Chapter 138: The Light That Reached Him

A deep remorse, like regret carved into his chest, surged up along with overwhelming guilt.

He should have been beside him.

Even if the outcome wouldn’t have changed, when Chaewon made that choice he should have been there, to let him know that he was not alone, to give him the certainty that no matter what happened, I will protect you.

He should never have allowed Chaewon to face death alone again.

Tears he hadn’t noticed slid down his chin and dripped onto the back of the hand holding Chaewon’s.

Grinding his teeth, Su-ha pulled Chaewon’s trembling body into his arms as the convulsions grew worse, gathering every ounce of strength he had.

Inside Chaewon was like a space filled entirely with blazing fire and thick black smoke.

Even Su-ha, who knew Chaewon’s wavelengths better than anyone, couldn’t guess where to enter, how to push through, or what exactly he should heal.

But instead of hesitating or retreating, Su-ha whispered quietly into Chaewon’s ear as he held him.

“Chaewon… I’m here.”

He knew Chaewon had already lost consciousness, but that didn’t matter.

For an Esper and a Guide, the pair bond revealed its greatest power in extreme situations.

Although the two of them had not yet reached a point where their feelings were perfectly mutual, Su-ha was certain that Chaewon held a special place for him as well.

“So it’s okay now. Trust me.”

Even if it was a pitch-black ocean without a single ray of light.

If Chaewon was that dark sea, then Jin Su-ha himself would simply become the light.

Su-ha was fully prepared to burn himself away in the middle of that ocean if necessary, and he was certain that light would shine brightly enough to guide Chaewon back.

And then, closing his eyes, Su-ha pressed his lips deeply against Chaewon’s blood-stained lips.

****

Chaewon stood in the center of a storm of slicing winds, as if blades themselves had turned into the gale.

Countless sharpened edges slashed across his body again and again.

His flesh split and blood flowed until his once pale skin was already drenched completely in red.

Even if he tried to run, there was nowhere to go.

The ground swallowed his feet like a swamp, and something, whether fog or darkness, covered his vision so that he couldn’t see even a step ahead.

If he opened his mouth to scream, a blade flew in from somewhere and stabbed into his mouth, ripping through his throat and organs so he couldn’t even make a sound.

It would be better to faint.

If he lost consciousness, he could escape this unbearable pain.

But Chaewon couldn’t.

He mustn’t.

He instinctively knew that if he retreated even a little here, if he fainted to escape the pain, it would lead directly to a rampage.

So Chaewon simply stood there, helplessly enduring all the agony thrown at him.

Whenever the pain pushed him to the brink of losing consciousness, he bit down on his already shredded tongue just to stay awake.

This was the path he had chosen.

He had thrown himself into this situation knowing what might happen because he wanted to save people.

If he lost control now and hurt someone, that choice would become meaningless.

He knew he probably couldn’t stop the rampage in the end.

But he wanted to give his comrades, those who had accepted someone as flawed as him as their teammate, even a little more time.

Time to prepare.

Time to ensure they could kill him safely without being caught suddenly in the rampage of an S-class Esper.

That was why Chaewon endured the pain here for as long as he possibly could.

But there is a limit to the pain a human mind can endure.

His legs, torn and bleeding, finally collapsed.

Chaewon fell to his knees, bracing himself with both hands on the ground as he coughed blood into the abyss.

Now… he truly couldn’t endure any longer.

‘…I… I-’

At that moment, through the raging storm, a voice reached him.

Chaewon’s eyes, which had been growing dim from the relentless pain, suddenly regained a glimmer of light.

It was a voice he had never expected to hear here.

Was it a hallucination?

Because it was his only lingering regret?

Because it belonged to the one person he was still worried about even now?

Because he had wished, even just once, to see that face one last time?

Perhaps that was why he heard his voice.

‘It’s okay now. Trust me.’

As if scolding Chaewon’s doubt, the voice came again, clearer this time.

It was unmistakably Jin Su-ha’s voice.

Chaewon struggled desperately to raise his head.

Even that small movement was unbearably difficult, but Su-ha’s voice stirred a tiny strength within him.

It was a presence Chaewon knew all too well, Su-ha’s energy.

Rubbing his closing eyes, he searched desperately through the mist and wind for something he couldn’t even see.

He didn’t know where he was looking.

He didn’t even know what direction he faced.

But still, Chaewon searched desperately for something that might lie beyond.

“…Ah.”

A faint sound escaped his lips.

A fragile voice, so weak it was barely more than breath, managed to slip past the blades that had suppressed even his screams.

At that same moment, a faint spark appeared in Chaewon’s pitch-black eyes.

Far away.

So far it seemed impossible to reach even after a thousand years.

In that place where there had only been endless darkness, a tiny light appeared.

Small and fragile.

But undeniably not darkness.

A red light stood against the void.

Bloody tears streamed down Chaewon’s cheeks.

Tears shed for that fragile red light.

Why had it come this far?

This place was too painful.

Too cruel.

This was his own personal hell, something that person should never have to endure.

So why had that red presence come all this way, risking itself just to find him?

‘I like you, Chaewon.’

This time Su-ha’s voice rose from within Chaewon’s own heart.

A voice he had treasured deeply.

The affection given to him by someone far too good for him had planted a light deep in his chest.

‘Because I like you, Chaewon. I don’t want anyone else but you.’

Suddenly, the back of his hand burned.

Looking down, Chaewon saw a crimson glow marking the exact places Su-ha always held, his hand, his wrist.

‘Not because of responsibility. Not because I’m doing my best out of guilt.’

Chaewon lifted his head again.

The distant light had drawn closer before he realized it.

“Ah- No…!”

But instead of relief, Chaewon screamed in panic.

The blades that had been attacking him now turned toward the red light.

Chaewon desperately reached out, thrashing with all his strength, but his legs, still trapped in the swamp, would not move.

He couldn’t reach the light.

Chunks of that red glow were sliced away by the blades.

Every time it happened, Chaewon felt as if he could hear Su-ha’s silent screams.

He shouted desperately.

“Cut me instead.”

“Tear my body apart if you must, but don’t touch him.”

But his pleas changed nothing.

The dark world continued to attack Su-ha’s presence mercilessly.

The red glow shrank rapidly as it was torn apart.

What would happen to Su-ha if it disappeared completely here?

Fear, which had long faded from Chaewon’s heart, began to boil again.

What if Su-ha were seriously injured because of this place?

What if the damage were irreversible?

Chaewon had heard many stories about guides who became permanently broken after pushing themselves beyond their limits during guiding.

No matter how talented Su-ha was, who could guarantee he would be safe?

From Chaewon’s body, which had been sinking into darkness, a faint light began to spread.

Still small and dim, but clearly blue.

At that moment, another attack tore away half of Su-ha’s remaining red light.

Now barely the size of a small fist remained.

“No.”

This time, Chaewon’s voice came out sharp and firm.

An Esper has a duty to protect their guide no matter what.

Just as Jin Su-ha had risked his life to reach him here, Chaewon had to protect Su-ha no matter what happened.

No one…

No one could dare hurt Su-ha in front of him.

‘…I like you, Lee Chaewon.’

Su-ha’s confession filled Chaewon’s mind.

Words he never wanted to leave unanswered.

And in that moment…

A vast blue light exploded from Chaewon’s body.

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