That day, he fully realized his feelings for Lee Haru. It was also the day he understood—down to his bones—that he could no longer live a normal life without Lee Haru.
Unconsciously, Yu Je-hyun reached out and cupped Lee Haru’s cheek, as if to confirm once more that he was truly there beside him.
“I think all of this happened because I wanted it so badly. So…”
Lee Haru leaned into Yu Je-hyun’s palm with a soft smile.
“For my training… I’d like you to go a bit farther away.”
To trigger his instincts, he needed to be in danger—but he knew Yu Je-hyun would never allow that. The moment the idea crossed his mind, he pushed it aside.
The only way he could train safely was by using Yu Je-hyun.
Just like the second time he had used his ability—when the desire to see him had become overpowering—he figured that same intensity of longing might awaken his power again.
It was only a hypothesis, but there was reason behind it. His feelings had grown even deeper since then, so surely his yearning would be even stronger now.
Of course, they spent time together every single day now—and even lived together—so he was a bit worried about whether that same intensity could still arise. But as far as Lee Haru could tell, this was the best method available to him at the moment.
“You don’t want me to tell you where I’m going—just that I go, right?”
“Yes. That way, I’ll be able to move toward you.”
As the two talked, a training instructor who had been quietly listening stepped into the room.
“It’s a solid plan, but since there’s some risk involved, how about trying it here first? Instead of leaving, Esper Yu Je-hyun can move around inside the training room, and Guide Lee Haru can be blindfolded.”
They were currently in Training Room 1—the largest in the facility.
It was so massive it looked like two entire sports fields had been merged into one. Given the space, it made sense to run the training here first, just as the instructor suggested.
“Sounds good. Then just the blindfold, please.”
“One moment.”
Once Lee Haru agreed, the instructor quickly brought over a jet-black blindfold. Lee Haru took a deep breath and covered his eyes.
The instructor left the room again so the two could concentrate fully.
“I’m going to start moving. Count to thirty, then try using your ability.”
“Okay.”
Yu Je-hyun gently patted Lee Haru’s hair before heading to the farthest corner of the room.
As he watched Lee Haru standing there with a blindfold on, an unexpected excitement stirred in him.
With most of his pale face covered, his rounded nose and full lips stood out even more.
We should try blindfolded sex sometime.
Completely unaware of what Yu Je-hyun was thinking, Lee Haru was recalling their memories together, trying to stir up that intense longing to see him.
We’re far apart right now. I want to see him, but I can’t. Or maybe… should I imagine that Esper Yu Je-hyun is missing?
Realistic scenarios began to take shape in his mind. Even though it was all just pretend, his nose began to sting.
Now that Zero was gone, there was no longer a clear threat to them—but Yu Je-hyun was still being dispatched to dangerous sites almost every day.
Even though he was an S-rank Esper, he wasn’t invincible. Hadn’t Lee Haru already once seen him on the brink of death?
The image of him lying motionless and pale came rushing back, and Lee Haru sniffled.
What the—why is he crying?
Watching him suddenly sniffle, Yu Je-hyun wondered if he should go to him right now and comfort him.
Was he scared of the training? Then again, while Lee Haru was terrified of ghosts, he was actually quite brave in other ways—so Yu Je-hyun wasn’t sure what to think.
As he flicked his fingers, ready to dash to him at any moment, the fantasy playing out in Lee Haru’s head had already grown more vivid.
What if Esper Yu Je-hyun is dying right now… I need to get to him and Guide him…
The deeper he sank into the thought, the clearer the image became—Yu Je-hyun collapsed on the floor, bleeding just like that day.
Please… I miss Esper Yu Je-hyun so much…
Even knowing he was right there in the room, the fantasy felt vividly real. With nothing but darkness in front of him, it was easy to stay immersed.
That was when he felt it—his body lifting off the ground. Lee Haru let the magic take over.
The moment he thought he heard the faint rustle of wind, he felt himself enveloped in a familiar embrace.
“Lee Haru, I think you might be a genius. I didn’t expect you to pull it off on the first try.”
The voice above his head was unmistakable. Lee Haru pulled off the blindfold covering his face.
His eyes, misty with tears, met a handsome face smiling back at him.
“But why were you crying? Were you scared of the training, or did you start imagining weird stuff again?”
The more time they spent together, the better they came to understand one another.
To Yu Je-hyun, Lee Haru sometimes seemed like a daydreamer, with a vivid imagination that never quit. Whenever he stared off into space, it was almost guaranteed he was lost in some fantastical scenario.
Even his fear of ghosts likely stemmed from that same imagination. All he had to do was think, Ghosts don’t exist, and that would be the end of it—but instead, he’d look at a shadowy corner and wonder, What if there’s a ghost standing there?
“When I imagined you in danger, my body just moved on its own.”
Even he thought it was a little odd to be crying over an imaginary situation, so Lee Haru wiped at his eyes with his hand.
Thankfully, the tears had only lightly moistened the corners of his eyes. Yu Je-hyun gently brushed the reddened skin with his thumb and clicked his tongue.
“Stop rubbing your eyes. They’re already swollen.”
They were already sensitive from the night before—he had cried the whole time they had sex. Yu Je-hyun had applied a healing potion first thing that morning, and the swelling had gone down, but now it was flushed red again, just like at dawn.
“It’ll go down soon. But more importantly… I really did succeed just now, right?”
“Yeah, you did. Didn’t I say so? I think you’re a genius.”
He didn’t mean in terms of combat, but when it came to using abilities, Lee Haru had incredible instincts.
Since he’d pulled it off on the first try, once he got the hang of it, teleporting from place to place in an instant probably wouldn’t be difficult at all.
“I want to try it again. This time, once I put on the blindfold, you move somewhere else right away.”
“Alright, alright. But if it gets too exhausting, stop immediately. It’s the first day—there’s no need to push yourself.”
“Got it.”
Lee Haru gave a halfhearted response as he pulled the blindfold, which had been hanging loosely around his neck, back over his eyes. Darkness engulfed his vision.
Yu Je-hyun let out a quiet sigh at his eager determination and this time walked to the opposite wall.
With his arms crossed, he waited. A few minutes later, Lee Haru appeared right in front of him in an instant.
Feeling the warmth of the arms wrapping around him, Lee Haru immediately knew he had succeeded again. Excited, he pulled off the blindfold and clapped his hands.
“I really am a genius. This is insane.”
“You were even faster this time.”
Yu Je-hyun felt proud too. Though… seeing Lee Haru looking up at him with flushed cheeks, just like when they had sex, had already left his lower half aching with tension.
Oblivious to Yu Je-hyun’s current state, Lee Haru eagerly urged him to continue.
“Let’s train some more.”
“Can’t we just go home now? We did get our Imprint results today, after all.”
Yu Je-hyun coaxed him with a gentle tone. Now that he knew Lee Haru could teleport, there was no rush. They could train tomorrow. Or the day after.
They had more than enough time for training.
But today—the day they learned the results of their Imprint—was a once-in-a-lifetime moment.
He gently stroked Lee Haru’s cheek and put on a sorrowful expression. He saw Haru bite down softly on his lower lip.
One more thing he’d learned: Lee Haru always wavered whenever he looked sad. Like a gentle herbivore pitying a fierce predator.
“Then… just three more times. I still don’t fully have the feel for it yet. If I do it a few more times, I think I’ll be able to move instantly on command.”
“Alright.”
Three times—at their current pace, it would all be done in ten minutes. It was better to wait than drag Lee Haru home now and deal with the sulking afterward.
Of course, believing it would only take ten more minutes… turned out to be wishful thinking.
