45
Wooseok turned off the alarm that was ringing for the tenth time. It was an alarm he had set at one-hour intervals throughout the night to check on Minjae’s condition. Each time the alarm went off, he would get up to check Minjae’s wrist and complexion before going back to sleep.
During all ten alarms, Minjae never once woke up and just kept sleeping.
Although he already knew Minjae was this type of sleeper and had come to wake him up every time, it was still amazing how Minjae slept like the dead once he fell asleep.
Does his ears automatically block sound when he sleeps? Thinking something nonsensical, Wooseok checked Minjae’s wrist. After confirming the green light indicating his good condition, Wooseok let out a small sigh. His eyes felt dry.
“Minjae.”
Wooseok called out to Minjae. As expected, Minjae didn’t hear anything. Wooseok grabbed Minjae and shook him lightly.
“Woo Minjae.”
“Mmmm.”
Minjae mumbled something that could have been either a groan or a response. Wooseok shook Minjae’s body a bit harder.
“Wake up~ Minjae~”
“Mmm…”
Minjae pulled up the blanket he was under and curled his body. He looked like a snail. Aren’t you hot? Wooseok snickered and continued shaking Minjae.
He’d like to let him sleep more, but they had to go to work. Wooseok looked at Minjae through narrowed eyes and warned him.
“Should I open the curtains?”
“Urgh…!”
The snail wriggled in resistance. But Wooseok quickly counted to three before getting up. Then he rapidly opened the blackout curtains. As light stabbed into the room, Minjae writhed.
Having barely managed to get Minjae up, Wooseok had to send him to the bathroom and even pick out clothes for Minjae, who was trying to go to work in a stretched-out t-shirt that was practically pajamas.
By the time Wooseok was wondering if he was raising a child, he was finally able to head outside with Minjae.
After putting on his shoes, Wooseok opened the front door first and almost bumped his face into someone’s chest who was standing like a wall right in front of the door.
“What the hell.”
Wooseok looked up to check out the weirdo guarding someone else’s entrance. It was Park Jihwan. His face was quite stiffly frozen. Quite different from his usual expression.
At that moment, Minjae suddenly pulled Wooseok back. Then Minjae almost bumped heads with Jihwan too.
“What the hell?”
Minjae’s brows furrowed. Jihwan’s eyes wavered. Jihwan was frozen like a statue as if he had received a great shock from something.
“Why are you two… to-together…?”
Jihwan even stuttered for the first time. His expression was so severe that one might think he had witnessed Wooseok and Minjae plotting to sell out the country.
A flustered Wooseok waved his hands dismissively.
“Nothing happened!”
Minjae frowned and glared at Wooseok. It seemed to mean: why are you making such excuses? Can’t you see his expression! Wooseok felt wronged.
Jihwan, seemingly realizing that his question was strange, cleared his throat slightly before continuing.
“I, I heard you have a schedule today.”
So what? Minjae’s face seemed to ask.
What’s going on here? Wooseok looked back and forth between the two.
Jihwan’s eye focus was strange, as if the aftermath of the misunderstanding hadn’t completely subsided. What are you looking at? Wooseok followed Jihwan’s gaze. And discovered Minjae’s hand still resting on his shoulder.
“I’ll accompany you.”
“…Why you?”
At Minjae’s rather cold response, Jihwan hesitated, seemingly taken aback. Then he moved his lips as if to say something, but stopped. His mental state seemed quite off.
Look at this guy? Wooseok lightly placed his hand on Minjae’s waist. Jihwan’s brow furrowed sharply. He even gave Wooseok a slightly sideways glance.
Oh, come on. Wooseok inwardly clicked his tongue and gently pushed Minjae’s back. Minjae, whose shoulder slightly bumped against Jihwan’s body, glared at Wooseok even more fiercely.
“Yes, why don’t you assist Minjae well when he’s moving around.”
“Hey.”
Jihwan’s face relaxed a bit at Wooseok’s words.
Minjae called out to Wooseok. His face clearly said: Don’t say weird things.
Wooseok shrugged. Since he knew that Park Jihwan wasn’t someone who would harm Minjae, he didn’t want to get between whatever they were going to bicker about.
Actually, it’s kind of fun. Wooseok smiled at Jihwan. Jihwan flinched slightly. This is definitely fun. Having handed Minjae over to Jihwan, Wooseok went to work with a light heart.
***
Minjae was washing his hands at the bathroom sink. After washing his hands, he splashed cold water on his face. It was to cool himself down.
From the front door that morning, Park Jihwan had been following him around. It was truly maddening.
After what happened yesterday, it was necessary to go to work, if only to show that he was in a fine state. During the time he was writing reports with information only he knew omitted, and receiving reports about what happened yesterday, Jihwan was either standing outside the office or sticking close behind him in the corridor.
“This is driving me crazy, seriously…”
Other espers seemed to find it a bit funny too, as they kept glancing at Minjae and Jihwan in the corridors or lobby. Minjae absolutely hated such attention. The bathroom was a refuge he’d chosen because he felt like he might kick his junior in the hallway out of uncontrollable anger.
Minjae opened the bathroom door slightly. Jihwan was standing right in front of the door, looking around. He seemed to be vigilantly watching the surroundings, almost glaring. What the hell is he doing? What is he looking for?
“Sunbae, are you alright?”
Jihwan, who noticed Minjae, asked.
“What do you mean?”
“You were in there for so long…”
Jihwan stopped mid-sentence. Pfft. The sound of someone passing by trying to suppress their laughter pierced Minjae’s ears.
Unable to bear it any longer, Minjae grabbed Jihwan by the collar and rushed into a nearby meeting room.
“Hey, what are you trying to do?”
“Pardon?”
Jihwan’s face showed that he had no idea what he was doing wrong. This is maddening. Minjae roughly released Jihwan’s clothes.
“What do I mean? Stop following me around like this. What do you want?”
“What’s the problem?”
Jihwan asked defiantly. With a frown, he stared at Minjae intently while constantly shifting his gaze here and there. His demeanor seemed like he was constantly searching for something.
Surveillance? For a moment, Minjae recalled his relationship with Jihwan before things got like this.
Is he now suspicious of me in a strange way because of the resentment from back then? Or does he want to pressure me about saving the children?
“We’re partners, aren’t we? Is there a problem with us being together? Sunbae Wooseok also asked me to…”
“No, nobody acts like this just because they’re partners.”
“Some do.”
What kind of crazy bastards? I should tell Eunjeong to discipline these kids soon. Minjae gritted his teeth.
“It’s my role to assist Sunbae well. I’ll do my job. You don’t need to worry about it.”
Something was definitely off. How could someone who was going on about being a hero just days ago suddenly volunteer to be an assistant?
“Did you hit your head?”
“What? No.”
Jihwan was incredulous at Minjae’s serious question. Usually, it would be the other way around, so Minjae felt a bit embarrassed and annoyed.
“…How could I be hurt after Sunbae poured so much Hill on me?”
Was that even a sarcastic remark?
“Stop it.”
“…Stop what?”
“I said stop it. Just tell me. What’s the reason you’re following me around, interfering with my work, and being sarcastic after I saved your life?”
“I’m…”
Jihwan seemed about to say something but then firmly closed his mouth. He also didn’t seem to fully understand why he was behaving this way.
After staring intently at the meeting room table, Jihwan came up with a strange answer.
“…I’m scared.”
What? Minjae blankly opened his mouth, then promptly closed it. After saying he was scared, Jihwan was looking at Minjae with a deeply furrowed expression, as if something displeased him. That face was definitely far from being terrified.
However, Minjae couldn’t just judge by appearances.
Has he developed trauma? It was possible. After all, it would be the first time he nearly died.
“When I can’t see Sunbae, I feel… anxious.”
Minjae looked at Jihwan with complicated feelings. If he had really developed trauma, it wouldn’t be resolved by just following him around for a while.
Moreover, to find out what was going on, he needed to go and check with Dr. Jo, and he couldn’t bring Jihwan along.
“…Alright.”
Either way, since Jihwan was shot down because of him, he couldn’t be heartless. Minjae offered an ambiguous affirmation. Jihwan’s face brightened quickly.
“Thank you!”
“Um… Director, we’ve re-reserved this room…”
Just as Minjae was getting a bit uneasy from Jihwan’s sudden, spirited expression of gratitude, someone opened the meeting room door slightly and spoke timidly.
Ah. With a small exclamation, Minjae quickly headed out of the meeting room. Jihwan followed right behind. Minjae suppressed the sigh that was about to escape.
***
Taehyun had been observing the suspicious building without windows for quite some time whenever he could. He wanted to fulfill his sister’s request as quickly as possible, but it wasn’t easy.
And for good reason—truly, there was no one entering or leaving the building. Since seeing the Esper Director lurking around here last time, he hadn’t seen anyone else enter.
At this point, it seemed like it might be a giant concrete monument created by the Center to show off their wealth.
“This is driving me crazy…”
But Seoyeon had clearly referred to it as a “building” to Taehyun. And she asked if he could find a way to get in. That meant Seoyeon knew something.
Taehyun pondered for a moment and then used his ability on the dirt ground. He didn’t have much expectation, and indeed, no particular traces were revealed.
Another wasted effort today? Taehyun tousled his hair. That’s when it happened.
One side of the building opened slightly, and a man walked out. Wearing strange goggles and a lab coat, the man seemed like he hadn’t seen sunlight in a long time. As soon as he came out, he spread his hands in front of his goggles and stood still for a moment before starting to move. Taehyun hid himself more deeply and followed the man’s movements.
The man didn’t do anything special. He just walked around among the bushes for a bit, seemed to be examining something, and then went back inside the building.
Before the man disappeared into the building, Taehyun secretly took a photo. At least now I know which side has the door. Taehyun looked around and quickly returned to his quarters.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
