After finishing the Guiding session and taking a brief moment to catch my breath, the door suddenly burst open with a loud bang.
“Hey! Hwang Seol-bin!”
It was Kim Hyun-joong. Just the sight of his face irritated the hell out of me, and I glared at him without holding back.
“Kim Hyun-joong. I told you, didn’t I? Don’t talk to me. Don’t even pretend to know me.”
The moment I shot up from my seat, scowling, he flinched and quickly backed away. He must’ve remembered what happened last time.
Well, at least he’s capable of learning. Too bad he hasn’t figured out that he shouldn’t even be near me in the first place.
As I took a single step toward him, he hastily raised the black plastic bag he was holding and blurted out,
“T-Today! I came to give you this!”
Then, creeping forward like he was offering a peace treaty, he placed the bag on my desk.
“I, uh… I thought of you, so I bought it. Try it.”
…The hell’s with him all of a sudden?
He spoke like he was doing me some kind of favor, which only made me more suspicious. I glanced between the bag and Kim Hyun-joong. That rude bastard bringing me something to eat? Whatever was inside, I didn’t trust it one bit.
But still…
He gave me a little nod, like he was telling me to go on and check it, so I reluctantly reached out and grabbed the bag.
Just to see what it was, I opened it—and found a pristine white peach sitting inside.
“Well? I bought it just for you!”
He puffed out his chest, looking so damn proud of himself that my face twisted into an involuntary grimace.
This crazy bastard…
And then he made it even worse.
“I actually put thought into it, so eat it and do some Guiding or something!”
Just looking at him made my skin crawl, like I was breaking out in hives. And with that line, my mood hit rock bottom.
Of all the things he could’ve brought… he brought this?
I ended up tossing the bag back on the desk like it was garbage.
“…Get rid of it. I’m allergic to peaches.”
“What?”
“I can’t eat them. Take it and leave.”
“Y-You are?”
Kim Hyun-joong froze, stunned by what I’d just said—as if people with peach allergies were some kind of myth. Watching him stand there like a deer in headlights, I clicked my tongue.
That’s what you get for trying to act like someone you’re not.
Seriously, Kim Hyun-joong was the kind of guy I couldn’t stand—every little thing about him rubbed me the wrong way.
Does he really think I’d fall for him just because of this?
Sure, maybe the real Hwang Seol-bin might’ve been touched. Maybe even swooned. But that wasn’t me. If anything, I wanted to chuck the damn thing in his face and throw him out on the spot.
But I didn’t even want to touch the peach. So I pointed at it again and spoke, firm and cold.
“Take it. Now.”
His expression twisted in confusion, like I’d just told him the sky was falling.
Why the hell is he making that face?
Not that I cared. I just wanted him out of here as fast as possible.
“If you don’t leave right now, I’ll take it as you volunteering to die by my hands.”
“N-No, I mean… fine! I’ll go!”
…Wait. Did he just give up that easily? Kim Hyun-joong?
The arrogant, self-centered Kim Hyun-joong was backing down without a fight?
He even looked like he was trying to gauge my mood.
There was something in his eyes—a subtle, unmistakable wariness.
…Wariness? Is Kim Hyun-joong actually afraid of me?
His behavior made no sense. I opened my mouth to say something, but he spoke first.
“…I’m going.”
Then, without waiting for a response, he yanked the door open and bolted out like he was running for his life.
I stared after him, dumbfounded, until a dry laugh escaped me.
Comes and goes like a damn storm.
…But seriously, why the sudden caution?
Up until now, no matter what I said, he always did whatever the hell he wanted.
I racked my brain, but nothing came to mind.
Then again, knowing him, he might just show up again out of nowhere and start spouting nonsense like always.
Honestly, I’d rather he stayed scared and far away. It was easier to deal with.
Seriously. Shows up out of the blue just to cause trouble… might as well get back to work.
Now, the next Esper I’m supposed to Guide is…
I reached for the file sitting on my desk and opened it to check who was coming in next—only for my eyes to twitch the moment I saw the name.
“…Kang Biso?”
***
Kim Hyun-joong fled from Hwang Seol-bin’s room like he was being chased, his mind a chaotic mess. Gasping for breath, he rushed into the restroom, slammed the door behind him, and splashed cold water onto his face.
That was… that was supposed to be Hwang Seol-bin?
The Hwang Seol-bin he knew couldn’t get enough of peaches. He practically worshipped them. But just now, the look on his face when he saw the peach wasn’t mild distaste—it was pure revulsion. And then he’d said he was allergic?
He suddenly has a peach allergy? That doesn’t just happen overnight… right?
No matter how he tried to rationalize it, it didn’t make sense.
But if he thought back… somewhere along the way, Hwang Seol-bin had changed. His personality. His speech. His preferences. All of it had flipped, like someone had flipped a switch.
Then a terrifying possibility hit him like a bolt of lightning.
What if Hwang Seol-bin didn’t just change—what if he was replaced?
The thought exploded in his brain, sending it racing a mile a minute.
Suddenly, everything made sense. It explained everything. No other theory fit. Whoever was pretending to be Hwang Seol-bin must’ve chosen him because he was a D-Rank—easy to impersonate, easy to dismiss.
It’s an Esper. A shapeshifter! Someone infiltrated the Guide Center disguised as Seol-bin!
But… if they were an Esper, then how had they managed to perform Guiding?
He couldn’t forget that Guiding session. The one he got after the switch—whenever that was. It had been brutal. Unrelenting. Like something had crashed through his body, grabbed his insides, and twisted. It still echoed in his head, impossible to forget.
Was it some kind of tool? A machine? What kind of trick was that?
And more importantly—why? What was the purpose? Was it… Kim Yong-ha?
If this imposter had targeted Kim Yong-ha all along, if that’s why they’d cozied up to him… the idea alone made his blood run cold.
Who else knows? Do any of the other Espers suspect?
If no one else had noticed, then that meant only one person could do something about it—him.
His legs, which had been shaking with panic, suddenly stopped. And then, a sinister smile crept onto his face.
“Heh… heh heh… Good. No—great.”
No one else knew. Which meant this was his moment.
If he could expose the fake Seol-bin and deal with him himself, he’d be a hero. And if he comforted a heartbroken, betrayed Kim Yong-ha afterward? There was no doubt in his mind—Yong-ha would fall for him. Hard.
The cold water cleared his head, and as he stared into the mirror, watching the droplets run down his face, Kim Hyun-joong grinned wide.
First thing’s first. I have to tell Kim Yong-ha.
Just imagining the shock on Yong-ha’s face when he learned the person he trusted might actually be a villain… it gave him chills of anticipation.
…Wait. Then what about the real Hwang Seol-bin?
The thought had completely slipped his mind.
Hwang Seol-bin? Eh… whatever.
Sure, it sucked that he wouldn’t be getting any more Guiding, but what could he do? The guy was weak. That’s why he got replaced. He had no one to blame but himself. It was a little unsettling, yeah—but not enough to stop him.
With a bounce in his step, Kim Hyun-joong exited the restroom.
***
Kim Hyun-joong stood outside Kim Yong-ha’s Guiding Room, anxiously checking his watch over and over as he waited for the session inside to end.
Almost time… He’s going to lose his mind when he hears this.
He was practically vibrating with excitement. The words were burning on the tip of his tongue.
“Thank you. I’ll see you next time.”
The moment the door opened and an Esper walked out, he bolted inside without hesitation.
“…What is it?”
Kim Yong-ha looked up, surprised by the sudden intrusion. His expression was tired, and he frowned slightly.
Without realizing it, Kim Hyun-joong found himself staring at Yong-ha’s face, mesmerized. Even annoyed, he was beautiful.
No—focus. You’ve got something important to say.
But deep down, a small part of him couldn’t wait to see that porcelain face twist in shock.
“Kim Yong-ha. I have something to tell you about Hwang Seol-bin.”
“…About Seol-bin-sunbae?”
“Yes. It’s really important.”
The mention of Seol-bin and the word important wiped the fatigue from Yong-ha’s face. He straightened up, his expression turning serious—a reaction that suited someone close to Seol-bin.
“What is it? Did something happen to him?”
Kim Hyun-joong launched into his story. He explained what had just happened, and all the strange, suspicious changes he’d noticed in Seol-bin over time.
“…Considering everything, I think an Esper impersonator has infiltrated the Guide Center. And I believe they’re targeting you, Kim Yong-ha.”
Sure, things had been weird even before Yong-ha appeared on the scene, but he didn’t bother saying that. As long as Yong-ha started to doubt Hwang Seol-bin, that was enough.
But to his surprise, Yong-ha didn’t react at all.
Not a flicker of disbelief. Not even anger. Nothing.
That wasn’t right. By now, he should be tearing up in betrayal, his whole world shaken. But instead, Kim Yong-ha stared back at him with an unreadable face.
“…Are you finished with your little fiction?”
“W-What? Fiction?”
His voice faltered under Yong-ha’s glare. Those eyes weren’t just indifferent—they were filled with pure contempt.
“I’ve heard enough of what you really think about Seol-bin-sunbae.”
“No, wait, that’s not what I—”
“You said your piece. Now, kindly get out. I have another Guiding session coming.”
“You heard me, right? I’m telling you—the person pretending to be Seol-bin is a fake! He’s dangerous!”
Kim Yong-ha let out a sigh and gave him a cold, withering look. It made Kim Hyun-joong flinch and take a step back. He’d seen him emotionless before—but never this freezing.
Something was going very wrong.
“You’re unbelievable. I thought you were his friend. Guess I was wrong. I wonder if Seol-bin-sunbae knows what kind of garbage you’re spewing behind his back.”
“Garbage?! I’m trying to help! I’m telling you the truth—!”
Kim Hyun-joong’s voice rose in protest, his face flushed. But when he met those piercing, scornful eyes again, his words caught in his throat.
Yong-ha wasn’t finished.
“So let me get this straight. According to you, Seol-bin-sunbae suddenly changed his food preferences, developed a childhood allergy out of nowhere, his personality shifted, and he stopped liking you—and all that means he’s a fake? That’s what you’re saying?”
“…That’s… yeah.”
“It’s laughable. You’re seriously accusing someone of being an imposter just because they don’t like you anymore? Sounds more like you’ve got a bruised ego. You didn’t even like him before, right? So what’s the problem now? You should be thrilled he’s ignoring you.”
“That’s not—!”
“And shouldn’t you be more suspicious of me than him? After all, I’m the one he’s been hanging around lately. Not you.”
Every word hit home. Hard. Kim Hyun-joong couldn’t say a damn thing.
And the moment he fell silent, Yong-ha took the chance to finish it.
“Leave.”
“……”
Kim Hyun-joong was kicked out with nothing to show for it—no answers, no validation, not even pity. He walked away slowly, like someone carrying the weight of a thousand regrets.
It was so unfair. So unfair. He knew the truth. He was sure of it. But he was the only one who saw it—and no one would listen.
Then, suddenly, a thought lit up in his mind, and his expression brightened.
Maybe I’m not the only one.
Someone else had to know. Someone at the Center must’ve noticed something was off.
Hwang Seol-bin had been here a long time. Someone had to know the truth.
“I’ll find them. I’ll expose you, you fake piece of shit.”
