Chapter 9

-You should have come a little earlier. Look at you, I called a woman just in time.

The roommate, who was still gasping for air, nervously drew the blanket down. His breathing was rough, revealing his flushed red face.

“And I don’t like men.”

Jae-chan said as he looked back on the past. He remembered his sexual preference, who yearned for only Go Woo-jin and eventually had a one-night stand with anyone who resembled Go Woo-jin out of loneliness.

“It didn’t work out even if I slept with him.”

Of course, he had previously slept with a man. Men were more likely than women to resemble Go Woo-jin. However, once he rolled into a hotel or motel on the spur of the moment, the excitement subsided. He was thirsty for Go Woo-jin and mingled his body with the first person he met, but he was so frustrated that he barely tried petting.

“What, fuck, something like a rag… !”

“Who was it that told me I’m like a rag when he was gasping in a shared room. You’re the one who likes to screw around. You’ll get an STD.”

Fucking bastard! The roommate who shouted as if communication is impossible without cursing stretched out his hand. He was about to take Jae-chan phone.

It had to be because he hated leaving the room. Jae-chan simply raised his hand to avoid the attempt.

“There is no point in taking the phone. I’ve already sent it to several people. If something happens to me, it will be used as evidence.”

The bright red eyes staring back at him were quite frightening. Jae-chan gave the guy who was huffing and puffing one last notice with his index finger.

“I think the probability of using the audio material is the same as the probability of you picking a fight with me. Whatever you do, I will pay you back the same.”

The foal was a genuine foal. He appeared to have regained his energy and abruptly ran out of the room. He even packed the pants that were scattered on the floor.

Bang! The door closed behind the commotion. Jae-chan sighed. His roommate will not consider setting things up behind him because he expresses disgust and anger easily. Because it’s happened before. They were about to part anyway after a while.

It was time to send the recorded material to a few people just in case something went wrong. Jae-chan discovered a text message from about 5 minutes ago.

[From: ★ Lim Jeong-wook, Team Leader (Guide Team 5)★

Jae-chan~ It’s been a while. You left a phone call^^

I didn’t get it because I was in the middle of guiding^^ ]

After looking at the contact name for a while, Jae-chan called.

“Hello, Team Leader. Are you okay on the phone?”

– Jae-chan-ssi! Why did you call me first?

A happy voice could be heard from beyond the phone. Despite the 17-year age difference, he was the leader of Guide Team 5, who referred to him as Jae-chan-ssi. Jae-chan began by expressing his regret.

“Haha. I’ve been keeping it up. I’m sorry. -Sure. My parents are well.”

I’m sorry I couldn’t meet you in person. I heard you were on a long-term mission. Are you back in District 1? Seon Jae-chan’s voice continued smoothly in the windy room.

“Yes. I want to be a part of that too.”

He pressed his phone to his ear while rummaging through the convenience store bag with his other hand. He peeled the honey medicine and drank it after hearing the other party’s laughter over the receiver.

– Are you really going to do fieldwork? Without Go Woo-jin?

The light and thick texture of the industrial products adhere to his mouth. The team leader laughed heartily as if he had made a great joke. Jae-chan ingested the sugar after swallowing the gooey mass.

“I need to gain experience. I’m sorry if I said something difficult.”

– No. Not really… It’s because Jae-chan is on a different team. Don’t you think it will look bad on your team leader if I step out and take you away?

As expected, it was a reaction like Lim Jeong-wook, who always spoke smoothly and didn’t have any stalling. Seon Jae-chan, the youngest member of Guide Team 2, took responsibility for himself as he had prepared.

“Yes. I’ll inform my team leader. I’ll start from here first, so all you have to do is accept me once you’ve received the official document.”

– Oh, sure! Even if my arms fall off, I’ll hold on to you tight!

Jae-chan poured the sticky medicine into his mouth after hearing the voice of Team 5’s team leader, who quickly turned happy. It felt like the fallen sugar was slowly being recharged.

Jae-chan put his hand on the window sill where the wind was blowing after hanging up the phone. The clouds were dissipating gradually. The signal for the typhoon to pass, and the start of the project.

[SUCCESS PROJECT]

[Personal incident]

1. Kim Geun-won’s death

It was time to begin the project ‘Saving Kim Geun-won,’ who belonged to Guide Team 5.

*

“Jae-chan-ssi! Long time no see!”

Jae-chan was standing on the outskirts of District 1 two days later, under a damp sky where the rain had just stopped. He was on a field mission, and he was dressed in combat boots and a work uniform.

Lim Jeong-wook, the 38-year-old leader of Guide team 5, welcomed Jae-chan with open arms. He hugged him tightly and brushed his back as if realizing the words on the phone.

“Nice to meet you, team leader.”

Seon Jae-chan hugged his shoulder and stepped back with a smile. Lim Jeong-wook fixed his gaze on the young Guide, the son of a prestigious family. His waist, which he had secretly wrapped his arms over his summer uniform, is softer than he remembers, but his withdrawal gesture is firm.

The youngest member of Team 2, who was a little tall but appeared to be a master from a prestigious family was really his taste. The clear skin and very soft, thin dark-brown hair indicated that the hair on the body was also light. A few months ago, he was still hugging him with the smell of milk. He even contacted him first and acted sadly.

“You’ve grown up since the last time I saw you. Your parents must really like it.”

Team 5’s leader talked nonstop while carefully touching and brushing his hair. Seon Jae-chan nodded moderately and looked around the scene.

A large-scale typhoon response team had been formed in anticipation of the red-class typhoon that was expected to enter District 1 in 10 years. Team 5 was in charge of manpower for auxiliary Guides who would go on-site support, in addition to pair Guides. In other words, Kim Geun-won who belonged to Guide team 5 had been following the typhoon since Typhoon No. 13 made landfall in the coastal District 4.

Currently, the typhoon recovery team, which consists of five teams, is working to recover the area outside District 1, which was more severely damaged than the downtown area. The entire iron signboard had collapsed, and the outer walls of buildings and roadside trees had been crushed like crackers. There are also several overturned vehicles on the road.

The Espers carefully dismantled the distorted steel structure and looked for any injured people. Nearby, in front of an ambulance with a flashing light, paramedics in scarlet uniforms blocked the road and busily wandered here and there.

“At least it’s a little better now. You have no idea how violent the typhoon was.”

Team leader Lim Jeong-wook continued to talk beside him. At least now, the force of the typhoon that entered the land has weakened and is at this level.

After being tormented for half an hour by Team 5’s team leader, he grabbed Jae-chan’s arm and led him to a temporary barracks with guides and medical staff mixed in. Team leader! Lim Jeong-wook, who had been ignoring his teammates’ calls earlier, left his side with disappointment.

As expected, Kim Geun-won was not there. Jae-chan exchanged a few words with Team 5 members, half curious and half reluctant, before slipping into the gap in the back.

‘Found him.’

As expected, that guy stood right in the roughest field. Bear-like physique and disheveled hair and beard. Conquest of a crumpled guide with a necktie thrown over. And the lighted handycam in his left hand.

It was the Kim Geun-won he remembered.

Guide Kim Geun-won was filming an Esper lifting a telephone pole that had collapsed like a tree trunk next to a two-story building that had collapsed. It had fallen far enough out of the way, but it appeared to be very dangerous, with wires tangled around it like tangled hair.

It was as if he didn’t know how to be afraid of death. That’s how he died.

Kim Geun-won moved slowly and carefully, adjusting the shooting angle. He later learned that when Kim Geun-won’s body was discovered, the handycam became too much evidence and the case was quickly closed.

Following the movement of the Esper, the handycam lens rotated and moved all the way to the left. This had to be the case. There was no way out. Jae-chan faced the lens resolutely.

“…”

Kim Geun-won raised his gaze from the touch screen he was staring at. His slender narrow eyes blinked, then twisted violently beneath the raised brows like a bandit.

‘What’s wrong with him?’

They used to have a bad relationship, but when Go Woo-jin was around, they just barely got along. He wasn’t even a mother bear with cubs, so why are you bracing yourself for double attacks right now? Then the bear cub appeared.

“Brother. I brought your insulated suit.”

A familiar voice came from behind his shoulder.

Jae-chan turned around when he noticed the low familiarity. Someone approached in bright yellow all-in-one electrically insulated overalls. Walked with a wide stride. He had a larger head and a better physique than the others. He ground to a halt when he noticed the confrontation between Kim Geun-won and Seon Jae-chan.