Chapter 138 – GOY 138

#138

After ​defeating ​all ​the ​monsters, ​Joo ​Seung-hyuk strode forward ​and ​scooped ​Lee ​Yeon-soo ​up in his arms.

Just ​then, ​a crowd of ​high-rank Espers rushed ​in. ​They ​were ​the ​Espers ​who had participated ​in ​the ​Gimpo Gate alongside ​Joo Seung-hyuk.

“What happened here? ​Why is ​there a ​Black Wyvern ​in a ​B-Class ​Gate…!”

“Geon-woo, ​did you take ​it down ​by yourself?”

“What happened to ​Geon-woo’s arm? Were you ​hurt because of the ​Black Wyvern?”

“…….”

“Yeon-soo!”

“Joo ​Seung-hyuk, ​what’s wrong with Yeon-soo?”

The Espers were ​flustered, unable to grasp ​the ​situation. ​Park ​Geon-woo ​felt that he ​should be ​the ​one to explain.

After ​all, ​he was the only one ​who knew ​that ​Lee Yeon-soo had ​been ​injured.

However, ​he ​couldn’t ​bring himself ​to ​speak.

‘Because of ​my poor judgment, Yeon-soo was attacked by ​the Black Wyvern. ​I abandoned the ​falling Yeon-soo and ran ​away, then ​tripped and injured ​my ​arm. While Joo ​Seung-hyuk was defeating ​the Black ​Wyvern, ​I did ​nothing ​but watch.’

He ​couldn’t ​possibly say ​such ​things.

While ​he remained silent, ​Joo ​Seung-hyuk entrusted ​Lee ​Yeon-soo ​to ​a Healing Esper.

Leaving behind the injured Park Geon-woo and Lee Yeon-soo, as well as the Healing Esper, the Gimpo raid team hurried into the boss room to complete the raid.

‘I have to go.’

Park Geon-woo thought, clutching his arm as blood dripped from it.

It was a crisis where an S-Class Gate could open in the middle of Seoul. As an S-Class Esper, he couldn’t just stand by.

But his body wouldn’t move.

He was terrified and scared. Everything was horrific.

While he hesitated, the Gimpo Gate team that had headed for the boss room returned.

“Did a problem arise?”

Park Geon-woo barely managed to speak.

“No, that guy Joo Seung-hyuk took care of it.”

“Seriously, that monster of a man. There was nothing for us to even do.”

Did Joo Seung-hyuk even defeat the Boss Monster? This quickly…?

Park Geon-woo couldn’t believe it. And when he realized their words weren’t a joke but the truth, he felt so miserable that he wanted to die.

---

Lee Yeon-soo was admitted to the hospital. Park Geon-woo stood in front of his hospital room, hesitating time and again.

He was worried about Lee Yeon-soo, but at the same time, he didn’t want to see him. Yeon-soo had remained conscious even after falling to the ground.

‘He must have seen me run away so pathetically, abandoning him….’

Park Geon-woo had always lived wearing a perfectly crafted mask. Setting aside his father’s orders, he had put in countless efforts of his own to maintain that mask. But everything collapsed at the Horaitron Gate.

Park Geon-woo had considered himself the best Esper in Korea. He believed that even if Joo Seung-hyuk’s skills were high, he would be no match for him. But it was a delusion.

He was no match for Joo Seung-hyuk. It wasn’t just a matter of skill.

Park Geon-woo had abandoned Lee Yeon-soo, while Joo Seung-hyuk had protected him.

Just thinking about that day was agonizing, and a sense of shame tightened around his entire body.

Still, he couldn’t avoid Lee Yeon-soo forever. Park Geon-woo opened the door to the room.

Inside, he saw Lee Yeon-soo, who was breathing shallowly, unable to even scream because the pain was so intense.

“Um, excuse me, some painkillers, please….”

“Yeon-soo, does it hurt a lot?”

Park Geon-woo rushed to Lee Yeon-soo’s side.

“Hyung….”

“Yes. Yeon-soo.”

“Are you badly hurt?”

“…….”

He was speechless.

Park Geon-woo was afraid. He was afraid that Lee Yeon-soo had seen his ugly side, that he would go around telling people, and that the image he had built would crack. But instead, Lee Yeon-soo was worrying about him.

“I’m sorry.”

“…Why are you apologizing?”

“I heard from the Center Director. He said you were injured while trying to save me.”

…Could it be that he doesn’t remember? Or perhaps he couldn’t see clearly because he was falling….

But why did the Center Director tell such a lie?

After completing the Horaitron Gate raid, Park Geon-woo had told his father everything [Read on Read BL Novels]that happened inside. And the new Center Director was on [stolen content]very close terms with his father. Could it be….

“…I’m fine.”

“But your arm….”

“…It’s almost healed.”

How much did Lee Yeon-soo remember? Furthermore, what exactly had the Center Director said? Not knowing this made it difficult to continue the conversation.

“I’m sorry.”

“No. Don’t think about that and focus on your recovery. You should get a potion or painkillers. I’ll call the doctor.”

Park Geon-woo ended up fleeing the hospital room.

When he arrived home, his father greeted him with a hearty laugh.

“My son, don’t worry. Your father has settled everything.”

“Settled what…?”

An ominous feeling washed over his entire body.

“Fortunately, I heard Lee Yeon-soo doesn’t remember. So, I told them that you saved him. The Center Director worked very hard on this, so be sure to thank him.”

As expected, it was his father’s doing.

“…Why did you tell such a lie?”

When Park Geon-woo questioned him, his father’s beaming expression instantly soured.

“Then what should I have said? That you fell flat on your face the moment you saw an S-Class monster? That while Chairman Joo’s son saved Lee Yeon-soo and defeated the S-Class Gate boss, you were just trembling in fear? What would happen if people found out? Everything you’ve built up until now would crumble!”

His father’s words felt disgusting. But he couldn’t refute them. Because he had thought the exact same thing.

“…But even if Lee Yeon-soo doesn’t remember, Joo Seung-hyuk knows.”

“The only ones who know the situation are Joo Seung-hyuk and you. And if two people make different claims, who do you think people will believe? They’ll believe you, of course! Because your image is so good. So do not worry.”

“…….”

Park Geon-woo wanted to return to the hospital immediately and tell Lee Yeon-soo everything. But his legs wouldn’t move. He couldn’t even call or text. He was terrified that everything he had built would collapse.

Park Geon-woo realized poignantly that the same blood as his father flowed through his veins.

The next day, he decided to go to Africa.

He didn’t have the confidence to face Lee Yeon-soo as he was. Nor did he have the courage to confess the truth.

People praised him as a hero, but he was simply running away.

However, the truth could not be hidden forever….

“Park Geon-woo Hyung, please tell me the truth.”

In the eyes of Lee Yeon-soo, who was asking about the truth of the Horaitron Gate, there was already a strong conviction. The memories of that day had returned.

---

After a long silence, Park Geon-woo spoke with a heavy sigh.

“I’m sorry.”

This was an admission of all the facts.

“Why did you lie?”

“I didn’t intend to deceive you. I thought you remembered the whole situation. I told the Center Director everything at the time. But when I visited you in the hospital, you said something completely different. I was so surprised. I think the Center Director lied because he wanted us to bond….”

That Center Director was exactly the kind of person to do such a thing. But….

“Regardless of what the Center Director said, Hyung should have told me the truth.”

“Sorry, I intended to, but I had to leave for Africa in a hurry….”

“Did you not even have time to send a quick text?”

“I didn’t think it was something to be said over text.”

“Then what about after you returned to the country?”

“It had already been so long that I thought it would be awkward to bring it up suddenly….”

From start to finish, Park Geon-woo offered nothing but pathetic excuses.

Was he always like this?

Even though they had met often since middle school, he had no idea Park Geon-woo had this side to him. He had always thought of him as someone straight and upright like bamboo, and righteous to the point of being stubborn.

It seemed he had misjudged him. Because of the prejudice created by the original plot, he hadn’t been able to judge Park Geon-woo objectively.

Seeing my cold expression, Park Geon-woo hurriedly added.

“Actually, I wrote it in a letter.”

“A letter?”

“Yes. I wrote it in the reply when I first received your letter from Africa.”

Was that true? Or was he making an excuse knowing that the letter had been lost in the mail?

The way to find out the answer was simple.

“I found the reply.”

“What…?”

“While I was abroad, I was contacted by the post office. They said they found the missing mail. I plan to go pick it up tomorrow.”

“…….”

“So please, be honest with me.”

It was half-lie, half-truth. I could go to Joo Seung-hyuk’s study right now and check the letter.

Panic was evident on Park Geon-woo’s face. After hesitating for a long time, he spoke slowly.

“I’m sorry.”

This meant that the claim about confessing the truth in the letter was also a lie. Was he a person who wouldn’t hesitate to lie just to hide things unfavorable to himself?

It was also hard to believe his claim that he had left Pheromones on me because of a Rut.

I didn’t want to talk to him anymore.

I stood up from the bench.

“I will decline the offer to be your exclusive guide.”

“Yeon-soo! It’s true I couldn’t tell you about that incident back then, but that and being an exclusive guide are separate matters. Don’t think emotionally….”

I was appalled by Park Geon-woo’s attitude, speaking as if he were lecturing me even after deceiving me. I cut him off and spoke firmly.

“It has nothing to do with the past. I am currently the guide in charge of Esper Joo Seung-hyuk. I cannot accept any other offers.”

“…….”

“Then, I’ll be going.”

I gave a short bow and turned around. Then, Park Geon-woo urgently called my name.

“Yeon-soo! Don’t trust Joo Seung-hyuk!”

“What?”

When I turned my head, he spoke with a solemn face.

“Be careful. He’s a dangerous guy. Don’t eat anything he gives you.”

“What?”

I wanted to ask what on earth that meant. But Park Geon-woo left first, leaving only those words behind.

Don’t trust Joo Seung-hyuk, and don’t eat what he gives me….

What on earth could that mean?

It bothered me, but for now, I walked toward the parking lot.

I was worried that Joo Seung-hyuk might have arrived and been waiting, but fortunately, he wasn’t there yet.

No, was that fortunate…?

What is he doing that he’s not here yet? He just had to take a drunk person to their room and come back. Is he waiting for the elevator? No. It’s Read on Read BL Novelsnot [visit our site]a high floor, only the 2nd [stolen content]floor. Even if it took time to go up, he could just walk down!

Surely the Original Plot Constraint hasn’t kicked in now…?

As I bit my lip in anxiety, I saw Joo Seung-hyuk.

“Seung-hyuk-ah….”

“Why are you standing there? You should have waited in the car.”

“Why are you so late?”

I was surprised by the words that came out of my own mouth. It was because my tone was so cold and interrogative.

How dare I use such an arrogant and insolent tone with the Obsessive Madman. I’ve gone crazy.

“Were you waiting for me?”

But Joo Seung-hyuk just smiled brightly. Fortunately, he didn’t seem very offended.

“Yeah. Did you get Kim Joon home safely?”

“Yes.”

Even as I answered, Joo Seung-hyuk’s eyes were filled with me. Seeing that, I felt a bit relieved. It seemed nothing had happened with Kim Joon. Right, I knew it. I was worrying for nothing….