Though they had expected there would be an esper specialized in escape, they hadn’t expected them to disappear so instantly even before an S-class esper like Myung-hwon.

“Ugh.”

At Myung-hwon’s short groan, Ju-eon snapped back to his senses. Ju-eon felt along Myung-hwon’s back. A large piece of glass was deeply embedded. Sticky blood was seeping out heavily. If he had been alone, he wouldn’t have been injured this badly.

“Why did you shield me? We’re not anything to each other anymore.”

Myung-hwon smiled wryly at Ju-eon’s question.

“Then why did you come all the way here to guide me? You’re not even in Team 1 anymore.”

“…That’s.”

Yeo Myung-hwon had far more vast and deep secrets than Ju-eon had expected. He hadn’t known while they lived skin to skin, only realizing after they parted.

The hand supporting Myung-hwon trembled. Having seemingly used his power to protect him too, Myung-hwon’s energy was fluctuating violently.

While guiding, Ju-eon asked Myung-hwon.

“What are you hiding?”

Myung-hwon’s gaze started to blur. With a dreamy expression like he was on drugs, Myung-hwon hugged Ju-eon’s waist. Though he thought he would explain his relationship with AGT’s leader who had just disappeared, or what he was hiding, an unexpected answer came.

“I don’t want to break up.”

“…I see.”

Though he had felt unable to breathe all this time, Myung-hwon’s words cleared his airways. It wasn’t because he disliked him that he wanted to break up. There wasn’t someone else… He had his reasons. Though he was upset that Myung-hwon hadn’t told him, the feeling of relief was greater than the resentment.

Myung-hwon squeezed out his last words in a voice about to break.

“I’ll explain everything now. So…”

But the words weren’t finished. Having accumulated fatigue, used his power multiple times in succession, and suffered major injuries, Myung-hwon’s eyes slowly closed as he was pushed to his limit.

Ju-eon wiped Myung-hwon’s forehead, wet with sweat and dust.

Don’t go.

It was fortunate Myung-hwon’s words hadn’t finished. Ju-eon spoke as if making a promise.

“Myung-hwon. I’ll definitely come back.”

Myung-hwon had probably been half out of his mind since meeting him. So this moment might only be remembered by Ju-eon. Myung-hwon might still remember them as broken up.

“When I come back… then… tell me then. Myung-hwon.”

Ju-eon gently pressed his lips against Myung-hwon’s. Ju-eon’s hair tickled Myung-hwon’s forehead.

**

Ju-eon’s consciousness, which had sunk below the surface, gradually rose. As consciousness returned, his body felt heavy as lead. Feeling his senses dulled, he tried to move his fingers but his body wouldn’t move according to his will.

“Don’t try to move forcefully. You’re under anesthesia.”

“…Yun-jae?”

Even his facial muscles were stiffly frozen, making his pronunciation slightly slurred. He rolled his eyes to look around.

“Your physical condition is beyond words right now.”

He clicked his tongue, saying Ju-eon wouldn’t even be conscious if he hadn’t been anesthetized. Having felt like his insides were burning up before losing consciousness, Ju-eon could tell Yun-jae was being sincere.

“Cough. Sorry.”

He was back in the agency’s underground lab.

“Sneaking out is one thing, but how could you push yourself so hard with guiding?”

“…I’m sorry.”

“You… do you know what condition you’re in right now?”

Yun-jae’s voice came out terribly shaky. It seemed quite serious. Ju-eon swallowed dryly. He knew how selfish it was to say this in this situation.

“But just… could I go out just one more time?”

“Woo Ju-eon.”

He still had things to hear from Myung-hwon. Though Yun-jae called Ju-eon’s name seriously, he couldn’t leave it like this. He had finally caught a glimpse of Myung-hwon’s true feelings. He wanted to hear what circumstances there were. He wanted to tell him he was sorry for not understanding until now.

“Just very briefly. I need to hear something from Myung-hwon.”

An hour. Even 30 minutes would be fine. He also wanted to check if Myung-hwon, who got hurt protecting him, was okay. But the answer that came back was utterly cold.

“We can’t accommodate you any further here.”

“…I know it’s an unreasonable request. I know but…”

Ju-eon’s eyelashes trembled. Yun-jae’s lips quivered. Ju-eon was already in no condition to move. Beyond the clinical trials, his organ condition was very poor.

Yun-jae had absolutely no intention of letting Ju-eon out of here.

“You’ve already been reported dead anyway.”

So he spoke of something not yet officially processed as if it had been.

“…What?”

At the words that he had been reported dead, Ju-eon’s mind went blank. The fact that this was how things ended with Myung-hwon constricted Ju-eon’s heart.

**

Whether fortunate or unfortunate, Myung-hwon remembered his last conversation with Ju-eon.

“Ju-eon.”

Calling the name that felt sweet just to pronounce, Myung-hwon came to his senses.

“Mr. Yeo Myung-hwon!”

An urgent voice called for Myung-hwon. After losing consciousness from injuries in the department store terrorist incident, Yeo Myung-hwon opened his eyes after a week. The first thing Myung-hwon heard upon waking was news of Ju-eon’s death.

“I’m sorry to give you bad news right as you wake up. But you didn’t wake up for over a week… We’ve already sent Ju-eon off properly.”

Yun-jin, who had been closest to Ju-eon, delivered the news of his death with tears in her eyes. Having no family, his former team, Attack Team 1, had held the funeral. They had been keeping watch, and when news came that Myung-hwon had woken up, Yun-jin and No-hun had come up as representatives.

“What nonsense is this?”

His locked voice came out cracked.

“I know it’s hard to accept right away.”

Myung-hwon thought it was a tasteless joke when he first heard this news. The two of them had been together until the moment Myung-hwon lost consciousness. When the explosion happened, he had held Ju-eon in his arms. He remembered the strong heartbeat he felt when holding him. Ju-eon hadn’t been seriously injured there.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Myung-hwon.”

Kang No-hun finally couldn’t hold back and his eyes turned red. It was his mistake for calling someone who had left the team earlier due to low stamina. No-hun was deeply blaming himself.

His mind felt hazy. It felt like a dream. He thought maybe it was a dream since reality couldn’t be this painful.

Grip. Myung-hwon clenched and unclenched his hand. He definitely had sensation in his body. That meant it wasn’t a dream. Myung-hwon shook his head.

“It doesn’t make sense that I was rescued while someone else in the same place died. So why am I…”

They were clearly together until the end, so how could only he be alive? If they were to die, they should have died together.

“We transported the urgent patients first. Mr. Myung-hwon, you’re an important person and your wounds were too deep, so we transported you… first.”

It was standard procedure. Though they say there’s no hierarchy in life, that wasn’t true. In emergencies, if someone had to be rescued first, it was definitely the S-class esper. An agency-affiliated S-class esper was practically national property. Moreover, since his injuries were more severe, it was natural for Myung-hwon to be rescued first.

“But during transport, the building collapsed… before we could transport Ju-eon…”

The more he heard the explanation, the more numb his head became. Myung-hwon asked with an uncharacteristically blank expression.

“So now… you only brought me out and Ju-eon…”

“……”

“Was lying alone on the cold floor…”

“Mr. Myung-hwon…”

“Is that… what you’re saying? Right now.”

His heart caught in his throat. His stomach churned. They were only supposed to be apart briefly. He thought they could be together again anytime. Because they had always been together. Because he had been arrogant enough to think he would never let him die.

“I need to see.”

He needed to see with his own eyes.

As if proving he hadn’t moved in a while, his muscles were stiff.

“Where is he? Ju-eon.”

If you’re hiding in the hospital room to surprise me, you’ve succeeded. Myung-hwon called Ju-eon’s name. But no answer came back.

“You can’t move like that. Your wounds were deeper than expected. The wounds could reopen.”

No-hun tried to stop him by grabbing his arm, but Myung-hwon shook off No-hun’s arm with strength unbelievable for someone who had just regained consciousness.

“Woo Ju-eon!”

“……”

“Where are you? I won’t believe anything until I see it with my own eyes.”

Unable to control his power, Myung-hwon’s energy fluctuated violently. The air density increased to the point where normal people would have trouble breathing.

“Ju-eon’s body… the building collapsed too quickly to recover it.”

“What do you mean, body?”

“I’m sorry.”

At Myung-hwon’s tone, Yun-jin, who had been holding back, finally burst into tears.

“…Then he might not be dead.”

Finding even saying the word ‘dead’ unpleasant, Myung-hwon’s expression twisted. Everyone fell silent at Myung-hwon’s words denying reality.

“I need to go see.”

Myung-hwon staggered up and walked out of the hospital room. No-hun tried to stop him but Yun-jin held No-hun back.

“You’re going to D Department Store, right? I’ll drive you.”

Having been transported to a nearby hospital, it didn’t take long to get to D Department Store. On the way, Myung-hwon anxiously looked out the window. It was the first time he had felt this powerless since he was very young.

Like a madman, Myung-hwon crossed the police line and entered the department store still wearing his hospital gown. The building no longer even retained the shape of a department store.