# Chapter 72
## 23. Don’t Misunderstand, This Is a Rescue
Seo Jaeha’s statement, an ordinary person with not even a hint of mana, left the Espers dumbfounded. Maybe it was precisely because he couldn’t sense mana that he could be so brave.
The second-generation Espers who stood like a barrier between the civilian and Seo Jaeyoon were afraid of the mana streams shooting around wildly as if about to stab them in the back. They wanted to run far away, but since Haeil was holding onto Jaeyoon, they couldn’t retreat.
Noticing the Espers’ hesitation, Jaeha dove between them without hesitation. Passing through the Espers lined up like a barrier, he saw Jaeyoon lying on the floor inside.
Haeil hesitated when he saw Jaeha. Looking at Jaeyoon’s condition, he needed guiding, but Haeil found it difficult to judge whether to allow guiding with Jaeha, which Jaeyoon had so firmly rejected.
“Jaeha.”
Calling Jaeha’s name was all Haeil could do. He was worried about both brothers and couldn’t take sides in their family matter.
Jaeha’s gaze followed the black traces that extended to Jaeyoon’s neck. In a half-undressed state with one arm exposed, the other arm wasn’t visible, but the gloved hand wrapped in bandages was obvious without looking. It would be in the same condition as the visible arm.
“I’ll do the guiding.”
Jaeha didn’t hesitate. Haeil, who had been worried, couldn’t stop Jaeha’s actions.
When Jaeha placed his hand over Jaeyoon’s blackened hand lying on the floor, his fingertips jumped as if electricity had passed through them.
‘That hurts.’
Jaeyoon’s condition was terrible enough to cause actual pain. It was worse than when he had touched Jiho just before his runaway state. Even just holding his hand, the rough mana waves felt so strong that they made him nauseous.
He couldn’t understand why Jaeyoon had refused guiding until he became this messed up.
“Idiot. Stubborn fool. You’re going to die from pain, seriously.”
Haeil, who was about to make excuses to Jaeha as he grumbled at Jaeyoon, couldn’t bring himself to speak when he saw Jaeha’s face.
“Are you crazy? What were you thinking, avoiding this until you got like this? Really…”
Tears fell down Jaeha’s cheeks as he muttered. He was so casual about his grumbling that it took a while to notice he was crying.
“What is all this? Your arm has turned completely black.”
“Urgh…”
“Oh, does it hurt? Are you coming to your senses?”
Startled, Jaeha called out to Jaeyoon, but there was no answer, just a reflexive groan.
“Wait a little. When Gaeho comes, he’ll quickly take you somewhere where other guides can help too. So…”
“Ugh… kuk…”
Suddenly, Jaeyoon curled up and tightly grabbed Jaeha’s hand.
Crack.
The pain was so severe that Jaeha couldn’t make a sound, as if the bones in his hand were being crushed. When Haeil noticed and grabbed Jaeyoon’s wrist, Jaeha shook his head.
“It’s, it’s okay.”
“You’ll get hurt, Jaeha.”
“I’m not letting go no matter what, so leave it.”
Jaeha wiped his tears vigorously with his arm and placed his hand on Jaeyoon’s shoulder and around his neck. Thinking the efficiency might be higher there because Espers often bit these areas during guiding, he tried touching those spots, and it felt similar to palms touching.
Despite the uncomfortable waves that made him want to pull his hand away, there was no response from Jaeyoon. He could tell without a monitor. Jaeyoon was just swallowing the pain he had become used to, but he was still in pain.
However, Jaeha had already seen it. His brother’s tears.
The pain wouldn’t have decreased with such minimal guiding, like pouring a cup of water in the desert. During the insufficient guiding, his brother started crying. Tears welled up in his contorted eyes and flowed down.
Even with consciousness lost, the pain couldn’t hide Jaeyoon’s tears.
The moment he saw his brother’s tears, Jaeha’s reason flew away.
The last time Jaeyoon had cried was that day, when he clung to Jaeha saying he had returned from the future. Jaeyoon, who had become a faucet of tears then, had stopped crying at some point. Now that same brother was crying without even being conscious.
“Huhh…”
“It’s going to be okay, Jaeyoon.”
He couldn’t leave his brother struggling in pain like this. Without further hesitation, Jaeha moved. While holding onto Jaeyoon’s shoulder and hand as he lay on the floor, Jaeha brought his face closer.
Realizing what Jaeha was about to do, Haeil quickly turned his back to block the view from any cameras. But despite Haeil’s blocking, the eyes of the reporter watching from among the Espers widened in surprise. A pure surprise different from seeing gossip material, which made even Haeil turn his head in curiosity.
There, a mass of light was forming. Around Jaeha, who looked as if he was breathing life into Jaeyoon, particles of light scattered and created regular movements.
Since Espers using their abilities didn’t normally create special visible effects, visual effects were only clear when Jaeyoon used an item or Haeil created flames. With this mysterious atmosphere of light clusters forming as Jaeha performed guiding, it naturally drew attention.
“Wow… that looks really cool.”
“This is my first time seeing guiding, it’s amazing.”
“I wish light like that would appear when I use my ability too.”
After someone shared their impression while watching in awe, everyone started adding their own comments.
Meanwhile, Jaeha, who had thrown his lips in with once-in-a-lifetime determination to save someone, was confused.
‘So this is what it feels like to have energy ruthlessly pulled out.’
Actually experiencing the efficiency of mucosal guiding that he had only imagined before felt like being swept away in a rapid current. The connected lips tingled as if electrified. Fortunately, the pain overshadowed any other sensations, making it impossible to think of anything else.
‘When am I supposed to breathe?’
If it were actual CPR, he would be giving breaths, but since it was just guiding, there was no need. Pressing his face firmly made it hard to breathe as his nose was pushed against Jaeyoon’s cheek. As he slightly lifted his head, his brother’s hand, which had shown no reaction before, pulled on his neck.
‘Wait, time out! Stop! I surrender!’
But no words could escape through his tightly pressed lips. Instead, as the closed lips parted, a new sensation made him feel as if small fireworks were exploding in his mouth.
‘Ah, it stings, it stings!’
It should have been soft, tender flesh, but it felt like he had something he was allergic to in his mouth. With his neck pulled down, he couldn’t move at all, and with his only free hand, he clawed at Jaeyoon’s shoulders and head, but it was useless.
Strangely, the reactions from those around them were oddly calm.
‘Someone’s dying here,’ he screamed in his mind, but of course no one could hear. He felt like he might faint from lack of oxygen. Please, someone help.
“Jaeha!”
With Haeil’s call, Jaeha’s body was lifted. Haeil lifted him so high that his brother, who had seemed impossible to separate from, now appeared to be far below.
As the light clusters surrounding Jaeha and Jaeyoon followed them up and naturally faded away, people marveled.
“It’s stabilizing…”
“Wow, really…”
“How is the mana…”
“Is this even possible?”
Feeling awkward at the whispering voices from the Espers, Jaeha didn’t forget to make an excuse even in his confused state.
“What? Haven’t you seen CPR before?”
It was an unnecessary excuse to the Espers who already knew it was guiding. And contrary to his intention to sound strong, Jaeha’s tired voice carried no threat at all.
“Well done, Jaeha.”
“Ah, yes. I feel… a bit out of it. I think I’m… getting sleepy…”
“Jaeha?”
Whether from oxygen deprivation or sudden guiding, his vision blurred, and he saw his brother’s arm beginning to return to its normal color. With the relief that it wasn’t rotting or burning after all, he didn’t bother to hold onto his fading consciousness.
Not even thinking about the awkwardness or commotion left behind.
* * *
While Jaeha slept deeply due to the aftereffects of secondary guiding, many things happened.
Most of the first-generation Espers, who had been strongly individualistic, changed their minds after seeing the achievements of key figures and joined the magical beast subjugation.
Also, thanks to Jaeyoon, who regained consciousness and successfully destroyed the golden turtle’s shell quickly without the item, the damage was less than expected. The notable achievements of the Espers gave stability and trust to the citizens, and data and byproducts as great gifts to the Association.
The gate that occurred in the urban area firmly imprinted the importance of Espers. There was a commotion not only at the scene but also at the Association due to the flood of interviews and attention.
During this busy time when everyone was occupied with attention that wouldn’t die down in just a day, Jaeha, who woke up late, headed to the refrigerator because his throat was dry. He felt something strange as his lips stung when he put the water bottle to his mouth, but his thirst came first. After emptying a small bottle of water, he passed through the empty living room and opened the door to Jaeyoon’s room, which was also empty.
“Still busy, I guess…”
Come to think of it, his last memory was on the shell of the magical beast. Thinking that everything must be fine and he had just returned to the dormitory to sleep, he turned on the TV while checking his phone.
“Despite the devastating scene, the Espers’ activities shined. At the live broadcast scene…”
“What? It collapsed even more?”
The screen showed a huge golden turtle lying motionless between buildings. The scene where dozens of buildings had collapsed like dominoes wasn’t in his memory. It seemed the damage had increased while he was unconscious.
As the broadcast kept repeating information about the value of the golden turtle and the extent of damage, he switched to another channel and saw Espers being interviewed.
“Ah, as expected, you look good, Haeil Hyung.”
Despite his obvious exhaustion, even that appearance looked impressive, and the interview went on for a long time. As he checked various channels, he also saw Jaeyoon. There were no gloves on the hand that brushed back his hair. Jaeha was relieved to see the skin had almost returned to its normal color.
Even without anyone telling him directly, Jaeha could understand the situation very well through the non-stop broadcast.
Thinking about checking the real-time internet reactions, he looked at his phone but couldn’t bring himself to click on a thumbnail that made him doubt his eyes, his fingers trembling.
YouTuber Kang Gwang’s video with an enormous number of views, titled “Don’t Misunderstand, This Is a Rescue,” prominently featured himself and Jaeyoon.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
