Chapter 65: The Lunatic Who Realized His Guide Was Way Too Good for Him

“…Maybe while I was gone he tried to run away, or hooked up with another esper… No, I’m insane. After seeing Lee Chae’s charisma in that meeting, I’m still thinking this crap…”

He knew it wasn’t true, but Lee Chae being overly nice and avoiding eye contact sparked useless suspicion.

“Hm? Why aren’t you asking anything? Aren’t you curious what happened while I was gone, how I survived Kelvetero?”

Lee Chae’s face hardened. He bit his lip like he was holding back tears. Those pretty lips are gonna burst. Haejin gently pulled the lower lip down with a finger. Lee Chae stared like he had a million things to say, then finally spoke.

“If I go shower now, we’re showering together—so you gonna keep asking questions?”

“No! Together now!”

“Then follow me.”

He clearly had something to say and looked ready to cry any second—what was this?

Weird, but the offer of showering together was too tempting. Haejin buried all suspicions and obediently followed.

Shhhhh…

Lee Chae entered the bathroom first, stripped instantly, and turned the shower on full blast. He had to get under the water fast so Haejin wouldn’t see him cry.

When Haejin had carried him back to Legion, Lee Chae had wanted to cling to his chest and sob. I waited so much… I thought I’d die… I thought you were dead… I’m so, so glad you’re alive…

He’d planned to whine all he wanted, rub his face in Haejin’s chest, then ask what happened.

But Haejin had returned louder than usual, flashing exaggerated smiles, cracking extra-perverted jokes. Lee Chae knew exactly what that meant.

He didn’t want to look weak in front of his lover or feel embarrassed for making the Legion members worry. He was happy to be alive but didn’t want to get emotional—so he acted extra bright.

So Lee Chae swallowed his tears and tried to act normal. But looking at Haejin’s face made it impossible. Haejin was a wreck—sharper jaw from not eating, bloodshot eyes, scratches everywhere on hands and neck. Obvious after days of fighting monsters, yet Lee Chae’s vision kept blurring.

He wanted to lay him down and guide him right now, but that would hurt Haejin’s pride. So even when Haejin spouted nonsense or pervy lines, Lee Chae just smiled.

Under the water, no one would see him cry. He sobbed silently under the hot spray, then turned. Haejin had stripped off his tattered uniform and was staring at him like he wanted to devour him.

Lee Chae smiled softly and opened his arms. Haejin stepped under the shower, dumbfounded. Water must sting his wounds, but he didn’t flinch.

“Doesn’t it hurt?”

“Yeah!”

“Let’s shower, then guide.”

“Contact, right? Contact? You mean after we—”

“Contact, so shut up. Eat something first… I barely ate while you were gone, no strength.”

Haejin nodded furiously. Lee Chae looked down to avoid his eyes, lathered a towel with body wash, and gently cleaned him. The energy he felt was weaker than his own. He hadn’t shown it, but the battle must’ve been hell. Lee Chae’s chest stung so bad he could barely breathe.

“Ow, stings. Wounds don’t hurt, but the towel does.”

“Hurts? I’ll go slower.”

He indulged every ridiculous complaint.

“Back’s clean, front feels gross.”

He turned and washed the front without hesitation.

“Here?”

“Yeah… haa… knew fighting the boss was worth it… ow, why hit me!”

“Shut up with the nonsense. Worry me one more time and I’ll kill you myself. Not joking.”

He spoke while staring only at Haejin’s feet—tears kept threatening. Bubbles rose with every movement; tears fell onto them. Haejin’s voice came from above.

“You’re gonna scrub the skin off my feet at this rate.”

“S-sorry…”

Haejin bent, slipped hands under Lee Chae’s armpits, lifted him, and sat him in the tub.

“Look at me.”

Lee Chae blinked tears away and looked up. Haejin’s eyes were serious.

“I came back alive.”

That one sentence broke the dam. Lee Chae wrapped arms around Haejin’s waist, pressed his forehead to his stomach, and wailed. Haejin gently stroked his back.

“What’s there to cry about? Hm?”

What indeed? I’m the one crying—why are you so okay?

The list of grievances was endless. The worst: he hadn’t even noticed Haejin’s family wounds.

A mother who hid her son’s possible death not out of worry but to prevent rumors— Imagining the scars Haejin carried from a life of duty without love made Lee Chae’s heart ache.

He’d once read that in rare high-compatibility pairs, emotions could be shared. So this overwhelming sorrow wasn’t just pity—it was Haejin’s loneliness and pain from the meeting room seeping through.

All his rude, thug-like behavior in front of his mother… It was because of that pain. Physical wounds healed with guiding; emotional ones—he could only acknowledge them for now.

“It’s not sadness… I’m hungry.”

Haejin said he’d cook and left to shower first. Lee Chae stayed under the water a long time.

He’d always thought he was the only one with no one to pick him up when he fell. He’d even mocked Haejin as a spoiled rich kid who never suffered.

“Who was I to judge…”

Now it was ridiculous. His parents were useless for money, but they’d never abandoned responsibility for their kids. What right did he have to criticize someone raised under a mother who felt no duty—only obligation?

“Cha Haejin, if your parents won’t take responsibility, I will. I fed three people—think I can’t feed one more?”

His voice echoed in the bathroom. Now he felt like he could face Haejin without crying.

“Whoa… smells amazing.”

In the kitchen, Jae-hyung was grilling beef. Yong-yong glued to his side, staring only at the meat, turned.

“C-captain! Jae-hyung almost died.”

“Yeah, I heard. Met everyone already.”

“How did you come back alive? Kelvetero’s darkness only lifts when he dies.”

Jae-hyung dropped the tongs in shock. Haejin and Yong-yong stared.

“Jae-hyung, you okay? Not hurt?”

“I-I’m fine. Sit with captain. I’ll grill plenty.”

Haejin patted Jae-hyung’s head.

“Our maknae was sick, huh?”

Jae-hyung hung his head.

“Sorry, hyung. I tried my best to find you… it’s my fault…”

“Stop talking nonsense. How is it your fault? Monsters’ fault.”

“Still…”

“You’re talking crap, so you must be better. Healthy enough—hurry with the food. Starving.”

Jae-hyung picked up the tongs again. His slumped shoulders looked pitiful. Headquarters hid everything, blaming no one; here in Legion, everyone blamed themselves and cried.

Haejin was about to smack Jae-hyung’s back and tell him to straighten up when Yong-yong asked,

“So you killed Kelvetero?”

“Obviously beat his ass. Wasn’t much.”

“HIEEK!”

Yong-yong stumbled back, eyes rolling in disbelief—then nodded like he understood.

“Collateral said captain’s strong, you’d win. I didn’t believe—now I do. Good job, captain.”

“What? Lee Chae was talking about how much he loves me behind my back?”

“No! Captain, I never said that. I said you’re strong so you’d win.”

“Same thing.”

“How is that the same? Captain needs to learn words again. Collateral worried so much he cried. Couldn’t eat or sleep. Kept saying you’re strong, you’d win.”

“Sounds like he said he loves me a lot.”

Haejin said it seriously. While Yong-yong frantically explained it wasn’t like that and ran to tattle to Jae-hyung, Jin-woo walked in and tapped Haejin’s shoulder.

“Lee Chae was f*cking cool.”

Haejin glared.

“He’s already mine, so back off.”

“Yeah, yeah. When you were gone, I totally saw why you’re obsessed.”

If even Jin-woo said that, something big must’ve happened while he was away.

“Stop joking and spill.”

“Unlike someone, Jung Lee Chae was super mature. Kept going to cleanup crew and school even while searching for you. Took care of Yong-yong when Jae-hyung was out. He was hurting the most but comforted us instead. Said we’d find you.”

His chest sank. Guilt, awe, pride, gratitude, shame—countless emotions crashed in, too tangled to name. Throat-clogging, breath-stealing.

When Lee Chae disappeared, how was I?