Chapter 33
Trudge, trudge.
He entered Building C and searched for signs of people. With his sensitive perception, the Esper easily located the two individuals.
“You’ve probably heard the rumors. You know I’ve been aiming for Cha Dowoon Esper-nim’s pair position.”
Inside, an unfamiliar voice could be heard. Upon hearing this, Dowoon was certain.
This guy was the main culprit behind Seoyul’s mood, and the reason was because of him.
“Right. You just stay like that. I’ll take that position from you soon enough.”
‘As I thought. He’s after me.’
It was disgusting.
Dowoon knew this type of person all too well. Those who acted entitled because of their rank. Those who deluded themselves into thinking they could Guide him.
But they all failed. The person beyond this door would be no different. Seoyul was the only Guide who could Guide him. For Dowoon, that was an unchangeable truth.
Slap!
Just then, a loud noise made Dowoon’s body stiffen. At the same time, a sharp voice pierced his ears.
“Do you think the situation will change just because you act like this?”
Dowoon’s body froze. The meaning of the sounds coming from inside was so clear that magma began to boil within him.
‘Ha…!’
This was someone he hadn’t even dared to touch properly because he was too precious. Someone so beautiful and precious that it made him decide to wait patiently.
‘But he dares…!!’
Dowoon thought he could no longer forgive him. Shouldn’t there be a proper price to pay for messing with Seoyul?
“Well. I guess the answer is clear now.”
The man sneered as he opened the door. Dowoon released sharp energy to threaten the person in front of him, carefully controlling it so it wouldn’t reach Seoyul, showing just how angry he was.
Naturally, the man was startled and began to tremble. It was a threat that would have been more than enough to bring down an Esper, but since he was a Guide, it seemed to be less effective.
‘I didn’t want to show this side of me to Seoyul, but…’
It couldn’t be helped. Seoyul would understand. He was angry and wanted to let this Guide know somehow.
Who his only Guide was, and what happens when someone tries to take what belongs to another.
Dowoon slowly entered the classroom and closed the door.
* * *
Slide.
Dowoon slowly entered through the door. Seoyul stood frozen, blankly watching him.
Then, a feeling of panic set in.
‘Di-did he hear?’
This was a scene he didn’t want Dowoon of all people to witness. He wanted to hide his depressed and stupid self. He didn’t want to burden him; he wanted to smile, be happy, and help him.
‘How… has my Guiding been lately…?’
Seoyul suddenly realized that he had been neglecting his Guiding. More precisely, he couldn’t Guide properly because his mood had hit rock bottom.
He hadn’t even been aware of that fact.
‘I’m a failure as a Guide.’
Maybe Yeon Jiwoo was right and he wasn’t suitable for the position. Dowoon was an S-rank Esper. He was in a position where he had to stand on the front lines and kill the monsters that poured out at numerous dangerous sites.
He would consume vast amounts of energy, and his Guide should be ready to restore him at any time.
‘But I…’
‘You’ve probably heard the rumors. You know I’ve been aiming for Cha Dowoon Esper-nim’s pair position.’
Yes. Maybe that position should be filled by someone flawless like Yeon Jiwoo.
Seoyul’s mood sank lower and lower. At that moment, Yeon Jiwoo, who had been frozen in surprise, opened his mouth.
“Cha Dowoon Esper-nim.”
Yeon Jiwoo had already composed himself. He was surprised, but what had happened couldn’t be undone.
He thought that since things had come to this, he would show Dowoon his usefulness. Then he believed Dowoon would understand why he had to go to such lengths.
Espers were typically submissive to their Guides. It was instinctual.
So he thought if he could prove his effectiveness by Guiding here and now, the situation would change.
“I won’t make excuses. But please give me a chance.”
“A chance?”
Dowoon sneered at this pathetic Guide who was asking for a chance. The situation was already over, yet he was still clinging to hope.
‘Perfect.’
He had been wondering how to handle this, but was rather pleased to be given such a justification.
“Fine. I’ll give you a chance.”
“Really?”
His eyes sparkled with delight. But in stark contrast, Seoyul’s eyes darkened.
‘A chance…?’
A chance? Seoyul’s hands trembled as he wondered if it could possibly be what he was thinking. He hoped not. At least not right now.
But Dowoon’s mouth opened mercilessly.
“Try Guiding me.”
In that moment, Seoyul felt as if time had stopped. It felt surreal, as if time had frozen around him while the two continued their conversation. It was like watching from a third-person perspective.
No.
I don’t want this.
It felt like standing on the edge of a cliff. The slightest breeze would make him fall.
Seoyul bit his lips anxiously. He didn’t want to see this. But he couldn’t look away.
“You won’t regret it.”
Yeon Jiwoo confidently smiled as he took Dowoon’s hand.
No.
I don’t want this.
Don’t do this.
Don’t take my light away!
Seoyul closed his eyes tightly in despair. Even closing his eyes required great courage, making his whole body tremble.
Just then, a strange sound was heard.
“Ugh!”
It was the sound of someone trying to vomit. Seoyul looked up in surprise.
In front of him, Yeon Jiwoo was covering his mouth with a pale face. Red blood was flowing through his fingers.
Dowoon was just looking down at him with a cold gaze.
That gaze was so chilling and emotionless that Seoyul was frightened by this unfamiliar side of him.
“Cough!”
Finally, Yeon Jiwoo coughed up blood and staggered. Red blood also fell on the back of Dowoon’s hand. But he didn’t show even a hint of sympathy.
He simply wiped the blood on his clothes as if it were a nuisance and murmured regretfully.
“Too bad. You fail.”
Upon hearing those words, Yeon Jiwoo’s body began to tremble.
It was then that Seoyul snapped back to reality. Regardless of what had happened, someone was coughing up blood, which seemed dangerous.
“E-Esper-nim!”
Seoyul gathered his courage to call him. He was afraid that Dowoon’s cold, emotionless gaze might be directed at him too. But now wasn’t the time to worry about such things.
He was anxious that if they left him like this, Yeon Jiwoo’s life might be in danger.
“Seoyul.”
Huh?
Dowoon turned his head as he called Seoyul. At the same time, his demeanor instantly changed to something gentler.
‘It’s… the usual Esper-nim.’
Kind and gentle… foolishly, incredibly nice.
Seoyul blinked, unable to adapt to the sudden change in atmosphere. Dowoon slowly approached, carefully holding Seoyul’s hand, and said.
“Guide me.”
“What?”
Seoyul was taken aback by his sudden request for Guiding. But Dowoon paid no mind and brought the small hand to his cheek, rubbing it as he spoke.
“Something dirty got inside me and I feel like throwing up.”
“Uh…”
Seoyul trailed off as he turned his head. In front of him, Yeon Jiwoo, who looked like he might collapse at any moment, was glaring at them while trembling.
His eyes were filled with indignation and a sense of defeat. As Seoyul tried to assess the situation, Yeon Jiwoo coughed up blood once more and began to topple over.
“Uh, huh?!!”
Seoyul instinctively caught him. Even though this person had tormented him, he had never wished for something like this to happen.
“E-Esper-nim!”
He called out urgently, but Dowoon was frowning as if something displeased him.
Fearing something serious might happen, Seoyul spoke with a trembling voice.
“Wh-what if he dies… Quickly, to the hospital…”
“Haah…”
Dowoon let out a long sigh and took Yeon Jiwoo from him as if he had no choice.
As if he didn’t want to treat the patient properly, he roughly hoisted him onto his shoulder and said.
“Why are you so kind and making a fuss?”
“What?”
As Seoyul was about to ask what he meant, Dowoon frowned deeply.
“Isn’t he the one who bullied you? Aren’t you angry? Why are you making me look like the bad guy with that face?”
“Huh? Ah. Th-that…”
Seoyul fumbled with his words in confusion. Bad person? He had no intention of making Dowoon look like that.
No, why would he even think that in the first place?
As he tried to clear up the misunderstanding, his attention was drawn to Yeon Jiwoo, who looked increasingly like he was dying on Dowoon’s shoulder.
Feeling that the injured person should be the priority, he pleaded.
“I-I do hate him, but still, tr-treatment first…”
“Haah. You really…”
Dowoon let out a long sigh and extended his hand to Seoyul as if he had no choice.
“Take it.”
“What?”
When Seoyul looked at him with wide eyes, not understanding why, he explained.
“We’re going for treatment right now, so take my hand.”
“Ah, yes!”
Just then, he remembered that one of Dowoon’s abilities was spatial movement. Seoyul quickly took his hand.
The view in front of him began to distort, and they instantly arrived in a new space.
It was a familiar place to Seoyul.
“Aaah! Cha Dowoon! What is that now?!!”
Sunjeong shouted, pointing with a shocked expression. Her finger was pointing directly at the ragged Yeon Jiwoo.
“It was all necessary.”
“What?”
“He tried to Guide me and got internal injuries, so hurry up and treat him.”
“Hey!”
“You know we can’t go to the hospital, right?”
“If you know that, how could you do this to him?!”
Sunjeong scolded Dowoon, shouting angrily. Although her shouts were directed at Dowoon, Seoyul felt somehow guilty and couldn’t hide his anxiety as he fidgeted.
But Dowoon firmly held Seoyul’s trembling hand and said once more.
“Ah, I’m telling you it was all necessary!”
Ah…
It was then that Seoyul finally understood Dowoon’s intention. He understood why Dowoon had said he would give Yeon Jiwoo a chance and told him to try Guiding.
Dowoon was someone who had suffered from a severe lack of Guiding and had witnessed countless Guides fail.
So he had shown it directly.
That only Seoyul could Guide him.
That only Seoyul was his Guide.
That no one could replace him.
So… don’t be anxious.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
