Hanseo couldn't find a reason to refuse.
"Then I'll take you up on that!"
He wasn't about to pass up an opportunity to boss Gu Jei around. Hanseo sprang up from the sofa and headed for the bathroom. But despite being the one who had initiated the offer, he didn't hear Gu Jei following.
So, he really doesn't like being bossed around, huh?
Hanseo stood before the sink. The man reflected in the mirror wore a smile that could only be described as wicked.
Crash!
"...Mr. Yeo Hanseo?"
The loud noise brought Gu Jei to the bathroom door in an instant. His eyes fell first on the floor, where toiletries and a toothbrush lay scattered.
"Ah!"
Han Seo, who had crouched down to pick up the items, looked up at Gu Jei with a pained expression.
"I'm sorry. I tried to do it myself, but..."
Even as he spoke, Hanseo frantically tried to pick up the scattered items, only to repeatedly drop them as if he lacked the strength.
Gu Jei sighed. "I'll do it."
Gu Jei quickly cleared away all the mess and turned to Hanseo. "What do you want to start with?"
His tone conveyed a clear determination to finish this quickly, now that things had come to this.
This was exactly what Hanseo had planned.
The bathroom was filled with warm steam.
"Ah, that feels good. A little more... there..."
Swishhh.
The sound of water cascading from the showerhead mingled with languid moans.
"Ah, not too hard. Gently... Ah, that hurts!"
"......"
"Ugh, ugh... Ahh!"
Hanseo screamed and yanked his head free from Gu Jei's grip, causing shampoo run down into his eyes.
"Ah! My eyes!" Hanseo cried out in pain.
Gu Jei quickly redirected the showerhead, spraying water onto Hanseo's face.
Hanseo, now drenched like a drowned rat, couldn't suppress his anger and glared at Gu Jei. Fortunately, his murderous glare was partially concealed by his seaweed-like bangs.
This bastard! Is he pretending to wash my hair just so he can try to crush my skull?
An irrational suspicion flashed through his mind—a paranoid delusion born from the day he nearly died at Gu Jei's hands.
But his anger was short-lived. Hanseo quickly reminded himself of his situation.
Act like Yeo Han Seo. Act like Yeo Han Seo.
The corners of his lips trembled as he forced them into a strained smile.
"Thank you for your help... I think I can manage the rest."
"Very well."
Gu Jei didn't offer to assist again, even as a formality. He removed his wet gloves and left the bathroom. Han Seo watched his retreating figure with a suspicious gaze.
Could he have done that on purpose?
But even if he had, he couldn't keep insisting. Thinking about it, entrusting his body completely to Gu Jie was difficult for Hanseo, who had memories of being chased and nearly killed by him.
Even bossing him around isn't easy, Hanseo grumbled inwardly, using his uninjured hand to rinse off the remaining shampoo. Only then did he fully realize the state he was in. The t-shirt he'd worn earlier was now soaked and clinging tightly to his skin, leaving nothing to the imagination.
...Surely Gu Jie didn't leave without looking back because of this?
Hanseo felt a pang of embarrassment, even he had to admit he looked quite a sight to behold. He clicked his tongue and grunted as he struggled to peel off his soaked clothes.
After a prolonged battle, Hanseo finally managed to strip. Exhausted, he turned on the shower. The warm water gradually eased the tension in his body. Only then did he realize how tense he had been.
Then again, Gu Jei had his hand clamped around his head. It would be strange not to be nervous. With the brute strength of an S-Class Esper, even a slight squeeze could crush a skull like a ripe fruit...
The mere thought of it sent shivers down Hanseo's spine. He shuddered involuntarily before quickly shifting his thoughts.
More importantly, Gu Jei... he definitely seems to be in bad shape.
When Gu Jei burst open the snack bag, Hanseo had been too startled to think much of it. But now, reflecting on the incident, it struck him as deeply strange.
Gu Jei, who had awakened as the youngest Esper and trained at the center since childhood, was known for his unparalleled control over his powers. Yet he couldn't even open a pack of snack properly?
The same had happened just now. Unless Gu Jei deliberately tried to crush his head, it was clear he was losing control of his abilities. But... this never happen in my past life?
No, it's only natural that things would be different from my past life.
In his previous life, Gu Jei's energy waves had likely been unstable as well. But if that state persisted for a long time, he might have grown accustomed to it.
But what about Gu Jei, who was receiving proper Guiding for the first time in his life?
Hanseo's expression turned grave as he considered this.
Is this... going to be okay?
Through this incident, Hanseo came to a stark realization: the future he knew was already changing, and it would continue to change.
Didn't that mean the reason for Gu Jei's death might no longer be suicide caused by a rampage?
For example, what if Gu Jei entered a gate, unable to adapt to his altered state and made a mistake...
Hanseo felt a chill run down his spine, deeper than when he imagined his skull being crushed.
He washed away his troubled thoughts with water and stepped out of the bathroom. Though all he did was washed himself, he felt as if he had accomplished something monumental.
"Hah..."
Hanseo sighed, struggling to put on his clothes with one arm. The thought of living like this for weeks filled him with despair. He really should have awakened as a combat type.
As he entered the living room, he saw Gu Jei sitting on the sofa, arms crossed and eyes closed.
Is he asleep? Hanseo tiptoed cautiously toward Gu Jei. Even when he stood right in front of the sofa, Gu Jei remained in the same position.
"......"
For some reason, Hanseo held his breath as he quietly stared at Gu Jei.
This was the first time he had observed him so closely and deliberately since returning to the past.
Gu Jei's flawless, pale face was as perfect as people praised, without a single imperfection. Even his breathing was so faint that he seemed less like a living person and more like a meticulously crafted sculpture.
The 23-year-old Gu Jei in Hanseo's memories was remarkably similar to the Gu Jei before him now. This was partly because only two years had passed, and partly because high-ranking Espers possessed exceptional regenerative abilities, which slowed their aging process.
However, Gu Jei's hair was slightly curlier than usual, likely because he had just showered. For no particular reason, Han Seo found himself smiling. A soft, involuntary chuckle escaped his lips at that moment...
Gu Jei opened his eyes.
"......"
"......"
"Um, wouldn't it be better to go to bed? You might hurt your back if you sleep here."
"I wasn't sleeping."
Gu Jei calmly replied to Hanseo's awkward attempt at conversation. There was no lie in his words. Hanseo noticed the complete lack of sleepiness in Gu Jei's eyes and forced an awkward smile. Why pretend to be asleep if you weren't even sleeping?
Just then, Gu Jei rose to his feet.
"It's late. You should get some rest."
"Where are you going?"
"I'll sleep somewhere else."
"No, why?"
Han Seo unconsciously reached out to grab Gu Jei's arm, but Gu Jei sidestepped, evading his touch.
"Do we really need to keep talking about our contract?"
He was referring to the clause about not touching him without permission. But right now, the contract seemed irrelevant.
Where are you going now? You're not thinking of going back into the gate, are you?
Gu Jei had emerged from the gate only a week ago, but he was exactly the kind of person who would rush back in without hesitation.
The problem was that if Gu Jei decided to do so, Hanseo couldn't stop him.
Han Seo clenched his fists. He desperately wanted to knock Gu Jei unconscious to prevent him from leaving, but he lacked the strength. Yet letting him go unchecked filled him with anxiety.
"Then I'll guide you. I had to stop earlier because of the situation."
Hanseo had worried Gu Jei might refuse, but thankfully, he sat back down on the sofa. Hanseo sat beside him and began Emission Guiding. The numbers on Gu Jei's watch slowly decreased, crawling at a snail's pace until it reached 70%. But after that, no matter how much energy Hanseo focused and channeled, the numbers wouldn't budge. It felt like hitting an invisible wall.
I'm sure I got him down to the 60% range before. What happened back then?
Hanseo replayed the memory of Gu Jei's rampage.
And then he realized the difference between then and now.
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