DB Vol 2 Part 9
“The Head of the Family said that since this is all because the Vice Head killed the Gye Family’s Guide, the Vice Head must take responsibility for cleaning up the mess. Lady Hwan-i’s condition has deteriorated rapidly, so we had no choice but to sedate her with medication.”
Still, there was no answer as to whether he would go. While the lady was a priority, Gye Yoon was also likely enduring the agony of feeling as if his entire body were being sliced apart without guiding, so it was understandable. Nevertheless, Gye Yoon had to be moved to meet Sang-cheon. Seeing as he hadn’t kicked him out yet, it seemed he was at least willing to go. Chief Jung braced himself to persuade him once more.
“Of course, I know it may be uncomfortable for you to meet someone from the Ji Family. But right now, you must think only of Lady Hwan-i. Furthermore, according to Mr. Hwang, that person doesn’t even know that the Vice Head is a member of the Gye Family…”
Suddenly, the sound of water stopped, and Gye Yoon turned his head. Brushing back his wet hair with his hand, he asked sharply.
“Someone from the Ji Family?”
“Ji Won-woo-ssi.”
“…Ji Won-woo is coming?”
Ah, did I not mention that? Chief visit our siteJung nodded and quickly [stolen content]added, fearing that this might make him refuse to go entirely.
“I’m sure it’s unpleasant, but…”
“Fine.”
“Pardon?”
“I’ll go.”
…Just like that? He had planned to persuade him for another 30 minutes, rest for 10, and then try again. Chief Jung looked at Gye Yoon in disbelief. Whether he had switched to a cold shower or not, a chill instead of hot steam spread to the entrance where Chief Jung stood. Wondering if he had misheard, Chief Jung tried to peer through the wet glass of the shower. He could see Gye Yoon repeatedly brushing back his hair under the falling stream of water.
“When are we meeting?”
Despite the loud sound of the water, his voice reached Chief Jung’s ears clearly, as if he were wearing earphones.
“This evening.”
Gye Yoon’s reaction was muffled by the water, but it sounded like a curse. Then, a sharp demand directed at Chief Jung followed. Again, it was crystal clear.
“Why are you only telling me this now?”
“I only received the contact a moment ago myself.”
Another curse followed. Then Gye Yoon muttered something while repeatedly brushing back his hair.
“…Dammit, they could have given me a heads-up…”
“Pardon?”
“Get lost.”
Chief Jung readily accepted his opinion and left the bathroom. [Read on Read BL Novels]To think the persuasion took less than ten minutes. Had he perhaps matured a bit after coming out of prison? If he’d known it would be this easy, he would have sent the news sooner.
Due to the accident at the Farm, Won-woo had to stay there for a few days. Thanks to that, he was able to get a vacation for that period. Some of the Espers were injured and required treatment. In particular, all the Espers of Head Team 3 had entered treatment.
Since Guides have no work if there are no Espers, it had been nearly a week since Won-woo returned to the Eastern Center. The Center was still in an uproar over Hong Eun-tae, but Head Team 3 was buzzing with a different topic. Just as Won-woo arrived, Geon-young’s angry voice was leaking out of the team leader’s office.
‘Are you saying all the Espers are dead?! Are the Guides all dead too? Why are there no people? Is it that hard to just put anyone in here except Han Seo-na?!’
As Won-woo sat down while listening to his voice, an unsolicited explanation came from across from him.
“A lot of Espers were injured in the Farm accident, right? Especially in our department, we were already short one person, and now two more are receiving treatment. They say it’s not serious, but they won’t be out until next week. It’s not just our department. I heard every department that went on the operation is in chaos, except for Team Leader Hong’s side.”
Jang-seon was leaning toward Won-woo, lowering his voice as he spoke. Won-woo wasn’t particularly curious, but Jang-seon continued.
“Still, our department took the biggest hit, so we need an Esper reinforcement immediately, and it seems Han Seo-na-ssi is coming. But since she’s the only one who can come to our team, the Team Leader is currently on the phone protesting to the higher-ups.”
“Why is she the only one who can come to our team?”
When Won-woo asked in confusion, Jang-seon replied proudly, suppressing a smile.
“I reported to the Guide Management Department that I can provide guiding for Han Seo-na-ssi. To be honest, guiding her at the Farm was a bit overwhelming, but it was manageable.”
Of course it was manageable. Because there was nothing to guide. Won-woo didn’t know whether to thank this dull Guide or laugh. Well, he figured this was just Seo-na’s luck and nodded.
“That’s impressive.”
At that one comment, the corners of Jang-seon’s mouth couldn’t help but curl up.
“Even the Guide Management Department Head was surprised. Han Seo-na-ssi is famous for her unique wave, so they said if there’s a matching Guide, they can assign her to that department. A Guide like me, who endures the pain to provide guiding… Oh? Esper Han Seo-na-nim!”
Jang-seon jumped up from his seat and looked toward the entrance. The subject of the rumors was just entering the office. Won-woo also turned his head and locked eyes with Seo-na, who gave a polite bow. Seo-na scanned the interior, confirmed that only Won-woo and Jang-seon were there, and announced in a professional voice.
“I am Han Seo-na, and I will be working temporarily in Head Team 3 starting today.”
“N-nice to meet you, Esper Han Seo-na-nim.”
Jang-seon rushed forward as if he were the President, welcoming Seo-na.
“I am Yoo Jang-seon, and I will be the one guiding Esper Han Seo-na-nim in this department from now on.”
Seo-na’s eyebrow twitched. When she glanced at Won-woo, he shrugged with a smile, as if to say, ‘That’s just how it is.’ Since most of the team members were hospitalized, the office was quiet, but Jang-seon welcomed her with the energy of a hundred people.
“As expected, since you played such a dazzling role at the Farm, you’ve been moved to the Head Team. Considering Esper Han Seo-na-nim’s skills, I believe it’s only natural that you should work in a Main Team or Head Team. You must have suffered a lot because of guiding until now, but from now on, I will…”
“What’s so ‘natural’ about it?”
An irritated voice poured cold water on the excited Jang-seon. Everyone turned toward the team leader’s office. Geon-young was standing with the door half-open, glaring at Seo-na. Unbothered, Seo-na bowed slightly and repeated the same words as before.
“I am Han Seo-na, and I will be working temporarily in Head Team 3 starting today.”
Geon-young looked as if he were about to say something, but he shut his mouth tight and suddenly turned his frowning eyes toward Won-woo.
“Ji Won-woo-ssi, come in.”
“If you have a complaint, please tell me directly.”
As Seo-na took a step forward, standing as if to block the path to Won-woo, Geon-young laughed in disbelief.
“Are you so desperate to save every Guide? You’re acting damn childish. I have nothing to say to you. Ji Won-woo-ssi, come in right now.”
Won-woo gave Seo-na a look that signaled it was okay and entered the team leader’s office. As soon as Won-woo sat down, Geon-young asked fiercely.
“Hey, did you ask Seung-wook for a favor?”
Ask for what? Won-woo, who thought he might be asked about [visit our site]data-wm="Read on Read BL Novels" style="display:none;" aria-label="Read on Read BL Novels">Read on Read BL Novelsthe Alpha seed, looked at him as if wondering what he was talking about. Geon-young sighed and spat out the words.
“I’m asking if you asked Hong Seung-wook to have Han Seo-na come to our department.”
“I didn’t.”
“Then why the hell did that bastard specifically pick our department and ask for Han Seo-na to be sent here?”
“I don’t know.”
Geon-young stared at Won-woo for a moment as if verifying the truth, then let out a small curse.
“Fuck, why the hell would that bastard…”
“He’s your friend, so ask him yourself. Stop bothering me, someone you have no relationship with.”
“Ha, no relationship? Hong Seung-wook would love to hear that.”
“He wouldn’t have any reaction. Because it’s the truth.”
“…Do you really have no feelings for Hong Seung-wook?”
With an expressionless face, Won-woo looked straight at him and spoke slowly.
“If there’s something you’re curious about regarding me, ask politely. If you ask like that, wouldn’t I be reluctant to tell you what I know about the Alpha seed?”
Having been hit where it hurt, Geon-young looked away and bit his lip hard.
“…Do you know the cause of why Head of Headquarters Hong Eun-tae became like that?”
Of course he did. Because Won-woo had done it. When Won-woo didn’t answer and just stared, Geon-young’s eyes wavered.
“Is it really because of the Alpha seed?”
“I don’t know. However, I can’t say there’s no possibility.”
“Sigh… What possibility? No, forget it. There’s no way the Ji Family would give me information about the Alpha seed they cherish so much…”
“Because there are so few samples of the Alpha seed, there are few research results, and the side effects are unknown. However, there is a theory that when one becomes an Alpha seed, the energy increases and a unique wave is created. Just as there are unique waves among Espers, what would happen if there were an Alpha seed with a unique wave? It could be poison to an Esper whose wave doesn’t match at all.”
What Won-woo said was content he had researched in the previous world. What if one could kill an Esper with an Alpha seed?
However, he had eventually concluded that the Alpha seed’s wave had no special effect on Espers. Of course, he didn’t bother sharing that conclusion. Thanks to that, Geon-young’s expression froze with tension.
“A unique wave Alpha seed… Dammit. But is it okay for you to tell me such a thing?”
“Why wouldn’t it be? You’re not an enemy.”
“…I thought you hated me?”
Won-woo let out a small laugh, as if the comment was absurd.
“If I treated everyone I disliked as an enemy, everyone in the world would be my enemy.”
Geon-young looked at Won-woo with a subtle expression, but Won-woo didn’t bother explaining further. Unless it’s a war, most people one meets in society are neither complete allies nor complete enemies. Those who were kind to me can cause me harm, and those who only caused me harm can unexpectedly provide help.
Therefore, Won-woo’s criterion for distinguishing those who aren’t on his side is simple: can they be used or not. Since Geon-young was the team leader of his department, he was still someone who could be used. Thus, there was no need to fight by showing open hostility. Won-woo stood up and advised Geon-young.
“So, put aside your personal feelings and just consider whether a person will be helpful to the team’s performance or not. At the very least, Han Seo-na-ssi, who is good at her job, will be a hundred times better than an Esper who died in a rampage while trying to molest a Guide in the team.”
“I-I signed a contract. If it doesn’t end as a one-time thing and he lingers or contacts her separately, it’ll be a war along with massive compensation.”
Sang-cheon had been repeating the same words as if making excuses ever since Won-woo arrived at the office. No matter how much Won-woo said it was fine, Sang-cheon’s worries showed no sign of drying up. Eventually, he clutched his head with both hands and lamented.
“I don’t know if this is the right thing to do. They say Espers become obsessed with their Guides. What if he gets intoxicated by Won-woo-nim’s guiding and becomes obsessed and follows him around?”
“I’ll just get rid of him, then.”
Won-woo answered easily, drinking the canned beverage Sang-seon had given him, and asked jokingly.
“That’s okay, right?”
“It is. Of course it is. Please, get rid of him.”
At the request that contained a certain level of desperation, Won-woo stopped the hand holding the can.
“Isn’t the person coming a close acquaintance of yours?”
If the standard for being ‘close’ was cursing, Sang-cheon had had more than enough, so they were close enough to be called family.
“…We are close. But if he bothers Won-woo-nim, I’ll cut ties immediately, [class="wm" style="opacity:0;font-size:1px;user-select:all;">unauthorized copy[visit our site]style="font-size:0;position:absolute;left:-9999px;">]even if it’s a close guy’s grandfather.”
“I don’t know. If he’s someone Mr. Hwang is close enough to ask a favor of, he’s probably a good person.”
Flinch. Sang-cheon’s eyes wavered like waves in a typhoon. However, Won-woo didn’t see him as he continued drinking his beverage, and then spoke as if he had just remembered.
“And please, speak casually. It’s burdensome when you call me Won-woo-nim.”
Compared to the burden Sang-cheon was currently feeling, this was a drop in the bucket.
“No, still, how could I dare do that to my benefactor…”
Won-woo stood up and grinned.
“Mr. Hwang is also a benefactor to me. Oh, I’ll be right back from the restroom.”
As soon as he left the room leaving behind that refreshing smile, Sang-cheon clutched his hair with both hands. He’s [stolen content]such a good person. What on earth did I do to a person like that… But if I pretend not to know, the brute is too pitiful…
“Aaaagh!”
Unable to bear the agony, Sang-cheon screamed and shook his head as if headbanging. While he faced the greatest hardship of his life, Won-woo quickly circled the building, checking security out of habit. He didn’t know who the new guest was, but there was a possibility that someone might be tailing him.
Only after checking the perimeter of the building did he return to Sang-cheon’s office, where someone was standing in front of the door. A tall man dressed in black. He was turned away, so his identity was unknown, but Won-woo couldn’t shake the feeling of familiarity. It might have been because of the hood he was wearing.
And people with such height and build were rare. Just as the question Could it be? arose, the man slowly turned his body. Their eyes met first. Pause. Won-woo unconsciously held his breath. They were the eyes he had seen at the Farm.
The opponent wasn’t wearing a mask this time, but Won-woo couldn’t see the face properly because he was only looking at the eyes. Just like last time, he couldn’t tear his gaze away.
Again. The moment he saw those eyes, he fell into the illusion that he had returned to the past. The person who had held onto Won-woo with the only part of a broken body that wasn’t ruined—eyes—while he couldn’t move, hear, or speak properly. He felt as if he were with that person.
Won-woo took a breath and stepped back. Only then did the opponent’s face come into view. He was in his early twenties, with a handsome face and a cool impression. But he was definitely someone he was seeing for the first time. Yes, it’s a stranger. Won-woo muttered to himself as if to soothe himself and asked.
“You’re the one who helped me at the Farm, right?”
Despite Won-woo’s question, Gye Yoon stared at him as if observing a subject, then slowly raised his hand. As his hand removed the hood, his hair was revealed. Neatly trimmed hair made his appearance stand out more. However, even though it was neatly cut, the hair was still long enough to cover more than half of his ears, so only a part of the suppression piercing beneath was visible.
“I wonder.”
A slow, low voice sounded clearly, as if speaking right beside him. It was a remarkably impressive voice. It was so attractive that one might think this was the voice that could enchant people. However, instead of being enchanted, Won-woo spoke expressionlessly.
“It is you.”
“Is that so?”
That’s the question I should be asking. Not only did he not answer properly, but he was also staring at Won-woo to a point that was almost rude. Won-woo, wary of the man who reminded him of the past, stared back without backing down.
“By any chance, did you leave Mr. Hwang’s communicator in my room?”
“I wonder.”
“Is that the only answer you know how to give?”
No matter how much of an enemy someone was, Won-woo had never dealt with them emotionally from the start, but strangely, he felt irritated by this person. It was partly because he reminded him of the past, but the fact that he didn’t know his identity was also quite annoying. At Won-woo’s reaction, a glint of amusement flashed in Gye Yoon’s eyes as if he found it interesting. Then he muttered as if talking to himself.
“How strange.”
“What is?”
“Standing here facing you.”
“I guess you know who I am?”
The amusement vanished from Gye Yoon’s eyes instantly. The eyes devoid of laughter were chillingly cold. That was why Won-woo only realized the name he uttered belatedly.
“Ji Geun-oh’s son, Ji Won-woo.”
For a moment, he thought, Ah. Was he one of the many people who held a grudge against Ji Geun-oh? Was that why Sang-cheon had apologized to him so much? As the question arose, a low voice asked.
“Aren’t you curious about who I am?”
Of course he was. He was an Esper with absolutely no information. Since an Esper without information is hard to kill, he couldn’t help but be curious. But he couldn’t confess that to Sang-cheon’s acquaintance. Instead, he shrugged and answered lightly.
“Not really. I heard the guiding is only for one time, so there’s no need to know.”
For a moment, Gye Yoon raised an eyebrow in surprise and asked back.
“…Guiding?”
“Yes. Guiding. You didn’t know?”
There was no answer, but his expression clearly showed that he hadn’t known. Just then, with a creak, the rusted iron door visit [stolen content]our siteof the office opened and Sang-cheon poked his head out. As soon as he spotted Gye Yoon, he flinched and pulled his head halfway back.
“Ah, y-you’re here?”
“Mr. Hwang’s acquaintance didn’t seem to know about receiving guiding.”
As Won-woo spoke with a smile, Sang-cheon glanced at Gye Yoon with bewildered eyes.
“Ah, that is…”
“Guiding?”
When Gye Yoon asked back in a murderous voice, Sang-cheon retreated inside as if fleeing.
“F-first, let’s go inside and do whatever we need to do!”
Chief Jung, that idiot. He mentioned the Alpha seed but didn’t even know the basics. Gye Yoon, sitting across from Won-woo, remained expressionless, but inside, he was brutally slicing Chief Jung to pieces. Then, with that same gaze, he looked [visit our site]at Sang-cheon. Sang-cheon, who was standing far away, swallowed hard and avoided Gye Yoon’s gaze. Nevertheless, he did not forget the words he had to say.
“Y-you’ve probably heard, but a contract was signed. This is a one-time thing, it’s strictly confidential, and after receiving guiding, there must be absolutely, absolutely no further demands or obsession.”
Gye Yoon had heard about a contract, but he hadn’t known it pertained to guiding, which only fueled his irritation. He had thought it was strange that the word ‘obsession’ appeared in a contract regarding Alpha seeds. Since the other was a D-class Guide, the Waves might match, but there was no way actual guiding would work. And to think they would make him face a member of the Ji family over something so trivial.
“That’s what they said,” Won-woo said in a flat voice.
The displeasure in Gye Yoon’s eyes vanished instantly. He stared intently at Won-woo’s face and declared, “If I become obsessed, it won’t be because of the guiding.”
“Not because of your looks, either.”
As Sang-cheon chimed in from a distance, Gye Yoon’s cold gaze snapped back to him. Sang-cheon moved behind Won-woo as if hiding, adding one more condition.
“Obsessing over his personality is also forbidden.”
“Just shut—… please be quiet.”
Gye Yoon barely managed to suppress his anger when he suddenly froze, feeling a touch on his hand. He turned his gaze to find Won-woo looking down at his hand with a serious expression.
“Your condition is poor. Let’s get this over with quickly.”
Quickly. Since he was a D-class Guide, would it take three or four months? A hollow question rose within him, but at the same time, he thought that staying together for that long might not be so bad. No, it might actually be interesting. Realizing he was looking forward to it, he immediately felt disgusted. Fuck, what would he even do spending time with Ji Geun-oh’s son?
Scolding himself, he decided to end this ridiculous situation as quickly as possible. Thus, without expectation, he reached out his hand. Even until the moment Won-woo grasped it, Gye Yoon harbored no hope. He believed there would never be a day when this terrible pain would fall silent like sleep.
And right now, he was too busy fighting his own incomprehensible emotions to care about the guiding. Strangely, it was hard to take his eyes off Won-woo, who had reached out to grasp him. The current moment, facing him, felt as if it were being snapped into countless fragments, like taking photographs.
It felt as if his mind were being covered by thousands of photos in an instant. What was even stranger was the moment their hands met. His heart thundered so loudly it felt like a physical thud. Gye Yoon barely restrained the urge to grip the other’s hand tightly. He was annoyed with himself for being so conscious of Ji Geun-oh’s son.
It was just as he was contemplating pulling his hand away before the guiding even began. Suddenly, the energy that had been raging inside his body began to drain away in a single rush. Simultaneously, the monstrous pain vanished as if it were a lie.
Ji Dong-hyeon received that report from Director Shin late at night while he was still working in his office. [Read on Read BL Novels]Currently, the Ji family was in a situation where they could not release the Alpha seeds, and due to pressure from the Gye Family, their financial situation had become dire. His father, Ji Geun-oh, claimed that the only way to overcome this crisis was to seize power.
To do that, he believed they had to enter the People’s Committee, the nation’s highest decision-making body. If they could enter the People’s Committee—a place only Espers could enter—as a Guide representative, they could hold power even without Alpha seeds. Because of this, the members of the Ji family were all stepping forward to lobby the Espers of the People’s Committee aggressively.
Meanwhile, the financial situation had worsened, and now there was truly no solution other than for Ji Geun-oh to become a People’s Welfare Committee Member. They were almost there. Just imagine how many Alpha seeds they had distributed to the Espers of the People’s Committee.
Thanks to paying such a heavy price, a resolution to grant voting rights to Guides for the People’s Committee had been tabled. A vote was scheduled to take place soon, and if passed, one Guide representative elected by the Guides’ vote would be able to enter the People’s Committee.
They had already recruited almost all the numbers needed for passage. As for the problematic Gye Family, he planned to shake them further by playing games using Guides. No matter how much they pushed the Ji family with money, an Esper without a Guide was a time bomb that could go off at any moment. It wouldn’t be so bad if they exploded during this opportunity. That was why he only laughed at Director Shin’s first report.
“The Gye Family claims it was an accidental death, but the timing of Guide Park’s death is suspicious. It was right when he said he would make demands of the Gye Family according to our orders.”
“The demand for the Northern Farm?”
Yes, Director Shin nodded.
“He even guaranteed that he would demand the farm from the Gye Family and secure it. I suspect he visit our sitestyle="position:relative;display:inline;">[unauthorized copy]was murdered because of that.”
“The Gye Family still hasn’t come to their senses. What use is a farm like that if they drop dead without a Guide? Ha, do they really hate us so much they’d rather die than give it to us?”
Dong-hyeon sneered at the Gye Family and downed the glass of liquor on the table.
“Squeeze out as much compensation as possible according to the contract. And make it clear that there are no other Guides.”
Even if the Head of the Gye Family knelt before the entire nation now, he had no intention of handing over a Guide. There wasn’t much time left. Once the bill passed by managing the affirmative votes, this walking-on-thin-ice situation would end. Therefore, the priority was to block whatever sudden variable had popped up.
“What happened to Hong Eun-tae? Did you suppress the rumors about the Alpha seed?”
“Hong Eun-tae seems to still be alive. The Hong family’s physician went in at dawn and hasn’t come out yet. If he were dead, there would be no reason to stay. The rumors about the Alpha seed are still dangerous. We are suppressing public opinion by triggering other issues, but anxiety about the Alpha seed is still leaking through the Esper community.”
Cowardly, stupid Esper bastards. Dong-hyeon vented his anger, cursing the Espers.
“How on earth did Hong Eun-tae end up like that?! I heard there were many witnesses [[stolen content]class="wm" style="opacity:0;font-size:1px;user-select:all;">Read on Read BL Novelsunauthorized copystyle="font-size:0;position:absolute;left:-9999px;">]at the scene. You must have collected all the testimonies. Did anything come up?”
“Most of them say similar things. There are witnesses whose testimonies haven’t been taken yet, but, well, I suspect they will be similar.”
“Who told you to do your job like that?”
Dong-hyeon reprimanded Director Shin in a chilling tone and glared.
“I told you to get testimonies from every single one of them, without exception, didn’t I?”
“But there is one person we couldn’t get in touch with.”
“One person? Who?”
“Ji Won-woo-ssi, the younger brother.”
Dong-hyeon’s brow furrowed instantly. That bastard is involved again? First the Esper rampage, and now Ji Won-woo is present again when an Esper stolen contentis injured. stolen [Read on Read BL Novels]contentIt felt strange, but on the other hand, since Head Team 3 was involved, he figured it was an inevitable situation. But of all people, it had to be that bastard Ji Won-woo…
Come to think of it, since Ji Won-woo had barely survived the farm, no one in the family had met him. Hadn’t they said he didn’t even come to receive medication? Dong-hyeon did not ignore his unpleasant intuition and picked up his phone. He then ordered Director Shin.
“Tell that brat Seong-hyeon. Tell him to go find Ji Won-woo again and make sure to inject the drug properly this time.”
As he did so, he searched through his contacts and pressed someone’s number. He had to verify anything that felt unsettling. Especially if it was Ji Won-woo.
People often compared an Esper’s power to a wave, and for Gye Yoon, his power was truly an ocean. The endless power, whose width and depth were unknown, was simply too vast. In his entire life, he had never managed to draw out even half of this power. Because his ocean was always churning with house-sized waves amidst a raging typhoon. Waves like the fangs of a beast were constantly seeking to swallow him whole.
Uncontrollable power is useless. It only brings pain. Even as a child, no matter how long he received guiding, this ocean never became completely still. Even after guiding, it always flowed and surged, piercing Gye Yoon’s interior and mind with sharp stabs.
That was why Gye Yoon was always high-strung and spat words like sharp thorns at people. However, he did not know that this stabbing pain of his childhood was, in fact, the most peaceful period of his life.
After his parents passed away like that, only pain remained in Gye Yoon’s life. So when his power suddenly drained away along with a wave of dizziness, he didn’t immediately realize that the pain had vanished.
He simply struggled to regain his senses in a nonsensical situation he was experiencing for the first time. Because his power was draining. He fought with his whole body to protect his power, but he couldn’t [unauthorized unauthorized copycopy]stop the outflow. He must have grit his teeth to avoid panicking.
But soon, his body realized first. Breathing was easy. He also realized that while the power was draining, it wasn’t fast enough to be alarming. Moreover, it wasn’t being stolen. It was just a feeling, but it seemed as though this power would eventually return to him.
And most importantly, the pain. The agony that had tormented him his entire life was disappearing along with the draining power. Since the power that had always raged as if to overwhelm him was receding, it was a natural result. In fact, he even thought it might be fine to stay like this, having lost his power. He had never once clung to the rank of S-class, a grade humans had arbitrarily assigned.
When the vast ocean was completely emptied and only the solid glacier hidden beneath was revealed, the dizziness subsided. Gye Yoon drifted for a moment, entranced by the empty silence.
Then, he felt the power slowly returning. All his life, his power had been like water, something that could not be grasped, but the power now filling his interior was different.
It was still fluid, but it began to stack steadily in a firm form, like jelly that could be held if grasped carefully.
For the first time in his life, Gye Yoon realized how much satisfaction his own power could provide. He felt so good that he wanted to use this immense power filling his interior without pain. It was similar to pleasure, making his heart beat rapidly. He never dreamed that pain-free power could be so breathtakingly satisfying. Gye Yoon opened his eyes, not knowing when he had closed them.
He saw the hand holding him. A hand smaller than his own, but with visible veins and a firm grip. It wasn’t particularly white or beautiful, yet he couldn’t tear his gaze away.
His completely cleared mind captured the surrounding sounds vividly, even without using his power. He unauthorized copystyle="position:relative;display:inline;">style="position:absolute;left:-9999px;font-size:0;">[stolen content]heard breathing. It was Won-woo’s slightly quickened breath, as if he were concentrating on firmly stacking the power inside Gye Yoon’s body.
That breath filled Gye Yoon’s interior as if it were the entire world. It was the first time he had ever felt so overwhelmed by someone’s breath, wanting to hear it so desperately. Gye Yoon slowly raised his eyes to look at the owner of the breath. Won-woo was looking down at their hands with an expressionless face. A question followed belatedly.
“This isn’t guiding. Is it?”
As Gye Yoon’s low voice echoed, Won-woo glanced up. No emotion was visible in the eyes that met his. Again, he couldn’t understand why, but Gye Yoon felt disappointed by his reaction. While he wondered why he felt this way, an indifferent voice reached him.
“It’s not over. Keep your mouth shut.”
Won-woo’s gaze returned to their hands, but Gye Yoon no longer took his eyes off his face. One corner of Gye Yoon’s mouth curled up unconsciously.
Despite Won-woo’s advice, Geon-young had no intention of accepting Seo-na as a team member. Regardless of whether her abilities were good or bad, it just felt wrong. No, the fact that her abilities were good was the problem. The fact that a B-class Esper was so skilled felt as if she were mocking Geon-young.
As a living proof that there was no need to use Alpha seeds to become A-rank. That was why, no matter how close a friend he was, Geon-young couldn’t help but get angry at Seung-wook.
“Fuck, Hong Seung-wook, are you crazy?! You said personnel decisions are the authority of the HR department and there’s no reason to interfere. You clearly said that before. [unauthorized copystyle="opacity:0;font-size:1px;user-select:all;">stolen content]So why the hell did you mention Han Seo-na to the higher-ups? And to our department, of all places?”
He confronted Seung-wook as soon as he saw him at a club they both frequented. Even seeing him appear suddenly, Seung-wook calmly stood up. Instead, he moved Geon-young to a quieter spot.
“I didn’t interfere. I just spoke up when the personnel department asked for my opinion. Did Han Seo-na go to your department?”
“Yes, fuck, ugh, I’m so pissed!”
As Geon-young raged like a child unable to contain his anger, Seung-wook frowned.
“Why do you hate Han Seo-na so much? She’s a great talent as long as the guiding is sorted out.”
“If she’s such a great talent, you take her.”
“I wanted to. But I was rejected.”
At those words, Geon-young looked at his friend in surprise.
“Why?”
“They said no matter how good the ability is, they can’t put a mixed-blood in a main team, especially not a Core team.”
“Ha! But the Head teams are fine? Fuck, we’re working our asses off, and the Center just treats the Head teams like shit?”
Geon-young spat out a string of curses, his temper rising further. Seung-wook, accustomed to this sight, stepped back and watched until he calmed down. Sure enough, after a moment, Geon-young let out a deep breath and settled.
“No way. I’m definitely getting Han Seo-na out of our team. Let’s see how long she can last, fuck.”
“How are the other team members reacting, besides you?”
“Every Esper except one is in the hospital. They’ll all be displeased when they find out.”
“What about the Guides, not the Espers?”
Guides? Geon-young looked up in confusion, then immediately thought of one person. He also remembered the time he had been angry at Ji Won-woo. Just in case, Geon-young asked Seung-wook.
“You didn’t mention Han Seo-na to the personnel team because of Ji Won-woo, did you? Because that bastard wanted it?”
However, remembering what his friend had said earlier, he shook his head.
“Ah, you said the personnel team asked first.”
Seung-wook averted his gaze at those words, but Geon-young didn’t notice and sighed.
“And I got angry at Ji Won-woo without knowing that.”
“You got angry?”
At his friend’s sharp tone, Geon-young frowned.
“No, I just thought you did it because Ji Won-woo asked. You seemed interested in Ji Won-woo at the farm…”
“I did?”
At the chilling counter-question, Geon-young flinched and avoided his eyes.
“Of course not. You have… Idan-i. Sorry.”
Geon-young mumbled an apology and glanced at his friend, but Seung-wook had turned his head away, so his expression wasn’t clearly visible. Was he angry? Did he hate being linked to Ji Won-woo that much? Strangely, he felt relieved, yet he wanted more confirmation that it really wasn’t true.
“Hey, Ji Won-woo has changed a bit, but his personality has actually gotten worse. You’re better off not getting involved…”
As he spoke, Geon-young pulled out his phone as it suddenly rang. A caller’s name appeared on the screen.
‘Ji Dong-hyeon.’
Fuck, why is this snake calling? Geon-young asked Seung-wook for his excuse and stepped out into the hallway. Since the Ji family always took a high-handed attitude just because they possessed Alpha seeds, he didn’t even want to speak with them. But he couldn’t ignore the incessantly ringing phone.
“Hello.”
[Team Leader Yoo Geon-young, I heard you suffered at the farm; did you fall ill? I haven’t heard from you lately.]
The monotone voice was stiff like a robot, but to Geon-young’s ears, it sounded like a sneering laugh. He bit his lip, barely suppressing a curse. Knowing that an Esper who had used an Alpha seed once would eventually use it again, the Ji family treated them like fish that had already been caught.
“What is your business?”
[The regular reports from your side haven’t arrived.]
What reports? As Geon-young wondered, the answer came.
[Ji Won-woo. You should report on how my brother is doing. Did you forget?]
Forget. He just hadn’t sent it because he didn’t know how to write it.
‘Please leave out the phrase that I seem like a ‘different person’ in the reports you send to the Ji family.’
Ji Won-woo had requested that. But everything to write in the report was about how Ji Won-woo had changed. As if he had become a different person.
[How is my brother these days?]
As Geon-young hesitated for a moment, Ji Dong-hyeon couldn’t stand the short silence and pressed him.
[You’re his team leader. Can’t you report your team member’s status immediately? Well, that’s why you ruined all your team members at the farm. You should have bought more Alpha seeds and raised your rank one more level. Because you hesitated, you’re still incompetent.]
To think that even after becoming the A-rank he had so desired, he still couldn’t shake off the label of incompetence. Geon-young clenched his fists and replied.
“It’s not that I’m incompetent, but your brother is just such a useless existence. How is he these days? He’s the same. He’s [visit [Read on Read BL Novels]our site]exactly Read on Read BL Novelsthe same as before, Mr. Ji Dong-hyeon.”
The reactions of the unique wave Espers who had received guiding from Won-woo in the past were usually two-fold. Either they were so moved that they gasped in admiration or shed tears, or they pleaded with Won-woo, refusing to let him go. The exception was Seo-na. She simply suppressed her emotion and acted as if it were no big deal, behaving as usual.
Either way, they couldn’t hide their intense emotions, revealing them through words, expressions, or eyes. But the person Won-woo guided this time was different. Even though he was the person with the worst energy among the Espers.
In the face staring back expressionlessly, there was neither emotion nor joy. Usually, those whose condition had been this bad would have their eyes glaze over just from the disappearance of the pain.
So, with a mix of curiosity and caution, he looked at the other man. It was possible that he was suppressing his emotions to an extreme or hiding them thoroughly. However, since the man appeared to be in his early twenties, the thought that he was a dangerous person came first if that were the case. He had already begun to be on guard after confirming the sheer amount of the man’s power.
“It is guiding. The method is just different.”
It took longer than expected to calm the other’s energy, and Won-woo gave his answer belatedly. As he did, he tried to pull his hand away. However, the man gripped Won-woo’s hand tightly. Sang-cheon, who had been watching anxiously from behind, was startled and tried to jump forward, but Gye Yoon’s voice beat him to it.
“I have never heard of such a type of guiding.”
Won-woo thought it was a very calm voice. However, the eyes meeting his were so intensely overwhelming that he changed his previous thought. He hasn’t completely suppressed his emotions.
“Whether you’ve heard of it or not, isn’t it enough as long as it works?”
“Y-yes. As long as it works, that’s all that matters.”
Sang-cheon quickly intervened to support Won-woo, then asked timidly after a beat.
“……It really works, right?”
From Sang-cheon’s perspective, there hadn’t been a significant change in Gye Yoon, so he asked out of worry, but Won-woo answered for him.
“Yes, it works. Don’t worry.”
Won-woo’s expression and voice toward Sang-cheon were nothing but soft. Gye Yoon witnessed how that softness vanished completely, as if erased with an eraser, whenever it was directed toward him. For a moment, he felt foul. Won-woo informed him coldly.
“It’s finished. Let go of my hand.”
“It’s not finished.”
Won-woo wasn’t flustered; there were many people who refused to let go after receiving his guiding. However, while others held onto him out of urgency and desperation, the man before him was different. Within the intense heat, he also possessed a blade as cold as ice.
“How did you do it?”
This time, Sang-cheon couldn’t hold back and jumped forward.
“You shouldn’t ask things like that! Did you forget the contract, the contract? And hurry up and let go of the hand, the hand!”
He shouted while fidgeting beside them, but Gye Yoon only stared intently at Won-woo. Instead, Won-woo turned his head toward Sang-cheon and smiled.
“CEO, that drink you gave me earlier. Do you have any more of those?”
“The drink? Ah, I got that from the vending machine [Read on [unauthorized copy]Read BL Novelsunauthorized copypx;">]downstairs, but I don’t have any right now. Why suddenly ask about that?”
“It was delicious.”
At those words, Sang-cheon pivoted as if he were about to sprint to the door, but then hesitated. He looked at Gye Yoon, who was still staring intently at Won-woo, with worried eyes.
“I could get you a hundred of them if you want…… but right now…….”
“Just one is fine. I’m thirsty after guiding.”
“Then you must drink!”
Sang-cheon’s footsteps thundered as he immediately disappeared out the door. As soon as he left, Won-woo’s face turned expressionless as he looked down at his captured hand.
“Since I met you at the Farm, it’ll be easier to explain.”
“Explain what?”
Won-woo looked up and met the black pupils that were staring at him oppressively.
“What do you think my ability is?”
Instead of answering, Gye Yoon slowly lowered his gaze to their hands. Just as it felt like Won-woo’s hand was being twisted in his grip, Gye Yoon interlaced their fingers and gripped his hand tightly instead. Then, power began to drain from his body again.
In the previous guiding, the energy had flowed out slowly, like water draining from a bathtub with the plug pulled; this time, it felt as if the bottom of the tub had been completely ripped open, and the power vanished in one bulk. He felt a dizziness like he was on a rollercoaster, and it felt as though his body would collapse. But it was only for a moment. As if merely giving him a taste, the outflow of power stopped and, conversely, began to stack up neatly. Then, Won-woo’s calm voice was heard.
“Espers who receive guiding from me cannot easily let go of my hand. To them, I must seem like the goose that lays golden eggs. However, I can also be the hawk that tears an Esper apart with guiding. Of course, for most Espers, I am the hawk.”
Gye Yoon didn’t know Won-woo’s true identity, but he felt he had a vague idea of his guiding method. It seemed he calmed the energy by pulling the power out and then putting it back in. It was also the fastest way to settle churning waters.
Suddenly, he remembered Won-woo saying before that his method of tuning was different and that he could guide any Esper. To think that was true. Only then did he understand why Won-woo responded to Espers without fear.
When the power is drained during guiding, the Esper becomes weak. Won-woo seemed to be warning him [Read on Read BL Novels]of this. As long as I hold your hand, I can tear you unauthorized copyapart like a hawk. But really? Gye Yoon barely suppressed a laugh that threatened to break out. However, the laughter vanished instantly at the following words.
“The one who tore Hong Eun-tae apart was me.”
“……You were?”
For the first time, a flicker of emotion appeared in Gye Yoon’s voice. Looking at the other’s sharp eyes, Won-woo nodded nonchalantly.
“It was me.”
How? Gye Yoon thought of a sharp question, but found the answer in the hand he was holding. He can drain an Esper’s energy without even touching them. This time, it was quite a shock. Because of it, a thrill spread through him, enough to make his spine shiver.
But it wasn’t an unpleasant chill. Rather, it was an exciting stimulation that made his lower abdomen tingle. And his member began to harden. Gye Yoon clenched his other hand tightly to resist the urge to pull the held hand closer. He lowered his gaze so his eyes couldn’t be seen, trying to hide himself.
“Ah, is that so?”
Heat mixed into his low voice. However, since it wasn’t [unauthorized copy]an extreme reaction, Won-woo looked at him warily. Is he really hiding his emotions? Just then, Gye Yoon diverted his attention with another question.
“Did you send Mr. Hwang out just to tell me this?”
“Mr. Hwang worries too much. If his secrets increase, he’ll get indigestion from the stress.”
What does it matter if he can’t eat a bit? Gye Yoon didn’t understand, but Won-woo spoke seriously, as if this were a bigger deal than tearing the great Hong Eun-tae apart. Only then did Gye Yoon belatedly realize the reason why Won-woo had guided him.
Because Sang-cheon asked him to. That was the only reason. He was nothing to Won-woo. Suddenly, words Won-woo had said in the past came back in a chain reaction. It was likely while talking to him as Nani, when he had criticized the Gye Family. Won-woo had replied like this:
‘I might be even more malicious. Even if every Esper in the world who isn’t on my side is about to die, I’ll just watch.’
On my side. Won-woo had said these words several times. He acted like a person who moved only for those on his side. Gye Yoon’s mind, clearer than ever, began to rotate rapidly. There was only one way for him to hold this hand again. To become someone on his side.
Because of that, Gye Yoon summoned all his patience. He forced his hand open and slowly disentangled his fingers from the other’s.
The feeling of skin slowly brushing against skin caused another jolt of pleasure to bunch up in stolen content-->his lower abdomen. He was still excited enough for his Read on Read BL Novelsmember to be stiff, but nothing showed on his expressionless face. Instead, he asked brazenly.
“When will I see you again?”
“That won’t happen.”
“I think it will. For me, this place is,”
Gye Yoon added slowly, looking around Sang-cheon’s office.
“Basically my home.”
“I’ve never seen you here once.”
“I was on vacation.”
However, distrust still lingered in Won-woo’s eyes. Gye Yoon asked slowly, as if by habit.
“You don’t believe me?”
“How could I believe you, Gye Yoon-ssi.”
As his name was called, a slow smile spread across Gye Yoon’s face. But contrary to his expression, he stared at Won-woo with eyes that weren’t smiling at all.
“Just try believing me.”
Ha. Won-woo swallowed a hollow laugh, trying to hide his fluster. Is he really Gye Yoon? The moment he held his hand and felt his power, he knew instantly that he was an S-rank. This absurdly vast amount of power couldn’t be explained unless he was an S-rank. The problem was who he was.
In Won-woo’s world, there were only four S-ranks. Two of them had died when Won-woo was young. Because they were people of the Gye Family of the North. If this world was the same, there was only one S-rank Esper who fit these conditions. The Vice Head of the Gye Family, known as the brute.
Furthermore, he recalled that the Gye Family and the Ji Family were enemies, probably? That was likely why Sang-cheon hadn’t even told him the fact that he would guide Gye Yoon. He probably intended to hide Gye Yoon’s identity from him until the end. Won-woo had no feelings whether he was from the Gye Family or the Dog Family, but since the other person would be different, he couldn’t help but ask.
“Knowing that I am Ji Geun-oh’s child, why didn’t you turn back at the door?”
“You’re practically a stranger to Ji Geun-oh anyway.”
“…….”
“Am I wrong?”
That was correct; he was practically a stranger. It was an answer he would have happily given if anyone else had asked, but it didn’t come easily before Gye Yoon. He couldn’t shake the premonition that the moment he admitted it, he would become entangled with him. Here, Won-woo simply wanted to live quietly, protecting only those on his side.
But if he got involved with the Gye Family, he might plunge into chaos once again. As Won-woo’s silence lengthened, Gye Yoon twisted the corners of his mouth again. It was still a smile where the eyes didn’t laugh, but it paired well with his soft, low murmur.
“What is there to be afraid of?”
“There is nothing like that.”
As soon as Won-woo countered, the previous question returned as if it had been waiting.
“Is it true that you’re practically a stranger to Ji Geun-oh?”
“……And if it is?”
“That would be a pleasant thing.”
His honest opinion was somewhat unexpected. So, Won-woo spoke honestly as well.
“It’s not the case for me at all. Because I don’t want to be entangled with the Gye Family.”
Gye Yoon’s gaze seemed to darken, but he soon returned to indifference and looked into the air. Then he countered slowly.
“We’re not entangled through the Gye Family, but through Mr. Hwang.”
“Don’t entangle me carelessly. Come to think of [visit Read on Read BL Novelsour site]it, just what is your relationship with Mr. Hwang?”
“And yours?”
He had nothing to say. If you thought about it, it was as if Won-woo had unilaterally chased after him. Feeling as though he had lost before even answering, his response came out somewhat grumpily.
“Mr. Hwang is just someone I like and respect.”
“I won.”
What? As Won-woo’s eyes widened in surprise, Gye Yoon smiled, twisting his lips. Only one corner of his mouth rose, making it look like a sneer, but to Won-woo, it felt like a joyful laugh. I feel bad because of jealousy, he thought, and was about to ask what kind of relationship it was that allowed him to ‘win.’
But before that, the sound of a steel door creaking was heard. Soon, Sang-cheon, clutching an armful of canned drinks, came running in, panting. As he ran in as if he might trip, the first thing he checked was the hands on the table. The moment he felt relieved seeing the two people’s hands separated, Gye Yoon’s answering voice rang out.
“Mr. Hwang is like a father to me.”
-Continued in Volume 3-
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