Chapter 85 – GOY 85

#85

Once ​again, ​I ​managed ​to ​escape ​from the Obsessive ​Madman’s ​embrace ​safely. ​But ​what would happen when ​vacation ​started?

Until now, I’ve ​been able to ​slip ​away ​using ​lectures ​and ​the dormitory as ​excuses, ​but ​that will be ​impossible once vacation hits…

“Yeon-soo!”

As ​I was ​trudging along, ​a loud ​shout rang ​out. ​Looking ​toward the sound, ​I saw ​Park Geon-woo running toward ​me from a distance.

“Geon-woo ​Hyung.”

“Yeon-soo, why do you ​look like ​that? ​Did something bad happen?”

Worry clouded his ​eyes, which had been ​bright ​as ​he ​ran ​toward me. I ​reflexively shook ​my ​head.

“No. Nothing happened. ​Why ​are you here, Hyung? Didn’t ​you have ​an ​after-party or something?”

High-ranking ​officials ​from ​the ​government ​and the ​Center ​had all ​come specifically to meet Park Geon-woo.

I figured ​that by now, ​they would be ​in the middle of ​a drinking ​session, chatting away ​about ​what would happen ​after he left ​for the ​Center. ​However, aside ​from ​having changed ​his ​clothes, Park ​Geon-woo ​looked ​exactly as he ​did ​during the ​lecture. ​He ​was ​neat, without a single hair out of place, and he didn’t smell of alcohol.

“Ah, I don’t really like those kinds of gatherings. I just ate and left early.”

“You don’t drink?”

“I don’t like it much. If I were to get drunk and a monster attacked, everyone would be in danger.”

He had headed for the Africa Gate as soon as [Read on Read BL Novels]he became an adult. Fierce battles must have taken place [visit our site]every day. He probably wasn’t leisurely enough to drink.

I hadn’t seen him drunk in the original novel either; this must have been why.

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”

“It’s okay. Yeon-soo, do you drink?”

“I drank a bit last year, but I’m abstaining this year…”

I had almost completely quit drinking after my first encounter with Joo Seung-hyuk. I wasn’t the type to drink voluntarily unless there was a social gathering to begin with, but after that first time with Joo Seung-hyuk, I couldn’t even stand the sight of alcohol.

“I can’t imagine Lee Yeon-soo drinking. You used to be so small.”

He said this while gesturing with his hand below his waist.

“I was never that small. I was in seventh grade when we first met.”

“Haha. True. But in my eyes, you looked this small. Anyway, are you done with your previous engagement?”

“Yes.”

“Then do you have a moment?”

He had mentioned during the lecture that there was something he wanted to tell me. Was it something important?

“Yes. I’m free.”

“Shall we sit?”

“Yes.”

We sat down on a nearby visit our sitebench. Perhaps because it was unauthorized copyJune, the weather was stolen contentquite warm even though it was night.

“What do you want to drink?”

“Oh, yes.”

I answered and quickly stood up. I intended to buy a drink from the vending machine nearby. However, Park Geon-woo was faster. He tapped his card on the machine and pressed a button.

“You like ‘Lemonia,’ right, Yeon-soo?”

‘Lemonia’ was a drink I used to enjoy often back in high school. However, these days, sour tastes or strong carbonation felt a bit burdensome, so I didn’t drink it much. I suppose my tastes changed as I got older.

But since the drink had already come out, I couldn’t really say no.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Still the same, I see.”

Park Geon-woo smiled and handed me the Lemonia.

“Thank you.”

We sat back down on the bench. He had a canned coffee. I would have preferred coffee too, but since I’d received the Lemonia, I couldn’t just let it go to waste.

As I opened the can and took a sip, the strong carbonation exploded.

It’s sour and tastes bad…

What on earth did I taste in this when I was younger?

Come to think of it, I don’t recall ever struggling with food not suiting my palate when I was with Joo Seung-hyuk. Even though Joo Seung-hyuk chose most of the menus.

Ah, there was one time. Lamberts at the Shinjeong Hotel was truly the worst. I almost lost [unauthorized copy]my sense of taste. But that stolen contentwas because I was the unauthorized copyone who suggested going there…

“The library was crowded.”

“It’s because of the final exam period. It’s not usually that crowded.”

“Do you go to the library often?”

“Occasionally.”

After taking a sip of his coffee, Park Geon-woo gazed at me blankly.

“If I hadn’t gone to Africa, would I be studying for exams with you in the library right now?”

“Maybe so.”

“I should have attended the Esper Academy. I’ve missed out on too much…”

Deep regret was embedded in his voice. Having come to the Academy and seen the students, did he start longing for a normal life?

“Instead, you had valuable experiences that others couldn’t have.”

“Still, I regret it… I feel like I lost the most important thing.”

“Did something happen?”

Unlike the Park Geon-woo who always charged forward without hesitation, his expression was dark.

He had become a hero by conquering the Akar Gate, and his special lecture was a success. Moreover, the government, the Center, and the media were all favorable toward him.

Even though his hardships were over and a bright future awaited him, there was no trace of brightness in Park Geon-woo.

“No. A few things went astray, but it’s visit our siteokay. I can just set them [Read on Read BL Novels]right from now on.”

Park Geon-woo spoke as if making a vow to himself.

Went astray?

I recalled the contents of the original novel. Many things had already changed, but it had been accurate to some extent. However, in the original, he had been on a winning streak after the Akar Gate raid.

His feelings for Kim Joon had ultimately ended as mere curiosity and fondness due to Joo Seung-hyuk’s interference. That’s why he didn’t seem particularly regretful even after breaking up with Kim Joon.

Does that mean another event different from the original has occurred…?

It was no longer a problem that I was deviating from the orbit of the story. The original plot itself was failing to perform its role.

“I don’t know the details, but if it’s you, Hyung, I’m sure you can do it.”

“You think so?”

“Yes.”

“I feel energized since you’re the one saying it.”

He gave a faint smile and looked up at the night sky.

“When I was in Africa, I kept thinking of you.”

“Me?”

“Yeah. Whenever things got hard, I drew strength from your letters.”

“…You received my letters?”

“Of course. I always carried them in my chest.”

“……”

He had received my letters…

In truth, I had sent letters to Park Geon-woo. Twice, in fact.

It was about two years ago, shortly after Valentine’s Day.

A B-Class gate opened in the middle of Seoul. The gate had been created quite a while ago, but because it was deep in the mountains and there was a mana stone processing plant nearby, the gate detection radar malfunctioned, and it was only discovered just before a break.

At the time, high-ranking Espers and Guides were deployed for the A-Class gate raids taking place in Gimpo and Daegu.

Park Geon-woo and I were also scheduled to go straight to the Gimpo gate after the Center Director’s inauguration ceremony, but the schedule was changed, and we were tasked with the B-Class gate raid.

“The Gate Break is in four hours. In a situation like this, they finished the [stolen content][stolen content]inauguration ceremony? Are they insane?”

The Center had received reports that the B-Class gate was at risk of breaking, yet they didn’t tell us until the ceremony was over. Since high-ranking Ability Users were already absent, they claimed that if Park Geon-woo and I also left, the new Center Director would lose face.

I had already seen it coming when the new Director insisted that Park Geon-woo and I attend the ceremony despite two A-Class gates appearing simultaneously, but the new Director was truly a piece of trash.

“What’s done is done. Let’s just consider ourselves lucky to have known before the Gate Break happened.”

“Yes.”

We arrived at the gate, but no other Ability Users were visible except for the detection staff.

“It seems the others aren’t here yet.”

“The emergency deployment order probably just went out, so it’ll take time for them to arrive.”

Park Geon-woo looked at his wristwatch and then grabbed my shoulder.

“Yeon-soo, you stay here.”

“Are you going in alone? Let’s wait until the others arrive.”

“Time is tight. If this place opens, all of Seoul might be in danger.”

“But…”

“It’s a B-Class and a micro-gate. I can handle it alone.”

His words made sense. If it was a micro B-Class gate, Park Geon-woo could resolve it by himself. The Center must have known that, which is why they had the guts to hold out until the ceremony ended.

But I was anxious.

Looking at the gate entrance, I asked the detection staff.

“Is this really a B-Class gate? The wavelength is very strong.”

No matter how I looked at it, I felt an intense mana that was at least equivalent to A-Class. However, the staff member answered firmly.

“It’s B-Class. The closer it gets to a Gate Break, the stronger the mana wavelength becomes. We’ve measured it several times with the machine, so it’s accurate.”

Although I had mana emotion ability, I couldn’t measure gates, only people or monsters. The machine would be more accurate.

Furthermore, Park Geon-woo didn’t seem to notice anything unusual.

“Yeon-soo, I’ll be back.”

“Geon-woo Hyung, I’m coming with you.”

“You want to go into the gate too?”

“Yes. If it’s B-Class, the monster difficulty will be easy. But you’ll be short on mana if you raid it alone. That’s why I’ll go with you.”

No matter how I looked at it, I was uneasy. I couldn’t just wait comfortably outside after sending an Esper into a place like that alone.

I wanted to be of help, even if only a little.

“Alright. Then I’ll count on you.”

Surprisingly, Park Geon-woo agreed easily.

Many Espers disliked it when a Guide wanted to participate in a gate, claiming it was a hassle to protect them. So, I thought I was lucky.

But that was a huge misconception.

The moment we stepped inside the gate, a chilling mana pierced through my entire body.

“Is… is this really a B-Class?”

Anxiety surged through me again, but Park Geon-woo remained composed.

“The wavelength is strong for a B-Class, but that’s probably because the Gate Break is imminent. Let’s hurry.”

“Yes.”

If an S-Class Esper like him said so, it must be true. I nodded and walked along with him.