Chapter 50: Meeting Again

A specialized team for rampage suppression was deployed to the high-rise ward, where even medical staff were barred.

Clad in protective gear, they cast barriers around their entire bodies, awaiting Team Leader Han’s command.

He, alone, emerged from the patient room in his usual uniform, appearing no different than any other day.

Seung Ho’s expression was not good as he signaled the rampage suppression team to wait with a mere nod of his chin.

It was a very subtle difference, but there was tension in the muscles at the inner corner of his angular brows.

It was no wonder that the barrier users watching him grew twice as tense.

Team Leader Han was, after all, famously expressionless.

“Team Leader Han!”

The Research Director, wearing protective gear weighing over 20kg, waddled as he ran over.

He had evacuated under the escort of barrier users in preparation for Esper Kang Yi Jun’s rampage after his second seizure, but now he had returned on his own accord.

The Research Director was convinced that Esper Kang Yi Jun would not rampage.

“This is no time for this.”

The Research Director, leaning his upper body back to face Seung Ho, felt frustration rising to his throat.

No matter how many times he spoke, Team Leader Han, uncharacteristically, remained unresponsive.

He had expected that, given his sharp personality, he would immediately take action to calm Esper Kang Yi Jun’s rampage.

“Haven’t you seen his condition? What do you think is the reason the Center Director delegated decision-making authority to Team Leader Han Seung Ho? Huh?”

The Research Director, panting to keep up with the long strides of someone over 190 cm tall, continued to speak.

Due to the tense disagreement between the Esper Director and the Guide Director, the Center Director, who remained neutral, had entrusted the decision to Han Seung Ho.

“Team Leader Han Seung Ho!”

The Research Director had naturally expected Team Leader Han to make a swift judgment befitting his character.

The Research Director’s tired face quickly aged as his expectation was betrayed.

“We must bring Guide Yoon Bodam immediately!”

Seung Ho’s steps, as he walked down the long corridor, abruptly halted.

The Research Director, who had been rapidly following him, also swayed his heavy body as he stopped suddenly.

Seung Ho, standing silently in place, looked down at the dark red stain on the cuff of his sleeve.

It was Yi Jun’s vomited blood.

Blood, spewing like a fountain with the second seizure, stained Seung Ho’s sleeve.

Gazing at it quietly, Seung Ho finally turned to the Research Director and spoke.

He disliked repeating himself, as much as he disliked Kang Yi Jun.

“I won’t say it twice.”

Seung Ho had made his decision long ago.

He had already answered no to the Research Director’s strong assertion.

“How can you be so sure without even checking? Huh?!”

He presumed that the only reason Kang Yi Jun wasn’t immediately rampaging was due to his stubborn vitality.

“These are clearly imprinting symptoms!”

‘He couldn’t possibly have imprinted with Yoon Bodam.’

“Director Park.”

The Research Director, cowed by Seung Ho’s infinitely calm voice, parted his dry lips.

He couldn’t utter another word due to the overwhelming aura.

Despite concealing his Esper waves, Han Seung Ho exuded an intimidating presence with just his expression alone.

The Research Director, muttering inwardly that he wouldn’t live a long life at this rate, finally gave up on persuasion when Seung Ho’s phone vibrated in his jacket’s inner pocket.

He only felt frustrated, thinking that their conversation wouldn’t continue today.

“What.”

Seung Ho answered the call as soon as he saw the name on his phone screen and asked.

He took Team Leader Kim’s call as if he had been waiting for it.

***

A major topic of conversation was thrown into the Medical Center’s first floor, which was bustling with injured Espers and some who were enjoying feigning illness.

This place, where footsteps never ceased, was always the center of gossip.

Guide Yoon Bodam has returned.

It took less than a day for this single sentence to spread throughout the entire Center.

Guide Yoon Bodam has returned. Covered in blood, in a wretched state.

Rumors always grew legs.

***

After receiving Team Leader Kim’s call, Seung Ho immediately contacted the Medical Center Director to prepare a patient room.

It was the busiest time for Gates, so even emergency patients at the Medical Center had to wait.

“W-what’s going on? Is Guide Yoon Bodam injured?”

The Research Director asked, following Seung Ho, who had taken the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator.

Team Leader Han, whose distance from him rapidly increased, disappeared without giving an answer.

It was a speed that the waddling Director’s steps could never catch up to.

To think Han Seung Ho, who never ran even if a Gate exploded right in front of him, could be so fast.

“Team Leader Han. Over here.”

Team Leader Kim raised his hand to Seung Ho, who was opening the stairwell door and stepping into the corridor.

Seung Ho’s already furrowed brows creased even more sharply.

Even from a distance, the red stain on Team Leader Kim’s brown knit sweater was noticeable.

Team Leader Kim, dressed in plain clothes, had entrusted Bodam to the medical staff and stepped out into the corridor to catch his breath.

“What happened.”

“Did you come by stairs?”

“I asked what happened.”

Team Leader Kim looked at Seung Ho, who was walking from the direction without an elevator, with curiosity.

In addition, his handsome face, which always maintained a poker expression, was severely crumpled.

“I don’t know either. I got the call on my day off and came straight here.”

Pointing to his blood-stained casual clothes, he shrugged.

This week, the barrier team was in charge of Guide Yoon’s personal protection.

Because his range of movement had expanded all the way to Busan, Team Leader Kim had instructed his team members to contact him immediately if anything happened.

He hadn’t expected trouble to break out even before they reached Busan.

“Are you going in?”

Team Leader Kim asked Seung Ho, who was about to open the patient room door.

Subtly blocking Seung Ho’s path, he furrowed one eyebrow and spoke.

“Your Esper waves are too strong right now. I think it would be bad for Guide Yoon.”

Only then did Seung Ho realize that his Esper waves were leaking out.

It was a very rare symptom, unless he was extremely agitated or in an unstable state.

“And Team Leader Han is a prohibited person from approaching.”

Team Leader Kim, who had been off guard, belatedly guarded the patient room door of the Guide he was protecting.

Because it was Han Seung Ho, of all people, he had been too relaxed.

‘My god. Han Seung Ho, running to see a Guide?’

Seung Ho, who had retreated on his own, quietly regulated his breathing and concealed his Esper waves.

At the same time, he erased his expression and returned to his unchanging demeanor.

“What’s that.”

Seung Ho gestured with his chin towards Team Leader Kim’s hand and asked.

Team Leader Kim, leaning his back against the patient room door, held up a plastic bag stained with blood.

“Gukhwappang.”

Seung Ho stared coldly at him for conveying information that was obvious to the eye.

Team Leader Kim, who had Bodam’s small backpack slung over one shoulder, shook the plastic bag and continued his answer.

“He must have bought it to eat on the train, since he collapsed alone during his trip.

He was holding it so carefully in his hand even while bleeding, so I couldn’t throw it away.”

Smiling regretfully, as if he should probably throw it away, he touched the paper wrapping the gukhwappang, which had gone cold and soggy.

He thought, ‘He bought so much for just himself.’

“Don’t you have anything else to ask?”

Team Leader Kim, holding the plastic bag and crossing his arms, met Seung Ho’s eyes.

Han Seung Ho, whom he had expected to point out something as soon as he arrived, was not getting to the main point.

“There should be.”

After Seung Ho appeared, the corridor, where footsteps ceased as if barricades had been erected at both ends, grew quiet.

Han Seung Ho, who spoke maddeningly little, let Team Leader Kim continue the conversation on his own.

“I specifically came to the Medical Center. Leaving perfectly fine general hospitals aside. Aren’t you curious?”

“The Esper Director must have leaked it.”

Seung Ho, who immediately got the answer right, looked down at the red stains on the brown knit.

He had already anticipated that the Esper Director, knowing Kang Yi Jun’s condition, would have approached the personal protection officer.

He must have spread rumors about suspected imprinting to somehow create an opportunity to draw Yoon Bodam to the Center.

Without an imprinted Guide, an Esper was as good as dead.

The same went for a Guide.

“What do you think, Team Leader Han? Seeing you remain still, it seems you’re concluding it’s not an imprinting.”

Team Leader Kim, carefully observing Seung Ho’s flawless face, tilted his head and asked.

“Seeing him vomit blood and be carried in like this, your conviction must be wavering, right?”

Espers and Guides who had imprinted were connected by shared pain.

Half a month ago, the day Bodam had a nosebleed and fainted after drinking was the day Yi Jun’s first seizure occurred.

The Research Director’s claims were gradually gaining traction.

Seung Ho, closing his mouth again, put his hand in his pocket and approached Team Leader Kim.

Before Team Leader Kim, who was about to cast a barrier, Seung Ho extended the handkerchief he took from his pocket, ending their conversation.

“Wipe it.”

Yoon Bodam’s blood on his neck and hands bothered him.

***

Bodam opened his eyes to the sound of someone calling him.

It felt as though someone was grabbing and shaking his consciousness, which kept trying to fade.

‘Wake up.’

They clung to him persistently, telling him not to fall into a deep sleep.

“Ha….”

A metallic sound escaped Bodam’s lips as he was startled by the unfamiliar ceiling.

He swallowed dryly in his mouth, which carried a fishy scent, and blinked his heavy eyes.

He was afraid of the unknown place and his body, which felt as heavy as if crushed by a rock.

“Guide Yoon Bodam?”

A voice as unfamiliar as the situation approached Bodam, who was wriggling.

The Research Director, with hair like the last leaf on a tree, thrust his large head forward.

“Are you conscious?”

With a muffled sensation, as if submerged underwater, Bodam couldn’t answer and only parted his lips.

The Research Director, observing the clearly terrified Guide, reassured him it was okay.

“Don’t worry. This is a Medical Center patient room. These are all researchers and Center personnel. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

At the word “Center,” Bodam’s complexion grew even paler, and he rolled his large eyes to look around.

As the Research Director said, white-coated researchers were looking down at him in the patient room.

“You can sit up, right?”

As he asked, the Research Director grabbed Bodam’s trembling shoulder and abruptly sat him upright.

Bodam was firmly gripped, without time to avoid the plump hand.

He was so scared.

“Guide Yoon Bodam.”

The Research Director, looking directly into Bodam’s large, rapidly tear-filled eyes, couldn’t contain his impatience and abruptly asked a question.

Hearing this, a curse word escaped Bodam’s lips, even in his dazed state.

No other words even came to mind.

“Did you have relations with Esper Kang Yi Jun?”