38 – TDG 38
A total of 16 control devices were fastened to Han Ji-hyuk’s limbs upon his arrest at the scene. This represented the highest level of restraint used to subdue high-risk Espers. Due to his severely disrupted brainwaves, his functions had currently dropped to the level of an A to B-rank Esper.
It wasn’t an incomprehensible disposition.
Even when Espers get into a fight, if it’s just a moderate exchange of blows, it usually ends as mutual responsibility. However, this was a case where an S-rank had attacked an A-rank with the intent to kill, having lost his reason and gone into a rampage. Strong measures were inevitable.
I asked to stay by his side because I didn’t want to leave Ji-hyuk alone in the special holding cell, but Song Hyun-ho silently shook his head.
Thus, Ji-hyuk, who had been temporarily detained away from me, was soon referred to the Ethics Committee.
To put it simply, it’s easier to think of it as a summary court within the Center to settle disputes between Espers or Guides. One chairman and two vice-chairmen sit at the front to receive reports on the case, hear opinions from both sides, deliberate, and finally render a judgment; beside them, the accused and the victim sit facing each other to defend themselves. I attended as a witness.
Although the procedure was summary, the orders issued here carried the same weight as a court of law, meaning they possessed significant power and coercion.
Spotting Ji-hyuk appearing in the hall with Song Hyun-ho, I quickly craned my neck.
‘Are you okay?’
Though I only spoke with my lips, Ji-hyuk seemed to understand and nodded slowly.
He followed suit, shaping his lips to speak back.
‘Come closer.’
After glancing around to check the surroundings, I moved to the seat closest to the accused’s area. I expected him to be struggling since he was wearing so many control devices, but fortunately, there were no such signs. Seeing his relaxed expression put my mind somewhat at ease. I wanted to reach out and hold his hand just once, but with so many eyes watching, I had to leave that as a mere hope.
After reviewing the submitted materials, the chairman set them down and looked at Kwon Cheon-beom.
“It is explained here that Esper Kwon Cheon-beom said something, and immediately after, Esper Han Ji-hyuk became agitated and swung his fist. Exactly what did you say?”
Kwon Cheon-beom, with recovery foam covering half his face, opened his mouth. The way he frowned as if in pain was utterly pathetic.
“I didn’t say much.”
That’s it? Look at the way he answers.
The chairman seemed to be thinking the same thing as I was; he leaned forward, resting both elbows on the desk, and looked down intently at Kwon Cheon-beom.
“I am telling you to state exactly what those ‘not much’ words were.”
At the politely delivered reprimand, Kwon Cheon-beom smacked his lips and continued speaking with an attitude of arrogance that reached the skies. That bastard must truly believe there is no one in the world he needs to fear except his grandfather. No, maybe he isn’t even afraid of his grandfather.
“Hmm… first, I greeted him. Then, I introduced myself. And then I spoke briefly about his Guide.”
“By Guide, do you mean Guide Seo Joo-won?”
“…Yes.”
Kwon Cheon-beom’s eyes rolled toward me. In that state, he continued to speak nonchalantly.
“I just said that he and his Guide seemed to have a good relationship. That I was envious. I said I hoped I could have such a pretty Guide later on.”
Doubt clouded the chairman’s face.
“Is that all?”
“Yes.”
“You’re saying Esper Han Ji-hyuk became so enraged he lost his reason over words like that?”
“How should I know? An S-rank Esper suddenly went crazy and started rampaging; I thought I was going to die.”
After observing Kwon Cheon-beom, who was overacting as if he were stolen contentterrified while flaunting his injured face, the chairman turned his gaze toward our side.
“Esper Han Ji-hyuk.”
As Ji-hyuk looked up, the same question he had asked Kwon Cheon-beom was posed.
“Is Esper Kwon Cheon-beom’s statement true?”
“No.”
When Ji-hyuk flatly denied it, the chairman’s eyes gleamed with interest.
“Then what did he say?”
“He mocked me and sexually insulted my Guide.”
“……!”
Park Hee-jin, the Team leader of Team 3 sitting next to them, glared as if asking if that was true, but Kwon Cheon-beom merely shrugged his shoulders with a brazen face, acting as if he were the wronged one.
“By Guide… do you mean Guide Seo Joo-won?”
“Yes.”
“Exactly what insult did he utter?”
“I cannot say that.”
A bewildered silence enveloped everyone.
“…What do you mean you cannot say?”
“It is for the honor of my Guide.”
“!”
Unconsciously, my hips lifted halfway off the chair. I almost stood up.
For my honor? He’s saying he’ll give up his own defense to prevent me from being insulted? From his response without a shred of hesitation, I could tell Ji-hyuk had prepared this answer before coming here. Why is he doing this? Hyung is fine no matter what he hears. Just say it, Ji-hyuk-ssi.
Instead of the words that couldn’t escape my lips, my hand gripped the fabric of my pants tightly.
As the people began to stir, the chairman ordered silence.
“Are you sincere about those words?”
“Yes.”
“…Think carefully, Esper Han Ji-hyuk. If you do not defend yourself, the disciplinary action may fall solely on you.”
Despite the chairman’s threats and persuasion, Ji-hyuk did not change his position. As he remained consistently silent, Kwon Cheon-beom smirked from the opposite side as if he had expected this. Watching that sight made my stomach churn.
Giving up on further questioning, the chairman rifled through the documents again.
“…Looking at this, it appears Esper Han Ji-hyuk also showed strong symptoms of anxiety during his time at the training center. In particular, his Guide dependency was at a severe level; there is a record of him losing his reason and releasing power, destroying a laboratory, when Guide Seo Joo-won briefly stepped away. Could this be related?”
“Chairman. That was a phenomenon from the very beginning and is unrelated to the present. Furthermore, dependency is a tendency that other Espers also possess to some extent—”
Just as Song Hyun-ho, who had attended with us, stepped forward to make an excuse, someone opened the door and walked in.
“May I say a word regarding that?”
The one who appeared as if he were a returning conquering hero was Im Seong-joon. Everyone in the room, including the committee members, could not hide their surprise at his sudden appearance.
“Esper Im Seong-joon?”
“Yes. I am Im Seong-joon. I also have something to say [unauthorized copy]regarding Esper Han Ji-hyuk’s violence.”
As if he had caught a golden opportunity, the man triumphantly raised his hand. It was the very right hand that Ji-hyuk had crushed.
To think he’d be so subservient one moment and then never miss a chance the moment it arrives. I was almost impressed by his vile nature. Did the two of them plot this? I glanced at Kwon Cheon-beom, but his reaction was also one of surprise. At the very least, they hadn’t conspired.
I hoped the chairman would refuse, but it seemed unlikely.
“Very well. Speak.”
“Esper Han Ji-hyuk’s violence is at an uncontrollable level. I too suffered at his hands, sustaining 27 complex fractures in my right hand. He exploded the moment I tried to pat Guide Seo Joo-won on the shoulder to ask how he was doing.”
That damn bastard is lying without even blinking…!
“I suffered great physical and mental shock from this incident. I became helpless due to post-traumatic stress disorder, and even panic attacks and depression followed. Upon hearing that even Esper Kwon Cheon-beom of the same team had been targeted, I rushed here, putting everything aside, fearing that another innocent person might suffer the same fate as I did if he is left as he is.”
Im Seong-joon’s tongue was alarmingly smooth. It was at the level of reading a memorized script. They say birds of a feather flock together… What? Post-traumatic stress disorder? There must be a truckload of Guides who quit because of the stress he caused, and yet he has the nerve to…
I stared at the chairman with desperate eyes. Please, please give me a chance to speak just once.
“Guide Seo Joo-won.”
“Yes!”
“How has Esper Han Ji-hyuk been in your eyes normally? Please speak, setting aside your personal affection.”
…Stay calm. My mouth was itching to refute Im Seong-joon’s bullshit, but I had to answer the chairman’s question first. I couldn’t protect him too much, nor could I distance myself too much. I had to balance it appropriately so it didn’t feel like I was unilaterally taking a side.
“As you all mentioned, it is true that Esper Han Ji-hyuk has some impulsive tendencies. However, he has consistently worked hard to overcome that side of himself. If you look at the training center research logs, his metrics have improved noticeably in a short period. Currently, he is in a state no different from general Espers. I dare say, he has always been kind and gentlemanly, and he has never once acted threateningly toward me.”
“Hmm… is that so?”
“Yes… and… if I may add one thing, I believe Esper Im Seong-joon’s memory is somewhat mistaken.”
“What.”
The chairman stopped Im Seong-joon.
“Continue.”
“Esper Im Seong-joon sexually harassed me in the presence of Esper Han Ji-hyuk. Esper Han Ji-hyuk simply could not stand to see me, his dedicated and pair guide, being insulted.”
Im Seong-joon flared up in anger.
“That’s not true. I only greeted him! Hey! Jeong Mi-young, right?!”
He roughly pressed his own Guide, who had followed him, demanding an answer. Come to think of it, that Guide… is the person who was with him before.
The Guide called Jeong Mi-young, suddenly finding the arrow turned toward her, turned red in the face, not knowing what to do, and lowered her head deeply.
“Now, now, please be quiet. I understand the situation. Even so, the fact that severe violence was wielded does not change.”
I knew it. The fact that a Guide was sexually harassed doesn’t matter at all. A surge of irritation rose at the terribly Esper-centric thinking.
“Esper Han Ji-hyuk. Do you still have no intention of stating the contents of the insult?”
Song Hyun-ho quickly raised his hand.
“Committee members, could we perhaps take a recess? This is Esper Han Ji-hyuk’s first time in such a setting, so he seems to find it unfamiliar and difficult in many ways. I believe he needs time to organize his thoughts.”
The committee members looked at each other, whispered, and then readily nodded.
“…Very well. Then everyone organize your thoughts, and we shall reconvene tomorrow at this time.”
I was able to be with Ji-hyuk for a short while in the waiting room before he returned to the holding cell. Ji-hyuk, who greeted me as I entered with a change of clothes, asked:
“How do you two know each other?”
From the very first sentence, I was speechless.
“…It’s a long story.”
“I don’t mind if it’s long. I want to know everything.”
“Ji-hyuk-ssi, that can wait until later—”
However, Han Ji-hyuk ruthlessly shook his head, cutting me off.
“No. I need to know right now.”
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