50 – TDG 50

Han ​Ji-hyuk ​was ​left ​speechless by her ​blunt, ​snapping ​attitude.

“Hey, ​Yoon ​Soo-jeong.”

Shaking off Seon Jae-young’s ​hand ​as he tried ​to stop her, ​she ​strode ​forward ​until ​she ​was right in ​front ​of ​Han Ji-hyuk.

“You’re the ​one who made Joo-won ​cry, aren’t ​you?”

“Did… Hyung ​cry?”

Yoon Soo-jeong ​scoffed as ​if ​it ​were the most ​obvious thing ​in the world.

“He didn’t ​just cry; he cried ​like the world was ​ending! And ​this! ​You did this too, didn’t you?”

She ​pointed toward the wall ​he ​had ​smashed. ​Seeing ​Han Ji-hyuk stammering, ​unable to ​say ​a word, Yoon ​Soo-jeong ​grit her teeth as if ​she had ​finally ​caught the culprit.

“Esper ​Han ​Ji-hyuk. ​Do ​you ​know you’re ​an ​S-rank or ​not? Compared to you, our Guide is ​nothing more than ​an ordinary person. ​I don’t know what ​happened, but ​if you act ​like ​this just because ​you’re angry, we ​can’t work ​together. ​Joo-won must ​have ​felt an ​immense ​threat from ​a ​single ​outburst of your ​venting!”

“…….”

“You ​two were ​doing ​so ​well; ​why on earth did you do stolen contentthat? stolen contentThis is not how people [stolen content]who like each other behave!”

Han Ji-hyuk’s complexion grew darker under the harsh reprimand. Seeing as he couldn’t mutter a single excuse, it seemed he at least knew he was in the wrong. That was probably why he had slunk back to look for him. Yoon Soo-jeong, looking as if she were dying of frustration, lost her temper and pushed him toward the door.

“What are you doing! Joo-won left early, so go find him right now. And beg for his forgiveness! Got it? Don’t even think about coming back here until you do!”

She put all her strength into kicking Han Ji-hyuk out and slammed the door shut.

“Is she his birth mother…?”

Seon Jae-young, who had been watching the scene, let out a bewildered comment. Yoon Soo-jeong, looking disgusted, irritably rolled up her sleeves and glared at him.

“Shut up, you nuisance! Ugh… seriously, no matter how ‘sweet’ these Esper bastards claim to be, they only think of themselves. I thought they were a decent pair since they were getting along so lovey-dovey, but I’m disappointed. I shouldn’t have had expectations from the start.”

True words. Seon Jae-young sighed and glued his eyes back to his phone.

Han Ji-hyuk, who had been dazed in front of the ruthlessly closed door, soon composed himself and headed down the building. If he had left early, there was a high probability he had gone home. He practically ran toward the parking lot while making a call.

The ringing tone continued incessantly. However, Seo Joo-won did not answer even by the time Han Ji-hyuk climbed into the Jaguar parked in a corner of the lot. Since the signal was going through, he hadn’t turned off his phone; was he intentionally avoiding his call? Or was he simply unavailable…?

Ominous possibilities kept swirling in his head. In a state of anxiety, Han Ji-hyuk hurriedly started the car.

The recorded voice of his Hyung was tight, filled with suppressed sobs. Yoon Soo-jeong’s words—that he had cried as if the world were ending—hit him with full force. The Seo Joo-won that Han Ji-hyuk knew was a person of strong character. Though small in stature, he possessed a dignity and breadth of heart that always covered him like a great roof. Such a person had suddenly let everything go.

‘Because of me…?’

His grip on the steering wheel tightened instinctively.

‘I’m only sweet to you.’

‘I only wanted you to be happy.’

In Hyung’s embrace, Han Ji-hyuk had tasted every colorful form of affection a human could possess. He had been a parent, a sibling, and a friend to him. Within that, he had found the most ideal image of a lover. Could such devotion have been possible through mere duty?

It wasn’t that he wanted to leave or abandon him. Rather, he had cherished him so much that he tried to send him toward a bigger world. Like a fool. How could Seo Joo-won have such a foolish thought? It was shocking and absurd that he still held belief in that possibility while being sad enough to cry like that.

If he couldn’t realize it, then I’ll hold onto him and make him understand.

The simple and absolute fact that I cannot be happy without you—he intended to say it a hundred, a thousand times, carving it into his mind so that he would never dare leave his side, even in his dreams.

The indifferent ringing tone suddenly cut off. Han Ji-hyuk brightened significantly when the call finally connected.

“Hyung, where are you?”

• Han Ji-hyuk.

The voice coming through the phone was not Hyung’s, but another man’s.

“…Team leader?”

Song Hyun-ho. Why was he holding Hyung’s [unauthorized copy]phone? Could they be together? His nerves spiked stolen contentat the inexplicable situation.

Song Hyun-ho’s voice sounded heavily sunken.

• Come pick up your Guide immediately.

He floored it, ignoring traffic lights and speed limits. Covering a distance that would normally take three hours in just one, Han Ji-hyuk arrived in front of the hotel Song Hyun-ho had specified. But something was strange. A police car with its warning lights flashing was parked at the hotel entrance. With a bad feeling, he slammed the car to a stop nearby and approached the building, where Song Hyun-ho was waiting for him. His complexion was dark, his face clouded with a sense of failure.

“Where is Hyung?”

“He was kidnapped.”

Han Ji-hyuk doubted his own ears.

“What?”

To the utterly bewildered man, Song Hyun-ho held out a small, black square envelope.

“What is this?”

“It was found in the room where Guide Seo Joo-won disappeared.”

There was nothing written on the card inside the envelope, but it seemed to deliver a powerful message on its own.

“I don’t know if you’ve heard, but there is an international criminal organization made up entirely of Espers called ‘Black Moon.’ For a long time, black cards like this have been found at their crime scenes. It was classified, so we couldn’t disclose it, but one of their executives is currently detained by our department. Black Moon sent a threatening email to Minister Seo Hyung-shik demanding his release. They warned that if he isn’t, they will carry out various threats, including terrorism, against Korea.”

“But what does that have to do with Hyung’s kidnapping…?”

Song Hyun-ho looked surprised.

“You didn’t know? That Guide Seo Joo-won is Minister Seo Hyung-shik’s son.”

“!”

It was the first he had heard of it. He had thought it was a bit unusual that Joo-won lived in a high-security apartment, but he never imagined this.

“I guess you just thought he was a young master from a wealthy family.”

He probably thought there was no need to mention it. At those words, Han Ji-hyuk asked again.

“…Then did Black Moon take Hyung to carry out their threat?”

“Hmm, it’s almost certain. After reporting to the higher-ups and checking, it turns out that not only Guide Seo Joo-won, but the children of other government officials have also been reported missing. Black cards like this were found at all the scenes. Only three cases have been confirmed so far, but based on the circumstances, the number is expected to increase. This might become the largest kidnapping case in domestic history.”

“How was Hyung kidnapped?”

Song Hyun-ho’s expression dimmed.

“It was my mistake. Guide Seo Joo-won was a bit drunk. While I left him alone for a moment because he had fallen asleep while taking your call, it happened. I suspect the work of a teleporter, but just in case, we are currently reviewing the hotel’s CCTV.”

“…You were guarding Hyung.”

“Yeah. I was personally asked by the Minister. This is off the record. You know that, right?”

“…….”

An unreadable light flickered in Han Ji-hyuk’s eyes. While there was no great change in his expression, the hollowed cheek muscles and the fists clenched white revealed the rage and despair swirling inside him. Song Hyun-ho turned away as if he had seen nothing and gestured for him to follow. Entering the hotel lobby, the two took the emergency stairs near the elevator down to the basement.

When they opened the entrance marked ‘Authorized Personnel Only,’ a long corridor painted in a dated ivory color stretched out on both sides. After passing through a section equipped with various fire-fighting equipment and wiring rooms, they entered the monitor room inside, where two officers were reviewing the footage.

“Did you find anything?”

“Not yet. We’re still searching.”

Song Hyun-ho encouraged them. Han Ji-hyuk, staring blankly at the dozens of screens spread horizontally, asked in a cracked voice.

“What should I do?”

His devastated face, stained with deep self-reproach and failure—so different from his usual expressionless mask—was quite a sight.

Though he tried his best not to show it, Song Hyun-ho could see right through Han Ji-hyuk’s anxious interior. Why did he make him cry if he was going to end up like this? It was almost a pity that Seo Joo-won couldn’t see this blunt, arrogant brat acting so restless and desperate that it was obvious to everyone.

Song Hyun-ho led him out of the monitor room so as not to disturb the officers.

“Nothing for now. We Read on Read BL Novelshave to find [unauthorized copy]something on the CCTV before the visit our sitedecision from the top comes down.”

“Decision…?”

“About establishing an investigation center.”

“…How long will that take?”

Han Ji-hyuk’s tone became stiff.

The problem was that the kid’s patience wasn’t very long. Song Hyun-ho sighed inwardly and began to persuade him.

“I know you’re frustrated. I feel the same. If this is confirmed as the work of Black Moon, the situation becomes extremely serious. Terrorism and kidnapping always go hand in hand. The fact that kidnappings have started means a larger double-plan is being prepared. If we respond clumsily, many people will be in danger. That’s why the higher-ups have no choice but to move cautiously. Han Ji-hyuk, the investigation center will definitely be launched. So, you and I should look for evidence in the meantime. We need to find at least one more thing to speed up the resolution of the case.”

Whether Song Hyun-ho’s earnest tone worked, Han Ji-hyuk fortunately nodded silently. As suspected, Han Ji-hyuk’s internal state was a mess. He deeply regretted leaving Hyung alone without knowing he was exposed to danger, and the fact that there was nothing he could do right now was agonizing.

Even if he wanted to demand why such an important fact wasn’t told to him beforehand, the answer was clear when he looked at his own current state. It was because he hadn’t given trust first.

Han Ji-hyuk rubbed his face with his hands and swallowed a groan. Even the inside of his eyes felt stiff and aching.

“…Will those bastards harm Hyung?”

“If it’s certain that Black Moon took him, he’ll actually be safe for the time being. He has value as a hostage, so they won’t kill him recklessly.”

Unable to bear seeing Han Ji-hyuk’s stolen contentstolen contentdeteriorating state, Song Hyun-ho tapped him on the shoulder.

“You don’t need to blame yourself so much. Nothing will happen. We just have to rescue him before those bastards do anything terrible.”

However, besides killing, there were plenty of ways those bastards could ruin Seo Joo-won just to vent their anger. Not only was he the son of Seo Hyung-shik, whom they hated most, but he was also a Guide. Song Hyun-ho’s heart grew heavier, as he had encountered quite a few foreign cases where Espers from Black Moon had ruthlessly toyed with the Guides they kidnapped. The guilt of having been by his side yet losing him in a single moment of carelessness tormented him.