A strange tremble emanated from the blue eyes, infusing his voice.
“Cha Han-gyeom….”
The breath carrying the tremble touched Han-gyeom’s skin. However, Seo Won did not say anything further. As if he could not speak, as if he should not….. He merely kissed quietly.
Han-gyeom felt a sense of curiosity about Seo Won’s unusual behavior but inexplicably thought that he should not intervene. It felt as if touching Seo Won would cause the fragile pieces barely holding him together to fall away, one by one, like thin ice.
‘Are you worried? About him?’
Han-gyeom chastised himself as he felt the passionate breath against his lips.
‘It’s none of your business. Don’t concern yourself.’
He closed his eyes tightly, as if trying to ignore it, and focused solely on the guiding. Seo Won, feeling the sweet guiding filling him, slowly closed his eyes like Han-gyeom. He thought he could now guess the meaning behind this desperate guiding.
***
After that day, Han-gyeom had recovered enough to no longer be bedridden.
“Fortunately, he said there’s nothing wrong today either. He told you to make sure to eat your meals on time,” said Ah-young, returning with a smile after seeing off Director Shin.
Han-gyeom, who was sitting on the bed, smiled back at her.
“Ah-young takes such good care of my meals,” he replied.
“But you leave more than half of it, that’s the problem, right?” she retorted.
“Forcing myself to eat when I’m not hungry is stressful too,” Han-gyeom countered.
Unable to argue, Ah-young scratched her cheek and approached him with quick steps.
“You must have been very uncomfortable. Starting tomorrow, regular staff will be here full-time to assist you, so you don’t need to be nervous,” she said.
Han-gyeom slightly turned his head away from Ah-young’s pitying gaze. Ever since he regained consciousness, he had been examined by Director Shin daily. It was necessary to have his abilities to thoroughly check areas that ordinary doctors might miss. Han-gyeom understood this, but the sensation of his nerves prickling with tension was truly unwelcome.
‘It’s been particularly bad since I woke up.’
Even before, being near an Esper would make his nerves sharp. He had to sell guiding to make a living, so he endured and adapted to some extent. However, for some reason, his nerves were now as on edge as they used to be.
It felt like the time when he had escaped the ruined research facility grounds.
Recalling that moment, Han-gyeom clenched the bedsheet in his fist, trying to maintain a composed expression.
“Thank you for your concern,” he said, glancing at the bedroom door.
Beyond that door, four guards, all non-Esper, were stationed. Although they were not Esper, their skill level must be considerable to be assigned to guard the bedroom. This arrangement was a clear consideration from Seo Won. It allowed Ah-young to move freely in and out of the room to check on Han-gyeom, rather than being confined to guarding the outside. The reason for using only non-Esper was obvious without asking.
Thanks to this, Ah-young spent more time in the room, checking on Han-gyeom and keeping him company.
Han-gyeom lowered his voice and asked Ah-young, “How much time is left? Time to contact Kang Woo-chan.”
It was a very soft whisper. He had a rough idea of where the listening devices were placed, so he was confident that this level of sound would not be picked up.
Ah-young checked the time on her phone.
“Yes, 7 minutes left. But should I also pass on the message from Executive Director Seo?” Ah-young looked troubled.
Seo Won was aware that Kang Woo-chan and Ah-young were still in regular contact, and he even knew the method they used. Yet, he had made no accusations or demands and simply requested a meeting with Kang Woo-chan. Han-gyeom was still debating whether to comply with this request.
After a moment of thought, Han-gyeom held out his hand to Ah-young.
“I’ll talk to him,” he said.
“Okay,” Ah-young agreed, untying her hairband and handing it to Han-gyeom. Her wavy hair, marked with the imprint of the tie, cascaded down her back.
Shortly after Han-gyeom wrapped Ah-young’s hairband around his wrist like a bracelet, he heard Kang Woo-chan’s voice in his mind.
—Long time no see, Han-gyeom. I guess you don’t want to exchange pleasantries, right?
Kang Woo-chan seemed to have anticipated that it would be Han-gyeom on the line, not Ah-young. Despite their short acquaintance, he had already grasped much of Han-gyeom’s personality and style.
As Kang Woo-chan expected, Han-gyeom was not one for unnecessary small talk.
‘Seo Won wants to meet you.’
—Hmm… Looks like Ah-young’s communication method has been discovered.
Kang Woo-chan deduced immediately.
—I don’t want to cause any trouble for you both. Tell him I’m available anytime, anywhere.
Kang Woo-chan responded, surprisingly compliant. It was likely out of concern for Ah-young, who was still in the mansion, but his use of “you both” suggested he was also worried about Han-gyeom, perhaps fearing that Seo Won might take out his frustration on him if the request was denied.
‘Since he didn’t tell me directly, he probably wants something from you.’ Han-gyeom added.
Kang Woo-chan paused briefly before chuckling.
—I have a few ideas about what he might want.
‘What do you mean?’
Woo-chan replied as if it were nothing,.
—You’ll find out when you meet him, and I’ll share the details with you, so don’t worry.
‘That would be helpful.’
Woo-chan fell silent again. This time, it seemed like he sighed.
—Don’t say things like that so easily.
‘What do you mean?’
—Saying thank you.
‘Why not?’ Han-gyeom asked again, still not understanding.
Woo-chan answered, seemingly troubled.
—I’m not someone you should be thanking.
The self-reproach in his telepathic message was palpable.
‘If you do something kind, it’s natural to say thank you,’ Han-gyeom insisted.
—Do you say that to Seo Won too?
‘What?’
Han-gyeom flinched at the sudden mention of Seo Won’s name. Ah-young, who had been watching them curiously, widened her eyes and tilted her head, clearly puzzled about their conversation.
Han-gyeom focused on Woo-chan’s voice in his mind, ignoring Ah-young’s gaze.
—I mean, do you thank Seo Won when he does something kind?
The simple answer would be no. Han-gyeom had never thanked Seo Won, despite numerous opportunities. Whether Seo Won granted a request, saved him from danger, or rushed to his side during a seizure, Han-gyeom had never felt grateful.
—I know you don’t. He’s your enemy, after all.
Woo-chan was right. Seo Won was Han-gyeom’s enemy, someone he should hate and resent. There was no need to feel grateful for any kindness from such a person. At least, that’s what Han-gyeom told himself.
Woo-chan, sensing Han-gyeom’s turmoil, gently reassured him.
—I’ve hurt you too. So, when people like us try to help, don’t feel grateful. Just accept it as your due.
Han-gyeom was genuinely perplexed. While Woo-chan had caused him pain, it wasn’t comparable to the depth of his resentment towards Seo Won. Yet, Woo-chan insisted on rejecting his gratitude.
—You’re too kind for your own good.
Woo-chan said, his voice tinged with laughter and reproach.
Han-gyeom responded with feigned seriousness.
‘Everyone who calls me kind turns out to be anything but normal.’
—You’re right, you are kind. It’s just that the world is crazy, so there are no normal people left.
Han-gyeom couldn’t deny Woo-chan’s sigh-filled words. In a world where the distinction between normal and abnormal was blurred, it was impossible to judge who was truly sane.
After a moment of bitterness, Woo-chan’s voice came through again.
—Is that all for today? The request to meet Seo Won?
‘No, I have a favor to ask too,’ Han-gyeom replied, pausing to gather his thoughts. Woo-chan waited patiently.
‘I need you to check the last organ extraction record of E_NO.17 from the Fourth Ability Analysis Research Facility,’ Han-gyeom said slowly, his hand trembling as he clutched the sheet. His knuckles turned white with the effort, the hand appearing as lifeless as a corpse.
‘Confirm if the client was indeed the intended recipient,’ Han-gyeom added.
***
Thirty minutes had passed since the telepathic connection ended. Woo-chan sat deep in thought, holding the pendant he used to communicate with Ah-young.
‘E_NO.17… Song Yeon-woo’s last organ extraction record…’
He knew what that record contained and who the recipient was. Han-gyeom’s request to investigate meant something was amiss, something crucial to Han-gyeom. The organ extraction had pushed the Imprinted to the brink of ‘disposal.’
‘The problem is how to infiltrate the Esper Association and retrieve the information…’
Lost in thought, Woo-chan was startled when a young man burst into the room. He was one of the Esper on morning watch duty.
“W-Woo-chan!” the young man stammered, pointing towards the door.
“What’s wrong?” Woo-chan asked, tense.
Before the young man could explain, a familiar voice interrupted, “Mind if I come in?”
To Woo-chan’s shock, Seo Won stood in the doorway of their ever-changing hideout, unannounced and unexpected.
“I heard you were available anytime, anywhere. So, I thought I’d drop by,” Seo Won said casually, as if his presence was the most natural thing in the world.
