Jae-woo staggered as the truth hit him. It felt like Minho had just punched him in the gut, leaving him breathless and dazed. He blinked at Minho, struggling to wrap his mind around what he'd just heard.

"You... you used your abilities... to draw all the attacks towards me?" Jae-woo asked, trying to grasp the reality of the situation. The words sounded bizarre even to him, like something out of a bad comic book.

He stared at Minho, searching for a hint of remorse, but all he got was that same calm, composed look. It was like Minho was calmly sipping tea while the world burned.

But then it dawned on Jae-woo. If Minho had been redirecting all the attacks at him, then it didn't explain why Minho was getting hurt. Jae-woo had only been the target for a few days at the start; after that, the attacks on him had almost stopped.

And then it hit him like a lightning bolt: Minho must have redirected all the attacks onto himself after that night when he shed a tear and apologized while Jae-woo pretended to be asleep.

Minhoo had once again redirected all the attacks from Jae-woo towards...

... himself.

Pieces came together in a horrifying realization. Jae-woo slowly looked at Minho, his gaze filled with shock and disbelief.

"You..." he whispered, fear and anger mixing in his voice, "You... you've taken on all the attacks yourself. Since that night, you've taken on everything."

"Seriously?" Jae-woo repeated, more to himself than to the white-haired man. "So, you've been taking all the hits. That's just... great."

Minhoo didn't say anything, but didn't refuse either. He leaned against the rock tiredly, blood slowly soaking his shirt as he looked at Jae-woo through his half-unfocused eyes.

But his silence also meant as a yes.

Jae-woo's fists clenched. A storm of anger, disbelief, and worry raged inside him. "Why... why would you do this?" he demanded, his voice shaking with raw emotion.

His mind raced, piecing together the enormity of Minho's sacrifice. He thought back to all the attacks, the relentless assault he had endured. He'd assumed his mental defenses had improved or the dungeon had grown bored with him. But no, Minho had been bearing the brunt of it all.

Jae-woo, after months of being with Minho, had begun to understand his logical, efficiency-driven mindset. Initially, Minho had targeted Jae-woo because he was the most capable of handling the psychological assaults. But seeing Jae-woo's mental state deteriorate, Minho had shifted the attacks onto himself. For once, Minho had chosen empathy over efficiency, feeling guilty for the pain he had caused.

Jae-woo was torn. Everything Minho did felt both right and profoundly wrong.

His mind swirled with conflicting thoughts. On one hand, he was angry at Minho for his reckless self-sacrifice, forcing him to relive past traumas. On the other, he couldn't deny the pang of something else—something deeper and more complex.

He gritted his teeth, his voice trembling with frustration. "There's got to be another way. Stop being so damn heroic. I can take a few hits."

Minhoo muttered weakly from his spot slumped against the rock, "I don't want you to keep reliving your own trauma." He glanced away, clearly regretting that he'd channeled all the attacks toward Jae-woo in the early stages of their raid.

It was the first time Minhoo's words didn't sound like he'd just read them from a manual on rational thinking. It was all raw emotion this time. Deep down, Minhoo knew that, if he'd stayed logical, targeting Jae-woo was probably the right call.

Jae-woo was at his wit's end. He let out a frustrated, sarcastic scoff. "You really are a damn fool," he muttered under his breath, trying to keep his cool.

He crouched down beside Minhoo, the sight of the usually composed and logical Minhoo, now just a crumpled mess, shook Jae-woo more than he cared to admit.

As he watched Minhoo, Jae-woo struggled to find the right words, caught up in his own storm of mixed emotions.

In this mess, it was either everyone in the raid took the dungeon's attacks, or it fell on Jae-woo or Minhoo. Logically, Jae-woo was the best choice for taking the hits, given his strong mental defenses. But Minhoo, overwhelmed with guilt, ended up taking the brunt of it himself.

Jae-woo's mind wandered back to the early part of the raid when he had absorbed all the attacks, which he initially thought was just a series of unfortunate coincidences.

"What am I gonna do with you, huh?" he finally managed to say, his voice dropping to a softer, almost pained murmur.

He reached out, gently tilting Minhoo's chin so they were eye to eye. He searched Minhoo's deep blue eyes for some explanation, a hint of why he had changed so drastically.

Minhoo said nothing, simply meeting Jae-woo's gaze with a calm but unfocused look.

Jae-woo was at a loss. The fact that Minhoo had secretly and deliberately made him the target for all the attacks was bad enough, forcing him to relive his trauma. And while Jae-woo was indeed better equipped to handle psychological assaults, Minhoo taking everything on himself out of guilt wasn't much better. His current weakened state was proof that Minhoo didn't have the same mental resilience.

Without waiting for a response, Jae-woo sat down beside him, frustration and helplessness bubbling to the surface. "You don't have to do this, you know?" He ran a hand through his hair, letting out a deep sigh. "We're a team. We're supposed to protect each other."

"If you had just told me the plan..." Jae-woo whispered, his voice trailing off.

Minhoo looked at him, tilting his head slightly. "You wouldn't have agreed," he said matter-of-factly, though there was a hint of breathlessness in his tone.

Jae-woo's jaw tightened, anger and resentment boiling over. "You're right, I wouldn't have agreed," he snapped. "I would have refused, refused to put myself through that again. But you took away my choice. You manipulated me, you threatened me, all because you thought you knew what was best for everyone."

Jae-woo ran a hand through his disheveled hair, the memories of his traumatic past crashing over him like a tidal wave he couldn't escape.

Minhoo remained silent, not bothering to deny the truth of what Jae-woo was saying. He knew it was all too accurate.

Jae-woo's words spilled out in a tumult of anger and anguish. "You forced me into this. You dragged me back into reliving the worst moments of my life. You knew it would hurt me, but you did it anyway, all for the sake of some twisted sense of efficiency. You never stopped to consider how it would impact me, how it would rip open old wounds I've been trying to heal. To you, I was just a tool, a pawn in your game."

The pain in Jae-woo's eyes was almost palpable. He'd thought he was making progress, moving past his trauma, but Minhoo's actions had torn off the thin scab that had formed, leaving his wounds raw and bleeding once more.

His eyes blazed with fierce emotion as he continued, "And now look at you. You're drained and weak because you took on the attacks meant for me. You're sacrificing yourself for the team, just like always, without ever thinking about yourself first."

He let out a bitter laugh, a mix of anger and resignation. "But this time, you can't just brush off my feelings as an overreaction, can you? Because now you're facing the fallout of your own decisions."

Jae-woo's frustration grew as he kept speaking, "You always claim to be making logical choices, doing what's best for the mission. But you never consider the collateral damage. You push people away, manipulate them, sacrifice them in the name of efficiency. But what about the people on the receiving end of your decisions?"

His voice shook with both anger and pain, the depth of his hurt laid bare. "What about me, Minhoo? When do you ever think about my feelings in your plans? When do I get a say in what happens to me?"

Jae-woo's mind was a mess of conflicting emotions. He was still fuming over Minhoo's decision to take all the attacks on himself. It wasn't just that Minhoo had forced him to relive his worst nightmares. It was the sheer audacity of the move, wrapped in a layer of guilt that Jae-woo could hardly ignore.

The more Jae-woo thought about it, the angrier he got. But buried under that anger was something else—something more complicated that he didn't want to admit. Minhoo, who usually seemed so calculating and indifferent, had shown a rare moment of vulnerability. He'd taken the attacks to spare Jae-woo from further pain, driven by a sense of guilt and empathy that Jae-woo hadn't expected.

Jae-woo tried to push these feelings away, clinging to his rage like a lifeline. But the more he wrestled with it, the clearer it became that there was something deeper at play. The memories of their past together—those moments when Minhoo had shown a rare flicker of kindness—kept creeping into his mind. It was too much to handle all at once.

He tried to focus on the mission, to push aside the emotions swirling in his head, but it was like trying to ignore a storm. His frustration mounted as he glanced over at Minhoo, who was now slumped against the rock, looking utterly spent. Despite everything, Jae-woo couldn't help but feel a twinge of concern for the man who had taken on so much for his sake.

"Damnit, Minhoo," Jae-woo muttered, his voice tight with frustration. "Why do you have to make everything so damn complicated? Why can't I just hate you and be done with it?"

Minhoo didn't respond, too exhausted to do anything but close his eyes and try to regain some of his strength. His silence was maddening.

Deep down, Jae-woo knew he could see Minhoo's side of things, though it was hard to admit. Minhoo's decisions, while harsh, had a purpose. If the Banshee exploded, it would be catastrophic. In Minhoo's mind, sacrificing a few for the greater good was a no-brainer. He was carrying the burden of guilt, willing to face the fallout from his choices.

As much as Jae-woo wanted to stay mad, he couldn't help but feel a grudging respect for Minhoo's dedication to the cause. It was a twisted logic, but it had worked. Yet, it still stung like a betrayal.

Jae-woo looked at Minhoo, taking in the man's weary, pain-filled expression. Minhoo was breathing heavily, every breath a reminder of the price he was paying for his choices. It was the same old story: Minhoo always taking everything on himself, as if he was the only one who could handle it.

"Damnit, Minhoo, and your ridiculously noble sacrifices," Jae-woo said, his voice dripping with frustration. "Why do you always have to do everything by yourself? Can't you just let us handle some of it?"

The moment he said it, a wave of helplessness hit him. He wanted to stay angry, to hold on to that rage, but it was hard when Minhoo was clearly suffering to protect him from more pain.

Jae-woo's mind wandered back over the past few months—the late-night talks, the little acts of kindness, the rare moments when Minhoo had let his guard down. Despite his efforts to stay mad, it was clear he cared, probably more than he wanted to admit.

"You're an idiot," he said again, but this time his voice was softer. "You shouldn't have to carry all this by yourself."

Minhoo didn't respond, but Jae-woo saw the exhaustion etched into every line of his face.

"Promise me something, Minhoo," Jae-woo said, his voice tight with emotion. "Promise me you won't make these decisions on your own again. Talk to me first."

Minhoo shook his head slowly, still leaning against the rock. "No," he whispered, barely able to speak. "There wouldn't be a me left. I'm already dying."

He sank to the ground, blood seeping from his mouth. The relentless attacks had pushed him to the edge, and he was still bearing the brunt of them, slowly killing himself in the process.

Jae-woo felt like he'd been hit with a sledgehammer. He stared at Minhoo, realization dawning on him with crushing force. The man he thought was manipulating him, making him suffer to join the raid, was actually sacrificing himself to keep Jae-woo from losing his mind.

"No," he said, the word barely escaping his lips. He shook his head, struggling to process the reality of what he was seeing.

"No, you can't... you just can't do this," he choked out, his voice rough with emotion.

Dropping to his knees beside Minhoo, Jae-woo's hands hovered awkwardly, unsure of how to help. Every part of him wanted to reach out, to pull Minhoo close, to stop him from pushing himself to the brink.

"You can't just die on me," Jae-woo said, his voice trembling. "I can't... I can't lose you like this, not after everything."

He was caught in a storm of emotions. Part of him was furious at Minhoo for not being honest sooner, for pushing himself to the edge. But a bigger part of him was just devastated.

He reached out, brushing his fingers against Minhoo's cold cheek. He was still breathing, but just barely.

"Damn it, Minhoo," Jae-woo said, his voice cracking. "You're the smartest guy I know. And yet, you pull the dumbest stunts."

Minhoo let out a quiet chuckle, trying to lean into Jae-woo's hand. "I love you," he whispered, his gaze fixed on Jae-woo.

Those three words hit Jae-woo harder than any physical blow could have. The fact that Minhoo was willingly sacrificing himself for him made it impossible to hold back his emotions. He clenched his jaw, struggling to keep the tears at bay, the urge to be angry clashing with a deep, raw vulnerability.

"Don't... don't you dare say that now," he said, his voice cracking with the effort to keep his composure. He was falling apart, and he knew Minhoo could see it. His voice broke, and he shut his eyes briefly to avoid looking at Minhoo.

"You don't get to say that now, not when... not when you're dying. You can't just drop that on me like it's nothing." He raised a hand to his face, rubbing his eyes fiercely in a futile attempt to hold back the tears.

Minhoo, with what little strength he had left, pulled Jae-woo into his arms. "Shh... Don't cry," he whispered. "Don't cry for someone like me."

For a moment, Jae-woo struggled against the familiar surge of pride and anger. But once Minhoo's arms were around him, he crumbled, the fight draining away like it was never there.

He leaned into Minhoo, his body shaking with silent sobs. He wanted to tell him to be quiet, to call him an idiot again. But all that escaped him was a broken whisper. "Why can't I?"

"Why?" he demanded, his voice cracking. "Why shouldn't I cry for you, huh?"

"You idiot," he choked out, burying his face in Minhoo's shoulder. "You complete and total idiot. What am I supposed to do without you? What's the point of saving the world if I'm going to lose you in the process?"

His body shook, the emotions he had long buried finally surfacing. He clutched at Minhoo, his fingers digging into the man's shoulders.

"You... you can't die," he repeated, his voice almost a sob. "You can't just... leave me like this. Not when... not when I... damnit, I can't lose you too, I can't..."

His voice trailed off, replaced by the sound of his labored breathing. He was fighting a losing battle, struggling to keep his emotions in check.

"Please," he finally whispered, the word choked with despair. He lifted his head, meeting Minhoo's gaze with red, watery eyes. "Please don't do this to me. Please don't... don't leave me here alone."

Minhoo looked down, unable to deny the truth of his situation. His body was failing as he paid the price for the collapse of The Banshee. There was no way to stop it now.

Here was how the plan should have worked: In the beginning, Minhoo's plan was to use both himself and Jae-woo as psychic magnets. With their abilities, they would attract the dungeon's attacks and drain its energy, causing the Banshee to collapse under the strain.

At the start of the raid, Minhoo hadn't targeted all the attacks at Jae-woo alone. That was actually a flat-out lie—Yes, he could lie as well; just rarely. The truth was that he had split the attacks between them to ensure they both survived. But when he saw Jae-woo's panic and suffering triggered all over again for days, Minhoo couldn't bear it anymore. So he broke his promise of never leaving Jae-woo, shifting all the attacks onto himself. And now, this was where they ended up.