Chapter 97: I’m Sorry

Bodam took a deep breath and put down the pen.

Sitting at the rectangular table in the cozy interrogation room, he completed the drawing he had poured his heart and soul into.

“Here you go.”

Bodam handed the finished drawing to the bald man sitting across from him.

The expression of the bald man, who had already been watching the entire drawing process, was not good.

“Hey now. Guide Yoon.”

The bald man, who placed the received white paper on the desk, let out a long sigh.

Feeling the ridicule contained in the sigh, Ji Oh, sitting next to Bodam, was about to load his mouth with curses.

But his mouth closed when Bodam’s drawing came into view.

“I asked you to draw a person.”

The bald man tapped the desk where the paper rested and complained irritably.

“It is a person. Here are the eyes, this is the nose, and below is the mouth.”

Bodam, well aware of his own drawing skills, retorted in a small voice.

It was a drawing of the woman who had touched his cheek and cut off the leg of the Esper-nim whose poison was spreading.

‘I drew it in quite detail, just as I remembered.’

Bodam carefully picked up the pen again and subtly added a line to the drawing.

As rough lines representing abundant hair were added on top of the squiggly circle, it became even more of a disaster.

“Her hair was about this long. Thick and a bit messy…”

“Ah, that’s enough! Stop drawing.”

The bald man, who snapped at the even more profoundly composite sketch, tried to snatch the paper away.

Ji Oh, who blocked his hand, asked Bodam.

“Are you going to draw more?”

Bodam, who would have had the paper snatched and been intimidated if he weren’t there, didn’t put down the pen.

Remembering the woman’s large eyes, he went over the lines to emphasize the two small circles.

The drawing, which had become even more incomprehensible thanks to Ji Oh, was soon handed over to the investigation team.

“We’re done now, right?”

Ji Oh gestured with his chin at the bald man, giving him a look to wrap it up.

Bodam had done his best to testify to everything he had experienced at the scene.

Since he had even remembered the woman’s face and completed the composite sketch as a final step, there seemed to be nothing more to do.

“Hmm.”

Nevertheless, the bald man dragged his feet instead of telling him to go.

He stared at Bodam and flicked his fingers as if he had more to say.

‘If only that Min Ji Oh wasn’t here, I would have spoken up long ago.’

“Get up. Let’s go.”

Ji Oh stood up without waiting for the bald man’s answer.

Bodam, who was uncomfortable in the interrogation room, quickly pushed back his chair and went to Ji Oh’s side.

Being in a space filled with the bald man’s rough wavelength made his stomach ache slightly.

The very presence of the gruff bald man, who made him think that Lee Tae Hwan’s impression might be on the better side of things, was a great source of pressure for Bodam.

‘If I had been alone, my gastritis might have acted up.’

“Guide Yoon Bodam.”

Bodam, who had just taken Ji Oh’s hand, flinched at the bald man’s deep voice and turned around.

He, who had spread his fingers that were as thick as his voice, smiled and said goodbye.

“Let’s see each other again.”

“See you again for what!”

“Let’s just go.”

Bodam tightly grabbed Ji Oh’s hand to stop him from getting riled up at the provoking bald man.

With his stomach rumbling in pain, he just wanted to lie down in bed quickly.

It wasn’t even worth dealing with Espers who unconditionally spoke informally to a guide younger than them.

Not getting involved was the answer.

Ji Oh glared at the bald man and immediately began to teleport.

He suppressed his pointlessly acting-up heart at the touch of the white hand.

“Yoon Bodam.”

Bodam, who had been closing his eyes for the teleportation, lifted his head at the sound of his name being called.

“What is it.”

“Call me next time. If anything happens.”

Ji Oh, his grip tightening on their clasped hands, waited seriously for an answer.

Bodam could feel his nervousness from his stiff voice.

Having left the interrogation room, Bodam felt much more at ease and just chuckled.

“Hmm? You have to call. Whether by phone or text.”

“Will you come if I call?”

“I’ll go! I’ll go right away. I can be there in a few seconds.”

Ji Oh’s anxiety grew as he waited for a response to Bodam’s brief silence.

“Esper Min Ji Oh-nim’s teleport is quite unfamiliar.”

“……”

“We were on the same team for half a year.”

The more Bodam’s long-awaited answer continued, the more Ji Oh’s expression sank.

“What reason do I have to trust you and call? You have to have come before for me to call.”

Bodam’s head, which had been facing Ji Oh, turned to the side.

He didn’t want to bow his head in front of him, and he wanted to face him even less, so he turned away.

At a loss for words, Ji Oh retraced his memories.

‘Had he never used teleportation for Yoon Bodam?’

‘Really, not even once?’

Of course, he hadn’t.

Even though they had been on the same team for a full half year.

“I’ll, do better now! I won’t act like an asshole…”

Ji Oh’s voice, laced with tension, grew louder and then softer again.

Bodam, who had his eyes closed, didn’t see, but he was bowing his flushed head.

He continued to pour out his resolutions, bowing his head with such force that it would have touched the floor if it were there.

They were words he had never once said of his own volition in his life.

“Everything you tell me to do! I’ll do it all.”

The words “come back” screamed in his throat.

But that wasn’t the priority.

What Ji Oh wanted to say to Bodam was…

“I,”

Ji Oh, who even began to tremble at the anxiety that Bodam would disappear from before his eyes forever, stammered.

All his actions, done in the hope that the guide with a low matching rate would leave the team of his own accord, filled his mind.

The white face, whose eyes would redden at the slightest opportunity, was already imprinted in his mind.

Ever since Yoon Bodam left the Center.

And yet, why hadn’t he known?

“I, Yoon Bodam.”

During the time he came to and lingered around Yoon Bodam’s hospital room every day,

“I’m sorry.”

What he had wanted to convey was an apology.

He only now realized it.

“I’m sorry-!!”

Ji Oh, who fell to his knees before his feet even touched the ground, shouted.

At Ji Oh’s voice, which echoed thunderously in the hallway, Bodam forgot to open his eyes even though the teleportation had ended.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!! I’m so f*cking sorry!!”

‘Please come back. I won’t do it again. Stay by my side. I can’t do this without you.’

Fearing that Yoon Bodam would run away if he poured out all these true feelings, he only repeated his apology.

He furiously poured out a frantic apology, his ears turning red as he pressed his forehead to the back of Bodam’s hand.

He didn’t even know how to apologize properly.

He just raised his voice as much as he was sorry.

“I was wrong-!!”

“Alright, alright. I get it, so calm down and get up. Mr. Min.”

Ji Oh’s eyes flew open at the sudden sound of Team Leader Kim’s voice.

Team Leader Kim, who had been waiting for Bodam in the hospital hallway, had been watching the situation and stepped in to intervene.

The sight of Min Ji Oh on his knees was very interesting, but the Guide Yoon’s hand that he was holding so tightly looked like it hurt.

Team Leader Kim twisted Ji Oh’s wrist to make him loosen his grip and asked Bodam if he was okay.

Only then did Bodam open his eyes and nod, covering his deafened ears.

He didn’t look very okay.

“Ah… sorry.”

Ji Oh whispered, his guilt growing at the sight of Bodam, who was stunned because of him, tapping his aching ear.

Bodam, even while looking at the kneeling Ji Oh, was distracted by the ringing in his cochlea.

‘Anyway, that Min Ji Oh bastard. Even when he apologizes, he has to do it like himself.’

“Bodam.”

Jo Yeon, who appeared from behind Team Leader Kim, called to Bodam.

Jo Yeon had been in Bodam’s hospital room all this time.

“Hurry up and go in and rest.”

“Ah, okay. Just a moment.”

Before returning to his room, Bodam left one last word for Ji Oh.

He had almost forgotten.

The most important thing, money.

“Text me your account number. I’ll send the money right away.”

Ji Oh, his tension released, had slumped down from his kneeling position.

He had used up all his energy apologizing.

Ji Oh’s face, looking up at Bodam, was gaunt.

“What money?”

“Six million won. The money you gave to my younger sibling.”

“Younger sibling?”

‘I thought she was his older sister.’ Ji Oh, who recalled the scary Bomi, unconsciously asked back, and Bodam’s brow furrowed.

He was fed up with people seeing him as the younger sibling since he was a child.

‘I’m the older brother!’

“Thank you for helping my younger sibling. And for taking her home.”

Bodam, who didn’t forget his thanks, moved his lips a few more times but then held his tongue.

He finally turned his back on Ji Oh, who had been repeating his apology until his eardrums were about to burst.

Bodam’s steps as he returned to his room were not heavy.

In the hallway, now left with just Team Leader Kim, Ji Oh stared only at the firmly closed door.

Team Leader Kim gave a gentle smile to Ji Oh, who was watching the hospital room door with the most wistful expression in the world.

“Want to play with me? Or will you go back?”

At Ji Oh’s reaction of disappearing before his words even finished, Team Leader Kim’s smile widened.

“Aren’t you coming in?”

Bodam, who was heading to the bed, stopped along with Jo Yeon, who was just standing by the closed door.

Jo Yeon just stayed stuck to the door, as if he had no intention of coming in further.

Jo Yeon, who had a face full of things to say but didn’t readily bring them up, was strange.

“What is it. Why are you acting like this.”

“He said Espers are rampaging. Even when their wavelength readings aren’t high.”

“So you’re trying to keep your distance from me?”

Bodam, standing face to face with Jo Yeon, continued the conversation immediately.

In fact, he had somewhat anticipated Jo Yeon’s feelings.

“I’m telling you to keep your distance. From all Espers, not just me.”

“Jeon Jo Yeon.”

Bodam stepped in front of Jo Yeon and showed him a confident face.

“I’m a guide.”

Of course, he had quit his job, but a guide who had once manifested was a guide forever.

A civilian capable of guiding who could help an Esper whenever he wanted to.

Bodam knew very well that a guide was the most necessary existence for an Esper on the verge of a rampage.

“Bodam. Aren’t you scared?”

‘How could I not be scared. I’m enduring it because I know the Espers will be even more afraid.’

“Why would I be scared. I know how to do the guiding that stops a rampage.”

Bodam, who patted his thin chest and made a cool expression, hoped Jo Yeon would be reassured.

That he would be comfortable by his side, who was a guide.

He had heard that an Esper’s rampage was not infrequently caused by an amplification of psychological anxiety.

That was how sensitive Espers were.

Every single one of them was tough on the outside, but soft and precarious on the inside.

Even an Esper with a strong mentality like Jo Yeon was no exception.

They were beings who couldn’t help but be weak in the face of a rampage.

“Stop putting up a wall and come here. I’ll guide you.”

Since he had only ever received comfort from Jo Yeon until now, he now wanted to be a source of strength for him.

‘I’ll have to guide Jo Yeon whenever he’s by my side so that he can never rampage. I should do some for Lee Tae Hwan too, and since Han Seung Ho is sick, and Kang Yi Jun is…’

“Cough.”

Bodam, who had spent a grueling day with his frail stamina, finally caught a cold.

With the stress of the bald man, whose mere presence had intimidated him, added to his already feverish body, he had already started coughing.

It was a truly seriously weak body.

Really.

“Then Bodam.”

‘He was too weak and too kind to be left alone.’

“Go back to Attack Team 3.”

Bodam needed someone strong by his side.

So that no one could ever mess with him carelessly again.

An Esper strong and capable enough to protect him.