Chapter 10: The Hearing

Seon-ho asked about the complaint on Thursday night, in the car, and got four sentences.

"I filed it the morning after the first night. Before the wall. I wanted you away from me."

"And now?"

"The Association won't let a complaint be withdrawn except in person at the hearing."

"Then withdraw it in person."

Tae-hwan looked out the window.

"I'll be there," he said.

It was not an answer.

The hearing room was in the basement of the Association building in Jongno.

It had a long table, three board members in gray, and fluorescent lights that hummed.

Inspector Go sat at the end with his clipboard.

Da-bin sat in the front row in her best white coat, pushing up her glasses every ten seconds.

Seon-ho stood at a small wooden stand in his clean smock and felt every eye on him.

"Baek Seon-ho," said the chair of the board, a heavy woman with half-moon glasses.

"Rank E. Day-labor healer. You are charged with treating an S-rank hunter without a license or a supervisor."

"I didn't know that was a charge," Seon-ho said. "He was bleeding. Nobody else would touch him."

"The rule exists for a reason."

"I'm sure it does. I washed his chest, and it stopped."

A low murmur went around the room.

"Show us," said a thin man on the left.

Seon-ho blinked.

"Now?"

"If your method works, demonstrate it."

The thin man pushed a small steel tray across the table.

On it lay a splinter of black glass, an inch long, wet with someone's blood.

A staff member in the corner held out a bandaged finger.

Seon-ho washed his hands, took the staff member's finger, and put his palm over it.

The green light rose.

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