Chapter 2: Chapter 1 : Ways of Heroes

At that time, it was the first and last time I saw Rui because I couldn't find him after that and I handed my care over to Jaehwan. However, we could still communicate through email, yeah, just email. Rui doesn't have social media, although I know from Jaehwan that he has a side job as a web novel writer, and Jaehwan himself is his editor.

 

They don't seem to find me strange, even though my body remains small even though I am getting older. Maybe the size of an elementary school student, clearly I look like a normal boy if my age is not mentioned and that makes me scared if they will get rid of me because of my oddness.

 

Am I not like a monster that doesn't age?

 

I have already shared these doubts with them, but their answer was beyond my expectations.

-“My cute Yoo Han, you don't have to grow big or I will have a hard time hiding you.” Rui said something strange and it's better if I don't think about it further.

-“You can always call me 'Hyung', so stay as a little child.” Jaehwan expressed very seriously when he answered my question.

 

In short, both of them are not normal so I don't have to worry that they will act like normal people out there who might see me as a monster.

 

I am curious about their actual identities, but I am not allowed to pry into their secrets recklessly. What I know is only a few things such as they have a main job as underworld agents, while their side job and disguise as writers and an editor.

 

At the apartment where I live with Jaehwan, several dangerous people came and they all seem to be his clients, also they mention about the underworld, that's how I found out.

 

One day, Jaehwan asked if I wanted to go to school or learn with a private teacher?

 

But, there are many things they don't know about me, one of which is -

 

"Hyung, I am very good at remembering many things."

Photographic memory which became part of an experiment that was done to me.

 

Jaehwan looked at me with a complicated expression, he seemed to have trouble facing me. This makes me nervous.

 

"Han-ah, it's okay if you don't want to go to school or learn, you can do whatever you want. Then, if you want to go to school later, you have to tell me, okay?"

 

I nodded, that was the end of our discussion that day with Jaehwan buying many books and willing to teach me privately. He was my first teacher.

 

You are reading story Eternal Protagonist at novel35.com

Rui published a fantasy web novel entitled "Ways of Heroes" that is very interesting, especially because he uses his own name as the protagonist of the novel. Seeing Jaehwan's expression, who looked like he swallowed a bug, when he found out about it made me laugh. Their relationship is indeed unusual, they're like two cats fighting for something and working together for the same goal.

The story of "Ways of Heroes" has a fantasy world-building that is non-mainstream compared to most other web novels. Besides, for some reason the character 'Rui' in the novel and Rui who I know as the author overlap. It must just be my imagination. However, the strange déjà vu feeling haunts me more and more as I read his story, especially in the part where the character 'Rui' faces his greatest enemy, Cail de Castalia.

The serialization of the novel lasted for three years until finally the last chapter was uploaded and caused me deep sadness.

[What's at the end is only emptiness. What he has been searching for all this time never existed and maybe he will never find it. With a surrender to the fate of the world, he decides to end his existence. End.]

"This... "

My eyes felt sore and tears flowed uncontrollably, it wet the tablet screen in my hand. This is strange. Why do I feel so sad that my heart is choking?

"Han-ah?!” Jaehwan, who came to my room and saw me crying, called out to me in panic.

"Hyung, the story has already ended. Why is it like that?" I wiped away my tears then showed him the last sentence of the novel printed on the tablet screen.

Jaehwan read it, then he sighed as if he understood me. He approached and gave me a comforting hug.

"I'll scold him for writing an ending like that later, Han-ah," he comforted me while patting my back.

Comforting words that were effective, they alleviated my spreading sadness. However, there is one thing that gnaws at me.

"Hyung, what exactly was Rui searching for, I mean the character Rui in the novel?" I asked, hoping that Jaehwan knew about it because he is the editor, he must understand the writer's intention.

For a moment the air around became cold, I called him again, "Hyung?"

Jaehwan was silent for a long time before answering with a strange hoarse voice as if holding back his emotions, "Someone who is valuable to him, it was deliberately not mentioned there, so only you know about it from among the many readers outside who consider the story as an interesting entertainment."

The last few words sounded strange, I don't know why, but it seems those words have another meaning, other readers are more like theater-goers.

"Ways of Heroes" is not just entertainment for me, it's a story that has been with me for the last three years, also as a gift for me from the fake savior, Rui. I don't plan to tell them until the end about the secret that is more important than my stopped growth.

I can't live more than eighteen years and my nineteenth birthday and my life ends in just a week.

It's not because of the chip because all the chips were removed through surgery three years ago. That's the limit of my body after all the experiments. The researchers in the laboratory told me, there is no cure to extend my life. Also, 'that person', who made me a test rabbit, said this,

-"Unfortunately, according to the law of causality, you can't live long and won't reach adulthood."

As if it was a curse. I was drowned in traumatic memories as an experimental subject and soaked Jaehwan's white shirt with tears.

I want to live longer.

That desire overflows and causes the bottled-up emotions to explode.

"Han-ah?" Jaehwan did not release his embrace even though he knew something was wrong with me.

"Why did you save me?" In the end, I couldn't help but ask. It has been in my mind for a long time, but I didn't want to know their answer.

For now, I'm really curious what Jaehwan will say to answer, it's because I won't see them again soon.

"I was wondering when you would ask, but it's not me who will answer. You will hear it from Rui." The way Jaehwan speaks changed, he doesn't use a warm tone like usual, but sounds cold and unfeeling.

Maybe... it seems, I can guess the answer.

***

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