There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL)-Chapter 693: Side Story 3. Stellar Blossom - 28

After finishing the delicious chocolate milk, Han Joon looked for a waste basket and found one in the corner. Glancing at the glass window, he immediately moved when the adults were still talking among themselves, throwing out the box, and swiftly returned to his seat.

He was tempted to look at the scenery outside the window, to maybe find out where he was. It would be best if he was in the hospital where his mother gave birth; he knew the route to his house, which bus to take, and...

Maybe...just maybe, he could see that red boy again.

But what if those adults checked on him and found out he was looking out? They would tell his father about it too, wouldn’t they? Oh, perhaps having the window uncovered was a test too...

"Joon."

Once again, Han Joon flinched. How weird--he kept letting his mind wander and people approached him easily. If his father knew, he might be punished.

But...that voice was so soft and gentle, just like his mother’s voice. And the way the woman looked at him was warm, just like his mother.

Oh, maybe that was why.

Looking at the beautiful woman who was definitely older than his mother, and yet had a smoother face without any sign of extreme exhaustion, Han Joon asked carefully. "Who are you...Ma’am?"

Her smile was sweet and reminded him of his mother’s smile when she talked about having a birthday party before giving birth to Shin. "I am the owner of the hospital."

"Oh, I should--"

"No, no--it’s okay," the woman held his shoulder, just like the doctor. She took a seat on a chair that the staff prepared for her--right in front of him--and held his hands. "My name is Laurel. There’s something I want to tell you, Joon."

Han Joon stared at the smooth hands grabbing his. Because of that, his reply came out a bit late and he stuttered from panic. "Y-yes?"

"I heard you think we are sent by your father. Do you think I am one of those people too?"

Han Joon raised his head and blinked, observing the woman. She was well dressed and looked like one of those wives his mother longed to be. And she said she owned the hospital. No matter how powerful his father was, Han Joon understood he still bowed to some people. There was no way he could make a hospital owner his subordinate...right?

"Well...maybe not, Ma’am, but...my father has a lot of friends," Han Joon remembered the ’party’ his father brought him to when he was six. The etiquette lesson he had to receive that month was particularly hellish. He felt sore just remembering that. And the memory of it brought up his caution again. "You might report what I say here to him later."

Yeah. He shouldn’t be deceived by this warmth and gentleness. His father told him that he should only listen to his father. He could only trust people that his father deemed as trustworthy--like those lab people.

Maybe...being gentle to him was meant to be a test too?

Prove that you’re good enough. If you can do that, I won’t bother your brother.

Yeah. This must be a test.

In front of him, the woman observed the serious, earnest, and sincere gaze of those black eyes. Empty, and yet fierce. A spark of curiosity flickered inside Laurel’s hazel eyes.

"But why are you so scared? It’s not like you’re saying anything wrong."

"How would you know it’s not wrong?" the beautiful brow furrowed. "Please just tell him that I’ll accept anything as long as he holds his promise to leave my baby brother alone."

Laurel leaned forward slightly--not only to close their distance, but also to cover Joon’s line of sight. Certainly, on the other side of the room, a baby brother was trying so hard to hold back from crying and just rushing in. He wanted to run away, because it was so unbearable. But he wanted to see everything--what his brother never let him see.

Softly, Laurel said while looking straight at the hardened black eyes. "No, I can’t do that, Joon."

"But..." those fierce eyes faltered into desperation, and the stern voice turned weaker. "But he promised..."

The fear and distress were so palpable, not just in his voice, but also in his gaze and the tensed body. He tried to pull his hands away from Laurel, as if he wanted to quickly run home and secure his baby brother.

"No, that’s not it," Laurel held the tensed hands tightly, trying to speak as gently as possible while maintaining strict eye contact. "I can’t tell him anything because he’s not in this world anymore."

The agitated black eyes blinked. "What?"

"He...passed away, Joon."

Again, Han Joon blinked and replied dazedly. "My father?"

"Yes."

His father? The military Major? How? There was no way. His father was so...big, and scary, and powerful, and seemed to be able to do anything. How could...how could someone so strong die? His father always said his mother and sister died because they were weak, and that he would die too if he didn’t get stronger.

So...how could someone strong like his father die? He was...strong, wasn’t he?

So, the black eyes narrowed again. "This is a test too, isn’t it?"

"No, Joon," Laurel held back a sigh, but she couldn’t help the pitiful gaze. Truly, his son-in-law was so pitiful. How could she not know this? Perhaps they shouldn’t turn away from the military too much. She wondered how many children ended up like Han Joon. "Can you read?"

"...Yes."

He couldn’t understand long, difficult words--but he could read some articles and textbooks his father told him to read. He worked hard to learn while dragging a big dictionary. He had to, or his father would beat him when he failed to read a passage correctly.

Getting hit on the head was particularly painful, after all. More than his back and his calves.

"Then, can you read these?"

Laurel finally let go of Han Joon’s hands and tapped on her commlink. Several screens appeared in front of his eyes, filled with articles and news broadcast recordings. Most of them were zoomed at the title only, perhaps so he could see it better. The large fonts were enough for Joon to understand the content without too much perusal.

And Laurel also provided a brief explanation. "He died in a dungeon accident."

"Dungeon accident..."

"Yes," the warm hands returned to hold Joon’s trembling ones. "So, you don’t have to worry about him again."

Dungeon accident...

Then, it was possible, wasn’t it? Dungeons were scary. His father always said he would throw Joon into a dungeon if he couldn’t awaken quickly. Or if he couldn’t follow a lesson properly. Or if his father thought he was being annoying.

It seemed like dungeons were truly as scary as his father told him. How else could a strong person like his father die?

Han Joon stared at the articles and the news broadcast with a pair of dazed eyes. He needed time to read all of them, but also to digest it fully.

So it was true. His father was dead. So that would mean these people were truly not sent by his father to test him. Or to discard him.

Oh.

Laurel, seeing the black expression on the recuperating face, suddenly realized she might be speaking too soon. She said it as if it was a blessing--and she knew it was for the adult Joon. But what about the child Joon? A child whose mother and older sister had just died, and had a baby brother he needed to protect? The only people providing him with the means to live was, bitterly enough, his father.

"Ah, I mean--"

"Oh..." Han Joon blinked; the black eyes flickered and the sharp mind turned quickly. Adapting was something Han Joon did quite well in his childhood. Or rather, accepting things. "Oh! Then...what will happen to us, Ma’am? I mean, my baby brother and I? Are you going to send us to an orphanage?"

Laurel blinked, rather surprised by this reaction. "No, we won’t send you to an orphanage--"

"Oh, no..." the crestfallen look was back. For some reason, he looked more horrified hearing that he wouldn’t be sent to an orphanage. "Does that mean you’ll send us to our relatives? Can...can you not do that, Ma’am? They don’t like us much. It’s okay with me, but...Shin is still so small..."

The kid, who had been so brave and stern, was clutching Laurel’s sleeve with a pleading look. Perhaps, knowing that his father wouldn’t be there to scold him again, he finally shed his brave front, and was willing to show weakness.

"Hyung..."

"No, Joon," Laurel smiled with slightly trembling lips. Oh, how lonely this son of hers was. He truly had no one, not one person to help him. She gently stroked that brave, pitiful child’s pale cheek. "What I mean is, you’ll come with me."

"...huh?"

"I’ll be your mother, how about it?"

Well, she already did. She said it the moment Radia and Joon came back from their honeymoon to finally have a formal family dinner. Both times, she was sincere about it. But unlike the smile and refreshing chuckle she heard at that time, this Joon looked at her with a complicated gaze.

"Ah, is it too soon? I know you just lost your mother not long ago," she smiled in understanding, patting his hand to tell the kid that it was okay not to accept that right away.

Han Joon pressed his lips and lowered his head. "I’m...I’m sorry."

"It’s okay, it’s okay," Laurel smiled and moved to sit beside the kid; his other son. She patted his back in reassurance, in case Han Joon thought that reply would make her change her mind. "You are fine now, Joon. You don’t have to hold back anything anymore."

Han Joon bit his lips. From the moment he woke up, it was the most intense emotion he displayed on his face. Laurel was warm, and sweet, and gentle. He had thought she was like his mother, although they were completely different. The smooth hands were very different from her mother’s, rough from house chores. But they were warm all the same. A pair of mother’s hands.

With a slightly shaking voice, he asked quietly. "Would...would it be alright if I call you that just this one time?"

"Of course, sweety." freewebnøvel.coɱ

Laurel sighed and pulled his son into his embrace, cradling Joon’s head gently. She wished she had done this thirty-three years ago. She wished she could provide the warmth and love the brave little soldier deserved.

On her shoulder, she could hear a quiet, pitiful, sorrowful voice along with a choking sound. "Mo...mother..."

Yes. Yes, I am your mother now, Joon. The precious boy who saved her most precious boy. Stroking the trembling back, she wished she could also hold the son who was crying quietly in the corner.