Because he had to stop by Dr. Yu Junwoo’s lab at least once a week for detailed examinations, Dohyuk was on extended leave. Junseo had also applied for extended leave, claiming to be Dohyuk’s partner Guide, and strangely enough, the request for an S-class Guide’s extended leave—which normally would have been rejected—was approved. Even though Dohyuk was certain Junseo had obtained the extended leave through illegitimate means, he could only nod when Junseo said, “I’m so happy we’ll keep being together… You’re happy too, right, hyung?” He’s so pleased about it, so it’s fine to rest a bit.
“…I came here for personal business. I also left some stuff in my private room.”
[I miss you.]
The voice expressing disappointment tickled his ear. Dohyuk swallowed and agreed in a voice that crawled into submission, “I miss you too.” Just that action alone made the area around his eyes heat up.
He cleared his throat unnecessarily, and Junseo laughed softly. Feeling his face grow even hotter, he decided to change the subject for no reason.
“But Junseo, was what you said you’d do last time the partner bond? They said without your consent, it’s hard to even get examinations or prescriptions.”
[Why are you suddenly asking about that? Do you need some medication?]
Then, when Dohyuk realized his mistake and closed his mouth, Junseo’s words continued.
[That’s not right… I’m managing all your medication, hyung, and there’s still plenty left.]
“No, just an examination…”
[An examination? Junwoo keeps checking you, so why would you go to headquarters alone, hyung…]
“You should call him hyung. Dr. Yu Junwoo is your real older brother.”
There was no way he could say he’d gone to get libido suppressants like during long-term missions because he felt like his self-control was disappearing these days. Dohyuk struggled valiantly to change the subject again.
[Junseo is an outsider to the family now…]
Fortunately, the conversation flowed off into the wilderness as Dohyuk intended.
“What’s this sudden talk about being an outsider to the family?”
[Hyung, you promised to marry me.]
That would be nice, but… what’s he suddenly talking about? Just as Dohyuk was about to respond with a hollow laugh—
[But hyung, you’re really good at deflecting lately, and you’re so cute. So what medication did you need?]
So the subject hadn’t moved on yet. Dohyuk, who was poor at lying, swallowed with a sense of burden.
“…Not medication, counseling. I went because of stress management. You know. These days, well, guiding is… a bit lacking…”
[Because of the guiding restrictions?]
“It’s not severe. I’m just a bit thirsty, that’s all.”
Dohyuk was currently restricting guiding to the minimum for nearly two weeks. It was to verify the hypothesis Junwoo had proposed. Even Junseo, who had been strict, agreed because it was to observe what changes were occurring inside Dohyuk and what effects Junseo’s guiding had on him.
[You just need to go to the lab tomorrow for the final examination, so don’t struggle too much. I’ll guide you right away.]
That’s the problem. Dohyuk swallowed the rising sigh.
He could somehow endure the deprivation. He was used to persevering. But Dohyuk had no confidence he could accept Junseo’s guiding that would pour out afterward with a clear mind. Even now, perhaps because of stress, he kept reacting violently to Junseo, so his worry had reached its peak. The moment he relaxed even slightly, he would clench his teeth and grip with force.
“…No.”
[Hyung?]
The moment he loses consciousness, it’s over. Dohyuk unknowingly frowned.
Junseo was too, severely fragile. It wasn’t Junseo’s fault. Guides and ordinary people were all soft and weak. The moment he relaxed even slightly, bluish bruises and handprints remained on that beautifully sculpted body. It was also the reason he’d been avoiding, knowingly or unknowingly, relations with Junseo lately. No one would believe it if they heard that he and his partner Guide, who were in a romantic relationship, were still only doing hand stuff, but that was the truth.
His mouth was small and narrow, so it tore easily, making it long since that he’d indirectly refused oral sex as well. Such a Dohyuk could never dare hope for sex with Junseo.
“It’s fine. I feel like I’m gradually getting used to it.”
[What? What are you talking about? Hyung, your voice sounds like you’re really struggling. Should I come pick you up? What if you collapse on the way? You’re still a patient who needs stability.]
Meanwhile, Junseo was worrying about an Esper who wouldn’t die even from a gunshot. Junseo’s overprotectiveness deepened Dohyuk’s guilt even more. What patient—reality was he was just like a would-be criminal whose eyes had rolled back from sexual frustration, likely to hurt his precious partner Guide. Wrapped in guilt and self-reflection, Dohyuk finally managed to steady his voice.
“No, I’ll go now. Are we eating lunch at home?”
[Yes. It’s cloudy today too, so don’t go out anymore and play with me.]
“Aren’t you getting bored being home all the time?”
[Hyung… are you getting bored of my face now? Should I change my style?]
“What are you talking about? I was asking because I thought you might be bored.”
In the end, only laughter remained.
Dohyuk, who had turned away without regret from the place he thought he’d never escape for life, strode out from the shadows toward his nest. The call continued warmly without disconnecting.
***
“The needle is too big.”
When Junseo leaned forward with a displeased expression, even Junwoo, who usually brushed off whatever his younger brother did, let out a sigh.
“Junseo… Will you please leave? Just for 10 minutes.”
And for good reason—this was already the fifth time Junseo had picked a fight over absurd reasons. When Dohyuk, who was beside him, had soothed him, he’d pretended to be well-behaved for a few minutes, but now he was making a fuss about the size of the syringe needle again.
“My Esper is about to be stabbed with a sharp needle and have large amounts of blood drawn, and you want me to leave? I’m the guardian partner Guide, you know?”
“Hyung really has no idea what our Junseo is talking about. Don’t you see the blood collection tube? This is a 3-milliliter one. Even ordinary people have this much drawn.”
“If you get stabbed with a syringe made from dungeon byproducts, it doesn’t heal well.”
“…That’s exactly why we make syringes from dungeon byproducts. You know Espers can’t have blood drawn with regular syringes, right?”
Dohyuk, who had been watching in bewilderment as the brothers who got along well created conflict, finally issued an order for Junseo to leave. If he just watched, it seemed the examination wouldn’t proceed even after half a day.
“Junseo, let’s step out for a moment. Be good, okay?”
“…Only me?”
It was a shameless question for the ‘idle person’ to ask in a space with only three people—the examiner, the examination subject, and the person with nothing to do—but as always, Dohyuk was desperate for such a Junseo.
“We’ll finish quickly and come out, so wait just a bit.”
And then a tearful farewell unfolded before Junwoo’s eyes.
What was so worrying about a simple health checkup—Junseo, who had grabbed Dohyuk’s hand, leaned on his shoulder, and even secured a hug, kept glancing at Dohyuk as he slowly walked toward the examination room exit until the very end. Even if Dohyuk had related trauma, still. In an examination room where one entire wall was glass and everything inside was clearly visible, did he suspect what harm could possibly be done with this tiny needle? The sky falling would have been more likely.
Once Junseo, who had been acting thoroughly spoiled, finally left, the examination room was engulfed in silence. Dohyuk sat upright with an awkward expression and immediately offered an excuse as if he’d been waiting.
“…He’s not usually like that, but after I nearly died, Junseo’s worries increased just a little bit…”
Seeing Dohyuk slightly furrow his brow as if embarrassed while saying “just a little bit,” Junwoo only shrugged.
“Yes… ‘Just a little bit.'”
“……”
It was funny to see the man who had been as upright as a well-trained military dog turn his nape bright red, but he decided to stop teasing. Because Junseo was glaring from outside.
Junwoo, who finished the blood draw in an instant, opened his mouth while attaching a device to Dohyuk’s upper body.
“Anyway, the blood draw is done, so I’ll check your nuclear energy stability too. You’re proceeding with guiding as I told you, right? How’s your condition?”
“It’s lacking, but bearable.”
“What about sleep time? Any insomnia?”
“No, these days I’m getting more than six hours regularly.”
Junwoo, who had been mentally reanalyzing the graph being transmitted to the screen in real-time, nodded.
Due to the insufficient guiding, Dohyuk’s nuclear energy also showed an unstable flow. Junwoo judged that today was exactly the right time to verify the hypothesis.
“From now on, we’ll call Junseo in too and proceed with a new examination. Junseo has already checked this machine very… very thoroughly, so you don’t need to worry about safety, but still, if you experience any nausea or headache, signal me immediately. Oh, and Esper Choi Dohyuk. You’re also receiving regular psychiatric counseling these days, right? Trauma can’t be completely cured with guiding alone.”
“Yes, I know. That’s why I have regular counseling once a week…”
Dohyuk’s gaze, which had been answering diligently, drifted subtly.
What’s going on? The moment he turned his head slightly with a puzzled expression, Junwoo discovered his younger brother stuck right against the window and let out a sigh. It had only been 2 minutes since he left. At that level, it was an anxiety disorder. Shouldn’t Junseo also receive psychiatric treatment?
Unlike Junwoo, who was seriously worried about his cute youngest brother’s mental illness, Dohyuk was accepting that behavior again. While being examined, Dohyuk kept glancing at the window to reassure Junseo, and finally noticing Junwoo’s gaze, he made an awkward expression.
Should this be called birds of a feather flocking together?
Junwoo, who laughed hollowly, gestured for Junseo to come in and turned on the device.
***
“Are you feeling okay? Want to get some sleep?”
As soon as the examination ended, the two moved to a villa not far from Junwoo’s lab. They planned to stay here for a few days before returning to Seoul.
Junseo’s villa, visited after a long time, was simply clean. The plants placed in every corner were fresh too, making it obvious there was a caretaker.
“You don’t need to worry. Dr. Yu Junwoo’s examinations are fine. He checks my condition before the exam and explains everything well as we proceed. The other people working in the lab are kind too, but the doctor is the most comfortable.”
“I didn’t like how he kept coming to observe every time we guided. It’s not like it’s his first time seeing a Guide guide an Esper, but he kept bothering us.”
Junseo, who had drawn the living room curtains and returned to Dohyuk’s side, grumbled harmlessly.
But Dohyuk had already heard the circumstances from Junwoo.
“Thinking about when I was unconscious… it made sense.”
