“How is your body feeling?”
“Hmm. I am fine.”
It had been ages since anyone had shown genuine concern for him, and the back of his neck tingled at the unfamiliar sensation. Lee Haru scratched behind his neck with his fingertips as he answered, and Jin Sung-joon’s eyes curved into a soft smile.
This guy’s handsome too.
He had the calm, intellectual look of a refined man. Unlike S-rank Espers, who often had striking hair or eye colors that immediately stood out, Jin Sung-joon possessed the natural features typical of most Koreans.
He might not have been jaw-droppingly handsome like the top-tier Espers, but he was attractive enough to turn heads wherever he went. He looked well over 180 cm tall, and his build hinted at consistent training—lean and strong.
Any initial wariness Lee Haru had felt dissolved like soft tofu. He was not particularly skilled at reading people, but Jin Sung-joon did not give off a single unpleasant vibe.
The way he genuinely seemed concerned for someone like Haru—whose reputation had hit rock bottom—made him feel like one of the kindest people he had encountered in this world.
“That is a relief. Still, just to be safe, I would like to run a few basic tests. Is that all right?”
“Yes.”
Of course it was all right.
It was not like the guy was going to hit him, or suddenly try to force him into a Guiding session.
After that, Haru complied quietly with the examination. Jin Sung-joon seemed a little fascinated by how docile he was—like a polite, obedient child.
He carried out his work with professional focus, but every now and then, his gaze flicked toward Haru with an almost curious gleam.
Whenever their eyes met, Haru responded with a cheerful smile. There was a saying, after all—you cannot spit on a smiling face.
Not that Jin Sung-joon looked like the type to spit at anyone, but in a world where genuine kindness was rare, Haru instinctively felt the need to earn more goodwill wherever he could.
“There is nothing wrong with the test results. However…”
The results came back quickly. Haru had been holding in his stomach so hard the whole time—terrified that it might suddenly rumble—that he was starting to feel sore.
He focused on what Jin Sung-joon was saying as he read the results. No issues—thank god.
Honestly, it had been a miracle that Yu Je-hyun showed up when he did. If he had arrived even ten minutes later, Haru did not want to imagine what could have happened.
But then Jin Sung-joon added something that made Haru swallow nervously. Tension crept into his shoulders. Why was he suddenly being so cautious with his words?
Had he not just said everything looked fine? Then why the follow-up?
“I would recommend that you undergo some psychological counseling. Just while you are hospitalized. What do you think?”
“Uh…”
The suggestion blindsided him, and all that came out of his mouth was a dazed mumble. Psychological counseling, huh… He had never once thought of it as something he needed.
Not because he thought he was mentally sound, but simply because he had neither the time nor the money.
As far as he knew, just one session cost about as much as he used to make in an entire day of labor.
But now? Now he was financially stable. When he used Lee Haru’s card, the balance displayed on his phone was so high it made his jaw drop.
And honestly, it seemed likely the Association would cover the cost anyway, not him personally.
Should I try it? The idea briefly tempted him, but he clenched his fist tight to snap himself out of it.
What if they find out I am not the real Haru?
He was terrible at lying. He would get caught immediately. And if the real Haru had ever been to counseling before, then the moment he could not recall anything, he would be exposed.
It was too risky. Too many things could go wrong. After weighing it all, Haru shook his head and waved his hands in refusal.
“I am fine. I am completely clear-headed right now.”
He emphasized his words with a sharp, determined look, and Jin Sung-joon touched his lips, clearly mulling something over.
Was there another way to prove he was mentally stable? As Haru tried to think of something, Jin Sung-joon gave up with an easy smile.
“Understood. But if you ever feel the need, do not hesitate to ask. I will always set aside time for Guide Lee Haru.”
“…Thank you.”
Wait, was it just him, or did that sound… a little odd?
Haru tilted his head, puzzled for a moment, but quickly let it go. It was a comforting thought—at least there was still someone in the world who could see him in a good light.
“Then get some rest. If you need anything, press the call button. I will swap it for a wireless one.”
A wireless version? Jin Sung-joon pointed out the location of the call button beside the bed, then pulled a clip out of his pocket and fastened it around Haru’s index finger.
For someone like Haru, who wanted the freedom to move around, it was a must. If a loud alarm went off every time he removed it, things would get complicated fast.
After Jin Sung-joon left, Haru sat on the bed for a while, then glanced around cautiously and stood up.
It was not like he was doing anything wrong, but the unfamiliar environment made him move a little more carefully. Still, the moment he dropped onto the sofa, he started humming to himself.
A wave of sweet, fruity fragrance tickled his nose.
“What should I eat first?”
The fruit basket was packed to the brim—with a massive melon, bright yellow mangoes, apple mangoes, Shine Muscat grapes, apples, and pears.
All the most mouth watering fruits you could imagine were right there. The melon, in particular, was bigger than his own head, and just looking at it made his mouth water.
“…There is no knife.”
He had wanted to start with the mango, and picking it out was easy enough. The problem came after. Sitting all alone on the table was the fruit basket—nothing else.
Maybe if he were someone like Yu Je-hyun, who could manipulate metal freely, it would be a different story. But Lee Haru had no way of cutting a mango with his bare hands.
“I really want to eat it…”
As he brought the mango close to his nose and inhaled deeply, his stomach let out a loud, needy growl—like it had been holding back all this time and was finally demanding attention now that Jin Sung-joon was gone.
His large eyes darted around the hospital room, scanning for anything sharp. But after a quick sweep, he resigned himself to reality—no knife in sight. Left with no choice, he tried peeling the fruit with his hands.
“Oh, that came off pretty easily.”
The mango was perfectly ripe, its skin soft and tender. With each strip he pulled away, exposing more of the golden flesh, his mouth watered even more.
He peeled just enough off the top and took a large bite. The juicy, tangy sweetness burst across his tongue, filling his mouth.
His pale cheeks turned a rosy pink, and mango juice began to drip down his wrists. His crisp white hospital gown was quickly stained with sticky golden splotches.
It caught him off guard, but Haru’s chewing only grew more frantic. He could not remember the last time he had eaten real food.
In a near-trance, he gnawed around the mango pit, carefully avoiding it and nibbling only the flesh—until the hospital room door quietly opened.
“…What the hell are you doing?”
“Cough, cough—!”
The juice went straight down the wrong pipe. Caught off guard by Yu Je-hyun’s sudden, silent appearance, the sweet mango nectar that had just been so delicious now felt like poison gas choking him.
“Seriously. You’re a mess. Wipe your face.”
Clicking his tongue at the pathetic sight, Yu Je-hyun strode into the bathroom connected to the hospital room and came back with a towel.
When Haru reached for it—still holding the mango—Yu Je-hyun sighed heavily and gently patted down Haru’s sticky cheeks, then moved on to his hands and wrists.
The now half-eaten mango was quietly placed on the table.
Even as Haru stared up at him in a daze, Yu Je-hyun kept working without a word. Once his face and hands were more or less clean, Yu Je-hyun lifted the plastic bag hanging from his right wrist and gave it a little shake.
“You think fruit’s gonna cut it? I brought soondae-gukbap.”
“No way.”
The reaction was immediate. Haru completely forgot the soreness in his body and locked eyes on the black plastic bag, laser-focused like a predator stalking prey.
Yu Je-hyun, amused, stretched his arm out to the right. Haru’s head turned in perfect sync, like a hawk tracking movement.
He lifted the bag higher, and Haru’s head tilted back accordingly. The dazed look on his face made Yu Je-hyun feel oddly proud—and at the same time, vaguely embarrassed. His ears flushed warm.
“…Did you seriously buy that for me?”
“…Yeah.”
Haru’s gaze never left the bag. He was so focused on the food he didn’t even notice the way Yu Je-hyun’s expression shifted.
It was a relief, but also kind of infuriating. With a mix of fondness and irritation, Yu Je-hyun set the bag down on the table and flicked Haru lightly on the nose.
“Ow.”
Haru squinted up at him with a faint scowl, his nose turning red like Rudolph’s. He tried to look annoyed, but it only made him look cuter.
…Seriously, what the hell is wrong with me?
Yu Je-hyun rubbed his face hard, the friction loud against his skin, trying to scrub the thought away.
But once he acknowledged it—he’s cute—the thoughts started spiraling, unstoppable, like a runaway train. While he was mentally unraveling, Haru, completely unaware, slowly reached for the bag.
“Why are you hesitating? I bought it for you. Eat it all—it’s enough for four people.”
Yu Je-hyun opened the bag wide and pulled out the containers one by one, setting them neatly on the table.
Haru had a huge appetite, and there was no way he had eaten properly while he was being held by Black. Now that he was conscious again, he had to be starving.
Even when Yu Je-hyun had stormed out of the room earlier, the first thing that came to mind—again—was Haru. Realizing that was what made him give up and head straight to the hospital cafeteria.
