# Chapter 31
## 11. I don’t know why these guys are acting like this
It might not have been the police who took Youngwoo.
Just that thought alone made my spine shiver. It was a fear that wasn’t clearly about worrying for Youngwoo or worrying about those who took him.
“Jaeha, you go up first with Dorim.”
Dojoon stepped forward in place of Jaeha, who had turned pale.
“Huh? But…”
“I understand it’s difficult, but since this is urgent, please give your statement.”
When the police officer spoke to Jaeha, Dojoon subtly blocked him with his body.
“I also witnessed it, so I’ll do it.”
While the police’s view was blocked, Jiho quickly approached Jaeha and asked which floor his home was on. Jaeha answered the apartment number without thinking and instantly arrived at home with Dorim in his arms.
“Whoa?”
“Are you okay, Sunbae?”
Jiho quickly pulled Jaeha close as he staggered from the suddenly changed surroundings. Confused at first, Jaeha looked at Jiho with amazement.
“Your ability is seriously no joke. Can you go anywhere?”
“I’m not really sure about that. I just thought about wanting to go to the place you told me about. Did we come to the right place?”
“Yeah, this is my home.”
Entering the familiar space, Jaeha took off his shoes with a more relaxed expression. Seeing this, Jiho seemed to realize something and stood in the middle of the living room as he took off his shoes and held them in his hand.
While Jaeha went to the bedroom to lay down the sleeping Dorim, Jiho pulled out some wet wipes and cleaned the shoe marks on the floor. Jaeha came out holding Dorim’s shoes and was impressed by Jiho’s quick cleaning, which showed he was used to being in other people’s homes.
“No wonder they call you octopus legs. You’re so detailed.”
“Sunbae, your jealousy is cute—”
“If you want me to throw away my gratitude, keep talking.”
Jaeha was frowning as if disgusted, but then looked puzzled at Jiho who was breaking into a cold sweat.
“Why do you suddenly look like that?”
“Ah, I don’t really like the police much.”
“They don’t arrest people for cheating, you know.”
“I’ve had girlfriends with police officer brothers, so…”
Jaeha was about to nod, thinking maybe Jiho felt guilty despite not having committed a crime, but Jiho’s excessively troubled appearance seemed suspicious.
“Are you really okay?”
“Well… I usually show off in front of girlfriends but not in front of other guys. But since you’re not my girlfriend yet…”
With an expression that seemed to say “what am I supposed to do with that?”, Jaeha watched as Jiho smiled despite his cold sweat.
“I feel like I’m going to die. Moving two people at once to an unfamiliar place is much harder than usual.”
Realizing that the cause was moving to his home, Jaeha felt a pang of guilt and pointed to the sofa.
“Sit down for a bit before you go. You look like you might collapse.”
“Actually, Sunbae.”
Jiho grabbed Jaeha’s outstretched hand and pulled him into a hug. Just as Jiho had expected, hugging Jaeha made his body feel somewhat lighter, as if the gravity that had been doubled was now reduced.
“Ugh, are you going to keep clinging to me?”
“Haah… don’t you feel anything, Sunbae?”
“It’s gross. It gives me goosebumps. It makes my skin crawl.”
“Aw, I don’t mean that.”
Jiho didn’t deny that Jaeha’s expressions could be unpleasant. Jaeha tried to think if there was anything besides the instinctive disgust he felt from Jiho hugging his waist and clinging to his back.
Besides feeling tired from the harsh events of the day, he couldn’t sense anything special. But he felt quite exhausted even though Jiho wasn’t putting any weight on him.
“I’m tired.”
“I feel like my fatigue is flying away when I cling to you, Sunbae.”
“I’m really grateful for today, but save those lines for your girlfriends.”
Feeling Jaeha’s clear discomfort as he sighed deeply and leaned in the opposite direction, Jiho released his hands reluctantly. However, Jiho was still amazed.
“Sunbae.”
“What.”
“I think I really like you.”
“Why bring that up again?”
“It was harder to let go of you than when I was seduced by a D-cup noona. It was so strong that I could have forced—”
“Stop.”
Jiho’s mouth closed immediately at Jaeha’s command. Feeling guilty at how quickly Jiho obeyed, Jaeha opened up honestly.
“Please leave while I still feel grateful to you. I’m really too tired to handle this today.”
He was too mentally drained to dismiss whatever Jiho was saying as nonsense.
Seeing Jaeha sigh and stand far away, Jiho realized his jokes weren’t working and stood up. As Jiho backed down easily again, Jaeha felt even more sorry. He felt bad for just pushing away someone who had saved him just because they were being clingy.
“Thanks for saving me today. I’ll repay you soon.”
“Then let’s have a meal sometime, Sunbae.”
“Sure. That much I can do.”
“I’ll contact you. Since I don’t think you’ll contact me first.”
“Alright, alright.”
Too tired to continue the conversation, Jaeha just responded appropriately and buried his face in his hands. He was planning to rest his eyes briefly from fatigue and waited for Jiho’s response, but it was quiet. Jaeha, feeling his conscience pricking him, tried to raise his energy and looked up.
“Let’s just eat now… Huh?”
Seeing the empty living room, Jaeha was surprised but then remembered that Jiho could teleport. Feeling awkward, Jaeha scratched the back of his neck, but then felt strangely anxious in the too-quiet living room.
The sense of relief he had felt when arriving home was replaced by a vague fear. Jaeha was shocked to find himself starting to tremble.
“What’s going on? Why am I shaking?”
He tried to joke to himself, but even his voice trembled, making it difficult. Then he suddenly realized. He had felt safe before because with Jiho there, he could escape anytime.
If someone like Youngwoo or another person with superpowers appeared and threatened him like before, Jaeha couldn’t do anything. As soon as he realized this, anxiety made it impossible for him to sit still. His mind was filled with thoughts of taking Dorim and running away somewhere.
Ding dong.
At the sudden doorbell, Jaeha couldn’t react at all. All he could do was stand on his trembling legs. As he looked back and forth between the front door and the room where Dorim was lying, Jaeha felt like he could hear his heart pounding.
“Jaeha, it’s me.”
At Dojoon’s familiar, kind voice, Jaeha’s trembling subsided. His racing heart seemed to calm down, and Jaeha headed to the entrance with a sigh of relief. Despite his still-trembling legs making him stagger as he hurried, he quickly reached the entrance.
When he opened the door, his friend’s familiar face was there. Jaeha felt relieved at Dojoon’s kind smile full of goodness. In contrast, Dojoon immediately became serious, his expression hardening.
“Jaeha, why does your face look like that?”
“Man, get in here quickly.”
“Okay, I will.”
As soon as Dojoon entered, Jaeha locked the door and grabbed him to go inside, but his legs got tangled. As Dojoon caught the staggering Jaeha and sat him on the sofa, he finally felt like he could breathe.
“Haah…”
“Are you okay? What did Gaeho do to you?”
Seeing Dojoon use Kyun Jiho’s nickname seemed so out of place that Jaeha laughed even as he was shaking.
“He moved me home in one go and left. It was really convenient.”
“Then why are you so pale? You’re white as a sheet.”
Dojoon’s hands carefully touched Jaeha’s forehead and cheeks. His skin had cooled down, with even a light cold sweat.
“I’m fine.”
“No, you’re not. Even your hands are shaking.”
“Well, I just saw a bomb explode and a person fly through the air right in front of me. Are you okay?”
Despite his best efforts, Jaeha couldn’t completely hide the tremor in his voice. Dojoon pulled him into a hug.
“Hey, hey, that’s gross. Get off.”
“Not until you stop shaking.”
“I told you I’m fine, you…”
Jaeha couldn’t bring himself to say that he had been shaking like a leaf until Dojoon arrived, so he stayed quiet. The contact was awkward, but the warmth and security provided by the hands stroking his back and embracing his waist were substantial.
“It’s okay, Jaeha. I can protect you.”
Dojoon’s kind voice was more reassuring than ever.
Dojoon’s defense shield, which had remained intact during the explosion, gave Jaeha complete trust. With the confidence that he could be safe even if he couldn’t run away, Jaeha’s trembling subsided.
Feeling comfortable as if he had never been anxious, Jaeha tried to gently push Dojoon away. But Dojoon buried his face in Jaeha’s shoulder and pulled him into an even deeper embrace. Just like Jiho earlier, Dojoon pressed his whole body against Jaeha, who grimaced and turned his head.
“Hey, hey. I’m not shaking at all now, so let go.”
Despite Jaeha’s rejection, Dojoon didn’t want to lose the sensation of lightness that spread from where they touched.
While dealing with the police alone, Dojoon had put up a wide defensive shield around the space where Jaeha and Dorim would be. Creating a shield at such a distance was quite difficult. The sensation of the air around him becoming heavy was unpleasant. He even had a mild headache. He was surprised that while holding Jaeha, he felt no discomfort at all while using his power.
After promising the police to come to the station tomorrow to testify, he headed to Jaeha’s home. As the distance grew shorter, he felt that using the shield required less effort. The air that had been quickly getting heavier now added weight more slowly.
And from the moment he met Jaeha and caught him as he staggered, using his power became effortless. Even the air that had been pressing heavily around him felt lighter. It was a small change, but it meant everything. The discomfort from using his power began to dissolve the moment he touched Jaeha.
“Hey, Joo Dojoon. I said it’s gross.”
Despite knowing he should let go at Jaeha’s serious tone, he didn’t want to move away because of the heavy air still pressing on his body and the faint headache that remained.
“Jaeha…”
Dojoon knew Jaeha well.
He deliberately suppressed his voice to show fear. It was an attitude that Dojoon, who always showed kindness, gentleness, and maturity in front of Dorim, had rarely if ever shown.
As expected, Jaeha’s movement to push Dojoon away stopped instantly.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
