Chapter 88
The spacious place—too grand to simply call an officetel—was technically mine, yet most of it was off-limits. Especially the largest room, dubbed the “research room,” which I was only allowed to enter when they were around.
“Is this the new drug?”
“Yes. The biggest improvement is preventing mana coagulation. The second is minimizing side effects like zoning out or dizziness.”
I wondered just how much it had improved. Honestly, I didn’t have much faith, but I lay down on the medical bed against the wall as instructed. The machines in the room hummed to life, filling the space with a faint vibration.
“Just relax and close your eyes.”
“Please, actually make it comfortable for once, okay?”
After two years, all I’d gained was the ability to nitpick and act shameless. I used to ignore situations like this entirely, but now I could brush them off with ease. I closed my eyes and relaxed my body—only to feel a thick needle pierce my forearm. Last time, I’d bled from my nose all day and needed a transfusion. Who knew what would happen now.
“Are you okay? How do you feel?”
Instead of answering, I kept my eyes shut. At least I hadn’t eaten. One of the researchers hurriedly handed me a bag as my face paled. With nothing in my stomach, I just dry-heaved repeatedly.
“Another failure, then.”
“The dosage interval might still be—”
They really had the nerve to discuss that while I was retching in front of them. The sour taste of bile burned my throat as I gasped for air.
“Bathroom…”
“Don’t move. Just vomit here.”
“Forget that, I need the bathroom…”
“Moving could make it worse.”
I shoved past the researcher trying to stop me and stumbled toward the bathroom. The dry heaving left my face streaked with tears, my vision blurring and flickering as the dizziness peaked. I clung to the toilet, vomiting until my knees went numb before I could finally lift my head.
“Uh… can I get some painkillers…?”
My words cut off as if someone had clamped a hand over my mouth. A large silhouette stood in the bathroom doorway.
“Yu Hyunjae…?”
This made no sense.
“How did you—”
Hyunjae just stared down at me, silent. My face must’ve been a mess after minutes of retching. I wiped the tears streaking down my cheeks and struggled to my feet.
“Why are you here?”
……
“Wait, is this a dream?”
I studied him for a long time. His hair was longer than two years ago, his frame taller, his shoulders broader. The abstract image of him I’d only ever imagined was now standing right in front of me.
“You feel real…”
I mumbled, half-drugged, and grabbed his forearm. Hyunjae didn’t react—just stood there.
“So… not a hallucination, then.”
……
“Is it really you?”
His expression was too complex to decipher all at once.
“…Yeah, it’s me.”
“You talk now?”
“I got back today.”
“Today?”
“Yeah. Today.”
“But how did you—”
Instead of answering, Hyunjae ran a hand through his hair and sighed. I hoped this reunion after two years wouldn’t be filled only with worried sighs. Even if we couldn’t laugh and greet each other, I at least didn’t want it to be a bad reunion.
“I brought him here.”
Han Jaemin’s voice came from the hallway outside the bathroom.
“Figured showing him the situation once would be clearer than a hundred explanations.”
“Han Jaemin… You seriously—”
“What? Problem?”
I tried to push past Hyunjae, but even that was difficult. My unsteady legs gave out, and Hyunjae caught me, steadying my weight.
“It’s not always like this. You just had to show up now.”
……
“I wanted to look… better when we met again.”
Hyunjae’s lips pressed into a bloodless line.
“You’re still… not better?”
“You see for yourself.”
……
“Have you been okay?”
Hyunjae looked at me with a hint of resentment.
“Well… I should be the one asking that. Stupid question.”
“…I’ve been okay.”
“Yeah?”
“Relatively, yeah.”
“Good.”
“I had a lot to talk to you about when I got back.”
“Then talk.”
“Not like this.”
“I’m not dying right now. Just bad timing.”
“You—!”
Hyunjae started to say something, then stopped.
“You’ve grown, Hyunjae.”
Now that I was steadier, I took in his appearance. In every way, he’d grown more than he had two years ago. I glanced at my own reflection in the mirror.
“I haven’t changed.”
“You have. You seem taller.”
“Really? I don’t think I’ve grown.”
“You look older.”
“As old as you? Should I call you hyung now?”
“Chanhee.”
“Yeah?”
“I’m sorry… about your parents. That I couldn’t come back.”
“Why? I practically begged you not to.”
A slow clap echoed from behind us. Han Jaemin.
“Enough with the tearful reunion.”
The researchers had already given me a few painkillers and were preparing to leave.
“I brought Yu Hyunjae here for one reason.”
Han Jaemin shoved his hands into his pockets and spread his legs.
“To show him your current state and let him decide.”
“Decide what?”
“As you can see, Yu Chanhee’s still like this. The drugs barely work. We’ve been repeating this shit for two years.”
Han Jaemin jerked his chin toward me as he continued.
“And yet, Hansung is still dutifully playing guardian to this piece of shit.”
“So?”
“He’ll die without the drugs we provide.”
Hyunjae’s hands trembled slightly. I bowed my head, pressing my forehead.
“If you two are still that desperate for each other, you’d want to save Yu Chanhee, right?”
……
“Just join Hansung.”
“…What?”
“Join us. Work under Hansung. We’ll treat you well.”
“Fine.”
Hyunjae answered without hesitation. I grabbed his arm, eyes wide.
“Hey! This isn’t something you decide so easily!”
“I’m not deciding easily.”
“Yeah, right. ‘I love Chanhee so much,’ so now you’re just gonna—”
Han Jaemin smirked, satisfied.
“With you tied down here, where else would Hyunjae go?”
If even Yu Hyunjae joined Hansung, the entire ranker world—no, this country—would end up in Han Jaemin’s grip. Not that it mattered anymore, but in the original novel, Hyunjae was supposed to kill Han Jaemin and build a new guild. That was the ultimate goal of that world.
“I’ll join.”
“Okay.”
But Hyunjae, coming to Hansung so easily—for me—was already beyond any scripted scenario.
“Welcome. It’s not as bad as you think here.”
“In return—”
Han Jaemin’s eyebrow twitched.
“Chanhee’s on hiatus until he recovers.”
“Oh.”
Han Jaemin’s lips curled into a smile. Hyunjae stared at him, expression rigid.
“What’s the trade?”
“I’ll handle it. You’ll be the figurehead.”
“Sharp. You already knew Chanhee’s nothing but a useless invalid.”
Hyunjae waited silently for Han Jaemin’s answer. After a moment’s thought, Han Jaemin agreed readily.
“Fine. But we’ll make his comeback spectacular. Secretary Moon.”
“Yes.”
The secretary standing nearby responded swiftly.
“Release a statement. ‘Yu Chanhee’s downfall after failing to subdue an A-rank Gate. Yu Hyunjae returns and joins Hansung Guild.’”
“Understood.”
“Fun, right? Like a novel. Add some flair—how they’ve been rivals since school, how Yu Hyunjae suffered under Chanhee’s parents. You know the drill.”
Han Jaemin’s voice rose slightly on “suffered.”
“No need to go into details, obviously. Just the classic Cinderella story—abused Cinderella was actually the hidden powerhouse all along.”
“Is this fun for you?”
“Yeah. It is fun. Don’t you think? People love twists like this.”
“I’ll get right on it.”
“Let’s go, Hyunjae?”
With his business concluded, Han Jaemin headed straight for the entrance.
“Gotta prepare for your comeback.”
Hyunjae turned back to me. In that brief eye contact, I saw a storm of conflict.
“We’ll talk later… is that okay?”
Hyunjae nodded instead of answering. I gave him a faint smile and gestured for him to go. Just the fact that he was willing to talk to me at all felt like a relief. Hyunjae followed Han Jaemin out the front door, leaving me alone again.
I closed the door to the large room and walked to my small bedroom. The moment I collapsed face-first onto the bed, my heart finally started racing.
Hyunjae was back. Finally.
