Chapter 34 – ​The ​Price ​of ​Misjudgment

He ​had ​simply ​dismissed ​it ​as the usual nonsense ​Jeong ​Si-jun spouted every ​day.

But Jeong Si-jun’s ​prediction ​was ​accurate. ​Yoon ​Ki-hyun ​looked up at ​the ​man ​standing before him.

‘Why ​is he here again?’

He ​wasn’t someone ​who heard ​he was ​short very ​often, ​but ​for some reason, ​he always ​ended up looking up ​when standing next to ​Espers. It was a ​bit annoying. ​He ​wondered if these bastards grew taller ​upon awakening.

“I stopped by ​a ​cafe ​and ​thought ​of you, Ki-hyun, ​so I ​bought ​this.”

Seo Yi-kyung was ​smiling ​brightly as he handed over ​a takeout ​drink. ​Of all times, ​it ​had ​to ​be ​the moment ​Jeong ​Si-jun was ​away to tackle a gate.

Because of this, ​he could no ​longer simply ignore ​all of Jeong Si-jun’s ​nonsense. Having ​reflexively taken the ​drink, ​Yoon Ki-hyun gave ​a small nod.

Glancing ​down, he ​saw ​the word ​’Peppermint’ ​written on ​the ​lid of ​the ​takeout ​coffee cup. It ​was ​the last ​drink ​he ​had ​shared with Seo Yi-kyung.

‘…What is this, really?’

He couldn’t tell what the man was plotting. Perhaps noticing Yoon Ki-hyun’s Read on Read BL Novelscopy" style="display:none;" Read on Read BL Novelsaria-label="unauthorized copy">unauthorized copypuzzled expression, Seo Yi-kyung immediately got to the point.

“It’s nothing major, but the Guide Director asked me to deliver a message to you.”

Ah. The Guide Director.

Come to think of it, based on the fact that they had eaten together when they ran into each other in the lobby last time, it seemed they had meals together quite often.

“If you have a moment, could we talk for a bit?”

Seo Yi-kyung asked with a fairly polite demeanor. He wasn’t using that teasing, playful tone from before. He seemed almost indifferent, as if he truly just wanted to deliver the requested message and leave.

‘No, if that old man has something to say, why doesn’t he come himself? Why is he sending someone else?’

He knew that was just how people in high positions were, but it was still annoying. Of all people, why did he have to send the message through Seo Yi-kyung?

Part of him wanted to ignore it, but the presence of the Guide Director was too significant to do so. If he wanted to keep making a living as a Guide, he had no choice. Moreover, he was currently registered at the Center as Jeong Si-jun’s personal Guide.

Yoon Ki-hyun slowly nodded and looked up at Seo Yi-kyung.

“…Alright.”

He had to at least hear what stolen contentEND: stolen content -->the message was. Even if he hated it, what else could he do? That was just how professional life worked.

The place Seo Yi-kyung took Yoon Ki-hyun to was the rooftop garden of the Awakened Management Center.

Since the weather was chilly, they were the only two people on the roof at this hour. It was just as Yoon Ki-hyun, sitting on a bench at one side of the garden, took a sip of his tea.

“I don’t know if Team Leader Jeong told you, but the Guide Director really wants to bring you back somehow.”

Seo Yi-kyung got straight to the point.

‘That’s unexpected.’

He felt a strange sense of liking toward the man’s straightforward attitude. Because of his sly, smiling impression, he had expected him to drag things out with meaningless words.

If he hadn’t abruptly suggested that Yoon Ki-hyun switch and become his personal Guide, he might have left a quite positive impression.

As for the Guide Director, he had received a few hints from Jeong Si-jun.

“I’ve heard. But I wonder why he’s telling me through Team Leader Seo Yi-kyung…”

Quite some time had passed since Yoon Ki-hyun started commuting to the Center. Yet, he hadn’t seen a glimpse of the Guide Director’s face this whole time. It wasn’t as if the man’s legs were broken.

“He kept asking Team Leader Jeong to arrange a meeting, but then again, it’s not like [visit [stolen content]our sitevisit our site;position:absolute;left:-9999px;">]Team Leader Jeong is an easy person to deal with.”

“Ah.”

Yoon Ki-hyun let out a short exclamation. Indeed, Jeong Si-jun was a guy who acted recklessly even in front of the Esper Director and the Center Director. So, no matter what the Guide Director said, he likely wouldn’t have listened to a word of it.

“That’s probably why he complained to me and asked me to arrange the meeting. Well, there aren’t many people in the Center who can move without worrying about Team Leader Jeong’s reaction.”

“Hmm…”

Not all his questions were answered.

The Guide Director’s rank carried the most weight not with Espers, but with Guides. Therefore, it would have been more convenient in many ways to order a Guide rather than ask Seo Yi-kyung.

‘Ah. Maybe everyone else refused because they were afraid of losing their positions?’

Even if the work-life balance was a disaster, if one had to pick the best workplace for a Guide, there was undeniably no other option besides the Awakened Management Center.

Even if everyone lived while groaning and spitting curses, this was the only place that paid such a high salary. Thus, Guides with some experience naturally began playing politics within the Center to protect or upgrade their positions, worrying about performance reviews and incentives.

Usually, socializing—including drinking parties—was essential to get on the right “line,” but Yoon Ki-hyun’s focus had been solely on the incentives.

Because of that, without any particular line to belong to, he had stayed holed up in the Center doing nothing but guiding until he fell ill and slammed his resignation letter [visit our site]stolen contenton the desk. But for the Guides who remained, the situation would be different.

“I heard you were quite mean before you resigned.”

Seo Yi-kyung continued, smiling awkwardly. Yoon Ki-hyun fell into thought for a moment.

Mean, huh. If ignoring greetings, engaging in childish and one-dimensional workplace retaliation, and warning people not to even think about working as a Guide counted as being mean, then I suppose so.

“Since I’ve already resigned, there’s no point in discussing such things.”

It was an ambiguous statement, neither admitting nor denying, but it served as an answer. Seo Yi-kyung chuckled softly, understanding the hidden meaning. To borrow an expression the Guide Director used during a drinking session, he had been ‘a bit spiteful,’ but…

‘Looking at his expression, he doesn’t seem to have any intention of returning to the Center.’

Well, that was true. Seo Yi-kyung was also well aware that Yoon Ki-hyun’s treatment had been poor. He hadn’t heard it from his own team members, but he had frequently heard expressions like ‘public property’ or ‘wide open.’

Regardless, since he had been asked, he was in a position where he had to deliver the message. He also personally owed a debt to the Guide Director.

“Anyway, he wants to meet and apologize, but as you know, the pride of people in high positions is quite strong.”

“Ah, well…”

Yoon Ki-hyun nodded. He roughly understood how the situation was playing out.

From the Guide Director’s perspective, this was likely the maximum amount of pride he could swallow to offer a gesture of reconciliation.

For someone trying to make a living through guiding, the influence of someone like the Guide Director could never be ignored.

Even Yoon Ki-hyun himself had been distressed, recalling the Guide Director’s warnings every time he tried to pull himself together to survive.

If it hadn’t been for the position of Jeong Si-jun’s personal Guide, where the Director’s influence barely reached, he might have completely given up on working as a Guide.

Such a person was setting aside his stubborn personality to send a friendly gesture of reconciliation. And through an S-class Esper like Seo Yi-kyung, no less.

While working as Jeong Si-jun’s personal Guide, he would likely avoid meeting the man as much as possible, but there was nothing to gain from clashing with the Center’s high-ranking officials. Thus, he wanted to let this pass as smoothly as possible.

It was also because he had experienced firsthand through his dealings with Jeong Si-jun that one never knows how things might turn out.

“I understand what you mean. However, I have absolutely no intention of returning to the Center, so that’s a bit problematic.”

That’s how people are. It wasn’t easy to openly say something unpleasant while sitting face-to-face.

He vividly remembered how he had suffered all day after being sarcastic while he was still misunderstanding Jeong Si-jun.

Even if his feelings toward the Guide Director weren’t good, he didn’t know what would happen if he [Read [visit our site]style="position:absolute;left:-9999px;font-size:0;">[unauthorized copy]on Read BL Novels]actually sat across from him, received an apology, and heard a proposal to return to the Center.

Since his physical condition was such that he couldn’t perform long-term guiding, he would naturally have to refuse, but…

‘Where would I find the time to eat with the Director? I doubt I could even swallow food.’

He was lost in thought, feeling quite reluctant.

“The Guide Director would be heartbroken if he heard that.”

“Well…”

That’s none of my business. As Yoon Ki-hyun gave a small laugh, Seo Yi-kyung also gave a slight, eye-smiling look.

“Anyway, I came to find you because I was asked to deliver the message, but thinking about Team Leader Jeong Si-jun coming over and making a fuss again makes me tired.”

“Coming over… and making a fuss?”

“It’s happened once or twice, so I’ve just accepted it, but if he does it over today’s matter, I’ll feel a bit wronged. I only delivered the message because I was asked. Don’t you agree?”

Seo Yi-kyung shrugged. He looked quite exhausted as he shook his head slightly, perhaps recalling Jeong Si-jun’s protest visits.

“I’ll tell him that you came because you had a message to deliver.”

He didn’t know if Jeong Si-jun would take his words at face value, but since he wasn’t making up lies, he could at least do that much.

“I’d be grateful if you did. I don’t want to fight with Team Leader Jeong anymore either. I wish we could just each do our own work, but for some reason, I keep getting caught in the middle, which is troublesome.”

I see. Yoon Ki-hyun swallowed his dry emotions and sipped his tea. No matter how he thought about it, he had no intention of returning to the Center, so it was best to indirectly refuse the Guide Director’s proposal.

“I’m sorry to trouble you, but could you tell the Guide Director that I declined?”

“Ah, I’m caught in the middle again?”

Seo Yi-kyung chuckled, looking troubled.

Yoon Ki-hyun didn’t particularly want to use Seo Yi-kyung as a messenger either. But wasn’t it the Guide Director who had sent the word through Seo Yi-kyung instead of coming himself? Therefore, delivering the answer through Seo Yi-kyung wouldn’t be a great discourtesy.

Even if the Guide Director felt it was a discourtesy, so be it. He had neither the intention nor the capacity to return to the Center.

“Since you’re already delivering a message, I’ll ask this favor of you as well.”

“Ah. Well, fine. That’s fine… but I have a favor to ask too.”

“A favor…?”

“Yes. A favor.”

Seo Yi-kyung was smiling brightly. The atmosphere was slightly different from the smiles he had worn before.