Rainbow City

“You’re not feeling dizzy, are you?”

“Haha, Doctor, this is nothing… Whoa?”

As Yang Sanghoon said he was fine, his body suddenly wobbled to the side. Lee Chaeyoon swiftly grabbed the pasta plate that was about to spill from his hand. Seokhwa, reaching for Yang Sanghoon’s forehead to check, stopped and instead took out a thermometer from the first-aid kit. Since his own body temperature was lower, comparing his warmth wouldn’t be helpful.

“I’ll make you some soup that you can eat lying down.”

Having finished his meal, Hojun headed to the stove. While Seokhwa checked Yang Sanghoon’s temperature, Kwak Soohwan busily fed Seokhwa the pasta he had brought over.

“Hey… Kwak Soohwan.”

Lying on his side, Yang Sanghoon spoke in a near-dead voice, the thermometer still in his mouth, making his speech slurred.

“What?”

“When the soup’s ready, feed me too.”

Yang Sanghoon frowned so deeply that if he had been in better condition, he might have thrown a punch.

“Get lost. I only feed Dr. Seok.”

“You little punk! Have you forgotten how I fed you when you were sick? It’s heartbreaking, really.”

Yang Sanghoon grumbled that people get soft-hearted when they’re sick. The soup must have been almost ready, as it was soon served in a bowl. Seokhwa removed the thermometer from Yang Sanghoon’s mouth and checked the temperature.

“It’s a little higher than usual, but it’s gone down quite a bit from earlier.”

Seokhwa handed the soup bowl that Hojun had placed by the bed to Kwak Soohwan. He took the bowl, surprised.

“You feed him, Major.”

“What? Isn’t Lee Chaeyoon right here? His hands are perfectly fine.”

As Kwak Soohwan tried to pass the soup to Lee Chaeyoon, he suddenly stood on his hands.

“My hands have become feet, you see.”

Supporting himself with one arm, he lifted his middle finger with the other. Seokhwa couldn’t help but inwardly admire Lee Chaeyoon’s solid core muscles.

Clicking his tongue in resignation, Kwak Soohwan sat beside Yang Sanghoon’s head.

“If you’re going to feed me, rest my head on your thigh while you’re at it.”

“Eat before I shove it down your throat with a funnel.”

Kwak Soohwan scooped the soup lazily and put it into Yang Sanghoon’s mouth. Yang Sanghoon slurped it down, smacking his lips.

“Tastes like potato. A bit too bland for a last meal before I die.”

“Don’t worry. Major Yang isn’t dying,” Seokhwa reassured him.

When Yang Sanghoon tried to rest his head on Kwak Soohwan’s thigh again, Kwak Soohwan blocked him with his arm.

“It’s all thanks to Dr. Seok. If not for the vaccine, I would’ve turned into Adam.”

“Well, if you think about it, none of this would’ve happened if the vaccine wasn’t developed. We wouldn’t even be here.”

“Huh… That’s true.”

Kwak Soohwan shoved another spoonful of soup into Yang Sanghoon’s mouth.

“Stop talking and just eat, will you?”

“You’re such a jerk. When you were sick, I blew on your porridge so you wouldn’t choke, remember?”

With mock effort, Kwak Soohwan blew on the spoonful of soup.

“Here, eat.”

“Lying down, eating cold porridge—how fitting,” Yang Sanghoon chuckled, slurping the spoonful. Just then, there was a burst of laughter from behind Kwak Soohwan. He whipped around, thinking he had imagined it, but Seokhwa was standing there, covering his mouth with a lightly clenched fist, clearly laughing.

His soft smile and the way his eyes curved were so captivating that it was dizzying. If Seokhwa walked around smiling like that all the time, the whole world would turn against him. While his expressionless face often seemed to put up walls, a smile like that would definitely draw people in like ants to sugar.

Lee Chaeyoon, who had stopped his handstand when Kwak Soohwan picked up the spoon, stared at Seokhwa in shock, his mouth open. Hojun, confused by the situation, could only look back and forth between them.

“Hey, how could you laugh at this kind of humor?” Kwak Soohwan scolded Seokhwa for once. It was rare to see Seokhwa laugh out loud, especially with his facial muscles fully engaged. Suddenly, Lee Chaeyoon remembered something his mother once said.

For a while, the lab staff and the Invincible Platoon had made a bet on who could make Seokhwa burst out laughing. Whoever succeeded would win the pot of money. But no matter how funny the stories were, Seokhwa would only give a faint smile. Even Yang Sanghoon had failed every time back then.

“Hey, Lee Chaeyoon, you saw that, right? You’re my witness! The bet money is all mine.”

There was a sudden gleam of life in Yang Sanghoon’s previously pale complexion.

“A bet?”

Kwak Soohwan paused feeding Yang Sanghoon, looking surprised.

“Doctor, be honest. Did you really laugh because you thought that was funny?”

“…Yes.”

Seokhwa cleared his throat softly and returned his expression to normal.

“What bet?”

Kwak Soohwan turned his attention to Lee Chaeyoon, demanding an explanation.

“Uh, it’s not really a big deal.”

“I’ll be the judge of that.”

“Man, Kwak Soohwan goes crazy whenever it’s about Dr. Seok.”

“Yeah, so spill it before I lose it.”

“Well, the researchers at the Yeouido shelter and us made a bet. Whoever could make Dr. Seok laugh would win all the money. But after a month with no winner, the money just got forgotten.”

Seokhwa now understood what had been going on. It made sense why researchers suddenly started approaching him with funny stories. Even Lee Chaeyoon and Yang Sanghoon had been trying to amuse him, but he only learned the reason today.

“Dr. Seok, thank you for saving my life and now, for giving me money too.”

Yang Sanghoon, with heavy eyelids, thanked him. It seemed the warm soup was making him sleepy. Meanwhile, Hojun was watching the Invincible Platoon and Seokhwa with a somewhat dazed expression.

Rainbow City had definitely changed—it felt completely different from when Hojun had been there. Back then, people were so afraid of falling out of favor with the higher-ups that they would even monitor each other. A bet like the one they just mentioned would have been unimaginable.

“Hey, what was so funny about ‘easy as eating cold porridge’ while lying down?”

Kwak Soohwan got up from the bed and casually tried to coax Seokhwa into answering. Hojun figured that this habit of calling people “sweetie” was just Kwak Soohwan’s way of speaking, but apparently, it was reserved solely for Seokhwa. Moreover, there was no sign of the authority expected of a military leader from Rainbow City.

They had a Lieutenant General and two Commanders in their ranks. For ordinary citizens of Rainbow City, even seeing a strand of their hair was unlikely. And the idea of high-ranking officers coming out to the field without any soldiers was equally hard to believe.

“It was just funny.”

Even more surprising was that, according to Guillaume, Seokhwa was the one who had developed the vaccine. Kwak Soohwan turned to Hojun, mouthing “What are you staring at?” with a threatening look.

“Come on, there had to be something specific about it.”

He wrapped his arm around Seokhwa’s waist, twirled him around, and leaned his cheek against Seokhwa’s head, blocking Hojun’s view. Seokhwa lowered his eyelids, his long lashes casting shadows, and he seemed deep in thought for a while.

“It was funny when Major Yang Sanghoon was lying down sick and you were feeding him with such an annoyed look. And then, the way you blew on the porridge so half-heartedly… But he was still so happy about it…”

Seokhwa tried to explain what he found amusing, but to Kwak Soohwan, it sounded overly complicated. Apparently, it was a combination of several things that had made Seokhwa laugh.

“Okay, got it.”

Although he didn’t fully understand the reasoning behind the laughter, Kwak Soohwan responded cheerfully. Still holding Seokhwa around the waist, he grabbed his wrist. Seokhwa seemed to really like the watch Kwak Soohwan had given him last month. So much so that he wore it all the time, except when he slept.

The watch was adorned with twelve delicately crafted diamonds marking the hours. But Kwak Soohwan knew that Seokhwa preferred rocks to gemstones. Still, diamonds were technically stones, so it fit his tastes.

Today, Seokhwa was wearing a Dolharbang shirt, slightly different from yesterday’s. Yesterday, the Dolharbang was printed on the front, and today, it was on the back.

When they had visited Jeju Island not long ago, Seokhwa had quietly stared at some T-shirts in a souvenir shop at the harbor. The Dolharbang shirts were apparently bestsellers. Whether that was true or not, Kwak Soohwan bought several in different colors.

Although Seokhwa insisted he didn’t need them, when they were packing for the trip, the Dolharbang shirts were the first things Seokhwa put into his bag. When asked if he liked them that much, what had Seokhwa said?

Recalling that moment made Kwak Soohwan grip Seokhwa’s wrist tighter. Not just his hand—other parts of him tightened as well.

“That hurts,” Seokhwa muttered softly, causing Kwak Soohwan to quickly release his grip.

“Sorry, sorry.”

Apologizing, he pressed his lips to Seokhwa’s wrist in a light kiss. Thinking about it, Seokhwa hadn’t just laughed because of Yang Sanghoon. He had laughed partly because of him too. This realization significantly calmed Kwak Soohwan’s burning jealousy.

“We’re heading back to the fortress now.”

“Huh? Sure.”

Lee Chaeyoon was crunching on some uncooked pasta.

“Do you have any stuff left in the room from last night?”

“No, we don’t. Damn, come to think of it, we still need to bring back the Jeep.”

“We’re heading back to the city tomorrow, so meet at the east gate at 10 a.m.”

Kwak Soohwan tossed a bloodstained radio to Lee Chaeyoon, who caught it and wiped the blood off with a rag lying on the floor.

“Wouldn’t it be better to stay here until Major Yang Sanghoon gets better?” Seokhwa asked, looking worriedly at Yang Sanghoon.

“He’ll be fine by tomorrow.”

Mutants with enhanced physical abilities healed much faster than normal people. However, the extent of his injuries, with his flesh torn, suggested he should rest for at least a few days.

“Don’t worry, Doctor. He’ll probably rest better in the Jeep than here. Besides, we need to get back soon—I can’t live off just eating this uncooked pasta.”

He casually crunched on another piece of raw pasta.

“What about him?” Lee Chaeyoon asked, directing attention to Hojun, who had taken a step back.

“Will you be coming back with us?” Seokhwa asked, but Kwak Soohwan interrupted.

“He ran off abroad to save himself, and now he wants to join in again?”

“I… wasn’t alone from the start.”

Hojun’s expression darkened noticeably as he spoke.

“When I escaped from Hwaseon Hall, I brought a child with me. One of Dr. Wonho’s prized test subjects.”

The word “prized” was synonymous with horrific human experimentation.

The child Hojun had escaped with 15 years ago was three years old at the time. The child had an unusual attachment to dogs, a trait shared by other test subjects born in January of that year.

Even though the child was a mutant, it wasn’t easy traveling with such a young child. Hojun had gone over 50 hours without sleep, fearful of being pursued, and in a moment of exhaustion, he dozed off. When he woke up, the child had disappeared. He tried to track the child, but rain had washed away any trace.

Hojun spent two full days searching for the child before encountering a pursuer from Hwaseon Hall. He killed the pursuer but had no choice but to flee, giving up on finding the child. He could only assume the child had been taken by a wild animal or had followed a stray dog and met a tragic fate.

Hojun’s confession was heavy with guilt and long-held sorrow.

“I don’t think I can return to the city.”

His words carried a firm resolve not to erase his guilt simply for his own comfort.

“This place is like a second home to me now.”

Hojun had lived in Rainbow City until he was 20. After that, he spent many years in this area.

“There’s a place in the city where non-citizen mutants live together,” Seokhwa said. Although it wasn’t forced by the city, they tended to gather in close-knit communities. Hojun showed no hesitation at the suggestion.

“If Rainbow City is truly stabilizing, this place should follow suit. I’ll see if I can act as a bridge between the two.”

“Honey, can I blow up that bridge?”

“No, you can’t.”

“Ah, guess that wasn’t funny.”

Kwak Soohwan chuckled, glanced at the soundly sleeping Yang Sanghoon, and then loosened his hold on Seokhwa’s waist, only to grab his hand again as if nothing had happened.

“Shall we go take care of business then?”

“Yes.”

Even though Guillaume had stolen the vaccine, the real issue was that it was due to Hojun, a former citizen of Rainbow City. They needed to explain the situation truthfully and retrieve the stolen vaccine. With only two months of shelf life left when stored at room temperature, time was running out. Once the vaccine’s integrity was proven, Rainbow City needed to send full support.

What was required wasn’t just the stabilization of Rainbow City but also global stabilization. Otherwise, the flood of refugees would once again throw the city into chaos. Most of the refugees hadn’t received the vaccine. If they became infected with the Adam virus, the entire city would be consumed by bloodshed.

Seokhwa followed Kwak Soohwan out of the underground tunnel. There seemed to be more people around than when they had first entered, perhaps because they had been hiding before. Seokhwa walked on, ignoring the curious and wary gazes of those watching him. When they reached the stairs leading up to the Jeep, Seokhwa found himself out of breath, so Kwak Soohwan slowed his pace to match Seokhwa’s.

During the days when they were threatened by Adam, Kwak Soohwan had been quick to carry him and run. But now, Seokhwa walked and even ran on his own. Still, Kwak Soohwan probably wanted to carry him as he had before—he liked holding Seokhwa, after all. But now, instead of carrying him, he guided from the front or supported him from behind, both physically and emotionally.

Leading someone who wasn’t as capable required more than just patience. Though Kwak Soohwan often claimed he was impatient, Seokhwa had never met anyone more patient than him.

“Seokhwa hyung.”

Kwak Soohwan smiled under the now clear sky as they stepped out of the tunnel.

“Yeah?”

“I really want to hold you and have sex.”

Given the mischievous look he had on his face, Seokhwa had expected some kind of dirty remark.

“Me too.”

However, knowing it was a sincere response, he replied honestly. Kwak Soohwan, who had spoken first, froze in shock, then suddenly scooped Seokhwa up in his arms.

“Wow, you’re really trying to kill me here.”

After the long journey, Seokhwa had been worn out, and Kwak Soohwan had been suppressing his own desires. But now, Seokhwa himself had lifted the lid off those restraints.

Seokhwa placed both hands on Kwak Soohwan’s cheeks and kissed him, making a soft sound as their lips met and parted.

“Kwak Soohwan has officially died of thirst,” he said, closing his eyes and letting his head fall to the side dramatically. Seokhwa chuckled softly.

“To revive Kwak Soohwan, we need a deep kiss from Dr. Seok,” Kwak Soohwan teased, squinting his eyes and puckering his lips.

“We should get going.”

“We can go after you revive me. Five minutes is enough. Ah, so short,” he whined.

Seokhwa checked his watch, then leaned in close to Kwak Soohwan’s face.

“Five minutes… Should we spend all that time kissing?”

As Seokhwa whispered, Kwak Soohwan’s mouth curved into a smile.

***

It was the same day they had returned from Gwacheon with the Eden vaccine, the same day Seokhwa had allowed him to kiss him. That was also the day Dr. Seok, sensitive to pleasure, had clung to him, treating him like a muscle patch.

As the kiss deepened and Kwak Soohwan had moved to suck on Seokhwa’s small, cute nipples, he had gotten fully aroused. The tension between rationality and emotion had been palpable, but the memory was still vivid.

Seokhwa’s face was slightly flushed, as if he, too, was recalling that moment.

“I had no idea that Dr. Seok, the stone-faced one, had such a wild side,” Kwak Soohwan teased.

Seokhwa kissed him to stop the teasing. By now, Seokhwa could find Kwak Soohwan’s lips with his eyes closed. As a small tongue slipped into his mouth, Kwak Soohwan eagerly sucked it in. He bit down gently, making Seokhwa tremble.

The feeling of his now-swollen groin pressing against his abdomen wasn’t much, but Kwak Soohwan quickly became hard too. He wanted nothing more than to lay Seokhwa down on the backseat of the Jeep and go at it, but Seokhwa was already tired just from the kiss. Still, Seokhwa clung to him, pulling him closer as their tongues danced in each other’s mouths.

Though they had said five minutes, the minute hand of the clock had already passed five steps long ago. Time always moved at the same pace, but whenever Seokhwa kissed or slept with him, it felt like time disappeared in an instant.

“Ha… Let’s wrap up and head home. To our place.”

Seokhwa finally managed to bring the endless kiss to an end. Still, he gently wiped Kwak Soohwan’s wet lips with his hand. Then, with a quick peck, Kwak Soohwan kissed Seokhwa again.

“Seokhwa hyung, can’t you develop some kind of teleportation technology?”

“…Biologically impossible. To teleport, we’d have to transmit every single one of our cells—”

Before Seokhwa could finish his serious explanation, Kwak Soohwan cut him off with another quick kiss.

“I was speaking figuratively.”

Seokhwa abandoned his line of thought and hugged him again, signaling for him to put him down. But instead, Kwak Soohwan gently placed him into the passenger seat.

As Seokhwa watched him buckle the seatbelt, he found himself wishing, though it was impossible, that teleportation technology truly existed. He reached out and brushed Kwak Soohwan’s hair aside, and Kwak Soohwan kissed his palm in response. Pressing his lips deeper against the palm, Kwak Soohwan grinned mischievously.

His half-closed eyes had a seductive glint, clearly trying to provoke him. Seokhwa knew this but pretended not to notice, lightly clenching his fist. The part of his hand that had felt Kwak Soohwan’s breath stayed warm for a long time.

***

The God’s Fortress was in chaos after Guillaume’s escape. No one knew why Guillaume had stolen the vaccine or what was in the vials. Only the high-ranking military officers and members of the council were privy to the information; the general public remained in the dark.

When Kwak Soohwan and Seokhwa returned, a meeting was already underway in the cathedral. The attendees were most concerned about the condition of the soldier who had been bitten by Adam. Kwak Soohwan nodded to Federico, who was nearby. As Federico moved behind him, Kwak Soohwan strode to the head of the table and slapped his hand down loudly. Seokhwa took a seat in a chair a little way off.

“I am Lieutenant General Kwak Soohwan from Rainbow City.”

Without any further instructions, Federico immediately began translating for him.

“We are here to report on the investigation into the missing vaccine from Rainbow City.”

Out of habit, Seokhwa almost clapped but caught himself in time.

“It has been confirmed that one of the mutants originally from Rainbow City has been living here for nearly 15 years and has been taking care of citizens outside the fortress.”

Even the Chiaro knew of the Oscuro who fought against Adam. Although the Oscuro fought to survive, they had ultimately been a great help to the God’s Fortress.

“A mutant from Rainbow City had aligned with Guillaume, which likely led him to believe the vaccine from Rainbow City was fake. Given that the mutant escaped during the Master regime, it’s understandable that he might doubt us. But the Rainbow City of back then and now are completely different.”

Kwak Soohwan paused for a moment, and Federico quickly translated his words.

“As a result of a Rainbow City citizen’s involvement in this incident, we will compensate for the swapped vaccines. The liquid in the vials was saline solution, so there’s no need to worry.”

The expressions of those attending the council shifted rapidly. Some clenched their fists at the mention of compensation, while others, like the Messiah Na Seohan, remained serious. When Na Seohan raised his hand, Kwak Soohwan granted him permission to speak.

“May we handle Guillaume in our own way?”

Regardless of Guillaume’s motivations for acting in his people’s interest, violating the rules of the fortress was a serious offense. The strict rules of the fortress had kept it functional despite overcrowding.

“I don’t care how you deal with him.”

“We will ensure that the vaccines Guillaume stole are recovered.”

At Na Seohan’s words, Seokhwa raised his hand.

“The vaccines are close to expiring, so even if you find them, please don’t administer them.”

Originally, they had planned to retrieve the vaccines after locating Guillaume’s hideout, but it would have been a waste of time. This was an issue for the people of the fortress, not Rainbow City, to resolve.

“In that case, we will also deal with the mutant who caused unrest between our fortress and Rainbow City.”

A Chief, without permission to speak, suddenly raised his voice. Kwak Soohwan shot him a sharp glance.

“The Oscuro don’t need to follow your rules, so punishing a mutant from Rainbow City is unjust.”

“Then shouldn’t we send him back to the city?”

At the Chief’s words, Na Seohan and several council members’ expressions hardened. The number of Adams the mutant had confined in the Colosseum’s underground was countless. The mutant Oscuro had also been responsible for periodic fires for pest control and wall repairs. Without him, the Oscuros’ dissatisfaction might have escalated to the point where they attacked the fortress long ago.

“That’s his decision to make, not mine.”

“Arrest him! Isn’t all of this the mutant’s fault? Ultimately, I believe the responsibility lies with Rainbow City!”

The Chief, sensing an advantage, grew more aggressive. Had Kwak Soohwan not said anything, this would have been solely Guillaume’s problem. Everyone in the room knew this. That’s why the Chief’s statement made everyone tense.

“All responsibility, you say? Fine. Did we create the Adam virus?”

“Of course not!”

“But we created the vaccine. At least I’m trying to resolve this humanely. Everyone knows that it was because of the mutant from the city that balance was maintained here and outside the fortress.”

“Promise us 15,000 vaccines, and we’ll consider the matter closed.”

For the first time, Kwak Soohwan smiled broadly.

“This guy—where did he learn diplomacy?”

The room fell silent at Kwak Soohwan’s rough tone.

“Hey, did you leave your vaccines with me?” Kwak Soohwan asked, glaring at the Chief, who now looked too shocked to respond properly.

“You’re going too far!”

The Chief slammed the table in anger, making Seokhwa flinch at the loud sound.

“Don’t cross the line. Next time, it won’t just be a warning.”

The Chief, his face red with fury, couldn’t hold back anymore, enraged by the young man’s insolence. Federico inhaled sharply, too stunned to translate, though it was clear from the tone that the words were an insult. The Chief looked around at the council members, veins bulging in his neck.

“I’ll correct myself. If you demote that bastard to a regular soldier, I’ll triple the promised vaccines.”

At Kwak Soohwan’s remark, all eyes turned to the Chief. His face flushed red as he shouted in outrage, claiming they didn’t need the vaccines and that Guillaume’s vaccine swap couldn’t be trusted, while accusing the mutant of stabbing them in the back.

Seokhwa, sitting behind Kwak Soohwan, watched nervously, fearing that the Chief’s face might soon meet Kwak Soohwan’s fist. If that happened, not even Kwak Soohwan, as Rainbow City’s Lieutenant General, could prevent a disaster. Seokhwa decided to stay alert and call for Kwak Soohwan if things got out of hand.

Na Seohan raised his voice, overpowering the Chief’s shouting.

Raising one’s voice in anger was a violation of the rules. The Chief, on the verge of a breakdown, barely managed to control his rage. Na Seohan, now speaking calmly, continued.

As Na Seohan proposed the idea, the council members exchanged glances before nodding in agreement.

The Chief was the only one still raging.