# Chapter 45
For a moment, Dohyun felt a chill down his spine and unconsciously gripped Haegang’s clothes tightly. He had no intention of being eaten. As his desire to not die grew stronger, his attacks naturally became more powerful.
As he held onto Haegang, more guiding Vigor poured out. Would it feel like this to immerse oneself in a swimming pool? It felt like his body was wrapped in a comfortable coolness, neither hot nor cold.
The fact that it didn’t hurt, and that the energy—which would eventually torment him if not used—naturally circulated and flowed out, surprisingly calmed Dohyun.
After all the monsters died, the torn entrance in the air turned red.
‘There’s the exit. Well done, Esper Baek Dohyun.’
That was the last memory from inside the gate. Dohyun exited the gate cradled in Haegang’s arms, and decided to obediently receive guiding. If he claimed he was still exhausted, Haegang wouldn’t ask further questions. Otherwise, he would think there was no way Dohyun would be willingly clinging to him.
Dohyun’s prediction was accurate. Chan looked like he had a headache and wanted to grab Dohyun by the collar right away, but he ultimately ended his words with concern. Feeling a bit sorry, but thinking he could explain later, Dohyun called to him softly.
“Sa Gongchan.”
“What, you brat?”
“Among types of gold, I prefer cash deposits over anything else right now. Please take care of the reward money processing.”
“You crazy bastard!”
Dohyun raised both hands to cover his ears.
❖ ❖ ❖
Dohyun was admitted to the hospital. Not willingly, but forcibly. Although he had no wounds, he had emerged covered in blood, and a non-combat Esper who entered and exited a gate alone without injuries would seem suspicious to some, so he was hospitalized at Chan’s strong insistence.
He ate the bland hospital food mechanically, moving his spoon without enthusiasm. It was edible… but the meals he had at home suited his taste much better. Upon this realization, he suddenly understood that he, who had only eaten enough to survive, had developed a sense of taste.
That pasta I ate before was quite delicious. I thought the white pasta would be too rich because of the cream, but it surprisingly suited my taste. Was it because it was made spicy? Come to think of it, it was white, so how did they make it spicy?
Plus, there was always bread and jam at home, so I thought he might prefer Western food, but he also made Korean and Japanese dishes well. Recalling how everything tasted as good as restaurant food, Dohyun became lost in thought.
‘No. It must be because Guide Choi Haegang has better ingredients at home…’
Unconsciously licking his lips, Dohyun deliberately denied his own taste preferences. Yet his listless spoon movements showed no signs of improvement.
“According to the staff checking the gauge outside, it seems it will take about two more days.”
“…Then I’d like to go home and do this.”
“Please bear with it.”
At Haegang’s firm response, Dohyun buried his head in his meal again. Chan had returned to the guild. Even though it was a VIP hospital room, a caregiver was needed if there was no guardian, and Dohyun—who wasn’t actually sick and felt uncomfortable with strangers—slightly frowned.
Seeing this, Haegang registered his own name as the caregiver. Of course, he didn’t actually provide care, just sat with his legs crossed in the spacious room reading a book.
This is totally extra work. Having to stay with a Guide constantly. Although he was hospitalized due to being covered in blood, Chan had firmly responded to the argument that as an Esper, no further treatment was necessary.
‘Yeah, stay cooped up in the hospital room until Esper Ji Seonyoung comes out of the gate, Esper Baek Dohyun.’
‘…That’s a bit harsh to say “cooped up,” Employee Sa Gongchan.’
‘Like you’re the only one who occasionally speaks rudely, Esper Baek Dohyun.’
‘Sigh…’
Dohyun felt frustrated at being told he had to stay until the healing Esper from Somyeong Guild came out. Although he disliked going outside, he didn’t want to be stuck in a hospital. If not for Haegang, he would have simply escaped home… But wasn’t Haegang the owner of the house where Dohyun was currently staying?
“Are you really going to sleep here?”
“Yes.”
“Won’t the accommodations be uncomfortable?”
“Anywhere is more uncomfortable than home. But I’m used to it, so it doesn’t matter. Besides, I don’t know what kind of trouble Esper Baek Dohyun might cause next.”
Wait, saying it’s more uncomfortable than home while also saying you’re used to it—what does that even mean? Dohyun lost his words looking at the portable bed next to his own. He had never been to Haegang’s room on the second floor, but even the guest bed in the room where Dohyun stayed had a large, quality mattress. He could bet his precious watch that the bed in Haegang’s room was equally good.
“Won’t your feet hang off the edge…? The portable bed is small.”
“Then there’s nothing I can do about it.”
“…You can really go home. Seriously.”
No, please go home. It’s uncomfortable. Although he had moved into Haegang’s house and lived together, it was fine because their living spaces were mostly separate. Except for the kitchen where they ate meals, Dohyun’s and Haegang’s paths rarely crossed. Haegang must have considered this when he took Dohyun in.
Dohyun’s movement was limited to his own room on the first floor, occasionally the living room, the bathroom, and the kitchen. He never even thought about going up to the second floor, which was Haegang’s living space.
Because of this, living with him wasn’t bad, but being in this hospital room had completely merged their spaces. They even shared the same bathroom and toilet.
Moreover, it was a bit embarrassing having acted like a troublemaker in the gate. Though Haegang didn’t seem to mind.
“It’s easier to defend if we’re together anyway.”
“Defend?”
When Dohyun questioned Haegang’s words, he pulled out the barrier-generating device he always carried.
“Esper Baek Dohyun doesn’t have a device like this.”
It’s not like he’s a little kid bragging “we don’t have this at our house”…
Giving up, Dohyun put the lid back on his food tray. He got off the bed to neatly place everything on the tray to send it out, but Haegang intercepted it.
“Give it to me.”
“Stay in bed.”
“I can do it myself.”
“You’re a patient.”
I’m not really a patient. Dohyun held back the complaint that rose to his throat by firmly shutting his mouth. Haegang doing it was right. Since they had explained he was admitted for a check-up after being caught in a gate, he was officially a patient anyway.
Watching Haegang take the tray and leave the room, Dohyun limped to the bathroom.
‘Injuries from inside a gate don’t heal well normally. There’s a lot of energy in there. They say wounds caused by energy don’t heal well even with an Esper’s natural healing ability. So stay in the hospital for now. Just in case, get treatment when Esper Ji Seonyoung comes out of the gate.’
‘Don’t make potions for a while since you used a lot of your ability inside. If you can’t, then you can’t.’
The nagging voices around him had increased. He stared at his red eyes in the mirror before turning on the cold water and splashing his face. He shouldn’t find their nagging and worry pleasant.
❖ ❖ ❖
After being admitted, there was nothing Dohyun could do. Just eat meals at set times and undergo examinations. Though they didn’t restrict him from walking around the hospital or interfere much, meals were consistently brought to him, so he had no choice but to eat. Acting as a caregiver, Haegang brought food trays to the room three times a day.
“Guide Choi Haegang, what about your meal?”
Dohyun, who typically assumed people would take care of their own meals without asking, felt awkward inquiring about it, but couldn’t help asking the person who brought him food at regular times.
“I already ate outside.”
“Already? Don’t you usually eat at 8 o’clock?”
“It didn’t match the hospital meal times, so I ate early.”
Does that mean he doesn’t want to eat together? Dohyun forced himself to eat while Haegang watched, enduring his discomfort.
When alone, Dohyun barely managed one meal a day, but somehow since meeting Haegang, he felt like he was having three meals a day that weren’t even in his destiny. If he were at Haegang’s house, he would have just spread some jam on bread. Dohyun forcibly pushed the bland hospital food into his perfectly healthy body.
“Is it not good?”
“…A little bit.”
“Well, it is a bit bland.”
Dohyun was moving his spoon when he caught a peculiar hint in Haegang’s words. When he raised his head to look at Haegang, he asked with his usual impassive face.
“Is there something on my face?”
“No.”
He was 100% certain. Haegang ate separately because the hospital food was bland. Dohyun reluctantly continued eating. So you’re the only one eating delicious food… Once I’m discharged, I’m going to buy something tasty too. Dohyun firmly stored this in his mind.
After meals, there was even less to do. Would it be better to just stay at home? Lying in bed, he passed time looking for stains on the ceiling, and when he had absolutely nothing to do, he picked up his phone. Even trying to focus mindlessly on the chattering people in YouTube videos only made his thoughts more complicated.
Unlike Dohyun, Haegang didn’t seem bored at all, sitting at the table opposite the bed, reading.
Dohyun had thought that with his extremely introverted personality, hospital life wouldn’t be too bad. Since both Haegang’s house and the hospital room were larger than his original home and therefore equally uncomfortable, he thought it might be convenient to just eat the food provided and stay still. But that was all his misconception.
“…Can’t I leave?”
The YouTube sound becomes tiresome even though he just started playing it.
“Esper Baek Dohyun. You’ve been hospitalized for only 22 hours. It’s been just one day.”
22 hours? Not 22 days? Dohyun’s eyebrows drooped.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
