PV Ch.4 Part 6

“Emergency! I need someone right now!” 

The urgent plea had every medical staff member in the vicinity snapping to attention. Recognition dawned on their faces as they saw Song Jaeho, but he brushed past their greetings. 

“No time, just help him!”

Sensing the urgency, Sang Daeyong, a B-rank Healing Esper, immediately went to work. He checked Bomin’s vitals, his brow furrowing with each passing second. 

“His vitals are worryingly low, and his pupils are unresponsive. We need to call a Guide specialist.” 

“Then do it, now!” Song Jaeho snapped, his anxiety spiking. 

Sang Daeyong, picking up on Song Jaeho’s barely contained panic, swiftly placed an emergency call for a higher-ranking Esper. It wasn’t long before a tall figure in a white coat came rushing into the room.

“Where’s the patient?”

“Right here,” Sang Daeyong said, stepping aside.

Jin Gyugeon, an A-rank Esper, quickly began examining Bomin, his movements swift and practiced. He didn’t miss the way Bomin was clinging to Song Jaeho, the slight tremor that ran through his frame.

“He’s in magic shock,” Jin Gyugeon stated, his voice calm and professional. 

“But why? It’s never happened before…” Song Jaeho protested, confusion battling with fear. 

Magic shock was a risk Guides faced when they Guided Espers with vastly different power levels or low compatibility. It could be a temporary condition, but in severe cases, it could disrupt a Guide’s magic flow, leading to potentially fatal heart problems. It was something all Guides were warned about.

“This is Guide Lee Bomin, isn’t it? If I remember correctly, he had a 90% compatibility rate with all the S-rank Espers, including Esper Song.” Jin Gyugeon noted, already running a scan over Bomin.

“It seems like we need to run another compatibility test. As I suspected, it seems his compatibility has drastically decreased.” 

Jin Gyugeon’s sharp gaze, amplified by the glint of his glasses, settled on Song Jaeho. He had seen his fair share of Guides rushed in after being pushed too far by reckless Espers. 

However, Bomin had never once been admitted for such a reason. His regular check-ups and magic flow analyses had always been impeccable. Something was definitely off. 

The faint scent of s*x clung to both of them. It was obvious that they had been intimate just moments before. Bomin was still naked under the sheet, and while Song Jaeho was dressed, his shirt was only half-buttoned, his clothes askew. 

“We need to move the patient to the Guide ward.” Jin Gyugeon declared, his voice brooking no argument. Guides were, in many ways, more vulnerable than Espers.

This vulnerability wasn’t about mental fortitude, but rather their physical limitations. The difference in their raw power meant that Guides were often at the mercy of their Espers, especially during Guiding sessions. 

It wasn’t uncommon for Guides to be admitted with signs of physical abuse, their bodies bearing the marks of an Esper’s unchecked strength. Some Espers, unable to control their urges during the heightened emotions of a Guiding session, would lash out. Others, were simply cruel. 

The Association, of course, had strict regulations against such behavior. Espers with multiple violations were forced to rely on Guiding machines, denied the intimacy of a human Guide.

Song Jaeho tried to follow as they wheeled Bomin away, his hand reaching out instinctively, but Jin Gyugeon stopped him. The air crackled with tension.

“Let me through.” Song Jaeho growled, his voice low and dangerous. 

“He needs absolute rest right now. I’ll contact you as soon as he shows signs of improvement, so please, I ask you to step aside.” 

Song Jaeho’s glare could have melted steel, but Jin Gyugeon stood his ground. He subtly signaled the nearby guards, who immediately surrounded them, their expressions alert. All of them were A-rank Espers, trained for combat. 

They knew they were facing an S-rank, a force to be reckoned with, but they held their ground. Song Jaeho’s fists clenched, knuckles white with the effort of restraining himself. 

He could easily overpower them all, but he knew that such an action would have consequences. The Treatment Center was one of the few places within the Association where the use of force was strictly prohibited. Only the guards were authorized to use their powers within its walls.

“Contact me about any changes in his condition. Every two hours,” Song Jaeho finally bit out, each word measured.

Jin Gyugeon, sensing the slight concession, nodded curtly. It was in everyone’s best interest to avoid escalating the situation further. 

“Of course. I won’t escort you out.”

It was a dismissal, a polite way of telling Song Jaeho to leave before he did something rash. Song Jaeho held Jin Gyugeon’s gaze for a long, tense moment before turning on his heel and stalking out of the Treatment Center. 

His hands trembled as he walked, a fact he barely registered. Logically, he knew that Bomin wasn’t in mortal danger. 

But the image of his lover, collapsing like a wilted flower, was burned into his mind. And the gnawing fear in his chest refused to be silenced.

“…Why the hell did his compatibility drop…?” 

He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. Compatibility wasn’t a fixed number. It could fluctuate over time, increasing or decreasing based on a myriad of factors. 

But for it to drop low enough to trigger magic shock… that was practically unheard of. Song Jaeho stood outside the window of the Guide ward for what felt like hours, his gaze fixed on Bomin’s still form. He remained there long after the moon had set, his anxiety a restless companion. 

***

“…Thirsty…” Bomin croaked, his throat as dry as sandpaper, as he forced his eyes open. He vaguely remembered being with Song Jaeho, their bodies entangled in a haze of desire. Then, like a film abruptly cut, his memory went blank. 

“Where… where am I…?” 

Every word felt like shards of glass scraping his throat. As his vision slowly swam into focus, he took in his surroundings, his heart plummeting with each passing second. White walls, a sterile scent, the steady beep of machines, and the telltale drip of an IV. 

“A hospital…?” 

It looked eerily similar to the ones he’d seen before, a place he’d hoped to never see again. His limbs felt heavy and unresponsive as he tried to move, finally managing to lift a hand. It was then that he noticed the IV line taped to the back of his hand. 

“Song Jaeho, where did he go…?” 

Had he been foolish to expect Song Jaeho to stay by his side? Maybe, deep down, he had believed that the physical intimacy they shared meant something more, that it obligated Song Jaeho to care. 

“Oh, you’re awake!” 

The room was small, barely big enough to hold the bed he was lying on. A young woman in a nurse’s uniform entered, her expression brightening when she saw him. 

“Do you know where you are?” she asked, her voice kind. 

Bomin shook his head slowly. “No…”

“You’re at the Association Treatment Center. You’ve been to the examination and consultation rooms before, Guide Lee, but this is your first time in the inpatient ward.”

The nurse checked his IV drip, her movements efficient and practiced, before gently removing the line from his hand. As she replaced it with a small bandage, her eyes met his, filled with understanding. 

“I’m Jin Harin, a D-rank Esper assigned to the Guide ward,” she said with a warm smile. “I’ll be taking care of you, Guide Lee.”

“But why am I here?” Bomin asked, his voice raspy. He couldn’t remember a single thing after that moment with Song Jaeho. 

“You must be thirsty, let me get you something.” 

Jin Harin pulled out a small bottle of juice from her pocket and offered it to him. Bomin gratefully accepted, his throat parched. As he brought the bottle to his lips, he realized with a jolt that he didn’t even have the strength to open it. 

“Let me help you with that.”

As if sensing his embarrassment, Jin Harin gently took the bottle back and twisted off the cap before placing it back in his hand. 

“Thank you,” Bomin murmured, his cheeks burning.

“Don’t mention it,”  Jin Harin said with a reassuring smile. “Esper Jin Gyugeon will be here soon to explain everything to you. He’s on his rounds right now, so he should be here in about 30 minutes.”

Bomin tried to recall who Jin Gyugeon was, the name familiar yet distant, like a half-remembered dream. 

“Get some rest,” Jin Harin continued. “You just regained consciousness, so it’s natural to feel weak. The juice I gave you might not be the tastiest, but it’s packed with nutrients. It’ll help you regain your strength.”

Bomin nodded slowly, finally understanding the strange aftertaste in his mouth. Jin Harin smiled once more before leaving him alone in the quiet room. 

As silence descended, a cold dread crept into Bomin’s heart, a feeling he couldn’t quite place. He set the empty juice bottle on the bedside table and lay back against the pillows, his mind racing. 

“…I have a really bad feeling about this.”