Chapter 32 : The Following Gaze (8)

The prediction that things would get complicated turned out to be correct.

“Hyung, is there anything else you need?”

“No, I’m fine. I don’t need anything. Not a single thing, so you don’t have to keep worrying like that.”

Jisung shook his head firmly at Minseong, who kept asking. Still, Minseong’s face was full of disappointment.

It seemed that he was still bothered by the fact that he had arrived late, unaware that Yejun had broken in.

‘What can you do when a terrorist group steals a Center radio and launches a diversionary tactic? They came out intending to deceive us…’

Jisung had said it was okay several times, but Minseong was a responsible person. The fact that he hadn’t properly fulfilled his role and, even worse, had put Jisung in danger seemed to weigh heavily on his shoulders.

Moreover, the problem wasn’t just with Minseong.

Jisung glanced at the hospital room door. Through the slightly open gap, he could see the Espers guarding the front of the door.

‘It’s not a gangster’s hospital room…’

The Center had dispatched Espers to protect him after learning that he had become a target of a terrorist group. They stood guard in front of the hospital room day and night.

‘It’s burdensome…! It’s too burdensome! I can’t even rest comfortably because I’m so conscious of it!’

He couldn’t get used to the sight of several Espers guarding the front of his hospital room to protect him. It was even embarrassing and apologetic to see the doctors and nurses flinch every time they came to check on him.

But there was a bigger problem than all of this.

And that was…

Jisung looked up at Hyunwoo. His lowered eyes and tightly closed mouth, with the corners of his lips turned down, represented his mood. Jisung bit his lip at his appearance, which clearly showed his displeasure.

Hyunwoo had never liked being around many people. But the space that had been cozily occupied by S-Team had been invaded by others. Moreover, due to the incident a few days ago, he was full of complaints towards the other Espers who had failed to protect Jisung properly.

‘He has a face that says he wants to get rid of them all…’

Jisung swallowed a rising sigh.

‘This is all because of Bae Yejun!’

Jisung, sending his resentment towards the source of this situation, smiled and said to Minseong.

“I’ll ask you if I need anything. So you should get some rest too. I heard you’re guarding without taking a break.”

“I’m fine. I have plenty of stamina.”

“…For someone who says that, your dark circles are very dark.”

“Ahem!”

Minseong covered his mouth with an embarrassed expression and cleared his throat. Even Espers have their limits and feel fatigue.

“If you walk around with such dark circles, I’ll be so worried I won’t be able to rest, so go get some sleep, even if it’s just for a little while!”

“No, it’s okay…”

“Sleep.”

“Alright.”

Was it a problem that he was relieved that he agreed so easily? Minseong came to visit again the next day, and the day after that. With snacks purchased from the convenience store on the first floor of the hospital in his hands…

“You’re getting haggard day by day… are you protesting in reverse?”

“Hmm? That’s not it~”

Minseong was unfazed by Jisung’s exasperated expression.

“Here, canned coffee… you’re a patient, so you shouldn’t drink too much.”

“It’s really strange that you’re saying that after you bought it.”

“Hahaha, is it?”

Minseong smiled kindly.

“Yuaan-hyung said he wanted a roll cake, right? And Sunwoo wanted a chocolate bread… Hyunwoo, since there was no special request, I bought the same canned coffee as Jisung-hyung.”

Minseong held out the canned coffee to Hyunwoo, who was looking at him with a blank expression. His black eyes narrowed.

“Is the Center too free these days?”

“Honestly, without S-Team, we’re so busy we don’t have time to breathe. I’m realizing the greatness of an S-Rank Guide anew.”

Minseong responded gently to the thorny words. The problem was that his attitude only irritated Hyunwoo more. The air in the hospital room grew heavier.

Jisung let out a small sigh.

‘He’s already a sensitive kid, and with the incidents continuing, his nerves are on edge…’

Jisung, who had taken the canned coffee that Minseong had offered, reached out and gently stroked Hyunwoo’s hair. His slightly widened eyes turned to Jisung. He smiled faintly and then turned his head and said.

“Minseong, you can stop…”

The words “coming” were never finished. Jisung’s shoulders flinched without him realizing it at Minseong’s face that had suddenly come close. Minseong’s large hand touched his flustered cheek.

“…Hyung, are you eating properly? You don’t look well… Are you, by any chance, worried about something?”

Before the startled Jisung could answer, an arm reached out and separated Jisung and Minseong.

Crack. A glass cup next to them floated into the air and then a clear crack appeared. Fiercely shining eyes glared at Minseong as if to kill him.

Jisung, who had been looking at Hyunwoo who was hugging him protectively, slightly turned his body and wrapped his arms around his neck.

“…!!”

The bone-chilling killing intent instantly subsided. His eyes, widened like a rabbit’s, blinked rapidly. Jisung slowly stroked his head and mouthed to Minseong.

‘Go home for today.’

At that, Minseong nodded and got up from his seat. Jisung, who had confirmed that Minseong had left after giving a nod to Yuaan and Sunwoo, smiled faintly and said.

“Don’t be like that to the other kids. Minseong is just doing that because he’s sorry.”

“…He couldn’t protect you. And I hate that he tried to touch you…”

“That’s not Minseong’s fault…”

Hyunwoo frowned slightly and hugged Jisung’s waist tightly.

“…What Bae Yejun had intended to kill you… Just because it was okay this time doesn’t mean it will be next time. No matter what, it’s a fact that a terrorist easily infiltrated your hospital room, and your life could have been in danger.”

He was right. Honestly, who would have thought that two Espers would be taken down so easily. It was partly because Yejun was strong, but it was also a fact that the Espers who were guarding the hospital room had let their guard down.

‘…They were negligent in their duties.’

All incidents happen from carelessness. War, safety accidents…

“Still, let’s give Minseong a break. In the first place, it’s the fault of the Guide who lost the walkie-talkie and didn’t say anything, and if a call comes, you naturally assume it’s from the Center.”

“…”

“Besides, he protected me from Bae Yejun’s attack~”

“…Attack?”

“Ah.”

Jisung quickly closed his mouth.

It wasn’t an attack that Yejun had intended to kill him with, and he hadn’t said anything because he was worried, but he had let it slip without realizing it.

‘All incidents start from carelessness!!’

Jisung’s pupils darted around. In the meantime, Hyunwoo’s face had become seriously stiff.

“You were attacked?”

“No, no, it was a decoy! You know, the kind of attack that has no intention of hurting me?”

Hyunwoo’s expression worsened. It felt like the more he tried to explain, the deeper he was getting into a hole.

“…You’re being unusually protective of Shim Minseong?”

“Huh?”

‘What did he just say?’

As Jisung looked at him, Hyunwoo slightly turned his head and averted his gaze. Jisung, who had been blinking blankly, then realized and his eyes widened.

‘Ah, no way… jealousy?’

‘Was that the reason for his serious low pressure?’ The corners of Jisung’s mouth couldn’t hold back a smile and slowly crept up.

“Pfft!”

He finally burst out laughing, unable to hold it in any longer. At the sight of him laughing with his mouth covered with both hands and his body bent over, Hyunwoo’s cheeks turned bright red.

“Ugh…!”

Hyunwoo opened his mouth to protest, but couldn’t find the words and closed it. In the end, Hyunwoo just stared at Jisung with a sullen face full of grievance.

And Yuaan, who was watching the whole process from a slightly distant sofa, slightly turned his body and muttered to Sunwoo.

“Sunwoo, can you hit me once so I don’t laugh… I feel like I’m going to burst out laughing…”
“It won’t have any effect if I hit you. Just think of something sad instead.”
“Something sad?”
“Like the strawberry cake you were looking forward to being sold out right in front of you.”
“Ah, that’s enough…”

Thanks to Sunwoo’s help, Yuaan barely managed to avoid bursting out laughing.

“Ahem…!”

And Jisung also, feeling Hyunwoo’s gaze, quickly composed his laughter and straightened his back. Then he saw Hyunwoo’s pouting face. Jisung, who was about to burst out laughing again at his cute appearance, bit the inside of his mouth and barely managed to overcome the crisis.

“Are you sulking?”
“…I’m not, sulking…”

His pouting lips and his averted gaze clearly showed that he was sulking.

‘Ah, he’s so cute.’

His chest felt all warm and fuzzy. The more time they spent together, the bigger Hyunwoo’s presence grew inside Jisung. And the more it did, the more Yejun’s words weighed on him.

‘…Experiments, huh.’