# Chapter 36
When Jaeha’s breathing became slow, Dojoon’s hand that had been stroking his back slowly moved down to his waist. Dojoon’s hand rested on the bare skin exposed where Jaeha’s hoodie had ridden up as he lay face down on the bed. He spread his palm and moved it slowly along Jaeha’s back. Then he created a protective barrier again like he had earlier.
The barrier that previously took a few seconds of concentration now enveloped Dojoon and Jaeha in the blink of an eye.
The ability that had only been barely possible by pouring out mana like squeezing it out now emerged smoothly. It wasn’t enough to use freely as he had in the lobby, but it was enough to protect one or two people.
Dojoon couldn’t sense any mana from Jaeha. He was non-awakened, not an Esper. Yet it was Jaeha who made it possible for Dojoon, who had become an Esper, to use his power freely. It had been the same when embracing him, but it became even more pronounced when directly touching bare skin like now.
“It wasn’t my imagination…”
Dojoon recalled what happened at Jaeha’s house. When his lips brushed against Jaeha’s exposed neckline as he held him on the sofa, trying to buy time, he felt his headache quickly subsiding. The sensation of wanting more contact led him to take Jaeha’s skin in his mouth without a moment to think, and a deep thirst arose. Until now, he had only felt positive effects through Jaeha – his body becoming lighter and his headache disappearing – but this was something more.
The desire to swallow him in one gulp, the greed to make Jaeha look only at him emerged. It was a feeling he had never experienced for his friend before.
The contact had the same effect whether it was on the back or neck. When the face touched rather than hands, when lips touched rather than the face, when the tongue touched rather than lips. The more intimate the contact, the closer the sensation Dojoon felt went beyond relief and healing to pleasure. At the same time, he felt the air that had been weighing his body down becoming lighter faster than ever before.
He wanted more contact. He wanted to hold him more. He craved deeper contact.
He wanted to go a little deeper before Jaeha woke up.
“Get away from my brother right now.”
Dojoon was so focused on Jaeha that he didn’t even notice the door opening.
It was also because he trusted the protective barrier he had placed around himself and Jaeha. While he was confident he could prevent any threat from reaching them, he was a bit taken aback by Jaeyoon’s voice from behind him.
As Dojoon slowly got up and turned around, he could see Jaeyoon tensed up as if ready to pounce at any moment. It was similar to the wariness he had shown when he suddenly barged in and grabbed Dojoon’s collar before, but now that Dojoon had become an Esper, he could also feel the fluctuating mana.
Despite the control device working properly, Jaeyoon seemed ready to cross the line if necessary.
“I’d like you not to misunderstand first.”
Dojoon could easily imagine how the two of them close together on the bed would look to Jaeyoon. He must have misunderstood it as a threatening situation for his brother. Understanding Jaeyoon’s obvious hostility, Dojoon smiled.
“Calm down, Jaeha’s brother.”
“Fuck…”
Despite being told to calm down, Jaeyoon was on the verge of throwing away what little reason he had left.
“I told you not to call me that.”
The day after Jaeyoon had grabbed Dojoon’s collar and made a scene, Jaeyoon had visited Dojoon’s house. With a face full of dissatisfaction, he had handed over a container of side dishes, and Dojoon immediately realized it was an errand from Jaeha.
Despite Jaeyoon’s inexplicable wariness, Dojoon had greeted him with familiarity, saying “Jaeha’s brother, you must have worked hard,” only to receive a look of contempt. After warning him never to call him that again, Jaeyoon’s hand as he put down the container had been so careful that the image of him as a teenager going through puberty remained in Dojoon’s mind.
“Ah, sorry. It seems it’s stuck in my mouth and I keep making mistakes.”
The worst relationship before the regression still had a one-sided effect. The hostility Jaeyoon showed towards Dojoon wouldn’t be eased by such a simple apology.
“Get away from my brother.”
“Ah, I understand it did look like something you’d misunderstand. But I hope you don’t forget that I was the one who protected Jaeha. I was protecting him just now too.”
“Protected? Take your hands off my brother’s body before you talk!”
Jaeyoon, who had been keeping his voice low out of consideration for the sleeping Jaeha, lost his reason and drew up his power. The fluctuating mana burst out and shook the protective barrier Dojoon had created. The force that deflected off the barrier, which had withstood even bombs, left a deep scratch on the wall. Even the association’s accommodation, made with materials stronger than regular ones, was defenseless against Jaeyoon’s ability, which was skilled at using power. This was even with the control device operating, weakening his power. Dojoon’s friendly smile faded at Jaeyoon’s attack that didn’t hide his killing intent.
“You’ll wake Jaeha if you keep this up.”
Dojoon’s pretense of concern while exploiting his brother only looked abominable to Jaeyoon.
“That’s rich coming from someone greedily sucking out guiding.”
“Guiding? What’s that?”
Dojoon didn’t even understand the word Jaeyoon had spoken, as he reflexively responded to the disgust he felt.
This is unjustified anger. Even knowing this, Jaeyoon found it difficult to maintain his reason in front of Dojoon, who had his hands on his brother.
“Mmm…”
What made Jaeyoon back down was when Jaeha stirred as if uncomfortable. In an instant, Jaeyoon’s eyes softened, and he even lowered his voice cautiously.
“Remove the barrier.”
Jaeyoon, who was reaching out to take Jaeha out of there, gritted his teeth at the existence of a new protective barrier blocking his way.
“What are you doing?”
“You know, no matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t figure out why Jaeha’s brother disliked me.”
It was natural not to know. Because it was something that hadn’t happened yet.
“But after getting this power, I’ve learned something.”
Dojoon’s hand, which had stopped, moved back inside Jaeha’s waist.
“You…”
“You knew that me and Youngwoo would change like this.”
Jaeyoon, who looked like he was about to rush over, froze in confusion. In contrast, Dojoon, who was pressed close to Jaeha, seemed completely at ease.
“It’s really easy to use my power when I’m with Jaeha. Is this what Jaeha’s brother called ‘guiding’?”
Despite deliberately using the title Jaeyoon hated, Dojoon’s actions showed no hesitation. Jaeyoon’s eyes wavered as if Dojoon had learned something he shouldn’t know. This time, Dojoon showed a smile filled with genuine feeling.
“Jaeha’s brother wanted to have his brother all to himself.”
Dojoon’s mocking words didn’t even register with Jaeyoon. This situation was the worst. That Dojoon, one of the people he never wanted to know, had already noticed his brother’s secret.
According to Jaeyoon’s plan, Jaeha’s ability should have been revealed after he became the guide for Haeil or Jiho. Dojoon, who realized Jaeha’s necessity before them, guessed that Jaeyoon would feel the same and provoked him.
“You went wild because you wanted to possess your brother.”
Despite Dojoon’s actions of completely clinging to Jaeha, Jaeyoon couldn’t move. His earlier attempt to break through Dojoon’s protective barrier had already failed. No matter how much he showed his wariness and expressed his anger here, the protective barrier that he couldn’t break even before the regression wouldn’t open. If Dojoon wanted to, he could take his brother right in front of him.
The price of letting his guard down after preventing one awakening was painful. However, instead of getting excited here, Jaeyoon calmed his emotions.
He had already heard from Haeil that Dojoon had awakened and had come up.
‘It’s not the worst. If it were the Joo Dojoon from before the regression, he would have already stripped my brother and humiliated him. Right now, he’s just seeing me as a competitor and provoking me.’
Dojoon, who had discovered his brother’s usefulness, revealed the competitiveness between Espers in front of him. However, unlike before the regression, he couldn’t deny that Dojoon had completely protected Jaeha.
“No matter how much you glare at me, I won’t leave Jaeha. Rather, Jaeha’s brother seems more dangerous right now.”
The emotion Dojoon was showing now was a form of friendship with added possessiveness, different from the future. It wasn’t the twisted emotion that had dragged one person into the abyss, mixed with excessive attachment toward a guide and guilt over losing his sister.
“Joo Dojoon.”
Jaeyoon had to accept the current situation again. The fact that Dojoon protected his brother in his absence, and was still wary of him and protecting him, had to be viewed positively.
“Esper Joo Dojoon.”
Dojoon was puzzled by Jaeyoon’s voice, which had become much lower despite not hiding his anger earlier. He couldn’t understand why Jaeyoon, who he thought would go crazy after having his sore spot exposed, suddenly became calm.
“Thank you for protecting my brother.”
Dojoon finally understood the other’s changed attitude when Jaeyoon even bowed his head as he thanked him. The reason he showed wariness was because of his brother, and the reason he expressed gratitude was also because of his brother.
“I will protect my brother. This time I received your help… no, it seems I’ll have to entrust my brother to you for a while.”
“Don’t you dislike me?”
“I do.”
Jaeyoon’s resolute answer sounded sincere even to Dojoon. That’s how much Jaeyoon recognized Dojoon’s ability.
Moreover, the situation had clearly changed from what Jaeyoon knew.
Even Youngwoo’s bomb ability, who was supposed to awaken as a clairvoyance and penetration ability user according to the original timeline, was difficult for Jaeyoon to deal with. Dojoon was also different from before – his sister Joo Dorim was safe, and his attitude toward Jaeha seemed cautious rather than forceful.
“But I trust your ability. You can spread a protective barrier even with the mana control device operating.”
“Wow, so you’re saying you’ll endure even if you don’t like me, for your brother’s sake. Really… you’re a good brother.”
Until now, Dojoon had been deliberately provoking Jaeyoon by overlapping his hand with Jaeha’s or making skin contact. The same Dojoon now made a kind expression like before and then removed his hand from Jaeha. Although it was slow as if reluctant, Dojoon, who had always been particularly weak for siblings, was moved by the warm brotherly love. After getting up from the bed and even stepping aside, Dojoon showed goodwill toward Jaeyoon.
“Your brother is safe. Check for yourself, Jaeyoon.”
When Jaeyoon reached out at Dojoon’s kind suggestion, he couldn’t feel the protective barrier.
“Brother, thank goodness. He really looks fine.”
Jaeyoon’s tense face relaxed as he saw Jaeha’s peacefully sleeping face up close. As he was about to extend his gloved hand to properly lay down Jaeha who was sleeping face down, Jaeyoon hesitated for a moment. He was confident that with Jaeha’s thick hoodie and his gloved hands, even a minimal amount of guiding wouldn’t occur. Yet he hesitated to reach out because of memories from before the regression.
A life that always struggled due to lack of guiding wouldn’t miss even a short opportunity. Afraid that the sensation might bring greed, Jaeyoon checked his gloves more carefully and secured them firmly up to his wrists. Watching this, Dojoon showed admiration rather than wariness.
It was even touching to see an Esper who knew that being in contact with Jaeha made things easier, not being greedy but trying to thoroughly protect him instead. Due to the brotherly affection, Dojoon’s fondness for Jaeyoon rapidly increased.
After laying Jaeha properly and examining him carefully with his eyes, Jaeyoon turned to Dojoon.
“The control devices will be strengthened soon. Then even if a villain intrudes, they won’t be able to use their power, so I’ll ask you only until then.”
“Just trust me. And feel free to speak comfortably. Since you’re Jaeha’s brother, you’re like a brother to me too.”
Dojoon, who was already overflowing with positive emotions, showed his fondness for Jaeyoon with pleased eyes.
Like attracts like, and in some ways, Dojoon had innocent aspects just like Jaeha. It was understandable why his brother didn’t believe him no matter how much he was told to stay away from Dojoon. But Dojoon’s composure could also be because he wasn’t experiencing a guiding deficiency.
Jaeyoon remembered through experience that Espers could move on instinct depending on how they used their power.
“I don’t particularly want to get close to you.”
“Such stubbornness. Well, don’t worry about your brother and hang in there.”
Instead of answering, Jaeyoon slowly moved away from Jaeha. As soon as Jaeyoon moved away a certain distance, Dojoon immediately used his protective barrier. Dojoon seemed to want to minimize contact with Jaeha to avoid provoking Jaeyoon, as he only lightly intertwined a few fingers.
Jaeyoon was certain that Dojoon, who could still consider others, wouldn’t be a problem even if he used him for the time being.
While Haeil and himself built up power inside and increased their standing by showing themselves outside, they needed to use any means to ensure his brother’s safety.
‘Once the guide recognition is properly established, I’ll separate him from my brother even if I have to hide him.’
Not knowing Jaeyoon’s true thoughts, Dojoon even waved goodbye saying, “Take care.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
