# Chapter 15
Hajin grew serious watching him use casual speech despite being clearly conscious of it. If they were really government employees, how on earth did they raise these kids?
Not wanting to delve too deeply and make things difficult for himself, Hajin shook his head and asked Han Seungho:
“How old are you?”
“Twenty-five.”
There was a 7-year age gap between them and Hajin. Not too wide for him to be called “hyung,” but Hajin, accustomed to workplace relationships, felt the awkwardness of a new hire or intern calling him “hyung.”
‘…But he’s going this far, should I just allow it?’
If he was honestly asking permission because he couldn’t speak formally, what was the point in resisting?
Though it would be awkward, Hajin didn’t show it and nodded.
“Alright, go ahead.”
With the granted permission, Han Seungho clenched his fist in joy.
“Yes! Hyung, you should drop the formalities too!”
‘Is this how all young people talk these days?’
A 7-year difference was enough to feel a generational gap. Especially in today’s society, where even a three or four-year gap could feel like a generation apart.
It would take some time for Hajin to get used to Han Seungho’s free-spirited way of speaking.
“No, I’m fine. This is more comfortable for me.”
Anyone could understand that he was still drawing a line. Han Seungho pouted, seemingly disappointed, but Hajin had his own boundaries.
Especially for Hajin, who had minimized human contact and maintained extremely limited relationships, this was already quite accommodating. After all, they were now housemates.
‘…Though it feels strange to live with new colleagues.’
Hajin hadn’t lived with anyone since childhood. Having four more people in the house besides himself felt quite awkward.
Moreover, they were all staring at him as if he were coated in honey. Even someone as level-headed as Hajin couldn’t help but feel self-conscious.
“I’ll just take the spare room. Where should I go?”
“Follow me.”
“Wow, it’s next to my room. Oh, can I call you hyung too?”
As soon as Hajin followed Cha Jinwoo, Lee Doyoon immediately attached himself to his side. Hyung, huh. Hajin couldn’t help but ask again.
“How old are you…?”
“Twenty-three.”
A nine-year difference, practically ten years. Was it appropriate to be called hyung by such a young kid? But then again, his pride would be hurt if he were asked to call him “mister.”
Hajin didn’t think of himself as young, but he also didn’t think he was old enough to be unbothered by being called “mister.”
“You’re quite young.”
“But I can’t call you mister either.”
Though it seemed like he had called him “mister” during their first meeting. Hajin’s gaze lingered on Lee Doyoon for a moment as he tried to recall, but unable to remember clearly, he let it go.
“How about just calling me Guide Lee Hajin?”
“No way. You’re only allowing Han Seungho to call you hyung? That’s unfair.”
‘So it’s turned out like this.’
While Hajin still felt uncomfortable being called hyung by Lee Doyoon, if it felt discriminatory to him, there was no point in insisting.
“Fine, you can call me hyung.”
“But you’ll still speak formally to me? We’re going to be next-door neighbors now.”
“Hey, Doyoon, want to switch rooms with me?”
“Get lost.”
“You little—talking like that to your hyung!”
“Just go away!”
True to their youthful spirits, Lee Doyoon and Han Seungho quickly ignited over trivial matters and started bickering.
While those two were at it, Baek Jaan, who had been pushed aside due to positioning and couldn’t claim the spot next to Hajin, swooped in to take the now vacant space.
“Can I call you Hajin?”
Baek Jaan had a hidden agenda of wanting to be more special to Hajin, but to Hajin, it just looked like a young guy trying to act like an equal.
At his age, he should be fumbling around as an intern or new employee in the workforce, and here he was saying “Hajin.”
“How old are you?”
“Twenty-five.”
Same age as Han Seungho. Come to think of it, he was already speaking casually with him too.
“You don’t want to call me hyung?”
He asked in a suggestive manner, as telling someone to call him hyung felt a bit old-fashioned.
For anyone else, it would have been merely a suggestion, but Baek Jaan, already completely entranced by Hajin, heard only the gentle voice. He barely managed to hold his pounding heart as he answered with a trembling voice.
“Yes, h-hyung.”
Somehow, it had turned into a session of getting to know the team members’ ages.
Hajin’s gaze naturally turned to Cha Jinwoo, the last remaining team member. There was an inexplicable expectation in his gaze.
“May I ask how old the team leader is?”
Cha Jinwoo had been concerned about how Hajin seemed notably more formal with him compared to the others.
“I’m thirty-three.”
“Ah, so you’re a year older than me. I’m thirty-two.”
Cha Jinwoo briefly imagined how it would be if he asked Hajin to call him hyung, but he knew it wouldn’t work now—maybe later when they became closer.
Besides, for the sake of appropriate tension, becoming too comfortable wasn’t good. What kind of tension he meant, only Cha Jinwoo would know.
“…Just call me Jinwoo comfortably. We don’t seem to have much of an age difference.”
“But you’re the team leader.”
“That’s precisely why.”
Standing in front of his room door, Hajin tilted his head, puzzled by the cryptic response. Cha Jinwoo answered with a clean face devoid of any ulterior motives.
“We’ll be working together in the future, and given the nature of Espers and Guides, we need to become closer. Please consider this as one approach toward that goal.”
‘The team leader is pulling a fast one.’
‘Trying to get special treatment all for himself.’
Unlike Han Seungho and Lee Doyoon, who were eyeing their team leader with disgruntled expressions, Baek Jaan, who should have been the first to react sharply, was strangely quiet.
Considering Baek Jaan’s obsession, who had unusually tried to disobey orders by repeatedly asking to go meet Hajin beforehand, this was odd.
‘This guy, he’s not thinking something strange, is he…?’
“…I should have been born earlier. I was born too late.”
‘This crazy guy.’
Han Seungho immediately released the tension he had momentarily built up. Right, that guy was just weird.
After hearing Cha Jinwoo’s explanation, Hajin thought for a moment before nodding. With just a one-year age difference, calling each other by name wouldn’t be strange.
More importantly, unlike himself who knew nothing, Cha Jinwoo was leading a team, and following his suggestion wouldn’t hurt.
“Yes, then, Jinwoo. Looking forward to working with you.”
Cha Jinwoo shook Hajin’s hand, managing to keep his naturally rising lips in a gentle smile.
He heard whispering that the team leader was putting on airs, though it was too quiet for Hajin to hear. That could be dealt with later in the training ground—not by beating them up, but by admonishing them, of course.
“Yes. Looking forward to working with you as well.”
A moment later, Hajin, finally alone, looked around the unfamiliar room once before sitting on the bed.
During that process, Cha Jinwoo had to drag the Espers to the training ground as they tried to sit next to Hajin, but thanks to that, it was finally time to be alone.
“It’s clean.”
They must have prepared in advance, as there were enough bedding, clothes, and immediate necessities. Moreover, the structure with minimal clutter, as if tailored to his taste, was very appealing.
“Hmm.”
Hajin, who had been sitting on the bed with his back straight as if he were in someone else’s room, fell backward as if tipping over.
It must have been an expensive mattress, because despite hitting his head rather forcefully, it didn’t hurt much.
“What should I do now?”
Today might be the last day he could rest comfortably.
The Chairman and Dr. Song couldn’t hide their astonishment at Hajin’s lack of even basic knowledge about Espers and Guides, unlike most people these days.
He understood their reaction. In today’s world, how could anyone know nothing about Espers and Guides? Even if one only got information from the news.
In truth, most information could be learned just from watching the news, but Hajin had obsessively avoided any news related to Espers and Guides.
“…So that should be the priority.”
Hajin felt, for the first time, like a troublemaker that teachers couldn’t handle. For Hajin, who had never been anything but a model student, it was a novel feeling.
“Fortunately, there are good teachers at the education center who will be helpful.”
In any case, given the Chairman’s serious expression when he said that, it was clear Hajin would start education immediately tomorrow.
“So for now…”
Let’s sleep.
Despite all that had happened, in terms of time, he would still be working at the company now. Lying on a comfortable bed during work hours felt like paradise.
Since this sweet rest would likely disappear by tomorrow, he should enjoy it fully now.
“Yaaawn.”
Hajin yawned without covering his mouth, then properly lay down on the bed and closed his eyes.
* * *
As Hajin had predicted, people sent by the Chairman arrived the next day.
According to them, there was a separate place nearby where Guides received education, and Hajin should go there as well.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
