Chapter 60 – ​The ​Price ​of ​Misjudgment

Several ​days ​had ​already ​passed ​since he began his ​stay ​in the single-patient ​room.

The luxurious hospital ​life, ​where ​balanced ​meals ​were ​provided three times ​a ​day, ​gave Yoon Ki-hyun ​a lot to think ​about.

‘It’s disheartening ​how money ​can solve ​everything.’

Among everything, ​the ​most ​significant part was ​the professor’s ​excessively frequent visits. The ​professor, whom he had ​barely seen once every ​three weeks ​before, ​was now popping in and out ​of the room multiple ​times ​a ​day.

Dazed ​by ​the raw face ​of a ​capitalist ​society, he simply ​assumed ​that the frequent visits were ​a privilege ​provided ​to patients admitted ​to ​premium ​rooms.

However, ​contrary ​to Yoon ​Ki-hyun’s ​meager imagination, ​the reason the professor visited so often ​lay elsewhere.

It was ​because Jeong Si-jun ​had donated a development ​fund to ​the hospital in ​Yoon ​Ki-hyun’s name.

When Jeong ​Si-jun found Yoon ​Ki-hyun unconscious ​and ​rode in ​the ​ambulance with ​him, ​the most ​frustrating ​part ​for unauthorized copyhim was ​the ​wait for ​treatment. ​The ​university ​hospital stolen contentwas far more unkind than expected to a patient who no longer enjoyed the medical conveniences he had received since childhood.

So, without much hesitation, Jeong Si-jun made a donation in Yoon Ki-hyun’s name. Once the payment was processed, things began to move exactly as Jeong Si-jun knew they should.

He had spent what was a small amount of money to him, yet a room that didn’t exist before suddenly appeared. Furthermore, he secured the devoted care of a professor who had previously been seen only once every three weeks.

“How is your cough?”

The professor, who had already stopped by once in the morning, asked with a gentle expression around lunchtime. When Ki-hyun replied that it had decreased significantly, the professor nodded.

After mentioning that there might be an issue with his memory and conducting a few more tests, the professor said it seemed necessary to adjust the medication slightly. Yoon Ki-hyun simply nodded when told that there wouldn’t be a significant change in the cost of the medicine.

He wasn’t sure whether to feel relieved or saddened by the fact that he didn’t have to pay extra for the medication. Still, he decided to look on the bright side, as it meant things were at least staying stable.

After that, the professor checked a few minor things and left the room. Ki-hyun had a hunch he would probably return again in the afternoon after lunch.

‘I feel like the hospital bill is going to be astronomical…’

Unable to shake his uneasy feeling, Yoon Ki-hyun just fiddled with his phone.

Even while he was hospitalized, Jeong Si-jun continued to report to the Center. This meant he was still participating in gate raids despite not having a Guide.

If it were a wavelength that was easy to guide, like other Espers, it would be one thing, but knowing how finicky he was—to the point where even experienced Guides struggled—Ki-hyun was worried about his wavelength.

Yet, oblivious to others’ concerns, Jeong Si-jun wouldn’t even let him hold his hand properly, which was driving him crazy.

All Yoon Ki-hyun could do was frequently send messages to Jeong Si-jun, prying into his condition.

Is your wavelength really okay?

Jeong Si-jun drew a line, telling him not to worry, but that was easier said than done.

It wasn’t as if he had to guide several people every day like before; he only had to be responsible for one person. The fact that he was currently in the hospital because he failed to manage his own condition was simply horrific to Yoon Ki-hyun.

While he had acted so professional and drawn such a line with Jeong Si-jun, he was the one acting the most pathetic of all.

He had rushed out during work hours to visit a charnel Read on Read BL Novelsvisit our siteEND: Read on Read BL Novels -->house just because he had a few trivial dreams in a row. He had ignored cold symptoms until they turned into pneumonia, wasting half a month entirely.

Jeong Si-jun:

I’m fine because of the guiding you’ve given me so far.

By the way, how is your body feeling?

Since he was likely not yet in a gate raid, the reply was fast. Yoon Ki-hyun stared at Jeong Si-jun’s response for a moment before moving his fingers.

They say I’m okay. They mentioned that if things go well, I might be able to be discharged soon.

To keep the hospital bill as low as possible, the sooner the discharge, the better.

Yoon Ki-hyun knew better than anyone the terror of premium room charges at a university hospital. After all, all the debt he had to pay off had originated from university hospital bills.

Jeong Si-jun:

That’s a relief. I’ll stop by after work. Is there anything you want to eat?

Jeong Si-jun brought up the visit as if it were the most natural thing in the world. He was already uncomfortable enough that the man was paying his hospital bills; he wanted to decline daily visits. However, given the circumstances, he couldn’t easily refuse.

Nothing. You don’t have to come if you’re tired. My fever is down and I’m fine, so why a visit?

Unable to bring himself to say “don’t come,” he sent a vague reply. In response, Jeong Si-jun sent a single grinning emoticon, and then there were no more replies.

‘What’s this? Is he busy?’

While lying blankly on the bed after putting his phone down to wait for a reply, he heard the notification sound of a message arriving.

He quickly checked the phone, but the sender of the message on the screen was not Jeong Si-jun.

Team Leader Seo Yi-kyung:

Ki-hyun, I heard you were hospitalized. Are you feeling alright?

It was a message from Team Leader Seo Yi-kyung, though he didn’t know where she had heard the news. [Read on Read BL Novels]on Read BL Novels -->Still, he was grateful for the concern, so Yoon Ki-hyun replied that he was okay.

Team Leader Seo Yi-kyung:

Could you tell me which hospital it is? I’d like to stop by for a visit if I’m passing nearby.

A visit…

He had visited hospitals many times, but this was his first time being the one admitted, so the act of receiving a visit felt awkward. Being in the position of the patient made it feel quite uncomfortable.

Team Leader Seo Yi-kyung:

If it’s inconvenient, I’ll come next time. I just got worried when I heard you were hospitalized.

When the reply was slightly delayed, Seo Yi-kyung sent an additional message as if stepping back. It was certainly a different kind of consideration than Jeong Si-jun’s.

Should he call it being more adult-like?

The rudeness he had felt during the somewhat hasty proposal for Read on Read BL Novelsstyle="position:absolute;left:-9999px;font-size:0;">[stolen unauthorized copycontent]a personal Guide was gradually fading over time. It was thanks to the messages they exchanged while maintaining a proper distance.

‘Still, she said she’d visit because she was thinking of me, should I tell her to come…?’

Spending the last few days alone in a single room had become a bit tedious, and it felt wrong to reject someone who was worried and wanted to visit.

Yoon Ki-hyun gave her the room information but added that there was no need to buy anything. The room was already overflowing with fruits and drinks that Jeong Si-jun had bought.

Team Leader Seo Yi-kyung:

It’s not polite to visit empty-handed…

Team Leader Seo Yi-kyung seemed to ponder for a moment, then replied that she would follow the patient’s wishes and stop by briefly in the afternoon.

As he lay there blankly waiting for Jeong Si-jun’s reply, it was suddenly the time Seo Yi-kyung was scheduled to visit. It was just as Yoon Ki-hyun, who had moved from the bed to the sofa while dragging his IV pole, was looking at his phone.

With a polite knock, Seo Yi-kyung, dressed in civilian clothes, peeked her head inside.

“Ki-hyun.”

“Please, come in.”

Yoon Ki-hyun stood up from the sofa and gestured to the side. Seo Yi-kyung carefully closed the hospital door and strode toward him.

“Your face has shrunk to half its size.”

“Isn’t that a bit of an exaggeration?”

When Yoon Ki-hyun replied with a dubious expression, Seo Yi-kyung answered with a look of mock seriousness.

“No, it’s not. You look completely sick. Where does it hurt? Is it because of this, after all?”

Seo Yi-kyung lightly tapped the nape of Yoon Ki-hyun’s exposed neck with her index finger. This hospitalization wasn’t due to the issue of the awakened body, where she had sensed something leaking out through his ability.

“No. They just said a cold got worse and turned into pneumonia.”

“Hmm.”

Seo Yi-kyung’s expression became even more serious. Her concern was so evident that his palms felt strangely itchy. Jeong Si-jun had also worried about him deeply, but the atmosphere was slightly different from Seo Yi-kyung’s.

“And you’re getting better now?”

“Yes. The progress is good, and the professor who usually treats me visits often, so it’s fine.”

“Well, that’s a relief then.”

Seo Yi-kyung glanced at the softly answering Yoon Ki-hyun and scanned the room. She had noticed it upon entering, but this floor consisted only of VIP wards.

“Everyone at the Center was very worried since you haven’t been seen for a few days.”

“Really?”

“I even heard some nonsense, like whether you’re not coming in because Team Leader Jeong Si-jun is bullying you.”

Even though he knew it was just trivial, idle talk, he felt a strange sense of rebellion. Wasn’t unauthorized copyvisit our site-->END: unauthorized copy -->it the people whispering behind his back who were the ones bullying, not Jeong Si-jun?

As Yoon Ki-hyun’s expression soured, Seo Yi-kyung smoothly added,

“I, for one, figured Team Leader Jeong Si-jun would treat you well.”

“…Yes, well. Please treat me well, Team Leader Jeong. Seriously.”

“Ah, by the way.”

To change the mood, Seo Yi-kyung straightened her upper body and smiled brightly.

“I heard an S-class Guide will be assigned to the headquarters soon. So everyone seems to be anticipating it.”

“…Oh, that’s good news.”

Yoon Ki-hyun blinked for a moment before replying belatedly.

S-class Guide. For a second, he thought he had misheard the words.

“Maybe that’s why the Head of the Guide Department has been looking so cheerful lately. He was smiling so much, worrying about which team to assign them to.”

Seo Yi-kyung’s languid continuation of the conversation didn’t register in his head at all.

‘If an S-class Guide is assigned to the Center…’

Suddenly, his mind became a mess.

Wouldn’t it be more beneficial for Jeong Si-jun to receive stable guiding from a Center-affiliated S-class Guide than to hire an A-class Guide who spends their own money and is constantly sickly?

‘If I were him, I’d rather receive guiding from an S-class Guide than spend my own money on a Guide like me.’

The moment that thought occurred, he felt as if the ground beneath his feet were suddenly collapsing.