# Chapter 66
The red eyes signaling imminent meltdown stared at Jaehee.
But nobody noticed this fact. Since Dohyun was using his ability, his wavelengths were scattered throughout the examination room. So everyone naturally assumed it was because he was using his power. Because they weren’t in direct skin contact, they couldn’t immediately sense what state Dohyun was in.
“You… why is your condition…?”
Jaehee’s eyes trembled.
‘That’s not possible…’
Unable to accept the reality before his eyes, Jaehee unconsciously shook his head slightly.
“It was definitely… a low-level gate…!”
If his memory was correct, the local gate Dohyun had gone to wasn’t a high-level gate. It was a low-level gate that someone of Dohyun’s rank could clear without much difficulty. Moreover, he had gone down with other people.
‘But he’s on the verge of meltdown?’
Dohyun’s current state contradicted everything Jaehee knew.
Why?
‘Is my memory wrong?’
No. That couldn’t be.
‘Everyone definitely said it was a low-level gate.’
That was also the news Jaehee had heard through other people.
Then, as if something occurred to him, Jaehee urgently examined Dohyun’s body. There wasn’t a single wound anywhere. Not even the slightest trace of being attacked by monsters. His exterior was perfectly fine. Only the inside of his body was a mess. Just his wavelength readings had risen to their limit.
“You, don’t tell me…!”
Only then did Jaehee piece together the puzzle of what was happening. Monsters that didn’t show themselves. The vast size of the gate. The gate clearance that was much faster than expected.
“What the hell did you do?!”
Jaehee shouted at Dohyun. Worry for Dohyun welled up inside him. Dohyun’s current appearance was telling him exactly what he had done inside the gate.
He had pushed himself too hard. To clear the gate as quickly as possible. To forcibly draw out the hidden boss monster. Dohyun had used his ability to its absolute limit.
It meant he had forcibly cleared a gate that could have been cleared without any strain if he had taken the time to do it properly. This state was the consequence of using all his power to the fullest.
“Did you receive guiding? Did you at all?”
There wasn’t a trace of guiding energy left in his body. Only the angry wavelength of an Esper surrounded Dohyun’s body. This meant he had even postponed the time for guiding.
‘Without guiding… he endured until he reached this state…’
Jaehee bit his lower lip. An urgent feeling welled up inside him. Through their clasped hands, he examined the inside of Dohyun’s body. Dohyun’s body was in tatters.
“First, let’s do the guiding…!”
But then, smack!
Dohyun struck away Jaehee’s hand.
“Get away.”
A cold voice rejected Jaehee’s touch.
“Until Choi Geonwoo’s bond is removed, I have no intention of receiving guiding.”
That’s what Dohyun said. Even though the moment he struck Jaehee’s hand away, the pain that had been numbing his reason chaotically started again, Dohyun pushed Jaehee away. Even though his entire body was craving the serenity it had felt just moments ago, he declared he would not receive guiding.
“What are you saying! Don’t you know what state you’re in? Release your power right now and receive guiding!”
Jaehee grabbed Dohyun’s arm and shouted.
“Kang Dohyun!”
But pushing Jaehee away, Dohyun tried to use his ability once more. While strongly pinning Choi Geonwoo to the floor, he tried to push Jaehee far away from himself.
“Dohyun!”
Jaehee felt it too. The atmosphere around them was changing again. Grimacing, Jaehee hurriedly clasped Dohyun’s hand again.
“Dohyun…”
Jaehee’s face was full of worry. Looking up at Dohyun, Jaehee spoke as if pleading, as if trying to soothe him. Both Dohyun, who was on the verge of meltdown, and Geonwoo, who had collapsed on the floor with bandages stained red, were concerning. But Jaehee could only show his worry to one person. He had no choice but to leave Geonwoo’s injuries to Dr. Yoon.
So Jaehee showed all the worry within him to Dohyun.
“Dohyun, I’m fine. So let’s receive guiding first. Okay?”
Only then did Dohyun look at Jaehee. He took in Jaehee’s appearance piece by piece. But Jaehee’s condition was not good. It was different from how he had looked before leaving the Center. Moreover, the guiding energy, which was as precious as life to a Guide, had diminished endlessly.
‘Where… are you fine?’
Dohyun tried to strike away Jaehee’s hand again. But he couldn’t because Jaehee’s hand, firmly grasping his own, was trembling slightly. He also couldn’t avoid Jaehee’s eyes, which were gradually filling with tears.
Dohyun was weak to Jaehee’s tears. It reminded him of Jaehee from childhood. Even though guiding made his body hurt, 13-year-old Jaehee would still crawl into his bed, tears dripping, trying his best to give him guiding. That memory weakened Dohyun’s heart. It made him unable to shake off their clasped hands.
That’s when it happened.
“Guide Lee Jaehee!”
Espers who had received the call belatedly arrived. They were taken aback by the scene in the room. Hyeono was beside them. Hyeono lamented not having received the call earlier. The room was in complete chaos.
Choi Geonwoo was in the worst state. His body was covered with wounds everywhere. His bandages were also stained with blood. But Dohyun had pinned down Geonwoo, who was in that state, with his telekinesis, causing him to collapse on the floor unable to even open his eyes properly.
But the bigger issue was Dohyun. Red eyes. Everyone tensed up at the sight. If Dohyun were to meltdown, no one could stop him. There was no way except to shoot him before he melted down.
“Captain!”
Hyeono told Dohyun to stop, to calm down. But all Dohyun heard were Jaehee’s words.
“Dohyun… please…”
Dohyun looked down at Jaehee. Had there ever been a time when he had won against Lee Jaehee with tears in his eyes? No, not even once. Pathetically, Kang Dohyun couldn’t win against a crying Lee Jaehee. Finally, Dohyun backed down. Instead, Dohyun looked at Hyeono and the Espers, indicating Geonwoo with his gaze. Seeing this, the Espers seemed to understand the meaning of Dohyun’s actions, slightly nodded, and grabbed Geonwoo.
“Come with me.”
Dohyun grabbed Jaehee’s wrist. His large, firm hand tightly bound Jaehee’s hand and pulled him along. Dohyun led Jaehee out of the examination room. He completely erased Jaehee from the examination room where Geonwoo was.
***
Dohyun brought Jaehee to his quarters. The door closed, and inside, there were only Dohyun and Jaehee. Even so, Dohyun couldn’t let go of Jaehee’s hand. The reason was that he couldn’t bear the anxiety of Jaehee not being by his side anymore. Was that why? Or was it because he was on the verge of meltdown and didn’t notice?
“Ngh…!”
When he pulled Jaehee, a very small moan escaped from Jaehee’s lips. It was just a very small sound.
But Dohyun’s expression changed when he heard that sound. Dohyun urgently lowered his gaze to look at Jaehee. And he examined him. Dohyun’s gaze fell on Jaehee’s wrist. Jaehee’s wrist was already red and swollen. It was because Dohyun had grabbed Jaehee’s wrist with unusual strength.
“Ha.”
Dohyun frowned. Even without using his ability, an Esper’s body after physical enhancement too easily hurt a Guide who was no different from an ordinary person.
Dohyun immediately released Jaehee’s wrist. Worried that he might unconsciously reach out to Jaehee again due to the heat rising to his head, Dohyun took a step back from Jaehee.
“…Lee Jaehee.”
Dohyun couldn’t control his emotions due to the rising irritation. He raised his hand to cover his eyes. He tried hard to control his surging emotions, but it wasn’t easy to suppress emotions when his wavelength had already spiked.
‘What do you mean you’re not weak?’
Dohyun’s gaze fell on Jaehee’s reddened wrist.
‘What do you mean you’re fine?’
This time, Dohyun felt Jaehee’s energy. Jaehee’s guiding energy, which had become so faint it seemed about to disappear, was vastly different from before leaving the Center. It made him wonder if Jaehee was wearing a guiding control device.
And yet…
‘What do you mean don’t worry!’
Dohyun couldn’t stand it anymore. How could he endure this? Finally, his pent-up emotions burst forth. Like a dam breaking, all his emotions flowed over at once. He couldn’t control it. Dohyun couldn’t wait for Jaehee any longer. He couldn’t do that for him.
“Lee Jaehee.”
Dohyun called Jaehee in a subdued voice. His deeply furrowed brows didn’t relax. In that state, Dohyun lowered his head to look at Jaehee.
“I can’t wait any longer.”
Unable to hold back, his emotions exploded and poured out to Jaehee. His words, heavily laden with emotion, were saying that he couldn’t endure it anymore.
