IDSEGI Chapter 54

Chapter 54

Noticing Yushin’s strange expression, Yeon-oh added with clear irritation.

“I’m here because Yoon Geon contacted me, alright? He said he’d be late, so I was just going to wait inside.”

He jerked his chin toward the door and asked bluntly.

“So, are you coming in or not?”

“…Uh, I know this sounds weird coming from me, but how can you just let me into the house without knowing who I am? What if I hurt someone or steal something?”

“I couldn’t care less. I just got my heart ripped out by the man who lives here — so whether you rob the place or burn it down, I don’t care. And hurt someone? Please. The Zone 5 Espers would kill you before you got the chance, so go ahead and try.”

“What? K-kill me?”

So the Zone 5 Espers would go that far for their Guide? That sent a slight chill down his spine. Yeon-oh shrugged.

“I’m popular, you know. Comes with looking like this.”

Yoon Geon must have bad taste, he muttered under his breath, before calling to Yushin at the door.

“Come in. You look like you’ve got business with Yoon Geon too.”

“You’re sure it’s okay to let me in? If Esper Yoon Geon gives you trouble later…”

“Thinking about it, I have no reason to stop you. Even if I get in trouble for letting a stranger in, so what? Honestly, I’d be happy to see him get a little payback. So I don’t care if you’re suspicious or weird — come in before I change my mind.”

After a moment’s hesitation, Yushin followed Yeon-oh inside.

Yeon-oh sat naturally on the sofa and gestured at him.

“What are you doing? Sit. Don’t just stand there like an idiot.”

“Huh? Oh, okay.”

Maybe it was because this man was exactly his type, but Yushin kept fumbling like a fool. When he awkwardly started to sit on the floor, Yeon-oh let out a short, disbelieving laugh.

“What is it with people from Zone 1? Why do you keep trying to sit on the floor when there’s a sofa right there? You’re making me uncomfortable just watching.”

“What?”

“Come here and sit.”

At his words, Yushin got up reluctantly and sat on the very edge of the sofa. Seeing him sitting so primly with his hands folded on his knees, Yeon-oh shook his head.

“I thought you were weird, but you’re really weird.”

Even that kind of rudeness seemed attractive to Yushin. It made sense — after enduring Ihan’s atrocious personality for so long, this level of sharpness was practically cute.

For a while, neither of them spoke. Unable to stand the awkward silence, Yushin cleared his throat and broke it first.

“So… when do you think Esper Yoon Geon will be back?”

“He’ll contact me before he comes. I’ll let you know then.”

“Thanks. Um, but…”

“What?”

Yushin hesitated for a moment before asking carefully.

“Does Esper Yoon Geon leave the house often these days?”

“Yes.”

The answer was simple. Yushin lowered his gaze, wrinkling his nose.

“I see.”

Guilt twisted in his chest — toward both Geon and Ihan. It felt like he was doing something unforgivable to the two men so desperate to find Han Yeoul.

‘It is unforgivable.’

In the end, it was greed — the unwillingness to lose Ihan — that had made him help bring about Yeoul’s death. The guilt was sharp as thorns, stabbing deep into his heart. Would he have to carry this pain for the rest of his life, watching Ihan suffer over someone he could never forget?

Lost in thought, Yushin suddenly blurted out a question.

“If it were you, Yeon-oh, and your dearest friend and the person they cared for most both fell into the ocean, who would you save?”

“Neither.”

Yeon-oh shot him a glance before turning back to his phone, answering flatly.

“I can’t swim. And the chances of that happening are practically zero. What a useless question.”

“…Yeon-oh, your MBTI is T, right?”

Maybe even Yeon-oh thought he’d been too blunt, because he added awkwardly,

“You just save the person you want to save. If they’re about to drown, where’s the time to hesitate?”

It was a plain and almost laughably straightforward answer. Yushin swallowed a wry smile and murmured quietly,

“I’d want to save my friend… but it wouldn’t be the choice they’d want.”

Something about Yushin’s expression made him look lonely from the side, and Yeon-oh suddenly spoke with a rare bit of sincerity.

“I’d choose whatever makes me happier. I don’t care about that person’s precious someone. My own happiness comes first.”

“My happiness…”

Yushin rolled the words around in his mouth. Happiness, happiness.

What choice would make him happy?

Somehow, the weight of the question felt heavier. As Yushin’s expression deepened, Yeon-oh also found himself thinking about the problem more seriously than he meant to.

After some thought, his answer was still simple.

Although he frowned, as if even he didn’t like what he was about to say, he spoke calmly.

“I said I don’t care, but… sometimes, if it’s something they can’t give up on even if it kills them, I feel like I want to protect it with them. Even if it’s stupid.”

With a faint look of relief, Yeon-oh leaned his head back against the sofa.

“Whatever I choose, I’ll always choose for myself in the end.”

“…”

“If you’re going to be miserable no matter what, just go with whatever your heart leans toward. At the end of the day, your own happiness should be your top priority.”

The bluntness of his answer somehow drained Yushin’s tension. He relaxed into the sofa backrest like Yeon-oh, setting his phone down on the table.

“So, what do you actually want to do?” Yeon-oh asked.

Yushin slowly closed his eyes and let the words slip out like a sigh.

“I want to save both of them.”

“Then just do that. What’s there to hesitate over?”

His eyes flew open. It was like being struck over the head. Yeon-oh wasn’t wrong. Yushin muttered to himself under his breath,

“That’s true… why didn’t I think of that?”

If he wanted to save both, then that was the answer. It was an optimistic way of thinking, but for Yushin right now, there was no wiser choice.

“Giving up without even trying? That’s no way for a Zone 1 Esper to carry himself.”

Yushin grinned faintly at him.

“Thanks, Yeon-oh. That’s the answer I needed.”

Yeon-oh shrugged and picked his phone back up, then shot him an annoyed glance as if remembering something.

“And I’m an F, for your information.”

Yushin let out a laugh without meaning to.

* * *

While combing through Jamsil, Ihan got a text from Yushin and went straight to Yoon Geon’s house. He pounded on the door hard enough to break it, and Yushin appeared from inside. Ihan grabbed him by the collar in an instant.

“Where’s Yeoul!”

“Calm down and come in. I’ll tell you.”

Grinding his teeth, Ihan let him go and shoved him hard toward the inside.

“Then get in, now.”

Inside, Yoon Geon was also there. Ihan didn’t even spare him a glance as he tore through the rooms looking for Yeoul.

“Yeoul!”

“Han Yeoul’s not here.”

Ihan spun around toward Yushin and strode up to him, clamping a heavy hand down on his shoulder.

“Where are you hiding him?”

“Calm down, Yoo Ihan. Hear him out first.”

Ihan’s rage-filled eyes snapped toward Geon.

“You keep your mouth shut. I’m barely holding myself back from breaking this bastard.”

Turning back to Yushin, his voice was sharp enough to cut.

“Talk. Where is he?”

“First, there’s something you need to know.”

Yushin told Ihan everything about Yeoul’s current state and what he had said. As he listened, Ihan’s expression twisted more and more.

“So… Yeoul… is going to die?”

“Yeah.”

“Because of me?”

“…Yeah.”

Yeoul was going to die to save him.

His whole body began to tremble from the fingertips up. Words caught in his throat, choked by a suffocating misery that made it hard to breathe. Somehow, he forced the question out.

“Then… is he safe right now?”

Yushin glanced toward Yeon-oh, who had been standing awkwardly off to the side. Yeon-oh sighed and stepped toward Ihan.

“Give me your hand. I’ll Guide you.”

“Why the hell would you Guide me?”

Ihan’s tone was sharp, but Yeon-oh shot back just as firmly,

“It’s not like I want to. But we need to know if Han Yeoul is still alive.”

Yushin backed him up with an explanation.

“If Guiding between you and Yeon-oh doesn’t work, it means your imprint with Yeoul hasn’t been broken. That way we can at least confirm if he’s alive.”

Finally, Ihan slowly held out his hand. As soon as the attempt began, Yeon-oh let go. Frowning slightly, he glanced at Ihan, who only looked dazed. After a moment, Yeon-oh spoke.

“Guiding’s not working at all.”

Ihan staggered, almost collapsing. Thank god. He’s still alive.

As Ihan’s body shook, Yushin looked at him with grave determination.

“I’m going to save Han Yeoul now. But before that, I need you to promise me something.”

“…What?”

Yushin spoke each word with deliberate weight.

“Don’t die. I’ve decided to save you both.”

Ihan didn’t answer directly. Instead, like always, he just gave Yushin’s shoulder a light pat and replied gruffly,

“Don’t get all serious. It doesn’t suit you.”

Yushin smirked, like he’d expected that.

“Yeah, I figured you’d say that.”

“But—” Ihan’s tone shifted, steady and calm.

“I’ll try. To make sure both Yeoul and I live.”

Yushin smiled lightly and nodded.

“Good. That’s all I needed for now.”

He reached a hand out to both Ihan and Geon.

“Let’s go. Time to save Han Yeoul.”

Ihan and Geon clasped his hand.