Chapter 47: Waiting In Black

“Tae-woo, may I come in?”

He knocked lightly as he spoke, and from inside came the familiar reply,

“You may enter.”

So-won cracked the door open and peeked inside.

Tae-woo was just coming out of the dressing room.

“Did you need something?”

“Uh, um…”

So-won stood there with his mouth slightly open, and Tae-woo looked at him.

Contrary to So-won’s expectations, Tae-woo was already wearing a suit.

A black shirt, black jacket, black slacks—even the tie was black.

It gave off a slightly intimidating air, yet at the same time, it suited him perfectly.

So-won hadn’t even known Tae-woo owned clothes like this.

Seeing him fully dressed up felt strangely unfamiliar, almost surreal—like he was looking at someone else entirely.

“Lee So-won?”

When So-won kept staring without saying a word, Tae-woo called out to him, puzzled.

Only then did So-won snap back to his senses.

He looked at Tae-woo, then suddenly grew shy, unable to meet his gaze properly.

“Ah, um… could you maybe help me tie my tie?

I tried doing it myself, but something feels off…”

His eyes landed on Tae-woo’s perfectly tied tie, and he blurted out the excuse.

Even as he spoke, he couldn’t help stealing glances at Tae-woo’s suit.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

Tae-woo stepped closer and bent down slightly.

So-won sucked in a sharp breath without realizing it.

For a split second, he thought they were about to kiss.

When Tae-woo’s movement stopped midway, So-won realized his mistake and cleared his throat awkwardly.

Tae-woo carefully touched the tie, swiftly loosening the tightly cinched knot before retying it from scratch.

His hands were gentle, as though the fabric might shatter if he wasn’t careful, and the brush of clothing against So-won’s neck made his skin itch for no reason.

Those large hands moved right in front of his eyes, completely stealing So-won’s attention.

Tae-woo’s gaze was fixed solely on the tie he was adjusting.

Even though So-won was openly staring at his face, Tae-woo didn’t seem to notice at all.

So-won stole another glance at him.

He’d thought something looked different, but aside from his hairstyle being slightly changed, everything else was the same.

Thick, dark eyebrows.

Sharp eyes.

An expressionless face that no longer felt frightening.

The faint veins at the corners of his eyes—now much lighter—something only So-won, who saw his face every day, could notice.

And if his gaze shifted just a little lower, he could see Tae-woo’s pitch-black eyes between his lashes.

“All done.”

“Thank you.”

Tae-woo let go of the tie and took a step back.

So-won hurriedly averted his eyes, realizing he’d been staring.

Then something near Tae-woo’s neck caught his attention.

So that was why he’d chosen a black shirt as well—because of the collar around his neck.

If he’d worn a white shirt, the rough-looking ring would have stood out immediately.

Unlike So-won, whose suit only made him look awkward, Tae-woo truly looked at home in black formalwear.

The thought made So-won shrink back slightly, feeling as though his own clumsy appearance would only be emphasized next to him.

He asked timidly,

“Tae-woo… do I look okay?

It feels like it doesn’t really suit me…”

“It suits you well.”

As he said that, Tae-woo reached out and fixed a strand of hair sticking up from So-won’s head.

His fingers brushed So-won’s forehead as he gently tucked the hair away.

The spot flared up as if it had been burned.

His heart thudded hard—thump.

Huh?

Why am I reacting like this?

“Th-then… shall we go?”

Feeling his face heat up all at once, So-won quickly turned around and bolted down to the first floor.

A moment later, he heard Tae-woo following after him.

***

Before the event began, So-won and Tae-woo headed to Tae-woo’s private room on the Association’s tenth floor.

There was about an hour left until the briefing started, so they planned to wait there for a bit.

So-won had already memorized the general flow of the event, and since arriving too early would only draw attention, they decided to move right on time.

Tae-woo nodded in agreement.

“……”

Sitting on the sofa, So-won sipped the green tea Tae-woo had made for him—then absentmindedly began gnawing on the paper cup.

Watching him, Tae-woo asked,

“Are you nervous?”

“No… well, yes…”

So-won tried to deny it, but when he looked down at the thoroughly mangled rim of the cup, he nodded instead.

Realizing he’d been too obvious, he felt embarrassed.

Before he could completely destroy it, he placed the pitiful remains of the cup neatly on the table.

Tae-woo watched him silently.

He wanted to do something for So-won, but all his life, he’d only ever frightened people—never comforted them.

As Tae-woo sat there at a loss, simply looking at him, So-won suddenly held out his hand.

“Time’s not passing at all…

Do you want to do some guiding for a bit?”

“All right.”

Tae-woo took So-won’s hand.

This much wasn’t difficult for him.

Feeling the warmth against his palm, So-won was struck with a pang of guilt.

He’d been nervous and just wanted to hold Tae-woo’s hand, so he’d lied and used guiding as an excuse.

Still, as Tae-woo’s wavelength flowed through their joined hands, his tension gradually eased.

So-won closed his eyes and quietly focused on it.

A calm, steady wavelength.

Now, even while guiding, it didn’t hurt.

It was easy to tell how much Tae-woo’s condition had improved compared to when they first met.

Something this simple—

No, it hadn’t really been simple, but still—something he could have done if he’d tried.

Why had he been so afraid eight years ago?

…If only I’d guided him properly back then, he wouldn’t have died.

Even with Tae-woo sitting right beside him, So-won found himself missing him.

***

The event was held in a large hall inside the Esper Association building.

Arriving right on time, they found the area chaotic, with Association staff and outsiders mingling together.

So-won hadn’t expected so many people.

Nervous, he edged a little closer to Tae-woo.

“Ah, hello.

Please take the empty seats toward the front.”

An usher approached and guided them.

Their seats were near the front, but thankfully tucked away in a corner.

After checking the location, So-won nodded in satisfaction.

He wanted to be as inconspicuous as possible.

However, whether the Association had arranged it intentionally—or whether people had already avoided the area knowing it was Tae-woo’s seat—there were two empty chairs on either side of them.

As a result, they stood out more than if they’d been seated among the crowd.

So-won sat still, rolling his eyes around.

Reporters were everywhere, along with intimidating cameras, and people who looked like politicians or corporate figures he’d only ever seen on TV.

He’d expected as much, but it was even more uncomfortable than he’d imagined.

“Mm…”

It was his first time attending an event like this.

Not knowing when or where photos might be taken, So-won stayed on edge.

Tae-woo, seated beside him, looked completely unfazed.

Trying to keep his expression from loosening too much, So-won quietly asked,

“Have you been to events like this before, Tae-woo?”

“A few years ago.

Occasionally.”

“A few years ago?

When exactly?”

“…About seven years ago.”

Seven years?

So-won’s mind raced.

Seven years ago—he would’ve been in middle school.

The time gap felt too vast, and flustered, he couldn’t bring himself to ask anything more.

When the clock struck the hour, the briefing began.

But because of his nerves, not a single word from the stage registered in So-won’s ears.

Then he noticed someone trembling, just like himself.

But the situation was slightly different.

That man was staring at Tae-woo, pale and shaking violently.

“Why is that person acting like that…?”

So-won muttered irritably.

Hearing him, Tae-woo explained,

“A few years ago, there was an incident where I broke that person’s hand.”

“Ah.”

So that rumor hadn’t been a rumor after all…

So-won fell silent, recalling what he’d once heard—that Tae-woo, unable to control his strength due to lack of guiding, had crushed someone’s hand during a handshake.

In that case, the reaction made sense.

At least So-won had never been injured while guiding Tae-woo.

That man had simply been unlucky.

“Tae-woo… are you okay?”

“…You mean me?”

“I thought it must’ve been frightening.”

So-won found himself worrying about Tae-woo instead.

All he’d done was grasp someone’s hand—and it had shattered.

If that had happened to So-won, he might never have been able to hold another person’s hand again.

Just imagining it made his grip tighten unconsciously.

“……”

Tae-woo looked down at his own hands, vivid memories resurfacing.

The flesh and bone collapsing in his grasp, the screams filling the air, his hands soaked in blood.

Whenever people were hurt because of him, he’d lived with nothing but guilt.

He’d never once thought the way So-won did.

And no one had ever said something like that to him before.

When he looked at So-won gazing up at him with concern, his chest tightened.

It felt painful—and restless.

He didn’t know why.

He just wanted to be comforted a little more.

Just… to keep going.

“Come to think of it…”

Near the end of the briefing, there would be a procedure where Tae-woo would shake hands with that same person.

Recalling the schedule, So-won trailed off mid-sentence.