Seoul S Hospital. PM 8:05

“Are you not going to say anything?”

In the heavy silence, Gwihoon opened his mouth. On a chair placed on the opposite side of the bed, his only son, and young and competent wolf, Siwoo, was sitting slumped.

“I have nothing to say.”

Siwoo, who had been fixated on his cell phone, finally spoke grumpily.

The atmosphere inside the sickroom was surprisingly dry, despite the fact that father and son had finally met after several months.

Gwihoon looked at his son and soon sighed heavily, turning his head to the window.

“So you plan to fiddle with your phone all night even in front of your dying father.”

“…….”

“Or, is there a call you’re waiting for?”

“…….”

“Maybe, from that concept hunter, Eunira.”

A reaction finally came from Siwoo, who had been maintaining an emotionless expression. His eerily cold blue eyes momentarily turned this way.

Gwihoon, having captured definitive evidence, satisfactorily lifted the corner of his mouth.

“I guess I’m right.”

“What’s your scheme?”

“I just received a report that you’ve been hanging out with a hunter lately. And─”

Gwihoon grinned and stroked his chin.

“Wasn’t it you who was hiding something?”

In the chillingly heavy silence, the ticking of the clock was unusually sharp.

Although they didn’t want to admit it, the two had similar eyes. Transparent blue eyes with a sharp gaze.

That’s why Siwoo hated to make eye contact with his father Gwihoon. He had no choice but to recognize the fact that he had those eyes, that he was his son.

“Even though you finished the tutorial a while ago, you still have no interest in hunter activities. Is it perhaps related to that woman?”

“It has nothing to do with my senior.”

Senior, he said. Gwihoon’s eyes narrowed. Siwoo pocketed his cell phone and casually added.

“I was just bothered.”

Bothered? Another brief silence passed. Needless to say, Gwihoon did not believe his son’s words.

“You know well that I don’t have much time left.”

Siwoo let out a sarcastic laugh at Gwihoon’s words. So what? Their eyes met as if asking so.

When did it become like this?

Maybe the two were cause and effect. Gwihoon was the cause that gave birth to the result called Siwoo. Hence, they were the most different, yet the most similar relationship.

“I don’t mind if you hate me, but don’t hate the wolf.”

“…….”

“The wolf needs you.”

Not that woman. Siwoo’s eyes changed the moment Gwihoon added that belatedly.

Surely his father had investigated his senior. Then he would also predict why Siwoo was raising the ‘Princess of Black Flame.’

But they were father and son. Siwoo knew his father as well as Gwihoon knew him.

It would be counterproductive to flare up here. Siwoo crossed his legs and leaned back loosely in his chair.

“Do you want to handle it?”

He asked bluntly. Gwihoon didn’t answer. Siwoo laughed as if he found it amusing.

But his eyes weren’t laughing.

“You really are the hunter called the strongest. Even lying in a hospital bed, you’re capable of cutting people’s throats without a thought.”

“…….”

“Are you going to do it again this time? After all, if you recover her, that’s all there is to it. Let’s see who wins. For 1 year.”

“Siwoo, you.”

“Oh, was it 7 months left? Time flies. Then it would be wise to plan for what comes next until then.”

“……What plan are you talking about?”

“I wonder. Do you need to know?”

Siwoo stood up from his seat as if he had nothing more to say. The similar blue eyes met in silence.

“Just take care of yourself. Father.”

I don’t want to be entangled with you anymore. As if saying that, Siwoo left without looking back.

(This is a time separator.)

Siwoo immediately checked the cell phone he had put in his pocket.

New messages 0.

Missed calls 0.

“Sigh.”

Taking off the hood he was wearing, Siwoo went down the emergency stairs without even thinking of fixing his disheveled hair. Then he made a call to someone.

“Hey, it’s me. How did it go?”
“That…… I checked, but it seems like it’s not the case.”

“……Yes.”

Xiwoo closed his mouth with a drained face.

While ordering his subordinates to search the whole of Seoul as if to catch something, there had been a sighting near Jongno M Mall of the princess of black flames. But upon verification, Eunha was not there.

Could it be Gyehoon’s doing? At first, he had suspected so. However, judging by Gyehoon’s reaction just now, it seemed that he had not yet laid a hand on Eunha.

‘Where on earth is she?’

Xiwoo bit his lower lip slightly, as if frustrated.

“There have also been sightings near the Itaewon shopping center, but this might also be false information…….”

A cautious voice came over the receiver.

“I’ll check it out.”

“Yes?”

“You keep looking in the Gyeonggi area.”

“But there is no need for you to go out personally……. Even if we find her now, hasn’t today’s recording already gone down the drain?”

“Don’t make me say it twice.”

Thunk.

Xiwoo, who had hung up, stood in front of the car.