Work Text:
Eushin was on his way to the hostel
class 0-1 to meet a child who likes researching (while destroying) in the dormitory building because several seniors asked for Eushin's help to deal with it because they know that all the juniors in class 0-1 really listen to Eushin.
Poor Eushin finally agreed and went to the boy's dormitory the next morning and after finishing he went to school
After arriving at his room, Eushin knocked on the door and called the name of the room owner. Not long after, as if he heard his name being called by Eushin, the door opened to reveal the owner of the room with a messy face from staying up late and looking charred as if something had exploded.
"Ah... Hello senior Eushin"
"Hello, how are you? "
"I am fine... "
".... If you want to do research, instead of going to a cramped dormitory, it is better for you to go to a special building for research. Our school has good facilities and it is said that the school will add bedsofas for those who want to stay overnight."
"Really?! Why didn't I know that? Thank you for telling me, senior!"
Eushin, who was happy to help, finally accidentally looked into the child's room and saw something that looked like it was going to explode.
Maybe because the owner of the room was tired so he didn't realize it, so he just kept quiet. But Eushin, who loved all his juniors, immediately took action and grabbed the owner of the room and took him out and turned Eushin's back towards the room. At the same time an explosion occurred and Eushin managed to protect the child.
The explosion wasn't too big but there was enough black smoke to cover the two of them.
On the other hand, everyone who saw it just passed by, considering the incident to be a normal incident from class 0
The owner of the room who finally regained consciousness immediately panicked and finally saw the condition of the senior who was protecting him
Eushin, who closed his eyes because of the smoke, slowly opened his eyes and saw the owner of the room and asked him if he was injured, the owner of the room shook his head. After making sure everything was fine, the room owner advised Eushin to go to the treatment room, but Eushin refused and said that he had an appointment soon so Eushin would go first.
After Eushin left, the room owner immediately contacted the deputy captain of class 0-1, Cheon Eun-ha, personally.
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Class 0-2
"Vice captain is late, isn't class starting soon?, and our homeroom teacher said he would come early to say there was an extra exam."
"It's okay! Eushin said that there was a small incident before he came here, so Eushin said he would be a little late."
"What incident?"
Hwang Ji-ho suddenly interrupted the conversation between Maeng Hyo-Don and Kim Yuri who were talking about Eushin who had an incident. The children who heard this immediately asked Kim Yuri what happened.
Kim Yuri said that before Eushin came here, he stopped by to do something, and one of the juniors accidentally blew up his experiment. But no one was hurt so eushin said that he was going to class.
Friends who were worried about Eushin immediately made a fuss and the classroom door opened to reveal Eushin.
"Eushin, are you okay?! We heard you had an incident."
"Do you need to go to the UKS?"
"We can tell teacher Hwang Myeong Hyung to postpone the exam."
Friends who were worried about Eushin immediately expressed their opinion when Hwang Jiho received a message from Eun-ho and didn't pay much attention to Eushin's sentence which would surprise everyone.
"Oh my! You're worried about me, even though it's just a small thing that happened, how can you all grow up this well? As expected, you're all such good kids!"
Eushin said that while raising his hand to his mouth and showing the expression of a parent who is proud of their child when they do something good
The class children who saw this were surprised because Eushin never said that and usually when they were worried about Eushin, he would just answer "I'm fine, thank you for worrying about me."
"Like this is the side effect of the 'little incident' that Eushin experienced."
Hwang Jiho answered when he saw the children's confused expressions when they saw Eushin's behavior
This is Eun-ho's explanation
The potion that the junior Eushin is helping him with is an unfinished potion so the effect won't last long, the potion is similar to an honesty serum, but because it's not perfect, the target can not answer the question, but he can't lie.
The worried children became excited and asked Eushin many questions
"Deputy captain, why are you so good at mathematics?"
"I study in my spare time and because it's easy"
"Eushin, what food and drink do you like?"
"I like things like orange and mixed coffee"
"What do you think about Hwang Ji-ho?"
"I hope the old man stops laughing"
"Hahahahaha"
Hwang Jiho, who was laughing when he saw the Eushin situation, which was continuously asked by the children, also asked questions after he finished laughing, but when he wanted to ask a question, the door opened and the homeroom teacher and Yong Je-gun saw the busy situation and entered the classroom.
After explaining the situation, Yong Je-gun showed an interested expression and asked questions
"Eushin, do you love everyone here?"
"Of course"
Eushin who said that confidently made some of the children embarrassed because Eushin could say that, but remembering about Eushin's condition now they quickly calmed down, Hwang Ji-ho who showed an interested face also asked a question
"Why, do you like us so much?"
"Wait, hwang ji-ho that question-"
Kim Yuri, who felt that Eushin's privacy would be revealed, immediately rebuked Hwang Ji-ho, but Eushin already answered which made everyone show various expressions.
"Because you are very kind and sweet children. You are very cool, charismatic, and brave in facing any situation, and even if you are afraid, you never give up and keep moving forward. Even though the past hinders your growth, you still have hope for the future and move forward with your respective talents. Seeing you like that is like seeing stars showing their light in the sky at night, how can I not like you like that?
Eushin who said that excitedly smiled softly at the last sentence and made everyone who saw that smile speechless because it was the first time they saw eushin smile like that at them. Then seeing Eushin who looked really adoring them made them embarrassed by that.
"Eushin, w-then what is your hobby?" Seoum April said that nervously because she was curious about that and also to change the topic from Eushin who adored them so much, but it turned out that it was just adding fuel to the fire.
"My hobby is watching you get together, playing together, eating together, and when you get along with each other. I also like playing with snare and other children."
It turns out that Seoum April's question made them realize that Eushin adored them too much and made them realize that Eushin's hobby was being with other people, not relating to himself.
Dragon and tiger also realized this and asked something more personal
"Eushin, why do you know so much about music titles?"
"Because Lena likes music"
"Why do you know so much about art?"
"Because min green likes art and painting"
"Why do you know so many delicious foods?"
"So I can give everyone food they will like"
"Why are you so knowledgeable about things related to tea?"
"Because my junior likes drinking tea?"
Everyone who heard that changed their expressions to pale because Eushin was very knowledgeable, not because Eushin liked that, but because they liked that.
"Eushin, why do you like us so much?"
Hani, who was silent at first, finally asked. Eushin, who wanted to say that he had answered, felt that was not the answer Hani wanted and was silent for a moment then answered
"Because you shine like stars, so I want to be like you, that's why I do everything you like so that you can understand you and so that you like me who can't do anything."
Eushin said an excuse while saying something derogatory about himself making everyone scream denying it
"No eushin! You are so great and reliable, it's not like you can't do anything!"
“That's right vice-captain! Why do you lower yourself like that?!”
"Your Eushin also shines like us, so you can be proud of it too as we are proud of ourselves!"
"You are also a very cool colleague"
"Actually, why do you put yourself down like that? The current you is already extraordinary."
“Yong je-gun is right eushin, you are a very great student.
Hwang Ho, the class, and even the teachers said a lot of things and Eushin who heard that just smiled blankly.
"I'm not that great. I can't shine like you, I can't face my past, I can't move forward with hope for the future like you. All I can do is imitate your rays, pretending to move forward in front of you, but actually I just stayed where I was."
When everyone was silent after listening to how Eushin looked at himself like that, Hwang Ji-ho asked Eushin with a serious face.
"Eushin, then..., what future do you want?"
"You all grow up well, safe and happy"
"That is our future, what about your future"
"....I have no future"
Everyone who heard that was shocked by that
"What do you mean by you have no future?" said In Seong-oh who was silent looking at Eushin, but Eushin answered casually
"The future can only be had by those who are willing to try to move forward and hope that what they want lies ahead of them, when you move forward towards the future, I am actually afraid of going towards the future"
Eushin walked towards the table and leaned against it while looking at them with a face reminiscing about the very distant past
"I don't know how long I can live this time so I don't expect much about my future, but unlike me, you guys still have a long way to go, I will make sure you all have a good future."
Eushin seemed to say a good sentence if they didn't hear Eushin's initial sentence and their faces became gloomy and paler than before
"'this time' why do you say this as if you've already died?"
"Because I've already-"
Eushin, who almost said 'die', closed his mouth before finishing the sentence, but everyone who understood it immediately bombarded Eushin with lots of questions.
“You ever died?! What happened?!”
"Are you okay eushin?"
"Do you mean when you went to the underworld?"
Everyone asked many things, but were surprised by Hwang Ji-ho's sentence which said that Eushin had gone to the underworld, but it was nothing compared to their surprise with Eushin's answer.
"No. I died long before I entered the underworld."
“Why did you even go to the underworld?!”
"I had some business with the goddess of death and stopped by the border of life and death."
"Are you okay with that?! I heard from the rabbit clan that in the underworld it is very cold and time passes slowly there, and also the spirits of the dead will attract living people who enter and prevent them from leaving the underworld"
Yong Je-gun, who asked Eushin, felt frustrated and even said things were happening underground. But eushin was confused by the dragon's last answer.
"What are you talking about? It's cold there, but the spirits of the dead don't attract me, instead I feel comfortable as if I was sleeping there."
Everyone who understood the reason why there was no spirit attracting Eushin darkened their faces, but there were those who didn't understand like Seoum April and asked Eushin about it and Eushin answered.
"Maybe because I have already died or I will soon be with them."
“No! You will be with us for a long time, so don't say that so easily!”
"But it's not like my family is in a place like that, I don't want my family to wait too long, I feel lonely if I'm not with them. So I want to be with them as soon as possible too."
"Aren't we enough for you? We can be with you so you don't feel lonely."
"I don't want to"
Everyone was surprised to hear Eushin's first refusal, and fell silent then heard Eushin's continued sentence
"When I'm with you, I do feel warm, is that warm feeling a case of affection and love for people other than family that I've heard of?"
Eushin tilted his head in confusion as he continued his words
"but if I feel warm, I feel like I will forget my family, so I choose loneliness so that I don't forget them, after all in this world only I can remember them. The loneliness I feel now is proof that I still love my family, So I don't want to feel warm when they feel cold there."
After a moment of silence Eushin muttered a small sound that everyone could hear because no one spoke
"Besides, my relatives said that it would be better for me to just follow my family if I really miss them that much."
Everyone who heard felt angry at Eushin's words and Hwang Ji-ho said in his heart that he would take care of the relative later. Before the situation got worse, Yong Jegun asked another question
"Jo Eushin, I'm curious about this, but do you have a pain tolerance or something, because you always take your own safety for granted?"
"Perhaps, because I have experienced an illness that made me seriously ill, so maybe I -"
Eushin, who almost said 'get used to the pain', immediately closed his mouth.
Hwang Ji-ho asked seeing Eushin who kept his mouth shut
"What disease? "
"....."
Eushin covered his mouth with both hands.
When there was silence, a voice came and asked Eushin a question
"Have your relatives ever done anything bad to you, Eushin Hyung?"
Cheon Eun-ha or Eun-ho came with a serious, straight face and Eushin answered the question
"It wasn't that bad, my relatives just got angry because I couldn't play chess for money anymore and locked me in a warehouse for a day."
"When is it?"
"Around the end of November, exactly one month after my family died"
"...."
Everyone was shocked and some cried when they heard Eushin's story, because the time that should still be Eushin's vulnerable time became worse because his relatives made Eushin's condition worse.
At that time hwang jiho eun-ho thought that eushin's trauma in chess might be made worse because of his relatives and felt angry, then they thought the same thing
'Those lowly people will not live in peace'
Even though they know that relatives may not exist in this world, if they find them, they will still punish them even though they are innocent.
"Why can't you play chess anymore, vice captain? If so, how can you win chess competitions?"
"Maybe because in the past I preferred to take part in chess competitions abroad rather than being with my younger siblings who asked to be with them?"
"What does that have to do with it"
"Objectively there is no connection"
"So what? "
"That was the first time I refused my sister's request, and because of that they died, if only I had obeyed my sister, the ending might have been different. The relatives who took care of me also said that I should have followed them instead of living like this."
"Damn it!"
Maeng Hyodon, who was angry with that answer, immediately went to the wall and hit his head against the wall. Usually there would be a sound of reprimand from the homeroom teacher but instead Eushin's voice was heard.
"Maeng hyodon, I know your head is hard as a rock, but you won't be able to do the math test if you keep hitting your head like that. It's better for you to eat something delicious than hitting your head."
Eushin's unusually worrying voice immediately made Maeng Hyodon fall silent and forget about his anger and frustration
"Besides, maybe I can still play chess, although my condition is still not improving, but as long as you are there, I can play well, didn't I tell you, I can't shine anymore, when I'm with you I feel that I can shine again in front of you . "
Eushin who said that smiled gently at everyone and finally the homeroom teacher asked Eushin
"Jo Eushin, what will you do for everyone's future?"
"I will make this world a place for good children to live here"
"What if someone hurts those good children?"
"Isn't it just a matter of tidying it up? No, that's too light, you should suffer first and then settle it. How dare someone hurt kind-hearted children like them, can't you see that they are good and sweet children? If you have eyes but you can't see that means don't need eyes in their heads anymore, just pry them open, right?
After hearing Eushin's dark words, everyone shuddered a little and were confused about whether to feel horrified or happy at Eushin's concern for them
"You know that thinking like that is unhealthy?"
"Do you guys hate me for thinking like that?"
Everyone wants to answer "we won't hate you no matter what!" but was cut by eushin
"But, even though you guys hate me, I still like you, so it's okay."
Eushin smiled happily as if he saw Olmu when he said that.
"Because loving unconditionally is true love"
At that moment Eushin staggered and would have fallen if Hwang Jiho hadn't caught him. Everyone immediately panicked and Hwang Jiho said that Eushin was just asleep and continued with Eun-ho's sentence saying that the side effects of the incident had worn off so Eushin would fall asleep for a while and forget the previous conversation.
Finally everyone in the room who knows the secret that Eushin will not tell, is determined to look after Eushin and make Eushin able to rely on them more.