35 – TDG 35

“It’s ​not ​like ​that. ​I was just ​lucky.”

After ​teasing ​Senior ​Jae-young ​until she was satisfied, ​Senior ​Soo-jeong ran back ​and hugged me ​tightly.

“In ​this ​field, ​luck ​is ​a skill, Joo-won! ​Oh, ​what ​should I do? ​Our Joo-won is like ​a total ​icon of ​luck.”

“Ah… no, ​Seonbae….”

To be ​this ​happy ​for something that ​isn’t even ​her own business. She ​really is a wonderful ​person.

My mood, which had ​been sharply ​frayed ​after the encounter with the Land-Sea-Air ​trio, felt as if ​it ​were ​recovering ​to ​some extent, fueled ​by Senior ​Soo-jeong’s ​overflowing energy.

“Geez, our ​little ​softie. If anyone bullies you ​again in ​the ​future, don’t just ​take ​it—tell ​me. ​Got ​it? I ​might ​not have ​much else, but I have a wide ​network. I’ll mobilize ​every connection I ​have to make sure ​they don’t ​get away with ​it.”

“What? ​Who bullied our ​kid?”

Senior Jae-young, who ​had been ​shriveled ​up in ​the ​corner, sprang ​up ​as if ​bounced ​by ​a spring upon ​hearing ​that. Senior ​Soo-jeong, ​seeing ​her ​chance, immediately began to spill the tea.

“You know Kwon Min-wook from Team 1. That bastard was picking on stolen contentour Joo-won. [visit our site][Read on Read BL Novels]I mean, the nerve of him.”

Senior Ho-jin asked back, bewildered.

“Kwon Min-wook? Why him?”

“I don’t know either. Do you know what that man said? You guys will be appalled when you hear it. He told him not to rip off cards from Espers through a dedicated assignment’s physical intimacy.”

The faces of Senior Jae-young and Senior Ho-jin stiffened, a flash of raw shock crossing their features.

“…Is he crazy? He’s a Guide too, so what is he talking about?”

“I heard he has a good reputation for being competent and well-mannered. He actually said that?”

Senior Soo-jeong snorted, her nose wrinkling in distaste.

“That’s just what the Espers say. Because in front of them, he acts all sweet, like he’d give them his own liver and gallbladder. If you actually get to know him, he’s a total piece of trash. A friend of mine had all the Espers she’d built connections with stolen by that guy, and then weird rumors started spreading, so she eventually quit… ugh.”

Aha, so that’s why he had shown such immediate displeasure toward Kwon Min-wook.

Senior Jae-young crossed his arms and spoke with an annoyed tone.

“Just because something comes out of your mouth doesn’t make it a valid point. If he’d unauthorized copysaid that to my face, he would’ve been knocked out already. He can think [visit our site]whatever he wants, but why drag others into it? There’s a limit to team-killing.”

“Exactly! Before this, that man was desperate to be the dedicated Guide for Esper Han Ji-hyuk. But their waveforms didn’t match, so it didn’t happen. That’s why he’s holding a grudge against Joo-won.”

A dry, grating laugh escaped Senior Ho-jin’s lips.

“What a pathetic loser. He picked on you because he knew you wouldn’t be able to say a word back to him. Are you okay, Seo Joo-won?”

Three pairs of eyes, mixed with anger and concern, rolled toward me.

“Yes. I’m fine. Senior Soo-jeong happened to be next to me, so she helped me….”

Senior Jae-young clicked his tongue, still looking dissatisfied, and flicked something from his fingertips. I caught it reflexively; it was a tiny, translucent mechanical device about 5mm in size.

“That’s a micro-recorder. It sticks anywhere like gum. Attach it to a bracelet or a watch and carry it around; if someone picks a fight, record the conversation. We’ll file a formal protest at the team level.”

Senior Soo-jeong asked with a suspicious glint in her eyes.

“Why on earth are you carrying a recorder?”

“So I can record you when you swear and report it to the higher-ups. Why?”

“What?!”

I was a bit bewildered, as I hadn’t expected Senior Jae-young—who usually maintained a mode of total cynicism and indifference—to get so genuinely angry for me.

“Thank you, Senior Jae-young.”

“Forget it. If anyone’s going to tear someone down, it should be me. Who does that Team 1 bastard think he is, acting so arrogant…”

Ah. So that was it.

Still, I appreciate the sentiment.

“What’s with the atmosphere since this morning? Why is everyone so angry?”

It was Team Leader Park Chi-soo. He expressed doubt at the ominous air lingering in the office as he stepped inside.

“Ah, perfect timing, Team Leader. You should hear this too.”

Senior Soo-jeong, who was about to take a proper stance to tell him everything, paused. Then, she raised her hand and pointed to the side.

“…And who is that?”

He wasn’t alone. He [unauthorized copy]was with a woman [stolen content]who was a head shorter than Park Chi-soo, Read on Read BL Novelswith straight hair falling to her shoulders.

“Everyone, say hello. This is Jung Ah-yoon, who joined our team this time.”

“!”

I silently held my breath.

The heartbeat in my chest slowed as if it had stopped, then surged all at once with a violent rush of blood.

Jung Ah-yoon.

Ah-yoon?

I had expected her to appear within a few days, but I didn’t think it would be today. I had been longing for her to appear as soon as possible, but now that it was actually happening, I felt like I wasn’t mentally prepared yet. My entire body froze stiff, unable to move a single finger.

While a shiver like an electric current traveled up my spine and seeped into the back of my neck, she tucked her hair behind her ear and greeted us in a refreshing voice.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Jung Ah-yoon. I look forward to working with you, Seonbaes.”

Ebony black hair with a glossy sheen and a graceful face sculpted with a likable impression.

I found myself naturally captivated by [stolen content]her warm and [visit our site]clear hazel eyes, which were filled unauthorized copywith a moist smile like autumn sunlight.

The female lead of <Lost Paradise>, Jung Ah-yoon, whom I had finally encountered, looked as if she had jumped straight out of the novel; she was several times more pure and beautiful than my meager imagination could have conjured.

Perfect. Superior. Like a goddess. As expected of a heroine.

“…….”

I can’t breathe because of the radiating halo. My favorite female lead. What do I do, Ah-yoon? My heart is racing so much. My heart was pounding so hard from overflowing emotion and joy that it felt as if it would rip through my chest and jump out.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Yoon Soo-jeong. I’m so glad to have another female team member. How old are you?”

“I’m twenty-six.”

Senior Soo-jeong rolled her eyes and stroked under her chin.

“Really? How old is Joo-won?”

The moment I heard that question, I snapped out of my fantasy and returned abruptly to reality.

“I’m… twenty-four.”

Wa-wa-wait a minute.

Then I’m… the younger one?

I had been so blinded by the thought of bringing the two together that I forgot; even in the original work, Han Ji-hyuk and Jung Ah-yoon were a combination of a younger man and an older woman.

“Joo-won is younger than Ah-yoon, but since he joined two months earlier, it’s okay to call him Seonbae, right?”

The Team Leader preemptively settled the potentially ambiguous title issue.

Seonbae. I’m so honored I don’t know what to do with myself. Forget Seonbae, she can just call me ‘Joo-won, you brat’ or whatever…!

Jung Ah-yoon looked at me with a neat gaze, as if there were no question about it.

“Yes. I look forward to working with you, Seonbae.”

The female lead, the female lead made eye contact and greeted me. And she called me ‘Seonbae’…!

A different kind of emotion washed over me than when Ji-hyuk called me Hyung.

Suppressing the urge to scream from excitement, I quickly responded.

“A-ah, no. I’m the one… really… nice to meet you.”

Jung Ah-yoon, looking at me with a slight tilt of her head as my voice trembled, soon took my hand with a kind smile.

Her hand is really small and soft, too. Now, if I just overlap Han Ji-hyuk’s hand on top of this one, isn’t my job done?

…I have achieved everything.

Wait for me, Paradise.

It’s really not far off now!

The initial work guidance for the rookie Guide Jung Ah-yoon—though ‘guidance’ felt too grand for a mentor—was left to me. Partly because the other seniors were all busy, but who cared? As working hours began, the seniors left the office one by one to answer calls, and eventually, only the two of us remained.

“Aha. I see. So the core is to do your own marketing to receive requests from Espers.”

“Yes, that’s true…. But in the beginning, the Seonbaes sometimes slot you into substitute positions so you can learn the ropes, so you don’t have to worry too much.”

How could I let our precious female lead go through such a grueling and bitter development as ‘marketing’? I wouldn’t let her pass through several different guys. Ah-yoon, one single Han Ji-hyuk from start to finish is enough for your Esper.

Damn. My face keeps trying to smile. I should stop acting like a fool and get to the point, lest she get some strange misunderstanding.

“Um… this might be sudden, but since [visit our site]we’re on the subject, stolen contentthere’s an Esper I really want to introduce you to.”

“To me?”

“Yes. Since you’re new to this, you might not know, but while working, there are times when Espers make things difficult or uncomfortable for us in various ways. Not all of them are like that, but some are excessively self-centered… or eccentric.”

I sighed, feeling my own words were clumsy. It would be easier to just call them trash, but expressing it in a ‘general audience’ rating wasn’t easy. It can’t be helped. I can’t let Ah-yoon hear bad words.

The only consolation was that Jung Ah-yoon was focusing on me with wide eyes.

“But the Esper I want to introduce has none of those traits. He’s powerful and someone who deeply cherishes his Guide. He’s a very cool guy, and his face is really handsome, too.”

“But why introduce such a person to me…?”

“What do you mean why? We’re on the same team and in the same boat. If you do well, it’s good for me too. Besides, since it’s your first time, I think it’s more important to gain experience with a good person from the start.”

Jung Ah-yoon had an impressed expression. Although some lies were mixed in, the core was sincere, so I hoped it reached her well.

Just then, my watch blinked. It was a message from Han Ji-hyuk.

• Hyung, where are you? Lunch?

Is it lunch time already? Great. This is the perfect opportunity.

“Shall we meet at the cafeteria?”

• Cafeteria?

Hmm, no. Considering the atmosphere when he arrived at work, we might be stared to death if we ate at the cafeteria. The restaurant located on the floor above the cafeteria would be better. The food is ridiculously expensive, but it’s optimal because we can eat quietly.

“Not there, let’s meet at ‘Soave,’ the Western restaurant on the 2nd floor. You know where that is? Right.”

When I turned around after finishing the radio call, Ah-yoon was standing up, grabbing her phone and wallet.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m going to the cafeteria.”

That would be a disaster. I quickly stopped her.

“What are you talking about? We have to go together.”

“Me too?”

“Of course. Did you think I’d send you to the cafeteria alone on your first day of work? That would be subhuman.”

When I made a face and joked, Jung Ah-yoon burst into laughter. Great, it worked. The mood is good. This is going to work. It’s definitely going to work. The whole world is pushing for Ji-hyuk and Ah-yoon!

Rejoicing in the smooth progression of events, I quickly [unauthorized copy]ran stolen contentto open the door. After saying thank you, Ah-yoon left the office first. I followed behind her with excited steps.