# Chapter 39
The one fortunate thing was that Suhyun, who could snap his neck in an instant if he wanted to, was slowly choking him instead.
“Ugh…”
It’s contradictory to call this fortunate, but thanks to this, Jiwon gained even the briefest moment to attempt guiding.
And to think more positively in this situation, it was also fortunate that since he was attacking him physically without using his abilities, Suhyun’s wavelength stability wasn’t dropping further.
“Snap… out of it…”
No matter what, Suhyun just needed to regain his senses. That’s the most difficult part of the problem.
“…Su…hyun, ugh…!”
His brain, deprived of oxygen for quite some time, seemed to be dulling. His consciousness was fading and his vision was flickering to black.
Even in this state, Jiwon called out to Suhyun and held the hands that were choking him, doing his best to guide him.
“…!”
Tears fell from Jiwon’s eyes. It was the physiological response of a human writhing in pain. Even as his eyes became bloodshot, Jiwon steadfastly looked at Suhyun, waiting for that clouded gaze to return to normal.
Jiwon had to believe in Suhyun. They had said they would get out alive, after all. He hadn’t even prepared to die. So he had to live.
With trembling hands, Jiwon caressed Suhyun’s wrist. Incongruously gentle touches moved across Suhyun’s feverishly hot skin.
At a point where it wouldn’t be strange to lose consciousness at any moment, Jiwon’s only thought was that he had to endure.
If he died here, everything would be over. Even if Suhyun managed to get out alive, there would be no one to guide him afterward.
Ah, yes. That was missing. Even if Suhyun got out alive…
“…Ugh, if I… die…”
Jiwon made choking sounds as he struggled to breathe. Even as his body went limp, Jiwon’s hand still gripped Suhyun’s wrist.
“You’re the one… who loses, you know.”
Jiwon twisted the corner of his mouth into a smile. Whether he had lost his mind or believed Suhyun would regain his senses, he couldn’t tell himself.
Meanwhile, the tears that had fallen traveled down his cheek and finally dropped onto the back of Suhyun’s hand. Jiwon’s eyelids, which had been watching Suhyun as if determined not to miss anything, finally fell.
And at that moment.
“…!”
“…Ugh, cough! Kack! Hack!”
Jiwon, who had almost been on the path to the afterlife, was suddenly thrown to the floor. Roughly dropped, Jiwon rolled on the floor, groaning in agony.
“Cough! Kack! Kehack! Huerk! Uugh!”
Having had his airway blocked for so long, he barely felt the physical pain. His breath came in gasps, and the sudden rush of oxygen made his head spin. As if the tension had released from his rigid body, muscle pain suddenly struck throughout his body.
“Kahack, cough!”
Tears poured out from the pain that wouldn’t subside, blurring his vision. Jiwon curled up his body.
“Kuk, cough, kack!”
But he was alive. As his coughing gradually subsided, it sank in that there were no longer hands choking his neck. With his stinging neck wrapped in his hands, Jiwon coughed dryly a few more times. Only then could he finally raise his body from rolling on the floor and sit up.
“Huerk…, cough. Have you… come to your senses?”
Only then could he check on Suhyun. Initially, the relief of not having died was so great that he hadn’t noticed, but Suhyun was eerily quiet. The relief gradually faded, and anxiety rose at a rapid pace.
“…Esper-nim?”
Jiwon called him with a trembling voice. Suhyun, who had been looking at his own hands until then, slowly turned his head.
“Haah…”
The moment their eyes met, all tension drained away. It was because Suhyun’s gaze had returned to its usual state.
“Really survived…”
Completely relieved, Jiwon lay flat on the floor. The feeling of coming back from the brink of death wasn’t exactly pleasant. It was an experience he would absolutely decline to repeat.
“What… did I… just do…?”
Unlike Jiwon who had put his mind at ease, Suhyun looked extremely perplexed. He approached Jiwon with his face contorted. Then he touched Jiwon’s neck.
Jiwon flinched momentarily but let him do as he wished. He knew he wasn’t trying to choke him again.
Well, a large bruise would have formed. It was clear without looking. It would be stranger if there wasn’t a bruise.
“Hmm…”
Suhyun couldn’t say anything and just stared at his neck for a while. Jiwon waited for him to speak up, then took his hand. Only then did Suhyun’s gaze move to Jiwon’s eyes.
“It’s, it’s okay, so stop looking. We need to check our surroundings.”
Though he understood his feelings, it was time to slowly come to his senses. There was a possibility that Suhyun could be controlled again.
“……”
Suhyun slowly rose from his spot. Then, with a piercing gaze, he scanned in various directions. But there didn’t seem to be any presence that could be felt.
Jiwon put strength into his still-trembling legs and barely managed to stand up.
“…Guide-nim.”
Suhyun was looking at him with anxious eyes. Feeling somewhat awkward, Jiwon smiled as if everything was fine.
“Haah… When you suddenly became strange, I thought it would be nearby. But I guess not.”
“……”
If it’s not nearby, how far can its influence reach? What if Suhyun gets controlled again? With these chilling thoughts, Jiwon shook his head. Having nearly died for a reason he couldn’t have imagined, he wanted to savor the joy of survival, even if just for a moment.
“Why…”
But Suhyun didn’t look happy at all. His expression was so complex that it was impossible to tell what he was thinking. He took a step closer with his face hardened.
“Why are you so calm?”
The moment he asked, Jiwon unwittingly parted his lips blankly. It was because he had just realized that his attitude was wrong.
“Did you know I would attack you?”
Jiwon wasn’t surprised. He didn’t ask why this was happening. He acted as if nothing was wrong. So it wasn’t unreasonable for Suhyun to think this way.
“No, no. That’s impossible.”
“……”
Suhyun’s intensely glowing eyes and coldly set face were a bit frightening. Jiwon parted his lips with difficulty.
“The moment you reached out your hand… that’s when I realized.”
“…What did you realize?”
“…That the reason Esper Kim Juyoung’s guides died was because of this. Esper Kim Juyoung was being controlled…”
“You guessed that?”
Jiwon shook his head. He hadn’t guessed anything. He just thought it was strange at that moment. He didn’t have time to think about it for long.
“I didn’t know. I just… thought it was strange, but it was only after things happened that I found out…”
“No.”
Suhyun shook his head. His ice-cold face twisted as if in pain.
“If there was something strange, you should have told me.”
“……”
“Whatever it was, you should have talked about it.”
His lips felt parched. His eyes were dry, but he looked like he was about to cry, making it difficult to say anything.
“You should have stopped me… from doing something like this.”
He wiped the corner of his eye. Jiwon only then discovered that even Suhyun’s fingertips were trembling.
“I’m sorry. Haah, are you okay?”
Of course he would be shocked. He had been so perplexed when he realized he had brought Jiwon into the dungeon. This time, he had been choking a Guide.
But Jiwon hadn’t considered that. Since he himself was fine right now, he had assumed Suhyun would be fine too.
“I’m really okay. So let’s calm down first…”
“Is there, again, something you’re not telling me?”
Suhyun didn’t seem interested in listening to Jiwon. Somewhat taken aback, Jiwon shook his head.
“Just like not realizing the dungeon was calling Espers, it’s the same. I didn’t even think it was something I should mention…”
“It happened in the dungeon, and you felt something strange about it. There was nothing that could have let you know the cause. We need to share and find out together.”
His voice was getting colder. As Suhyun seemed increasingly angry, Jiwon grew restless.
“Ah… no. This isn’t the situation for me to be angry at Guide-nim. I’m sorry.”
As if fueling Jiwon’s uneasy emotions, Suhyun changed his attitude and spoke slowly.
“Not only did I drag you into the dungeon, but I also tried to choke you to death. I don’t understand why I’m the one getting angry.”
“Esper-nim.”
“I apologize. I misspoke. I’m sorry for putting you through such a terrible experience.”
By now, Suhyun had regained his composure.
