# Chapter 109
“There’s chaos because he tried to take his own life.”
At Dr. Yoon’s words, Jaehee immediately got up. Ignoring Dr. Yoon who warned that he shouldn’t overexert himself yet, he headed toward Minhun. Geonwoo followed behind to protect him.
“Huh? Guide Lee Jaehee!”
The interrogation room was in complete disarray. It wasn’t easy to subdue Minhun, an A-class Esper specializing in combat with nature-type abilities. It was even harder when trying to stop an Esper intent on harming himself.
By the time Jaehee arrived, it was too late. Minhun’s life was already fading away. His abilities seemed to be going berserk as if using their last strength. Jaehee immediately approached Minhun. He placed his hands on Minhun’s body and began guiding. Despite the strain it would put on his body, he couldn’t help but try, thinking there might still be a chance to save him.
But it was too much. Already too late.
Instead, as if responding to Jaehee’s guiding energy, Minhun’s clouded eyes gained a bit of clarity. His wavering focus steadied and his gaze met Jaehee’s. Gradually, tears welled up in Minhun’s eyes.
“…Sa… ve…”
A desperate, pleading word burst forth.
“…me… ple… ase…”
Minhun struggled to continue speaking, either because his mouth wouldn’t move properly or he couldn’t control it as he wished.
“…I… want… to… li…ve…”
Between his increasingly blurring focus, his desperate sincerity spilled out.
Jaehee’s eyes widened. He had heard that Minhun was trying to kill himself out of guilt for his actions, but the current scene didn’t match that story at all. It was as if Minhun was being controlled against his will!
Then his fading words continued. With a soft thud, Minhun’s head rested lifelessly on Jaehee’s shoulder. A faint whisper reached his ear. After that, Minhun’s hand fell to the floor with a thud.
His breathing also stopped.
That’s when it happened.
“What’s going on here?”
Espers who had heard the news came to the interrogation room. Everyone looked shocked at the sight of Minhun, motionless and not breathing, at his death.
“Esper Lee Minhun!”
Yoo Jiwoon was among them. At his trembling voice, Jaehee’s gaze turned toward Jiwoon. Jaehee’s pupils filled with the image of Jiwoon’s surprised face. At the same time, Minhun’s final words to him echoed in his ear.
‘…Yoo… Ji… woon… dan…ger…’
***
The next day.
Minhun’s funeral was held simply. An Esper harming a Guide was incomprehensible given the nature of those who had manifested, but everyone stood with complicated expressions since he had chosen suicide to take responsibility for his wrongdoing.
Among them, one person was quietly weeping, tears falling steadily. It was Yoo Jiwoon.
“Ah, um… Guide Yoo Jiwoon. Please use this.”
One of the Espers offered Jiwoon a handkerchief. Jiwoon took it with slightly trembling hands.
“It seems Guide Yoo Jiwoon was really shocked.”
Most people knew that Jiwoon had become close to Minhun, often guiding him out of gratitude for being saved in a Gate, so everyone could only look at Jiwoon’s current state with sympathy.
But there was one exception. Only Jaehee had a slightly different expression.
He couldn’t help it.
A suicide that Minhun himself didn’t want. A body that wouldn’t move according to its owner’s will. It reminded Jaehee of his own ability. The ability of an S-class Guide to subjugate and control Espers.
And there were only two S-class Guides here.
Lee Jaehee and Yoo Jiwoon.
Minhun’s last words also bothered him.
‘He told me to be careful of Yoo Jiwoon…’
Why would he say that?
Jaehee recalled the original story. He pondered what kind of person Yoo Jiwoon, one of the main characters in this story, was supposed to be.
And the figure right in front of him now was exactly like Yoo Jiwoon from the original work. Someone who cried easily, was full of affection, and had a tender heart that grieved more than anyone over the deaths of those around him.
That’s why in the original story, Jiwoon was the only one who shed tears mourning Lee Jaehee’s death. That’s the kind of person he was.
But, be careful of Yoo Jiwoon…
Suddenly, a certain picture formed in his mind.
But there was something troubling.
The fact that the main character of the original story had no reason to do such a thing, and that Jiwoon wasn’t that kind of person.
However, just as Lee Jaehee was no longer the Jaehee from the original story, what if Yoo Jiwoon was also no longer the Jiwoon from the original…
Jaehee’s gaze fixed on Jiwoon.
The subtle voice he’d heard in his dream kept lingering in his ear.
***
Several days passed.
During this time, everyone at the Center spent hectic days. This was because strange incidents occurred periodically.
All of these incidents seemed to desire the death of Lee Jaehee, the villain. These were also incidents that had occurred in many iterations that Geonwoo had witnessed.
“Guide Lee Jaehee!”
As such incidents increased, more people called out to Jaehee with urgent voices. Especially strange things happened frequently around Jaehee, and the number of times he was in danger gradually increased.
But these urgent and anxious calls would soon disappear with embarrassment.
“Are you alright?”
It was because Choi Geonwoo shielded Jaehee with his own body and prevented all accidents. Choi Geonwoo handled the situations as if he knew about the accidents in advance, so despite the many incidents, Jaehee was never injured even once.
Come to think of it, it made sense. Who could touch Lee Jaehee when Choi Geonwoo, the only S-class Esper at the Center, was protecting him so firmly?
Moreover, Choi Geonwoo wouldn’t tolerate even the smallest scratch on Jaehee’s body. So there was no way Jaehee could get hurt.
Nevertheless, Choi Geonwoo always asked Jaehee worriedly:
“Are you hurt anywhere, hyung?”
At this question, people’s expressions became subtle. At some point, Choi Geonwoo had started calling Lee Jaehee “hyung” affectionately instead of “Guide-nim.”
“Geonwoo, are you okay?”
Jaehee was also reciprocating.
Everyone watching the two felt they were a pair who had completed the Alpha and Omega bond. Although Jaehee’s pheromones couldn’t be sensed, the numerous marks left on Jaehee’s body that couldn’t be hidden made it obvious.
“Hyung.”
Regardless of how others looked at them, Geonwoo paid no attention and bent his upper body. He met Jaehee’s eyes and carefully examined his entire body. Even though there was no way he could be injured, he checked thoroughly. Rather, it was Jaehee who grabbed Geonwoo’s face and pulled him closer.
“Hyung?”
Jaehee’s eyes twisted slightly. Following Jaehee’s gaze, Geonwoo touched his own face. He felt a stinging wound. He hadn’t noticed the small scratch on his face because he was too focused on Jaehee.
Jaehee seemed worried, slightly creasing his eyes. A pretty smile spread across Geonwoo’s lips. He liked Jaehee’s concern. He had been starving for his affection. But soon, Geonwoo’s pupils trembled slightly. As Jaehee raised his arm, his sleeve slid down, revealing his wrist. At the boundary between the sleeve end and Jaehee’s arm were numerous marks that Geonwoo had made over the past few days without giving them time to fade.
“……”
Geonwoo’s pupils trembled uncontrollably. Despite repeating regressions, pheromone control always seemed to reset as if he had to relearn from the beginning. With two Omegas and Alphas in their early manifestation phase staying together, Jaehee’s eyes remained flushed red with no sign of calming down. Even now.
At that moment, with a ticklish feeling, pheromones unknowingly wrapped around Jaehee. Geonwoo didn’t notice this either. He was absorbed in the touch of Jaehee’s hand on his face.
But seeing Jaehee’s face turn red as a radish and hastily withdrawing his hand that had touched his face, Geonwoo belatedly realized his pheromones had leaked out. Whatever emotion he’d been feeling must have been carried directly through the pheromones.
The Alpha’s pheromones desiring his Omega, which only Jaehee could sense.
Just as a slightly embarrassed Geonwoo was blushing and trying to approach Jaehee, a scream was heard.
“A monster!”
The surroundings instantly became chaotic. Jaehee’s surprised gaze also turned. His pupils widened. Behind the monster that had suddenly appeared as if targeting Jaehee, a new monster emerged. The bee-like monster flew quickly toward Jaehee as if targeting him. Geonwoo stepped in front of him with practiced ease.
But suddenly Jaehee turned his head. He looked at someone, not the monster.
‘If my thoughts are correct…’
Jaehee recalled what had been happening. Numerous incidents. If Jaehee’s guess was right, these incidents were not only targeting Lee Jaehee. There was one more.
At that moment, as if confirming his thoughts, the monster suddenly changed direction and approached where Jaehee was looking. It had fixed its gaze as if its target from the beginning was not Jaehee but someone else.
Soon, people’s screams echoed.
“Guide Yoo Jiwoon!”
Eventually, someone was injured. Blood was dripping on the floor.
Everyone looked surprised.
“Guide Yoo Jiwoon, first to the treatment room!”
The one bleeding was Yoo Jiwoon. In an incident where Lee Jaehee should have been injured, Yoo Jiwoon was hurt instead.
“What are you doing! Hurry and move him!”
The Espers moved busily. For a moment, Lee Jaehee’s and Yoo Jiwoon’s eyes met. In that very brief instant, Jaehee didn’t miss Yoo Jiwoon’s face that crumpled as they exchanged glances.
