Chapter 70: The Feelings He Can’t Name

Seeing Chaewon smiling happily just because he’d heard praise from Su-ha, completely unaware of the atmosphere forming around him, made I-hyeon smile as well.

Lee Chaewon was simply that kind of person, and because of that, I-hyeon could fully understand the way Su-ha was acting toward him now.

“And also…”

At that moment, Chaewon glanced between the two of them as if checking their reactions, then continued carefully.

“It’s thanks to you too, Team Leader. Because you helped me with my training, I didn’t panic as much and was able to handle things properly. It’s late, but I really wanted to thank you.”

As soon as he heard Chaewon’s words, I-hyeon’s face filled with a gentle smile. It was nothing more than a simple expression of gratitude, yet it was almost surprising how clearly Chaewon’s sincerity came through.

I-hyeon found himself wondering if this was the kind of power someone had when they spoke with genuine feeling.

“You must be tired after finishing your mission. Please take care of your business and go get some rest.”

Just as the emotion I-hyeon felt was about to deepen slightly, Su-ha spoke to him. At the same time, Chaewon hurriedly shut his mouth as if realizing he’d made a mistake, then quickly backed up Su-ha’s words.

“That’s right. You must be exhausted, so please go rest. Thank you so much for the drink, I’ll enjoy it.”

Even as he said thank you, Chaewon seemed not to fully realize that I-hyeon had come all the way here specifically to give him that drink. He probably thought it was just a coincidence.

From Chaewon’s point of view, it was only natural that he wouldn’t imagine someone like Min I-hyeon coming to see him without any particular reason, but I-hyeon still felt a vague sense of regret.

“Be careful with the rest of your schedule too, Chaewon, and don’t push yourself too hard.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

“And about the press conference… if there’s anything you want advice on, feel free to come find me anytime. You can call too.”

At the word “press conference,” Chaewon’s body stiffened for a brief moment. No matter how much he tried to bluff himself into thinking it was nothing, his worries only kept growing heavier as the day drew closer.

Still, Chaewon couldn’t bring himself to say that he would. He was deeply grateful for I-hyeon’s concern, but he didn’t want to make an openly personal promise right in front of Su-ha. Instead, he simply bowed his head slightly and replied with a quiet “Thank you.”

“Then I’ll see you again. You too, Su-ha.”

As if the only reason he’d come was truly just to check on Chaewon, I-hyeon lightly waved at the two of them out of habit and turned away. As he walked down the hallway alone, an intrigued smile still lingered on his face.

To be honest, I-hyeon was genuinely glad that Su-ha had met a good Esper. He couldn’t say he felt no regret at all about losing such an excellent guide as an Esper, but watching Su-ha continue to wait endlessly wasn’t something that sat comfortably with him either.

Even if it hadn’t been entirely by Su-ha’s own choice, the fact that he’d ended up with a good Esper was something worth congratulating.

And yet, it was hard to distance himself completely and treat it like someone else’s business, because Chaewon kept catching his eye. The image of him standing up in front of I-hyeon, bleeding yet refusing to give up, kept resurfacing in his mind.

With unhurried steps, I-hyeon headed toward Ye-seon’s office. There were still many things he wanted to do for Chaewon.

****

“You really didn’t have to go this far…”

Chaewon muttered as he watched Su-ha carefully roll up his sleeve. In Su-ha’s hand was an ointment for bruises.

Su-ha had adjusted the training intensity as much as possible to suit Chaewon, but with all the bumping and collisions, it was impossible to avoid getting bruises here and there.

They weren’t serious injuries, and bruises were something Chaewon had always dealt with even outside of training, so he hadn’t thought much of it. But Su-ha didn’t seem willing to let it slide.

“There’s no reason to leave it untreated when we have medicine,” Su-ha said.

“Th-then if you just give me the ointment, I can apply it myself.”

“Stay still.”

His tone was stern, like a teacher’s. In the end, Chaewon obediently pulled back the hand he’d extended to take the ointment. Su-ha squeezed some onto his fingertip and gently began rubbing it over the bruise on Chaewon’s arm. Chaewon bit his lip.

“…Does it hurt?”

“No. I’m fine…”

More than pain, the sensation of someone else’s touch against his skin felt unfamiliar. Chaewon had collapsed on cold floors before, coughing up blood and losing consciousness, only to wake up alone.

When he got hurt and bled, all he’d ever done was rinse it with water and stick on an old, carefully saved bandage.

But this was just a bruise. It didn’t really hurt and would fade on its own in a few days. Having someone show him such careful concern felt deeply awkward.

Breaking the quiet that had settled between them, Su-ha spoke in a low voice.

“Is there anything you’re hiding?”

“What?”

“Somewhere that hurts, but you’re hiding it because you don’t want to make anyone worry… or don’t want to be a bother. I thought there might be.”

Su-ha didn’t believe Chaewon’s “I’m fine.” Even when he wasn’t fine, when he shouldn’t have been fine, Chaewon said it out of habit.

Su-ha understood why, but every time, it made him tense, afraid that if he wasn’t more careful, Chaewon would quietly endure pain he never needed to bear alone.

From the start, Chaewon hadn’t even been good at recognizing his own pain. As he carefully applied the ointment, Su-ha paid close attention to every part of Chaewon’s body.

Chaewon answered.

“There really isn’t anything like that. It was the same when I first awakened, but as each day passes, I can feel my body getting better, so much better it’s not even comparable to back then.”

As he spoke, Chaewon fidgeted with the fingers resting neatly on his knee. The cut he’d gotten in the last fight had already healed completely, without even leaving a mark.

Part of it was surely thanks to the center’s excellent treatment, but Chaewon felt that his body itself recovered quickly. He assumed it was one of an Esper’s abilities. The side effects were severe, but if recovery was just as fast, it didn’t seem like a bad trade.

Still unconvinced, Su-ha thought for a moment. Then, as if an idea had struck him, his eyes flickered with light and he spoke in a deliberately casual tone.

“If anything at all feels strange, you have to tell me right away. …If you hold it in and make things worse, it’ll just make things harder for me when I’m guiding you.”

“Ah, okay! If anything feels off, I’ll definitely tell you.”

Just as Su-ha had expected, once he emphasized that he would be the one having a hard time, Chaewon responded in an unusually enthusiastic voice.

Su-ha pressed his lips together to keep from smiling. Chaewon’s reaction felt endearing, and at the same time, Su-ha couldn’t help worrying about when Chaewon would start caring about himself as much as he cared about others.

Thinking about it, it was a ridiculous concern. Chaewon wasn’t a child, yet Su-ha hadn’t expected to be this invested.

As he finished applying ointment to the bruise on Chaewon’s other elbow, Su-ha quietly spoke again.

“About the press conference…”

Lately, Su-ha’s biggest worry was the press conference just days away. It was something every S-rank Esper went through, but considering Chaewon’s situation and personality, there was no way not to worry.

The moment Su-ha mentioned it, Chaewon visibly tensed as well. Su-ha rubbed the ointment in gently, as if soothing him, and continued.

“The reporters are definitely going to ask you to demonstrate your abilities.”

Once his telekinetic classification was officially acknowledged, attention would explode on the spot. Telekinetic Espers were rare to begin with, and the first S-rank at that.

There was no need to even mention the level of interest. There would surely be many demands directed at Chaewon.

“You don’t have to comply with everything they ask.”

“Ah…”

“The staff will stop anything excessive, but that event is just to announce that a new S-rank Esper exists. It’s not a product launch. You don’t need to impress them, and it’s not your duty to do so.”

Su-ha knew better than anyone that Chaewon wasn’t a weak person. Chaewon tended to underestimate himself, but that didn’t mean he was fragile.

Su-ha was just worried. Not because Chaewon was weak, but because he hoped Chaewon wouldn’t get hurt or force himself anymore. He’d already endured more than enough of that.

So much that he’d come to believe it was nothing. Su-ha didn’t want him to keep bearing things like that anymore, not from now on. That was Su-ha’s wish.

And in the end, defining what this feeling was would also be Su-ha’s responsibility.

“Su-ha.”

As Chaewon quietly called his name while meeting his intensely serious gaze, Su-ha’s heart lurched. Just hearing his name made his emotions surge, tears threatening to spill.

These foolish, clumsy feelings terrified him so much that Su-ha truly, desperately, wanted to run away.

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