From the moment he first met Yi-beom until now, the memories flickered through his mind.
The image of him smoking when he stepped out the back door of the bar.
Ahjussi, I miss you.
I shouldn’t have just let you go like that.
I should’ve tried trusting you just a little longer. You said you’d be okay with the baby now.
What if Ahjussi’s words had been true? Regret came too late. Eunho wrapped both legs tightly around his lower abdomen.
The van rolled several times before finally crashing into a roadside tree and coming to a stop. Only then did Eunho’s body—after slamming wildly against the ceiling, the windows, everywhere—fall to the floor.
Horrific pain swept through his entire body. It felt as if both his legs had twisted completely out of place. His head spun, and nausea churned in his stomach.
“Ugh…..”
Flattened against the floor, Eunho barely managed to lift his head. Thankfully, including Sobin, the others seemed to have lost consciousness.
“H-Grandma….”
In the spot where Grandma had been, a deer lay collapsed. Instinctively realizing it was her, Eunho stretched his foot toward her—
Bang. A blast of heat surged over him.
“Gasp!”
When he turned around, he saw the hood of the van engulfed in flames. The fire was spreading rapidly, as if it might explode at any moment.
N-no. Gathering every last bit of strength, Eunho let out a groan and dragged himself forward, crawling.
“G-Grandma.”
“…….”
“Grandma…!”
Tears streamed down his face. Her limp, bent neck and motionless body kept catching his eye, but Eunho didn’t stop.
“Grandma, h-hng, p-please wake up. Hng.”
“…….”
“W-we have to go!”
“…….”
The chili peppers, the cucumbers, the carrots. They were delicious only because Grandma gave them to him. Huuuu. Collapsing in front of the deer, Eunho burst into loud sobs.
“Hngh, th-the carrots… y-you have to give them to me…!”
The heat was drawing closer. He knew they had to get out, but he couldn’t move his feet. When Eunho patted the deer’s leg with a wet, slapping sound, at last the deer’s eyelids fluttered open.
“……Rabbit?”
“Snf, s-snff, w-we have to go, hng!”
Leaving the tear-soaked rabbit behind, the deer looked around. The flames had already spread past the hood and were reaching inside. After assessing the situation, Grandma quickly straightened her back.
“Child, hurry and go.”
“Hngh, u-uh, you too, Grandma!”
Leaving the sobbing rabbit, Grandma tried to brace herself on her legs. But they buckled helplessly, and the rabbit’s cries grew louder.
After several attempts, Grandma sank back down to the floor. Then, as the rabbit rolled about crying, she nudged him away with the tip of her hoof.
“Go. You little thing.”
“S-snff, I-I can’t. Not without you, Grandma….”
Clinging tightly to her leg, the rabbit wept. Huuu. Seeing how frantic he was, she knew he wouldn’t give up easily. Oh dear. With desperate eyes, Grandma looked between the rabbit and the blazing hood before mustering her strength again.
She poured all her strength into her legs. Straightening her back, lifting her head, forcing power through her body—she managed to stand.
Good.
Just as she grabbed the wide-eyed rabbit in her mouth to run outside—
Someone suddenly grabbed her leg.
The leg she had barely managed to stand on crumpled again.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
It was Sobin, who had been sitting across from them.
Even with blood streaming from his head, Sobin didn’t let go of Grandma’s leg. After coming this far, how could he? A murderous glint flashed in his eyes.
“All herbivore Beastmen. Not bad. And on top of that….”
Sobin shifted his gaze behind Grandma. Clinging to her opposite leg was a rabbit, sobbing uncontrollably.
“A pregnant one and an old woman. That’ll make for a fresh opening headline.”
When he tightened his grip, the leg he was holding dragged limply along. She had survived by luck, but at her age the shock must’ve been severe. As Grandma’s body was pulled across the floor, Eunho screamed.
Bit by bit, Grandma’s body was dragged inward. As the flames drew close enough to sting their skin, Grandma looked down at Eunho with desperate eyes.
“Go….”
“N-no, hngh, n-no!”
He clung tightly to her with both legs. If he let go even a little, it felt like he’d never see her again.
“Cough, hng, snf.”
Black smoke had already filled the inside of the van. His breathing grew labored, his throat constricted, but still Eunho couldn’t leave. When Grandma tried to shake her leg free, Eunho shook his head.
“N-no, I can’t. I can’t go.”
Watching them, Sobin let out a snort of laughter. Melodrama didn’t get more pathetic than this.
“You’re not even related by blood.”
With a sharp tug, Sobin dragged them farther inside. Only after seeing how far they now were from the outside did he finally relax his grip.
When he turned his head, the two drivers appeared to have died early on; neither of them moved. Both had said they had young daughters. Clicking his tongue, Sobin slowly closed and opened his eyes.
“They’ll compensate well as victims, I’m sure… Since we’ll smooth it over by saying a cheetah Beastman caused the accident.”
“…….”
“It won’t be so bad for you two either….”
Eunho’s consciousness was fading as well. Strength kept draining from his body, his head growing hazy. Even as he watched the flames rise, he couldn’t move.
Now, even if he wanted to get out, he couldn’t. Slowly, his feet slipped from Grandma’s leg.
“Ahjussi….”
He could feel his fur beginning to singe. Soon, his entire body would be engulfed in flames. He couldn’t stop coughing, and his whole body felt as if it were breaking apart—but the pain in his heart hurt even more.
“I’m sorry… baby….”
He had promised he would protect his baby. But in the end, it seemed the baby would never see the light of this world.
Blink, blink—his vision flickered and returned like a broken lightbulb. His body slackened, sticking to the floor.
At that moment, Yi-beom’s voice brushed past his ears. It was the voice that had shouted while searching for him on the island. Back then, he shouldn’t have gone all the way to the sea—he should’ve just stayed with Ahjussi a little longer. As Eunho chewed over his regret—
“Jung Eunho!”
It was too vivid to be just a memory.
“…Hng.”
He wanted to answer that he was here, but his voice wouldn’t come out. What barely escaped was a faint groan. Desperate, Eunho tried to crawl outside, but his body wouldn’t budge.
Then he saw Yi-beom running from far away. With an urgency he had never seen before, Yi-beom was sprinting toward him.
Their eyes met.
He could feel his reflection clearly captured in Yi-beom’s gaze. Just like the first time they met. Ahjussi. Eunho called to him soundlessly.
At least I get to see you one last time.
Just as that thought crossed his mind, a deafening KWAANG! exploded from the hood of the van. Ahjussi, it’s dangerous if you come. Looking toward the driver’s seat, Eunho shook his head at Yi-beom.
Don’t come!
Yi-beom must have understood his lips, but he didn’t slow down. He had already reached the front of the van, bending toward the twisted door.
Sobin pulling Eunho was faster than Yi-beom climbing in. Gathering every ounce of strength, Sobin yanked Eunho into his arms and grinned.
“The suspect has arrived.”
“You bastard—right to the end…!”
Though thick smoke obscured his vision, Yi-beom never took his eyes off Eunho. Cough, cough! Each time Eunho coughed, his small body twitched weakly.
“A tiger Beastman, a deer, a rabbit….”
Like in a movie, Yi-beom had no intention whatsoever of waiting for Sobin to finish speaking. In one smooth motion, he pulled a gun from inside his suit jacket and pulled the trigger.
Bang!
At the same instant the shot rang out, Sobin hurled Eunho toward the driver’s seat. In that moment, Yi-beom threw aside the gun and lunged after him.
Whether his own flesh burned or not, he didn’t care. Wrapping Eunho tightly in his arms, Yi-beom rolled across the floor. Blazing flames climbed over his body. The smell of burning skin filled the air, but Yi-beom cared only about whether Eunho in his arms was safe.
The sound from the hood was ominous. Sensing it would explode any second, Yi-beom hurriedly pushed himself up.
“Hyung-nim! Hurry!”
Younguk, who had followed, shouted while carrying the deer on his back. Yi-beom’s long legs strode toward the outside of the van.
They had barely taken a few steps out of the vehicle—
KWAANG!
With a thunderous roar, the van Eunho had been riding in exploded. A blast of wind swept through, sending debris flying. Turning his back against it, Yi-beom held Eunho tightly.
The lingering heat crushed against his skin, but Yi-beom couldn’t feel any sensation from his own body. The only thing he could feel was the heartbeat of Eunho in his arms.
After walking far enough to reach safety, Yi-beom finally pulled Eunho away from his chest.
The limp rabbit came into view. His body was charred in places, and perhaps injured from the crash, one leg was bent at an unnatural angle.
“Ah…”
A groan escaped Yi-beom before he knew it.
“Baby.”
Despair flooded him. If he’d known it would be like this, he would’ve kept him by his side from the beginning. Baby or not, he should’ve just stayed with him—let him do whatever he wanted. Deep regret surged like a wave.
“Baby, stop sleeping. Wake up.”
“…….”
“I was wrong. Hm?”
“…….”
With a heavily charred hand, Yi-beom gently stroked Eunho’s cheek.
“Let’s go. We’ll go get married and have our baby.”
“…….”
“I’ll do everything you say. If you tell me to stay, I’ll stay. If you tell me to leave, I’ll leave. So just open your eyes… please?”
His hand trembled. Even though it couldn’t be true, it felt as if Eunho’s body was growing colder and colder.
Please.
Kneading Eunho’s foot, Yi-beom muttered,
“Just your eyes… just open your eyes, please….”
Yi-beom buried his face against the tiny foot. After losing his mother, his eyes had long since run dry—but now they grew wet.
With the face of a man who had lost the entire world, Yi-beom lowered his head.
😭😭💔