# Chapter 43
The argument continued for a while, but Jaeha was firm. As time passed, Jiho’s condition was getting worse, so a decision had to be made. The isolation team leader was the one who gave in. He was more concerned about saving a dying Esper than about a regular person willing to risk their life.
“He’s shaking so badly that it’s visible even through the monitor.”
The monitor showed Jaeha heading to the isolation room. The isolation team leader watching shook his head and kept sighing.
“Really, none of you understand how serious this situation is.”
“The isolation team’s manual is too outdated. It doesn’t reflect the latest data.”
The isolation team leader clicked his tongue at the researcher who was waving a report.
“You spend all your time in the lab, so you don’t understand the meaning of quarantine.”
“No. We should at least try now. If we leave him like this, his condition will get worse and he’ll go berserk before tomorrow.”
There was data about Espers who had died from going berserk before. Based on that experience, they had prepared an isolation room for such cases. Surrounded by thick walls and completely cut off from the outside, it was a tomb for Espers who would die in agony.
To prevent this, the mana research team had been checking and managing the condition of their Espers daily.
In contrast, the isolation team leader had witnessed how berserk Espers died in the isolation room. While he was skeptical about stopping an Esper whose wave patterns were so messed up, he also knew there was still time.
“Haah… The higher-ups say to try it, but can we trust this data?”
“Of course. Look at the results of the tests that Seo Jaeha over there has done so far. Data doesn’t lie.”
“I hope so. I don’t want to see any more young Espers die.”
At the team leader’s somber words, even the enthusiastic researcher became calm. Until now, Jaeha had only done guiding in stable situations. There was also hope that with an Esper on the verge of going berserk, he would be more proactive.
While everyone watched through the monitor, Jaeha walked through the thick iron door alone to the isolation room. The door would open when Jaeha gave the signal. Taking a deep breath, Jaeha calmed his nerves.
The pressure of the words “berserk” and “isolation room” was significant.
If Jiho hadn’t saved his life before, Jaeha would have been tense enough to avoid this.
‘It’s okay. This is something I can do.’
It had only been a few days, but thinking about the consistent data and the training he received from the researcher, Jaeha was sure that the current situation wasn’t the worst.
There was also a monitor next to the isolation room door to see inside. It showed Jiho twisting and trembling, just as he had seen moments ago.
Jaeha couldn’t imagine the pain Jiho must be feeling, since earlier Jiho had been smiling while sweating and saying he felt like he was dying.
“I’m going in.”
When Jaeha waved his hand, the isolation room door opened.
Once inside, there was another door, and only after the door behind him closed did the inner door open.
Unlike what he saw on the control room monitor, there was a bed in the middle of a very large room. Various equipment was placed around the bed, but no one was watching. As Jaeha entered the room, the door closed behind him. Once even the mechanical sounds disappeared, all he could hear was Jiho’s labored breathing.
“Ugh!”
Completely soaked with sweat, far worse than what was visible on the monitor, Jiho twisted his body as if having a seizure. His limbs, restrained by shackles, were red hot. In a situation where no one was helping him, he didn’t even scream.
Seeing Jiho struggling alone in pain, Jaeha was reminded of Dorim. It was a different situation, but Dorim had been whimpering alone all day, unable to call Dojoon who was away, until Jaeha called her and she burst into tears. Then she quickly smiled and asked to draw pictures together.
Overlapping that image with the current scene, Jaeha could guess that Jiho was suffering not only physically but also mentally.
There was no reason to hesitate any longer.
“Phew……”
Jaeha placed his hand over Jiho’s as Jiho sighed, perhaps experiencing a brief moment of reduced pain. Jiho flinched and shrank back when his hand was grabbed, perhaps too out of it to notice Jaeha had entered, but soon he met Jaeha’s eyes.
“Ugh… Sunbae Jaeha?”
Jiho’s blurry eyes blinked slowly, and then he showed a familiar smile.
“Huh… why is Sunbae here?”
“Why do you think?”
Jaeha acted as calm as usual in response to Jiho’s dazed reaction.
“Did you… come to see me?”
Jiho’s fingers, which had intertwined with Jaeha’s one by one, were trembling so badly it was pitiful. Unlike his fingers, his voice sounded relaxed because it was so slow.
“I’d be really… happy if that’s true.”
Even while slowly speaking with difficulty, Jiho worried about Jaeha.
“But it’s going to get dangerous here. Sunbae should leave quickly too.”
Even while saying that, his weakly intertwined fingers desperately held on. Looking down at Jiho, Jaeha gently squeezed their intertwined hands. Jiho’s eyes, which had been half-open, widened.
“Ugh… Sunbae? Are you trying to seduce me?”
“You still have a smart mouth even in this situation?”
While casually scolding him, Jaeha was surprised by the sensation he felt through his hand.
Jiho’s wave patterns were raging out of control. It was so bad that Jaeha could feel a tingling sensation through his hand.
‘Damn, so I really have become some kind of guide.’
It was a sensation Jaeha hadn’t felt when doing guiding with Dojoon. If guiding and the flow of mana were as natural as body heat transferring through contact, it was too easy. Jaeha was just amazed that something so simple for him could calm Jiho’s wild graph.
“This is interesting.”
“Hmm… Sunbae Jaeha?”
Unlike when guiding with Dojoon, Jiho’s hand against his was greedily sucking like drawing blood. It was such an unpleasant sensation that Jaeha would have wanted to let go if he hadn’t deliberately held on firmly.
If Jaeha could feel it, Jiho must have known too. Surprised, Jiho looked back and forth between Jaeha’s hand and face, his mouth moving silently. Seeing Jiho’s surprised look, Jaeha decided to appear relaxed.
“Does it hurt a lot?”
Jiho’s face, which had been showing a lazy smile until now, hardened. When Jaeha gripped Jiho’s hand, which was desperately holding his, even more strongly, Jiho’s eyes finally welled up.
“Yes. It hurts, Sunbae.”
“Try to bear it a little. It will take some time, but you’ll be okay.”
The wave patterns Jaeha felt through their joined hands hurt. It was too slow this way, so while leaning in to overlap his hand with Jiho’s other restrained hand, their upper bodies naturally touched. When Jaeha tried to let go of the hand while moving around to find a comfortable position, Jiho desperately held on.
Understanding how Jiho felt, Jaeha also held his hand and looked for the most comfortable position. After moving around several times due to the machines around the bed limiting his movement, he ended up in an embarrassing position, sitting on top while holding both hands. Unlike Jaeha, who was wondering if he should find another position even if it broke his back, Jiho breathed a deep sigh of satisfaction.
“Haa… Sunbae, this feels good.”
“Hey, don’t make weird sounds.”
“I’ll try. Don’t leave, Sunbae.”
“I won’t.”
As if afraid Jaeha might let go of his hand and run away, Jiho desperately squeezed his hand.
While holding both hands tightly, Jaeha checked the monitor. The graph, which had been so sharp it looked ready to pierce through the monitor, was still fluctuating but had changed to a slightly more curved line. Even so, it was more violent than when Dojoon was at his worst. It showed a much faster and steeper flow.
Still, thinking it would get better with time, Jaeha held both hands, but the graph’s curve fluctuated violently.
“Hngh… ugh… Sunbae, Sunbae Jaeha.”
Jiho, who would have been consumed by pain if he were alone, twisted his body and gasped while holding onto both hands. Each time, his already disheveled clothes became more of a mess, exposing skin, and Jaeha worried.
No matter how close to death Jiho was, if he held his hands, he would eventually be okay. But according to what he had learned, it was questionable whether this position could be maintained for 24 hours. Besides, seeing Jiho in front of him, periodically suffering intense pain, made him uncomfortable.
‘If I have to do it eventually, should I do it now?’
He couldn’t even imagine doing it with Dojoon because they were so close, but maybe it would be better with Jiho since they weren’t that close.
‘No, that’s not right.’
“Sunbae, I want to touch you.”
Hearing Jiho’s voice, which had somehow become clearer, Jaeha checked the graph. In that short time, the wave pattern had stabilized quite a bit. But even so, it was still spiking sharply, and the draining sensation through their hands remained.
“It will get better with time.”
As soon as Jaeha finished his answer, a familiar researcher’s voice came through the speaker.
― With guiding like this, you’ll recover about halfway in 24 hours.
“Only halfway?”
Unlike Jaeha, who was shocked, Jiho listened carefully to the voice.
― If you increase the contact area, the guiding time will be reduced.
“Ah, I’m not going to kiss him!”
― I said contact area, not that you should use your lips.
The researcher’s voice, which had been kind but professional, had a small laugh in it. Feeling the relaxed tone, Jaeha felt much lighter. He was confident that the serious situation had passed.
“Ah, fine. Don’t talk to me unless there’s a problem.”
Jaeha quickly shouted, afraid that dangerous information might be conveyed to Jiho, but it was too late.
“Sunbae, is this what guiding is?”
“Huh? Yeah. You know about it too?”
Jaeha tried to laugh it off, but Jiho shook his head with a faint smile.
“No, what I just heard through the speaker was the first time.”
“Well, this is still being tested. It’s not certain yet.”
“Sunbae, it’s cute how desperately you’re trying to change the subject.”
“Ugh. Say something cheesy again and I’ll let go and run away.”
Despite saying that, Jaeha didn’t loosen his grip. Staring at Jaeha, Jiho showed a deep smile that made dimples appear.
“Sunbae Jaeha finds this kind of thing difficult, right?”
“What do I find difficult?”
“It’s okay. Leave it to me.”
Jiho, who had been nearly dying just moments ago, raised his upper body with his hands still being held, and rubbed his face against Jaeha’s neck.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
