Chapter 9: The Lee Family’s Pet (9)

　　“How is Doha?”

　　“He’s sleeping. He’s still not eating well.”

　　“And he wakes up often?”

　　“Yes.”

　　“Well, I got some sleeping pills from the center. They said these were extracted from some kind of demon beast, so they should be more effective than regular ones.”

　　“I’ll have him try them tonight.”

　　“Report the results to me immediately.”

　　“Yes, sir.”

　　“Good, good, haha.”

　　At the sudden laughter, Dana raised her head, though she knew President Lee hated her eyes. Befitting his mood, he only offered a magnanimous smile. The reason became clear a moment later.

　　“I heard that bastard from the Park family doesn’t have a compatible Guide either. He collapses all the time like an idiot. Who would have thought it was because he didn’t have one!”

　　Is he really that happy about it? Dana was indifferent. Doha was sick; what did it matter if someone else’s son was suffering?

　　President Lee, who looked ready to break into a dance, smiled broadly and ordered, “Take good care of Doha. By any means necessary, I will find someone compatible for him before that Park bastard finds one for his son.”

　　Dana nodded. She found his petty competitiveness pathetic, but if it meant he would put more effort into helping Doha, then it was a good thing. Though she felt a pang of jealousy toward this unknown Guide, her perspective had shifted.

　　After seeing the President off, Dana returned to Doha’s room. The space, as large as a small gymnasium, contained none of the toys a boy his age might enjoy. It was filled instead with a globe, thick books, exercise equipment, and various mathematical tools she couldn’t name. Amidst it all, Doha lay on the bed, his face pale with illness.

　　I take it back. I take back my wish that he wouldn’t find a Guide.

　　The drug, made from the paralyzing venom of a demon spider, dulled his senses and protected his mind, but it did nothing for his physical health. Rather than see him like this, she would even tolerate another person like Anya.

　　She hated the idea, but she forced herself to accept it. Starting today, she would pray for a compatible Guide to be found. Until now, she had prayed for him to get well even without one, but seeing how things were, that must have been a selfish prayer.

　　As Dana sat down, Doha’s eyes fluttered open.

　　“Oh, are you awake?”

　　“I woke up just now.”

　　“Sorry. I tried to be quiet.”

　　“It’s fine.” Doha wiped his face with his hand. Dana watched his stick-thin fingers with pity.

　　“President Lee was just here.”

　　“Why?”

　　“He said he’ll work hard to find you a Guide.”

　　One corner of Doha’s mouth curled into a sneer. “Looks like the last one had a low compatibility rate, too.”

　　Dana didn’t respond.

　　“They acted so high and mighty, but I guess the center is nothing special after all,” he muttered with a strange cynicism. As an Esper who had never received proper training, he had little faith in the Awakened Center. Besides, he wasn’t the type to trust anything easily. After it was revealed that Anya had known all along she couldn’t give him guiding, he had grown even more distrustful.

　　Only with Dana was he the same as always, as relaxed as one would be with a loyal dog.

　　“Dana Lee.”

　　“Yes.”

　　“Your hand.”

　　Dana looked at his hand lying on the blanket. Having lost his appetite, it was so gaunt it was little more than skin and bone. She was afraid to touch it. “It’ll hurt if I touch you.”

　　“I don’t care.” As she hesitated, Doha whispered languidly, “It’s better than being cold.”

　　He grabbed her hand, finding it with surprising accuracy despite his eyes being closed. Frowning slightly, he opened his eyes, a look of pleasure softening his features. “You’re warm.”

　　Dana remained quiet, feeling the contrast.

　　“If Contaminants could become awakened beings, I would have considered you my Guide long ago.”

　　Dana gently squeezed his cold hand. The normal human body temperature was 97.7 degrees Fahrenheit—a fragile balance where a deviation of even one degree could cause problems.

　　But ever since his re-evaluation, Doha’s temperature hadn’t risen above eighty-six degrees. It was all because of the foolish ritual of soaking his body in ice water every day. She had secretly added boiled water to his bath, but it had never been enough. A wave of gloom washed over her, as if his cold hand was her own fault.

　　“I really wish that were true.”

　　Doha didn’t answer.

　　“If it were…”

　　Dana, who had been muttering to herself, fell silent as Doha’s breathing evened out in sleep.

　　I would never have left your side. Not for a single moment.

　　She would have stayed, instead of the people of the Lee family, who called abuse love, instead of an ineffectual Guide.

　　Dana hated Guides. It wasn’t just because they were as essential to Espers as air and water. She still clearly remembered something Mr. Joo had once said to Anya.

　　“If you’re lucky, you might form an Exclusive Bond with the young master. But with your guiding skills, I doubt it.”

　　An Exclusive Bond. For the awakened, it was a concept equivalent to marriage. Anya must have wanted that with Doha. Since an Exclusive Bond couldn’t be broken unless one of them died, her status would have been guaranteed even if Doha married another woman.

　　Learning this made Dana hate Guides even more. But in her heart of hearts, she desperately wanted that for herself. Sometimes, she would dream.

　　"So, you’re my Guide."

　　She would dream that those words, which she now dismissed as a hallucination, had been real. That she was judged to be a Guide, that her compatibility with Doha was incredibly high, and that even the Lee family acknowledged her and allowed them to form an Exclusive Bond.

　　Like Anya, Dana could never marry Doha—not unless all the Lee family elders suddenly dropped dead. But that wouldn’t have mattered. An adult Doha, in love with her, would simply declare he wouldn’t marry at all.

　　Dana let out a small, bitter laugh. What a childish fantasy.

　　When she woke from the happy dream she never wanted to leave, she would invariably face a pale face with ominous purple eyes. For Dana, morning was a time when happiness and misfortune collided.

　　Contaminants could not become awakened beings. Their genes had been altered by demon beasts, preventing them from awakening the power of the Earth. She couldn’t even take the Resonance Test; being a Contaminant was an immediate disqualification. She’d never even sat in the chair that measured internal energy.

　　Dana barely suppressed the surging desire. I wish it were me. But even if it’s not, I hope his Guide appears soon.

　　She steeled her resolve. She cupped Doha’s cold hand with both of hers. As if feeling the warmth, he smiled in his sleep. Hidden from his view, Dana pressed her cheek to the back of his hand and gazed at his pale face.

　　But please, let her be ugly, with a terrible personality and no money.

　　So that Doha would never fall in love with his Guide.

　　A man would be even better.

　　Perhaps her prayers were answered. A week later, the center delivered the news that they had found a compatible Guide for Doha.

* * *

　　A cold fury boiled in Dana’s mind. Her stomach turned.

　　Of course. The world has never once granted my wish in full.

　　After the Gate appeared in her hometown, she had come to believe the world only half-loved her. It was a blessing that it had sent Doha to save her from that horrific day, but if it was going to save her, why not send him a little earlier? Then she wouldn’t have become a Contaminant. She could have taken the Resonance Test with a healthy body. Perhaps she could have become a Guide and proudly taken her place by his side.

　　But as if her luck had run out simply on her surviving, she awoke a Contaminant. Instead of being acknowledged, she was mistreated, forced to endure suspicious glares at every turn from those who feared she might harm him. How could she not feel wronged when it was all because of what she was?

　　And now, something just as terrible had happened. Doha’s Guide had appeared.

　　According to an excited Director Jeong, she was beautiful, kind, and from a good family. And she was a woman.

　　The world had answered Dana’s prayer. Exactly halfway.

* * *

　　Yeonhwa Hwang. The name was pretty, so Dana looked it up. It meant lotus flower, or a spring landscape. Without seeing the characters, there was no way to know for sure.

　　The phrase ‘Doha’s Guide’ wasn’t entirely accurate. Unlike Anya, the beautifully named Yeonhwa Hwang was not an exclusive Guide.

　　“She’s an A-rank Guide, they say.”

　　That was the first time Dana learned that Guides had ranks. She felt a snake-like anxiety slithering up from the pit of her stomach. It was a terrible premonition.

　　“Really? You mean Yeonhwa Hwang?” she asked, feigning a calm she didn’t feel.

　　“Yeah.” Doha rested his chin on his hand as he gazed out the window.

　　“I see…” Dana replied, her voice tight with nerves. She stole a glance at him, desperate to draw his attention back to her. The words that had been on her mind all day slipped out. “Her name is pretty. What does it mean?”

　　“A spring landscape.” The answer came without hesitation.

　　Dana’s heart sank.