Chapter 29: Rigid Veins

When he quietly lowered his head, the business card of Si-hyeok, which he had been holding absentmindedly until now, came into view.

Si-hyeok’s wavelength was stable.

So stable that one might think, this must be what a well-managed wavelength feels like.

But Tae-woo was different.

Just a few days ago, he had returned from a Gate, and afterward his condition had deteriorated so badly that his veins had swollen visibly, forcing him to wear three guiding devices at once.

If Tae-woo were to enter a Gate with such a small team again, it was obvious that his body would be pushed past its limits once more.

So-won bit down on his lip.

If only I’d guided him better, Tae-woo would’ve cleared a Gate like that without any trouble.

With a twisted expression, So-won almost crumpled the business card in his hand, but in the end, he slipped it into his pocket instead.

Si-hyeok didn’t have the good personality people rumored about, but it might still help Tae-woo someday to have his contact information.

He didn’t like it, but no matter what, Choi Si-hyeok was still one of the only three S-rank Espers in South Korea.

“Guide Lee So-won, I’ll escort you to your private waiting room.”

As if he’d been waiting for those words, So-won rose from his seat.

It felt like he’d been sitting there for a long time, yet when he checked the time, only a few minutes had passed.

As he followed the staff member out of the waiting room, he felt envious gazes on his back.

For some reason, those looks felt like accusations, and So-won quickened his pace, hurrying out.

“This way to the private waiting room.”

The private rooms were located in a quiet corner of the Center that people rarely passed through.

When a door no different from an ordinary hospital room opened, an interior as neatly arranged as a hotel room came into view.

It felt smaller than the place he’d stayed at in Incheon, but the cozy atmosphere suited him.

“Please rest comfortably.”

“Thank you.”

Finally truly alone, So-won flopped down onto the bed covered in white sheets and took a deep breath.

“Tae-woo… will you be okay…?”

Murmuring to himself, So-won opened his eyes after briefly closing them.

By now, Tae-woo would have arrived at the Gate and realized just how severely understaffed the team was.

Ever since seeing him off, So-won’s heart had been unsettled.

He wondered if insisting on coming along had been a mistake.

Tae-woo would probably have been more comfortable coming alone, but because he’d foolishly dropped his phone, he’d ended up running into Choi Si-hyeok.

And after all that, the only guiding he’d provided was holding Tae-woo’s hand—maybe it would’ve been better not to come at all.

The memory of even Si-hyeok—an S-rank Esper like Tae-woo—treating him dismissively made his mood sink further.

It wasn’t fear, like others showed, but the way Si-hyeok had treated him like some filthy monster still lingered unpleasantly in his mind.

Recalling what Si-hyeok had said, So-won looked down at the spot where he’d been grabbed.

A faint throbbing sensation still remained.

Suddenly, another face surfaced in his memory—the pale person in a wheelchair, looking as if they were ill.

Seeing Si-hyeok personally push the wheelchair, they must have been quite close.

So-won had never once seen Si-hyeok’s Guide, but he found himself thinking that she must be Choi Si-hyeok’s Guide.

“He was probably just messing with me.”

There was no reason for Si-hyeok, who already had a Guide, to suggest a matching test to So-won.

That comment must have been meant to provoke Tae-woo.

Though, in truth, Tae-woo probably wouldn’t care at all.

Feeling inexplicably bitter, So-won lay back and looked around the room.

The private waiting room had everything one might need for a short stay.

Spotting a coffee machine tucked into the corner, So-won pulled himself up and brewed a shot of espresso.

As the intense bitterness slid down his throat, his mind cleared.

His gloomy mood eased, just a little.

Time passed slowly.

A long while had gone by since Tae-woo left, and before he knew it, the sky he glimpsed outside had grown dark.

Thinking it was about time for Tae-woo to emerge from the Gate, So-won clutched his phone and waited.

The daytime hours had crawled by, but while he anxiously awaited Tae-woo’s call, time slipped past in the blink of an eye.

The clock crept steadily toward midnight, yet the phone remained silent.

The reason Tae-woo was late was likely the severely insufficient number of Espers, but even so, So-won’s worry deepened.

As no call came, the concerns he’d barely managed to suppress resurfaced.

Is his condition… really bad?

So-won knew that Tae-woo wouldn’t die today—but that was all.

He didn’t know how badly Tae-woo’s condition might deteriorate, what might be happening to him inside the Gate, or when he would come out.

He didn’t even know that Choi Si-hyeok had originally been assigned to this Gate, or that the lack of supporting Espers was because of that.

The night, draped in thick darkness, felt frightening in a way it hadn’t for a long time.

He tried to ignore the trembling that had started in his body, but when the image of Tae-woo dying surfaced in his mind, he couldn’t push it away.

Staring out the window with anxious eyes, So-won flinched as his phone suddenly vibrated.

When the vibration continued, he snapped back to his senses and hurriedly picked it up.

Bringing the phone to his ear, he felt the quiet presence on the other end of the line.

“Hello?”

–This is Kang Tae-woo.

Even though he knew it was Tae-woo, So-won checked the name on the screen once more.

Hearing that Tae-woo’s voice wasn’t hoarse like last time, he felt a wave of relief—it sounded like he’d finished the raid and returned safely.

His condition didn’t seem as bad as So-won had feared.

–I’m in the Center parking lot.

I’ll wait, so you can come down slowly.

“No!

I’ll come down right away!”

He’d expected a call before leaving the Gate, but learning that Tae-woo had already arrived made his heart race.

After hanging up, So-won rushed out of the private room, not wanting to keep him waiting.

He hadn’t brought much with him, nor had he messed up the room, so checking out took no time at all.

Stepping outside the building, cool night air greeted him.

Just as So-won was about to head straight to Tae-woo, he noticed a commotion nearby.

Stopping short, he turned toward the direction of the urgent voices.

“Critical condition!”

“Get him to surgery—call a Guide, now!”

Among the people carrying a stretcher, he caught sight of combat uniforms worn by Espers dispatched to Gates.

Thinking of Tae-woo, So-won couldn’t tear his eyes away—until he noticed blood droplets splattering onto the ground and froze.

It was probably an Esper who’d been to the same Gate as Tae-woo.

Judging by how several injured had already been brought in, the floor was slick with blood.

As the group disappeared into the Center, the agonized groans faded with them.

He hadn’t expected the Gate to be cleared easily, but seeing this with his own eyes made his heart heavy.

What if Tae-woo was injured too?

The thought made him uneasy, and only by recalling Tae-woo’s steady voice did he manage to calm himself.

Scanning the dark parking lot, So-won searched for Tae-woo.

Soon, he spotted Tae-woo’s car parked not far away.

It was a common black color that should’ve blended into the darkness, yet the luxury foreign car—worth several hundred million won—stood out even among other black vehicles.

So-won hurried over and climbed into the passenger seat.

A sharp, prickling wavelength was the first thing that greeted him.

“Good work.”

“I’m sorry I’m late.”

“No, I was the one who said I’d come.

How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine.”

The moment he sat down, So-won checked Tae-woo’s condition.

But the inside of the car was steeped in darkness, making it hard to see him clearly.

His calm reply suggested things weren’t terrible, yet after witnessing another injured Esper, So-won couldn’t fully relax.

The wavelength he sensed beside him didn’t feel much different from usual.

If he could be reassured by that alone, it would be nice—but sensing a wavelength without physical contact wasn’t enough to accurately judge Tae-woo’s condition.

Knowing he wouldn’t be at ease on the way home otherwise, So-won asked carefully,

“May I check?”

“…All right.”

With Tae-woo’s permission, So-won reached out.

The instant his fingers touched Tae-woo’s arm, he recoiled in shock.

A searing pain shot through him.

Having relaxed after hearing Tae-woo say he was fine, So-won was startled by the sudden surge of intense stimulation and hurriedly pulled his hand back.

Confusion washed over his face.

When he looked up at Tae-woo, the darkness on his face felt unusually deep tonight.

“I’ll turn on the light for a moment.”

After fumbling a couple of times, his fingers found the interior light switch.

Click.

The cabin brightened, and Tae-woo’s face came fully into view.

His complexion was bad.

He wore the same impassive expression as always, yet something was different.

As So-won studied him more closely, he realized that the veins around Tae-woo’s eyes had spread even further.

Their color had darkened too, making the area around his eyes look more shadowed.

Lowering his gaze, So-won checked Tae-woo’s hand.

Thankfully, the veins weren’t bulging.

But when he placed his hand over it, he could feel the blood vessels beneath—hard, almost rigid.

“……”

So-won fell silent.

Tae-woo had said he was fine, but to So-won, that clearly wasn’t true.

It was certainly better than last time—but it wasn’t a condition he could feel safe about.