PV Ch.5 Part 4

“Haa… ah… nnngh… haa…” 

Bomin tried to muffle his moans against the wall, but it was a losing battle. Song Jaeho’s pace only increased, his grip tightening on Bomin’s hips. 

Blood slicked the way, turning their coupling into a macabre painting. His c*ck, already slick with arousal, gleamed, a weapon painted crimson against the stark white sheets. Bomin, despite the pain, was a willing canvas, his body responding with a fervor that belied the emptiness in his eyes. 

He was tight, so tight, his insides clenching around Song Jaeho as if trying to both embrace and expel him at the same time. 

Just as Bomin’s vision started to blur, Song Jaeho found his release, his groan echoing in the small room as he spilled into him. It was almost as if he couldn’t bear to pull away, his release a final act of dominance, his fingers digging into Bomin’s hips. 

“Haa… are you satisfied now?” he finally rasped, his voice hoarse. 

As Song Jaeho pulled away, Bomin slumped to the floor, his bare skin a stark contrast to the cold, hard tiles. The pain was immediate, a searing reminder of what had transpired. 

He forced his eyes open, looking up at Song Jaeho. Even the act of smiling sent a jolt of pain through his split lip. 

“Yeah,” he breathed, his voice small and fragile. “Thank you. For granting my request.” 

But his eyes… his eyes held a flicker of something dangerous, a spark of destructive fire that threatened to consume him. 

Song Jaeho stared down at him, his gut twisting with a feeling he couldn’t quite place. Bomin had wanted this, had initiated it, had even thanked him for it. And throughout it all, Song Jaeho had kept his own desires in check, and had refrained from claiming Bomin’s energy as his own. 

So, why… why did it feel so wrong? 

“Lee Bomin, you…”

“Leave, Jaeho. I… I need to clean up and get some rest.” 

Song Jaeho opened his mouth to argue, to say something, anything, to bridge the chasm that had suddenly opened up between them. But the words wouldn’t come. 

“Rest,” he finally said, his voice rough. “I’ll… I’ll come back later.” 

“Okay.”

Right now, they both needed time. Time to process the events of the day, the confusing whirlwind of emotions that had left them both reeling. For the first time since they’d met, Song Jaeho found himself questioning everything, the very foundation of their relationship threatening to crumble. 

The moment the door clicked shut, Bomin let himself collapse onto the floor, ignoring the way his body screamed in protest. The throbbing pain in his ass was excruciating, but even that paled in comparison to the dull ache in his chest. 

“It hurts…” he whimpered, the sound swallowed by the empty room. 

The pain was real, undeniable. But even with his injured body, with his inability to Guide, Bomin knew he’d managed to weave his way into Song Jaeho’s life. A weaker man would have walked away, cut his losses. But Song Jaeho had promised to return, and Bomin clung to that promise like a lifeline. 

He pressed a hand to his chest, the steady thump of his heart a counterpoint to the chaos in his mind. Why was it that the most agonizing pain wasn’t physical at all?

He forced himself to his feet, ignoring the dizziness that threatened to pull him back down. Wiping the tears from his face, he grabbed his phone and checked his status. He was officially on medical leave. 

With a few deft keystrokes, he sent a message to the Association, informing them of his intention to return to active duty immediately. He cleaned himself up as best he could, using the discarded clothes to wipe away the evidence of their encounter. 

His clothes, along with his numerous shopping bags, were neatly stored in the closet. 

“How am I supposed to carry all this?” he muttered to himself, staring at the mountain of bags. 

They had brought him joy once, a testament to his extravagant lifestyle. Now, they were just a burden, a reminder of a life he could no longer afford. He changed into a fresh set of clothes, leaving the rest behind, and pressed the call button. 

“Guide Lee Bomin, what seems to be wrong…?” 

Jin Harin’s words died in her throat as she took in the scene before her. The scent hit her first, unmistakable, even to an untrained nose. She had lost count of how many Guides had been admitted to her ward reeking of sex, their bodies bearing the marks of their Espers. 

Her gaze swept around the room, sharp and assessing, finally coming to rest on Bomin. His usual vibrancy was gone, replaced by an alarming pallor. 

“Did… did Esper Song do this to you?” she asked, her voice trembling. 

He was the only one who’d visited. And seeing Bomin like this… it made her blood run cold. She’d seen the desperation on Song Jaeho’s face when he’d brought Bomin in, and that was the only reason she’d allowed him past the guards.

If she’d known he would do this, she would have had him blacklisted, banned from the Treatment Center for life. 

Bomin, as if sensing her guilt, offered her a weak smile. 

“I’m okay. I… I wanted it.” 

“That’s impossible.”

Jin Harin might not have known Bomin well, but she knew the rumors. He was a B-rank Guide who had somehow managed to snag four S-rank Espers, all of them notorious for their power and their… appetites. 

It was no secret that the S-ranks sought him out, that they requested him specifically. It was that very fact that had earned him the ire of his fellow Guides. Guiding an S-rank came with its perks – a hefty paycheck, access to exclusive resources, and of course, the bragging rights. 

And these were no ordinary S-ranks. They were the most sought-after Espers in the country, rumored to be as beautiful as they were powerful. It was only natural that other Guides were envious, that they resented Bomin for holding onto something they could only dream of possessing. 

Jin Harin had never imagined that Bomin was being treated like this. He’d been admitted for Magic Shock, not physical injuries, so she’d never suspected a thing. 

“I need to call Esper Jin Gyugeon.”

“It’s okay, really.”

Jin Harin turned to leave, but Bomin’s hand shot out, his fingers closing around her wrist with surprising strength. The tremor that ran through his touch broke her resolve. 

“I… I want to be discharged. Now.”

“In your condition? Absolutely not.”

The after-effects of the Magic Shock might have subsided, but he had new wounds now, ones that ran deeper than she cared to imagine. His pallor was alarming, and though his lower body was hidden by the hospital gown, she could see the way he winced with every movement. 

“I… I have things I need to take care of,” Bomin insisted, his voice barely above a whisper. “I’ve rested enough.” 

“Guide Lee Bomin, you’re not… planning on continuing to Guide those S-rank Espers, are you?” she asked, dreading the answer. 

“…No,” Bomin replied, but the hesitation that preceded his response was telling. 

“Please, just discharge me. I’m fine, really.” 

She knew he should refuse, should insist that he stay until he was fully recovered. But there was a desperation in his eyes that she couldn’t ignore. She knew firsthand how intense the bond between a Guide and an Esper could be, especially when their compatibility was high. And Bomin had just experienced a drastic drop in his. 

The thought of facing those Espers now, with his diminished worth… it was no wonder he was terrified.

“On one condition,” she finally relented. “You register with the Counseling Center. And you attend at least one session per week.”

The Counseling Center was a small, unassuming building situated next to the Treatment Center. While the Treatment Center dealt with physical ailments, the Counseling Center catered to the psychological needs of Ability Users and Guides alike. 

“Fine,” Bomin agreed, though he looked less than thrilled at the prospect of therapy. 

And just like that, Bomin was discharged. The guards helped him carry his remaining belongings out to a waiting car, their expressions a mixture of curiosity and pity. 

“This place… it almost feels like home…” Bomin murmured as he stepped into his apartment. 

It was a strange thing to say, considering this wasn’t his world, not really. But this apartment, the place where he’d first woken up, held a certain comfort, a sense of normalcy that was strangely reassuring. 

It was only when he was finally alone, surrounded by the familiar stillness of his apartment, that he allowed himself to truly relax. The tension that had been building inside him since his encounter with Song Jaeho finally eased, and he fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.