Chapter 147 – GOY 147

#147

My ​steps ​felt ​heavy ​as ​I ​left the Director’s ​office. ​As ​I ​let ​out a low sigh, ​Joo ​Seung-hyuk pulled me ​by the waist.

“Hyung.”

“Yeah?”

“Do ​you ​really ​want ​to ​test ​your matching rate ​with ​that ​bastard Park Geon-woo?”

Despite ​the crisis—the possibility that ​the treasure ​known as ​New National ​Treasure No. ​1 ​might ​be damaged—Joo Seung-hyuk ​seemed completely ​uninterested.

“Is that what’s important ​right now?”

“Then what is ​important?”

He stared straight into ​my eyes ​as ​if he truly didn’t know. He ​really is incorrigible. To ​think ​I ​worried ​that ​someone like him ​might change ​his ​mind; it was ​the ​most useless waste of time ​in my ​life.

“I ​don’t have a ​justification ​to ​refuse ​a ​matching rate ​test ​with Park.”

“Justification?”

“Yeah…”

I ​was neither Joo Seung-hyuk’s bonded partner nor ​his exclusive guide. ​Of course, I ​was his assigned guide, ​but that ​was strictly ‘temporary.’ ​I ​was the one ​who had emphasized ​that point ​more ​than anyone.

As ​a ​freelance guide ​unaffiliated ​with any ​organization, ​I ​had no grounds ​to ​refuse a ​matching ​rate ​test ​with another Esper. However, saying it this way would only provoke Joo Seung-hyuk.

“Since it’s an emergency situation right now…”

As I gave a vague excuse, Joo Seung-hyuk gripped my hand tightly.

“Should I just get [unauthorized copy]rid of that bastard stolen content[stolen content]Park Geon-woo? Then you wouldn’t have to do the test.”

Joo Seung-hyuk was likely serious. He would do anything if I hated it. Looking into his eyes, which were blind in their purity, I shook my head.

“…No. Then I wouldn’t be able to see you. I don’t want that. Don’t do anything bad.”

“Alright.”

He caressed my cheek and gave me a light kiss.

“Hyung, do you want to bond with me?”

“…Should we?”

If Joo Seung-hyuk had said that in the past, I would have rejected him using every excuse imaginable. But now, I find myself thinking that bonding with him might actually be okay.

Love and bonding have different weights.

I had merely felt the emotion [visit our site]of love for the first time in my Read on Read BL Novelslife; I wasn’t yet prepared to spend the rest of my life with Joo Seung-hyuk.

This isn’t something to answer so impulsively. I know. I know that.

“Are you really going to bond with me?”

Joo Seung-hyuk’s eyes widened, surprised by my words. Looking at his black pupils, which held both pure joy and desperation, I found it impossible to take back my answer.

“Are you sure you’ll be okay?”

“With what?”

“Our matching rate might have dropped.”

Joo Seung-hyuk and I had recorded an incredible matching rate of 93.872%. While it was possible our matching rate had actually increased compared to seven years ago, there was also a high probability that the matching rate with all guides had temporarily risen as Joo Seung-hyuk’s Guiding Rejection Reaction recovered.

If the test results showed the matching rate had dropped again, it would mean that our increase was merely a temporary phenomenon and that Joo Seung-hyuk’s Guiding Rejection Reaction had been cured. The reason for him insisting on Guiding from me would vanish.

Perhaps Joo Seung-hyuk would be disappointed in me…

“It won’t drop.”

Joo Seung-hyuk spoke confidently, interlocking his fingers with mine. His hand, gripping mine firmly as if he would never let go, was warm.

“I feel it every time I receive Guiding from you. There’s no way it dropped. Don’t you feel it too, Hyung?”

“I don’t know.”

When Guiding, one can vaguely guess the matching rate. It’s not as precise as a machine, but a general feeling of how the matching rate is with a person usually comes through. But with Joo Seung-hyuk, I just didn’t know.

“I lack confidence…”

When it comes to anything connected to him, I can’t be certain about a single thing, and I lose my confidence.

“I’m confident, so don’t worry. And what does the matching rate matter? If Lee Yeon-soo allows it, we should bond right now.”

A small laugh escaped me. Words unauthorized copyfrom Joo Seung-hyuk, visit our sitewhich would have made me tremble in the past, now felt joyful.

As I smiled at him, the door to the Director’s office opened and Park Geon-woo stepped out.

Joo Seung-hyuk and I were pressed too close together. I tried to pull away out of embarrassment, but he instead pulled my waist closer.

“Seung-hyuk-ah!”

“What is it, Hyung?”

He stared at me with innocent, sparkling eyes, as if he knew nothing.

It was a look that signaled he was revving up to tease me. He’s ‘Hyung’ in name only. Only in name.

As I glared at him, Park Geon-woo’s voice reached us.

“Yeon-soo, let’s go. We have to hurry to get to Hyeonmu Pavilion.”

Hyeonmu Pavilion was where Jin-hwan was kept.

“Yes. By the way, what did you discuss with the Director?”

“We’re out of time.”

He spat the words out as if frustrated.

We had been waiting for Park Geon-woo to come out until now. It was absurd that he acted as if I were the one stalling for time.

“Yes…”

However, I didn’t let it show and simply bowed my head.

Hyeonmu Pavilion was isolated from the rest of the Center. While it was a distance one could walk, we decided to go by car given the urgency of the situation.

Upon arriving at Hyeonmu Pavilion, a staff member dressed in the Center’s uniform guided us. They were a contrast to the Inspection Division, who mostly wore black suits.

The staff member’s expression was stiff. To a stranger, [visit our site]it might seem like they were on edge because unauthorized copyof unauthorized copythe attempted theft of Jin-hwan, but in reality, the staff at Hyeonmu Pavilion were generally expressionless and sharp.

Even back in middle school, the staff had expressions like that…

“First, we will proceed with the matching rate test between Esper Park Geon-woo and Guide Lee Yeon-soo. You two please follow me, and Esper Joo Seung-hyuk, please wait in the car.”

“Only Seung-hyeok?”

“Yes. If a powerful Ability User like Esper Joo Seung-hyuk is nearby, there is a possibility it may affect the test results. Of course, when Esper Joo Seung-hyuk and Guide Lee Yeon-soo measure their matching rate, Esper Park Geon-woo will wait outside.”

“Yes. I understand.”

I answered while looking at Joo Seung-hyuk. I don’t know why I felt so reluctant to be apart from him, even for a short while.

“Seung-hyuk-ah, see you in a bit.”

“Okay. I’ll be there soon.”

“Yeah.”

I gripped his hand firmly before entering the building with Park Geon-woo.

Following the staff member’s guidance, we passed through several doors. Security seemed much tighter than when I was in middle school. Not only mana, but devices to block modern weapons and technology were also in place.

This meant the culprit had bypassed all of this to reach Jin-hwan. Who on earth could have done such a thing…

In South Korea, perhaps only someone like Joo Seung-hyuk could? It might be possible if High-rank Espers joined forces, but as far as I knew, there was no one among the S-Class who would attempt to steal Jin-hwan. Then was it the work of a foreigner?

I looked at the door, which boasted a heavy weight. Because different Barriers were cast on each door, different types of mana could be felt.

But for some reason, something felt off. Despite being attacked a few hours ago, there were no traces of intrusion or defense. It might be the case for the first one or two doors, but to have passed through every obstacle without a trace?

Of course, it might be possible for a superior Spatial-type Esper. Still, it felt suspicious.

“Yeon-soo, what are you thinking about?”

“Ah, it’s nothing.”

Suspicion bloomed, but I shook my head and followed behind Park Geon-woo.

“This brings back memories.”

He continued in a relaxed voice that didn’t suit the serious situation.

“Do you remember when we came to do a matching rate test together?”

“Yes. I remember.”

Of course I remember.

I was in class at school when I suddenly received a call from the Center. They said it was urgent, so I left school early and rushed there, only to be told to do a matching rate test with Park Geon-woo.

It was absurd that they told me to leave school and rush over for something like this. However, the Center acted as if they were doing me a favor, telling me it was an honor to be allowed to use Jin-hwan and that I should remember this and repay their kindness.

In short, it was a demand for me to enter the Center with Park Geon-woo. Even then, I had no intention of getting involved [unauthorized copy]with [Read on Read BL Novels]the original story’s second male lead, [stolen content]but I endured it because I didn’t want to argue with the Center staff.

If I had fought back, I would have just been told that I was acting out of line, knowing my place as someone who had nothing but the luck of awakening as an S-Class.

The community of Ability Users is closed. While some were happy that an S-Class Guide had appeared, others looked down upon me—even despised me—because I was from a Beta family and a Non-Ability User.

When I went to Hyeonmu Pavilion, I saw Park Geon-woo. We went inside and measured the matching rate, and the result was 85.018.

It was an unexpectedly high result. Others seemed surprised as well. Park Geon-woo, the party involved, had a strangely stiff face as if he wasn’t pleased with the result, but the Center staff were delighted.

After all, there was nothing bad about a high matching rate between an S-Class Esper and Guide.

Upon hearing the result, the Director called us in and gave a long speech about leading South Korea well.

To summarize that hour-long speech in one sentence: ‘Bond immediately for the sake of the country.’ Because public opinion was poor due to the Director’s corruption issues at the time, he wanted to divert the public’s attention by having us bond.

I was annoyed, but since I was in front of the Director, I couldn’t show it and endured it until I left the Center.

As I headed to the parking lot, Park Geon-woo’s father approached with an angry face.

‘Wow, congratulations. The matching rate is very high. It’s over 85%.’

When the Center staff offered congratulations, Park Geon-woo’s father exploded in anger.

‘Whose permission did you get to proceed with a matching rate test! How dare you try to push someone like this onto my son!’

‘……’

I had been despised many times for being poor and from a Non-Ability User family. But even if I was used to such situations, it didn’t make it okay. There was no way I could feel good hearing that right to my face.

‘Father!’

Park Geon-woo tried to stop him while glancing at me, but his anger showed no sign of subsiding.

‘Did I say anything wrong! Geon-woo, you should have asked me if something like this was happening!’

‘Father, stop it.’

There was nothing to gain by staying longer. I bowed my head to the staff member, saying I would be going, and walked toward the bus stop. Then, a sharp voice pierced through my back.

‘How dare you, not even knowing your place!’

Even if I had vague memories of my past life, I was a middle school student back then. I might have been slightly more mature than my peers, but I was still a child. Even though I thought Park Geon-woo’s father’s words were unfair, I just swallowed it and couldn’t say a word.

In the end, a Center staff member chased after me that day and drove me home. I didn’t usually cry in front of others, but I think I sobbed the entire way home that day.

Much time has passed now, and the sorrowful feelings of that time have vanished. However, whenever I recall that incident, a sudden surge of regret and longing hits me, thinking that I should have said, ‘I have no intention of getting involved with your son either!’

Thinking about it now still makes me angry.