a little lonely? Somehow… .”

The galaxy smiled bashfully. The faint smile that seemed a little dazed, combined with the girl’s injuries and the outfit she was wearing, made her look even more pitiful.

“I missed you, Sihyuk.”

I don’t know why he was touched by those words. Shihyuk felt a tingling sensation.

“I missed you too.”

The galaxy smiled as if it was happy with the faithful words. Just with that smile, my heart that had fallen so much that it could not be recovered felt a little saved.

-.-.-

The two talked about this and that.

“… So, my sister has also overcome all the dangerous situations. She is still unconscious, but the doctor said she will wake up soon.”

“Thank goodness.”

The situation, the place, the time were all different. But for some reason, Si-hyuk remembered his first meeting with Eun-ha right here and now.

“I still have a bit of trouble walking, but I can get around a bit with the help of crutches. I’ve been scolded for not moving around yet though. Hehe.”

“It may be frustrating, but you should not overdo it, as it may cause the wound to become worse.”

It was the same back then. He and she met in a deserted cafe like this hospital room and had many small talk.

Most of it was Galaxy who made the noise, and Shihyuk just added some flair.

“Oh, this is a banana. The lady in the general ward in front of me gave it to me. She said she wanted to take care of it because it reminded her of her little daughter when she was little. It’s almost lunchtime. Aren’t you hungry? Would you like one?”

“I will gratefully accept your kind words. Come to think of it, I should have brought something like a gift for the interview, but I was careless.”

Eunha always spoke cheerfully and lively, and he always listened to Eunha’s stories without letting them pass by in vain.

They both liked it.

Shihyuk just listened to her story indifferently and answered her questions with some depth, but the girl liked the deep, deep tone of his voice when he answered her questions.

Shihyuk also liked these light, everyday conversations with the girl.

The considerate Eunha always gently guided Shihyuk, knowing that he had difficulty leading conversations with people.

How much time did I spend like that?

Suddenly, Shi-hyuk realized belatedly that Eun-ha was different than usual. What, she wasn’t talking about hospital gowns, bandages, or casts anymore.

“What a peculiar hat.”

The girl was wearing, funny enough, a large beige bonnet that she only just noticed.

For some reason, the brim was a little tanned, but the large hat compared to the small head looked oddly unbalanced and suited him.

“Oh, does it suit you?”

Shihyuk acknowledged it with a faint smile, but soon he had to regret the topic he had brought up.

“This is the last gift that my grandfather left me.”

His mouth was shut tight.