Chapter 48
My hand disappeared and reappeared repeatedly in Ji Yeohoon’s hair.
The slower I stroked, the more his startled expression calmed down, and before long, his face relaxed completely.
Though the Biger poured out in greater quantities than usual for a moment, the feeling of being filled seemed comfortable.
When our lips separated and I patted his back gently, Ji Yeohoon, who had been looking comfortable for a while, lowered his eyes with a disappointed expression.
“Why are you making that face again?”
When I said both you and Yoon Cheong keep trying to soften my heart with your expressions, his lips jutted out in a pout as if grumbling.
“Can’t we do more?”
“I’m not satisfied,” he said, tightening his arms around me.
Ugh, it’s hard to breathe, let go, I said as I lowered my hand and patted the back of his hand repeatedly.
Though he made a pained sound—”Ngggh”—probably due to disappointment, I firmly opened my mouth.
“Let go quickly. I can’t breathe.”
At my words—stop hugging me, kid—Ji Yeohoon, whose eyebrows had been drooping at both ends for a while, finally released his hold.
Seeing Yoon Cheong standing at the door behind Ji Yeohoon blinking his eyes, I beckoned him to come in.
“If you’re here, why don’t you come in instead of just standing there?”
“Well, just because.”
“Is your mother okay?”
“Yeah. They said both parents should rest well for about a day, and tomorrow they’ll have CT and MRI scans, so the guardians can come then.”
“Being a guardian is tough work.”
I led the two guys out of the hospital room.
Perhaps both parents could share a room when they woke up, but right now absolute rest was the priority, so we had to leave.
I walked a bit ahead, but when I heard something fluttering behind me, I turned around to see the two of them standing there as if nothing had happened, which made me wonder.
“Didn’t you just hear something?”
“Not really?”
“Hyung, there’s a Chaehwa Esper sitting over there.”
“Ah, you’re right.”
The Esper looked dazed, almost like they were half out of their mind.
I considered contacting the Association to request a Guide, but the Esper seemed to have more energy left than I expected, so I just approached.
“Good work.”
“Good work…”
The Esper who had been sighing deeply almost slumped down before getting up.
When I extended my hand, they also reached out as if to shake it.
I moved the Biger inside my body, letting it flow like water, and their eyes widened.
“Thank you.”
“No, we’re the ones who should thank you for helping us.”
Somehow, the two guys behind me had faces that suggested they didn’t particularly like this. Still, I gave them a look that said, “Be nice, they helped us,” and they returned to their normal selves.
D-class Biger definitely had the disadvantage of quickly depleting energy, making it impossible to guide for long periods.
Feeling more tired than when I had guided those two, I removed my hand and said goodbye.
As I turned and walked away first, the two guys immediately stood beside me.
“Aren’t you tired? Are you okay?”
“We could have contacted the Association for guiding, you know.”
Yoon Cheong already knew from my explanation, and since I had told Ji Yeohoon before as well, they were asking with the knowledge that I would get tired using D-class Guide Biger.
Though I was a bit tired, I told them I was fine, but it would be embarrassing to fall asleep, so I patted their backs again, assuring them I was really okay.
“Let’s eat and rest a bit. We haven’t eaten anything for a while.”
It seemed everyone had forgotten about eating.
We all needed to rest after hours of tension and struggle. Especially Ji Yeohoon.
Just then, I got a message from my mom.
– Soo-young, would you like to bring the kids home? I’ll make you all dinner.
“It’s okay, we can just buy something to eat.”
Worried about my heavily pregnant mother, I tried to dissuade her, but she jumped right up.
– But the kids must be shocked and tired, it’s hard to deal with that outside. Bring them over quickly, okay? Our house is closest to the hospital. You can rest a bit and then go back to the hospital tomorrow. Yeohoon’s parents can come too if they’re okay.
Why is our house close to the hospital? We’re in different districts. Anyway, I asked Ji Yeohoon.
“Um, my mom is a bit tired now, so it might be difficult, but my dad is fine…”
“Ah, then it would be better for them to go home and rest.”
“Still, I’ll ask them first.”
I remembered the aunt’s haggard face from earlier.
“What about you? Do you want to stay here? Should I bring you food?”
“We can’t go into the room anyway.”
When I asked Yoon Cheong, he thought for a moment and then shook his head.
It wasn’t an intensive care unit, but it was essentially a temporary one, so only limited visits were allowed.
Besides, I couldn’t leave him here alone.
What would Yoon Cheong think by himself?
And I couldn’t send Ji Yeohoon home alone when he needed rest.
“Mom, are you sure you’re okay? Really?”
– Of course. I can make plenty, so you must bring Cheong and Yeohoon!
“Alright. But don’t overdo it. If it’s too much, just order delivery.”
– I’m really fine. I’d be more worried leaving Cheong alone. Understand?
Thinking about it, I realized it would be the first time the guys came to our house, which felt strange.
We’ve gone together to the front of my house before, but since Ji Yeohoon’s house is big, we usually hung out there. I’ve never been inside Yoon Cheong’s house either, and this would be their first time in mine.
[Mom> Son~ And the address is ○○ District, ○○ Road, ○○ Street.]
What’s this about?
[Why is the address different?]
[Mom> We moved~.]
“…”
Mother, you must inform your son about major events like moving, even if he’s not home.
I felt my eyes waver, reminded of those internet stories like “When I returned from military service, it wasn’t our house anymore.”
As I stared at my phone, Yoon Cheong, who was watching me from the side, glanced at the screen too.
He wavered his eyes along with mine and then shook his head.
Ji Yeohoon, who had finished calling his parents, approached.
“Mom and Dad said they’ll go. It’s fine.”
“Really? Aren’t they tired and just going because of us?”
“They said they just need a little rest. It’s been a while since they’ve visited, and they want to be nearby just in case.”
“Just in case?”
“Since the due date is close. They haven’t scheduled any gate conquests for the past few days. Since your uncle is busy with company work these days, they want to take her to the hospital right away if needed.”
“Ah.”
Though Ji Yeohoon’s mother didn’t seem fully recovered, it appeared she wanted to check on my mom, who might have been shocked.
Even if it was a second pregnancy, it was more dangerous at her age, and as the due date approached, there were more precautions and preparations needed.
Since we’re all only children, not only for me but also for Yoon Cheong and Ji Yeohoon, having a younger sibling would be a big change, so they seemed to be taking extra care.
Before the accident, our parents often had meals together.
Even when we were just at school, our parents frequently interacted.
So Ji Yeohoon’s parents became close enough to keep track of my mom’s due date.
Although I had intended this, it was still surprising.
Apparently, my mom was supposed to meet with Yoon Cheong’s parents today.
With the due date approaching, Yoon Cheong’s father had been transferred to a distant school this year, and his mother was traveling abroad for a while due to a company project, so they were meeting one last time before it started.
They had planned to meet in the evening, but both sets of parents had come out earlier than the appointment time and were traveling together when the gate opened.
I was surprised that my mom, who was close to giving birth, had rushed to the scene before us.
If they had met just a little earlier, my mom, who wasn’t even alone but pregnant, might have gone into the gate too. The thought made me dizzy.
We went down to the parking lot and waited for the two parents.
“Should I buy some drinks?”
“Yeah. That would be nice.”
“Hyung, should we sit over there and wait for a bit?”
“Sure.”
It was Yoon Cheong who quickly noticed my fatigue, and Ji Yeohoon immediately took me to a chair.
How fortunate that there were chairs in front of the parking lot elevator.
When I leaned back and groaned, both Ji Yeohoon and Yoon Cheong had such worried faces that I burst out laughing.
“You two are the ones who exerted yourselves, why am I the one being worried about?”
“We received guiding from you, Hyung, but who did you receive strength from?”
Yoon Cheong, who had walked over with two drinks, handed one to me and nodded in agreement.
I felt strange that my guiding seemed to push these guys into battle, but they seemed to think the opposite.
Among Espers, there were some who treated other Guides, towards whom their emotions weren’t directed, like spare batteries.
Fortunately, these guys didn’t behave that way towards other Guides, and they were the type to thank the other Guide students in their class who provided guiding before unilateral imprinting.
Thinking they were growing up well, I just smiled.
“You two need guiding to not feel pain, but I just need rest to recover. You’re worrying about the wrong thing. Besides, I’m not in pain.”
“But your eyes are about half-closed.”
Yoon Cheong demonstrated by half-closing his own eyes and pointing with his hand.
In his other hand, he held a drink, which he was actively moving to prevent Ji Yeohoon from snatching it. Seeing this, it seemed his earlier dampened emotions had improved considerably.
“Ji Yeohoon, stop it. You too, Yoon Cheong.”
“Hyung, Yoon Cheong Hyung didn’t bring me one.”
“You have money too, why should I?”
“I was taking care of Soo-young Hyung.”
“You were just standing there watching.”
Fighting again, again.
Just when they seemed to have said something mature, they started bickering shortly after, so there wasn’t much time to feel proud of how well they’d grown.
“Just stay still for a bit, will you?”
“But Hyung…”
“Fight later. Later.”
Blink, blink, black gaps appeared intermittently.
Yoon Cheong, who had been standing in front of me waving his hand, sat down beside me.
The warmth of the large Esper guys sitting on either side of me was reassuring, and soon I drifted into that dark time.
* * *
“He’s sleeping so cutely.”
A low voice whispered softly.
As if reflecting his personality, Moon Soo-young didn’t lean his head on either side but slept with a straight posture, eyes closed—a fact that was rather disappointing to the not-so-boyish boys sitting on either side of him.
He never paid attention to just one side.
He never showered affection on just one person, always leaving them thirsty yet grateful for his nagging that never forgot them, and his eyes that showed care while remaining stoic. The warmth that naturally came with guiding was so precious that they deliberately didn’t cross any lines.
It was a ceasefire agreement they had maintained for quite a long time.
“Don’t pull his head toward you, seriously.”
“I didn’t use my hands.”
“Telekinesis is your power, isn’t it? Don’t wake him up for no reason.”
“You think I can’t control that too?”
Ji Yeohoon, who had been maintaining a gentle smile toward Moon Soo-young all along, glared at Yoon Cheong with a cold expression.
Likewise, Yoon Cheong, who always maintained a calm face in front of Moon Soo-young as if to show he was harmless, now had a chilling gaze directed at Ji Yeohoon.
Both had irritated expressions, but they kept their voices low for fear of waking the exhausted boy sitting in the middle.
They wanted to lay him down but were reluctant to have his head rest on someone other than themselves, and if they gave in to the desire to support his head, they worried his legs might touch the other person, so neither dared to make the first move.
The most they did was Yoon Cheong using his telekinesis to slightly support Moon Soo-young’s head to prevent it from suddenly jerking, carefully exerting force to lift his body slightly.
Ji Yeohoon also deliberately assisted Yoon Cheong’s ability to make him use less power.
Even as they argued and fought, they ended up helping each other.
“How long did they say it would take?”
“They said after a little more guiding. Mom’s energy doesn’t come back easily. But they said they’d be here soon.”
Normally, if the sleeping Moon Soo-young in the middle couldn’t hear, they might have blocked the sound with their powers and fought fiercely, but they couldn’t bring themselves to do that because both had concerns weighing on their minds.
The younger boy thought he was always falling a bit behind because he couldn’t be with them all the time. Even when receiving guiding in the same situation, he often came second in priority.
He was even envious when his rival, who was taller than him, protected the boy with his sturdy body and practical abilities, so he kept pressing down the unspoken anxiety in his heart.
Moreover, today, because of Yoon Cheong’s parents’ situation, he couldn’t pounce as usual and was just quietly gazing at Moon Soo-young.
The same-aged boy also felt like he was falling behind.
It was irritating enough that Ji Yeohoon, being a year younger, unlike himself, would throw himself forward first, hugging and acting spoiled, but today’s guiding in particular made his temper flare up.
Now that he was relieved his parents would be okay, he felt embarrassed about having wet the shoulder of the person he always wanted to protect, and when he came back after wiping his face, he saw Moon Soo-young’s lips touch the cheek of that guy he didn’t like.
Though he was annoyed, he knew it was a natural guiding method given the excessive use of ability, so he was enduring it, but…
The thought suddenly surged that if lips had touched a cheek, it should be okay for the head to lean toward his side.
“How are we going to carry him?”
“With our abilities. My energy is fine for that.”
“Since he’ll be strengthening, just use a little force. Don’t get caught and make Hyung tired by having him guide you again.”
“Am I you?”
“What?”
“You got caught once before and received guiding, didn’t you?”
“Don’t bring up something from a year ago.”
Though they tried not to argue, both eventually flared up.
While they were growling at each other, the elevator door opened.
“Are you two fighting again…?”
Oh Chan-seok and Ji Seon-young burst into laughter, saying you two never change, and the two who had heated up but now felt awkward, carried Moon Soo-young together using telekinesis and strengthening abilities, getting into the car with sullen faces.
With adults present, it was a ceasefire again.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
