* * *

“I’ll head back on my own. You go handle your work,” Doyoung muttered, leaning against the wall.

There was a lot he wanted to ask Beom Sinje, but for now, he needed to recover.

“I’ll handle my own business. Just take care of yourself, hyung.”

“I’m taking care of myself just fine. How about you focus on your work? Aren’t you busy?”

Beom Sinje’s gaze shifted to him as Doyoung shot back.

“Taking care of yourself?”

Beom Sinje’s eyes moved slowly over him, lingering on his body, and Doyoung frowned, realizing he was being sized up.

“You…”

“The day I stabbed you with my sword,” Beom Sinje began, cutting him off before he could respond.

He was bringing up a moment Doyoung had hoped to never revisit.

As Doyoung pressed his lips tightly together, Beom Sinje continued.

“That sensation still feels vivid. The way it pierced deep, the blood spreading red, your face going pale.”

As if he were reliving the moment, Beom Sinje’s gaze fell to his own chest, and Doyoung instinctively covered the spot before quickly pulling his hand away to appear unaffected.

“You were lucky, though. You didn’t die.”

Doyoung felt a strange tension at the coldness of his words.

“Luck?”

Doyoung’s pride wouldn’t let him write it off as simple luck.

“Oh? Wasn’t it?”

And if Beom Sinje questioned him like that, he couldn’t very well admit the truth either.

Doyoung held back a sigh and shook his head.

“Yes, lucky. I was at my limit trying to fight you with all my strength, so I couldn’t dodge. Your blade barely missed my heart, so I survived.”

But still, a former villain wouldn’t just let it go.

“Of course, I don’t blame you for nearly killing me. It was my fault, too. The important thing is that although I’m still a bit worse for wear, you don’t need to worry about me.”

He didn’t miss a chance to poke at Beom Sinje’s conscience.

‘Let’s see what you have to say to that.’

With a mischievous glint in his eye, Doyoung looked over at Beom Sinje, who gazed back with an oddly gentle, almost worried expression, like one might give a sick pet.

“What? Why?”

Why did he look at him like that?

Doyoung’s sharp question went unanswered as Beom Sinje simply shook his head.

“Don’t treat your life so carelessly.”

“What are you even talking about?” Doyoung’s thoughts were frustrated; what he’d just heard was completely unexpected.

He couldn’t imagine why anyone would say something like that to him, of all people.

He was about to retort, but the elevator doors opened just in time, breaking the moment.

A car was waiting right outside, with Park Chanoh standing by for him, leaving Doyoung with no option to argue further.

“Please go home and rest,” the other said.

Doyoung ended up being escorted all the way to the car by Beom Sinje.

The constant tension had his head throbbing by now.

Waving his hand half-heartedly, Doyoung climbed into the car, glancing out the window once it began moving.

Even now, Beom Sinje’s eyes stayed fixed on him, just like in the examination room.

“‘Don’t make your younger brother worry too much,’” he remembered the doctor’s words echoing in his mind.

“Ha… Really, who’s the one causing all this worry?” he muttered, his lips pursed in annoyance.

Catching Park Chanoh’s curious look from the driver’s seat, he quickly straightened up, clamping his mouth shut.

Still, he couldn’t help but grumble internally.

“I’ve worked so hard to get rid of anything that might hold back his future!”

He was so frustrated he could practically grab him by the collar and shake some sense into him.

---

The scene shifted.

“You’re aware the patient’s condition isn’t good, right?” the doctor said, holding out the test results.

Beom Sinje, looking at the doctor, indicated for him to continue.

“Let me start with his heart.

To put it bluntly, this was a very close call.

As you can see from the images, if the wound had been just a centimeter further left, it wouldn’t have been the myocardium—it would have damaged his heart directly.”

Beom Sinje’s gaze dropped.

Flipping through the cover, the first thing he saw was a report on Doyoung’s heart.

“The condition isn’t exactly stable, but we’re lucky it’s not worse. Although… something unusual did show up.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, we’re not certain yet, but it seems like his muscles went into a sudden spasm and then released.”

The doctor gestured at the images on the report to explain further.

“No matter how tense someone is, it’s not easy to make the muscles around the heart this rigid unless they’re a superpowered esper with a unique ability.”

He scratched his chin as if the idea didn’t make sense even to him.

“Some espers in the buff category can enhance others’ abilities or muscle strength, but this… this is a first.”

The doctor kept explaining.

“So, you’re saying he’s an esper of the special type?” Beom Sinje asked.

“Yes, further tests would be needed to confirm, but that’s the current assessment.”

“And aside from that? His main ability is telekinesis, correct?”

Beom Sinje’s eyes prompted him to continue.

“Yes. And likely at quite a high level, too. However, he should refrain from using it excessively, as it could strain his heart and brain.”

“How much should he avoid using it?”

“Best not to use it at all if possible. But if he must, then maybe just a tiny bit.”

The doctor held his thumb and forefinger a few centimeters apart.

“Realistically, I’d recommend no use at all unless absolutely necessary. Symptoms can start small, like dizziness or nausea, but it could lead to serious fatigue or even fainting spells.”

“Ha…”

A deep sigh escaped from Beom Sinje.

“Is there anything else to watch for?”

“Healthy meals, rest, and sleep are the best things for him right now.”

“And recovery of his original powers…?”

“While telekinesis could improve, regaining any special abilities might be difficult without some breakthrough in medicine or technology.”

The doctor seemed regretful. Although they hadn’t done extensive testing, he could already tell the patient he’d seen earlier was an exceptional esper.

Especially in telekinesis, he seemed to rank at least an A-grade.

‘Who’s A-grade in telekinesis in our country…’

Then he remembered the silver-masked man who used to lead a powerful organization before it crumbled and vanished.

“That’s all. You may leave,” Beom Sinje dismissed him curtly.

The doctor hesitated before adding, “It seems the patient understands his condition well, but if he can’t manage on his own, it’s critical that someone close keeps an eye on him.”

Hearing this, Beom Sinje looked up from the report.

“Currently, he might be prone to bouts of fatigue or muscle weakness that could lead to falls, so…”

Before the doctor could finish, Beom Sinje rose abruptly, his chair scraping back noisily.

Ignoring the startled doctor, he strode out.

“Hey, Beom Sinje, where are you going?” asked Yeo Giwon as they passed in the corridor.

But Beom Sinje paid no attention, pressing the elevator button while pulling out his phone to call Park Chanoh, who’d dropped Doyoung off.

“Yes, Guild Leader.”

“Did he get home safely?”

“I watched him go into the main lobby before I left.”

“Inside the apartment…?”

He stopped mid-sentence.

He hadn’t instructed Chanoh to see Doyoung into his apartment.

Realizing he’d have to check himself, Beom Sinje hung up and dialed Doyoung directly.

“You’re sick and you left work early?”

Yeo Giwon, who’d caught up, continued pestering him.

“I told you not to push him so hard. He’s not as resilient as us espers, so he’s bound to get sick. Where does he live? I’ll go take care of him.”

Beom Sinje ignored him, his face hardening as he listened to the dialing tone.

It was only a ten-minute drive from the office to Doyoung’s apartment.

Even if he took his time, it shouldn’t take more than five minutes to get to his floor.

* * *