Mu-ryeong silently watched as the junior let their tears fall.He didn’t try to comfort them with empty reassurances. He didn’t tell them it’s not your fault. He just gazed at them with calm, steady eyes before finally speaking in his usual, gentle tone."…You know, we call the animals we raise companions."His voice was soft, but every word reached them with absolute clarity. That composed, even tone was more comforting than any forced words of condolence."Companion is written with the characters for partner (伴) and mate (侶)."Mu-ryeong spoke slowly, as if carefully selecting his words. He didn’t drag it out unbearably, but he gave them enough time to process his meaning."Just as animals are our lifelong companions, we are theirs as well.""……""If the one you love is sad, how could you leave without worry?"The junior remained silent, their shoulders trembling slightly as tears continued to fall."If you keep blaming yourself and mourning so deeply…""……""If it were me, I’d be really worried."Mu-ryeong stopped there for a moment, letting the words settle. His clear, round gaze remained steady as he watched them.Then, as if to lighten the weight of their grief, he asked a simple question."What about you?""…Hhk."A shaky sob was all the response he needed.Face buried in their hands, they cried openly, and to Mu-ryeong, that sorrow didn’t feel like someone else’s problem."I’ve lived with Seolgi for eleven years, so I can tell what he wants just by looking at his expression."Mu-ryeong had a companion too—one he loved and would continue to love. Their lifespans were different, their ways of living weren’t the same, yet they adjusted to one another, growing together."I can tell when he’s hungry, when he wants to go for a walk, when something’s bothering him.""……""And just like I know him well, he knows me just as much."It wasn’t just about the fact that he «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» couldn’t talk or that his life would be much shorter than Mu-ryeong’s. The mere thought of it was heartbreaking. Why couldn’t happiness last forever? Why did something so precious have to be fleeting?"So sometimes, when I seem down, he brings me all his toys.""……""Apparently, it’s because he wants to see me happy—just like when I play with him."There were plenty of interpretations for that kind of behavior, but Mu-ryeong had decided to believe the one that brought him comfort.At the end of the day, emotions and thoughts weren’t something another person could completely understand. That didn’t just apply to animals, but to all living things."You know how sensitive animals are to human emotions."Seolgi always seemed to know how Mu-ryeong felt. Sometimes, it felt like he absorbed the emotions Mu-ryeong hadn’t even sorted out himself."As much as you were happy to be with them, they must have been just as happy to have met you."It was a common thing to say, but Mu-ryeong meant every word. That was why he needed to say it—because this was the part of grief that people always struggled to believe in."I know how hard it is to let them go with a smile.""……""But we still have our memories.""……""If it were me, I’d want you to send me off happily, too."The junior didn’t respond. They just broke down completely, their sobs turning into full-on wails.As if the sky itself had crumbled, they wept, shoulders shaking violently.And finally, Mu-ryeong spoke the words he had wanted to say from the very beginning."You didn’t do anything wrong."There were things in this world that no amount of effort could change.And nothing eroded a person’s heart more than the what ifs—What if I had done more? What if I had been better?But the truth was, in every moment, they had done the best they could. And when they looked back, all they saw were the things they wished they had done differently."…Hhk…"Mu-ryeong stayed with them as they cried, knowing he couldn’t fully share in their sorrow—but also knowing that at the very least, he could stay beside them while they endured it.The junior sobbed for a long, long time, until their hands were soaked with tears.***The sky was a brilliant, cloudless blue.Somewhere, cicadas droned endlessly, and the summer heat was so intense that just standing in the sun made sweat trickle down."…So, did the talk go well?"Mu-ryeong was outside in the back courtyard with Hwan-young, as usual, to receive his energy. Both of them held the same ice pops they’d had at the junior’s house.During lunch, Min-ji had thanked them for yesterday and had bought the three of them—Mu-ryeong, Hwan-young, and Seung-joo—a round of them."Hmm…"Mu-ryeong hummed softly, biting off the tip of his ice pop.The cold, fizzy soda flavor melted in his mouth. The day was so unbearably hot that it would have been unbearable without air conditioning, but the courtyard was shaded by the building, making it bearable."I did everything I could."That was as far as he could interfere.He had listened, comforted, and let them know that they weren’t alone. But in the end, it was up to them to process their emotions on their own."But I think they’ll be okay. They looked lighter afterward."By the time the junior had stopped crying in the library, their face looked much more at ease.Tomorrow, new waves of sorrow might rise again, but Mu-ryeong believed that, little by little, the weight of grief would lessen. As time passed, even the deepest sadness would eventually turn into a memory."For now, we should focus on our own work."Mu-ryeong spoke with an air of importance, holding out his arms toward Hwan-young.He flashed a teasing smile, making Hwan-young flinch slightly, his expression stiffening. Then, with a sigh, he shifted his ice pop from his mouth to his hand and stepped forward."…….""……."The cool sensation of Hwan-young’s body wrapping around his own was something Mu-ryeong still wasn’t used to, no matter how many times it happened in the past few days.But it wasn’t uncomfortable either.Mu-ryeong closed his eyes and leaned into Hwan-young’s chest, resting his face against him."I’ll count to one minute."There was no response.As he mumbled the words, Mu-ryeong casually tapped his fingers against Hwan-young’s back, shifting his ice pop to his other hand."…Three days left."There was no need to clarify what three days meant. Hwan-young didn’t ask, and Mu-ryeong didn’t need to explain. He had been keeping track just as closely.Three days left until the full moon.Three days until Hwan-young would finally send his brother away."Yeah, just endure the heat for three more days.""He doesn’t come to me anymore."Mu-ryeong recalled Hwan-young’s words as he slowly moved his fingers. His counting grew sluggish, but no one pointed it out.The cool, refreshing energy filled his entire body, as if reinvigorating every cell."Spirits usually respond to human emotions. If someone is sad, angry, or filled with despair, they’re drawn to those negative feelings."The dead often appeared in response to grief.The junior’s dog had lingered because of sorrow, just as the spirit that had possessed Ye-jun had been drawn to his emotional vulnerability."And maybe his brother, too…"Mu-ryeong let out a steady breath, his thoughts racing.Hwan-young’s heartbeat, which he could faintly hear, was a little faster than most people’s.The hands around his back were cold, yet the breath near his ear felt tense."…Why is your body temperature so high?""They say if you have a strong immune system, your temperature’s higher.""My immune system is good too.""Then I guess I was just born this way?"Mu-ryeong spoke lightly, but his thoughts continued.Why had Hwan-hee stopped appearing before Hwan-young?At first, Mu-ryeong thought it was because he had marked Hwan-young with his own spiritual energy. But what if there was another reason?Ever since Mu-ryeong had started talking to him, the days when Hwan-hee disappeared and the days when he showed up had an undeniable pattern."If you’re not sad anymore…"Hwan-hee had been reacting to Hwan-young’s emotions.When Hwan-young was sad, his brother—now a vengeful spirit—would appear, clinging to him.Just like how the junior’s dog had lingered near them, waiting for them to let go.Hwan-hee had been circling around Hwan-young, only fully manifesting when he was alone and overwhelmed by loneliness.If the only thing the dog had left to worry about was its owner’s sadness, then what about Hwan-young’s brother?What had been the first emotion that brought Hwan-hee back to him?Mu-ryeong had a feeling that the two situations weren’t all that different.Just like how Hwan-young’s parents had been drawn to him after their deaths, only whispering his name from the other side of the veil.His brother, too, must have had some lingering feelings—seeking him out only when he was at his lowest.And maybe… just maybe…It wasn’t to consume him.It was because he wanted to do what Hwan-young wanted from him."Are we done with one minute yet?""Oh, I lost count.""…….""Let’s just stay like this for thirty more seconds.""…You totally spaced out, didn’t you?""No, I was thinking about very important things."There were still a lot of unknowns.But Mu-ryeong was certain that his guesses weren’t far from the truth.And so, he adjusted his initial plan—taking into account all the new pieces that had fallen into place."Time’s up!"With a bright voice, Mu-ryeong quickly pulled away from Hwan-young’s arms.The energy he had absorbed left his face practically glowing, his condition visibly better.Feeling lighter than ever, he grinned up at Hwan-young."You worked hard today too.""……."Hwan-young averted his gaze without responding.Instead, he gulped down the last of his melted ice pop.Probably thirsty, Mu-ryeong guessed, watching as he started walking ahead."I hope Friday stays clear."The night of the full moon.Mu-ryeong hoped that, by then, no one would be burdened with sorrow.He hoped the junior’s grief, Hwan-young’s worries—all of it—would drift away like feathers in the wind.It would take some sacrifice.But if he was the one making it, he didn’t mind at all.Much later, the junior came to find Mu-ryeong and quietly told him:"I don’t have sleep paralysis anymore."There was a hint of sorrow in their voice.And because of that, Mu-ryeong couldn’t quite bring himself to say, That’s good.

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