Geon sat on the bench, making eye contact with Mijin who was looking up at him, and cautiously greeted her.
"Hello, Ms. Kim Mijin."
Mijin did not respond, just continued looking at Geon. At a loss for what to say, Geon just stood silently until the nurse behind Mijin suggested a seat next to her.
"Take a seat and talk slowly."
The nurse moved a bit away from the two as she led Geon to Lisa's side. Geon, who had never spoken to Mijin before, reopened the conversation with an awkward expression.
"How have you been these days?"
Mijin still said nothing, just stared intently at Geon. Feeling awkward under her gaze, Geon turned his head away.
An uncomfortable silence lingered between them for a while. With Mijin just silently watching him, Geon, who was sitting on the bench, recalled her old appearance he had seen in Chicago.
A mother, stricken with the grief of losing her daughter, was endlessly crying and pounding on her chest where her child had died.
Just recalling that scene made Geon's eyes tear up. He was about to ask about her daughter but then thought better of it, realizing there was no need to stir up emotions in her now that she had just stopped crying.
The summer sun was blazing hot, and Geon, thinking it wasn't good for her health to keep sitting outside for long, stood up and said,
"It's too hot, isn't it? Shall we go inside?"
He wanted to offer his hand to help her up, but fearing she might reject his touch, Geon just looked down at her instead.
As Geon watched her, Mijin's parched lips slowly began to part, and a raspy voice emerged.
"I remember…"
Startled by her sudden words, the nurse rushed over, but Lisa gestured for her to be quiet by placing a finger on her lips.
"Shh, just watch. There's a story between them."
Taken aback, Geon composed himself and calmly asked,
"What do you remember?"
Slowly raising her hand, Mijin pointed at Geon.
"You. I remember you."
Looking at the finger pointing at him, Geon asked,
"Do you remember me?"
Mijin nodded faintly and spoke again.
"Sikago, I remember seeing you there."
Geon, grateful that Mijin remembered him, smiled gently.
"I remember you too."
After a brief conversation, Mijin fell silent again. Geon, hoping to continue their dialogue, waited for a while but eventually reached out towards the ward as he could no longer stand the silence.
"It's very hot, Ms. Mijin, it's not good for your health, let's go inside."
Perhaps because they had talked briefly, Geon found the courage to reach out his hand to her. Mijin, still intensely looking at Geon's offered hand, looked up at him again.
"That's what you said then, right?"
"Yes?"
Mijin, with unfocused eyes, tried to recall,
"Better to cry out loud…"
Geon's eyes widened. Seeing that Mijin remembered his muttered words from afar, he sat down next to her again and asked,
"How could you see that from so far away?"
Mijin slowly shook her head.
"I don't remember how I saw it. But I remember that the song you sang then comforted me. After crying out loud as you suggested, it felt a bit better."
Hearing the longest conversation they had had since starting to talk, Geon nodded, encouraging her to keep talking as he knew that normal conversation could help her condition improve.
"That's good to hear, I'm glad it comforted you. But it seems it hasn't gotten much better."
Mijin looked down slightly at Geon's words. Geon firmly grasped her silent shoulders and said,
"It's not good to hide your feelings, you know that, Ms. Mijin? Men typically live shorter than women because men often have to hide their emotions due to their social status. It's said that the emotions they withhold shorten their lifespans. Say what you want to say, cry when you want to cry, and don't hold back your laughter because of guilt."
Mijin looked intently back at Geon, taking his hand in silence. Geon looked up at the sky and said,
"Just say what you want to say most right now, do what you want to do most right now."
Mijin followed Geon's gaze into the sky. The sun was partially obscured by clouds, allowing them to look at the blue sky without squinting. Geon turned to Mijin with a smile.
"What do you most want to say right now?"
Mijin's eyes, looking as if they were seeing someone in the sky, were filled with sorrow. Her cheeks twitched as if her lips were cr
amping, and she spoke in a barely audible, breathy voice.
"Haeun, isn't it time for school? Get up."
Geon's smiling face twisted. What she wanted was an ordinary conversation with her daughter, a simple everyday talk that was now the thing she most wanted to say.
Thinking that no words could comfort her, Geon opened his mouth after a long silence,
"What do you most want to do?"
Expecting her to talk about spending time with her daughter or recalling memories, Mijin surprised Geon with her unexpected response.
"I want to sleep. While listening to that music I hear every day."
Geon, looking blankly at Mijin, slowly smiled as he turned his head towards Lisa, nodding. Mijin's nurse quickly came over and helped Mijin up. As Geon stood up, Lisa whispered quietly,
"It's almost time for music therapy. Would you like to see it before you go?"
Geon silently nodded as he watched Mijin being supported as they walked ahead.
Upon arriving at room 403 with Lisa, Geon opened the door with a bright expression, then his face turned to surprise.
The four patients in the room, usually restless and unable to concentrate, now all lay under blankets in their beds, quietly waiting for something. Seeing Geon's expression, Lisa whispered,
"They know it's music therapy time. Courtney especially shows the highest efficiency. Her aggressive tendencies have completely disappeared, and while she can't converse normally, she understands and responds to what we say. Considering her condition a few months ago, it's almost a miracle."
A few moments later, the sound of water music, not from the small Bluetooth speaker but from the ward's main speakers, began to fill the room. Watching the patients close their eyes with pleasant expressions, Lisa whispered to Geon,
"Most of them fall asleep during this time."
Geon watched the patients rubbing their faces against the pillows, their eyes closed, and then left the room, not wanting to disturb their rest.
Silently observing the psychiatric ward, Geon noticed the other rooms. The usually noisy psychiatric ward was now silent except for the music.
Most of the patients seemed to be trying to sleep as they listened to the music at a lower volume, while others sat on their beds, looking out the window.
Grateful to see people enjoying his music, Geon was approached by Larry, who smiled and offered a handshake.
"Kay, you're here."
"Hello, teacher."
"Ha, thanks to Kay's permission, we are conducting research involving all the patients in the psychiatric ward."
"Has there been any progress?"
"Hmm… shall we walk for a bit?"
Leading Geon along the ward's corridor, checking on the patients, Larry began to speak,
"We are seeing definite effects on schizophrenia, depression, and insomnia. Interestingly, the progression of encephalitis in patients seems to be slowing down, and the pain that should be severe is also being alleviated. Due to this, Director Murphy is preparing to report to the academic community."
Geon brightened up and asked,
"The progression of the disease is slowing down?"
Larry smiled, picking up a chart,
"Yes, unfortunately, it's not a cure. It just slows down the progression."
Seeing Geon's saddened expression, Larry added,
"That alone is a remarkable discovery, and your help is providing hope to patients desperately looking forward to tomorrow."
Geon weakly smiled and said,
"It's just hope, which could lead to greater disappointment later."
"Ha, they are aware of their illness and know that it is incurable with modern medicine. But they want to live even a single day longer, to complete their unfinished lives. You have given them the most precious gift of time."
Larry's words seemed to lift Geon's spirits a bit as he continued to observe the ward, still filled with the sound of music. At the end of the corridor, outside the door leading to the external staircase, Geon saw a man standing and looking inside. Narrowing his eyes, he brightened up and hurriedly walked over, opening the door and calling out joyfully,
"Sion!! What brings you here?"
Standing outside, continuing down the external staircase, Sion, carrying a bag with art supplies, laughed,
"Ha, to see you here again."
"Indeed! You've been a great help, Sion. If you have time, I'd like to treat you to a meal, how about it?"
After a quick glance at his watch, Sion nodded,
"That would be good now. I'm quite hungry, ha."
Grateful for the invaluable advice Sion had given him, Geon, with a look full of gratitude and friendliness, took hold of Sion's shoulder and said,
"I'll treat you to something expensive and delicious, let's go! Ha."
As Sion and Geon laughed and walked out of the hospital, on the hospital rooftop, a blond youth named Paimon cracked his knuckles and gritted his teeth.
"Gusion… grind. If even a fingertip of that child is harmed, your filthy life is over!"
At an Italian restaurant's VIP room not far from Downtown New York General Hospital.
Upon seeing Geon's face, the restaurant staff immediately gave up the VIP room, and the manager and employees hurried over to set things up and take photos and autographs.
Watching Geon's fan service, Zion spoke with a smile after the room cleared and everyone left.
"Haha, you're really popular. Sorry, I didn't realize you were this famous when I saw you last time."
Geon pulled a chair closer and sat down with a laugh.
"Haha, you might not know, what. By the way, what brings you to the hospital? Do you have any ailments?"
"No, no. This time, I was just prowling around trying to draw this thing called illness."
Geon widened his eyes and asked.
"Drawing illness? What do you mean? Are you saying you're going to draw a picture expressing the pain of suffering patients?"
"Haha, no. I meant drawing the illness itself. You know there are artworks that represent music in paintings, right?"
"Yes, I know. But can you also represent illness in a painting? Hmm... I can only think of something that looks like a virus."
"Huhu, I thought the same. That's why I was observing and researching when I met you."
"I see, it seems we always meet coincidentally. Maybe we had a connection in a past life? Haha"
"Huhu, maybe so."
Geon stood up from his seat with a laugh.
"Sorry, I'll go to the restroom."
"Go ahead."
Watching Geon leave the VIP room, Zion's face turned cold as soon as the door closed. He gritted his teeth and muttered.
"I don't know what trick Gamagin has played, but this guy has crossed the line, why aren't the angels acting? Let's assume the demons acted because of Gamagin, but why the angels? I just don't understand."
Zion opened his mouth again after glancing at the door through which Geon had left.
"Now that it has come to this, I'll make you surpass your limits once more. Let's see if they stay quiet when you have the power to toy with human lives."
Staring at the ceiling and grinding his teeth at someone above, Zion hurriedly changed his expression to a smile as he heard the door open.
"Haha, you're here early... huh?"
Zion stumbled back from his seat as he saw a blonde young man in a tight grey suit standing at the door.
"Py, Pyemon!?"
With his hands behind his back, Pyemon entered the VIP room, closed the door, and stared at Zion.
"It's been a while?"
Flustered, Zion tried to gauge Pyemon's intentions.
"Damn, how did he know... is he always watching the child?"
Unperturbed, Pyemon took a seat next to where Geon had been sitting, crossed his legs, and looked relaxed. Zion broke out in a cold sweat.
"Py, Pyemon is not to be trifled with! That bastard is the worst of the worst!"
As Zion rolled his eyes trying to find an excuse, Pyemon smirked and placed his fist on the table.
"What are you thinking?"
"A...ah, I was just surprised to see you here all of a sudden."
Pyemon's smile faded.
"Indeed, it's been seven thousand three hundred years since we last met."
Recalling the past, Zion sweated as he remembered the beauty he had touched unknowingly, which had enraged Pyemon, who had destroyed more than half of his domain.
And just before his death, after being beaten by Lucifer's intervention, he had survived but was beaten again by Pyemon who secretly visited him during his recovery.
Pyemon, who oversees destruction and pulverization, was a high-ranking demon on a similar level to Gamagin in terms of sheer power.
"That... that's right."
Pyemon uncrossed his legs and stared at Zion before nodding toward the chair.
"Sit, won't you?"
"Uh... yes, okay."
Zion hesitantly picked up his fallen chair and sat down as Pyemon growled softly.
"What brings you here?"
Stumbling for words, Zion managed to say.
"Ah... I, I just came down to look around the human world and happened to meet a child I liked..."
"Oh? You found a child to your liking too? That's pleasant to hear?"
"That, that's..."
Avoiding Pyemon's gaze, Zion heard the door open. Geon, seeing a new guest in the VIP room, widened his eyes.
"Huh? Zion. Who is this?"
As Zion tried to speak, Pyemon stood up, causing him to shrink back.
"Oh, hello? I'm a friend of Zion. Just happened to pass by and saw this friend here and came in."
Geon quietly observed Pyemon. Geon, feeling somewhat familiar with Pyemon, who appeared to be of
his age, tilted his head.
"Have we met before?"
Pyemon bared his teeth in a smile and shrugged.
"I'm not sure, I can't remember."
Observing Pyemon quietly, Geon sat down as Pyemon naturally took the seat next to Zion and said.
"Since it's fate that we met, may I join you for the meal? Oh, I'll pay for my own, of course."
Geon, feeling inexplicably drawn to Pyemon, laughed and replied.
"Sure, that's fine. But have we met before? You seem so familiar."
"Haha, it's common to feel that way about some people you meet. It's easy to become friends with such people."
"Haha, is that so? You look about my age, shall we be friends?"
Zion, catching his breath, internally screamed.
"Crazy!! There must be a thirty thousand year age difference, you fool!"
Zion's outcry was merely internal as Pyemon offered a handshake with a smile.
"Then, let's be friends! To celebrate becoming friends with a famous musician, I'll pay for the meal today, although I know you're wealthy, but don't refuse a friend's kindness, haha."
As Geon shook Pyemon's hand, he smiled brightly.
"Sure, haha. But what's your name?"
Pyemon smiled back.
"Fey, call me Fey."
"Right, Fey. You're not American, are you? You seem European."
"Yes, I'm from England."
"Wow, that's cool. I go to England often; I have friends there too."
"Really? Haha, that's also a coincidence."
"Recently, there's been a lot of coincidences, even with Zion here. Haha."
As Geon pointed out Zion, Pyemon placed his hand on Zion's shoulder and feigned friendliness.
"Haha, right. Zion, you must be glad we're friends now?"
Zion, cringing, felt a slight pain as Pyemon secretly tightened his grip on his neck.
"That, that's great! Friends are good!"
Geon, with a pure smile, exclaimed.
"Let's be friends then. Since the two of you are friends, it would be great if all three of us became friends."
Zion looked puzzled.
"Fr, friends? With me?"
For the first time in tens of thousands of years, a high-ranking demon was about to make a human friend. Unperturbed by the absurd look on Zion's face, Geon smiled beautifully and nodded vigorously.
"Yes! Let's all be friends!"
"Uh... that, that's..."
As Zion glanced at Pyemon, Pyemon, hiding his eyes from Geon with his hand on his chin, stared fiercely at Zion, who hastily replied.
"That, that's right! Friends! Let's be friends!"
Geon clapped his hands with a joyful face.
"Great! Haha, I owe you one, Zion, so I'll repay you little by little as friends. I just met Fey today, but I feel strangely fond of him. I feel good! Shall we also have a drink?"
Pyemon clapped his hands in agreement.
"Sure! Great, you can't have a new friend without a drink! You know what's good, haha. Zion! You like that too, right?"
Zion was about to frown but jumped up as soon as he met Pyemon's eyes, raising both hands.
"That, that's right!! Let's drink! Drink and die!"
Soon, the three of them ordered drinks from a waiter who brought the food and started to have a good time with the freshly arrived drinks.
Though there were many people around, Geon, who could only truly call Shizuka and Kevin his friends, was thrilled to make two new friends at once and began drinking faster than usual.
Eventually, in the early evening, Geon's head dropped onto the table as he murmured in his sleep.
"Mmm... Fey, I somehow feel comfortable with you."
Watching Geon drunkenly sleep, Pyemon looked lovingly at him. As Geon collapsed, Ku-Zion straightened up, looked unnerved by Pyemon's stare.
Without saying a word, Pyemon continued to stare at Ku-Zion for a while before gently touching his shoulder.
"Friends?"
Ku-Zion swallowed dryly and glanced at Pyemon.
"That... that's..."
"Friends should get along well, right?"
"Ah, um..."
Pointing at Geon, who was sleeping, Pyemon said.
"That child sleeping there is also your friend, right?"
"Ah... that, that's... that's right."
"So, you won't harm your friend, will you?"
"Cr... ahem..."
As Pyemon firmly grasped his shoulder, sending pain through it, Ku-Zion quickly replied.
"That, that's right! Shouldn't do that!"
Satisfied with Zion's answer, Pyemon stood up, helped Geon up
, and said.
"Today, thanks to you, I unexpectedly got the chance to be by the child's side, so I'll let it slide. But Ku-Zion. Don't forget what you said yourself about being the child's friend."
Ku-Zion internally cursed.
'That was something you forced me to say! It's not even a promise sworn on a demon's name, why should I! Damn XXXX piece of XX!!!'
As Pyemon helped Geon out of the VIP room, he looked back at the door. Ku-Zion, who had just cursed a storm internally, hastily changed his expression to a forced smile as Pyemon said.
"You, tell me honestly."
Ku-Zion flinched at the sudden question.
"What, what?"
Pyemon, leaning on Geon who could barely stand, gestured and said.
"About you wanting to be friends. This is the first time, isn't it?"
"Uh? That... that's..."
Pyemon chuckled and left the VIP room.
"Congratulations. You've made your first friend."
As Pyemon disappeared with Geon, Ku-Zion stared fixedly for a long time.
"Friend... huh?"
Ku-Zion, who had been cursing internally just moments before, now looked solemnly at the open door and slowly rose from his seat.
"Friend...?"