“Actually, I have two more Teterongs.”“……”“Somumu only has one. Kukochi I haven’t collected yet.”“Please, just eat something.”Jin Muhae’s silence, which had started around lunch, only ended as evening approached. Having stared at the keeseok crystal for hours, he finally snapped out of it when he heard a rumble in his own stomach.Joo-o hadn’t even complained about being hungry or hurried him—but like Pavlov’s dog, Muhae sprang into action first.“I want to eat meat.”“You stuffed yourself yesterday. Today, make do with this.”Muhae scolded Joo-o with eerie precision, as though he’d heard the tiny murmur. Joo-o could’ve stepped outside and caught enough meat for the two of them if Muhae had allowed it, but out of respect, he stayed silent.“Is that puzzle thing too?”“What?”“You know, that thing—like a watch, you press and hold to solve.”Muhae, who’d been biting into jam-coated bread, stiffened at the memory.‘This bastard pretended he didn’t care—but he remembered exactly,’ Joo-o thought, sensing the chill in Muhae’s eyes. Maybe it was too soon to show off that knowledge. Yet every time he prodded, Muhae had always indulged and shown him everything.When in doubt, Joo-o decided, just grin stupidly. He dunked the dry bread in milk and brightened his voice.“Sounds fun. I did those in the clinic.”“Did what?”“That click-click popping puzzle.”Ah, the wire puzzle Dr. Jeong had given them the day they ate beast meat whole. Muhae dispelled his cold gaze and wiped jam crumbs from his hand.“What did I always tell you?”“Um… stay put.”“And if I go out?”“Wear a hat. Follow closely. Don’t say weird things.”“That was weird too. Remember that.”Muhae’s tone was firm—nothing like the gentle request when asking for a head rub. Joo-o nodded obediently. He had no intention of prattling in another room; best not introduce needless variables if he wanted to steer the story as they progressed together.‘Smart people shouldn’t see everything,’ Joo-o mused, tapping more jam into his mouth with satisfaction.Come to think of it, when Muhae first brought him here, Joo-o’s recklessness would prove he’d stay put at Muhae’s side. Instinct had its reasons—but how long must he follow it?“Ugh.”It was good to rethink things—but a little painful too. This was all for the chance to see Muhae: to meet him, talk with him, involve himself in his life.Joo-o popped the purple figure into his inventory with a nod to himself.The over-toasted bread made his mouth feel scratchy. After Muhae barely swallowed a rough chunk, he watched Joo-o eating opposite him.Joo-o’s eyes blinked periodically; his cheeks moved whenever he chewed. For someone who’d fussed about food, he sure ate well. Damn—Joo-o had just dipped the spoon back into the jam jar.‘Does he plan to finish the whole thing right here?’ Muhae thought, exasperated, adding jam to their shopping list with a heavy sigh.“Need help?”Joo-o asked innocently, unaware of the cause of Muhae’s trouble. Muhae flicked an eyebrow as if to say, “Don’t mind me,” but his gaze drifted to Joo-o’s antics. Clink-clank, Joo-o shook his spoon, mimicking solving a puzzle.“I’m good at these—probably.”A month ago, he’d have scooped jam with his hand. Despite his teasing, Muhae admitted to himself that Joo-o had helped a few times. Though he’d never thanked him, Joo-o’s face brimmed with pride.Arrogant, but kind of cute.“By the way, Jin Muhae—why don’t you come to my room?”Joo-o murmured, savoring another spoonful of jam, his voice lowered as if sharing a secret.“Why would I go there?”“I go to see you.”“Don’t.”“It’s your house too.”Hearing the complaint, Muhae realized that the “room” was actually his father’s study—not just a place to dump Joo-o, but where his father had worked. He’d unlocked the watch’s lock there, then combed every inch to see nothing remained.Still… Muhae felt a pull. There might be something left to find.He set down his bread and shot up from the table. Joo-o hesitated, locking eyes with him before awkwardly sitting back down—an uncharacteristic flinch. Muhae’s earlier sharpness had clearly unsettled him.…He felt guilty.“Eat everything you’ve touched.”“Can I take it with me?”“When did you start asking permission?”Muhae’s reluctant consent slipped out. Seeing Joo-o’s face light up, Muhae felt a twinge of relief mixed with annoyance. Strange—this was confidential. The watch’s secrets had leaked, but future clues shouldn’t be obvious to this meddler.Still, every time he sensed Joo-o behind him, he felt both anxious and oddly pleased. Their eyes would meet when he turned—and his interest wavered. He wanted to shake it off, yet his hand froze.Clack.He flipped the light on; the dim room brightened. The study was unchanged from weeks ago: an empty desk and cabinet, the drawer’s emblematic hole, the modest ceiling light, and a lingering sweet scent.‘…I don’t know.’He pressed the keeseok against the hole in the drawer front—but nothing happened. The desk simply looked more abandoned under the harsh light. Muhae pressed his temple, then pulled out the chair to sit.He wanted to know what the study’s owner had thought—what his father had hoped for.In memory, his father had sat here all day, only glimpsed through the half-open door except at meals. Muhae had felt no attachment, shed no tears when his father died. Yet once the research fell into his hands, he’d followed its path automatically.Even though no dead person’s approval awaited him—it was ridiculous. Why had a man who cared little for his child left all this behind?Clink. Muhae placed the keeseok in the desk’s center. Its many facets glowed faintly on the empty surface—the light of Blue energy that could save or destroy the world.Why had his father wanted to eliminate it from existence?As Muhae sank into thought, the light snapped off. Darkness enveloped the room. Startled, he looked up—and saw Joo-o leaning against the wall, silhouette black in the gloom, motioning at the desk.“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”Following Joo-o’s gaze, Muhae saw the keeseok’s glow sharpen. In daylight the halo was hidden; in darkness, it formed a distinct pattern.When Muhae lifted the crystal, lines of light streamed from its center outward.…A sudden strike at his mind.He forgot to breathe, staring at the lengths and directions of the beams.Beep-.Matching his movement, the watch poured light and projected a holographic window. Before him appeared a map of Goryeo City—specifically, Starlight Avenue.Muhae quickly located their shop, then rotated and scaled the map around the crystal. Tilting the hologram downward, he gasped.Each point of light corresponded faintly to landmarks. His head spun as hot, hollow dread washed over him.One point burned brighter: the district that woke with the moon and died with the sun. On the far western edge of the slums, yet astonishingly well-connected by transit—the city’s greatest underworld and glittering pleasure district, Sakdal.Muhae jerked his head up. His pupils, adjusted to the dark, slowly traced the shape of Joo-o by the light switch.Even in shadow, Joo-o’s profile was smooth. His mouth, sober now after earlier admiration of the keeseok, curved into a small, ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) triumphant smile.“I didn’t say anything weird…”Though human vision has limits, Muhae sensed Joo-o’s satisfaction despite his protest.Clack.The light flicked back on. In the artificial glow, Joo-o looked aggrieved.“You won’t even keep the lights off?”Muhae pressed his palms to his eyes. Damn. He must be more tired than he thought.

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