I gently stroked Kang Biso’s hair and let out a quiet sigh.
…Will he get angry if I tell him?
I’d been debating the whole time whether or not to bring it up, but I couldn’t just leave things as they were. If I had to say it eventually, it was better to do it now. Carefully, I opened my mouth.
“…I’m going back to the Center tomorrow.”
“Huh?”
Kang Biso, who had been quietly enjoying my touch like a docile puppy, suddenly lifted his head. His eyes widened in disbelief.
“Why the hell would you go back there?”
“…I know. But it’s still my workplace. I have to return eventually.”
Kang Biso’s face scrunched up in frustration. I knew it was a weak excuse—hell, it didn’t even sound convincing to me. But I couldn’t exactly tell him the real reason.
The Book of Wishes I’d been collecting was still back at the Guide Dormitory. If I stayed holed up in this hideout any longer, I’d never get the chance to retrieve it. I had to go back. And I still needed to track down the Book of Wishes likely held by the government.
If I stuck around much longer, getting out of the hideout would become even harder. Returning to the Center was the only option. Besides… I didn’t like the idea of the Center still thinking Kang Biso had kidnapped me.
“Please don’t go. Yeah?”
“I have to. I really do.”
He kept pleading with me to stay, but in the end, he couldn’t break through my stubbornness.
***
The next morning, just as I started getting ready to leave, Kang Biso grabbed me out of nowhere.
“…You’re really leaving? For real?”
I thought we’d settled this yesterday…
Apparently not. Kang Biso clung to my arm, clearly unwilling to let go. He looked like he was on the verge of tears, but honestly, it wasn’t going to work on me.
“I have to go, Biso. This time for real.”
“How can you go back to a place like that…?”
I understood where he was coming from. From his perspective, I was voluntarily returning to the place I’d been locked up. He probably went through hell trying to find me. But still—this was something I had to do.
“I’ll be careful. And anyway, this whole mess was caused by Kim Yong-ha. I’ll make sure I don’t have anything to do with him from now on.”
“Don’t do this…!”
“It’s my responsibility. I want to deal with it myself.”
“……”
He didn’t say anything after that, but the way he pouted and followed behind me like a shadow made it obvious he wasn’t happy.
“Hyung.”
He hadn’t said a word since we left the hideout, not even while I hailed a taxi. But the moment I opened the car door, Kang Biso called out. When I turned to look at him, he gave me that same familiar smile—bittersweet this time, like he was trying to hold something back.
“If you really have to go… then promise me you’ll keep in touch, okay? Like, a lot.”
I couldn’t help but laugh softly. It wasn’t like I was moving to the other side of the world. It wasn’t forever. So why did he sound so heartbreakingly sentimental?
Still, I didn’t say that out loud. I just nodded and smiled, grateful for how much he cared.
***
As soon as I stepped out of the taxi, I noticed something was off.
There were more guards than usual stationed at the entrance to the Guide Center. Big, intimidating types who looked like they meant business.
I tried to walk past them to head inside, but one of them stepped into my path.
“Who are you?”
“I work here. I’m a Guide.”
“Name?”
“Hwang Seol-bin.”
“…Hwang Seol-bin? Weren’t you the one who got kidnapped yesterday?”
“I wouldn’t call it kidnapping exactly…”
Before I could even finish the sentence, the guard was already making a call. After that, he quickly escorted me inside.
The place he brought me to was the Team Leader’s Office.
Inside, the Team Leader was seated on the couch with two unfamiliar men. As soon as I stepped in, the Team Leader stood up, alarm written all over his face.
“Guide Hwang Seol-bin! Are you okay? I heard you were kidnapped by an Esper!”
But before I could answer, one of the men on the couch—a guy with a large, jagged scar running down his face—spoke first.
“…Let’s take a seat, Mr. Hwang Seol-bin.”
That voice, that scar—I recognized him. I couldn’t remember his name, but I was sure he was someone from the government.
I sat down, and the scarred man turned to the Team Leader with a nod of his chin.
“You can leave now.”
“…Guide Hwang Seol-bin is under my management. I believe I have a right to be present during this.”
He let out a sharp sigh and replied curtly, clearly annoyed.
“That wasn’t a suggestion. It was an order.”
“But—!”
“Leave.”
His firm tone made the Team Leader scowl deeply. After a brief pause, he sighed and leaned in to whisper to me.
“…I’ll be right outside. If you need anything, just call me. I’ll come in right away.”
With one last glare at the man, the Team Leader stormed out, leaving a cold breeze in his wake.
Now it was just the three of us in the room—and the air felt noticeably heavier.
After a brief silence, the scarred man was the first to speak.
“I’m Esper Kang Hak-gwan.”
“…Guide Hwang Seol-bin.”
“I’d like you to explain what happened.”
“……”
“There was a report that someone infiltrated the Center and kidnapped you. Tell me everything you remember about the incident.”
His sharp, narrow eyes practically pinned me to the spot. If he was here on behalf of the government to investigate, there was no use pretending or trying to dodge the truth.
“I wasn’t kidnapped.”
“Excuse me?”
“I was imprisoned—by Guide Kim Yong-ha.”
“Ha! You expect me to believe that?”
“It’s the truth. I was locked in an underground room, and someone rescued me.”
He scoffed like I’d just told the world’s worst lie, but that didn’t change the facts.
It wasn’t Kang Biso who held me captive—it was Kim Yong-ha. And the one who tore through the Center to save me was Kang Biso.
Sure, Biso used his powers and made a mess, and that was undeniably wrong. But the one who caused all of it—the real problem—was Kim Yong-ha. That needed to be made absolutely clear.
“Be reasonable. Why would Guide Kim Yong-ha imprison you?”
“……”
“And even if what you’re saying is true, it means you and the intruder knew each other. Who was it?”
So that’s what this was really about. He didn’t care about the circumstances—he just wanted to identify the intruder. I thought this was a proper investigation, but clearly, that was wishful thinking. Of course, I couldn’t tell him the truth about Kang Biso.
I slowly shook my head.
“I don’t know. I was locked up by Guide Kim Yong-ha, and when I came to, I was in some unfamiliar alley. I found a taxi nearby and came straight here. That’s all I know.”
“…I see.”
“Yes. So I’d like to request disciplinary action against Guide Kim Yong-ha for detaining me—”
But he cut me off, clearly not interested in anything I had to say.
“There’s no proof Guide Kim Yong-ha did any of that.”
“What are you talking about—”
“How do we know you’re not lying to protect the real culprit?”
He leaned back against the sofa with a casual shrug.
“Think about it. Why would anyone kidnap you of all people?”
“……”
Exactly. If I were working with the person who broke in, why would I be the one locked up? The logic didn’t add up—and he knew it.
After a long pause, he finally spoke again.
“We’ll have to look into that, but we can’t rule out the possibility.”
“…Unbelievable.”
“And I strongly advise you to stop spreading this story about Guide Kim Yong-ha detaining you.”
“……”
“He’s an S-Rank Guide. Why would someone like him bother with a D-Rank like you? Making baseless accusations will only damage his reputation—so don’t.”
That was the moment I realized something: when people get pushed past their limit, they don’t explode—they go terrifyingly quiet.
“We’ll end it here. But if you happen to recall anything else about the intruder, contact us.”
Without waiting for a response, he gave a half-hearted wave, dismissing me like I was an inconvenience.
The type who only ever listened to his own voice. Arrogant to the core. No matter how much you tried to explain, someone like that would never hear a word of it. Continuing this conversation would’ve been a complete waste of time.
Without a word, I stormed out of the office and slammed the door behind me.
The Team Leader, who had been waiting just outside, hurried over the moment he saw me.
“Are you okay? What did he say to make you look like that?”
“I’m fine—”
I started to answer, but then I saw him.
Kim Yong-ha.
Walking down the hallway like nothing had happened. The way he fidgeted and avoided eye contact made my stomach churn. Just looking at him made my skin crawl.
I wanted to walk right past him—but I couldn’t. There were still things I needed to say.
“I’m fine. But there’s something I need to talk to Kim Yong-ha-ssi about.”
I stepped past the startled Team Leader and walked straight toward Kim Yong-ha. He turned to me with a bright, awkward smile—as if we were running into each other by chance.
“…Got a minute?”
***
I stood alone with Kim Yong-ha on the rooftop, nothing but open sky above us. I kept my eyes fixed on the distant skyline—I didn’t want to look at him. Even figuring out where to start felt impossible.
“…Sunbae, are you okay?”
He broke the silence first, his voice thick with concern. It sounded so damn fake it made my skin crawl.
I didn’t bother hiding my feelings. I turned to him, eyes sharp.
“Why did you do it?”
No matter how many times I tried to make sense of it, I couldn’t. You lock someone up just because they rejected your confession? I didn’t care to understand him—but I had to know why. I wanted to hear it straight from him.
But the words that came out of his mouth were completely off the mark.
“…Because I love you.”
His voice trembled with emotion, eyes full of desperate longing and obsession. I was momentarily speechless. How the hell had the main character ended up like this?
“You really think that excuses what you did?”
“……”
He lowered his head, saying nothing.
Watching him just stand there, I felt something heavy settle in my chest.
“…I feel uncomfortable around you, Kim Yong-ha.”
“……”
“So let’s stop here. I don’t want to see you again. Ever.”
I waited, just in case he had something to say. But he stayed silent.
So I turned and started walking toward the door. I didn’t want to stay here a second longer. I didn’t want to hear anything more.
And then—
“…Why should I?”
I stopped.
Slowly, I turned back around.
Gone was the man with his head bowed in guilt. Now he was staring straight at me, eyes blazing, like he was trying to burn me into memory.
“Why should I give up on you when I love you this much?”
“……”
“If I’d just had a little more time… If it weren’t for that Esper… you would’ve been mine by now. Completely mine. So tell me—why the hell should I give up?”
“…You seriously think that’s something you can just say?”
My voice shook with disbelief.
Kim Yong-ha tilted his head, a look of pure confusion crossing his face—like I was the one not making sense.
“Why? Did I say something wrong? I love you, Sunbae. That’s not going to change. And if I get another chance, I’ll take it. I’ll do whatever it takes to make you mine—whatever it costs.”
This lunatic…
I stared at him in shock, but he didn’t flinch. He didn’t look away.
He stared right back at me with a level of obsession that made my skin crawl.
“So you should be the one to give up.”
He began walking toward me—slowly, deliberately—his voice lowering to a whisper.
“Just let go of him. Let go, and love me instead. Isn’t that easier? Doesn’t that make everything simple?”
He smiled as he said it. A soft, almost gentle smile that sent cold dread crawling down my spine.
This wasn’t the Kim Yong-ha I knew. Not anymore.
This… this was a Villain.
I turned without another word and ran from the rooftop.
“Hwang Seol-bin—!!!”
His voice echoed after me, twisted and furious— like the cry of a devil dragging itself up from hell.
