Chapter 102: Promise Me

“Yes, Su-ha. This is Lee Chaewon.”

Holding the phone tightly in both hands, pressing it close to his ear, Chaewon spoke, and a small chuckle came from the other end.

At the pleasant resonance of Su-ha’s voice, Chaewon drew his knees up and curled into himself. His stomach fluttered faintly.

Still smiling, Su-ha asked,

“Did I wake you?”

“No. I wasn’t asleep. Is something wrong…?”

He forced down the foolish spark of anticipation and asked carefully. At this hour, Su-ha calling had to mean something had happened.

“No. Nothing’s wrong.”

“Oh…”

“I just… wanted to hear your voice.”

For a moment, Chaewon froze like a malfunctioning machine.

Wanted to hear your voice.

The words echoed again and again in his ears. Had he misheard? Was he dreaming? Thoughts crashed over one another so quickly that he couldn’t process any of them.

“Chaewon?”

“Ah! I-I’m sorry. I must’ve misheard…”

“I said I wanted to hear your voice.”

Just in case he really had heard wrong, Chaewon asked again. But Su-ha’s answer didn’t change.

Why would he want to hear his voice?

What did that mean?

Chaewon’s thoughts tangled into a mess once more.

Unaware, or perhaps fully aware, of his turmoil, Su-ha continued.

“Have you ever suddenly wanted to talk to me?”

The question swept away his earlier confusion and replaced it with something else entirely.

Nights surfaced in his mind.

Nights that felt lonely.

Nights when the road ahead seemed too difficult, when he wanted to ask someone for guidance.

On those nights… had he wanted to call Su-ha?

To open up?

To lean on him?

The feelings he had never allowed himself to examine, because he had believed, firmly, that Jin Su-ha found Lee Chaewon lacking, broke free like something unsealed.

“I… I…”

His thoughts wouldn’t organize, and neither would his words.

Even if there had been such nights, could he answer honestly?

Being honest about feelings required practice. Chaewon had never had that practice.

He couldn’t burden his grandmother with unpleasant emotions. He couldn’t reveal weaknesses to others.

If he was lucky, he might receive comfort.

If not, those weaknesses might be used against him.

So he had always been fine.

He had no worries worth sharing.

He didn’t feel loneliness or humiliation.

He didn’t expect, didn’t hope, didn’t get hurt.

That was how he had survived.

And even now, after brushing against death once, those habits clung to him like shackles, creeping over him like shadows.

Like right now.

“I…”

No matter how he tried to steady himself, he couldn’t find the right words.

Then Su-ha spoke for him.

“If that ever happens… don’t hesitate. Call me.”

Chaewon forgot to breathe again.

It felt like being exposed to a disease he had no immunity against. His heart raced uncontrollably.

“It can be something trivial. You can call just because you can’t sleep.”

He wondered if this was normal for guides.

Was this what Eunho had meant by “your strongest ally”?

Would Su-ha be this gentle with any esper he partnered with?

He wanted to know.

At the same time, he didn’t.

He wanted to pretend these words were meant only for him.

“I’ll do the same from now on.”

Then what were his own feelings?

Was this simply what an esper felt toward his guide?

The confusion swelled endlessly. Chaewon let out a small sigh and clutched the blanket tightly in one hand.

If only someone could train him in this, too.

“I’ll… do that as well.”

There were still mountains of uncertainty inside him. So he chose to say only what he could say for sure.

Because Su-ha had said it was okay.

“For that to work… if I ever call at a bad time… or if I end up bothering you too much, you have to tell me. Promise.”

“…Okay. I promise. If that ever happens, I’ll say so. Until then, call me without worrying.”

Oddly, that assurance eased him.

Su-ha was kind, but he was also rational. If Chaewon became a burden, he would say so.

“…Thank you.”

Chaewon smiled faintly.

Even if this kindness was simply part of being a guide, it was still something precious to him.

“Thank you, too. For accepting my request.

“….”

“So… what were you doing?”

His voice brushed warmly against Chaewon’s ear.

“…I was reading.”

“Then I interrupted you.”

“No! I wasn’t really concentrating anyway.”

The casual conversation felt unfamiliar, but not unpleasant. The stiffness in his body slowly eased as he leaned back against the headboard.

“What were you reading?”

The sound of Su-ha’s voice was so comforting that Chaewon found himself thinking he wouldn’t mind talking like this every night.

For the first time in his life, it was that kind of night.

****

Later, as Su-ha and Chaewon walked out after dinner together, a phone rang.

Su-ha’s.

“Just a moment,” he murmured softly to Chaewon, pulling out his phone.

He stopped when he saw the name on the screen.

[Team Leader Min I-hyeon]

An unexpected name.

In the past, his heart would have pounded at the sight. He would have wondered what I-hyeon wanted, whether he might invite him along on an operation, wild hopes rising until he had to steady himself before answering.

But now, seeing the same name, Su-ha felt something entirely different.

His mood sank heavily instead. A sense of foreboding crept in as he pressed the call button.

Noticing Su-ha’s suddenly darkened expression, Chaewon stopped as well.

“Should I go in first?”

If it was something serious, perhaps his presence would be uncomfortable.

After a brief pause, Su-ha nodded.

“Yes. Go in and rest. I’ll come after the call.”

“Okay. See you later, Su-ha.”

Whatever the reason for the call, Su-ha didn’t want to take it in front of Chaewon. He didn’t want Chaewon thinking about I-hyeon at all.

He watched Chae-won walk away before answering.

“This is Jin Su-ha.”

“Su-ha, hello. It’s Min I-hyeon.”

“Yes, Team Leader. Hello.”

Once, he would have eagerly asked what the matter was. Now, the words wouldn’t come easily.

Because there was only one reason he could think of for this call.

“Do you have a moment right now?”

“A moment?”

“Yes. I know it’s sudden, but… I have something to discuss.”

Su-ha felt certain his premonition was correct.

He didn’t know the details, but he was almost sure it had something to do with Chaewon.

There was no other reason for I-hyeon to contact him privately and ask for his time now.

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