Dirty Sweet Baby Chapter 16

CCMSSH KR A5 G

03-31080108A

BAEK HEE HEON

A (RH+)

On the thin silver metal plate, Baek Heeheon’s name and awakened registration code were written. This identification tag was needed to enter anywhere in the Center building, and moreover, an awakened person who did not wear an identification tag within the special residential district was subject to disciplinary action. Therefore, it was basic not to take off the identification tag even when washing or sleeping.

“Here, put it on your neck now.”

Heeheon held out his identification tag. Cha Moogyul silently reached out, took it, and examined it.

CCMSSH KR C1 E

35-31130602S

CHA MOO GYUL

AB (RH+)

Cha Moogyul slowly swept his thumb over the embossed letters before putting it around his neck. On the upper part of his chest, the flat plate attached to the military dog tag chain dangled back and forth like a swing.

“It’s getting in the way.”

“You’ll get used to it soon.”

“You think so.”

His gaze went to the chest where the identification tag hung. He was conscious of Cha Moogyul’s flat chest muscles, who was wearing a single black shirt. It had been almost a month since they started living together, but he still could not get used to his presence. Rather, as time went by, it became excessively dangerous.

‘Please. I wish I could get used to it too.’

Heeheon cast his gaze down to the floor and focused on the pattern of the marble. The combination of pale ivory and white was beautiful. He quietly swallowed a sigh. At that moment, Cha Moogyul called out to Heeheon.

“I think I’ve heard all the explanations by now, is there anything more left?”

“No, that’s all.”

“Alright, then it’s my turn for business.”

Cha Moogyul got up from the sofa and stood close to Heeheon. Heeheon, without realizing it, reflexively took a step back as if to protect himself. He forced his body, which was trying to run away, to stop and looked up at him.

“What business?”

“…You’re avoiding me, again.”

“Ah.”

In that moment, his gaze turned cold. It was as if a dark room with the lights turned off was being dyed black as the door closed. Heeheon shook his head.

“It’s just, I was surprised because you suddenly got up.”

“……”

“You’re not exactly small…. It’s understandable to be surprised. I didn’t do it on purpose. So, what is this business you mentioned.”

“……”

Even when he asked again, Cha Moogyul did not answer. He just looked down at Heeheon silently. For some reason, he had the illusion that his gaze was strangely persistent. It felt as if it would pierce through Baek Heeheon’s head and read his thoughts. Heeheon subtly rolled his eyes so that it would not be noticeable.

“I asked what it is.”

“……”

“…If you have nothing to say, I’m going up first.”

The atmosphere is very unsettling.

Heeheon turned his back on Cha Moogyul and slowly turned around. He did not say anything even as he left the living room and stepped onto the stairs leading to the second floor. At this point, he felt unbearably anxious. His mind was in a turmoil with thoughts like, is Cha Moogyul angry, or has he noticed the corner of Baek Heeheon’s heart.

As he climbed the stairs one step at a time, it felt as if the ground was shaking for no reason.

“Hey.”

At that moment, Cha Moogyul’s sharp voice struck down like a thunderbolt.

He had not even raised his voice that much, but to Heeheon’s ears, his call sounded like a roar.

“It’s getting hard to just watch and see how far you’re going to take this.”

“……”

“Just so you know.”

“……”

“We have an appointment to visit the Center tomorrow morning, so be prepared. We’re leaving before 10 o’clock.”

Heeheon gripped the stair railing tightly.

He opened his lips to say something to Cha Moogyul, but his attempt was futile as no sound came out of his throat. It felt as if his tongue had turned to stone. In any case, whatever words he uttered would just be an excuse.

‘What on earth could I say.’

Should he say he did it because he’s fallen for Cha Moogyul.

Should he say he’s trembling and nervous, that he’s conscious of his every move?

Should he say he’s trembling every minute and every second, afraid that he might touch him, that they might come into contact, that he might get caught…?

‘If it’s not that, then everything else is just an excuse, a rationalization, a lie.’

Should he pretend not to know, pretend to be innocent, and say that he has never avoided him, that it’s all just Cha Moogyul’s own misunderstanding, that he was really just surprised.

I am your hyung, and you are my younger brother. We are family….

Should he say something like that…?

‘Ha, how pathetic. Really….’

Heeheon bowed his head low. It was just a relief that he was now facing away from Cha Moogyul and at a distance.

“I’m sorry. I.”

Heeheon forced out a hoarse, scraping voice. He knew it was a mess, but this was the best he could do.

“The way I avoided you and was shy when I was young… I don’t think I did the right thing either.”

“……”

“Back then, I wasn’t happy about suddenly getting a brother I’d never seen before just because our parents remarried, and I didn’t think a great guy like you would care about someone like me even if I acted like that.”

“……”

“I regret it now. Anyway… just know that I’m also, in my own way, trying.”

Heeheon finished his words curtly and went straight into his bedroom on the second floor.

“10 o’clock tomorrow. I remembered.”

He closed the door as it was.

Inside the dark room, Baek Heeheon was alone.

Loneliness was always familiar, but now it was starting to cut deep.

Heeheon had no one to rely on, no one to confide his secrets to, and no one to resent or blame. There was only himself.

As the days went by, that fact became as clear and distinct as a truth, and it was thrust into his chest like a chilling blade.

*

Bang, bang! Bang!

Along with the sound of gunfire, the virtual target that appeared on the wall fell. Immediately after, another creature hologram appeared without a break.

Baek Heeheon, with mechanical and skilled hands, replaced the rifle’s magazine and aimed at the core in the target’s chest. Creatures, like the awakened, also had a core, and if the core was ruptured, they would invariably die.

Heeheon was just taking down the enemy as he had been trained to do.

Bang!

There had been many confusing things recently. He wanted to lock himself in the familiar Center shooting range for the first time in a while and just empty his mind by shooting. As he firmly supported the rifle with both arms and fired accurately, the hologram that was charging at him at high speed burst with a pop. The training level automatically went up, and a greater number of more powerful creature holograms poured out.

Marksmanship was the event in which Heeheon was most skilled. He was not inferior even when compared to the members of the combat units, let alone his own administrative unit.

“Second Lieutenant Baek!”

Did someone call?

Heeheon finished off the endlessly charging horde of β-creatures with a burst of rifle fire and then terminated the shooting training system. He took off his earplugs, which were for protecting his hearing, and shook his hair, which was slightly damp and clinging with sweat, as he turned around. He saw a familiar face.

“Wow, to see you here, Second Lieutenant Baek. I thought I’d never see you again.”

Beyond the bulletproof glass in the back, in the shooting preparation room, a man in a combat uniform holding a rifle was standing. It was Captain Sung Ahwon of the 2nd Special Task Force.

“Ah.”

Heeheon acknowledged him with a nod of his head. Although they often saw each other in the guiding room, there was no occasion to run into Captain Sung in any other place.

This was because while Baek Heeheon was in the administrative unit, Captain Sung was in the combat unit, and moreover, he was in the special task force, which was composed only of the most elite few among the combat units. Their paths would never cross.

Heeheon slung the rifle with the magazine removed over his shoulder and entered the shooting preparation room. Captain Sung smiled brightly and came up close.

“I was just so happy to see you. No, I’m really happy.”

The distance was too close, so Heeheon took a small step back.

“Is it to that extent. Anyone who saw would think I came back from the dead.”

“Haha, that would be a disaster… that’s not it, it’s because I have to leave on a long-term mission soon.”

He had light brown hair and friendly, curved eyes. Also, as all combat unit members are, he had a muscular build from repeated training and practical experience. With his warm impression and handsome, likable features, and as an A-rank enhancement-type Esper with a flashy esper performance, he was one of the awakened who was well-known and popular with the public. The screen of him crushing creatures to death was quite often broadcast on various media outlets.

“So you’re going on a business trip. To which region…?”

“It seems the situation in the east is not good. That’s where I’ve been assigned. It’s also undecided when I’ll be able to finish the mission and return, um.”

“Oh dear…. You’ve been assigned a difficult mission. I hope you will complete it safely and return.”

“Yes, I have to. For me and my team members, well, this is a good opportunity to instill some tension and boost morale, so it’s actually a good thing. It’s not like we’ve only caught one or two creatures. But, I, um….”

“Yes?”

Captain Sung smiled awkwardly and dragged his words. He clenched his fist, pressed it firmly against his mouth, then took it away, hesitating, before whispering in a much smaller voice.

“Actually, I put in a designated request to receive guiding from you before the trip, Second Lieutenant Baek… but it was rejected.”

It might just be a misunderstanding, but it seemed as if Captain Sung was shy.

“I heard you became the dedicated guide for your brother, your younger brother. The other members all knew from the news, but I was the only one who heard the news late.”

“Ah, yes.”

“Originally, I was going to see you in the guiding room and tell you, but now that I can’t request guiding anymore… haha, I thought I would just have to leave like this.”

So, did he mean that he wanted to at least say goodbye before leaving on a long-term mission.

He and Captain Sung were on terms where they had only seen each other a few times in the guiding room, and in fact, they were not close enough to have to say goodbye. But he did not want to say anything harsh to a person who was about to leave for the battlefield. It was also true that he was worried about Captain Sung, and he hoped he would return safely.

“…I hope you will complete your mission safely and return. It’s a coincidence, but I’m glad I got to see you before you leave today.”

Heeheon slightly lifted the corners of his mouth to form a smile. It was a little awkward because he rarely smiled during work.