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It was severe, but the area around the eyes, where the darkened blood vessels only stretched out, has significantly improved compared to the past. Perhaps because it was a place where the effect was weak, it gradually began to improve before other areas.
Even now, Tae-Woo is looking down at the document with an expressionless face, was quite different from the image of Tae-Woo stored in So-Won’s memory. His expression, which had always felt scary, also seemed softer.
So-Won’s gaze looked down. The long-sleeved black clothes stuck tightly to Tae-Woo’s body and showed him his body as it was. Broad shoulders, thick arms, and a hard chest. It wasn’t just his imagination that his body seemed better than usual.
It’s easy to see when you look at it. The muscles were getting a little thicker, and they were getting stronger. Recently, there have been fewer cases of breaking things, and Tae-Woo can control his strength well.
So-Won’s eyes turned to the black ring around his neck.
The characteristics of “Monster Kang Tae-Woo” that people know are connected to the grim impression, the disgusting blood vessels that fill the whole body, and the thickness that fills the neck
It was that thing that caught the most attention.
‘Without that, I think Tae-Woo can walk around normally like everyone else.’
Although he had been Tae-Woo’s guide for eight years, So-Won needed to learn the ring’s identity hanging around his neck. Is it something that can control an esper’s ability?
He might use it to cover the dark veins on his neck. Perhaps because he was staring for a long time, but for So-Won, the black ring is now almost a part of So-Won.
So-Won didn’t see Tae-Woo remove it even when he was sleeping or guiding. So-Won finally couldn’t resist his curiosity and asked.
“Tae-Woo, I’ve been curious about that for a long time. What’s that on your neck?”
Tae-Woo, who was checking the documents, paused. Tae-Woo stiffened for a while, put down the paper in his hand and slowly rubbed his neck. The smooth metal was touched.
“…It’s a bomb.”
He sounded like someone who wanted to hide and was reluctant to say it.
“Bomb?”
So-Won’s eyes widened as if they were going to pop out. He thought it was equipment that could support his abilities; it was a bomb.
He wanted Tae-Woo to deny it but silently avoided looking at So-Won. He didn’t say anything. It seemed like a bomb. So-Won was silent and appalled. So he had been living with bombs? No, that’s not it. Did he carry a bomb around him all his life?
“Bombs, why….”
“It’s designed to blow up when I started to rampage. Don’t worry. It won’t explode unless the waves rise to a certain level..”
So-Won was even more speechless after hearing Tae-Woo’s explanation. To be safe when the wavelength is below a certain number, it is safe. It also meant a bomb would explode even if the wavelength reached more than needed.
Tae-Woo’s condition was unstable. It was like that before he met So-Won, and it was even worse eight years later.
So-Won saw him go out of control three times since he regressed. The first time was in a private room, the second was the meeting between him and Si-Hyuk, and the most recent was after he returned from the gate. Tae-Woo has already passed the point of dying three times.
So-Won didn’t know he could die at any time, not eight years later. But So-Won knew nothing about the object that was next to him.
When Tae-woo entered, the gate meant something other than his duty as an Esper. He was risking his life every time he entered the gate. Eight years later, he died. Even after barely surviving, he didn’t get guidance. His condition kept getting worse every time Tae-Woo used his ability. It would have been like a limited-time life that you don’t know when you’ll die.
So-Won didn’t dare to look at his face, so he bowed his head deeply. He grabbed his hand so hard that his nails stuck in his flesh. So-Won was angry and disappointed with himself. At the same time, the guilt toward Tae-Woo intensified.
“I’m sorry I haven’t told you so far.”
Tae-Woo apologized for what he thought was his mistake when he saw So-Won’s shocked face. However, it was So-Won, not Tae-Woo, who should apologize.
He was delighted, thinking they were getting closer and his condition was improving, without knowing that it was a bomb hanging around Tae-Woo’s neck. He was living in a dangerous tug-of-war every day.
When So-Won couldn’t speak, Tae-Woo opened his mouth again.
“If Lee So-won is uncomfortable, I won’t take guidance from now on.”
“What? Oh, no! No!”
So-Won shook his head hurriedly and looked at Tae-Woo. However, Tae-woo was still rubbing his neck with his eyes lowered. The bomb was completely hidden with his large hand. So-Won felt like Tae-Woo was covering it, thinking he would be scared. So-Won’s heart throbbed greatly at the sight.
The moment he was with him, it wasn’t scary to guide him.
“You can’t take it off…?”
“I heard that if you force it off your body, it will explode.”
“Then how can we remove it?”
“We decided to release it when my condition stabilizes.”
Then it was strange that he still had the bomb. Tae-Woo’s condition was getting better day by day. Not long ago, he was told by the doctor in charge, who briefly checked the figures, that Tae-Woo’s condition was stabilizing a lot, and as it showed, the veins around his eyes were gradually lightening.
“Then shouldn’t it be removed now? Why not yet….”
“I thought it would be better to do it for people’s safety.”
It was a very Tae-woo-like answer. He probably didn’t even ask for release. If the association did not come to him first to release it, Tae-Woo would have lived with a bomb around his neck even after his condition was completely improved.
Suddenly a question arose. Since Tae-woo is an S-class body-reinforcing Esper, such a small bomb would not have caused an accident. So-Won knew he would survive in the middle of a nuclear explosion.
“But… This doesn’t have any effect on Tae-Woo…”
“The surface is made of materials that weaken Esper’s ability. If it explodes… I don’t know what will happen.”
After listening to Tae-Woo, So-Won remembered what he heard in the guide training. A metal is occasionally found at the gate, and he heard that it’s so deadly that even a brief touch on Esper can significantly reduce his ability.
“…Since when have you been wearing it?”
When he first heard about Tae-Woo, he was already wearing a black ring around his neck amid scary rumors. It was a memory of So-Won when he was very young, even when he didn’t even go to elementary school. By then, Tae-Woo was still a minor.
“I don’t remember.”
“……”
He didn’t know it was a bomb hanging around Tae-Woo’s neck, but even the government couldn’t announce it. No matter how scary Tae-Woo is, the association would have inevitably been criticized internationally if it was revealed that they had asked him to carry a bomb since he was young.
“It’s not uncomfortable?”
“I’m used to it now.”
Tae-Woo had a calm attitude. If it was a So-Won, it was clear that he wouldn’t have been able to sleep or eat anything after shaking with anxiety every day. So-Won realized once again that he had been living without being treated like a human.
The bomb on Tae-Woo’s neck did not explode until eight years after Tae-Woo died. And for eight years as a guide to Tae-Woo, So-Won was closer to him than anyone else and did not realize that what was on his neck was a bomb. Of course, he would have been more afraid of him if he had known.
So-Won jumped out of his seat as if he had decided something.
“As expected, I don’t think this is right.”
Tae-Woo’s face turned dark. He was afraid of the words that would soon follow. Tae-Woo is sure So-Won will say he’s quitting as a guide.
His heart felt heavy. Tae-Woo thought it was fine even if he refused to guide him as long as he stayed by his side.
Tae-Woo knew it. An excellent and precious guide like a So-Won is too much for him. He can only make people around him unhappy. Now it was time to be punished for being greedy. Tae-Woo quietly waited for the words to come out of So-Won’s mouth.
“Tae-Woo, wait. I’ll let you take it off.”
So-Won suddenly stood up, packed his smartphone and cleaned his messy clothes after lying down. Tae-Woo showed a rare expression of being surprised.
“Where are you going?”
“I’m going to see the doctor first. I need data that Tae-Woo’s condition has improved a lot, and I will also ask where I can submit it.
So-Won said while looking back on what he had planned for a short time. So-Won knew nothing about Tae-Woo’s bomb or the organization chart of the Esper Association. It was heavy to ask the person who was already carrying the bomb. Instead, if So-Won go to the doctor in charge and asks him, he can tell him in detail how to remove the bomb from Tae-Woo’s neck.