# Chapter 92
Only after removing Junseo’s hand did Sangjun become a free man again and take a deep breath.
“But Yu Junseo. Weren’t you being controlled? If you weren’t being controlled, why didn’t you answer the radio?”
“I was unconscious.”
At Junseo’s words, Dohyuk unwittingly spoke up.
“But Guide Yu Junseo, you were clearly conscious…”
“This bastard, caught you red-handed! If you were conscious, why didn’t you answer the radio?”
Even as Sangjun stared at him with blazing eyes, Junseo maintained his nonchalant expression.
“I was really unconscious when you radioed. Suddenly, strange sounds started ringing in my head. Feeling like I’d be controlled if I just stayed still, I compressed my carotid artery to temporarily cause cerebral ischemia.”
Dohyuk’s mouth fell open. The Agwi’s control was an ability to dominate a person’s consciousness. Normal people would be controlled before they even felt anything strange, but Junseo seemed to have an extraordinarily sensitive constitution that was highly responsive to changes. The fact that he detected the invasion of his mental realm before it happened and made himself faint… Though he casually said he “compressed his carotid artery,” it was actually an action that could have caused critical side effects to his brain, including spinal function damage or risk of cardiac arrest. And he was saying it so calmly.
Whether he knew Dohyuk’s thoughts or not, Junseo continued speaking in a voice so dry it bordered on listless.
“I gambled that I might naturally regain consciousness later. I couldn’t think of any other method. I didn’t come here on my own feet either. I was being carried by a wooden puppet.”
He just grumbled about how his legs below the knees were all dirty.
It was quite an excellent display of logic, creativity, and decisiveness, but Dohyuk still wanted to scold Junseo… He wondered if this was how Seungmin felt whenever he looked at him, which made him want to reflect on himself. As if expressing Dohyuk’s feelings, Sangjun raised his voice.
“Hey! Aren’t you afraid of the side effects? If you do that wrong, you’re likely to become a vegetable!”
“Of course I don’t like side effects. That’s why I controlled it carefully. Why, do you want to do it for me?”
“What’s the point of me talking to you? Even the Grim Reaper wouldn’t take this bastard because he has no manners. That’s why you didn’t die.”
Dohyuk frowned as he listened to Junseo and Sangjun.
“But it was dangerous. If the Agwi hadn’t started eating the wooden puppet first…”
Just imagining it was so horrifying that Dohyuk couldn’t continue.
“What did you say? Why would the Agwi eat a wooden puppet? The wooden puppet is just bait to distract a distant Agwi. There’s no reason for an Agwi to be fooled at close range.”
“I don’t know why, but it was certainly divine providence. Because of that, we gained time to rescue Guide Yu Junseo.”
As Dohyuk said it was a close call, Junseo blinked his large eyes and responded.
“It wasn’t divine providence. I poured quite a lot of energy into the wooden puppet before I fainted. That’s why I still can’t fully recover my energy now.”
“Pardon?”
“Guides’ energy is something they really like, isn’t it?”
“But even so, a wooden puppet is still just…”
Even if Junseo had poured his energy into it, it was still just a puppet. Dohyuk was thinking that it wasn’t worth the Agwi devouring it so ravenously when Junseo suddenly leaned his weight onto Dohyuk and whispered in a small voice. “Never mind that, hyuuung… Junseo feels like he’s going to die from exhaustion.” His whining made Dohyuk lose his focus again as he held Junseo in his arms for support.
Eventually, Junseo peeked out with just his eyes showing and quietly looked at Dohyuk before speaking.
“But I do have something to ask. Esper Choi Dohyuk. Why did you come to rescue me alone?”
Though it was clearly addressed to Dohyuk, Junseo was coldly glaring at Sangjun. It was a perfect change of subject. The previously excited atmosphere of reunion fell silent at his not-so-small voice.
“Ji Sangjun. Sending an A-class Esper alone to an S-class monster nest? Is that a proper decision?”
“Yeah, it’s grounds for disqualification as a header.”
“N-no, Guide Yu Junseo, that was my…”
Just as Dohyuk was about to cut in with a flustered voice while Sangjun responded with a voice full of mischief, a thin sigh stopped his words.
Eventually, Sangjun’s gaze turned to Dohyuk. Even the gazes of others who had been sniffling, including Jaesik’s, followed to Dohyuk, making him hold his breath.
“Yes. Let me ask now, Esper Choi Dohyuk.”
Sangjun’s face was frozen cold, as if he had never been joking around with Junseo earlier.
“Does Esper Choi Dohyuk realize that his action was suicidal?”
“…Yes. I do.”
“And that disobeying the header’s orders can result in summary execution?”
“Yes. I will completely abide by Esper Ji Sangjun’s decision.”
Seeing Sangjun’s sharp demeanor and the conversation with Dohyuk, Junseo’s face showed that he’d finally understood the situation. Indeed, if someone were to come alone for a rescue, it should have been Sangjun, so it was strange that Dohyuk had come. Of course, for Junseo, seeing Dohyuk’s face as soon as he regained consciousness was welcome, but thinking about it again, it was an incredibly perilous situation. It must have been another instance of Dohyuk’s bad habit of not taking care of himself.
“No matter how precious your partner Guide is, this must never happen again. Esper Choi Dohyuk. If something like this happens again, I will execute you summarily.”
“I understand. Thank you.”
Fortunately, valuing the merit of rescuing the Guide, Sangjun said he would accept one incident report from Dohyuk and reduce his share of S-class monster byproducts instead of filing an official report. It was such an incredible consideration that even Jaesik openly clicked his tongue.
After that, everything flowed similarly to when they had stabilized other dungeons. The only difference was that they could only salvage the broken shell of the core, not an intact one. The fortunate thing was that thanks to the Agwi being cleanly hunted, there were many byproducts they could collect. They left the dungeon with thoroughly exhausted faces and joined the standby team that had been monitoring the surroundings near the dungeon.
After unpacking at the temporary mission lodging in Sokcho and taking a quick shower, it was already an ambiguous early morning hour. They shared three rooms among six people, with Sangjun deciding that, like before, Sangjun would room with Dohyuk, Minseok with Jaesik, and Jihun with Junseo.
Despite Junseo’s fierce resistance about wanting to room with Dohyuk, Sangjun snorted, saying, “Esper Choi Dohyuk needs to write an incident report in my room.” In the end, Dohyuk began diligently writing his incident report in the room without even fully drying his hair.
‘BANG BANG!’
Just then, a tremendous knocking sound echoed loudly into the room. The knock was so violent that anyone who considered knocking a courtesy would have fallen backward. Even Sangjun, who had been lying on the bed humming a strange song, was startled enough to bolt upright.
“What the hell, who is it?!”
“It’s me, you dog…”
Sangjun flung open the door to face Junseo’s deeply furrowed expression and twisted his body to show Dohyuk inside the room. A smooth smile circled on Sangjun’s face, as if he’d acquired a reliable weapon.
“Yes, Junseo. Dog… what?”
“Dog-like cutely ugly guy.”
“You bastard, that’s still an insult.”
Sangjun frowned, but Junseo had already slipped through the space he’d created and entered the room. He was already half-leaning on Dohyuk’s back in a position where he would have been wagging his tail vigorously if he had one.
“Dohyuk hyung! Aren’t you hungry? Is Sangjun not bullying you? We’ve come all the way to Sokcho, should we eat something delicious and have some fun before going back?”
“Ah, Guide Yu Junseo…”
“Ugh. Just speak informally in private settings like this. It’s uncomfortable for me to watch.”
When Sangjun spoke as he returned to the bed and leaned back, Dohyuk gave a slightly awkward nod. Sangjun raised one eyebrow skeptically. What was so adorably desirable about him? Dohyuk was already holding Junseo’s arm and asking affectionately. Sangjun’s brow furrowed even more at how Dohyuk’s voice, which was utterly indifferent when dealing with others, became strangely sweet at the end.
“Junseo, are you hungry?”
“I just want to hang out with hyung. Or since it’s dawn, should we wait a bit and have breakfast? Do we have to return to headquarters right away?”
“No. We can rest for about a day before going back.”
When Junseo’s eyes sparkled at that answer, Sangjun clicked his tongue.
“Oh my. Did something happen between you two? Why does Yu Junseo’s face look even more annoying?”
At those words, Dohyuk glanced at Junseo’s face. Large puppy-like eyes looked up at him intently. He was just so pretty.
Still, unable to talk back to someone who had been a header, Dohyuk just stroked Junseo’s hair. While Sangjun was clicking his tongue, Junseo took hold of Dohyuk’s hand that was stroking his hair.
“What’s this?”
“Hm?”
“Here. There’s a scab. Did you get hurt?”
At Junseo’s words, Dohyuk brought his hand over. It was a wound he had torn open when anxiety suddenly surged while he was washing earlier. Dohyuk awkwardly rolled his eyes and slowly opened his mouth.
“Um, while washing.”
At the same time, he realized his mistake. An Esper’s solid body wouldn’t get scratched by anything other than a blade. Perhaps noticing something strange, Junseo’s gaze clung to Dohyuk as if observing him. This won’t do. Dohyuk put down the pen he had been holding and opened his arms to Junseo.
“…By the way, I’m so tired. Can you do some guiding for me?”
The gaze that had been thoroughly examining Dohyuk paused. Junseo’s lips parted silently first, and then he gave a hollow laugh.
“What did you do wrong to act so cute?”
