Nuclear

"How is Dad?" Dirgan asked.

"He's fine," said his bodyguard. Dirgan immediately entered the hospital room where Harin's father was being injected with painkillers.

"Dad, do you have twins?" Dirgan asked. Harin's father, startled by this sudden question, shook his head.

"Why all of a sudden?" he asked.

"I..." Dirgan hesitated, unsure how to proceed. He reached into his pocket and saw the medicine bottle – still ten pills remaining. This meant he hadn't taken his medication, and the possibility of what he'd seen was likely a hallucination.

"They seem to be watching Dad," Dirgan said, changing the subject. He was increasingly convinced that this was just a hallucination. The resemblance was uncanny, but it couldn't be Harin.

"After going into hiding, Dad was always followed by the shooter. I thought I had successfully evaded them, but it turns out they found Dad quickly," he said.

"Dad, have you seen the shooter's face?" Dirgan asked. Harin's father shook his head. Dirgan sighed angrily. He often saw his wife everywhere, especially when he forgot to take his medication. But for some reason, this vision felt incredibly real.

Dirgan snorted in annoyance, sat down, and immediately took two of the pills to quell his delusions.

"Are you an addict?" Jason asked.

"Three hours after I realized that Harin and my son did not survive, I became addicted," Dirgan said, a grim smile playing on his lips as he felt the medicine begin to take effect. Harin's father saw the heavy burden of guilt that weighed on Dirgan's shoulders for everything that had happened to Harin and his son.

"I have to check the bullet.," Jason explained.

"I've told Ellam. He'll be here soon. We're waiting for him because he brought a bodyguard for us," Dirgan replied.

Ellam, the awaited arrival, entered the hospital. He gave a code to the guard to alert everyone. They couldn't afford to be careless, as the enemy might try to kill his father again.

Ellam had wanted to speak with his father after Dirgan explained that his father might know something about the bullet that had killed his sister. Ellam entered the hospital lobby and collided with a small child, who immediately fell to the floor, scattering the child's medication across.

The child was terrified, gasping for breath.

"Nurse!" Ellam cried out, waving his hand at a nurse who quickly approached. Ellam noticed the child's pale face, their labored breathing, and their desperate attempt to reach for their inhaler.

Ellam spontaneously helped the child, spraying the inhaler, which quickly eased the child's breathing.

"Are you okay?!" asked the nurse.

"A—I'm good, Sister," he said, squinting. He looked scared. This child went back to pick up his belongings with the help of Ellam. His hands seemed to be shaking.

"Where are your parents?" asked the Sister. This child did not answer, other than focusing on his belongings.

"Thank you, uncle," he said, bowing respectfully. He immediately ran until he fell again and his belongings were scattered. He picked them up again until Ellam could see his bleeding elbow.

"Hey..." Ellam called softly. This child gasped when Ellam touched him. Ellam also raised his hands as a sign that he would not do anything or hurt him.

"Your elbow is bleeding, your inhaler is also broken," explained Ellam. He saw his inhaler cracked after falling twice.

"Do you have a backup? Just in case your asthma relapses and your parents haven't come yet," said Ellam.

"I'll be fine."

"You said to be fine after running around, falling twice, and your asthma relapses? What if I don't help you?" Ellam retorted. The child didn't say anything. What Ellam said is true.

"Follow the nurse until your parents pick you up," said Ellam.

"The nurse will kidnap me," he said.

"I won't do it," said the nurse. The child shook his head. Ellam rolled her gaze to the other side, where a nurse pressed something in her ear and began to speak suspiciously. It seems that the nurse tried to kidnap him.

"How about coming with me?" bargained Ellam.

"Uncle, are you a bad man?" he asked.

"Uncle will not help you if I'm bad, Uncle Ellam's name," he said. He stretched out his hand to the child who seemed to be considering him.

"Uncle will take care of you until your parents come. Uncle of the public figure," said Ellam. He showed an Ellam video that was interviewed on a television station.

"Wow?! Uncle artist?" he asked.

"Uncle businessman, uncle owns a chocolate shop."

"Really?!" Ellam also took out a pack of mint chocolate from his pocket, which made this child's eyes sparkle. Ellam was always used to having chocolate in his pocket. He liked it when Harin searched all his pockets to find her favorite snack. Even though it has become a memory now.

"But this one, I can't guarantee it's delicious," said Ellam.

"I like mint chocolate. My name is Nathan. I agree to go with uncle," he replied, after making sure that Ellam was indeed not the kidnapper. Nathan received the chocolate. Nathan surprised Ellam; it was rare for a child to like mint chocolate. The two then approached the receptionist to leave a message.

"Sister nurse, can you leave a message for my sister when she comes? I'm with my uncle," said Nathan. The receptionist smiled when she saw this little child carrying a plastic inhaler for asthma sufferers.

"We are in the VVIP six room," added Ellam.

"Of course. If I may know, what is your brother's name?" asked the Receptionist.

"The mermaid," replied Nathan.

"The real name, Nath," said Ellam.

"Hm? But my Sister said if I disappeared. The mermaid who will pick up," explained Nathan. Ellam nodded resignedly.

"If anyone claims to be a mermaid, just show them their room number," said Ellam.

"Good, Sir." Ellam and Nathan rushed to the VVIP room. Nathan cast wary glances around at every step they took together. Ellam could see some bruises on Nathan's body.

"Do you want Uncle to carry you?" Ellam asked.

"Hm?"

"Uncle understands. Uncle has said will take care of you. So don't worry about getting hurt when you're near me," said Ellam.

"Is uncle a hero?" Nathan asked. Ellam laughed gently as he lifted Nathan, who seemed much calmer in his arms.

"Uncle was also chased by kidnappers several times," said Ellam.

"Really?!"

"Yes, I have a younger sister. We both used to run away, even while eating until we vomited. It was scary," said Ellam.

"Uncle is right," said Nathan. They both arrived in the VVIP room. Dirgan was helping Harin's father walk to the bathroom.

"Ellam?" he asked.

"Who else?" Ellam replied coldly. He gently placed Nathan on the sofa. "I found him in the lobby. He was almost kidnapped by someone disguised as a nurse. I brought him here. So, until his parents arrive, we'll stay here," Ellam explained, not even glancing at his father. Despite the long absence, the coldness remained.

Ellam focused on Nathan, who was captivated by the ice cream in front of him. Ellam pushed Dirgan's bucket of ice cream towards Nathan, who chuckled as Ellam nodded encouragingly, prompting him to devour the ice cream with gusto.

"Unfortunately, you're adding this to your workload," Dirgan remarked. Ellam typically disliked anything that added to his responsibilities.

"Coincidentally, Nathan reminds me of myself as a child. The fear we both experienced is the same," he replied.

"Thank you for—"

"I came here to pick up Dirgan and assist you, primarily because you possess information about my sister's assassins. No need to say anything, because you are not my purpose," Ellam interrupted.

"Come on..." Dirgan invited, understanding Ellam's reluctance to engage in conversation with his dad. They entered the bathroom, and Ellam couldn't help but smile as he watched Nathan mix the ice cream with the mint chocolate, a habit Harin used to enjoy.

"You remind me of someone," Ellam said.

"Is she as sweet as me?" Ellam's laughter held a tinge of sadness as he observed Nathan's resemblance to his sister. Tears welled up in his eyes. He missed her dearly.

"Yes... very sweet," Ellam confirmed.

"Did she die?" Nathan inquired.

"How do you know?" Ellam asked, his voice trembling.

"Because Uncle looks sad," Nathan commented with a touching smile. Their conversation was interrupted by a knock on the door. Ellam cautiously opened the door to look at the nurse who had greeted him earlier.

"Sir, the 'mermaid' is looking for a six-year-old boy named Nathan," the nurse announced.

"Your sister has arrived," Ellam informed Nathan, opening the door wider. As he approached Nathan, who was about to leave. "Hello, Sir. I'm very thankful for taking care of him," she said. The familiar voice stopped Ellam. He turned to see a woman standing in the doorway, her voice resonating with a haunting familiarity. Ellam's heart pounded violently as he beheld the woman he had longed for all this time.

"Ellam, how long until his parents arrive—" Dirgan's voice trailed off as he too froze upon seeing the woman who bore an uncanny resemblance to his wife. Nathan's sister was visibly shocked to see the man the man who almost shot him before he came here earlier. She immediately drew her gun, aiming it at Dirgan. Simultaneously, Ellam pulled out his own weapon.

"Sister!" Nathan cried out in fear. Ellam blocked Nathan's path, preventing him from approaching his Sister.

"Let go of my brother," Harin demanded.

"You... you don't know us?" Ellam questioned.

"I've never seen you before, except the man who messed up my mission earlier."

To Be Continued...