Whiiirr—
The intense sound of the hair dryer rang loudly in Dawoon’s room.
Having gotten his fill of sleep in the bathroom, Dawoon came out looking refreshed and was drying off the moisture. Not just himself, but also carefully drying the fur of the cat who’d taken a half-bath with him.
“Stay still. Stay still.”
Whether the strong wind from the dryer was unfamiliar, the cat shuddered and shook his head wildly. Even so, he didn’t fall from Dawoon’s embrace until the end.
“Aww, good boy. You’re a man, a real man.”
Meow.
After thoroughly drying between the cat’s legs as well, he stroked the now fluffy fur. The cat, who’d been expressing his displeasure through his nose, vented his frustration by kicking the unplugged dryer with his hind legs.
Dawoon, who’d been watching because it was funny, raised his head at the sound of knocking.
“Who is it?”
It should be a time when both Ryu Taeha and Go Yeoul were working. Since there was no one else who would come to his room besides them, he was puzzled as he stood up.
“Dawoon Esper-nim… It’s Ryu Jin.”
Dawoon’s eyes widened at the small voice coming from beyond the door.
“Oh, Jin! Come in. The door’s open.”
He hadn’t expected Ryu Jin to come looking for him first, so he hurried to the door.
Actually, for the past few days, Ryu Jin had been avoiding Dawoon.
Since the day the guiding issue erupted, Ryu Jin only checked on Dawoon via text and stayed quiet as a mouse even within the dormitory.
When Dawoon suggested they at least eat together, Ryu Jin had declined, saying to eat comfortably. Telling him not to worry about himself.
But to come first like this. Since he’d been worried about Ryu Jin becoming dispirited anyway, Dawoon was very pleased by his visit.
“I’m sorry for coming suddenly. I texted you but didn’t get a reply, so I came because I was worried.”
“Ah, you texted me. I didn’t see it because I was washing up.”
Dawoon welcomed Ryu Jin even more warmly as he carefully opened the door and entered.
“Come in. Have you eaten? Want a drink?”
“No, I’m fine. Have you eaten, Esper-nim? You took your guiding medicine, right?”
Ryu Jin, who’d been checking on Dawoon’s medicine even via text, checked first thing today as well whether he’d properly taken his guiding medicine. He really was like a diligent guide.
“Yeah, I took it this morning. Don’t worry.”
“It’s bad if you miss the medicine times. Make sure to take it morning and evening.”
“Okay, I got it. Thanks.”
Dawoon deliberately smiled more brightly as he looked down at Ryu Jin. Though he’d glimpsed him in passing at the dorm, this was the first time they’d properly faced each other since the annex.
“If it’s okay today… may I try guiding you?”
Ryu Jin, who’d been hesitating and wavering, asked while checking Dawoon’s complexion. Having no reason to refuse, Dawoon immediately sat Ryu Jin down in a chair.
“Good, let’s try. But Jin.”
Sitting across from Ryu Jin with a small tea table between them, Dawoon opened his mouth in a tender tone.
“If it doesn’t work, it’s not your fault at all, so absolutely don’t feel guilty. It’s because my health is bad. You know that, right?”
Instead of answering, Ryu Jin only faintly nodded his head.
In that awkward atmosphere, the two began guiding while holding hands.
The cat, who’d become docile after Ryu Jin entered the room, hopped onto Dawoon’s lap and only yawned quietly.
Ryu Jin guided for a full 3 hours. Even as the sun set and it grew dim outside the window, he focused only on Dawoon’s hands without stopping the guiding.
But the result was as Dawoon expected.
“…Jin.”
Dawoon, watching Ryu Jin who’d begun to break into a cold sweat, gently shook their clasped hands.
“Shall we try again next time?”
Despite continuing guiding without rest for a full 3 hours, not even a bit of Ryu Jin’s energy was absorbed into Dawoon’s body. The gentle, warm energy that resembled its owner couldn’t permeate the Esper Dawoon’s body and only circled around him.
“…Yes. Thank you for making time.”
Ryu Jin, who’d stopped guiding, slowly relaxed his grip. His palms, including his forehead, were drenched in sweat.
“I’m the one who’s grateful. You worked hard.”
Dawoon tried to bring drinks, saying to rest a bit, but Ryu Jin stood up first before that.
“No, please rest comfortably.”
Ryu Jin bowed his head, then tried to leave the room as is, but hesitated and spoke up.
“Um… Dawoon Esper-nim.”
“Yeah, what?”
Dawoon, who’d picked up the cat that had fallen asleep again, faced Ryu Jin.
“By any chance, for the next guiding… how about we try expanding the contact range…?”
Cold sweat formed on Ryu Jin’s pale face as he clasped his hands together. Dawoon’s heart grew heavy at the gaze filled with worry for Dawoon and unnecessary guilt.
“Or at least take off your gloves. It seems like it won’t work at all like this….”
“No, with you I’ll only hold hands. There won’t be any need to take off my gloves either.”
At the firm voice that returned, Ryu Jin lowered his head. Seeing him like that, Dawoon quickly placed a hand on his shoulder.
“I’m not refusing because I dislike you, but because I care about you.”
Ryu Jin’s eyes widened as he slowly raised his head. Dawoon thought he’d shown quite a bit that he cared for him, but apparently it wasn’t enough.
“I don’t have younger siblings… so sometimes you really feel like my younger brother, Ryu Jin.”
Dawoon smiled bitterly. The faces of his young siblings overlapped on Ryu Jin’s youthful face, flickering for the first time in a while.
If his siblings hadn’t died and had grown up healthy, they’d be about as big as Ryu Jin.
Before his thoughts could deepen too much again, Dawoon cut them off and lightly patted Ryu Jin’s shoulder.
“I think of you like family. I hope you feel the same way, Jin.”
“……”
“Family protects each other, so contact is only up to holding hands. You understand, right?”
Hoping he wouldn’t have any contact beyond that with his hyung either, he gradually wrapped up the conversation. Ryu Jin, whose stamina was as weak as Jeong Dawoon’s, looked very tired. It was natural for his body to be strained after releasing power without rest for 3 hours.
“You’re going to your room, right? Should I take you?”
“No, I’m going to sleep in the guiding room.”
“You’re going to sleep there?”
“Yes, everyone’s been doing a lot of night duty lately.”
Ryu Jin wiped away his sweat and smiled with his eyes. Waving his hands saying not to worry about him, he instead tried to get Dawoon to lie down on the bed.
“I feel like I’m the only one resting too much….”
“Right now, resting is Esper-nim’s job. Absolutely don’t worry about the Gate.”
To the awkwardly smiling Dawoon, Ryu Jin repeatedly urged him to rest well. The cat had already fallen into dreamland. He continued sleeping with no signs of waking even while Dawoon and Ryu Jin exchanged conversation.
“Okay. Don’t overdo it either, Jin.”
“Yes, Esper-nim. Ah, please take your medicine now too.”
It happened to be time to take his evening medicine. Dawoon, who didn’t feel like eating yet, took his medicine first.
Two guiding medicine pills and one suppressant pill.
The heat symptoms had now completely subsided, but just in case, he’d decided to take the medicine only until this week. There was nothing bad about being careful.
Dawoon, who was putting the medicine packet in the trash, made eye contact with Ryu Jin, who was staring at him intently. He was standing near the bed as if he still had business left.
“Why? Do you have something to say?”
“Ah, well….”
Dawoon sat on the edge of the bed and waited for his words, gently stroking the cat resting his chin on his lap. Whether it was difficult to bring up, Ryu Jin hesitated for quite a long time.
“Make sure to eat your meals properly too.”
It didn’t seem like this was what he’d wanted to ask….
However, Ryu Jin smiled as if that was all and bowed his head.
“You eat well too.”
Dawoon lightly waved his hand toward Ryu Jin, who was heading for the door much faster than when he’d entered, unlike when he came in.
The cat, lying docilely on the bed with Dawoon, gazed indifferently at the retreating figure leaving as if fleeing.
Whereas he’d only glanced briefly at humans other than Dawoon, his gaze lingered quite long on Ryu Jin’s retreating figure.
