It was only natural that I began attracting attention from the researchers in Building A, now that I was going back and forth between Buildings A and B. They frequently whispered among themselves, curious about why I kept heading toward the observation room where the new subject had supposedly been transferred, and speculating about what kind of creature was being held there.
No matter how much their physical capabilities differed from normal humans or how they behaved like mindless beasts, in the end, humans were still human.
The survivor had been brought to the lab only because there was no other place secure enough to contain them. But from the very first day of the transfer, access to the observation room housing the survivor had been restricted. That was because locking up a person inside a research facility was bound to stir up controversy. The personnel involved in the transfer seemed concerned with confidentiality as well—most of the researchers weren’t even aware that a survivor existed.
However, Lee Seo-rim and Seol Young-jun, who had to oversee the survivor in my absence, inevitably learned the truth about the new subject.
“We really wanted to see, too.”
“Such a shame.”
Lee Seo-rim seemed genuinely disappointed about not being allowed into the observation room on the first day, whereas Seol Young-jun feigned disappointment for the sake of appearances—but only for a moment.
Once they heard who the survivor was…
“Maybe it’s actually a good thing we didn’t see.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
As if imagining a human, as strong as a monster, going berserk—completely unresponsive to reasoning and utterly uncontrollable—they both reflexively shivered and rubbed their arms, as if chilled. Seeing their sudden change in attitude made Sun Woosung, who was with us, look visibly displeased.
…My team members were just a little more honest, that’s all.
“How’s it going so far?”
On my way to see Sun Woosung off after lunch, his low voice echoed through the hallway of Building B, where only the two of us were present.
Glancing at him briefly, I realized he was asking about the survivor.
“He hasn’t let his guard down easily, but that’s to be expected. No one warms up to strangers right away.”
After all, the survivor had been ambushed by armed personnel, forcibly taken, and confined in a sealed room. His wariness toward me was more than reasonable. Considering it had only been a few days since we met, it made sense that his hostility hadn’t yet cooled—if anything, it might even be boiling over.
Even if we were both human, to someone like him, who had likely only seen monsters all this time, I must have seemed even more alien.
“Fortunately, his injuries are healing on their own. Aside from concerns about him aggravating the wounds repeatedly, there’s nothing serious.”
The first time I saw him scratching at his injuries until they bled, I wondered if he was self-harming. I even suspected he had understood my warning—that hurting himself would only make things worse—and was acting out in defiance of it.
But after observing him carefully, I realized he was simply unable to resist the itchiness that came with the healing. The survivor, whose physical strength and healing abilities were far from ordinary, was recovering quickly. As his wounds closed, the tingling sensation must’ve gotten unbearable, prompting him to scratch without hesitation.
“……”
Suddenly, Sun Woosung stopped in his tracks and looked down at me.
“Seo Suho. Don’t even think about making physical contact with the survivor.”
“…What?”
I stopped naturally with him and furrowed my brows slightly.
Where was this coming from all of a sudden?
“If anything goes wrong, I’ll restrain him myself and call for medical assistance. But the moment you step inside that barrier to protect his wounds from getting worse… no one knows what might happen.”
“…!”
I was momentarily speechless—shaken.
It felt as if he had read my mind.
In truth, I had been considering wrapping the survivor’s wounds in bandages to protect them from crude stimuli. Infection isn’t something to be taken lightly.
Through just a few conversations, I’d come to realize that Sun Woosung had an uncanny sense of perception. He couldn’t possibly be a mind reader… could he?
“I understand.”
I forced a calm reply, but he continued staring at me with narrowed eyes, as if unconvinced.
“Do you really?”
“Why would I enter the same space as someone who left the colonel with that kind of injury? That’d be suicide.”
I gestured subtly at his eye patch.
…Maybe that sounded a bit off.
I never considered myself good at lying. Even Min Yugeon used to tell me I was decent at hiding things but had no talent for lying, and that I should just stay quiet when things got risky.
I closed my mouth belatedly, wondering if I’d said too much trying to avoid suspicion. Sneaking a glance at Sun Woosung, I flinched slightly at the stern expression on his face—far more serious than I expected.
“Colonel?”
“My eye was only lightly scratched while I let my guard down.”
His voice was heavier than usual, each word delivered with force.
“I didn’t struggle at all during the fight with the survivor. And… while the transfer process wasn’t without difficulty, we ultimately got him to the ship safely. Doesn’t that already prove which side held the upper hand? As I said earlier, I’m more than capable of subduing the survivor on my own.”
Had he ever spoken this much before? His tone even carried a hint of solemnity, almost like a vow.
“……”
“……”
A few seconds later, I realized I had unintentionally bruised Sun Woosung’s pride.
The problem was that I had responded too quickly, without thinking. With guilt and awkwardness tugging at my lips, I finally managed to offer an apology.
“…I’m sorry. That was careless of me…”
“It’s not a big deal. I just thought you might be misunderstanding something, that’s all.”
“Ah… I see.”
Right. The question of who’s stronger must be of great importance to soldiers.
I simply nodded in silence, feeling relieved that he hadn’t seen through my actual plan.
***
The barrier room was completely empty—perhaps because the fact that the subject being transferred was human had reached the staff too late. Unlike the room housing Cat, this vast white space didn’t contain even a single artificial plant. It didn’t seem like a place that would help with the survivor’s emotional well-being.
I wanted to install facilities to ensure the survivor’s rights and comfort. But with the survivor standing there, emanating murderous intent and letting out beastly howls whenever anyone entered the observation room, adding anything to the space was near impossible.
In the end, the only option was to use the pre-existing transport system to deliver food and clothing. The moment the survivor got hold of any clothes, he would rip them to shreds with his claws. But with food, he would sniff it cautiously before cramming it straight into his mouth—perhaps real, decent meals he had never tasted on the surface had overpowered his suspicion. He had a particular weakness for sweet things.
“Kyaaah!”
While aggressively shredding clothes to relieve stress, the survivor suddenly froze when he noticed me. I watched him quietly, standing before the pile of garments he was once again turning into rags during mealtime.
“That’s clothing, you know.”
“…Arrrrr.”
“This. Clothes.”
I slowly approached the barrier and tugged at my own lab coat to show him. The survivor narrowed his eyes, his shoulders drawing in.
He looked just like a predator, holding its breath as it stalked its prey.
After a few days of me showing up without flinching in the face of his hostility, the survivor had changed his behavior. He no longer rushed at the barrier in a frenzy but instead began observing me cautiously, almost defensively.
Seeing him still on guard, dressed—if one could call it that—in barely enough to cover a single vulnerable spot, I let out a resigned sigh.
“Fine. If you don’t want to wear it, don’t.”
If he’d spent his whole life like that, then no amount of explanation about the concept of clothing would get through. I’d repeatedly demonstrated how to put on a shirt, yet he refused to wear anything. It looked like I’d need to wait until we built a little more trust—maybe I’d have to dress him myself or try another teaching method later on.
There was no need to rush. I’d only tried to coax him into wearing clothes because keeping someone confined while that exposed didn’t sit right with me. Besides, the room inside the barrier maintained a controlled temperature, so the risk of illness was low.
……
His muscular frame, more than enough to explain how he had survived among monsters, was strangely harmonious with his youthful-looking face. If he so much as leaned on someone like me, I probably wouldn’t even be able to breathe.
I wasn’t entirely free of worry about my own safety should he attack again, but I couldn’t just leave him like this. Frowning, I examined the bloodstains spread across his upper body.
“How bad did you scratch it…”
The wounds had been improving since the first day, but now they were a mess again. It looked like the itching had gotten worse, and he’d scratched recklessly. The torn wound edges were shredded and raw, and the blood trailing down his abs was no small amount. Now that I looked closely, his lips were pale, and the hand clenching the pile of clothing seemed to be trembling slightly.
…Does he even realize what kind of shape he’s in?
Leaving the glaring survivor behind, I turned around. I already knew the access route into the barrier zone. For now, I had full authority over this observation room. Since the survivor wasn’t classified as a monster, I didn’t need to follow the usual protocols to enter the area.
Originally, I’d planned just to disinfect the wounds and cover them up, but seeing the condition they were in, I figured suturing might be necessary and packed a few extra supplies. Standing before the entrance, where the doors overlapped in an X-shape, I paused to steady my breath while the security system scanned my credentials. The doors opened silently, and I stepped through.
I had just reached the well-lit room when—
“Grrr!”
“…Ugh!”
A large shadow lunged at me the moment I entered—clearly the survivor, who had sensed my presence. Despite his massive build, he pounced with alarming agility, just like a monster.
I had expected this, but the impact of his weight and the jarring shock rattled through my bones. The sudden inversion of my vision was far from pleasant.
Bracing for this kind of situation, I’d tilted my head to avoid hitting it, and clutched the medical kit tightly to protect it from being crushed as I fell. But as the survivor climbed on top of me and gripped one of my arms like he meant to rip it off, I shouted out in panic.
“Stop!”
Of course, he wouldn’t obey just because I yelled. So I quickly raised my free arm high. The kit tumbled out of my arms and onto the floor.
“Grrrr…?”
His black eyes, burning with aggression and excitement, suddenly shifted toward what I was holding.
It was a piece of candy—sweet and fragrant.
