Strictly speaking, the period Lim Haeyul stayed at Cha Jae-woo’s house was quite long. However, perhaps because the time spent away was similar, it felt unusually awkward.
Lim Haeyul was curious about Cha Jae-woo’s condition, but it seemed Lim Haeyul did not want to return to this place. Lim Haeyul could not help but tense up, stiffening and clenching and unclenching fists repeatedly.
Lim Haeyul never thought to return to the house that was fled without looking back. It could not be said that it was entirely someone else’s decision. The driver did not force Lim Haeyul.
“……You can go to the room you used to stay in.”
The driver spoke to Lim Haeyul, who hesitated for a long time after getting out of the car. Lim Haeyul’s face contorted even before the driver finished speaking.
“Why?”
The room Lim Haeyul used to stay in. The fear felt from the moment Cha Jae-woo’s house came into view seemed to materialize.
What if Lim Haeyul could not leave once inside? What if Lim Haeyul was trapped again? Although no one dragged Lim Haeyul there, and any room would feel the same, Lim Haeyul found it hard to move immediately.
Could Lim Haeyul ask to go back now? The driver would probably understand. What could Lim Haeyul do by seeing Cha Jae-woo? Simultaneously, Lim Haeyul’s fingertips began to tremble uncontrollably.
“Esper is in there…….”
The driver said calmly, looking at Lim Haeyul. The driver’s dark expression seemed pale.
‘……Why is Cha Jae-woo in there?’
Lim Haeyul’s gaze naturally shifted towards the room used to stay in. The tightly closed window. From the outside, it seemed eerily quiet, but strangely, it looked dark and murky.
For some reason, Lim Haeyul could not look away and stared for a long time. Something seemed to be crawling around the window. It was not an illusion; something pitch-black was there.
“What’s around……?”
“Hmm?”
“Around the window.”
Even as Lim Haeyul asked, Lim Haeyul knew the driver would not see the same thing.
“What do you mean something is there…….”
As expected, the driver was clueless. Lim Haeyul, who had been staring blankly at the window, suddenly started moving, as if never frozen. The heavy steps quickened until Lim Haeyul was running.
The fear remained. However, the feeling was different from not wanting to enter or being trapped again. The sound of running echoed. Perhaps it was the sound of Lim Haeyul’s heartbeat.
“Haah…….”
In an instant, Lim Haeyul reached the second floor. Following the familiar path, the door suddenly swung open with a thud.
The person who opened the door of the room Lim Haeyul used to stay in was undoubtedly Cha Jae-woo.
“…….”
It was definitely Cha Jae-woo.
“What’s going on…….”
Lim Haeyul muttered unconsciously.
It was Cha Jae-woo, no doubt. But for some reason, Cha Jae-woo looked like a completely different person. The vacant eyes and the weak, staggering body.
Cha Jae-woo was still strikingly handsome, but somehow seemed like a bomb about to explode.
“……Lim Haeyul?”
A deep, husky voice called Lim Haeyul’s name. Cha Jae-woo looked like someone not in the right mind. Lim Haeyul took a big step towards Cha Jae-woo. Cha Jae-woo stood still, just looking at Lim Haeyul.
“Why……. What happened to you?”
“…….”
Even though Cha Jae-woo recognized that Lim Haeyul was right in front of him, he showed little reaction. He furrowed and unfurrowed his brow, his eyes rolling as if deep in thought.
His dazed face looked as though he was asleep with his eyes open. Just as that thought crossed Lim Haeyul’s mind—
“So vivid.”
Cha Jae-woo muttered and began to approach Lim Haeyul. Lim Haeyul did not move away from him. Or rather, Lim Haeyul was frozen and could not move.
“It feels real.”
Before Lim Haeyul knew it, Cha Jae-woo was right in front of him. He gently caressed Lim Haeyul’s cheek with one hand. His tense face softened into a smile, but at the same time, Lim Haeyul’s chest tightened painfully.
Why is he acting like this?
But there was no one to answer Lim Haeyul’s questions. Lim Haeyul understood why the driver had brought him here without explanation. If Cha Jae-woo had been in this state all along, it would have been worrying.
Even Lim Haeyul was anxious and concerned about Cha Jae-woo’s current condition. It was absurd, but Lim Haeyul could not bring himself to reject Cha Jae-woo’s touch.
“Haeyul.”
The hand that had been touching Lim Haeyul’s cheek fell away. Then, Cha Jae-woo’s face buried itself in Lim Haeyul’s shoulder. Lim Haeyul did nothing. Lim Haeyul still did not know what to do.
“……Cha Jae-woo!”
Soon after, Cha Jae-woo’s body went limp. He lost consciousness while leaning on Lim Haeyul.
Thud!
Unable to support Cha Jae-woo’s weight, Lim Haeyul fell to the floor with a loud noise, but Cha Jae-woo, who had passed out on top of him, did not stir.
“Why…….”
Lim Haeyul felt a lump in the throat. Did this happen because Cha Jae-woo did not receive guiding? But it hadn’t been that long.
Even if it wasn’t Lim Haeyul, someone else should have been there. Even if the matching rate was not high, couldn’t Cha Jae-woo receive at least a little guiding? At least until Lim Haeyul appeared, Cha Jae-woo had been receiving guiding in that manner.
Did he not do it?
Why? Why didn’t he do it?
The endless questions had no answers. Lim Haeyul closed his eyes tightly, suppressing the frustration. Then, Lim Haeyul searched for the mana that had settled comfortably within his body.
There was no deep thought behind it. It was not forced. It was not that Lim Haeyul suddenly wanted to forgive Cha Jae-woo completely. It was just that if left alone, Cha Jae-woo might die. His death would be frightening to anyone. So, Lim Haeyul did it to prevent that.
Lim Haeyul could rationalize it as much as he wanted. Lim Haeyul carefully pushed the mana into Cha Jae-woo’s body.
It’s not possible. Lim Haeyul could no longer guide. Lim Haeyul was sure of it, but surprisingly, the mana flowed smoothly into Cha Jae-woo’s body.
In that moment, Lim Haeyul felt sick. It was not rejection as before, but Cha Jae-woo’s frequency, the mass that had barely been calmed, was growing again and consuming him.
* * *
“Haah…….”
After a long time without guiding, Lim Haeyul’s head was pounding.
Lim Haeyul looked quietly at Cha Jae-woo, who was lying on the bed he used to sleep in. This was a first for Lim Haeyul. Usually, Lim Haeyul was the one sleeping.
The chaotic frequency in the room had clearly subsided. Much faster than Lim Haeyul had expected. Although the amount of mana was still small, it seemed to stabilize more quickly than before.
Thanks to this, Cha Jae-woo’s face looked much more at ease than before. Lim Haeyul stared at him for a long time.
If Lim Haeyul were to make an excuse, it would be that people found him and Cha Jae-woo collapsed, and they moved Cha Jae-woo to the bed, insisting that Lim Haeyul stay and eat something.
Of course, it was a ridiculous excuse. Lim Haeyul could not eat anything here. Lim Haeyul just wanted to see Cha Jae-woo wake up.
‘What will I do then?’
Would Lim Haeyul offer empty words? That was also ridiculous. Lim Haeyul should just go home. But Lim Haeyul was curious. Why was Cha Jae-woo in this state?
Perhaps Lim Haeyul wanted to talk to him. There was so much Lim Haeyul wanted to know. If Cha Jae-woo’s condition was this bad, there should have been hundreds, thousands of articles about it. His state was as bad as when Lim Haeyul first met him.
But the world was eerily silent. As if someone had blocked all the articles about Cha Jae-woo. As if they were just waiting for his end.
It was an absurd thought. But Lim Haeyul could not shake the feeling that Cha Jae-woo himself had blocked the articles.
Thinking about it made everything seem strange. What did Cha Jae-woo want from Lim Haeyul? What was he thinking? If he wanted sympathy, he should have released countless articles about his poor health. Then, Lim Haeyul would have returned to Cha Jae-woo and guided him, just as Lim Haeyul was doing now.
Lim Haeyul still resented Cha Jae-woo. But Lim Haeyul did not want him to die. Cha Jae-woo must have known that…
“Mmm…….”
Lim Haeyul had been sitting stiffly, just staring at Cha Jae-woo’s face. Suddenly, Cha Jae-woo stirred.
Lim Haeyul had been waiting for him to wake up, but when he finally showed signs of waking, Lim Haeyul’s body tensed up. But Lim Haeyul braced himself. Lim Haeyul felt he had to.
“…….”
Soon, Cha Jae-woo opened his eyes. His gaze moved slowly from the ceiling to Lim Haeyul. His eyes flickered slightly upon seeing Lim Haeyul. He furrowed and unfurrowed his brow, as if trying to understand the situation.
“This isn’t a dream. I really am at Cha Jae-woo’s house.”
Lim Haeyul spoke abruptly. Cha Jae-woo’s face contorted even more, but Lim Haeyul pretended not to notice.
“If you’ve come to your senses, explain.”
“…….”
“What are you trying to do? What are you thinking?”
