Chapter 72: Everyone Is Watching Him Now

Su-ha stood there, watching Chaewon step forward in front of countless cameras. It was a novel experience even for Su-ha.

Seeing his esper, his special partner bound to him as a pair, standing before the eyes of everyone stirred emotions that were impossible to compare to anything he had felt before.

It was different from how he had felt when watching Min I-hyeon. The pride, the sense of accomplishment, the awe he had known then were of an entirely different nature.

Faced with this unfamiliar storm of emotion, Su-ha felt his mouth go dry. Afraid of missing even a single moment, he stared at Chaewon without blinking.

Despite how tense he had been before it began, Chaewon was doing well. He smiled shyly at the right moments and treated those before him with polite, respectful manners.

He looked a little nervous, but Su-ha knew that even that would only make him seem endlessly endearing in the eyes of others.

Then, after Chaewon finished his introduction and greeting, it was time for questions from the reporters. As if he had been waiting for this moment, a reporter who had raised his hand spoke up.

“I hear the side effects are severe. Doesn’t that mean this power is, in practice, almost useless in the field?”

It was an aggressive question. But at the same time, it was clearly what many people were thinking.

Even after the footage had been released, many had doubted Chaewon’s abilities, he hadn’t seemed to use much power before collapsing and coughing up blood. Since the side effects had been officially acknowledged, this was an inevitable question.

Ye-seon, who had come out with Chaewon and was seated beside him for the Q&A, opened his mouth to answer, then stopped when he saw Chaewon lean toward the microphone.

Normally, it would be better for the management team, more experienced in handling sensitive questions, to respond. But in that moment, Ye-seon had a hunch that letting Chaewon face this honestly would lead to a far more satisfying result than any polished response.

Chaewon spoke carefully.

“Yes. For now, that’s true.”

A brief murmur rippled through the reporters. Espers all had different personalities, but it was exceedingly rare for one to so openly acknowledge their own shortcomings in front of such intense public attention.

That was why some people described a shared trait among newly awakened espers as “arrogance.”

Ignoring the commotion, Chaewon continued.

“I’m working hard to overcome the side effects. I am improving, and I plan to work even harder to improve faster. …I’m an S-rank in name only. I’m not as remarkable an esper as you may have expected. I didn’t mean to mislead anyone, but I’m sorry that I ended up showing something disappointing.”

Chaewon had never asked anyone to look at him. He had never demanded expectations or love, nor had he wished for them.

He had simply been there when an incident occurred, done the best he could, and the moment had spread unintentionally. He bore no responsibility for the disappointment people might feel.

Still, Chaewon remembered the comments under the articles about him. There had been insults and unreasonable expectations, but there were also many people who genuinely supported and worried about him.

He wasn’t interested in popularity or fame, but at least to those people, Chaewon wanted to speak sincerely. His dark, shining eyes looked straight into the camera.

“However… since psychokinesis itself is a rare ability in Korea, I believe there are areas where I can still be of particular help.”

Psychokinetic abilities were especially effective at rescuing or protecting large numbers of people during disasters. They were invaluable in responding to esper-led terrorism and enormously helpful during natural disasters as well.

“I’ll work hard, endure my side effects for longer, and endure them better.”

He wasn’t claiming to have some extraordinary solution. There was no secret method to overcome this handicap overnight. He was simply saying the one thing he truly could.

Enduring pain, pressure, and hardship. Holding on. Doing what needed to be done. Calmly, Chaewon spoke of what he knew best.

“I’ll do my best to become someone who can help society as soon as possible.”

In the end, all Chaewon said was that he would work hard. Nothing more. But to those who had already seen what side effects he carried and what kind of training he endured, those words carried immense weight.

And Su-ha heard that quiet resonance clearly.

The shape of Chaewon’s life, the trials he had endured, would undoubtedly influence how people came to feel about him. Pity and sympathy were powerful forces that made people generous and kind. But standing here now, Su-ha was certain of something else.

Even if people never learned of all Chaewon’s hardships. Even if everything was not laid bare. They still would not be able to help but love this strong, steadfast, kind, and gentle person, this esper who willingly chose to bear his own pain for the sake of others.

They would not be able to help but love Lee Chaewon.

Su-ha clenched his fists. His heart pounded as if by habit. At last, he had to admit he had reached a dead end. There was no running away anymore.

He could no longer hide behind excuses, claiming it was only because Chaewon was his first pair, or simply because Chaewon was a good person.

Saying that people would come to love Lee Chaewon was nothing more than a cowardly evasion. What Su-ha felt at this moment could not be concealed by such vague words.

He loved Lee Chaewon. Plainly and undeniably.

It wasn’t mere closeness born of being paired. Watching Chaewon, who always lowered himself yet stood up for others, who quietly accepted sacrifice, who remained gentle, kind, and lovable even after enduring such a cruel life, Su-ha had fallen helplessly in love.

The resentment he had once felt toward him could never stop his heart. If anything, it only helped his feelings collapse more violently. Su-ha raised a hand and slowly rubbed his face. A hollow laugh nearly escaped him.

The days when he had been harsh to Chaewon flashed before his eyes, moments when he had said he wished to guide someone else instead.

He had already apologized sincerely, but that didn’t erase what had happened. A wave of regret, far greater than anything he had known before, crashed over him.

As Su-ha struggled with how he should face Chaewon from now on, and how he might undo the damage he himself had caused, another reporter seized the opportunity to ask a question.

“Esper Lee Chaewon, many people want to see the power you showed during the previous downtown battle once again. Would you be willing to demonstrate it briefly here?”

As the reporter said, what most people here, and those watching, wanted to see was that power. Chaewon’s striking appearance aside, it was the visual impact of his ability that had drawn so much attention in the first place.

Those who had only seen shaky footage amid chaos and dust were eager to witness it again.

The hall fell silent with expectation and tension, all eyes turning to Chaewon. As always, Su-ha met Chaewon’s gaze when he instinctively looked his way.

Su-ha had told him he didn’t have to comply if he didn’t want to, but in this atmosphere, refusing such a request would be difficult, especially for someone with no experience in situations like this.

More than anything, Su-ha wanted Chaewon to remember that he wasn’t alone. That there was someone who prioritized his safety over public reaction or duty as an esper. And that person was Jin Su-ha.

Just as Su-ha hoped Chaewon would remember that it was okay to refuse, Chaewon met his eyes and smiled calmly, a smile meant to reassure Su-ha instead. After granting him that brief moment, Chaewon turned forward again and spoke.

“Yes. It may not seem like much when you see it in person, but…”

After finishing his sentence, Chaewon took a deep breath, gave a small nod as if to steady himself, and rose from his chair. Closing his eyes, he began to slowly draw up his power.

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