# Chapter 9
Dohyun spoke in a subdued tone.
“Lee Jaehee, stay behind me and don’t step forward.”
“Huh?”
Without answering Jaehee’s question, Dohyun headed toward the door. At the same time, the doorbell rang.
Soon the door opened, and through it, the unwelcome visitors revealed themselves.
Unwanted figures. They were staff members from the Center’s upper management. They had come to the dormitory where Jaehee and Dohyun were staying.
They stood there with rather serious expressions. Though they were cautiously glancing at Dohyun from the corners of their eyes, their gaze was clearly focused on one person.
Lee Jaehee.
Seeing this, Dohyun’s brow furrowed. Because he knew from their gaze who they were targeting, undisguised anger showed clearly on his face.
‘They came knowing full well that I’m right here.’
Dohyun stepped one step forward. With the intention of removing those in front of him, he concentrated his power in his hand. To tell them to leave without any nonsense. That’s what he was about to do.
But the staff members were faster.
They informed Jaehee,
“Esper Choi Geonwoo is currently in a dangerous state.”
“Th-That is…”
A trembling voice burst from Jaehee’s mouth. But the following words couldn’t come easily. Noticing that hesitation, Dohyun moved. With his large body, he stood slightly in front of Jaehee, partially blocking him.
“What are you talking about?”
At Dohyun’s voice, which had sunk coldly, the staff members’ bodies stiffened with tension. And for good reason—the staff members were currently gathered in front of the shoe rack, unable to enter the dormitory. It was because they hadn’t received permission from Dohyun, the owner of this place.
With the iron door firmly closed behind them, and a large A-class Esper standing imposingly in front, glaring as if he would kill them, they couldn’t help but be tense.
But since they had come under orders from the upper management, they couldn’t back down either. In the end, the most senior staff member stepped forward and spoke about the seriousness of the current situation.
“His condition is continuously unstable. He keeps complaining of both mental and physical pain.”
But Dohyun was looking at the staff member with an expression that clearly said ‘So what?’ The staff member’s complexion darkened automatically. Still, since he couldn’t back down, he shifted his gaze from Dohyun to look at Jaehee.
“We’ve placed several Guides around him to try to stabilize him, but it’s having no effect.”
Unlike Dohyun, Jaehee’s pupils were shaking severely, enough that anyone could see he was agitated.
Capturing this image of Jaehee, the staff member lowered his voice unnecessarily to gauge Jaehee’s reaction further.
To create a serious atmosphere.
“He’s showing a guiding rejection phenomenon.”
“…What… does that mean?”
Hearing Jaehee’s trembling voice, a gleam appeared in the staff member’s eyes. The tension that had enveloped his body began to dissipate. As a result, words began to flow smoothly.
“It seems he’s experienced a one-sided bond. Otherwise, a guiding rejection phenomenon couldn’t occur.”
The staff member, having regained his composure, continued relentlessly, as if not intending to give Jaehee a chance to speak.
“According to reports, Guide Lee Jaehee excessively injected guiding energy into Esper Choi Geonwoo in the examination room. Given the situation, it seems you formed a bond at that time.”
The staff member’s eyes narrowed, and he fixed his gaze more firmly on Jaehee.
“You must know that undeveloped Espers are sensitive to guiding. And that you shouldn’t guide recklessly. This is content included in basic training for all Guides and Espers, so you must be aware of it.”
The staff member furrowed his brow and spoke with a mixed tone of reproach.
“Yet Guide Lee Jaehee, knowing all this, still poured out guiding energy. Isn’t that right?”
The staff member’s words were direct. He was telling Jaehee to take responsibility for everything he had created.
“If it weren’t for that, there would have been no need for a one-sided bond. Why did you do it in the middle of the examination?”
“……”
Jaehee couldn’t say anything. Seeing this, the staff member changed to a conciliatory tone, as if he’d gained the upper hand. A faint smile that he couldn’t quite hide was drawn on his lips.
“We didn’t come to place blame. What can we do about something that has already happened? The important thing now is that we can’t leave Esper Choi Geonwoo like this.”
But then, a scoffing sound was heard from above the staff member. The staff member’s gaze went upward and directly collided with Dohyun’s fierce eyes. With a start, the staff member’s shoulders jumped slightly in surprise.
Dohyun, looking down at the staff member who was spouting nonsense, clenched his molars so tightly that they made a grinding sound.
‘Are these bastards joking right now? They’re shifting responsibility?’
The order was wrong. On that day, the staff members had no intention of stopping Jaehee. No, rather, they probably calculated while watching Jaehee pour out guiding energy. Whether leaving it as is would be beneficial or not.
And their choice was quick. To watch as a one-sided bond formed. Since they had already planned to trick Jaehee into a matching rate test with Choi Geonwoo and induce a one-sided bond, they had no hesitation.
When Dohyun heard about it belatedly and went to find them, it was already too late. When he reached Jaehee’s side, the situation they had hoped for had already been created.
Because Dohyun knew all this, he was disgusted by these people hiding their filthy intentions. Because he could clearly see them pretending they had no ulterior motives while insidiously targeting Jaehee.
But, even though I know all this.
‘You’re trying to subtly shift everything onto Jaehee?’
Dohyun clenched his fist. The tendons on the back of his hand stood out prominently over his tightly gripped hand. It was because he was applying too much force as anger boiled up.
The reason the upper management couldn’t strongly demand Jaehee be handed over until now was not only because they were wary of Dohyun but also because Dohyun had noticed that they were secretly plotting such actions.
With that uneasiness, the upper management was just waiting for an opportunity. Since there were many Guides who could stabilize undeveloped Espers, they were thinking of giving up if it really wasn’t possible.
But when Geonwoo rejected guiding, they thought this was their chance, and using that as a pretext, they had come. They couldn’t miss such a good opportunity.
The staff member currently pressuring Jaehee was the same. When else would he have the chance to put down an S-class Guide?
The staff member, who had momentarily frozen under Dohyun’s gaze, regained his composure and looked at Jaehee. Seeing the S-class Guide looking at him in confusion, he felt a sense of superiority rising. The staff member, pressing down on the corners of his mouth that were trying to rise, continued his consistent nonsense.
“Guide Lee Jaehee. How about temporarily becoming Esper Choi Geonwoo’s dedicated Guide? Saving a life comes first, doesn’t it?”
These were the same staff members who usually said that a Guide’s physical condition was the priority when undeveloped Espers complained of pain, and only granted guiding after watching until the limit. Now they were demanding that this precious S-class Guide become a dedicated Guide just because one undeveloped Esper was in pain.
Dohyun was astounded. He could see how high their expectations for Choi Geonwoo were based on their actions.
“Ah, and in case you’re worried, I’ll tell you that of course, since this is a temporary dedicated Guide position, we only ask for your help until he manifests. After that, you can stop whenever you want.”
Until he manifests? Being a dedicated Guide meant that in a one-sided bond state, he would continue to receive only Jaehee’s guiding. A predator already accustomed to top-grade prey wouldn’t let it go. After manifestation, he would probably try to devour it alive.
Dohyun couldn’t remain silent any longer at the staff member’s nonsense.
“Well, it’s entirely the Guide’s choice. But since Guide Lee Jaehee is completely responsible, and Esper Choi Geonwoo’s condition is so serious…”
Before the staff member could finish speaking, Dohyun interrupted.
“So has he collapsed?”
“Pardon?”
When the staff member, confused by Dohyun’s sudden voice, asked again,
“I’m asking if he’s in so much pain all over his body that he can’t wake up, or if he’s in a coma or something like that.”
Dohyun asked while taking one step closer to the staff member. It was just one step closer, but the sense of intimidation doubled. The staff member stammered.
“Ah… um, th-that’s not the case, but he keeps complaining of pain…”
But Dohyun didn’t let the staff member finish. He cut him off mid-sentence and continued accusingly.
“If he’s so unstable and in pain, he would have collapsed. Emergency Center staff, not you people, would have urgently come looking for Jaehee as he fights for his life. Isn’t that right?”
“That could happen in the future. If you look at his current state…!”
The staff member tried to rebut something, but Dohyun was faster.
“Are you people Espers? Have you experienced a one-sided bond?”
The general staff members of the Center were neither Guides nor Espers. Among them, there were a few undeveloped Guides mixed in. Like the staff member who was now earnestly saying it was Jaehee’s responsibility, who had ultimately failed to manifest as a Guide.
“That bastard won’t die. He’s enduring because he’s not in enough pain.”
