# Chapter 9
The incident with Park Minwoo passed as a minor happening. It was because Suhyun didn’t actually attack him.
Minwoo’s past behavior played a part as well. No one was willing to take his side. Even some of the Espers who used to hang around him cut ties.
Park Minwoo was left hanging in the wind. Thanks to that, the incident that day passed without any disciplinary action.
“Disciplinary action, as if…”
Regardless of Park Minwoo’s reputation, the Association wouldn’t properly discipline an S-class Esper and Guide in the first place.
Moreover, what Park Minwoo wanted was a punishment akin to primitive torture: confining the Esper’s power, throwing him in prison, and preventing him from receiving guiding.
Let’s say that happened. What about the now-vacant S-class Esper position? And is there any guarantee that the heavy shackles meant to confine an Esper’s power would even work on an S-class?
It was an absurd wish. Even mentioning such nominal punishment, which had never actually been implemented, showed his ignorance.
By that logic, Park Minwoo, a B-class Esper, should have been properly disciplined back then. Suhyun merely concentrated an opaque sphere without laying a finger on him, while Park Minwoo had at least touched Jiwon.
Park Minwoo only received a ban from entering the center at that time. If the Association had taken his side again this time, Jiwon definitely wouldn’t have stayed quiet.
Well… to be precise, they had taken Kim Juyoung’s side, not Park Minwoo’s.
“You have to trust the right people.”
It was Kim Juyoung who had prevented Park Minwoo’s punishment back then. He was an A-class Esper and the late-born youngest son of the chairman of Hwashin Group, one of the top three conglomerates in the country.
A chaebol’s second-generation A-class Esper.
Thanks to that title, his popularity was indescribable. People wanting to get close to him were everywhere. The Association was no different.
It wasn’t just because of money. Kim Juyoung was notably stronger even among other A-class Espers. Until Suhyun appeared, he was the strongest Esper in Korea. So they couldn’t help but put him on a pedestal.
Whether it was his natural personality or if he changed because everyone put him on a pedestal, Kim Juyoung was quite arrogant. He always walked around with his head held high, surrounded by minions like Park Minwoo.
Jiwon had also suffered at Kim Juyoung’s hands. About three years ago, Jiwon already knew that the incident where Park Minwoo tried to subdue him by force had started with Kim Juyoung’s orders.
Anyway, because Kim Juyoung was the origin of the incident, Park Minwoo had been able to escape unscathed at that time. But this time was different. Seeing how Kim Juyoung had cleanly cut ties with Park Minwoo, it was clear.
‘He probably didn’t expect Seo Suhyun to react that way.’
Jiwon rubbed his cheek. Who would have known that Suhyun would flip out at the words “attempted rapist,” protect him, and even try to attack Park Minwoo?
‘Is it a kind of sense of justice…?’
Sense of justice, sense of mission, sense of responsibility…
Excluding his attitude toward Jiwon, he really didn’t lack anything.
Well, he might grumble a bit, but he’d never tried to attack Jiwon, so this much was acceptable.
“Finding comfort in the strangest things.”
Jiwon laughed emptily. Actually, Jiwon had been busy laughing lately. Whenever he recalled Park Minwoo’s pale face, he couldn’t help but smile.
It was satisfying. He still vividly remembered the voices of the Association executives, including the Guide Team Leader at that time, saying that since it only amounted to an attempt, they should let it slide this time.
Those who had gossiped about Jiwon making a fuss over nothing while keeping an eye on Kim Juyoung were now watching Seo Suhyun.
An A-class Esper is good. But it can’t even be compared to an S-class Esper. S-class symbolizes national power by its very existence. Park Minwoo’s background as Kim Juyoung’s minion was useless in front of Seo Suhyun.
“Ha…”
Their insides must be turning upside down.
Come to think of it, Kim Juyoung seems to have become much quieter since Suhyun awakened. Before, Jiwon had to try hard not to hear news about him, but from some point on, there was no need to.
Could it be that Park Minwoo’s talk of ‘senior’ to Suhyun was Kim Juyoung’s idea? Maybe they were trying to suppress him that way since they couldn’t do it by rank.
“Ugh…”
Shaking his head at the plausible speculation, Jiwon groaned softly. His mood was good, but his body was in tatters and he had no strength left.
Jiwon trudged to the kitchen, erasing the faces of those guys from his mind. Then he searched for painkillers and popped them into his mouth. Lately, Jiwon had been living with painkillers constantly in his mouth.
“…I’m dying here.”
This was the sad reality of a Guide who had to handle a messed-up wavelength every day.
Both his good mood and his physical pain were all because of Suhyun. He didn’t know whether to like him or not.
In fact, because of this incident, he hadn’t been able to bring it up yet, but he had something important to say, a major complaint.
Once he became a dedicated Guide, the manner and attitude didn’t matter. The problem was that Suhyun had no intention of controlling his power when using it, and as a result, wavelength management wasn’t happening at all. Thanks to that, Jiwon was suffering every time.
“Haah…”
Whatever was happening inside, the stability level that had been barely raised above 70 would drop below 50 as soon as Suhyun returned from the dungeon.
Is this what you call resilience? Anyway, Suhyun’s wavelength always returned to the same level, as if that stability level was appropriate.
Just trying to restore the stability to a mere 70 was already starting to take a toll on his body. It was different from when Suhyun used to visit the center only occasionally.
‘It was hard back then too, but…’
At least better than dealing with him every day.
A Guide’s ability isn’t infinite. Naturally, when performing guiding beyond a certain level, the Guide’s body deteriorates. Right now, it was just a matter of poor condition, but if this continued, he’d surely end up with chronic illness.
“Haha…”
Jiwon, who was massaging various parts of his aching body, laughed as if in disbelief.
After a whole decade of doing this, it was the first time he felt anxious about possibly ending up with a chronic illness.
Still, is this what it means to be an S-class Esper? It seemed like Guides of lower ranks than himself wouldn’t be able to handle Suhyun, regardless of matching rate.
“……”
Jiwon’s lips pressed into a straight line. This wasn’t something to just laugh off. He needed to let Suhyun know that if he didn’t control his abilities, even his one and only Guide could end up in the next world.
Then at least some awareness…
‘…he’d have it.’
Jiwon rubbed the nape of his neck and belatedly nodded. A brief doubt crossed his mind about whether his plea to show restraint for his sake would be effective.
“Hmm…”
Since he’s not the type to ignore someone dying, it should work.
Without thinking too much, Jiwon placed another painkiller on his palm. It was about time for guiding, but with his body in this state, one painkiller wouldn’t be enough.
He just wants to rest. It was the first time he wanted to skip guiding because his body hurt.
But with Suhyun’s current stability…
“…Are you in pain?”
“Kuhup, cough! Kack!”
Jiwon, who was drinking a cup of water while swallowing the pill, started coughing as it went down the wrong way. It was because Suhyun suddenly appeared without a sound and spoke, startling him.
“What, cough, ahem, hmm…!”
Was he caught thinking about skipping guiding?
Jiwon’s face turned bright red as he tried to clear his ticklish throat with small coughs.
“When you, ahem, suddenly appear, it’s startling.”
“Ah…”
Suhyun tilted his head to one side.
This was Suhyun’s house, so he should immediately retort that it doesn’t matter how he moves around, but somehow his reaction was bland.
“What is it?”
Jiwon, who had finally calmed down, spoke bluntly. Suhyun raised an eyebrow.
“I asked if you’re in pain.”
Ah, so that’s what he asked. Jiwon was so startled that he hadn’t heard what was said.
“Yes, I’m in pain.”
He had just taken two painkillers because he was in pain. Suhyun had witnessed it all, so there was no need to say otherwise. He’d been wanting to tell him to do something about his wavelength since he was dying in pain anyway, so it was only helpful that Suhyun had noticed on his own.
“……”
Suhyun stared at Jiwon blankly. Finding it strange that he didn’t say anything after asking, Jiwon tilted his head.
Well, he wasn’t the type to ask follow-up questions like where it hurts, how much it hurts, or whether he should go to the hospital, so the strange silence wasn’t unexpected.
“Since we’re both up, let’s do the guiding now.”
Since he knew Jiwon was in pain, would it be necessary to specifically ask him to make an effort with wavelength management? Should he say it?
As this brief contemplation continued,
“No.”
Suhyun’s knife-like refusal came back.
Even after seeing someone groaning in pain, his face showed not a trace of guilt.
“Let’s do it later.”
“When later? Let’s just do it now.”
“Not today. Tomorrow maybe…”
“Tomorrow?”
There’s not even a moment to be grateful. Right, he wouldn’t quietly accept guiding. After being quiet for a while, it seemed his guiding-refusal disease had flared up again.
Espers who become accustomed to using their abilities unconsciously use them even outside of dungeons. As a result, stability levels tend to drop even when they’re just sitting still.
Yet despite how difficult it is to maintain with daily consistency, he’s saying to do it all at once tomorrow? Moreover, Suhyun was scheduled to enter a dungeon early tomorrow morning. So that means guiding would only happen after returning from that dungeon…
“I’ll decline.”
Just the thought made his head ache, and Jiwon shook his head in disgust.
“Let’s do it right now.”
His attitude was firm, as if he had never thought of skipping guiding.
“No, why won’t you do it? Esper-nim has nothing to lose from receiving guiding, right?”
Then he grumbled in complaint toward Suhyun, who gave no answer. Jiwon’s current condition was nothing new for Suhyun. It was because that state was almost directly transferred to him.
So usually, everyone is desperate for guiding, but why not Suhyun? Does he dislike holding hands with Jiwon more than being in pain?
‘Even stubborn adolescents wouldn’t be like this.’
For example, 16-year-old Moon Jiwon didn’t have such stubbornness. For his age, he was clear-headed and went around with his eyes lit up looking for things that would benefit him.
If Jiwon were an Esper like Suhyun, he would have tried everything to keep the Guide by his side. Especially if it was an S-class Guide.
“…Anyway, let’s do the guiding.”
Putting aside useless assumptions, Jiwon massaged the nape of his neck and headed to the living room first.
He would go to sleep right after guiding. He might pass out even if he didn’t want to…
“…would you?”
Fatigue washed over him just from thinking about it. Behind Jiwon, Suhyun said something.
“What did you say?”
“……”
“Huh? Didn’t you say something?”
“……”
“Did I hear things? I’m sure you said something…”
“…I asked if it wouldn’t be better to rest since your physical condition isn’t good.”
Only after three inquiries did Suhyun answer. Finally understanding what he said, Jiwon blinked in a somewhat confused manner.
Rest because he’s not feeling well…? Did he hear wrong…? Whose fault is it that he’s in this state…?
“No…”
Jiwon laughed hollowly and tilted his head. When asked to manage his wavelength, he doesn’t listen and freely uses his abilities. Is he using this excuse to avoid guiding? His mind raced in an odd direction.
“The reason I’m not feeling well is because of you, Esper-nim, isn’t it?”
Soon, a crooked question leaked out of his mouth. Jiwon expected him to turn his head away with an impassive face. He wasn’t the type to be embarrassed when his shallow trick was exposed.
“…Me?”
Hmm…
He truly hadn’t expected to face such a puzzled expression, as if asking what he had done.
