There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL)-Chapter 702: Side Story 3. Stellar Blossom - 37

Thankfully, the freight train that was Han Joon’s mouth stopped running after that, sparing Radia’s sanity and preserving whatever image was left in Shin and Bassena’s memory.

He mainly stared outside the window after that, basking in the scenery. It was basically more than two decades in the future for him, so there were some things he saw that weren’t available before. Not to mention, he only spent his time training and studying, so watching the scenery relaxedly was something new.

That he could lean back instead of sitting straight was a bonus.

Han Shin and Bassena started to play tour guides after they were halfway through Mortix Hill. Coincidentally, the route from the Hill to the hospital included the commercial district--which could change every year due to all kinds of installation--so it was pretty enjoyable. Han Joon almost felt that the ride was too short.

As expected, it was a familiar hospital. It was where his mother and sister died, but also where he met Radia. A memorable place that held all kinds of sentiments. Naturally, it was also the hospital where he woke up seeing Radia smiling and stroking his head.

Ah. He felt a soft shudder, like static electricity, spreading throughout his body as he recalled the memory vividly. It was a glimpse of what he had been waiting for while he was holding back during all of Radia’s lewd moans on his bed.

"Hyung, we’re here."

Oh, too bad. Han Joon got out of the car, feeling disappointed for losing the slight warmth of Radia sitting beside him. It was a short disappointment, however, since Radia ended up staying with him through the whole examination as his ’guardian’.

How nice.

"Up until what point did you remember?" the doctor asked in the office after the medical checkup was done.

"Hmm...it certainly wasn’t in winter," Han Joon looked up to recall. "I had brought Bassena back home, so...I should be almost sixteen, actually."

"I see."

While the doctor made a few notes on his tablet, Han Joon leaned to the side and whispered to Radia. "Up until you did it around five times."

"Shut up," Radia hissed, prompting the doctor to look up in a start.

"Yes?"

"Not you."

"Ah, yes..." the doctor smiled warily and returned to his tablet, back to analyzing the result.

Han Joon smiled and raised his hand. "If I may."

"Yes?"

"It had only been twice, but if my conjecture is right, then I might be ’waking up’ around the point in my life that I considered a turning point."

The doctor placed his tablet on the table and propped his hands on the table, leaning forward. "Oh? Why do you think so?"

"When I was seven, I met the red-haired boy," Han Joon folded one of his fingers and smiled. "When I was fifteen, I got involved with that red-haired boy."

"I...see," the doctor, who didn’t know their history, glanced at Radia. Well, it was rather easy to assume who was the red boy being mentioned. freewebnσvel.cѳm

Radia, however, was deep in thought because of that conjecture. Going by Joon’s prediction, wouldn’t it mean that...he’d wake up to that moment next?

The moment that shook their world like a rolling snowglobe.

The thought made Radia bite his lips in warriness. Even though everything was already solved, that moment shouldn’t be easy to go through once again. The creeping anxiety made Radia want to deny the conjecture. "Shouldn’t you be waking up the day your mother died, then?"

"No, it wasn’t like I recognized it right away," Han Joon shrugged. "I needed time to digest the situation to feel it was important enough to change the direction of my life after a few moments had passed."

Hmm...that actually made sense for Han Joon, who always thought about things thoroughly all alone. But, damn it--Radia didn’t think it took long for Joon to decide the course of his life the moment he found out about Operation Kronos.

The doctor groaned inwardly at Radia’s rapidly changing mood and hurriedly ended the consultation--even though it was him getting a consultation. "Okay, then let’s proceed with that thought. We’ll probably have more certainty after the next point--hopefully, not very long too."

"Yes," Han Joon nodded.

"I think it would be best for you to keep doing the journal until you get all of your memory back. Other than that, there’s no irregularity in your body," the doctor exhaled in relief as he looked back at the examination result. "Well, as far as a regular person goes, you are very fit."

"Hmm..."

"Ah, do forgive me!" the doctor stood up and bowed politely, cursing himself for his slip of the tongue. Child Han Joon was alright, but teenage Han Joon supposedly already awakened. For him, it was only three years ago that he awakened as an esper.

Fortunately, teenage Han Joon was as calm and collected as ever. Even if the black eyes hardened, he still greeted the doctor with a smile as they left the office. But as expected, no matter how fine he looked on the outside, Radia could tell it was still hard to accept.

"I guess...I owe you an apology," Radia said as they walked down the corridor, trying to locate two adult rascals who held the car key.

Han Joon arched his brow. "That doesn’t suit you."

Radia stopped and sighed, half lamenting how unserious he was in the past, and half baffled about how he should treat the current Joon.

"It’s fine," Han Joon chuckled. "I know you enough, and I know Shin. There’s no way he would do something that wasn’t for my benefit."

"..."

"That being said," Han Joon walked closer to Radia. Closed than he ever was after waking up in this hospital. "It seems like you are my guardian, so..."

Radia sighed. "No matter what, it was my decision. So if you want to resent someone--"

"That’s not what I want to know," Han Joon cut the man.

"What?"

"Radia Mallarc,"

Han Joon tilted his head and leaned forward, so close that they could see themselves in each other’s eyes. Fuck--Radia cursed inwardly, clenching the hands he stuck inside his coat pockets.

Han Joon raised his hand again. "Isn’t it time you tell me what this mark is?"

Radia pressed his lips, looking at Han Joon exasperatedly. He knew this man--this brat--knew the nature of their ’future’ relationship. Joon was smart; just the fact that he stayed in the main mansion of the Peak, the ring mark, and that Radia was his medical proxy would already tell him the answer.

Actually, the fact that he kept bringing it up meant he already knew the answer. The brat was just teasing for the sake of teasing.

"Or," Han Joon reached out and pressed a point above Radia’s chest, where he could feel a ring attached to the necklace Radia wore behind his shirt. "Can’t you return it to me, at least?"

Radia clenched his hand tighter, trying not to take a deep breath because it seemed like he would end up stuttering. He hardened his mental wall and looked up at the twinkling black eyes.

"Not yet."

"Why is that?"

Radia brought himself to push Joon back. "You’re a minor, Han Joon."

The teenager in an adult body raised his brow, looking dumbfounded, before letting out a soft laugh. "Pfft--oh, fine," he stepped back and leaned against the wall across, smiling. "Then, can you at least answer a few things?"

"If I can."

"Honestly."

Radia sighed. "...I’ll try."

"Oh, don’t look at me like that--it’s not something in the continental tournament level."

Radia felt like that would be easier instead.

"First, that perfume you’ve been using,"

Yeah, he would ace those tournament questions.

"It’s not yours, isn’t it? It’s not your style," Han Joon tilted his head. Radia loved wearing subtle scents like soap or baby powder, anything light. "I know people change after decades, but...I don’t think you’ll change that much."

Again, Radia cursed inwardly. Why did this Joon love to use this method? And why was it so hard for him to reply calmly? Radia exhaled heavily. "I’ll return it soon."

"Yeah, no need to wear it," Han Joon leaned his head, looking up at the corridor’s white light. "I like your usual scent; it’s calming."

Radia stared at Han Joon curiously. "You don’t even ask who owns it?"

"Should I? It’s probably the same person whose ring you wear around your neck," Han Joon smirked.

"You don’t feel weird? It wasn’t like you either."

Radia rolled the back of his head against the wall, humming. "I was a soldier, wasn’t I?" he recalled Laurel telling him that. "It was probably to cover the smell of blood and miasma."

"...you’re very aware of yourself."

Han Joon shrugged. "How else can I hide myself?"

"Right."

Smiling, Han Joon raised two fingers. "Second question."

Fuck, that wasn’t all? Radia scolded himself for lowering his guard.

"This," Joon’s raised fingers pointed at the obvious scar on his neck, before pointing at the less obvious one on Radia’s, "...and that on your neck. What exactly are the--"

"Oh, are you done?"

Before Joon could finish his inquiry, they heard Bassena’s loud voice from the end of the corridor. It was followed by Shin’s even louder one.

"Hyung, I get you some drinks!" the healer waved several cans and boxes in his hands.

"Ah..."

"Here, I get you both hot chocolate and milk chocolate," Han Shin poured a handful of beverages onto his brother’s hands. "But I also get other flavored milk. Let’s broaden your taste horizon, Hyung!"

"Pfft--I don’t think they’ll beat the chocolate one, though."

"Ey~you’ll never know!"

Han Joon laughed and submitted himself to an impromptu taste test as they walked out of the ward. Behind, Radia muttered quietly to Bassena. "Thanks."

Bassena nodded. "Save?"

"More or less," Radia sighed. "He’ll get curious, but he won’t press."

Still...it was more difficult than he initially thought. An unreserved teenage Han Joon was truly...a frightening stray bullet. Even his best calculation could not predict what this brat would say or do.

"Honestly...it makes sense now how they are brothers," Bassena stroked his chin.

Radia chuckled. Oh, well...at least it didn’t seem like Han Joon had forgotten about being free.