FETCH 60

After that, I was simply at the mercy of Han Kang’s hands. Jaechan let out a moan, “eut,” as the cock slid out, but he remained still, held in Han Kang’s embrace.

As soon as Han Kang pulled up the blanket to cover Jaechan’s body, the researchers re-entered the treatment room carrying mops. The sound of “slosh, slosh,” as they wiped up the deep puddles on the floor, smothered the silence.

Jaechan let out a breath of relief, “haaa,” and placed his hand on Han Kang’s chest, which was rising and falling steadily. Seeing this, a few researchers who had become somewhat familiar with them sent over playful smiles.

“It is nice to have a periodic water cleaning like this.”

At the teasing remark, there was nothing Jaechan could do but laugh along. Having recovered his strength as his levels entered the normal range, Han Kang took a few even breaths and soon fell into a deep sleep. Since he was essentially unconscious, he wasn’t sure if the expression “fell asleep” was correct, but at any rate, he had found stability.

Jaechan just stared at Han Kang endlessly. The researchers tidying up the surroundings had already been pushed out of his mind.

It would be good if he didn’t get hurt.

Jaechan swallowed hard as he gently stroked Han Kang’s chest.

It was certain that the Guiding had worked well this time too. Nevertheless, a lingering anxiety kept pulling at his ankles. His mind grew complicated, and after letting out a sigh, “hueu,” Jaechan hugged Han Kang tightly again and buried his face in the crook of his neck.

“What is all this? The Center is going to be completely submerged.”

The sudden grumble brushing past his ears contained not a hint of embarrassment or worry. Jaechan reflexively sat up and looked at him. The Center Director flicked his palm as if it didn’t matter if he stayed still.

So, when Jaechan lay back down, a gaze that seemed to say, “You’re really lying back down?” followed him. Regardless, Jaechan remained holding Han Kang and stealthily pulled the blanket over them.

“So, is Kang doing alright?”

“Yes, he has improved.”

“According to the report I received yesterday, he did nothing but sleep after Team Zero returned to the dormitory, so why did a rampage suddenly occur?”

There was no point in answering a question that felt like a reprimand. Kim Daeyoung’s gaze did not fixate on Jaechan. Even though his body was facing Han Kang and Jeon Jaechan, his head was turned toward the entrance of the treatment room; he seemed to only want to grasp the cause of this incident.

“Ah, that’s a bit…”

Jaechan snapped his lips shut. He had intended to say that the watch seemed broken, or that his own wavelength was becoming shorter in duration like a drained battery.

But if he revealed this, he felt the man would just hurl more reckless words at him.

What if the matching rate with him has dropped and my Guiding no longer works?

What if other people feel that way too?

As he recalled the worst-case scenario he had been pondering, his expression naturally distorted. As soon as Jaechan bit his lower lip hard, he heard a “tsk, tsk” clicking sound from over there. It was as if the man was asking why he was bothering his innocent lips.

“You would have performed Guiding yesterday as well.”

“Yes.”

“But why does a rampage keep happening…”

He only needed to say one word—that it felt like the Guiding wasn’t working properly—but his lips just hovered because he hesitated to speak.

Impatience set in. What if the matching rate between him and Han Kang plummeted and another Guide took charge of Han Kang? The thought of a situation where he could only watch him was utterly bleak.

Right, there was that, but…

Jaechan squeezed his eyes shut and then slowly opened them, regaining his composure.

Emotions were emotions, but work was work.

The training schedule for the Olympics was nearing completion. Han Kang had to find a breakthrough. He had to adapt before the Olympics began and pull off the best performance during the games.

Because he was a national athlete.

Jaechan suppressed his own circumstances, which might turn grim, and resolved to confess at least one thing honestly.

“I think we also need to see if there is a problem with Kang’s watch. I definitely raised the Guiding levels properly yesterday.”

“And yet a rampage occurred overnight?”

“Yes, I think it would be good if you checked it.”

“When is his checkup?”

“It’s next week.”

As soon as he finished answering, the Center Director looked around the surroundings again. He called over one researcher who caught his eye and whispered something to them.

Seeing that, Jaechan hugged Han Kang even more tightly. He hoped they wouldn’t be separated. Although it was a feeling he still kept deeply buried—one he no longer even had the courage to bring out—Jaechan still wanted to stay by his side for as long as possible.

Because of this, the arms holding Han Kang grew stronger. He held onto Han Kang with all his might, like an elementary schooler gripping a toy they didn’t want to have taken away.

“Anyway, that’s that, Guide Jeon Jaechan.”

“Yes.”

His name being called so suddenly made him feel uneasy for no reason. Kim Daeyoung was lightly scratching his eyebrow with that characteristically heartless expression.

For once, he was smiling benevolently. Since he had never been kind to him even once, the other man didn’t seem to realize that the smile itself made Jaechan more anxious.

Seriously, what is with him?

His lips went dry. The longer the other man hesitated, the more it felt like his own life was being whittled away.

“You remember the official document sent by the Olympic Committee, right?”

Contempt was felt in Kim Daeyoung’s gaze as he looked at Jaechan, his eyes seemingly saying, surely you aren’t ignorant of that.

Jaechan, looking back at him, blinked before he realized it. It was a strange thing, wasn’t it? He was the one who had successfully Guided the most capable Esper in the Center, yet there was no praise for him; the Center Director’s attitude, merely trying to press him, felt bizarre.

It felt like the man was dying to suppress him, stomping his feet in a desire to break his spirit.

Perhaps wondering why the answers that usually came so promptly had vanished, Kim Daeyoung suddenly laughed, “Haha.”

“Since it’s a rule that will be strictly applied starting from this Olympics, you’ll have to do a good job of keeping Han Kang’s rampages in check.”

Analyzing Han Kang’s unstable state and finding out the cause was the Center’s job, but Kim Daeyoung pushed it onto Jaechan as if it were only natural.

How am I supposed to know the cause of Han Kang’s rampages when even the Center doesn’t know…

His chest felt heavy, as if tens of tons of stones had been placed upon it. When he remained silent without answering this time as well, the Center Director gave Jaechan’s shoulder a single pat and left the treatment room just like that.

Jaechan bit his lip because he felt a curse nearly slip out. He knew well that the Center was stingy toward him and that the Center Director always acted as if he were driving him into a corner. But he was at a point of feeling wronged, wondering if the man had to be like this even in a situation like this.

Just as he was trying to settle down and tell himself to handle Han Kang first…

“That’s why I hate him.”

A completely rasped voice was heard.

“Han Kang?”

Jaechan quickly looked toward the source of the sound. Though his eyes were a bit hazy, Han Kang, who had opened his eyes, looked at Jaechan and smiled, “Eung.” His bloodless face was still deathly pale, but his calmly settled eyes looked stable.

Jaechan immediately took Han Kang’s face in his hands and turned it this way and that. Han Kang, his face held still, just smiled sheepishly, perhaps having read the worry in Jaechan’s eyes.

“Are you okay? How do you feel? Weren’t you asleep again?”

“I was only pretending to sleep.”

“But why didn’t you wake up?”

“Because I didn’t want to talk to the Center Director.”

“Good grief…”

Still, seeing his stabilized state made his heart feel at ease.

Jaechan, completely forgetting that he was undressed, hugged Han Kang tightly again and buried his face in the crook of his neck.

“Then did you hear everything?”

“Yes, I heard it all.”

Seeing him look refreshed, it felt as though the worries that had been looming also vanished in an instant.

As he let out a deep sigh of relief, Han Kang gently stroked Jaechan’s back with the arm that was hugging him. Only then did Jaechan realize that he was buried in Han Kang’s embrace.

And that they were both naked.

“…”

Even though it wasn’t a Guiding session they hadn’t done a few times before, his body felt like it was freezing stiff. When he sucked in a breath, heup, Han Kang mischievously quirked his lips as if reading his thoughts.

“What are you so surprised for? Between a married couple, we can lie down like this.”

Good grief, with that “married couple” bit.

The joke that they almost ended up separated by death nearly came out of his mouth, but he held it back.

“From now on, you really have to tell me immediately if even the slightest thing feels strange, okay?”

“Okay.”

“What did you do last night?”

“I only slept. It’s true, as soon as I got to the dormitory, I lay down and slept.”

“But why did a rampage come…”

Jaechan closed his eyes tightly, feeling both frustrated and bleak. Han Kang hugged Jaechan tightly once more. Staggering slightly to adjust his posture, Han Kang made a humming sound in his throat, as if he were going back to sleep.

Trapped in Han Kang’s embrace, Jaechan looked up at him with a deeply complicated face. The future looked dark. He pillowed his head on Han Kang’s arm, squashing his cheek, and hugged him a little more forcefully.

It was an action born from an instinct to be in contact with him as much as he was anxious, and every time, Han Kang did not push him away. If anything, he would hug him even tighter.

And the more familiar these actions became, the more his heart burned. His long-standing feelings, far from becoming familiar, were growing in volume, and his feet felt itchy because of it. It was as if something were urging him that he had to move right away.

Jaechan gently caressed Han Kang’s weak-looking face.

“If it feels like a rampage is coming, call me no matter what time it is, okay?”

When he spoke with a voice full of worry, Han Kang gave him a steady answer, “Okay.” To that, Jaechan added one more sentence.

“I can’t stand to see you broken, Kang.”

It was his pure sincerity, and to that, Han Kang smiled and said he understood.