6
Jihwan wanted to apologize to Minjae after causing an accident during his first mission.
Whenever he had free time, Jihwan would wander around the lobby, hoping to accidentally run into Minjae, but such luck didn’t come easily.
It was when the persistent Jihwan was heading toward the lobby after eating.
Alarm sounds rang out from all directions. Red lights were flashing in the Esper Department lobby.
Passing espers all took out their phones to check the communication network. The meaning of the red alert was standby. It meant to be ready as anyone could be called at any time.
[A sudden shooting incident at a nearby middle school has prompted a large dispatch of police. The armed perpetrator has threatened to kill all the children he’s taken hostage if police enter the school. Police say they will prioritize protecting the children’s lives and will discuss rescue and negotiation plans.]
Real-time breaking news was streaming from the screens in the lobby.
Jihwan stood in the hallway, glancing toward the lobby. After alternately looking at his phone and the hallway, Jihwan tapped the man standing next to him.
“Hyung, do you think we’ll be sent out too?”
The man had pulled a hoodie over his head and tightened the strings so that his face appeared small. Bleached silver bangs poked out from under the hood.
“We probably won’t be.”
“Why?”
Jihwan asked with a puzzled face. The man who answered was Shin Taehyun, who had joined the Hero Center at the same time as Jihwan.
Taehyun was one year older than Jihwan. While espers typically manifest their abilities in their early to mid-teens, Jihwan was a late case who manifested at 19. So when he joined the center and met Taehyun, who was around his age, he was extremely glad.
Taehyun didn’t dislike Jihwan either, and the two quickly became like friends—like brothers—in a short time.
“Because we’re still trainees?”
“Ah.”
Taehyun had an expression that suggested Jihwan was asking something obvious.
Unlike Jihwan, who had entered the center without knowing anything, Taehyun knew a lot about the center. He said he had people he was close with who had joined the center before him, and since he had manifested too, he had heard many stories.
So whenever Jihwan had questions, he would immediately ask Taehyun. Because with high probability, what Taehyun said turned out to be right.
[This is new breaking news. The perpetrator who has occupied the school and taken children hostage has been identified as the homeroom teacher of Class 2-1 at that middle school. According to the testimony of several staff members and students who escaped from the school and sought help, gunshots were heard three times, and there were bloodstains in the hallway. The possibility of injuries or casualties cannot be ignored.]
The corners of Jihwan’s mouth drooped. His face clearly revealed his dejection at not being able to deploy despite the urgency of the situation.
But you never know, you might… Taehyun muttered.
Just as Jihwan was about to ask what he meant, someone called for him.
“Esper Park Jihwan! Esper Park Jihwan?”
“Yes! I’m right here!!!”
The administrative staff member, who had been scanning the hallway where espers were murmuring, approached Jihwan who was raising his hand above his head to draw attention.
Taehyun seemed embarrassed by Jihwan’s behavior and tightened his hood, turning to face the wall. The staff member who approached closely said as soon as he confirmed Jihwan’s face.
“Prepare for mission deployment.”
“What? Oh! Really?”
Jihwan couldn’t hide his excitement. Hyung, looks like we’re going. Jihwan mouthed to Taehyun.
But Taehyun shook his head while shrugging his shoulders. What does that mean? Jihwan couldn’t understand.
“Esper Park Jihwan will be deployed alone.”
“Yes, I’ll get ready quick—what?”
“As expected.”
Jihwan was surprised at the staff member’s words, while Taehyun snickered in a low voice. The staff member glared briefly at Taehyun but didn’t say anything further.
“Just… me?”
“Yes. I’ll send you the location, so quickly prepare your gear and depart.”
The staff member’s expression was firm. Jihwan was flustered. He had hoped to be deployed on a mission, but he hadn’t wanted to go alone. Jihwan rolled his eyes. He made a gesture asking for some help, but Taehyun ignored him.
“What should I do…?”
Jihwan changed targets and looked desperately at the staff member. The staff member didn’t even try to hide the obvious annoyance on his face.
“Join the field team when you get there.”
The staff member left after giving only simple instructions. On my own? Jihwan asked, but he didn’t get an answer.
Taehyun looked at Jihwan with sympathetic eyes.
“Being S-class isn’t easy either.”
“Hyung… Hyung, what should I do? Last time I went out alone, I…”
It was a complete disaster… Jihwan pushed back the memory of that day that was trying to resurface. As Jihwan trailed off, Taehyun placed a few guiding pills in his hand.
“I got a bit extra last time. Just in case, use them wisely.”
Taehyun comforted Jihwan, patting his shoulder. I didn’t want to go alone. With slumped shoulders, Jihwan headed to the shared locker room to change his clothes.
[The Hero Center has announced its decision to deploy Team 1, led by SSS-class hero Woo Minjae, to the hostage situation to quickly rescue the children. As espers are being deployed to the scene, we hope all the children can be rescued safely.]
***
Teacher Kim was looking for a monster. His purpose was to exterminate all monsters. Because he had promised that while holding the cold corpse of his son.
If he eliminated all monsters, his son’s soul would receive a call from God to save this world. Teacher Kim could do anything if it meant giving his son peace.
The cult leader had warned that this school would be the breeding ground for the “seeds of monsters.” This place, once his workplace and the foundation of children’s dreams, had become a hell that created supernatural phenomena and birthed monsters.
He recalled his son’s body growing stiff. His son had held his hand tightly. He said he was scared. The small hand grew cold.
The source of infection. The cult leader said that espers were beings that had been infected and mutated like zombies. The origin, the “seed,” takes children as hosts.
And it hides around, mutating children, and eventually turns them into monsters. The seed finds a host, builds up power, and then lives on in the form of children.
Those things called heroes are all monsters.
“That’s not a blessing. It’s a curse-like infection.”
The world revered these monsters with supernatural abilities. They acknowledged them as the same human species and praised them as beings who lived to save people’s lives.
‘Hero’? A hero? Where was that hero when my son was dying? Teacher Kim couldn’t shake off his anger.
“Our mission is of utmost importance.”
We must bring peace to all those who have lost themselves and live only as bodies for monsters. The cult leader’s words resonated in Teacher Kim’s heart.
The cult leader also showed research materials that he claimed to have secretly obtained. He said all this was kept secret to prevent chaos among humanity. That was what made Teacher Kim completely believe the cult leader’s words.
To him, who wanted to know the exact cause of his son’s death—who had exploded and died right before his eyes—the cult leader’s words were all truth.
A runaway? How can a human body suddenly explode? Teacher Kim, who had woken up after a week in intensive care due to the explosion’s impact, couldn’t believe that explanation.
Before, when the news had been buzzing about espers and whatnot, he had just let it be. He had only thought the world was truly strange. But why did it have to be his son? Something was seriously wrong.
The government and the place called the Hero Center are concealing the truth. People are dying. They’re having their bodies taken over by monsters without anyone knowing!
“Teacher…?”
A child called out to Teacher Kim. Teacher Kim turned around to look at the child who had called him.
The child widened their eyes upon seeing the gun in his hand. Then, trembling, they backed away.
The trembling body is a precursor to a runaway. This child has already been infected. The monster must be killed before it takes its complete form.
Teacher Kim loaded his gun.
***
“Ack!”
Making an unstable landing, Jihwan almost kissed the back door of the school. Jihwan’s face maintained a precarious distance from the dusty glass door. After holding his breath for a moment, Jihwan leaned his body backward.
His waist ached subtly, as if he had strained it. While leaping was easy, landing was always difficult. Jihwan stretched his stiff waist from side to side, then opened the door.
The inside of the school was quieter than expected. When the sound of his walking echoed through the corridor, Jihwan stopped in embarrassment and looked around.
There was no one in the first-floor corridor. Jihwan tiptoed to the second floor.
The staff member who had ordered him to deploy had said there was a team he needed to join here. However, Jihwan didn’t know where to go to meet up with the team.
While Jihwan was contemplating, he reached the end of the corridor. Hup, someone made a strange sound from inside a corner.
“Who’s there!”
Startled, Jihwan shouted while clenching his fist and taking a defensive stance. The corridor echoed with Jihwan’s voice. But no answer came.
Jihwan hesitated for a moment. Is the person on the invisible side an enemy? Or a civilian? Then he thought that if it was a civilian, he shouldn’t scare them.
“Um, I’m a rescue esper! Are you a civilian?”
Jihwan asked cautiously. Again, no answer came. Does my voice sound untrustworthy? Feeling a bit embarrassed, Jihwan cleared his throat softly.
“I’m wearing a blue uniform! I’m going to slowly come around the corridor now. You don’t have to be scared!”
Having blurted out a statement that would likely frighten someone who was already scared, Jihwan slowly turned his body at the end of the corridor with his hands raised in surrender. He even extended his arm so the other person could see his sleeve first.
And then Jihwan discovered a bleeding child and another child who was holding them.
“Oh… are you okay?”
Too shocked, Jihwan lowered his hands and rushed toward the children. The blue jumpsuit with white wing patterns embroidered on the sleeves was the uniform of the rescue team affiliated with the Hero Center.
The child holding their friend saw Jihwan in the blue jumpsuit and began to cry. Only then did they seem to feel a bit relieved, breathing heavily.
“Oh no… what should I do? Don’t cry…”
Jihwan didn’t know what to do and tried to comfort the child.
“My friend’s side… the bleeding won’t stop…”
The child’s hand, which was covering their friend’s side, was soaked in blood. Sob… The child saw the blood and burst into tears again.
Jihwan looked at the injured child. What should I do? The question that shouldn’t be asked at the scene filled Jihwan’s mind. Should I carry and move them? But where to? Jihwan felt like crying with the child.
At that moment, for some reason, Jihwan thought of Minjae who had healed him.
A solid person who calmly took necessary measures even at a site where a building had collapsed. Jihwan unzipped his jumpsuit and took off the short-sleeved T-shirt he was wearing underneath. Then he tore the fabric lengthwise.
“This, I changed into it just 30 minutes ago, so it’s clean…!”
After giving a somewhat strange explanation to the wide-eyed child, Jihwan tied the cloth around the wound of the bleeding child.
Is this right? He wasn’t sure of the appropriate tightness, but Jihwan did his best to tie a knot that was neither too tight nor too loose.
Just then, there was a small noise from upstairs. Jihwan, who had been looking at the ceiling, carefully lifted the injured child. He couldn’t leave the children in the corner of the corridor.
“Is there a classroom where we could hide?”
The child, who had been watching Jihwan lift their friend, quickly nodded and began walking down the corridor with fast steps, scanning the surroundings. Jihwan followed behind the child, trying to minimize his footsteps as much as possible.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
