Rhys didn't speak right away. He placed both hands on the polished surface of the dining table and took a deep breath. Not because he was short of breath, but because what he was about to say couldn't be said lightly.
"What happened at the Research Center wasn't normal," he said finally.
Caelan looked up.
"Are you referring to the incident with the Butchers?"
Rhys nodded slowly.
"Yes... but more to what happened with Eun-woo."
"He stopped them, didn't he?" Jae frowned.
"But he didn't touch them," Rhys sighed again. He'd rehearsed the words, but saying them out loud was different. "He didn't use his abilities. He was just… there. Watching them."
"Are you saying someone else killed them?" Caelan asked in disbelief.
"No," Rhys looked down. "The Butchers dropped dead when Eun-woo looked at them, but when that happened… Eun-woo convulsed as if something was tearing him apart from the inside, and then… he looked different, like a different person."
"Are you saying he killed them… without even touching them?" Jae asked, more curious than scared.
"That's what I'm saying," Rhys replied gravely. "But it wasn't what disturbed me most. What unsettled me was his expression. There was no anger. No fear. Just… emptiness."
Caelan swallowed.
"Eun-woo doesn't seem like a violent person," he said. "He's... easy to anger... And now you're saying he can kill with his mind?"
Rhys stood up straight, crossing his arms.
"I just know it wasn't normal, even for an esper, and it wasn't the first time he acted like that."
Jae tilted his head.
"Has he killed before?"
Rhys hesitated. But then he thought it was time; he couldn't keep hiding what he knew any longer.
"Rong Ye told me before he entered the cell," he began in a lower voice. "Apparently, when Eun-woo arrived at the Research Center, some Guides attacked him. They didn't know he was an esper; they just saw a lost child in the facilities and thought they could hurt him, but they didn't count on Eun-woo defending himself… Rong Ye says it was something wild, almost animalistic… There was blood and guts everywhere."
"And we're next, great," Jae mocked.
"I don't think Eun-woo will hurt us. On the contrary, Rong Ye seems to be the one who wants to kill him. And not just him, but us too."
"Rong Ye?" Caelan straightened abruptly. "He wouldn't do that. He's difficult to deal with, yes, but he's not a monster."
"And how do you know that?" Rhys replied harshly.
"I've talked to him," Caelan said, crossing his arms. "He's not as bad as you think."
Rhys watched him closely.
"Do you trust him enough to ensure that he won't put us in danger?"
Caelan pressed his lips together.
Jae intervened before the tension could erupt.
"I like him," he said, shrugging. "He's direct, sometimes brusque, but not violent. I don't think it's fair to keep him tied up in the basement like a rabid dog."
Rhys was about to reply when something interrupted him. A faint creaking sound came from the hallway. Everyone fell silent.
Rhys stood up in a single motion, one hand already on the handle of his weapon. The sound had come from downstairs. He crossed the dining room with silent steps and went out into the hallway, where a light bulb cast flickering shadows on the walls. He descended the stairs cautiously and when he reached the bottom step, he stopped dead.
The basement door was open.
And upon entering, he discovered that Eun-woo was standing there, right in front of Rong Ye.
"What are you doing here?"
"What a surprise, I just told him he shouldn't be here," Rong Ye said mockingly.
Rhys ignored him.
"I want you to release Rong Ye," Eun-woo replied.
"I can't," Rhys said. "He tried to hurt you."
"I remember," Eun-woo replied. "And I remember because I'm still alive. It didn't hurt me."
Rhys closed his eyes for a second.
"He didn't do it because I showed up."
"I hate to agree with Rhys, but he's right," Rong Ye said.
"Shut up. We're not talking to you." Rhys glared at Rong Ye.
"I don't want him in the basement anymore," Eun-woo insisted. "He's not an enemy. He's just… broken. Like me."
"We could leave him in the east wing room." Jae appeared behind Rhys. "It's barred. He couldn't escape without us noticing."
"I could keep an eye on him," Caelan added immediately.
Rhys massaged his temple, no longer surprised by Caelan and Jae's eavesdropping, but it was still annoying.
He turned his gaze to Rong Ye, still motionless in the corner where the darkness made him almost a silhouette. Rong Ye was rude, downright cruel, but he hadn't seen him hurt anyone. On the contrary, he had seen him endure the ridicule of the Center's technicians, the sideways glances, the veiled comments that tried to reduce him to less than human.
And Rong Ye had never responded.
Never with violence, at least.
If Rong Ye really were a threat, he would have already exploded. And if he ever became one… he was strong enough to stop him.
Rhys exhaled slowly.
"Okay," he finally said. "I'll bring him up. But only if Caelan keeps an eye on him. And if you," he looked at Eun-woo, "stay away from him."
Eun-woo nodded.
"Great!" Caelan approached Rong Ye happily. "Don't worry, I'll look after you."
"Forget it, I want to stay in the basement." Rong Ye rolled his eyes.
"Do you really want to stay in the damp, rat-infested basement?" Jae asked.
"Rats?" Rong Ye's eyes widened.
"Yes, huge rats."
"Okay, I'll go with you." Rong Ye sighed.
As everyone started up the stairs, Rhys was last. He looked at Eun-woo for a moment, and then a pang shot through his stomach.
It wasn't a concern.
It was jealousy.
He didn't like watching Eun-woo defend Rong Ye.
At that moment, Rhys realized he wasn't just trying to protect Eun-woo from Rong Ye—he also wanted to keep him away so he wouldn't fall in love with him.