"I think he's in the military right now."
Seung-hwan looked at me with a puzzled look.
"The military?"
"My boss at the last place I was stationed did a background check on me through the higher-ups. and in the process found out about my contact with Mua 23 years ago. They must have started getting involved during the height of this war."
As he listened to my story, something dawned on him.
"Somehow, a war that was being lost on all fronts turned around in one fell swoop."
I tapped him on the shoulder and stood up from my seat.
"Let's go."
"What about your leg?"
He looked at my leg, worried, right after I'd stood up. I shrugged my shoulders and replied.
"Never mind. I'll cut it off when it's useless and that's it. I don't care now. It's not like it's going to give me any answers."
Perhaps sensing that he couldn't overcome my stubbornness, he lit a cigarette and said to me.
"Well, whatever you want, just don't ask me to cut off your legs later."
He started to help me up with a cigarette in his mouth, and I said to him as I was helped up.
"I don't know why it's so heavy, and I'm proud of myself for getting this far."
He carrying me said to me.
"Me neither."
He starts to take the first step, but suddenly stops.
"But can I ask you something?"
I looked at him wordlessly, and he looked back at me with an incredibly curious expression.
"My brother told me that you developed your powers to intervene in the world."
I scratched my head and tried to avoid answering by pretending I didn't hear him, but he didn't let up on his curiosity.
"I can't imagine. I can't imagine it's easy for a non-vested party to develop the power to intervene in the world."
After trying to avoid answering, I finally told him.
"I wrote it."
He looks at me in surprise.
"Writing?"
I nodded weakly, and he continued to pace, smoking his cigarette wordlessly, as if everything was finally understood.