By Zephyria 
“I heard you came to our dorm yesterday. I was asleep, so I didn’t know. If I’d known, I would have gone out to greet you, Guide-nim. What a shame.”
Hae-jun ignored him and quickened his pace.
“You don’t want to talk to me? Why aren’t you answering?”
The Esper kept following. At this rate, the two innocent boys beside him would get swept up too. Hae-jun had no choice but to deal with the rude Esper.
“I visited yesterday because I had someone to meet.”
“I know. You came to meet a male Esper.”
“That’s not it… Forget it. Go away. I have nothing to say to you.”
“Aw, why are you being like this? You’re the one who lured an Esper into a Sector Room within three days of enlisting, and then barged into the Esper dorm to find a man before even a month had passed.”
The Esper forcibly grabbed Hae-jun’s wrist. And before Hae-jun could say anything, he went flying sideways.
“Huh?”
The stupid, dazed face of the flying Esper passed by in slow motion.
Hae-jun only realized belatedly what had happened, not catching on until the Esper floated in mid-air and then fell to the floor with a thud. Lee A-gon had kicked him.
“Lee A-gon!”
Lee A-gon, who had climbed on top of the fallen Esper, threw punches relentlessly. Every time he raised his fist, droplets of blood scattered.
“Stop this. Don’t!”
When Hae-jun grabbed his right arm, Lee A-gon hit the Esper with his left hand. His left hand was just as strong as his right. With a thwack, thwack sound, the Esper’s face was being smashed.
Hae-jun had no choice but to grab both of Lee A-gon’s hands, and only then did Lee A-gon stop punching. With a terrifying look, his face splattered with blood, Lee A-gon gritted his teeth and spoke.
“That bastard grabbed your wrist, hyung.”
“I know. But that’s not a crime that warrants beating someone like this.”
“That bastard grabbed your wrist, hyung.”
Lee A-gon repeated the same words. His eyes were crazed.
“Calm down. Okay? Let’s calm down, Lee A-gon.”
“That bastard grabbed your wrist, hyung!”
Unable to contain his anger, Lee A-gon raised his fist again. Hae-jun’s hands, holding him, were lifted along with it. When did this kid get so strong? Hae-jun shouted loudly.
“If you keep this up, you’ll get dragged to the Confinement Cell again!”
“But that bastard grabbed your wrist…!”
“I know! I know, but stop it now!”
While Hae-jun desperately held Lee A-gon back, the beaten Esper’s friends ran over and took him away. Only then did Lee A-gon, panting heavily, lower his fist.
“That acting bastard hit a senior.”
“You crazy bastard! You’ll never get out of the Confinement Cell from now on!”
They carried the bloodied Esper on their backs and ran off. Lee A-gon stared after them persistently.
“Lee A-gon. Look at me. Lee A-gon.”
Hae-jun snapped his fingers in front of Lee A-gon’s face. Only then did Lee A-gon’s pupils return to focus on Hae-jun.
“Calm down. I’m fine. There’s nothing to get worked up about.”
“……”
Lee A-gon remained silent, his face wanting to say that that bastard had grabbed your wrist.
“Go and apologize. Say you were wrong.”
“No.”
“You were in the wrong.”
“I didn’t do anything wrong. That bastard grabbed your wrist, hyung.”
“Are you really going to be like this? Do you want to go to the Confinement Cell?”
“Tell them to send me to the Confinement Cell. I can’t forgive that bastard.”
Lee A-gon was still not someone who could be persuaded. Hae-jun glared at Lee A-gon, then turned away.
Their relationship was over anyway. Whether he caused trouble and went to the Confinement Cell or not, it had nothing to do with him. Hae-jun decided to think that way.
“I heard that Esper hyung was taken by the military police. Assaulting a senior is insubordination, and since the senior was beaten one-sidedly, it’s a serious crime. They say it might go to trial.”
Heo Seon-woo, who had come to visit Hae-jun’s room, sat on the edge of the bed and chattered. Hae-jun calmly turned a page in his book and asked back.
“Why are you telling me that?”
“He’s your ex-boyfriend, hyung. And it happened because of you.”
“……”
That was true. Hae-jun couldn’t retort.
“But about that hyung—”
“Stop. I’m not curious.”
Hae-jun closed his book with a loud snap, cutting off Heo Seon-woo’s words.
“I’m tired. I’m going to bed early today. Please go back now.”
“Yes, hyung. Get some rest.”
As Heo Seon-woo left, sensing the mood, Hae-jun turned on a small lamp and lay down on the bed. He wasn’t actually sleepy, but he didn’t want to be disturbed by anyone.
‘It might go to trial?’
Staring at the lamp’s soft glow, Hae-jun thought. The charge would probably be assaulting a superior. If it goes to trial, what would the sentence be? Surely he wouldn’t have to spend years in the Confinement Cell.
No. Umyung wouldn’t just stand by and let that happen. Umyung would definitely do something. The Esper-Guide Corps is tied to the military, but it’s practically close to a mercenary unit, so maybe they can reach a settlement like they do outside.
How long would Lee A-gon have to endure in that dark, cramped space? They say after coming out of the Confinement Cell, there’s a company reassignment; would it be the same for the Esper-Guide Corps? Or would he be discharged from the military immediately?
‘Ah, I don’t know.’
His head was a mess with all sorts of thoughts. Hae-jun pulled the blanket over his head. Even if sleep wouldn’t come, he wanted to sleep. He wanted to escape these complicated thoughts. Tossing and turning for a long time, Hae-jun finally managed to fall asleep as dawn approached.
Hae-jun opened his eyes. It felt as if someone had poured cold water all over his body, jolting him awake. He abruptly sat up.
Just now, he heard Lee A-gon’s voice calling him, small but clear.
‘What is it?’
Hae-jun looked around the room. Lee A-gon wasn’t there. Of course. He must be in the Confinement Cell by now.
‘It was definitely Lee A-gon’s voice.’
There was no way he wouldn’t recognize Lee A-gon’s voice. Hae-jun got down on the floor and checked under the bed. Then he opened the wardrobe and went into the bathroom. Of course, Lee A-gon wasn’t there.
—Hyung.
Then, Lee A-gon’s voice calling Hae-jun was heard again. It was a small, clear voice, as if delivered only to him through earphones.
“Lee A-gon?”
With nowhere left to search, Hae-jun opened the window and looked outside. Of course, Lee A-gon wasn’t outside the window either, but Hae-jun whispered, calling for Lee A-gon.
“Lee A-gon, are you there?”
He shone his phone light, meticulously searching from the dark cement in the building’s shadow to the pine tree growing in the shade. Lee A-gon wasn’t there, but instead, his voice calling him grew more urgent and distinct.
—Hyung.
—Hyung.
—Hae-jun hyung!
Hae-jun’s heart grew increasingly anxious. He paced around the small room like a caged beast. Lee A-gon was nowhere to be seen, but only his voice was heard. Was he calling from somewhere else, then? Was he perhaps in some kind of danger?
—I don’t know.
—Tell me.
—Hyung.
—Hurry.
Now Lee A-gon was saying strange things. They made no logical sense, but it was definitely Lee A-gon’s voice, and in the end, Hae-jun decided to go meet him directly to find out what was going on.
Two in the morning. After changing his clothes, Hae-jun quietly opened his door. Going down to the first floor, Hae-jun was dismayed to find the front door locked. After a certain time, one couldn’t freely go out or come in. It was for the Guides’ safety.
Spinning around in front of the entrance, Hae-jun went to the lounge to try opening a window. But this, too, was firmly locked.
—Hyung.
Amidst this, Lee A-gon’s voice calling Hae-jun continued to be heard. His heart grew more and more impatient. Something had clearly happened to Lee A-gon.
Returning to his room on the third floor, Hae-jun tore the bedsheet with scissors. It wasn’t as easy as in the movies. The first part he cut was too thin and had to be discarded. The scissors were too small, so cutting took too long.
Still, Hae-jun managed it. He successfully tore the bedsheet into a long strip, tied it to the bedpost, and let it hang down.
The sight of the white bedsheet swaying in the wind in the darkness was frightening. Hae-jun was scared of the dark, scared of the time being two-thirty in the morning, and scared of heights. But Lee A-gon’s voice, incessantly calling for him, gave him the courage to climb over the windowsill.
His hands grew damp and sweaty as he descended using the torn and tied bedsheet. He had received rope-climbing training during his trainee days, but back then there were safety nets on the ground, the day was bright, and most of all, it wasn’t this high.
His hands trembled uncontrollably. Placing his feet on the looped knots at intervals, Hae-jun cursed himself harshly, thinking that an idiot stupid enough to do this for an ex-boyfriend deserved to die.
The rope ended around the first-floor ceiling. Hae-jun fell to the ground from a height greater than his own. It was literally a fall. Dangling in the air, struggling, his strength gave out and he was flung down.
As soon as he hit the ground, he rolled over, but felt a sharp pain in his knee. Hae-jun cursed, got up, and limped along.
The voice was coming from the welfare center. Fortunately, no guard was in sight. The door was open, and no one was guarding the entrance.
Feeling his way down the dimly lit corridor, Hae-jun realized where it was leading him. It was the Alpha Room, also known as the secret Sector Room.
‘Is Lee A-gon here?’