Chapter 11

“There’s a problem because Da-heum is the only Esper with electric attributes. It’s a heavy duty. Even now, I am guiding people who are lost in their work and have no idea what wavelength they are on. If you continue to ignore the report-”

“Ah, Okay! Okay!”

Only then did the team leader reluctantly issue orders to the team members who had followed to turn off the power. One hand remained on Seon Jae-chan’s arm. Go Woo-jin stared dryly at the hands that were touching Seon Jae-chan’s bare wrists and at Seon Jae-chan, who appeared to be unaffected by those hands. Team 5’s leader looked happy.

“Baby, you can take off your insulated suit now. But yellow looks good on you too…”

That’s right. Seon Jae-chan was originally that kind of guy. Using whatever means necessary to achieve a goal. Even tolerating the boss’s unreasonable physical contact. Have you not been through a lot? The apology he had made to himself was only a stepping stone for something else, so it would not have been sincere.

Even thinking about it made him feel like his head was splitting open. Woo-jin turned away, mocking himself for having lost his judgment even for a moment.

“… Ehem.”

Kim Geun-won, who was watching alone, gave a bow to the team leader, who didn’t even look at his side and followed Go Woo-jin. It was fortunate that the team leader seemed to be distracted by Seon Jae-chan as if he had eaten honey.

In fact, Kim Geun-won was also confused. It was his nature to accept all apologies, but it was Seon Jae-chan who apologized.

He wondered what it was like as he was walking around with his insulated clothing getting stuck. Go Woo-jin was more important to him.

“Woo-jin. Would you like to try filming too? Aren’t you bored just helping me? I have an extra camcorder.”

Kim Geun-won suggested as he turned around the alley and walk away from the team leader’s group. Now that the power had been turned off, Go Woo-jin, who was silently taking off his insulation suit, felt a presence. His delicate eyes beneath the shade of the cap frowned. Kim Geun-won followed his gaze and turned to face the alley’s entrance.

“…What are you?”

Seon Jae-chan was approaching again.

After all, the apology was insincere, right? Kim Geun-won’s lips tightened. The guilt that had been gnawing at him for calling the pervert team leader disappeared.

“You said you were sorry. Leave Woo-jin alone!”

Kim Geun-won growled like a bear while blocking Go Woo-jin. But somehow, Seon Jae-chan just looked troubled. His dark brown eyes rolled, deep and distinct enough to feel hateful.

“I’m not following Esper Go Woo-jin.”

“Hah! Then?”

You lied again! It was when Kim Geun-won’s slender eyes became menacing. Seon Jae-chan smiled. It was a salty smile that raised the ambiguity of the polite cheek.

“I’m following you, not Woo-jin. Guide Kim Geun-won.”

Jae-chan said, shifting his gaze from Go Woo-jin to Kim Geun-won’s thick beard.

He was surprised to see the telephone poles falling down as soon as he arrived, but the incident had not yet occurred.

He was just thinking about constantly worrying over Kim Geun-won today, not Woo-jin.

*

Temporary Barracks for Guides Team 5.

The corner where the self-generated light had been urgently airlifted had become entangled like a festoon. The young Guides’ curious eyes darted to one side. It was where their senior Guide Kim Geun-won and guide Seon Jae-chan of Team 2 sat facing each other. The two sat on folding chairs, a first aid kit open in front of them.

“Hmph! It must have been an attempt to separate me from Woo-jin. It doesn’t work!”

Kim Geun-won said to Seon Jae-chan, who took out various medicines from the first-aid kit. Right now, he was following him around with an excuse that didn’t sound like ‘I’ve wanted to learn from you for a long time.’

“It would be hard to get me fired by using your proud family. I belong to the Center Guide Union. If you touch it wrong, you’ll get very tired, ow, ow, ow!”

“It’s disinfectant.”

Jjiik. Seon Jae-chan reapplied the spray-type salt liquid around Kim Geun-won’s mouth. He discovered the wound on Kim Geun-won’s lower jaw about 10 minutes ago. The blood on his beard appeared to be obscured. It was probably scratched by the windblown stone dust when Go Woo-jin caused a gust of wind.

Jjiik, Kim Geun-won’s voice continued to be heard in Seon Jae-chan’s ears as he was tearing off the biggest band-aid.

“I started broadcasting on View Tube a while ago. It’s a broadcast that tells the truth about the Esper-Guide field, and it’s already got quite a few subscribers. If you fire me unfairly, I’ll throw it right there. Ah. Can you do an interview about this? What is the position of the gold spoon sucking honey from behind?”

“Doesn’t it hurt if you talk too much? It cut quite deeply.”

He said this while examining the cuts and bruises in his beard. Kim Geun-won wiggles his mustache.

“It’s pointless trying to get rid of me with those stupid golden spoons you have! They have always been rebellious people, so they avoid anyone other than Woo-jin. It wouldn’t be any use if you flirted with our team leader in order to get rid of me!”

“Well. I want to shave your beard off.”

Jae-chan muttered as he was estimating the angle at which the large band should be attached. The bandit’s face went from stunned to menacing. He raised his head to look at him and added leisurely.

“You know, this beard. It interferes with the band-aid adhesion.”

“….”

He was aware, but something seemed off. Kim Geun-won snatched the band-aid from the wretch’s grasp, placed it loosely on top of his beard, and opened his mouth.

“And this is the last one. I hope you never consider f doing what you did to the people you confessed to Woo-jin. I can only sneer at the childish behavior of punching on the road and stealing the Guide locker!”

He shouted as he raised his bandaged chin. People who were paying attention to the wind had their eyes openly focused. It was just as Jae-chan was about to open his mouth, thinking he was tired of listening.

“Punching? Stealing?”

A curious voice could be heard. It was near the barracks’ entrance. Seon Jae-chan, who was cleaning up the first-aid kit, looked confused. In-young caught his eye as he walked in, holding the tent at the door.

‘…Roommate?’

The person who stepped in unexpectedly was Seon Jae-chan’s roommate. A guy whose name he didn’t know, who left after a fight yesterday and returned at dawn. What brings him here?

“Senior. Are you serious? This bast-, no. Is this punk really punching or stealing?”

The guy who approached at once asked Kim Geun-won boldly. He was dressed in a guide’s conquest and, unlike yesterday, his brown hair looked styled.

Jae-chan’s brow furrowed. No wonder. Regardless of how much he enjoys hanging out with girls, he stated that he didn’t come in very often, turned out he was part of Team 5. It made sense that he made his first appearance yesterday. Jae-chan learned that Team 5 only arrived in District 1 yesterday afternoon, following the typhoon.

“Yeah. This young master of the prestigious family seems to have an extraordinary network of the dark side.”

Kim Geun-won grumbled. The roommate’s bright eyes sparkled with excitement. Kim Geun-won stood up, crossed his eyes, and approached one side of the barracks as if he didn’t want to talk any longer. “Hey, youngest. Where is my bag?” It was when Jae-chan saw him receive a cross bag from Team 5’s youngest member, someone talked to him.

“Hey. Did you really hire people?”

Isn’t it kind of hard to hire people? The roommate grumbled. Whether there was no follow-up or other circumstances, he actively talked to him as if nothing had happened the night before. Seon Jae-chan noticed a peculiar expression in his bright eyes. He threw out the floating words.

“Yea. I have contacts from Esper gangs.”

“…Really?”

Look at this. Seon Jae-chan’s smile was tense.

His roommate was so eager to commit a crime that he spoke to Jae-chan without hesitation even after their argument last night. The eyes and tone of someone who has considered committing a real crime. Even if he had made up his mind, hiring a real person was difficult, so when the person in need knows the contact route, it becomes very tempting. Was there anyone in particular he wanted to bully?

“Yes. It’s a small group, so it’s all about punching and robbing lockers. – Are you still curious?”

The answer did not come immediately. Before answering, the roommate looked at his teammates, who were chatting among themselves, and Kim Geun-won, who was sitting alone, and then met their eyes again.

“I’ll let you know if you call me brother.”

Seon Jae-chan talked first. It was when his roommate’s brow furrowed at an obvious line from an old movie.

“Hey! Where are you going?”

The guy who had bitten his lips in anger shouted, but Jae-chan pretended not to hear. Jae-chan walked quickly. Kim Geun-won slipped through the gap at the back of the barracks, having just grabbed his cross-body bag. It was with the youngest member of Team 5 to who we were talking.

“Team Leader Lim is looking for you! Hey!”

He turned away from the calling of his roommate and went out of the tent. He had Kim Geun-won, Go Woo-jin, and even his unexpected roommate, who couldn’t sit still like a puppy on fire. It wasn’t enough to just concentrate on Kim Geun-won.