Chapter 39 – ​The ​Price ​of ​a ​Misjudgment

The ​conquest ​was faster than ​expected. ​The ​team ​members, ​who had watched Jeong ​Si-jun’s ​battle—which bordered on ​a venting of ​rage—from ​nearby, ​were ​inwardly ​amazed.

‘Crazy ​bastard… venting his ​frustration ​inside ​a gate, for ​fuck’s sake.’

Whether he had ​gotten into ​an argument ​with Yoon ​Ki-hyun or ​not, ​his ​bloodlust had been ​immense even ​before entry. However, now ​that the conquest had ​ended safely, they could ​breathe a ​sigh ​of relief.

Though he currently had bloodlust ​in his eyes and ​couldn’t ​properly ​contain ​his ​wavelength, once he ​went into ​the ​guiding room and ​came ​back out, he would likely ​be calmed ​down ​as if nothing ​had ​happened.

Like ​a ​puppy ​happy to ​receive ​its owner’s ​touch.

‘What the hell do they actually do ​in there? Can ​a human really ​change that much just ​through guiding?’

‘Isn’t ​it basically hypnosis?’

The ​change ​in Jeong Si-jun ​after taking Yoon ​Ki-hyun as ​his ​personal Guide ​was ​astonishing.

The Center’s ​”mad ​dog,” who ​was ​unrivaled ​in being sensitive ​and ​prickly, now ​felt ​more ​like ​a fierce dog that had been tamed by its handler’s touch.

He still pushed them hard under the guise of physical training and threw terrible tantrums on days he made a mistake during a conquest, but he had definitely changed. The old Jeong Si-jun was a lunatic who couldn’t be reasoned with, but now, at least, communication was possible.

“Team Leader. Good work today!”

“…Yeah.”

After the battle, Jeong Si-jun lightly stretched his body, which was still buzzing with excitement. Because he had used his body more violently than usual, he felt a stiffness he hadn’t felt in a while.

Even after the battle, his mind was still filled with thoughts of one person. It was about Yoon Ki-hyun, who was likely spending time alone in the guiding room right now.

‘I knew he was the type who’s hard to get close to, but isn’t this a bit too much?’

Jeong Si-jun felt resentful that Yoon Ki-hyun had still rejected his gift. He let out a deep sigh while checking his physical condition.

‘Hmm. All healed.’

He had sustained minor injuries due to moving more aggressively than usual. However, by the time the conquest ended, they had healed without a single scar.

A phenomenal recovery speed is cited as one of the secondary advantages of awakening as an Esper, but that had not originally applied to Jeong Si-jun. This was because his wavelength was so finicky that he was always lacking in guiding.

When Yoon Ki-hyun worked at the Center, he was generally the one in charge of Jeong Si-jun’s guiding, but Jeong Si-jun had never received enough to be satisfied.

This was because there were many Espers who needed Yoon Ki-hyun’s guiding, excluding Jeong Si-jun. During his time as a team leader, Yoon Ki-hyun had been far more clinical than he was now.

Even for an S-class Esper, he wouldn’t pour out all of his guiding energy; he would end the session as soon as he felt the purification was moderately complete.

It was as if he was making sure to leave a share for the next Esper waiting for guiding.

While he was undoubtedly professional in a business sense, Jeong Si-jun couldn’t help but feel a great personal sense of regret. However, everything changed after he brought Yoon Ki-hyun in as his personal Guide.

The minor injuries he had taken for granted since awakening as an Esper, the frayed nerves, and the things he had found uncomfortable until now had mostly disappeared. It was nothing short of a miracle.

“Phew.”

Jeong Si-jun took a slow, deep breath.

While relaxing his body until the residual tremors crawling across his skin subsided, he wanted to bolt out the moment he pictured that pale face waiting patiently for him in the guiding room.

But he couldn’t exactly show up covered in Kaiju fluids. He had to maintain basic manners and earn as many points as possible.

Because a sly fox like Seo Yi-kyung could appear at any time.

As if that wasn’t enough, lately, Yoon Ki-hyun had not only [visit [unauthorized copy]our site]visit our sitevisit our site -->been exchanging messages with Seo Yi-kyung but had also become close enough to exchange friendly greetings when they met in the lobby.

Yoon Ki-hyun claimed they were just on greeting terms, but looking at Seo Yi-kyung’s eyes, it was clear he was playing coy. That look was not simply the look one gives a colleague.

‘No, but seriously, how the hell do I get close to him? Argh! I give him a gift and he says he won’t take it.’

Jeong Si-jun had been frequenting department stores quite often lately. He tended to relieve stress through spending.

Yesterday, he stopped by the watch store where he had a reservation to pick up a watch. When he asked what would be good as a gift, the clerk brought out a few popular models.

‘Even someone who isn’t very interested in watches will like these lines. I’ve rarely seen anyone dislike this series.’

He didn’t believe the employee’s words blindly, but since the design looked like it would suit Yoon Ki-hyun well, he bought it.

He’d like it if he received it, right? Even so, this design isn’t something people would be polarized about.

He hadn’t considered the possibility of being rejected. [stolen contentstyle="opacity:0;font-size:1px;user-select:all;">visit our site]However, stolen contentYoon Ki-hyun had a knack for always defying his expectations.

‘I clearly told you that I don’t want to receive this.’

The gift he had handed over to Yoon Ki-hyun under the pretext of “settlement money” was still sitting on the table in the guiding room.

It was a sort of protest. Having spent a lot of thought buying it only to be rejected, Jeong Si-jun had left it on the table pointedly, telling him to take it if he changed his mind later. And Yoon Ki-hyun was ignoring the watch box, treating it like a piece of interior decor.

‘What the hell is the problem?’

The fact that the gift was rejected was still shocking. He had accepted them well before, so he couldn’t gauge what sudden change of heart had occurred.

As he was thinking of Yoon Ki-hyun with a deep scowl, one of his team members approached with a genial face and asked.

“Team Leader.”

“What.”

“Are you eating separately today as well?”

Until a few months ago, this guy couldn’t even meet his eyes properly, but lately, the frequency of him striking up conversations had increased. It was all because his temper had softened since Yoon Ki-hyun arrived, reducing the frequency of his verbal abuse.

Since it was already time for Yoon Ki-hyun to have finished his dessert, Jeong Si-jun shook his head, prompting the man to suggest eating together once the guiding was over.

“Where are you eating?”

“I’m thinking of going to the set-meal place just ahead. The one with the delicious pork bulgogi.”

“Whatever.”

“Should I order a portion for the Guide as well?”

The youngest, who usually handled the orders, indirectly asked if Yoon Ki-hyun would be joining them. Read on Read BL NovelsThe reason he asked stolen contentagain, even after being told they weren’t eating together, was obvious.

“You want to die? Park Kyung-min, what time is it right now?”

When Jeong Si-jun asked with a snort, the color drained from the youngest’s face.

“It is 2:51, Team Leader.”

“Do you think he hasn’t eaten by this time?”

“I’m sorry.”

It wasn’t that he didn’t know the team members wanted to see Yoon Ki-hyun one more time. They had been very interested in Yoon Ki-hyun even before he became a personal Guide.

Arrogant bastards. They really don’t know their place.

Jeong Si-jun’s eyes glared. He had [Read on Read BL Novels]visit our siteon Read BL Novels -->a duty to protect his Guide among these shitty Espers. That was the basic duty he should uphold as an employer.

“Let’s do some fucking grueling training today.”

“Team Lea-der…”

The way the burly man dragged out the end of his sentence was disgustingly nauseating.

“Fucking hell. Life’s been too easy for you lately, hasn’t it?”

“No, sir!”

They really were the type of bastards who only snapped out of it after being cursed at.

Jeong Si-jun glared and jerked his chin toward the deputy team leader, Kim Cha-min. It was a signal to take the guy and get lost. The quick-witted Kim Cha-min immediately smacked the back of the youngest’s head and dragged him to the corner.

‘Seriously, he wants to die.’

Jeong Si-jun put his hands on his hips and tilted his head back.

This was the problem with bastards with dicks. If you’re just a little bit nice to them, they start measuring the ground to see if there’s a place for them to stretch their legs.

After throwing a fit, if you’re just a little bit kind, they subtly try to climb up to see if they can push you down.

It’s like the Animal Kingdom or something.

Fortunately, due to his family history, Jeong Si-jun was an expert at sorting out hierarchies through force. He had the talent for it.

Since this was all he had seen and learned from a family of gangsters, adapting to the Center had been a piece of cake.

“Phew.”

Now that the feeling of his muscles screaming across his entire body had faded, BEGIN: unauthorized copy -->unauthorized copyit was time to return to the Awakener Center, take a shower, and then go see Yoon Ki-hyun.

He had looked noticeably tired lately, so perhaps when he returned, Yoon Ki-hyun might be sleeping peacefully like an angel, just like last time.

‘His sleeping face was truly incredible.’

If possible, it would be nice if he slept comfortably on the folding bed where Jeong Si-jun himself liked to lie on his stomach and lounge. He had never once seen him sleep on that bed.

It was a relief that the sofa was wide, but seeing him insist on sleeping uncomfortably sitting on the sofa when there was a bed where he could stretch his legs made Jeong Si-jun feel uneasy as his employer.

He had put various things in the guiding room to help him rest, but it seemed Yoon Ki-hyun couldn’t truly relax in that space.

‘I feel like it would be more comfortable for him to receive guiding outside the Center, but…’

The problem with that was that he wouldn’t be able to see Yoon Ki-hyun during the time he spent at the Center.

However, there was the huge advantage of being able to block [visit our site]visit our site -->the approach of gnats like Seo Yi-kyung. Moreover, he could provide a much nicer space for guiding.

‘Maybe I should just buy another house while I’m at it.’

Thinking it wasn’t a bad idea, Jeong Si-jun thought of the Guide who would be waiting for him in the guiding room today.

No matter how he thought about it, the man’s face was phenomenal. Just thinking about it made him smile.