# Chapter 118
At those words, Geonwoo looked at Jaehee with a worried expression. He then gauged the distance to the combat room. It was somewhat far but not too distant. That way, he could come immediately if anything happened.
Moreover, there were high-ranking Espers standing guard outside the door. It was a direct order from the Center Director for their protection, as unusually strange incidents kept occurring around the two S-class Guides, Lee Jaehee and Yoo Jiwoon. With their presence, they could at least buy time if anything were to happen.
“I’ll be back soon, hyung.”
But contrary to his words, Geonwoo couldn’t let go of Jaehee’s hand that he was holding. After regaining all his memories, he had always been by Jaehee’s side. As if his body was refusing to separate from Jaehee, he gripped Jaehee’s hand tightly and couldn’t release it. Looking slightly troubled by his own behavior, Geonwoo furrowed his brow and managed to let go with difficulty.
Although their hands should have clearly separated at that point, this time Jaehee didn’t let go of Geonwoo’s hand. The hand that was holding on as if reluctant to part finally separated only after a considerable time had passed.
“Yeah. See you soon.”
Jaehee felt the same reluctance to separate. The omega’s pheromones lingering at his fingertips gently enveloped Geonwoo’s hand. The lingering attachment of not wanting to be separated from his alpha was embedded in the pheromones. Jaehee surely knew this as well. He was someone who had always been embarrassed to show such emotions. Seeing him display his feelings completely and look so regretful made it difficult for Geonwoo to leave.
“I’ll be back, hyung.”
But he needed to coordinate with the Guides. According to his memory, there wasn’t much time left before the gate fully opened. Geonwoo turned around with difficulty. Leaving the examination room and heading toward the combat room, he tightly clutched the pheromones of his omega that remained on his fingertips.
***
The combat room Geonwoo entered was filled with numerous Espers and Guides.
Upon Geonwoo’s arrival, the Guides’ attention automatically shifted to him, an S-class Esper. However, there was no response to those gazes. Geonwoo maintained a strictly business-like attitude toward Guides other than Jaehee, as if there was a visible line drawn. If Jaehee wasn’t within his sight, he wouldn’t even show a smile. As if in his world, there was only Lee Jaehee.
“……”
Geonwoo turned his gaze toward the examination room where Jaehee was. Perhaps because numerous Guides were releasing their guiding energy to coordinate with Espers, a vast amount of overlapping guiding energy was accumulating in the combat room. Moreover, since the inner walls of the combat room were specially designed to completely block the outside and inside in preparation for ability users’ training, Jaehee’s energy wasn’t easily felt.
As if disliking that fact, Geonwoo’s eyes sharpened. He heightened his senses as much as possible, trying not to miss Jaehee’s energy.
While doing so, Geonwoo looked around at everyone in the combat room. His gaze passed over many Espers and Guides. Maybe because some people hadn’t arrived yet, the person he was looking for didn’t immediately catch his eye. Even opening his senses, the person Geonwoo was searching for hadn’t revealed themselves here yet.
Turning his gaze toward the door, Geonwoo furrowed his brow as he recalled the events from a few days ago.
‘Please investigate this medicine.’
The reddish liquid—it was the deadly poison Jaehee had consumed. Geonwoo, having recovered all his memories, secretly asked Dr. Yoon to investigate this poison, to accurately understand Jaehee’s condition.
Then he learned what effect this drug would have on Espers, not Guides.
‘If an Esper takes it, their sensitivity to receiving guiding energy becomes dulled.’
‘Does it completely ruin their senses? Permanently?’
‘No, not at all. The reason this drug is much more dangerous for Guides is that Guides have much weaker physical abilities compared to Espers. Conversely, Espers have physical abilities and recovery powers on a completely different level from Guides. So although it puts strain on the body, it’s not life-threatening. And it’s not permanent either. But during consumption, it will make receiving guiding energy difficult.’
Hearing that, Geonwoo thought of Kang Dohyun. Yoo Jiwoon hovering around Dohyun. Dohyun’s behavior that felt off. And what Jaehee was worried about was Yoo Jiwoon’s guiding energy. If so, this could help.
Geonwoo secretly sought out Dohyun with a vial of the red liquid while Jaehee was asleep.
After creating that situation with the poison-bearing monster in front of Geonwoo, Dohyun avoided Jaehee even more thoroughly. It would be more accurate to say he couldn’t show himself. Because if Geonwoo hadn’t shielded Jaehee, Jaehee would certainly have died from that poison.
So Geonwoo confronted Dohyun. He secretly entered his room.
‘…He…lp me.’
And he couldn’t help but be surprised. Because in the guiding energy of Yoo Jiwoon that filled the room, he saw Dohyun speaking with a desperate voice.
‘This will help you.’
Geonwoo relayed exactly what he had heard from Dr. Yoon. He placed a small vial next to Dohyun.
That was a few days ago.
***
While Geonwoo was away, Dr. Yoon wore a contemplative expression. In his hand was the reddish liquid—the poison that Jaehee had drunk.
“What to do with this.”
Dr. Yoon looked at the recovery machine for Guides in one corner of the examination room. Jaehee was inside it right now. Dr. Yoon alternated his gaze between the vial in his hand and the recovery machine, lost in thought.
Whether to tell Jaehee that both Choi Geonwoo and Kang Dohyun knew about this poison was something to consider. He had kept quiet because both had asked for secrecy, but he was concerned as Dohyun’s requests for the drug increased. Although he had said it wasn’t dangerous for Espers compared to Guides, consuming such a large amount could change things.
“I suppose…”
Just as he thought he should tell Guide Lee Jaehee, there was a knock on the door. Dr. Yoon looked toward the door at the sound. Soon the door opened, and the person who entered was a tall man. A familiar face too.
“Esper Kang Dohyun?”
Dr. Yoon said with a puzzled tone.
“Why are you here instead of going to the combat room?”
“I heard Jaehee was here. I came by briefly to see if he’s okay.”
Dohyun answered with a small smile and closed the door behind him.
“Where’s Jaehee?”
Dohyun asked, looking around.
“In the recovery machine.”
Dr. Yoon answered simply and observed Dohyun’s complexion. Because he had taken a large amount of the poison, Dr. Yoon wanted to check his condition directly, but Dohyun had always refused. Therefore, he could only examine him visually like this.
“…!”
Then Dr. Yoon’s eyes caught sight of Dohyun’s fingertips. Black spots. Symptoms of poisoning. Judging by the symptoms, it seemed he had already exceeded the amount his body could handle.
“Esper Kang Dohyun.”
Dr. Yoon, who had been hesitating, opened his mouth. Dohyun was standing in front of the recovery machine with his back to Dr. Yoon.
“That poison…”
Just as he said that, Dohyun suddenly forced the power of the recovery machine to shut down. The machine’s lights went off, and Dohyun opened its door. Inside was Jaehee, still asleep due to the sleep fragrance from the recovery machine.
“Esper Kang Dohyun? What is this…?”
Dr. Yoon looked confused, not understanding Dohyun’s actions. Meanwhile, Dohyun lifted Jaehee from inside the recovery machine. His expression was different from before. It seemed somehow twisted. Only then did Dr. Yoon notice something was wrong.
“The Espers outside…?”
Come to think of it, whenever someone visited, the Espers standing guard would always announce the visitor’s identity first. But Kang Dohyun had just entered without that happening.
“I put them to sleep for a moment.”
“What?”
Dr. Yoon wore a shocked expression and slowly backed away. He tried to secretly press the emergency button under the desk.
“I don’t want things to get noisy. I just need to take Jaehee.”
But just before his fingertips could reach the emergency button, Dr. Yoon’s body collapsed to the floor. Struck in a vital point by Dohyun, who had approached silently, Dr. Yoon fell right there.
Dohyun looked down at Dr. Yoon for a moment, then took out an ability control device for Guides from the drawer. He put it on Jaehee’s wrist and lifted him up.
‘Bring him to the gate. I’ll be waiting there.’
A strong command echoed in his head.
‘I’ll help you have Lee Jaehee.’
Endless whispers circled around his ears.
