“Hey. Where do you think you’re going?”
I hadn’t expected Kang Biso to be outside the hideout—let alone that he’d already found the Villain I’d hidden and was standing there waiting for me.
Cold sweat ran down my back. I swallowed hard and replied in a low voice.
“I’m on my way to carry out a mission from Deputy Commander Kang Bijun.”
“The Deputy Commander? Gave you a mission?”
“Yes. But… what brings you here?”
Kang Biso snorted at my calm reply.
“Shouldn’t I be asking you that?”
“…What do you mean?”
“Shouldn’t you be at the mission briefing right now? And in case you didn’t know, Kang Bijun doesn’t hand out solo assignments to just anyone.”
“……”
“You snuck into ZEC territory like it’s no big deal. You’ve got guts, I’ll give you that. What were you so curious about that you’d take such a risk?”
Kang Biso was already talking like it was a foregone conclusion that I was the intruder.
I’d messed up. I should’ve bolted the second I sensed trouble.
At the very least, I should’ve confirmed Kang Biso’s location before making a move. I’d relaxed after talking with Kang Bijun, thinking the worst was over. That brief lapse in tension—that was my mistake.
I’d broken one of the basic rules for Special Agents: Never let your guard down, no matter where you are or who you’re with. Swallowing again, I silently cursed myself.
Kang Biso looked absolutely thrilled, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips like this was all just entertainment to him.
Luckily, he didn’t seem to recognize me. Still, that didn’t change the fact that I was in deep trouble.
That razor-thin grin vanished in an instant.
He lunged at me, throwing a punch. I twisted my body and barely dodged it.
“Oh? Not bad.”
He didn’t let up. His attacks kept coming—blistering punches and sharp kicks that would’ve smashed right through me if I lost focus even for a second.
The onslaught continued for a while before finally coming to a sudden halt.
“You really do move like a rat. Quick and slippery. I get the feeling you won’t tell me who sent you, so how about you just die quietly?”
Kang Biso twisted his mouth into a crooked grin, the kind that belonged on a wanted poster. It wasn’t just threatening—it felt unstable, like he was barely keeping himself together.
And then it hit me—he hadn’t come in for Guiding lately.
Was that why he seemed off? Was he getting close to rampaging?
I caught a glimpse of a single bead of sweat clinging to his sideburns. So that’s it. You’re not as in control as you look, are you?
Kang Biso lunged at me again. He kicked off the wall, soaring through the air with a flying kick that was so sharp I nearly took it to the face. I rolled to the side just in time, widening the distance between us.
He stood across from me, catching his breath. I racked my brain, fast and hard.
“……”
What now?
Pushing him any further wasn’t a good idea. If I pushed the wrong button, he could rampage—and that would be very bad for me. Sure, abilities didn’t work on me, but an out-of-control Esper wasn’t something to mess with. No guarantees.
The best option would be getting him to go in for Guiding. But he wasn’t about to walk away with me standing right here—his supposed enemy.
“Whew… you’re not slowing down at all. Enhancement-type, huh? Then I guess I’ll need to use my ability too, just to keep things fair.”
I grimaced. Things were about to get messy.
If he used his ability and realized it didn’t work on me, he’d figure out who I really was—Hwang Seol-bin.
Kang Biso slowly raised a finger and pointed it in my direction.
What do I do? Think. Think.
My mind spun as I locked onto that single finger.
Then he twitched it.
Screw it.
I swallowed hard and pretended to be yanked forward by his power.
“Ugh… Uhhn…”
I even added in some forced groaning for good measure, like I was trying to resist.
“……”
“……”
Silence.
Kang Biso tilted his head.
Did I mess that up? I’d copied what happened to Yoon Yi-hyeon when he was dragged by the same ability, but maybe it looked off?
Without a word, Kang Biso waved his finger side to side.
“Aaah…”
I let out another fake groan, swaying clumsily left and right as if I were being dragged.
Kang Biso started moving his finger faster, and I did my best to keep up, following his lead like some helpless puppet.
He kept it going for several more rounds—until, all of a sudden, he stopped.
I wiped the sweat running down my forehead.
Pretending to get dragged by telekinesis was a lot harder than it looked.
“Hmm.”
Just when I thought it was over, Kang Biso extended his finger again. I scowled. Seriously? What now? Keeping up this act was a pain in the ass.
He curled his finger, beckoning me like I was some kind of pet.
“Come here. Closer.”
What is this, obedience training? Still, it was a golden opportunity. If I got close enough, I could knock him out before he realized what hit him.
I hesitated for show, dragging my feet like I didn’t want to obey, and slowly walked toward him.
Once I was within reach, Kang Biso stared at me with a strange expression. The dangerous gleam from earlier had faded, replaced with something softer—almost tender.
Had he overexerted himself using his ability? Did something in his head snap?
Whatever it was, this gentle gaze unsettled me more than open hostility ever could.
I flexed my fingers. Just a bit closer and I could—
“Gotcha.”
“…Huh?”
As I closed the distance, Kang Biso suddenly pulled me into a tight hug. I had no choice but to lower my raised hand.
But more than that, what stopped me was the complete absence of hostility. All I could feel from him was warmth. Affection. And it threw me completely.
“Hyung… Hyyuuuung~.”
His voice was drenched in affection now—completely different from before.
Shit. He knows.
“…What nonsense are you talking about?”
I tried to keep my tone flat, but my brain was in overdrive. Where did I slip up? I was sure I nailed the act.
“It’s you. No matter how I look at you, you’re definitely my hyung.”
“You’re mistaken. Why would I be your hyung?”
Kang Biso leaned his face against my shoulder, voice low and laced with amusement.
“You never used your ability, not even once—except the first time. And the way you moved… so half-assed, so stiff. It was obviously fake. You were like a robot. Hyung, you really suck at acting.”
A robot…? Ouch. I thought I’d done a decent job. That stung.
“…I actually tried pretty hard.”
“That’s what made it even cuter. You’re just too damn adorable. But why’d you come back? Did you miss me?”
“No. I came to retrieve something I left behind last time.”
Sure, Kang Bijun would eventually explain why I was really here, but with Kang Biso teasing me like this, I had no desire to tell him myself.
“Alright, if you say so. You can come by whenever you want, you know. Or even move in for good. But aren’t you gonna show me your face?”
I let out a sigh. There was no point in wearing the mask now that he knew.
He released his hold, and I slowly took off the mask.
Kang Biso stared at me for a moment, then his expression crumpled like he was about to cry.
“Hyung… I was really trying to hold it in, but now that I’ve seen you, I feel like I’m gonna burst.”
Burst? The hell does that mean?
If you’re about to rampage, just say that. What’s with the dramatic phrasing?
“I can’t take it anymore… Can’t you Guide me, please?”
“I’ll do it, just step back a bit—”
“Not here.”
I flinched. Kang Biso’s breath was hot against my ear, his grip on my wrist too close, too tight, and way too warm.
I shivered, but forced myself to speak calmly.
“Then… let’s go to the Guide Center—”
“I don’t want to go there. Let’s do it at the motel nearby. Please?”
“If it’s that urgent, I can—”
“If I get Guiding after this long, I might lose control and embarrass myself. So just come with me, okay? Please?”
I was stunned. The little brother I once thought was kind of cute was now saying the most obscene things without hesitation. My face hardened, but Kang Biso didn’t care in the slightest.
“Please, hyung. Come with me. I’m not feeling well…”
He clung to me, leaving no space between us, pressing in like he couldn’t bear even an inch of separation.
It was hard to believe this was the same guy who’d been trying to kill me just minutes ago.
Honestly, I wanted to knock him out and head home. But when our bodies touched, I could feel it—his volatile, dangerous aura swirling like a storm.
Unstable. On the verge of snapping.
Could I really just leave him like this?
No. I couldn’t.
I wanted to calm that storm. I wanted to Guide him.
So I nodded.
“Fine. Let’s go.”
Just a quick Guiding. If things went sideways, I’d subdue him and walk out.
And with that, I followed Kang Biso into the motel—on my own two feet.
***
Walking into a motel with another guy? Yeah. That felt weird.
Even before this whole possession mess, I’d never set foot in a place like this with anyone. And now I was doing it with Kang Biso of all people.
The room was cleaner than I expected for something so last-minute.
“Hyuuung~.”
“Ugh.”
I stood awkwardly near the door, staring blankly around the room, when Kang Biso suddenly pulled me into another hug.
Instinctively, I almost flipped him over by the arm, but I froze. He wasn’t stable. I couldn’t risk provoking a rampage.
No. Calm down. You can’t just attack him.
Still, maybe it was the motel setting, but my body kept tensing up on its own.
It’s just a Guiding session. Nothing else. You’ve done this a thousand times. Stay calm.
“Let’s go to the bed, yeah?”
Kang Biso was being even clingier than usual. Maybe he was just that desperate for Guiding.
Still… why the bed? There’s a perfectly good sofa right there.
“I’ll just sit on the sofa—”
“But the bed’s softer. Come on. Let’s use the bed, okay?”
His pushy tone caught me off guard, and before I could stop myself, I nodded.
Right. Just do the Guiding and get out. Fast.
I had things to do. Feed the dog. Prep for work tomorrow. Normal, responsible adult stuff.
Kang Biso wrapped himself around me like a second skin, guiding me to the bed with smooth, practiced ease. I sank into the mattress.
“Lie down. Make yourself comfortable.”
“I can just sit—”
“But it’ll be more comfortable lying down. Trust me.”
And with that, he gently pushed me back, climbed on top of me, and stared down, face flushed and eyes hazy with anticipation.
His expression was… unsettlingly euphoric.
What is with this position…?
This… this is definitely going in the wrong direction.
