At Ra Ho-yeon’s words, Cha Si-yoon rushed out into the living room.
“I’ll look for some fever reducers!”
Ra Ho-yeon added a quick explanation to the panicked youngest member.
“If it’s a regular over-the-counter one that doesn’t work on Espers or Guides, then go buy some outside.”
“Got it!”
The sound of Cha Si-yoon rummaging through the TV cabinet echoed from the living room.
Ra Ho-yeon calmly gave instructions to Seo Yoon-chae and Shin Tae-boem as well.
“Tae-boem, prep some ice packs and wet towels.”
“O-Okay.”
“Seo Yoon-chae, you’re on porridge duty. Just in case Yu-jin wakes up.”
“M-M-M-M-Me?”
Seo Yoon-chae, who’d only ever eaten food made by someone else and never cooked anything himself, was visibly flustered.
Ra Ho-yeon was merciless.
“If you don’t know how, search it up on NewTube and figure it out.”
“…Alright, hyung.”
All the members began moving in sync without hesitation.
Ra Ho-yeon found a thermometer and checked Yeon Yu-jin’s condition. Thankfully, it wasn’t serious enough to warrant a trip to the emergency room.
Still, Ra Ho-yeon was deeply shaken. He hadn’t expected Yu-jin to suddenly fall into such painful groans like this.
“Nngh…”
Watching Yeon Yu-jin let out a pained whimper, Ra Ho-yeon was consumed by a sense of helplessness and self-loathing.
What the hell did I do to someone who’s sick?
Regret gnawed at him—he should’ve tossed his pride aside and held onto Yeon Yu-jin the moment things started going wrong.
“Don’t be sick… I’ll take whatever you throw at me when you wake up—yelling, hitting, whatever it is.”
Please.
Ra Ho-yeon took Yu-jin’s limp hand and pressed it against his own cheek.
For the first time, he resented the fact that he was an Esper and not a Guide.
If I’d been a Guide, maybe I could’ve given him at least a bit of energy.
An Esper could do absolutely nothing for their suffering Guide.
As that truth hit him like a blow, Ra Ho-yeon continued the futile contact.
He tried to cool his cheek with Yu-jin’s burning hand.
Even knowing full well that no energy would be transferred that way. Still, he didn’t stop.
Outside the window, someone had been quietly watching the scene—until they silently melted away into the darkness.
***
It’s hot.
An intense wave of heat hit me, like I’d been hurled straight into a blazing inferno.
It’s so damn hot.
I felt like stripping all my clothes off right then and there, but my body wouldn’t respond.
It was like my limbs were wrapped in heavy chains—completely immobile. My whole body felt unbearably heavy. Even lifting my eyelids was a struggle.
What was I doing again…?
Paralyzed, caught in this searing sensation, I began to retrace my memories.
Right… I got into a shouting match with those rookie Espers from Secreti, then came back to my room.
And after that?
Ah. Potato said I needed to rest immediately, so I laid down on the bed…
Everything went black after that.
Once I pieced things together, it kind of made sense.
Guess my body shut down temporarily from total energy depletion.
If I had to describe it, I was like a phone with its battery drained to 0%—completely powered off.
My best guess was that, in trying to suppress Je-ha’s rampage, I’d pushed myself too hard and drained every last drop of guiding energy I had.
A sigh escaped me.
All that effort, and I end up looking like a limp noodle. Pathetic.
I’d thought I’d recovered all of my former abilities, but drawing out guiding energy still seemed too taxing for this current body.
In my past life, I could guide ten times a day without even breaking a sweat…
Even if Je-ha had gotten stronger than before, he wasn’t that overwhelming.
Maybe it was because “Yeon Yu-jin’s” body had never once experienced the process of reducing an Esper’s corrosion level right before they lost control. The fatigue that came with it was overwhelming.
Ugh. My whole body feels like it’s been beaten with a baseball bat.
This kind of pain—I’d only felt it back when I was stationed at the frontlines, guiding non-stop like a madman.
Reliving that sensation now? Absolute hell.
My body’s probably a furnace right now. I’ll need a few days of solid rest, at least.
Of course, those bratty rookies would probably just laugh at me again. They’d probably accuse me of faking it or call me lazy.
I couldn’t get the look in Secreti’s members’ eyes out of my head—the way they sneered at me before I passed out.
Seriously. Who the hell says I’m off screwing around in some relationship?
I was genuinely outraged. Never dated in my past life or this one—a pure-blooded lifelong single—and they had the nerve to accuse me of flirting?
If I’d actually been in a relationship, maybe I wouldn’t be so pissed.
The way they grilled me over a nonexistent lover had my blood pressure through the roof. I thought I might actually burst.
Even while I was stuck, flailing around in this burning hellhole, I found myself thinking back to the cold expression Ra Ho-yeon gave me—and it made my blood boil all over again.
A brat that young, barking accusations with no proof!
Forget calling them rookies—those punks weren’t even worth being called egg whites, let alone yolks.
They probably won’t even apologize. And even if they did, I wouldn’t forgive them.
Grinding my teeth, I still couldn’t help feeling a little glum.
Honestly, I doubt they even know I’ve collapsed, let alone bother to check on me.
A wave of regret hit me. Maybe locking the door had been a mistake.
Damn it. Lowering corrosion levels with guiding burns through so much energy that it’s no different from starving to death…!
If I was left alone like this for three days, I really might die of starvation.
Especially now—completely drained of energy and physically weakened—even as an SSS-rank Guide, I couldn’t say for sure what might happen. Sure, my ability was “Resurrection,” so I wouldn’t actually die… but the aftermath would be brutal.
Growing anxious, I called out to Potato, the embodiment of my ability, with everything I had.
Not that it did anything—I could only call out in my mind.
Potato! Potato! Can you appear here too?!
Didn’t think it’d work, but before long, I heard Potato’s voice.
[…Why’re you calling me?]
Whoa. It actually worked?
As I rejoiced, Potato grumbled.
[Just get to the point.]
…Why are you so cranky? I am your Master, you know.
[Yaaawn… That’s ‘cause your energy’s totally depleted from guiding. I’ve weakened just as much. I can’t move freely right now…]
Potato scolded me in that same slow, lazy tone, yawning repeatedly as he spoke.
I ignored him and pressed on with my question.
Then can’t you just help me recover quickly?
[No can do… This is the best we can manage right now. You’re lucky your trait is Resurrection—you’re already recovering faster than most. If you were a normal Guide, you wouldn’t even be conscious.]
What good’s being awake when I can’t do jack shit?
Waking up in this kind of hellish pain felt like someone dumped gasoline on my nerves and lit a match. It was straight-up torture.
Potato slowly explained, like I was too dense to get it.
[You’re only half awake. Yaaawn… To recover quickly, your body will instinctively try to initiate reverse guiding. But unless there’s an Esper nearby to provide it, there’s no way you’ll fully wake up.]
That’s even possible?!
[You’re an irregular SSS-rank Guide. Haven’t you ever wondered why you always bounce back faster than you should?]
Not really…? I just figured I was used to energy depletion.
Come to think of it, other Guides in my past life took a full week to recover when they burned through all their energy.
I never imagined the difference came from unconsciously reverse guiding.
Wait… So that means Je-ha used to give me energy through reverse guiding when I collapsed?
[Exactly. Hyun Je-ha was quick to notice the subtle changes in your body every time you fainted.]
Huh?
That word didn’t match Je-ha at all.
Potato didn’t seem fazed by my dumbfounded reaction and kept going.
[Other Espers could’ve done it, sure. But Hyun Je-ha stuck by your side like glue and acted as your energy shuttle until you woke up. Even when others told him not to push himself, he ignored them. He devoted his whole damn life to you. The guy’s insane.]
We were bonded as partners through a guiding bond. It’s only natural. I stayed by Je-ha’s side when he collapsed, too.
[…And it never crossed your mind that he might’ve orchestrated that?]
Not really?
Je-ha always acted like a total pushover around me. Honestly, I was starting to think Potato had completely misread him.
[God, you’re such a dumbass, Master.]
Why are you insulting me?
[Whatever. Just hurry up and wake up. I can’t get back to normal until you do.]
Yeah, but I don’t think that’s gonna happen—huh?
My body, heavy as iron chains a moment ago, suddenly felt lighter. My blurred vision gradually began to clear.
What the hell…?
Startled, I heard Potato murmur.
[Guess you’ve got an Esper nearby willing to share energy.]
No way. There shouldn’t be anyone near me right now…
[You’ll find out when you open your eyes.]
And with that, a blinding light swallowed me.
The world of unconsciousness shattered into pieces.
***
“Ugh…”
Scratch what I said about feeling lighter.
The moment I regained consciousness, the heat still burning through my body and the haze clouding my mind hit me all over again.
Right. Makes sense. My energy’s barely at 1%—no wonder I feel like crap.
I slowly shifted my flickering gaze to the left. Through the blur, I managed to make out a figure in my field of vision.
Judging by the situation, it had to be the Esper who’d given me energy through reverse guiding.
He was unconsciously holding my hand, steadily transferring energy into me.
Silver hair, gleaming in the moonlight that pierced through the darkness.
Without thinking, I murmured,
“Je-ha…?”
