Healer

As he was out of breath, Yaba saw a lit up villa. It was a building more like a palace than a villa. A small mountain was behind, and a lake in front was glaring at each other with twinkling dark eyes. A fence as tall as an adult surrounded the field, occupying the green area and creating a strong barrier. On the way to the front door through the main gate, a bony gardener sang a grotesque song, and a ghostly street lamp watched the movements of unfamiliar visitors. Yaba shuddered at the eerie feeling that was different from the chill of winter.

When they got to the front door, three dobermans rushed in like crazy dogs. Yaba was startled. He hated dogs the most. They were smelly, dirty, and intermediate hosts that transferred the worms to Yaba.

“Stop.”

At Cha Yiseok’s command, the fierce Dobermans lowered their tails. A bodyguard in a suit opened the front door, and Cha Yiseok entered. Yaba moved away from the dog.

He walked down a circular staircase across the European-styled interior. The sound of silent footsteps resounded. As he stood in front of the last door after passing the long hallway, there was a loud bang inside. At the same time, a male voice rang out.

“Hospice nursing home?! What am I going to do there with those living corpses? Shall we sit with one another and play Go-Stop1?”

“It’s not the place you think it is. Once you go, it will help you mentally…”

“Are you a doctor telling the patient to prepare to die? Get out! You quack!”

Clang! Smash! Something broke again. Cha Yiseok raised his eyebrows with intrigue. Immediately, the door opened and a middle-aged man came out with broken glasses. Blood dripped from the corners of the middle-aged man’s eyes. Cha Yiseok glanced at the closed door and said.

“I told you he would be like that.”

“I know. I should have listened to you. I’ll be downstairs, so if there’s anything urgent, call me.”

The middle-aged man sighed and disappeared to the end of the hallway. The moment Cha Yiseok grabbed the doorknob, Yaba quickly grabbed his arm. If he went in now, he was likely to look like that doctor.

“Let’s go when the atmosphere calms down.”

“Now is the perfect time.”

“Wait a minute.”

Yaba hurriedly stopped Cha Yiseok’s hand turning the doorknob again. He had shown up, but he never thought that the atmosphere was going to be like this. It felt like going through a storm without an umbrella. Suddenly, a hand touched the back of his head.

“Relax. You just have to do what you always do.”

Cha Yiseok’s actions didn’t help. Because heat soared at the place he touched and Yaba’s heart started beating faster. He bowed down and whispered in Yaba’s ear.

“Got it? Make him shudder just hearing the word ‘healer’.”

Yaba’s shoulders shrank at the low voice that reached his ear. Cha Yiseok grabbed his wrist with his other hand and twisted the doorknob. The door opened wide.

Yaba’s eyes went blank. At the same time, the dreadful smell of death made him dizzy. As his eyes gradually became clearer, he saw pieces of shattered glass and overturned chairs on the floor. The interior of the room was like a hospital, raising the question of why a terminal cancer patient was here. It was decorated like a luxurious room on a TV show, but there was no sense of vitality. Yaba looked around the room and looked at the man sitting on the bed.

The man was like a well-preserved mummy. He was so haggard that it was hard to believe that he was the one who had been in a riot a while ago, and his bare arm pierced by his needle was pathetic. And he had eyes that were chased by death. He still seemed to be breathing heavily, not because it was difficult, but because of evil. Although they have never had a face-to-face meeting, Yaba knew the man was Cha Myunghwan.

“Calm down and lie down.”

Beside him, an older man calmed Cha Myunghwan. The old man had the face of a jungle lion who had given up his throne. It also made Yaba guess that Cha Yiseok might have a face like that in 30 years. He was probably the one who provided the sperm to make Cha Yiseok. Cha Myunghwan belatedly realized there was a visitor, and Chairman Cha turned his attention to the two standing at the door.

“Why are you so late?”

“The road was long.”

The father and son exchanged perfunctory greetings. Cha Yiseok walked to Cha Myunghwan immediately. He grabbed Cha Myunghwan’s skinny hand and gazed sadly at the wrinkled face.

“How are you? Hyung.”

“So-so. A quack doctor bastard is turning infuriating me! How can he tell the patient to stay in a hospice?! Call the President of the association immediately. I’m going to bury that bastard no matter what!”

“You know it’s not good to get agitated like this, right? It’s late at night, so let’s get some sleep. If you wake up tomorrow morning and you still don’t feel better, then you can either bury him underground or bury him underwater.”

Cha Yiseok assured him without being swept away by Cha Myunghwan’s agitation. Cha Myunghwan’s breathing gradually relaxed. Then he furrowed his eyebrows.

“Alright.”

It was surprising. Naturally, Yaba expected that Cha Yiseok and Cha Myunghwan would growl just by looking at each other’s faces. However, Cha Myunghwan was rather trusting in Cha Yiseok, and Cha Yiseok looked worried enough as though he was not also the one who encouraged the death of his brother. They looked like ordinary brothers.

Cha Yiseok put up a chair that was upside down and sat on it. He put his elbows on his crossed legs and wiped his hands on his pants. The hand that held Cha Myunghwan’s hand a while ago, as if he had touched something dirty. At that moment, Cha Yiseok and Yaba’s eyes met. He smiled nonchalantly and said.

“I came in a hurry, so I’m empty-handed. Instead, I brought a nice present.”