PV Ch.11 Part 2

Bomin noticed that the others weren’t around.

“Do you know where the other Espers are? The ones who saved me.”

“I don’t know for sure. I only heard that Han Biseong carried you back to the center.”

“I feel uneasy… Have you seen them since?”

“Now that you mention it… I don’t think I have. It’s not easy to see S-rank Espers…”

Bomin’s unease grew. He tried to sit up, but his body protested.

The sound of the door opening was louder than when Kim Seohun had entered. Yoon Bisam, clad in his Esper uniform, strode into the room.

“You’re awake.”

His voice remained cold and distant, but the warmth radiating from his hand resting on Bomin’s head was undeniable.

Kim Seohun’s eyes widened at Yoon Bisam’s appearance. He froze, then quickly regained his composure. He clung to Bomin, looking up at Yoon Bisam with a wary gaze, but his presence posed no threat.

Yoon Bisam’s lips curved into a faint smile as he gently examined Bomin. After a long sigh, he withdrew his hand, his face hardening into its usual impassive expression.

Bomin glanced towards the door, expecting to see someone else enter. But the door remained open, revealing an empty hallway.

“Where are the others? I remember Song Jaeho coming to find me first.”

“I came to visit, but you’re more interested in someone else, it seems.”

“Don’t change the subject. Where are Song Jaeho and Han Biseong?”

For some reason, Bomin felt like Yoon Bisam was avoiding a direct answer.

“They’re on a mission. They haven’t returned yet.”

“What kind of mission? When will they be back?”

“You seem to have a lot of questions today. It’s a difficult mission, so it will take some time before they return. Just focus on recovering.”

Bomin’s eyes narrowed. Why did he feel like Yoon Bisam was hiding something?

“What happened to the place where I was held captive?”

“That was Non-K’s base. It’s buried in the mountains now. Han Biseong, Song Jaeho, Won Seongwoo, and I went in to rescue you. Not long after, we blew up the base.”

Yoon Bisam seemed willing to answer some questions, but not others. He sat beside Bomin, calmly explaining the things Bomin wanted to know.

“There were other Guides there besides you…”

The image of the red-eyed man dragging him away flashed in his mind. The Guides there were treated like livestock, not people.

Bomin had been mistreated by the S-rank Espers before, but at least his will had been considered.

But those people had been kidnapped and forced to open themselves to the Espers, providing their Guiding magic. It was a situation that couldn’t be compared.

“We couldn’t save everyone, but most of them are safe. They’re currently in the treatment center, receiving care.”

“So, there were some I couldn’t save…”

If Bomin had been stronger, he would have done everything he could to save them. The helplessness of witnessing their plight and being unable to help was agonizing.

After a long sigh, Bomin stared at Yoon Bisam, his blue eyes narrowed.

“But why do I feel like you’re hiding something? What are you hiding from me?”

“I’m not hiding anything. You’re still not thinking straight. Kim Seohun, please give us some space. Let the patient rest.”

“I…”

Kim Seohun had intended to pull up a spare bed and stay in Bomin’s room. He needed to be near Bomin, to quell the fear and anxiety that had plagued him during the time they were apart.

Even now, Kim Seohun couldn’t close his eyes for long. He was afraid that if he did, Bomin would vanish again.

“Who… who’s hurt?”

Bomin gripped Yoon Bisam’s hand as he tried to stand.

“Song Jaeho… what happened to him?”

Bomin didn’t miss the slight tremor in Yoon Bisam’s hand.

“Yoon Bisam, tell me the truth.”

Yoon Bisam sighed, running a hand through his hair. He sat back down beside Bomin, finally revealing what he had been hiding.

“He’s missing. Han Biseong and Won Seongwoo are looking for him, but there’s still no news. I only just returned to the association today because of the S-rank dungeon opening. I was going to leave immediately after seeing your face.”

“Missing… why…”

S-rank Espers seemed superhuman to Bomin.

Guides, who possessed the ability to guide Espers, felt like beings apart.

But Guides were human, their physical abilities not much different from ordinary people. They lacked the superhuman abilities of the Espers, making them feel more human.

“You said Non-K’s base was destroyed. We tracked him after you were kidnapped. During the pursuit, the rampage risk level spiked, almost reaching Code Orange.”

Code Orange meant the risk of an Esper losing control and going into a rampage. It was also the stage where they were confined to a prison-like isolation facility, their bodies covered in restraints.

“But Won Seongwoo was badly injured and couldn’t return to the base. Han Biseong and I were also at risk. Song Jaeho, the only one whose rampage risk was low, cleared a path through the rubble.”

“Song Jaeho… didn’t make it?”

Bomin understood the unspoken meaning in Yoon Bisam’s words.

“He’s still buried under the rubble?”

“We thought so, and we dug near the exit, but Song Jaeho wasn’t there.”

Han Biseong had been contacting Yoon Bisam intermittently. The disappearance of an S-rank Esper was a serious matter, even for the association. Han Biseong and Won Seongwoo were secretly searching for Song Jaeho with the association’s permission.

“Can’t you track him with the bracelet?”

“…There’s no signal.”

The Espers wore bracelets that displayed their power levels in real-time.

The center used the bracelets to monitor the rampage risk of the Espers.

“I want to go find Song Jaeho.”

“Bomin…”

Bomin ripped the IV line from his arm. Kim Seohun gasped as Bomin tried to stand, his face pale.

“You shouldn’t be moving like this! Jin Gyugeon specifically told me you needed to rest.”

Kim Seohun’s face contorted. He couldn’t understand why Bomin, still weak, wanted to go looking for Song Jaeho.

“You can’t help. You’d just be a burden.”

Bomin paused, his resolve wavering. Yoon Bisam was right. Bomin knew he wouldn’t be of any help.

But Bomin couldn’t just sit and wait. If he hadn’t been kidnapped, Song Jaeho wouldn’t have stormed into the Non-K headquarters looking for him, and he wouldn’t have gone missing with his outburst risk level skyrocketing.

Yoon Bisam was agonizing over whether he should knock Bomin unconscious. Just then, the pad in his pocket buzzed.

He had set a different ringtone for calls from Han Biseong. Yoon Bisam quickly pulled out the pad and checked the incoming message.

[Song Jaeho located. Currently showing signs of impending rampage mode.]

“It’s trouble.”

[Urgent guiding required. Requesting support from the Association.]

Yoon Bisam’s expression darkened as he read the subsequent messages. Entering the outburst precursor stage meant Song Jaeho’s outburst risk level had exceeded 60.

“What’s going on?”

Yoon Bisam stood up, holding the pad, so Kim Seohun and Bomin couldn’t see the message. Bomin grabbed Yoon Bisam’s arm.

“Song Jaeho has been found, but he’s entered the outburst precursor stage. If he doesn’t receive guiding soon, his outburst risk level will continue to rise, and he could lose his sanity and become a monster.”

Bomin recalled a scene from a novel he had read, where an Esper with a high outburst risk level had gone berserk, reaching code red.

The Esper was A-rank. When he went berserk, the area he scorched was one-tenth the size of Seoul.

Even an A-rank Esper had that much destructive power. What if an S-rank Esper went berserk? The damage could cover an area close to the entire city of Seoul.

And most importantly… espers who go berserk eventually self-destruct. If Song Jaeho went berserk, all that would be left of him would be scattered blood and flesh.

“Bomin, where are you going?”

After a moment of silence, Bomin, who had been listening to Yoon Bisam, moved towards the door of the hospital room. Kim Seohun followed anxiously.

“Lee Bomin, didn’t you hear me? You can’t help even if you go. Don’t tell me you want to die. Stay in the hospital room quietly.”

Yoon Bisam used his ability to block the door Bomin was trying to open. The tightly shut door didn’t seem like it would open just because someone touched it.

“Song Jaeho needs guiding right now. I understand what you’re saying, so open the door.”

“Your matching rate is still low. Guiding Song Jaeho is dangerous even when he’s in a normal state, let alone now. Are you in your right mind?”

“T-That’s right… Bomin.”

Kim Seohun stepped in front of Bomin. If Song Jaeho entered the outburst precursor stage, guiding him would be so dangerous that even a guide with a high matching rate would have to risk their life.

“I’ll retake the matching rate test. I don’t want to die needlessly, so don’t worry.”

Bomin stroked Kim Seohun’s hair and glared at Yoon Bisam. His dark eyes were more determined than ever.

Unless Yoon Bisam knocked him unconscious, he was serious about doing what he said.

“Yoon Bisam, open the door.”

The ice melted away like spring snow. Bomin hurried towards where Jin Gyugeon might be.

Kim Seohun followed, pressing his clothes against Bomin’s bleeding hand to staunch the flow. 

“Guide Lee Bomin, you shouldn’t be wandering around like this.”

As if his name had been mentioned, Jin Gyugeon rushed toward Bomin. His face hardened with worry. 

His gaze, sweeping over the hand stained with blood, held a touch of reprimand. This was the only time he was truly strict – when he saw someone risking their injured body. 

“Could you check my guiding magic again? I want to see if my compatibility with Song Jaeho has changed.”

“You’re not suggesting… on guiding Esper Song Jaeho, are you?”

Jin Gyugeon’s expression hardened further. Bomin had already been hospitalized due to a magic shock while guiding him. 

“Absolutely not.”

“Then I’ll go to the Guide Center.”

Guide magic measurements and matching rate checks could be done at the Guide Center as well as the treatment center. Bomin turned away, as if he had no further business. 

“…Alright. But after the test, you’re going straight back to your room.”

“Depending on the results.”

Jin Gyugeon let out a heavy sigh and grabbed Bomin’s arm. Looking into his eyes, he knew Bomin wouldn’t listen to anything he said.