BCGWR Chapter 16 Part 1

Broken Jar 4

Han Ji-su, who had been crying for days recently, was now fine.

His chest didn’t ache so much that he felt the urge to rip out his heart, nor did he want to sob like a child, calling Kang Jae-yoon’s name.

The immense sadness had completely evaporated, replaced by small but positive thoughts. Mainly, many tasks he had to do with Toto or those around him floated up like balloons, feeling as peaceful as sitting in a forest and listening to birdsong.

A positive feeling, as if everything would be okay, dominated his brain.

They say those who reach the limits of sadness desire such mental conditioning like a drug, but tragically, in Han Ji-su’s case, this tranquility was horribly unwelcome.

“For the time being, self-regulation will be difficult. I’ll prescribe medication to block Guiding for about two weeks, but you can stop taking it anytime if you find you can regulate yourself in between.”

“Yes.”

“And your request to remove the skill will be difficult right now. It might be inconvenient, but let’s maintain it as is.”

“……”

After completing his discharge procedures, Ji-su, accompanied by Kim Hyun-ah, who had volunteered as his guardian for what was disguised as a final consultation, nodded along to Professor Choi Seong-hun’s words, then paused.

Even without a response from the patient, Professor Choi Seong-hun calmly typed on his keyboard, sending the prescription. Then he looked away from the monitor, met Han Ji-su’s eyes, and slowly began to speak.

“If we remove the skill immediately, it will have a counterproductive effect.”

“……”

“The skill I used on you isn’t permanent. The conditioning will gradually fade each day and usually disappears within ten to fifteen days.”

“…I feel stifled.”

“Yes, I understand that.”

“I want to think, but I can’t… I don’t feel good either.”

“I know. But your brain also needs time to cool down. Patient Han Ji-su is in a situation where he absolutely must rest.”

“……”

Kim Hyun-ah, seeing Ji-su, who habitually always smiled in front of others, rarely failing to hide his displeasure, silently looked back and forth between the two. Professor Choi Seong-hun, across from them, nodded as if he understood everything.

“You’ve probably heard this ad nauseam, but for those Awakened as Guides, Brain Overload involves two types of overheating: actual overheating due to the brain being used abnormally excessively, and overheating due to mental stress. And currently, you are experiencing both types of overheating simultaneously.”

“……”

“To explain it simply, your current state is like a carbonated drink that’s been vigorously shaken for several hours. If you open the sealed lid, everything will burst out.”

“……”

“Outwardly, you might seem fine. Because the lid hasn’t been opened yet. But we don’t know what might happen the moment the lid is opened without any preparation. That’s why we’ve taken measures to let it slowly settle over time.”

“……”

“You just need to endure cooling your head for up to fifteen days, Guide Han Ji-su. You’ll be able to return to your original state later.”

“…So I have to live in this conditioned state for fifteen days?”

“I am confident that this is the best course of action for now. One thing is certain: by then, you’ll be in much better condition, able to think, miss, cry, and laugh to your heart’s content. So, for the time being, just think of it as rest.”

In short, it meant that if he didn’t want to experience a Guide rampage, which was undoubtedly real despite no confirmed cases, he should simply comply. Han Ji-su, who had intended to argue a little, could only nod silently without further objection.

In this field, Professor Choi Seong-hun was known for being inflexible. However, his stubbornness was entirely for the sake of his patients, and thanks to it, he was also a highly respected individual.

It wasn’t someone he could argue with, no matter how much he resisted.

Perhaps judging that Han Ji-su had understood, he continued his explanation.

“I’ll also prescribe medication, but it will make you very drowsy. So take it right before you go to bed.”

“…Yes.”

“Then, I’ll see you in two weeks.”

“…Yes.”

“Thank you, Professor. We will visit again with Guide Han Ji-su in two weeks.”

Kim Hyun-ah, who had bowed politely, gently patted the dispirited Han Ji-su and helped him up.

Before leaving the consultation room, Han Ji-su used a transformation item to change back into his female form, and Toto transformed into a long-tailed tit, quietly settling into Ji-su’s pocket.

Kim Hyun-ah also used an item to appear as a man in his early to mid-thirties while escorting Han Ji-su, causing whispers like, “Looks like an Awakened, doesn’t he?” or “He must have used a transformation item. Who could it be?”

Completely ignoring the surrounding chatter, Kim Hyun-ah collected Han Ji-su’s prescription from the Awakened-specialized pharmacy within the university hospital.

“Please take the medication right before you go to sleep, and it’s best to have someone around who can confirm you’ve taken it properly. Many patients sometimes refuse or discard their medication. You must ensure they swallow it correctly. Skipping a dose can lead to bigger problems.”

“Yes. I understand.”

The pharmacist explained the same precautions twice, and Kim Hyun-ah listened diligently to everything, even what she already knew. After receiving the medication, she led Han Ji-su, who was sitting blankly on a bench right outside the pharmacy, toward the parking lot.

Pushing Han Ji-su into the passenger seat of the darkly tinted SUV, Kim Hyun-ah got into the driver’s seat, started the engine, but didn’t immediately drive off. Instead, she turned her head towards Ji-su.

“Is there anything you need to get from home?”

“…No.”

“Then, we’re going straight to the Guild?”

“Yeah.”

“Peep-!”

Toto, who had been quiet all this time, poked his head out of Ji-su’s pocket and answered along. Kim Hyun-ah gently stroked Toto’s protruding head before gripping the steering wheel.

Han Ji-su, who had unexpectedly found himself with one of the only five SS-rank Espers in the world, and one of only two in Korea, as his personal driver, chuckled at his own reflection and Kim Hyun-ah’s in the car window and asked.