12
Choi Wooseok, the Director of the Hero Center’s Guide Department, had just entered the Guiding Room after receiving an urgent call about a new esper in serious condition.
“Ugh… Teacher.”
The boy lying on the cot, gasping with a pale complexion, was an esper who had joined the Center a few weeks ago. His body was constantly convulsing, and his breathing was irregular. Judging by his protruding veins and spreading bruises, his internal injuries seemed severe.
“Not teacher, Sunbae-nim.”
Wooseok approached him, answering with an indifferent voice. The whimpering esper grabbed Wooseok’s hand and asked.
“Am I… going to die?”
“You won’t die.”
It was a very half-hearted tone for reassuring words. The esper’s hand holding Wooseok trembled violently.
Hey, can’t you control your strength? That hurts. Wooseok said curtly while slightly shaking off the esper’s hand.
“Urk…”
Tears welled up in the esper’s eyes. He’s too young, even for a youngster. Wooseok thought. This youthful-looking esper seemed engulfed in the fear that he might die.
“Hey, did you check his vitals?”
“Yes, Director. His guiding level was measured at below twenty percent.”
“Really? Tell those bastards who went to eat to get back here immediately.”
“Yes!”
The man in a white coat quickly ran out of the room.
Wooseok looked at the sobbing esper and began guiding by gently pressing his chest. This was something Wooseok wouldn’t normally do.
Wooseok only performed guiding in truly emergency situations, except for Minjae and Eunjeong.
Generally, the amount of guiding that could be done at once was determined by rank. As an S-class guide who could handle an SSS-class, Wooseok was on standby primarily for Minjae, so situations where he performed guiding were rare.
“Ah…”
The esper’s expression became slightly more comfortable as he let out a small sigh. At the same time, the door opened, and two men and one woman rushed in urgently.
“A-class. It’s somewhat filled now, so top it off completely and send him on his way.”
As Wooseok stood up, the three guides attached themselves to the esper and began injecting guiding. They were massaging his limbs while simultaneously injecting area guiding.
After confirming that the bruises spread across the esper’s body were gradually fading, Wooseok picked up the chart that had been tossed beside the cot and began checking the information.
The A-class esper who had been dispatched to a tunnel collapse site caused by an explosion was 16 years old.
For about two months, teenage children in terrible condition had been brought to the Guiding Room. The reason for deploying young children who had just manifested abilities on missions was to garner public sympathy.
It was to instill the image of “young heroes sacrificing themselves for ordinary citizens” to the current public opinion that was wary of supernatural abilities and cautious of ability users sitting at the top of the class society.
Inexperienced young espers often got injured easily, even on minor missions. In these espers, Wooseok saw his younger self and Minjae.
“Bastard.”
Muttering curses under his breath and shaking his head, Wooseok handed the chart to one of the guides nearby, almost throwing it, and headed out of the Guiding Room.
From there, Wooseok headed straight to the entrance of the Center Director’s office.
“He’s currently unavailable.”
“I know he’s in there, so open the door.”
Wooseok glared at the secretary blocking the door.
Kim Jinsung’s secretary, Yoon Ojun, stared back at Wooseok with cloudy eyes that made it hard to tell exactly where he was looking.
What reason could there be for this dull fellow to secure the position of the Center Director’s secretary at such a young age? Wooseok wondered.
Always standing guard at the door with that frightened expression. Ah, maybe that’s why he got the job. Either way, Wooseok didn’t like Ojun.
“Secretary Yoon. Do you remember how many times I’ve been here?”
Wooseok emphasized his words. It was the seventh time. Whether Ojun knew this or not, he just shook his head.
“Director, if I let you in now, I’ll be dead.”
Ojun curled his lips inward and made a pitiful expression. Wooseok glared at him for a moment, then turned his head sharply and sighed.
“Please make sure to tell him I was here.”
“Yes, of course.”
“…You won’t tell him, will you?”
“…No.”
Ojun answered and then smiled apologetically again.
Being honest in this situation, what the hell. Squeezing his eyes shut and running his hands wildly through his hair, Wooseok turned to leave. No, he was about to leave but turned back again.
Ojun’s eyes widened dramatically at Wooseok’s sudden action.
“Why, why…”
Wooseok took out his phone from his pocket and held it out to him. Ojun stared blankly at the phone extended in front of him.
“Do you… need to charge it?”
At the secretary’s words, Wooseok’s eyebrow rose crookedly. Ha. Letting out a scoffing laugh, Wooseok extended the phone closer to the secretary and said.
“Your number.”
“Number… uh… my number?!”
Wooseok’s expression slightly fell at the secretary’s reaction, which was as if he were having a seizure.
“Yes. Since you know the Center Director’s schedule so. Very. Well. I think I’ll need to contact you quite often.”
“Ah… haha…”
Ojun entered his number with trembling hands. Wooseok stared intently at him.
“You know what happens if you block me, right?”
Ojun answered with a forced smile.
“What… do you mean…”
Wooseok stared at Ojun blankly for a moment. With expressions that don’t hide well like that. Swallowing a sigh, Wooseok didn’t say anything more and turned to walk away.
“Take, take care, Director!”
Ojun quickly bowed, stroking his chest with his hand. Wooseok didn’t respond.
***
“Carry this.”
“Yes! What?”
Jihwan, who had been so excited about Minjae’s promise of a new assignment that he couldn’t sleep, was hit with a bombshell as soon as Minjae entered the training ground.
Answering with a bright smile, Jihwan changed course and gave a questioning response. Minjae’s brow furrowed, and Jihwan slapped his own mouth.
What Minjae was pointing to was a large box. It was impossible to gauge what was inside, but it clearly looked quite heavy.
“I wonder what this is… I really can’t figure it out no matter how much I think about it. Yes.”
Trying to somehow phrase his question as not a question, Jihwan gave up mid-sentence and quickly reached his own conclusion.
Looking at him with disapproval, Minjae gave a clear answer.
“A box.”
“Ah, ha… Aha~!”
No, who wouldn’t know that? I’m asking what’s inside. Jihwan was slightly irritated. Only inwardly, of course.
Giving an awkward smile, Jihwan reluctantly approached the box, tensed his body, and lifted it.
“Ngggh.”
A strange sound escaped him. Why is this so heavy? Are there 500 dumbbells inside? Jihwan secretly cast a resentful glance at Minjae.
Surely he’s not going to make me do squats with this. Jihwan prayed desperately inside. And as if his prayers were answered, Minjae gave him a different task.
“Fly.”
Jihwan opened his eyes quite wide but this time didn’t make mistakes like saying “Huh?” or “What?” Instead, he bent his knees slightly and lifted himself off the ground.
“From here to there. Round trip.”
Minjae pointed to both ends of the training ground.
Jihwan slowly began to fly with the box shouldered on his left side. As he did, the box wobbled on his shoulder.
Inside the box, several heavy balls seemed to be rolling around, hitting the sides of the box with every movement Jihwan made, causing both the box and Jihwan’s body to shake.
“Again.”
Minjae’s voice was low. What? Jihwan forcibly suppressed the urge to ask and looked at Minjae while standing on the ground.
“You keep doing it until you can make a round trip without the box shaking.”
Is that even possible? Jihwan thought it seemed impossible no matter how he considered it.
How could the box not shake when balls are rolling around inside it?!
“I really don’t know if that’s possible…”
Again, Jihwan tried to phrase his question indirectly. Minjae looked at him silently for a moment, then smiled and said.
“If you don’t know, that’s a problem.”
Minjae slowly walked toward Jihwan.
Jihwan had a moment of hope. Even if Minjae wouldn’t withdraw the assignment, maybe he would reveal some secret technique.
Minjae approached and patted Jihwan’s right shoulder, the one not carrying the box, and said.
“Call me when you can go back and forth without it shaking.”
With that, Minjae left the training ground without hesitation. And even by the end of the day, Jihwan couldn’t call for Minjae. The same was true the next day, and the day after that.
***
Jihwan’s body jerked. Along with it, the large box jerked as well. Taehyun, who had slightly steadied Jihwan’s wobbling body, sighed.
Nearby, whispers of “What are they doing?” could be heard.
I don’t know either. Jihwan muttered inwardly.
Outside the window, there were figures huddled together. Since Jihwan had started training alone to complete the second task given by Minjae, the number of people peeking and watching from outside the window had increased.
Is that him? That’s him. Words pointing at Jihwan were clearly audible. Sometimes there were sounds of admiration saying how amazing it was, and occasionally comments like “It’s nothing special” or “Why him of all people?”
To Jihwan, who didn’t understand what was going on, Taehyun had explained two reasons.
“First, you’re S-class. Second, publicly, you’ve become Woo Minjae Director’s pair.”
Looking at Jihwan’s blank face with contempt, Taehyun had since been coming to the training ground whenever his schedule allowed, keeping Jihwan company during his training.
“Is he really just tormenting you?”
“It’s not like that…”
When Taehyun asked with a frown, Jihwan shook his head. Jihwan had been showing up at the training ground alone every day. Despite lifting the box daily, it never stopped shaking.
“…Fine, think whatever you want.”
Taehyun looked at Jihwan with a sour face. Then he walked to the corner of the training ground.
“Leaving already?”
Jihwan asked, pouting. Taehyun nodded.
“I’m expecting a call.”
Can’t you take calls here? Jihwan swallowed his question. He couldn’t impose any more on Taehyun, who had already stayed by his side for more than two hours.
After Taehyun left, Jihwan lifted the box again. It was a weight he couldn’t get used to. The unknown objects inside the box mercilessly hit the walls. Occasionally, Jihwan felt like he was being hit by them.
Eventually, Jihwan dropped the box and landed on the floor, almost falling.
Him? Less than I thought… Words that he could guess without having to hear them brushed past his ears.
Jihwan had imagined many times what would happen when he got superpowers and became famous. After all, being a hero was his dream.
But in none of the scenarios he had imagined was there a situation like this.
“What are you doing?”
Hoyoung poked his head into the training ground. Oh? Sunbae-nim! At Jihwan’s call, Hoyoung gave a bright smile.
“Are you okay?”
With the appearance of Hoyoung, who had been in Team 1 and active at the Center for quite some time, the people gathered outside the window stealthily moved away.
“Sunbae-nim… you’re a total savior.”
With a touched expression, Jihwan nodded. Hoyoung, who had been silently looking at Jihwan with a smile, raised his hand and lightly patted Jihwan’s shoulder.
“You’ll have to get used to this kind of thing now.”
“This… kind of thing?”
At Hoyoung’s words, Jihwan recalled Minjae’s face in front of the camera. It was a face that looked like it would burst into tears if poked. In that moment, Jihwan’s body had moved ahead of his thoughts.
…Is Minjae Sunbae used to these things?
“Well… I guess since it’s the first time a rookie has joined Team 1… Everyone’s curious. It’s also a bit rare for a new member to join our team in the first place…”
“Ah…”
“Don’t worry too much. Interest like that disappears quickly.”
Though it was meant to be comforting, Jihwan’s mood plummeted further. Jihwan thanked Hoyoung with an awkward smile.
Jihwan looked down at the box at his feet.
Certainly, the current attention wasn’t welcome. But what if I can’t lift this box until all that interest disappears?
If I can’t gain Minjae Sunbae-nim’s approval and can’t participate in any missions? Jihwan grew anxious.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
