I had only intended to express a reasonable amount of fear toward the monsters, show a little concern, and leave it at that…
But I found myself staring at the mark etched into that back—layered with firm, solid muscle. It felt like someone had poured a bucket of cold water over the comfort I’d been enjoying. A scar on an S-rank body? Fuck.
Sure, if you’re injured, there might be a scar left behind. Espers still have human bodies, after all. But Shim Tae-seong, who had once been fatally wounded by Joo Cheong-gyeong, had looked perfectly unscathed when they met again.
I hadn’t expected to come face-to-face with the true danger of monsters like this. Since I’d never directly encountered one before, the threat hadn’t really felt real to me.
Besides, I’d always believed that S-ranks were naturally superior to monsters. The footage shown by the system had been overwhelming—four of them, each facing off against monsters on their own. It was beyond impressive.
And they weren’t just any S-ranks—they were the “nukes” that the system kept singing praises about. I thought maybe they were on another level entirely.
“A little blood splattered.”
Hyung, who had been sitting silently, finally replied.
“It’s nothing.”
“…Huh?”
I froze, still touching the scar on his back.
“Monster blood is basically poison. Usually, the contact area has to be cut out or amputated right away.”
He explained it calmly.
“If you don’t, the toxin spreads through your system, and you die.”
“……!”
“Espers above a certain rank can self-purify to some extent, depending on the level of contamination.”
So that means this was the result after self-purification.
If you’re not a well-built Esper, and you get splashed with monster blood while running away… you die on the spot.
…Which is probably why they try to wait until all civilians have evacuated before dealing with a monster. But is it really safe to just stall for time?
Now that I think about it, I remember seeing in the footage—people collapsing under a rain of monster blood, as if it were falling like a storm. I guess I’d only remembered the scenes of people getting eaten or stomped to death, so those other images hadn’t really stuck until now.
“If you’ve got a normal body, surviving contamination is unlikely. And if a building collapses first, you could end up buried anyway.”
Hyung casually aimed the remark at me. My fingertips twitched involuntarily.
He’s not wrong. For regular people or Guides, if a monster shows up nearby, there’s a high chance you’re dead in seconds. One way or another.
…But even though no one knows when or where a monster might appear, everyone still goes on living their normal lives, each in their own place.
It’s not like the world ended in an apocalypse and Earth got completely destroyed or anything… Sure, no one knows what the future holds, but for now, thanks to the Espers, we’re managing to fend off the monsters just fine.
And yet Hyung talks like we’re living in some hellscape where stepping outside means certain death.
I mean, seriously—how shady can your intentions be?
A sudden wave of fondness made my lips itch to curl up into a smile. But showing my true feelings just because he had his back turned would be amateurish. I kept my expression grim as I looked down at the scar on his back.
……Still.
Maybe I could actually get rid of this.
Ding!
[System synchronization in progress……]
[You cannot use Authority until synchronization is complete.]
With a sound I absolutely did not want to hear, translucent windows popped up in front of me.
I almost cursed out loud.
What the fuck?
“……Eun-soo?”
Hyung turned around. I flinched and quickly dropped my gaze from the floating air. His jet-black eyes studied my face, pale with shock.
His brow twitched slightly—maybe he thought he’d scared me too much.
“Come here.”
Then he spread his arms wide.
I had only been trembling at the lips, but slowly, I leaned into his embrace. Hyung lifted me effortlessly, pulling me into his lap. That familiar scent of warm skin and his solid frame enveloped me.
Over his shoulder, I stared directly at the still-hovering system window.
[System synchronization in progress……]
At first, I thought the system had suddenly started talking to me again, and a mix of rage and panic surged through me—but… that didn’t seem to be the case.
Maybe this was happening because I’d somehow inherited the system’s Authority. The moment I consciously thought about using that power on something, the notification appeared.
So it’s in the middle of synchronizing…
Is this like a period of adjustment while my body adapts to the Authority?
“Don’t worry. There won’t be anything that puts you in danger.”
Hyung whispered close to my ear, his lips brushing gently against it.
…Yeah, Hyung. With this power, monsters are supposed to avoid me altogether.
Honestly, I might be the safest person in the world right now.
It’s starting to feel like I should be the one tailing them around instead.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and slowly lowered my gaze.
***
He had no idea I’d mistaken the scar for something he’d gotten by being reckless on purpose.
Cha Eun-hyuk gently soothed Cha Eun-soo, who had started out worrying for his brother but ended up truly shaken by the sheer existence of monsters. Despite the comforting words, Eun-soo’s complexion remained pale for quite some time.
He had never actively sought out TV to begin with, but now, he seemed too afraid to even turn it on—clearly terrified that a monster-related video might appear. Eun-hyuk didn’t mind that at all. After all, information about Esper Association heads showed up frequently enough across various programs.
Then again, there was a part of him that wouldn’t have minded watching his younger brother fall apart in real time, discovering the truth while they were together. For that reason, he had no real intention of stopping him if he ever did choose to tune in.
Cha Eun-hyuk stared down at the boy in his arms. Eun-soo, clinging to him without the faintest idea of the sadistic, immoral thoughts lingering behind his brother’s eyes, wore a look clouded with melancholy. Though the two lay down together in bed, Eun-soo showed no trace of sleepiness. Eun-hyuk eventually broke the silence.
“What are you thinking about?”
From beneath his long lashes, Eun-soo’s eyes lifted to meet his.
“Just… thinking about how there’s nothing I can do.”
“Being kidnapped… everything I went through there… and the fact that no one even knows who I am. The monsters, too. It’s all terrifying.”
“…Cha Eun-soo.”
“So all I do is tremble and cling to you like this, and it makes me feel so pathetic.”
His fragile presence gleamed faintly in the darkness, delicate enough to shatter like glass at any moment.
“Hyung.”
His voice, thick and hoarse, asked softly,
“Don’t you think I’m pathetic?”
The very act of asking seemed to fill him with self-loathing. His eyes, glistening with unshed tears, held his brother’s gaze.
Cha Eun-hyuk watched him—savoring the sight of his brother’s vulnerable, laid-bare self. Only after a long silence did he finally respond.
“How many times do I have to tell you?”
“…”
“I told you, just stay like this. That’s all I need.”
His strong fingers brushed away the tears from Eun-soo’s eyes.
“And who says there’s nothing you can do?”
A Guide’s power is guiding. If he had revived an Esper’s wave, then his worth had already been proven. More than that, Cha Eun-soo had been a savior to those on the brink of death. So many had coveted his healing touch to the point of madness—he was nothing short of miraculous.
But Cha Eun-hyuk didn’t just want Cha Eun-soo, the Guide.
He wanted Cha Eun-soo, the younger brother.
And that truth—repeated again and again in his actions—left Eun-soo speechless. His lips pressed tightly together as emotion threatened to spill out. Tears finally welled in those desolate eyes.
There wasn’t a person alive who wouldn’t be moved by hearing exactly the words they’d longed for.
Eun-soo tilted his head up. His fever-warm lips brushed against Eun-hyuk’s.
“…Hold me.”
His wet voice murmured.
“Right now.”
Cha Eun-hyuk felt his mind becoming hazy. The start of their relationship was always initiated by him, and it was rare for Cha Eun-soo to make the first move, something that only happened in his imagination. The sensation of Eun-soo’s full, soft lips and warm breath overwhelmed his senses.
Eun-hyuk’s large hand pulled Eun-soo’s waist closer.
“Mmm.”
Eun-hyuk’s thick tongue licked Eun-soo’s lips. For a moment, Eun-soo blushed at the explicit sensation, but soon Eun-hyuk’s tongue forcefully parted his lips, filling his mouth completely. Their tongues intertwined, hungry for each other.
They exchanged saliva, savoring the sweet taste of each other’s mouths like licking ice cream. The deepening kiss ignited excitement in both of them, their breaths growing ragged in unison.
Lying side by side, Eun-hyuk rolled over, pulling Eun-soo with him. Their lips parted with a soft smack, and suddenly, Eun-soo found himself straddling Eun-hyuk.
“Ah!”
Eun-soo gasped involuntarily, feeling the pressure below. Just kissing Eun-hyuk had aroused him, and now Eun-hyuk’s erection strained against his pants.
Eun-hyuk looked up at Eun-soo, breathing heavily. He thrust his hips upward slightly, making Eun-soo gasp and sway. Eun-soo steadied himself by placing his hands on Eun-hyuk’s firm chest.
“Ah…….!”
Eun-hyuk began to move his hips in a slow, steady rhythm. Eun-soo rocked back and forth, as if riding him.
“Ah, ah, mmm.”
“Ugh, ah.”
The sensation of their clothed lower bodies grinding against each other felt strange yet thrilling. The teasing friction heightened their arousal, and Eun-soo’s pants began to bulge as well.
Eun-soo instinctively moved his hips, feeling Eun-hyuk’s hardness pressed between his thighs.
“Ugh, hyung.”
The pleasure was maddening, almost enough to push him over the edge. He could feel the wetness spreading in his underwear.
Eun-hyuk gazed at Eun-soo with a hungry look, his cheeks flushed with desire. The sight of Eun-soo, lost in pleasure, stirred an urgent need to pin him down and thrust into him.
