CH 35

In fact, he had something to say to Go Woo-jin. Before he left, he talked about the matter that he hadn’t been able to deliver because he had been looking for him all day yesterday but hadn’t met him.

“You’re going to report it, right? That I’m a multi-guide.”

He recalled the first day he was locked up in the dorm.

‘I need guiding.’

That night according to what he said. It was Kim Geun-won who came. Whether the matching rate was as high as Jeong Noah’s or not, Kim Geun-won had difficulty stabilizing Seon Jae-chan despite being an A-class Guide. Only after the amplifier was connected was the efficiency in comparison to time able to stabilize the chaotic energy.

From Jeong Noah to Kim Geun-won and Go Woo-jin. It was embarrassing that the secret had already been known to three people, but it was inevitable.

Fortunately, Jeong Noah had kept his mouth shut, and Kim Geun-won was infinitely lenient only to those he accepted into his line. Kim Geun-won will continue to pretend not to know, just as he was guiding without asking any questions.

In other words, the problem was only Go Woo-jin.

“…”

Look at that. He doesn’t deny it.

He’d been so focused on Director Yoon these past few days that he hadn’t bothered to pay attention to the sidelines. Go Woo-jin was a guy who always obeyed the law. He must have intended to report him to the Esper Authority soon.

“Let’s make a deal.”

How to stop it, Seon Jae-chan had been contemplating for a long time while he was confined.

“You pretend you don’t know about it, and instead I’ll introduce you to a good guide.”

Go Woo-jin’s eyebrows narrowed at the sudden remark. Seon Jae-chan said, hoping that his voice would be heard convincingly.

“A really good guide. I guess the matching rate with you… About 92%?”

A smile came out. To Go Woo-jin, the matching rate of 92% would sound absurd. In fact, the reaction that came back did not seem to be very satisfactory. Looking up at his eyes that were as cold as frost, Jae-chan proposed without losing his smile.

“But I can’t do it right away. I have to go to find out the candidates I guess. Give me some time.”

“Until when?”

Go Woo-jin asked. The reason why he turned into the overly fanciful proposal was that Seon Jae-chan rarely said anything nonsense.

“Half a year. I will bring a guide with a higher matching rate than me.”

He said it with Nam Hae-sol in mind. It was a ridiculous idea, but it made the most sense, and it was a safeguard for himself in case he ended up interfering with their meeting.

“…”

“You have nothing to lose. Whether you report now or half a year later, it’s the same thing.”

Go Woo-jin looked at Seon Jae-chan questioningly as he shrugged his shoulders. Jae-chan was right. Besides, even if Woo-jin reports it according to the principles, the probability that that guy will be properly punished was low. Jae-chan would probably slip away like a loach with the family power behind him.

With that in mind, accepting the offer wasn’t bad either. Moreover, Woo-jin wondered if Seon Jae-chan would really come looking for a guide.

If he really brings a guide…

What does that mean?

Woo-jin’s eyes darkened as he looked at him, and Seon Jae-chan’s throat went dry for no apparent reason. Jae-chan nervously rubbed his fingertips together to conceal the dryness in his throat before turning his gaze to his cell phone on his lap.

It just happened to be completely on. His eyes pretending to be calm stared at the loading screen. At the same time, his eyes froze.

“…”

Along with an old-fashioned melody, an announcement saying, “The ferry departing for District 4 will arrive soon” was played, but Seon Jae-chan did not move. Amidst the commotion of people packing their luggage, he remained silent.

It was natural for Go Woo-jin, who was observing him intently, to look at the same screen. Soon, his eyes widened at once.

[463 missed calls

– Seon Eun-soo]

In the last ten days. There was a trace of missed calls left by Seon Jae-chan’s older brother, Esper Seon Eun-soo.

He frowned judgmentally.

***

District 1 Central Management Headquarters Emergency Guiding Center.

– The postponed 30th anniversary of the inauguration of the President is finally approaching tomorrow. As usual, it will be held at the Arc de Triomphe in front of the Capitol. It is news that a lot of people are already gathering in District 1 to celebrate.

Seon Jae-chan, sitting in the guide lounge, was watching the news as he was leaving Mentosa Island’s North Port. It had only been one day since they had left the island.

Next to his long, comfortably stretched legs was a shopping bag with octopus pictures. It was a bag containing an octopus bread gift set purchased at the District 4 port.

– Kyaa, I really didn’t know you were going to buy it!

He was waiting for Park Yu-ram. When he called to give her the bread bag, it was half an hour before he heard back that the emergency center was on duty. When will it end? He was getting a little tired of watching the boring news. It was a time when he was passively listening to the announcer’s voice at the press desk.

“-Jae-chan!”

Park Yu-ram entered through the open door. She approached him while wearing angled glasses and waving her ponytail hair again today. She grabbed Seon Jae-chan’s elbow and stopped in her tracks.

“Help my friend. An asshole has been clinging to her. He’s an Esper who didn’t even get a probationary ticket, but he’s a total jerk!”

The emergency guiding center in the afternoon was empty. Only one emergency bed was filled. Seeing the guides on duty glancing anxiously in that direction, Jae-chan thought it was over there.

Indeed, a female guide from Team 9, the same as Yu-ram, was caught by an Esper. You can tell what kind of situation they are in just by looking at the troubled guide and the smirking Esper. Seon Jae-chan approached with a forced smile that was about to turn stern on the corner of his mouth.

“Hello.”

“Huh? What is it?”

The man who had been lying on the bed with a big smile looked back annoyed. However, the truth showed an unexpected behavior. After looking at Seon Jae-chan for a while, he gently let go of the guide’s hand that he was forcibly holding on to.

The man was undoubtedly an asshole, but it was a moderate asshole.

While looking suspiciously, Yu-ram’s friend backed away as if playing a game. Jae-chan pulled a stool and sat down instead of her. When he checked the number of wavelengths displayed on the monitor, it was stable. It seemed to be a common type of Esper, the kind that clings to a Guide even when they’re feeling fine.

Jae-chan took out his phone and checked the matching rate and name on the app.

[Heo Moon-gi (Esper C)]

It was just when Jae-chan thought the name stuck on the screen was strangely familiar.

“Do you know that there is a story in your eyes?”

“…?”

“You have become prettier as well.”

The Esper, who hadn’t taken his gaze away from him, said something that sounded as if he was familiar with him. And a cheap flirting remark that threw his hopes for a reasonable explanation into the trash.

Seon Jae-chan, who had kept his silence, only raised his lips and smiled.

“It’s an old-fashioned comment.”

“You’re Esper Go Woo-jin’s pair guide. Right?”

The man stretched out his hand despite the taunts. Jae-chan remained expressionless as the man wrapped his hand around his.

“I was surprised then. I never thought I would be guided by Esper Go Woo-jin’s pair guide!”

The man’s rough thumb stroked the back of Jae-chan’s hand gently. Slowly, Jae-chan remembered. It was most likely the first time he met Go Woo-jin after regressing. He had provided emergency guidance to this person who had been brought to the probation team. He also remembered the man attempting to hug him after regaining consciousness.

At the time, Jae-chan assumed it was just Esper’s unconscious instinct, but looking at it now, it seemed to be a deliberate act.

“You look very young. How did you get to be in charge of S-class? How far do you have skinship with Go Woo-jin Esper?”

He clicked his tongue and shook off the asshole’s hand. Espers who demanded too much contact under the guise of guiding were like weeds that sprouted back no matter how much they were removed.

“Bang!”

The distraught Esper collapsed into bed. What kind of guide is so strong… A ragged breath escaped his mouth. Of course, he could have held on with all his might, but it would have been embarrassing for him to be seen having a hard time against the guide.

“…Haha. You have a wild charm.”

Heo Moon-gi once again feigned composure with an old-fashioned comment.

“Looking at your knife-like attitude, Go Woo-jin’s esper looks like an amateur in a relationship. Don’t worry. I’m not like that.”

“Ah, what the hell are you saying.”

Annoyance erupted from Seon Jae-chan’s mouth, who couldn’t stand it any longer at the bullshit.

“…What?”

After being diagnosed as an Esper three months ago, Heo Moon-gi’s face was distorted by the harsh words (?) he had never heard before.

He took a deep breath as he tried to pounce on the handsome guide who seemed to be a bit strong. He was a gentleman. With his anger barely contained, he pulled out a trick that would make a less worldly-minded child hang his head in shame.

“Hey, in case you didn’t know, I’m Heo Moon-gi, Esper Heo Gyu-sik’s son, who became the team leader of Esper Bureau 4 this time. Do you think you became an S-class Esper just because you are guiding an S-class Esper?”

Hearing the sarcastic voice, Seon Jae-chan realized why Park Yoo-ram asked him for help instead of others male Guides. Jae-chan half-imitated Heo Moon-gi’s tone and said.