CHAPTER: 002 Where Am I?!
CHAPTER: 002 Where Am I?!
The baby who had been held in Yoonseul’s arms.
Yoon Garam.
The baby was special.
He was feverish, but Garam faced reality head-on.
I know this “reincarnation” stuff that sounds like a genre novel. I know it, but…
In his previous life, he was Yoon Suho.
The Republic of Korea where he had lived was a place where gates appeared in 2014, in what was called the Great Upheaval.
Yoon Suho was a hunter who raided gates.
A mage, at that.
An S-rank hunter in Korea—a grand archmage who had carved nine circles into his heart.
A gate known as a great calamity.
He had entered a Red Dragon Gate and had more than half his face blown off by a dragon’s claws, but he survived.
The reason he died was absurd—he died because of a poisoned arrow shot by a fellow elf.
At the end, Aurella’s expression was something else.
An expression that said this was ridiculous, mixed with panic.
And guilt—she cried her eyes out.
Even Suho had to admit it: an elf crying was unbelievably pretty.
Ah—.
No, that’s not it.
Getting lost in reminiscing…
After reincarnating, this place had no mana.
Well, it wasn’t completely nonexistent—it was there, but faint.
Forcing mana together to form circles in his heart caused aftereffects, and that was his current situation.
He was on his way to the hospital, held in the arms of someone who was supposedly his “older brother.”
Looks like I startled him…
Suho—no, Garam—quietly felt the hand patting his back as he was held.
This world seems peaceful…
The scenery passing outside the window.
People walking while sipping takeaway coffee.
A mother and son heading somewhere, holding hands.
Watching it all, Garam looked up at the man called his older brother.
An older brother who appeared out of nowhere.
By his age in his previous life, he was far older than this so-called older brother.
He didn’t know how this man ended up taking him in.
I’ll figure it out as I live here…
Suho—no, Garam—snuggled into his older brother’s chest.
It was true he had pushed himself too hard making circles in his heart.
Let’s rest…
•
Tap—
When Yoonseul arrived at the hospital, he sprinted straight into the emergency room.
“D-doctor—!”
Grabbing the gown of the first emergency medicine resident he saw, Yoonseul spoke urgently.
“The baby’s temperature is 39.6 degrees, and sometimes he goes limp like he’s losing consciousness. Should I call pediatrics?”
“……”
Kang Dohyun, a third-year emergency medicine resident, quietly looked at Yoonseul.
Holding the baby carrier, Yoonseul looked flustered and completely at a loss.
Seeing the guy who normally handled work so coolly like this was… kind of funny.
“I’ll call pediatrics, so put the baby on that bed, register him, and come back.”
“Yes—doctor.”
After quickly putting the baby down and disappearing to register, Yoonseul—
Dohyun snorted without meaning to.
“Looks like he completely forgot he’s an intern…”
•
Third-year resident Lee Seulgi brewed a capsule espresso so strong it was practically tar.
Trickle—
She added a little water from the purifier and was about to take a sip.
Brrring—
She took the call mid-sip.
“Yes—this is Lee Seulgi.”
—This is the ER. Dr. Yoonseul brought a baby in, and the baby’s fever is 39.4. You should come down and take a look.
“What? Yoonseul brought a baby?”
—His fever’s high. We’re doing emergency measures, but come down and check him.
“No, more importantly—did Yoonseul get married?”
—Hey! That’s not the important part!
“Ah—fine. I’m coming.”
Downing the espresso in one gulp, Lee Seulgi quickly threw on her coat and headed to the ER.
I called dibs on Yoonseul… who the hell did he marry?
No, that’s not it.
How many girls had tried to get to Yoonseul, and he’d shut every last one of them down like a brick wall.
And now he brought a baby to the hospital?
Whose is it?
Lee Seulgi’s head was a mess.
Ever since school, how many times had she tried to get close to Yoonseul, her junior?
She was furious.
Cursing slipped out of her mouth on its own.
Whose is it? Seriously.
When she got down to the ER, Lee Seulgi looked around.
“You’re here?”
“Where’s Seul?”
She greeted Kang Dohyun with only a raised hand and looked for Yoonseul.
“He went to register.”
“And the baby?”
“This way.”
Swish—
When she pulled the curtain open, a baby with angel-like white skin was lying there.
And he looked sick.
Seeing him lying limp, arms and legs slack, made her heart ache.
Lee Seulgi’s voice changed instantly.
“Oh no. Our baby’s really hurting, huh? The doctor will take a look, okay~”
Seeing her sudden switch, Kang Dohyun clicked his tongue and drew the curtain a little.
A moment later, after checking the baby, Lee Seulgi came out and looked for the guardian.
“Doctor—.”
Yoonseul came running back, his face pale.
Lee Seulgi swallowed hard.
Put your personal feelings away for now.
She addressed Yoonseul like a doctor speaking to a guardian.
“Y—no, Guardian. The baby has acute tonsillitis, so you don’t need to worry too much. Keep him somewhere warm and give him cool water little by little. We’ll prescribe syrup medicine for him.”
At her words, Yoonseul dipped his head slightly.
“…Yes. Thank you.”
As Yoonseul tried to sit beside the baby, Lee Seulgi lightly tugged his sleeve and smiled.
“Guardian. Let’s talk for a moment, shall we?”
Yoonseul saw her smiling through clenched teeth.
He suddenly felt a little scared of her.
“…Okay.”
She led him to the place interns and residents feared.
The emergency stairwell.
“Talk.”
“…What?”
Talk about what?
When Yoonseul tilted his head slightly—
“You talk too much as an intern?”
“……”
At Lee Seulgi’s sharp pressure, Yoonseul shut his mouth.
With both hands on her hips, Lee Seulgi spoke.
“Whose baby is that? And… did you get married?”
“Huh? What marriage are you talking about?”
Yoonseul looked like the question was ridiculous.
Seeing that, Lee Seulgi lowered the hands that had been on her hips.
“Huh? You’re not married?”
“Of course not. Everyone knows I’ve been living hospital–home nonstop since I graduated. And… that baby… is…”
After hearing the explanation, an incredulous sound burst from Lee Seulgi.
“Huh?”
At the word “younger brother,” her jaw practically dropped.
Younger brother?
Ah—thank God.
Thank God my ass. Get a grip, Lee Seulgi.
But…
Seul’s younger brother?
How…
How big is the age gap?
As she counted on her fingers in her head, Lee Seulgi’s eyes widened.
Oh my god.
That’s not an older brother—that’s a dad. A dad.
It’s obvious.
No matter what he says, no one out there is going to believe he’s just the baby’s older brother.
Then I can keep going after him.
After settling things in her head, Lee Seulgi immediately switched back into third-year resident mode.
“Anyway… just make sure he drinks formula well, sleeps well, and you manage his fever properly. And you? What are you going to do about your internship?”
“Uh… I’m thinking about it.”
Seeing Yoonseul’s expression, Lee Seulgi nodded.
“Yeah. Think it through. If you have trouble, contact me.”
“Yes, senior.”
“Go back in.”
At her words, Yoonseul dipped his head slightly and returned to the ER.
Then a voice came from behind him.
“Oh, right—Yoonseul! You seemed so flustered because of the baby that you forgot, so I’m saying this… you’re a doctor too, you know?”
At that, Yoonseul smacked his forehead without thinking.
That was right.
The moment the baby suddenly went limp, he’d been so shocked that he completely forgot he was a doctor.
Haa—
I realized it while registering too, Senior…
•
After the baby’s treatment was finished, Yoonseul strapped on the baby carrier with the baby in his arms.
He put teddy bear earmuffs on the baby, and as he was about to leave the ER, second-year ER resident Lee Suho called out to him.
“Seula—.”
“Ah—senior.”
“I heard you’re thinking of quitting the hospital?”
Rumors spread fast.
Yoonseul scratched his temple.
“I’m still thinking about it.”
“…I’d like you to decide quickly. You know how it is. The ER team is really struggling.”
He understood what his senior was saying.
There weren’t many interns to begin with.
“…Yes. Understood.”
At his answer, his senior’s expression loosened a little.
“Alright. It’s cold. Get going.”
“I’ll contact you.”
“Yeah.”
He got into the taxi that had been waiting in front of the hospital.
“Sir—please take me to Daerodong.”
“Yes, got it. But you know you can’t go all the way up, right?”
“Yes.”
As the taxi started moving, Yoonseul looked down at the baby sleeping in his arms.
The baby frowned as if something annoyed him.
When Yoonseul patted his back again, the baby relaxed and fell back into a comfortable sleep.
Mom… what am I supposed to do with this baby?
The woman who was supposedly the baby’s mother, the moment her husband died, threw the baby at him.
Until he received the baby, Yoonseul had been numb.
His internship was already hard, and then his mother died after getting caught up in a crime.
At first everything was just unbelievable, and then it turned into anger.
There was no one he could complain to.
Even his mother—his solid support—was gone.
As he stared out the window, his eyes grew hot.
Hhk—
Something hot surged up his throat.
Covering his mouth, he kept staring outside.
Should I pretend I don’t know and send this baby off for adoption?
Wouldn’t someone better than me raise him?
If adoptive parents ended up hitting him and abusing him even as he grew up—if I heard that news later, would I be able to live without regretting it?
All kinds of thoughts stormed through his head.
Haa—hoo—
As he tried to steady his breathing—
“Looks like you’ve got a lot on your mind?”
The taxi driver glanced at the back seat through the rearview mirror.
“Huh? No. I’m fine.”
Maybe because of how firm his answer was, the taxi driver drove quietly and smoothly.
After driving for a while, the taxi stopped.
Screech—
When the car came to a gentle stop, Yoonseul got out.
He looked toward the very last house in Daerodong, the one even cars couldn’t reach.
A house located right under the mountain.
A one-story home, and on the second floor was the rooftop room Yoonseul used when he studied.
The wind coming down from the mountain was pretty chilly.
Step—step—
He slowly walked up toward the house.
The baby in his arms opened his eyes at the cool breeze and looked around.
Huh? Why is it so steep? Is this really a neighborhood where people live?
The young man climbing up without even panting once looked impressive.
Living in a place like this, you could definitely build cardio endurance.
Just because I made one circle… I didn’t think I’d suffer a fever…
Suho—no, Garam—looked up.
He watched the young man who was his older brother, walking silently.
A peaceful world… and the magic power I have.
Garam realized where he should use it.
As the mountain wind brushed his face, he felt a bit cooler.
The heat in his body eased, and he could finally breathe.
“We’re here.”
At the young man’s voice, Garam looked around.
What the— is this really a house people live in?
He hadn’t known…
It was way too shabby.
Back then—no, in his previous life—he, Yoon Suho, had lived in a penthouse by the Han River.
Huh?
The moment Suho—no, Garam—entered the house, he was shocked.
Mana floating in the air.
What is this place?
When he forced himself to make a circle, he hadn’t noticed that the mana could be this dense.
If that’s the case… change of plans.
Hoo—
Yoonseul took off the baby carrier and laid Garam on the bed.
“Garam, that was really hard on you, huh?”
A low voice.
It sounded good.
If only it weren’t for what came next…
“Now take your medicine and sleep—koo~ let’s go night-night.”
Suho—no, Garam—opened his eyes wide.
Medicine? I’m taking medicine? Was this baby—no, was I sick?
He didn’t even have time to think.
The softness against his back made sleep threaten to pour over him again.
No—I can’t sleep! Get it together, Yoon Suho!
“Kyaaah—!”
The sound that came out wasn’t words—it was a shriek.
Ugh… this damn body.
A handsome face filled his vision.
“Baby—let’s take your medicine.”
When he saw what the young man was holding, his eyes widened.
That’s syrup!
Seeing the red syrup in the medicine spoon, Suho flailed.
I hate medicine!
Ugh—.
The flailing was pointless.
The young man pinned him down quickly and forced his mouth open.
Gulp—
The syrup slid down his throat.
A weird sweetness lingered on his tongue.
Suho smacked his lips.
Ugh—I hate this artificial sweetness…
He took a sip of water the young man gave him.
Gulp—
The sweetness washed away.
“Our Garam takes his medicine so w—”
Slump—
The older brother holding the spoon tilted.
Thud—
With a loud sound, the young man collapsed.
“Waa—waaaah—!