UNKNOWN GUEST

#74 Coming Home

As I finished packing up my things, I heard footsteps approaching the door, and a soft knock. Dr. Cho stepped into the room – her room – and stopped in her tracks when she saw me fully dressed and ready. She raised an eyebrow, amused. "I thought you'd need more time," she teased.

I shook my head, adjusting my bag on my shoulder. "Nope, I'm all set."

She nodded, though a hint of surprise lingered in her expression. "Okay then. I'll drop you off at your hotel on my way to the lab."

I hesitated for a moment, feeling a little uncertain about what to say next. "Actually..." I paused, catching her gaze. "You should drop me off at your lab instead. Stark's going to be landing soon."

Her face fell slightly as the realization hit her. "You're leaving?"

I exhaled, nodding slowly. "Yeah. I'm done hiding. Sooner or later, I have to face her... no point in delaying it anymore."

Dr. Cho bit her lip, her eyes flickering with concern. "Jason, if it's too much for you—"

I cut her off gently, offering her a small smile. "I'll be okay."

She nodded in reluctant agreement, her shoulders sagging a bit in defeat. "Alright... let's go."

I followed her downstairs, where she informed her family that I'd be leaving. They didn't seem too surprised – I guess they knew my stay was brief. I took a breath, turning to face Mr. and Mrs. Cho. "Sorry if it sounds odd but... Ttatteuthan... hwandae jeongmal... gamsadeurimnida," I said, fumbling a bit with the pronunciation.

Both of them chuckled warmly at my attempt. Mr. Cho smiled, "Good try. You did well."

I smiled back, bowing slightly out of respect. "Goodbye, Mr. and Mrs. Cho." Then, I turned to the elder sitting by the side. "Goodbye, ma'am."

Grandma Cho, without looking directly at me, muttered under her breath, "Grandma was better."

I couldn't help but laugh, shaking my head. "Alright, goodbye, Grandma."

Lastly, I turned to Hana, giving her a wave. "Bye."

She waved back with a cheeky smile, "See ya."

With a nod to the family, I followed Dr. Cho out of the house.

As we drove through the quiet streets, the atmosphere in the car felt thick with unspoken thoughts. Dr. Cho was unusually silent, and I could feel the weight of her unasked questions hanging in the air. After a few minutes, we came to a stop at a red light, and she finally broke the silence with a soft sigh.

"I thought... you'd want to stay a few more days," she said, her voice low and thoughtful.

I nodded, mirroring her sigh. "Yeah... I thought the same at first. But I changed my mind."

She forced a chuckle, her eyes staying ahead on the road. "You know, I actually bought tickets. I was planning to take you to Namsan Tower this evening."

That made me smile. I glanced over at her, trying to ease the mood. "Well, let's just postpone that for now."

She rolled her eyes at me playfully as the traffic light turned green, and we continued on. The silence returned, but it wasn't as heavy this time. Still, there was something on her mind. After another stretch of quiet, she spoke again, more serious this time.

"I wanted to ask you something... but I forgot until now."

"Go ahead," I said, curious.

She hesitated before continuing, her fingers gripping the steering wheel just a little tighter. "I noticed something when you were unconscious. Your heartbeat... it's faster than normal. Faster than any regular human's."