CONCEPTION DREAM

IT WAS definitely a conception dream.

In our culture, conception dreams are dreams that apparently foretell the conception or birth of a child.

It was often dreamt by the future mother or the people close to her.

In Gyubin's case, it was her grandmother who had the conception dream.

But the animals usually featured in such dreams are tigers, snakes, and even goldfish— not dragons.

"Baek Gyubin, here."

Gyubin's trains of thought were interrupted when Dr. Im Rian entered the room while holding a basket.

And then the doctor handed the basket to her.

To be honest, she was sad that Hunter Park Dong-min had to leave after her phone call with her grandmother. Ahjussi was a busy person, after all. Hence, she couldn't ask him to stay just to ease her boredom.

But, even if I'm bored to death, I still don't want the company of this doctor.

Having said that, she was happy with what she received.

"My phone," Gyubin said excitedly when she saw her phone on top of the clothes she was wearing the night she almost became a murderer. Then she looked up at Dr. Im Rian. "Does this mean I can contact my group members?"

"I wouldn't recommend it," Dr. Im Rian said, sitting on the chair next to the bed. "Your group members' phones are confiscated until the investigation is over. They're also under surveillance to make sure that what happened at the Facility won't leak out. I bet your group members are also signing a lot of NDAs at the moment."

"Non-Disclosure Agreement? I guess that's understandable."

"You'll be signing one soon, too."

That makes sense.

Gyubin didn't reply verbally because she wanted to end the conversation there.

I'm not comfortable with this doctor.

However, Dr. Im Rian remained seated while looking at Gyubin with sparkling eyes.

And I know what she wants.

"No, I won't show my lungs to you, Dr. Im," Gyubin said firmly. "You're not the first doctor who looked at me like they wanted to dissect me after finding out I have the Bloom Disease."

Dr. Im Rian clasped her hands together as if she was praying. "Baek Gyubin-ssi, I'll be satisfied with just a picture of your chest X-ray. I heard people with Bloom Disease have lungs that look like branches with flowers attached to them."

The doctor wasn't wrong, but Gyubin neither confirmed nor denied it.

Dr. Im will just lose her mind if she finds out how 'beautiful' my lungs are. It's like you're looking at a close-up picture of branches of a cherry blossom tree— except the flowers are red. Isn't it ironic how my lungs look vibrant when it's the reason I'm dying?

"There's a special device used to check on the lungs of people with Bloom Disease, so it's hard to detect your disease with normal machines we have here. The X-ray machines here won't work on you. So, please show me a picture of your X-ray result, Baek Gyubin."

Crazy.

"Dr. Im, do you know how the victims got the Bloom Disease?"

"It's a complicated story. But as far as I know, a crazy Hunter experimented on the young people living in that small village on Nami Island," Dr. Im Rian said excitedly. "They tried to awaken the victims and turn them into "Artificial Hunters," but they failed. Natural Hunters have a Core in their hearts that serves as the source of their power. The crazy Hunter implanted some special seedlings into the hearts of the victims, hoping that those seedlings would produce a Core. But the experiment was a failure."

And that was how the victims of that incident grew a "tree" in their lungs.

But the whole story is a lot more complex than that.

"Dr. Im, I know you find our story fascinating. You probably see me as more of a study than a human being— and I get that. You're a doctor, after all," Gyubin said carefully. "But you're looking at a survivor who's going to die in a year. Please show some respect. It's insulting how you act excited when you know very well that my unique disease is literally killing me."

The doctor looked surprised, but not offended.

In fact, Dr. Im Rian smiled at Gyubin. "I like you, Baek Gyubin. You're the first person to put me in my place twice in a row without hesitation. Even Hong Saebi walks on eggshells around me!"

Wow.

Gyubin was a bit startled by the name that came out of the doctor's mouth.

Hong Saebi— the Guildmaster of the Red Phoenix Guild and the only woman among the Pillars.

Hunter Hong Saebi is also named the most beautiful Hunter in Korea.

In short, a girl-crush material.

"Since I like you, I'll be honest with you," Dr. Im Rian said. "If the government decides that you must absolutely give birth to the child destined to save the world, I can put you in a medically induced comatose state and let you carry on the pregnancy that way."

Gyubin flinched. "Is that a threat?"

"Forgive me for being blunt, but you're going to die anyway whether you keep the baby or not, Baek Gyubin," the doctor said bluntly. "It's hard to remove the baby from your body because we don't know if the baby will survive even if we put it in a special incubator machine. What if it dies as soon as it leaves your womb? Can you handle the consequences of antagonizing the government? Moreover, if the public finds out the "hero" died because of your choice, you'll be criticized heavily."

"Now you're gaslighting me. I thought you liked me, Dr. Im?"

"I like you, and that's why I'm telling you how scary the government could be," the doctor said, shrugging. "Plus, I can't guarantee your survival if we extract the baby from your body. Your expiration date might get cut shorter from one year to one week."

That was brutal.

And, yet, Gyubin appreciated Dr. Im Rian's honesty.

Having said that…

"Dr. Im, I don't think we can be friends."

Surprisingly, Dr. Im Rian suddenly burst out laughing. "No— I will win you over soon, Gyubin-ah!"

Aigoo.

This crazy doctor is calling me so fondly already…

***

IS THIS a dream?

Gyubin remembered having a delicious meal delivered to her room by a hospital staff member.

After that, she took a shower and changed into a different pajama again.

She also remembered playing her favorite mobile game on her phone.

I probably fell asleep while playing.

When Gyubin opened her eyes, she found herself on a beautiful strawberry farm.

Ah, this reminds me of my hometown.

She didn't care if it was a dream— she walked towards the biggest and prettiest strawberry she saw.

And then she carefully plucked it.

But, as soon as she did, the strawberry turned into a small dark-blue dragon!

"Oh, my!"

Gyubin was startled, to say the least.

Fortunately, she didn't accidentally drop the baby dragon. Instead, she made sure that the small beast that was tiny enough to fit on the top of her palms would be comfortable.

"Eomma…"

Gyubin gasped when the baby dragon spoke in its cute voice.

And the baby dragon called me 'eomma' while looking at me with those big, round, and purple eyes!

The baby dragon had Han Wooju's purple eyes, huh?

I should be scared— so why does the baby dragon look so lovable to me?!

"I want to meet Eomma so badly," the baby dragon said in a crying voice, its sad eyes making it look pitiful. "But if Eomma doesn't want to meet me, it's okay. Eomma should choose herself. It's fine even if I don't get born as long as Eomma is happy and living well…"

Oh, my.

Gyubin felt a pang in her chest.

***

PRESIDENT LIM was here, huh?

As soon as Wooju entered the VIP hospital room, he felt President Lim Hojin's lingering Mana in the air.

It's as if he wants me to know that he was here.

Wooju glanced at the sleeping Baek Gyubin on the bed.

I hope President Lim didn't put too much pressure on you, Miss Baek.

Wooju was about to leave the room to allow Baek Gyubin to rest, but Baek Gyubin suddenly opened her eyes and grabbed him by the arm.

"Hunter Han Wooju-ssi, can I ask you some personal questions?"

"Sure."

"Do you have a lover at the moment?"

That was random, but he still answered her question.

"I don't have a lover."

"Are you secretly in love with someone?"

"No, I'm not."

"Really? You don't have someone you're interested in?"

"No, I don't."

"Then did someone confess their love to you recently?"

"No one did."

"Really? With that face?"

"I was told my good looks can only take me so far. Apparently, I have a boring personality."

Baek Gyubin suddenly burst out laughing. "Then you don't have any experience in the romance department?"

Wooju tilted his head to one side. "Does having a crush on two different people at two different points of my life count as an experience?"

"It's not much, but I guess it counts. If you meet either of the two people you used to have a crush on, would you pursue them?"

"I don't think so."

After all, Wooju was planning to take responsibility for Baek Gyubin.

I don't know how I'll do that— I just know that I have to pay attention to Miss Baek. That's why I have no time to even think about dating.

"Miss Baek, why are you asking me these questions?"

Baek Gyubin gulped before she finally opened her mouth again. "Hunter Han Wooju, if you have no significant other at the moment, then will you consider marrying me?"

Oh, right.

Wooju suddenly realized that marriage was one way of taking responsibility for Baek Gyubin.

But…

"Why do you suddenly want to marry me, Miss Baek?"

***

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