# Chapter 6
Every night when Jaehee cried,
“Hey! Let’s get some sleep, Lee Jaehee!”
Even while cursing about the noise, Dohyun would place a wet towel on Jaehee’s eyes.
And when Jaehee woke up from sleep,
“…hall…ucination…?”
With tears hanging heavily in his eyes, mumbling and trembling,
“No, this is reality, you idiot.”
Despite the harsh words, Dohyun would gently pat Jaehee’s back with his rough hand until he calmed down.
That’s how Dohyun stayed by Jaehee’s side. Thanks to him, Jaehee was able to slowly regain his senses. And it kept repeating. The endless questions like a loop and Dohyun’s care continued until Jaehee recognized reality.
As a result, Jaehee changed. The Jaehee who had been endlessly contemplating and confused between reality and hallucination,
‘If people can possess characters in books, couldn’t there be regression too?’
He reached that conclusion. It was all thanks to Dohyun. Despite showing all his irritation, he answered all of Jaehee’s questions precisely and took care of him.
That’s how Jaehee learned the truth—that he had returned to the past.
‘If it’s four years ago… Geonwoo would be 20 years old.’
But even though he accepted reality, Jaehee hadn’t changed. He still only asked for Geonwoo every day. Just because he accepted reality didn’t mean Jaehee’s wounds disappeared.
“Dohyun, I want to see Geonwoo…”
“Shut your mouth, Lee Jaehee.”
The savage words shot through Dohyun’s clenched teeth.
“Don’t even think about meeting that bastard! Don’t go and provoke him for nothing. Got it?”
In the end, Jaehee couldn’t meet Geonwoo while under Dohyun’s 24-hour care and surveillance. Dohyun blocked Jaehee to an extent that might have seemed excessive.
But Dohyun had no choice. Not only was the bond with an undeveloped Esper a problem, but the current Jaehee was exactly,
‘Just like when he was 13 years old.’
Dohyun’s gaze toward Jaehee wasn’t much different from looking at a much younger brother. Dohyun felt like he was facing 13-year-old Jaehee again.
Jaehee had entered the Center when he was just 13 years old, having lost his parents and memories in an accident and manifesting as an S-class Guide. It was an unusually early manifestation, as most people developed after becoming adults.
But there was another person of Jaehee’s age at the Center. Kang Dohyun, 13 years old, who hadn’t yet manifested as an Esper but was starting to show signs.
Dohyun had known Jaehee before he entered the Center. This was because Jaehee frequently visited the Center to take Guide tests. But each time, Jaehee would only receive notice that he hadn’t manifested as a Guide and leave.
And back then, Jaehee had a nasty temperament that rivaled a vicious dog. After receiving the news of non-manifestation and getting all worked up, he would pick fights with Dohyun, the only person his age at the Center.
But then,
‘Do-Dohyun!’
It was strange. Even accounting for memory loss, Jaehee looked too strange to Dohyun. He seemed like a completely different person. Without his spicy personality, Jaehee was an incredibly mild and gentle person.
And strangely, there were many times when he didn’t know basic things. To an extent that made Dohyun wonder if this was possible even with memory loss. Plus, there were some things he knew completely differently.
Whenever that happened, Dohyun would tease Jaehee.
‘Did you come from another world? Or are you just stupid?’
And Jaehee would burst into tears.
But even while teasing and making him cry, Dohyun took care of Jaehee more than anyone else.
‘You’re an idiot, so stick close to me.’
It was partly because he liked having a friend his age for the first time since entering the Center, and partly because Jaehee reminded him of himself, having no family or friends.
But the biggest reason was that Jaehee seemed anxious. Jaehee constantly appeared unsteady. Unable to remember anything, he was terrified of everything.
So when Dohyun reached out his hand, that small body would cling to him. The tiny kid who had been frozen, unable to even shed tears, found his way to crying freely and smiling under Dohyun’s care.
Jaehee and Dohyun stayed together like that. Since neither had any family left… they grew up like friends, family, and brothers.
That’s how Jaehee became such a precious existence to Dohyun.
That’s why he couldn’t leave him alone now. Because the current Jaehee looked as precarious as 13-year-old Jaehee. And also because he could see life gradually returning to those eyes when he reached out his hand. He couldn’t just leave him be.
***
It was on a certain day. Jaehee, who had been constantly asking to see Geonwoo and begging to meet him, suddenly stopped mentioning Geonwoo entirely.
“Lee Jaehee. Are you protesting?”
“…Huh?”
“I asked if you’re protesting right now.”
“…What do you… mean…”
“Just cry like usual saying you want to see him, or throw a tantrum. What are you trying to do, sitting in a corner with tears hanging in your eyes?”
As Dohyun said, Jaehee was curled up in the farthest corner of the room. With tears fully loaded in his eyes. Without saying a word.
Dohyun’s brow furrowed at the sight of Jaehee swallowing his sorrow without being able to let it out. He exhaled a short sigh, then reached out to Jaehee. Lifting Jaehee up lightly as if picking up a kitten,
“Just once.”
He spoke firmly, as if making a promise.
But Jaehee didn’t immediately understand Dohyun’s words. Or why he was being lifted. So he struggled on Dohyun’s shoulder.
“What, what is this…? Put me down…”
Dohyun frowned at that. Holding Jaehee tightly to prevent him from falling, he continued speaking. To make it easier for Jaehee to understand.
“Instead of being tucked away in a corner like that, let’s go see that bastard.”
At those words, Jaehee’s movements suddenly stopped. What did I just hear? Jaehee hesitated for a long time, mulling over Dohyun’s words. Then carefully uttered a small question.
“…We’re going to… see Geonwoo…?”
There was no strength in that question. Since Dohyun had always prevented him from meeting Geonwoo, Jaehee lacked confidence.
But then.
“Yes.”
Permission came from Dohyun. But Jaehee had no time to be happy as he had to tightly grasp Dohyun’s clothes. Because after that short answer, Dohyun, still carrying Jaehee, opened the window and jumped out.
The pitch-black night sky filled Jaehee’s eyes. But before he could properly register it, they instantly landed on the ground. Although Dohyun used his telekinesis to reduce the falling speed, for Jaehee, it felt like suddenly dropping from a cliff.
Trying to calm his pounding heart from the surprise, Jaehee, still draped over Dohyun’s shoulder, repeatedly punched his back.
“Th-there’s a door! Why jump out the window!”
Dohyun endured Jaehee’s kitten-like punches on his back for a moment before answering nonchalantly.
“This way is faster.”
That made Jaehee’s cotton-like fists move even more busily. He was really giving it his all, hitting the solid Esper’s body.
“Lee Jaehee, stop hitting. It hurts.”
“What would hurt an A-class Esper!”
When Jaehee didn’t stop despite Dohyun saying it hurt, Dohyun suddenly started running at a fast pace. Because of this, Jaehee could no longer hit Dohyun and could only tightly grasp his clothes.
Feeling that, a small sound escaped Dohyun’s lips.
“Your hands will hurt, idiot.”
But it was so faint that it didn’t reach Jaehee’s ears.
Dohyun ran for a while like that, carrying Jaehee, while sharply scanning the surroundings. Meanwhile, his lips twitched occasionally as if he had something to say.
Dohyun’s feelings were complicated right now. He was relieved seeing Jaehee visibly brighten up when he said they were going to meet Choi Geonwoo, but on the other hand, seeing Jaehee only looking for that guy… his mood sank.
Dohyun wanted to ask.
‘Are you that happy about going to see that bastard?’
‘Who is that guy that makes you cry so painfully?’
‘Why do you only call for him when you have seizures at night?’
‘What makes you so sorry and wanting to see him?’
Surely Jaehee must have met Choi Geonwoo for the first time that day.
‘What the hell is that bastard to you.’
When you’re in so much pain…
Dohyun had wanted to ask that hundreds, thousands of times until now. What exactly is that pain of yours that I don’t know about? But he didn’t. No, he couldn’t.
Jaehee was already hurting because of Choi Geonwoo, and Dohyun was afraid that asking might make that painful wound even more painful. So Dohyun never asked. He suppressed it inside, telling himself he would casually ask when Jaehee returned to normal.
But the more he did that, the more negative his image of Choi Geonwoo became. Even though they had never even exchanged words. It felt like Choi Geonwoo was the root of all this trouble.
Even if that wasn’t the case, Dohyun thought he would never be able to see Choi Geonwoo favorably for the rest of his life.
Then those thoughts suddenly spilled out of his mouth like spite.
“…Looks completely like a parasitic brother.”
“Huh?”
Jaehee, who couldn’t properly hear Dohyun’s small muttering, asked again. Instead of answering, Dohyun just increased his speed for no reason.
“Waah!”
Jaehee was startled by the suddenly increased speed. It felt like riding in a racing car without a seatbelt. Instinctively, without even realizing it, Jaehee clung to Dohyun’s clothes with both hands, gripping tightly enough to wrinkle them.
Then Dohyun let out a small laugh.
“What are you doing, Lee Jaehee?”
