Chapter 58: The Night He Chose to Stay

So many thoughts tangled in his head that, before long, Chaewon could barely even hear the ringing tone. In the end, unable to endure the tension any longer, he was just about to pull the phone away from his ear to hang up.

“Yes, Chaewon. This is Jin Su-ha.”

Su-ha answered the call in a voice that carried no trace of confusion, irritation, or annoyance. There was not a single negative emotion to be heard.

****

When the phone rang and Chaewon’s name appeared on the screen, Su-ha was genuinely startled. Because at that very moment, Su-ha himself had been holding his phone, debating whether he should call Chaewon.

Chaewon, who had looked so unsettled after their conversation earlier that day, weighed heavily on his mind.

Everything must still feel unfamiliar and difficult for him, and Su-ha couldn’t help wondering whether he’d burdened someone who had just gone through a major incident with words that were too heavy.

He still believed those words were necessary for Chaewon to hear, but he worried that Chaewon might end up drowning alone in thoughts that were far too complicated.

That was why he’d been holding his phone, thinking about how to start the call in a way that wouldn’t startle Chaewon too much… only for Chaewon to call first. It was impossible not to be surprised.

“Yes, Chaewon. This is Jin Su-ha.”

Su-ha answered while making a concerted effort to keep his surprise from seeping into his voice. Chaewon was overly sensitive to other people’s emotions.

If Su-ha so much as sounded flustered, Chaewon would immediately shrink back, convinced he’d caused trouble. They hadn’t known each other long, but Su-ha had already figured out that much.

“Hello, Su-ha. It’s Chaewon.”

At the way Chaewon said it’s Chaewon, Su-ha almost laughed out loud. The polite “hello,” the unnecessary reintroduction even though Su-ha had already called him by name, before Su-ha’s reason could intervene, the thought that it was absurdly cute surfaced in his mind.

He hastily pushed aside that ridiculous feeling and continued.

“Yes. Is something wrong?”

“No, it’s not that… I mean, it’s just…”

As Chaewon hesitated and trailed off, the relaxed expression on Su-ha’s face hardened instantly.

‘Did something happen, and he’s holding back because he doesn’t want to be a burden?’

Without thinking, Su-ha rose from the sofa. It wasn’t a conscious decision, his body simply reacted on its own.

Just as he was about to say, I’ll come over right now, Chaewon’s voice came through the phone.

“It’s just… I think I’ve made a decision.”

“Ah…”

Su-ha stopped moving. Standing alone in the quiet living room, he waited for Chaewon’s next words. After a few soft breaths, Chaewon spoke again.

“…I want to do it.”

It was a small but firm voice. Unwavering. The moment he heard it, Su-ha felt his heart begin to pound for no clear reason. He opened his mouth carefully.

“I see.”

“I know it’ll be hard, and it might be more than I can handle… it probably will be…”

At that moment, Su-ha wanted to say it. That maybe, just maybe, this was the kind of work that suited Chaewon more than anyone. That he wasn’t lacking in the slightest when it came to becoming an esper who protected the world.

But his heart was beating so loudly that he felt if he tried to speak, Chaewon would hear it through the phone. Busy forcing his breathing to steady, Su-ha couldn’t say anything else. Chaewon continued.

“Still, I want to try. I’ll work hard… I’ll do my best.”

Without grand words or embellishment, Chaewon’s resolve poured out plainly, cutting into the stillness of Su-ha’s night. As if Chaewon were standing right in front of him, Su-ha nodded and said,

“You’re not doing this because you have to, this is really what you want, right?”

“…Yes.”

“Then that’s enough. This isn’t something you have to carry alone. There are plenty of people who’ll help you, so don’t worry too much.”

After saying that, Su-ha paused to take a breath. He was preparing himself to say what he truly wanted to say. His feet, which had never quite made it toward any destination, wandered aimlessly around the living room.

“I’ll… stay by your side and help you, Chaewon.”

On the other end, Chaewon replied with a familiar, polite, “Thank you.”

Just how obligatory had Chaewon taken his words, I’ll help you, to be? Measuring the present shaped by all the things he’d sown in the past, Su-ha forced himself to remain standing there, unable to move.

****

“Whew, honestly, I was worried about what I’d do if you said you didn’t want to,” Ye-seon said with a laugh that mixed joking and sincerity, after hearing Chaewon say he was fine with attending a press conference if necessary.

But Chaewon answered with a very serious expression.

“I’m sorry for worrying you.”

At that, Su-ha shot Ye-seon a glare sharp enough to look murderous. Startled, Ye-seon hurriedly waved his hands.

“Chaewon, sorry, sorry. I was just kidding.”

“Ah… but you really were thinking about me, weren’t you?”

“Well, sure, but… that’s literally my job. You don’t need to worry about things like that.”

“Okay…”

Listening to Ye-seon, Chaewon recalled what Su-ha had said to him the night before.

You’re not doing this alone. There are lots of people who’ll help you.

Having rarely experienced anyone helping him or standing alongside him in life, Chaewon hadn’t fully felt the weight of those words when he first heard them.

But now, hearing Ye-seon say that this was exactly what he was here for, something unfamiliar and faintly ticklish stirred in his chest.

Watching Chaewon’s thoughtful expression, Ye-seon caught sight of Su-ha still silently protesting with his face, clearly annoyed that Ye-seon had said something unnecessary and made Chaewon worry. Ye-seon almost let out a hollow laugh.

It hadn’t been that long ago that Su-ha had been openly hostile toward Lee Chaewon. And now here he was, wearing the expression of a complete fool in love. It was amusing.

“Anyway.”

Afraid he’d actually start laughing if he stayed quiet, Ye-seon lightened his tone to shift the mood.

“Did you enjoy the reactions?”

“Huh?”

At Ye-seon’s cryptic question, Chaewon blinked and asked back. Ye-seon continued in a teasing voice.

“The reactions toward you. They were pretty wild.”

“Ah…”

“Don’t tell me, you haven’t seen them yet?”

“No. I’ve been busy. I heard bits and pieces from others, but… are there really that many people talking about me?”

Come to think of it, Jeong-jin had said something similar yesterday. And Su-ha, too, had mentioned that Chaewon would receive more love and attention going forward. If so, there really must have been some kind of reaction, but Chaewon still couldn’t wrap his head around it.

Shaking his head playfully as if to say don’t even ask, Ye-seon replied,

“The government esper website, every forum, everyone’s demanding information about Chaewon. Looks like they’re about to start a fan club any minute.”

“…A fan club? Mine?”

“Yes.”

“…Why?”

Chaewon’s eyes widened as he asked why, looking like an adorable character straight out of a comic. Ye-seon shrugged.

“Espers having fan clubs is pretty common.”

“Sure, but why me…”

As if something impossible had happened, Chaewon glanced sideways at Su-ha, his expression clearly asking for help.

As espers grew more popular, fervent followers emerged, and appearances on broadcasts or in advertisements became commonplace.

With social media and personal streaming platforms now ubiquitous, more and more espers aggressively promoted themselves to the public, along with the criticism that followed.

As the head of the management team, Ye-seon had clashed over these issues countless times. That was why Chaewon’s reaction felt genuinely fresh. And he knew that many people who would come to know Chaewon in the future would feel the same way.

Receiving Chaewon’s lost, wavering gaze, Su-ha smiled gently and calmed him.

“I told you. People are going to come to love you, Chaewon.”

He’s already said things like that, huh. Hearing this, Ye-seon’s eyes narrowed meaningfully, but unaware of that, Su-ha focused solely on Chaewon.

“This is only the beginning. Once the press conference happens and your information is officially released… the reaction will be on a completely different level.”

“Su-ha’s right. That’s why you’ll need to start learning how to deal with that kind of attention, too.”

Ye-seon had seen far too many espers swept away by sudden fame and lose themselves. Chaewon seemed to have a strong core, but having lived so far removed from this kind of culture, there was also the risk that he might be shaken or break more easily than expected.