"Really? Yeah, I guess he wouldn't do that otherwise."

"It's all for show. It's just politics. If he becomes famous, the politicians will…"

Jaehwan wanted to burst in anger. He wanted to shout to the people or at the doctor himself.

'Why are you still here? You had everything in this world and you adapted better than anyone in this world. Why are you being treated like that there?'

But Jaehwan did not speak. He couldn't. He didn't know why. Maybe there was still something missing within him. Instead, he just looked silently at the doctor. He shouted and kept on reinforcing the tower.

The cold winter laid shallow ice on the floor. He saw Seoyul blowing on her hands. Yoonhwan, who had a light jacket, spoke grumpily.

"Hey, how long are you going to stay here? I'm sure you aren't here to look at that."

"I'm here to look at that."

"Huh? Why?"

"There's something I need to know."

Yoonhwan looked confused but Jaehwan did not answer. He didn't have any answer. He didn't know what he wanted to know, or what he didn't know. Time pa.s.sed and the weather got colder. But strangely, enough, the number of protesters was increasing. Was it a large protest day? There were protests surrounding Jaehwan and his friends now.

"WAAAAAH!"

"PUSH THEM!"

Jaehwan was then pushed by people coming from the back. Yoonhwan and Seoyul screamed as they were pulled away. Shouts came from everywhere. It became even more serious as police came against to block the protesters from advancing.

Jaehwan couldn't understand any word that anyone said. There were too many shouts from all over the place. Police were barely holding back the line and fights broke out everywhere, with reporters busily trying to capture what is going on.

And in the middle of everything, the doctor was shouting alone.

"Everyone! You must realize it!"

It was a strange sight. The doctor continuously shouted words that no one listened to. Why? What meaning did it have? Jaehwan found himself shouting at the doctor.

Stop! Stop it now!

No one listens to you anymore!

No matter how hard you try, the voice will not be heard by the people!

However, Jaehwan's voice was swept away by the protesters shouting. As the protesting became intense, the number of people b.u.mping into the tower increased. The cement began to crack and the old rugged metal construct began to twist.

The tower was falling down.

Some people were shocked, but that was it. Most only cared about advancing. The doctor was barely holding onto the tower, trying to keep himself from falling down. But it looked helpless, as if he would fall in any second.

Why? Why wasn't anyone trying to help?

Jaehwan shouted at the people. But no one looked at him. No one saved the doctor.

People stood there like trees that had deep roots in the ground. They were like trees that just stood there, waiting for the sun to come. Trees with slight movement would kill themselves.

Jaehwan bit his lips.

Why?

A group of women shouted for women rights, a group of laborers who shouted for labor rights, college organizations protested to lower the tuition costs, and the police blocked all of them. No one looked at the doctor. They acted as if the doctor did not even exist.

That's when Jaehwan realized.

'Ah…'

It was a sad and powerful realization.

The reason why no one was trying to save the doctor was because the doctor was not a 'man of this world'.

To them, the doctor was beyond their understanding and was cast out. To them, the doctor was invisible. They were together, but as if the doctor was in a parallel universe, he wasn't here.

Only Jaehwan was looking at the doctor.

Jaehwan then began to move.

"Jaehwan! NO!"

He saw Yoonhwan who caught up, trying to stop Jaehwan from moving out, but Jaehwan pulled Yoonhwan's hand away and walked forward.

Just a little more.

Just as if he pushed away into an impossible way, he pushed past the people. He pushed and pushed. There were people cursing or hitting him, but Jaehwan took in everything to walk forward.

And finally.

He was at the place where the doctor had fallen.

Jaehwan brought the doctor up. He was opening his eye faintly. His eye shook for a second and faintly smiled.

"…Jaehwan. You finally came."

Jaehwan looked down at the doctor. What should he say? After many tries, Jaehwan was barely able to speak. But it wasn't what he wanted to ask.

"Who are you?"

Jaehwan still asked anyway.

"You knew about the tower from the beginning, didn't you?"

"…"

"Chunghuh? Cayman? Karlton? Runald? Or Jay? Who are you? WHO ARE YOU! Why did you do all this…"

Doctor shook his head silently.

"If I tell you who I am, will you believe me?"

Jaehwan became lost for words. Doctor laughed as he bled from his mouth.

"Yes. Maybe I am Chunghuh. He was a doctor there, so maybe I am Chunghuh."

"…"

"Or maybe I am Karlton. Just like he had law book, I always had books with me."

"Wait…"

"Maybe I am Runald. Because I may be your only Follower right now."