* * *
“Something felt off.”
In truth, he’d suspected something strange with Yang Heewoon’s body for quite some time.
But, with only himself and Heewoon as guides to compare, he had no standard.
Naturally, he’d assumed the guides out there, inferior as they were, would be just like Heewoon.
It wasn’t until moving day that he realized: it was only Heewoon who was different.
When he grasped Heewoon’s hand, with his eyes closed, he felt it—a hollow emptiness.
A human who was nothing but a shell. He knew instinctively: a living person shouldn’t be like this.
Yang Heewoon was dying.
The question of “How did it come to this?” was finally answered.
Heewoon had been spending every bit of his energy guiding three Espers, all while denying his own need for rest.
Depleting his reserves with such intensive guiding, Heewoon was even burning up his own life to keep going.
So…
“It wasn’t that I was special.”
Heewoon wasn’t risking his life for him alone. He was doing the same for the three Espers too.
The only difference was that he was younger, while they were adults.
“He didn’t only love me. It was just easy to say because I was a kid, not a romantic partner. It wasn’t because I meant more to him than those three Espers, or because I was more special.”
The realization left him feeling cold.
He was furious—furious with Heewoon and furious with the three Espers.
“Jealous, are you? You’ll never understand how good it feels to be guided by Heewoon. Too bad for you.”
“If you have such complaints, then hurry and get your power back. We don’t want to burden Heewoon anymore.”
“…We have no choice. There’s no other suitable candidate.”
But the moment he brought it up, the desire to continue faded.
Ye Eunsoo decided to stop trying to talk to those fools.
What was the point of conversing with people who didn’t even realize what Heewoon was sacrificing for them?
It was a waste of time.
“Why are Espers all such idiots?”
As he wrung out a warm cloth, he gazed down at the peacefully sleeping Yang Heewoon.
Heewoon, in his current state, was like a broken wind-up doll—perfect on the outside, but so thoroughly damaged on the inside that, even if you wound him up, he couldn’t dance anymore.
And the fools kept winding him up, forcing him to go through the motions.
It wouldn’t be long before even his appearance started to crumble.
He pictured the faces of those three who kept winding up Heewoon’s springs.
“Wouldn’t it be better if all three just dropped dead?”
Wouldn’t it be nice if a gate appeared somewhere—a grand one.
He pictured the Espers, deprived of proper guiding, each one going berserk and falling.
But his train of thought halted as he pictured Heewoon breaking down at their funeral.
…He didn’t want Heewoon to cry.
It made him feel strange.
Unless absolutely necessary, he never wanted to see that face.
“What’s so great about those idiots, anyway?”
He couldn’t achieve much right now because he was still a minor and had limitations without his powers, but Eunsoo knew that the moment he became an adult in New Year, he’d surpass them.
(TL: In Korea they celebrate +1 year on new year, so when Eunsoo becomes 20 in Korean Age he is considered adult.)
Did Heewoon really need S-rank Espers?
Was it necessary to exhaust himself to protect them?
“Idiot. My idiot Heewoon.”
Yet, as much as he found Heewoon’s foolishness infuriating, he also found it endearing.
If only he could reserve that foolishness for Eunsoo alone.
He clicked his tongue in regret but brushed the feeling aside.
Once he regained his powers and came of age, he wouldn’t lose any part of Heewoon to anyone else.
Those idiots would face the consequences of making Heewoon suffer.
Smiling, Eunsoo gently wiped Heewoon’s face with the warm cloth.
But the moment he lifted Heewoon’s shirt to clean his torso, the smile vanished.
On his thin waist was a large handprint.
Only one of those three would be so careless with their strength as to leave a mark on Heewoon’s fragile body.
“That red-haired bastard…”
Even though he was slowly killing Heewoon, he still dared to want him.
And he didn’t even try to hide his filthy desire.
Maybe he didn’t realize he was killing Heewoon, but that ignorance was no excuse; it only meant he deserved harsher punishment.
“Ha…”
The real problem was that Heewoon seemed swayed by him.
Seeing him press his body close, opening himself up as if he were about to imprint with that damned guy—it had shocked Eunsoo.
No acting was required.
He learned that day that, when his irritation reached its peak, tears would come automatically.
“Why do you like someone who’s burned you black inside?”
He muttered bitterly, pressing his hand to Heewoon’s thin chest.
He resented Heewoon’s recklessness, but he couldn’t leave him as he was.
If left as he was, drained of energy, Heewoon would just keep sleeping until he faded away completely.
“They say the one who loves more loses.”
Eunsoo sighed.
As frustrating as it was, he couldn’t imagine a world without Heewoon.
He’d already tasted that dread once, seeing Heewoon’s head bowed on moving day, and he had no desire to experience it again.
Someday, he might grow tired of him, but for now, he needed Heewoon by his side.
Focusing, he channeled his power into Heewoon.
Although his energy rarely obeyed his will these days, it seemed glad to enter Heewoon’s body.
He soaked Heewoon’s parched insides, filling him with warmth.
“Mmm… Ah…”
“It feels good, doesn’t it? Just like a baby, you’re drinking it all in.”
Seeing Heewoon’s face flush as his body shuddered made him happy.
At some point, Heewoon’s hands found his way up to Eunsoo’s chest, clasping his hand, as if he instinctively knew this was his lifeline.
Eunsoo’s lips quirked in a smirk.
His heart swelled.
The Heewoon who always seemed to slip away, who he thought he’d lose if he tried to hold on—now clinging to him like this.
“A-ah…!”
But Eunsoo wasn’t a fool to be distracted by a moment’s pleasure.
He stopped the flow of energy just as Heewoon whimpered and clung, his hand clawing at Eunsoo’s desperately.
He pulled that greedy hand to his lips and bit it lightly.
“Nope. You’ll just waste it on those idiots, won’t you?”
Knowing Heewoon, it was obvious.
It wasn’t just about casual guiding.
Watching Heewoon perform that kind of guiding—a deeper, intimate one—was unbearable.
Just thinking about him imprinting with one of them made his blood boil.
Eunsoo knew that if Heewoon ever came back with an imprint, he wouldn’t be able to spare the Esper.
He’d make sure their death was slow, explosive, and that Heewoon would never dare imprint with anyone again.
So, for now… it was better if Heewoon just slept.
“Quietly wait for your prince’s kiss, my precious sleeping beauty.”
He entwined their fingers tightly, locking his own with Heewoon’s.
Staring at Heewoon’s lips, faintly tinged with red, he leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead.
“I love you… more than anyone.”
Like a fish left in the care of a cat.
Morning dawned on Eunsoo’s first day of school.
The Last Semester.
Even though he was entering on a random day, not the official first day, because of his entrance exam, Eunsoo seemed perfectly relaxed.
He woke up early, prepared an impressive breakfast, and nagged at me to eat plenty.
Even in the car on the way to school, his face remained calm.
‘Well, he’s not the type to be intimidated by his peers.’
With striking looks, physical ability far beyond his age, and high marks on the entrance exam, he had every reason to be confident.
After scoring his test, he even received a separate consultation, where they told him that, with similar results on the college entrance exams, he could aim for a top-tier university.
Ever since hearing that, Eunsoo’s confidence had been through the roof.
‘He says he wants a “normal life,” but it looks like he’s aiming for the top 1% of that normal.’
‘He’s my kid, but I swear he’s got some big ambitions.’
That was one of Eunsoo’s strengths. Even when facing difficult challenges, he’d grit his teeth and push through, with a stubborn persistence and a pride that wouldn’t let him settle.
Those traits would shape Eunsoo’s future self.
“How’s your health today, Uncle?”
“It’s good. Maybe it’s because I slept well last night.”
“That’s a relief.”
Lately, I hadn’t been able to drive because I wasn’t feeling well, but today I wasn’t drowsy, so I thought I could manage.
In a good mood, I decided to drive him to school, even though it was within walking distance.
Folwell offered to give me a car, but I didn’t take it, so I drive a modest compact car.
It’s not flashy, but just driving him to school is fulfilling enough for me.
“You’re going to the office today, right?”
“Yeah. They asked me to come in, but not until around noon.”
“Then leave the car at home when you go.”
“Huh? Why?”
“You’ve been nodding off lately. Drowsy driving is dangerous. Only drive when I’m with you.”
* * *
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Gracias