4
“But are there… hawks in the city too?”
Hoyoung was asking a stupid question while looking around the empty air following Minjae. “Hawks” was a term referring to reporters. They would be searching for Minjae to get a scoop at the scene.
Eunjeong would occasionally give Minjae a heads-up about difficult situations. The fact that she sent Hoyoung, who could fly, meant it was a situation where information needed to be delivered as quickly as possible.
Woof! Woof! Woof! Woof! Just then, the sound of a dog barking echoed between Hoyoung and Minjae. It was Minjae’s phone ringtone.
Minjae frowned as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. Hoyoung glanced at Minjae’s expression after seeing the screen that read “Jerk Boss.”
“Hello.”
[Ah, Minjae. Good thing you answered. So, how’s the scene?]
“I believe I’ve already reported to you.”
[Haha, this guy. So prickly.]
“……”
Minjae had an ominous feeling. Reporters had entered the scene, and now the Center Director was calling him. Minjae hoped his instincts were wrong.
[It seems the time has come. I’m counting on you, Minjae.]
The Center Director spoke in a solemn voice. What time? Is this how politicians talk, with all this nonsense? Minjae adjusted his hat, pulling it down deeper.
Hoyoung, noticing Minjae’s subdued expression, just rolled his eyes around like a dog that needed to pee.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
[I thought you’d already heard the news. In any case, public opinion is what it is, so what can I do? I’m sorry.]
The Center Director ignored Minjae’s attempt to play dumb. It was an apology delivered in a warning tone. Minjae didn’t respond.
[Oh, and please take care of Park Jihwan too. Today is his debut.]
“…Park Jihwan?”
Minjae’s eyebrow shot up crookedly. But as soon as Minjae asked, the call ended.
He’s messing with me. Minjae cursed inwardly. He had no desire to play along with whatever the scheming Center Director had planned.
Just then, someone beside Minjae answered.
“Yes! Sunbae!”
It was a voice full of military-like discipline. It was the guy who had earlier asked him to be his guide or whatever.
Hearing the muttering voice and wondering when he had arrived, Minjae looked at Jihwan sideways.
“…What.”
“Huh? You called me, Sunbae…”
At Minjae’s words, the other’s eyes drooped as if crushed. He seemed quite confused and wronged by the current situation.
So this guy is Park Jihwan? Minjae turned the name Park Jihwan over in his mind.
“What class are you?”
“Pardon?”
Jihwan looked at Minjae with a bewildered expression. Then, waving his hands, he offered a smile.
“Ah, Sunbae, you can speak informally to me!”
“Yeah?”
“Yes!”
“…So?”
The atmosphere sank coldly.
Minjae didn’t continue speaking and just glared at Jihwan. Minjae hated repeating himself. His irritation was doubling at Jihwan, who didn’t answer his question and just said something else.
“Ah…”
Jihwan let out a small sigh. Not knowing what to say first, his lips quivered.
Hoyoung, not knowing what to do in the chilled atmosphere, just rolled his eyes around. S-Sunbae… Just as Hoyoung was about to intervene, Jihwan opened his mouth.
“I’m… S-class!”
The tips of Jihwan’s ears were slightly red as he said those words.
From the moment he heard the word S-class, Minjae’s face froze.
Minjae remembered hearing about a new S-class a few weeks ago. That timeframe wasn’t enough to be at a level where one could come to a scene like this.
A S-class, appearing in Korea after a very long time, had been deployed on a mission without the Esper Director’s knowledge. And to a rescue site primarily handled by Team 1, no less. It was too suspicious to be a coincidence.
Things are going to shit. Minjae gritted his teeth.
“Sunbae, I respect you! I’m a real fan! Being a cool hero who saves citizens has been my dream since I was little! And earlier…”
As Jihwan rambled on, Minjae’s expression grew increasingly crumpled.
With a face so crumpled it could hardly crumple more, Minjae said,
“Get lost. You’re disgusting.”
Jihwan’s mouth gaped open again. Simultaneously, a brilliant light flashed beside Minjae.
***
Bang!
As the flash went off, the sound of rapid-fire photography could be heard from all around.
“Strike a pose please!”
“Please greet this side too!”
“What do you think about the controversy? Show us your ability!”
“Is it true that you’ll be demonstrating your ability at the scene today!”
Minjae clenched his teeth at the requests pouring in from everywhere.
The accident scene had turned into a press conference just a few minutes ago. A camera had been thrust in front of Minjae as he faced off with Jihwan, and a barrage of questions followed.
Jihwan, who had been in front of Minjae, was quickly pushed back. Some reporters recognized Jihwan as S-class and showed interest, but Minjae was the hotter gossip topic.
“Hey, come over here.”
Minjae could see Hoyoung tapping on the shoulder of Jihwan, who was staring blankly at Minjae. Hoyoung pulled the dazed Jihwan to a corner.
Eunjeong also came running from afar and looked toward Minjae with a blank expression. Then she made a gesture of slitting her throat.
I know. We’re fucked. Minjae kept getting pushed around among the reporters. Seeing Eunjeong trying to push through the reporters to approach him, Minjae motioned to stop her. It was clear that if Eunjeong stepped in now, the situation would escalate.
It wasn’t common for so many reporters to gather like this. Hero Woo Minjae occasionally appeared on screen through public service advertisements, but he never gave interviews or demonstrated his superpowers in public places.
More precisely, he was allowed not to.
All espers affiliated with the Hero Center were national assets. Therefore, heroes didn’t have to disclose their abilities, and Minjae, the symbol of heroes, could remain a mysterious figure. At least until just now.
Minjae quickly surveyed his surroundings while assessing the situation. Ability demonstration? Minjae had a schedule set without his consent. It seemed the Center Director, who enjoyed media play, had finally decided to sell out Woo Minjae.
Shit. Minjae secretly checked his wrist to confirm his guiding numbers. Green and orange lights were flashing alternately. It meant unstable.
Minjae hid his rapidly trembling hand behind his back and straightened his posture.
“The rescue operation is not yet complete.”
Bang!
Another flash went off.
What do you think about the circumstances of the accident?
Can you save everyone?
How many casualties are there?
Can you say a few words about your determination regarding this incident?
Do you have anything to say to the public?
Tremendous questions poured in. Most of the questions didn’t fit the current situation and were difficult for Minjae, who had been deployed to the scene and continued working, to answer.
Among them were some absurdly ridiculous questions. Do you have a girlfriend? What do you think about being voted the #1 “Man I Want to Marry” this year?
“Are they crazy?”
Eunjeong sneered loudly. It was a disrespectful question.
In front of the popping flashes, Minjae answered questions selectively with a calm expression. All the while, he continued to politely emphasize the need to continue the rescue operation.
Occasionally, Minjae’s eyes met with Jihwan’s. Jihwan was staring blankly at Minjae. Minjae couldn’t tell what he was thinking.
“Please demonstrate your ability!”
“I repeat, the rescue operation…”
“There’s a patient here!”
Someone shouted. Oh no! People rushed in.
So you even prepared for this, huh? Minjae mocked inwardly. His hands kept trembling from the tension, and a migraine was setting in. It was clear that if he let his guard down even a little, he would make a disgraceful scene in front of this crowd.
The people were too noisy. Hoo. Minjae exhaled.
As soon as he used his ability, a cheer of “Woahhh!!” was heard.
“He saved them! Woo Minjae! Woo Minjae!”
“It’s the hero!”
People praised Hero Woo Minjae. Some said he had the power of a god. Others said that SSS-class was different.
Minjae found all of this horrifying. The moment he thought he couldn’t breathe, the people in front of him melted away. They were like monsters made of viscous liquid. They were things Minjae often encountered in his dreams. They reached out to him.
Minjae stepped back, urgently seeking his team members with his eyes.
It was when he thought his eyes met with Jihwan, who had been watching him with sunken eyes since earlier.
Minjae flew into the sky.
***
The wind was brushing against his cheeks. Minjae opened his eyes and turned his head back to look at the shrinking people.
The people looked normal again. The small heads were shrinking like pebbles. Lights flashed from below.
Am I seeing hallucinations again? What’s going on? As Minjae tried to assess the situation, a red sky spread out before his eyes.
Looking upward, he saw an esper with an incredibly solemn expression. Park Jihwan, was it? This crazy bastard was carrying him in a princess hold and flying.
How did I end up tangled with this guy? He didn’t even want to think about it. Fatigue rushed in all at once.
Letting out a deep sigh, Minjae tapped Jihwan’s shoulder, who was holding him.
“Hey.”
“Yes!”
He answered with an extremely loud voice despite being close. Irritated, Minjae frowned and covered his ears.
“You’re too loud.”
“Ah, yes. I’m sorry…”
His voice quickly deflated again. The guy even apologized when he didn’t need to. Yet he was steadily increasing altitude.
Are you going to drop me from a high place just because I said something earlier? It had been a while since Minjae’s guiding numbers had dropped, and he felt a bit creeped out.
“…Where are you going?”
“Huh? I was just… flying aimlessly… Do you want to get down?”
When asked where he was going, he immediately asked if Minjae wanted to get down. Is this guy actually a psycho? Alarmed, Minjae grabbed Jihwan’s collar with both hands.
“Are you crazy? Find a place to land.”
“Ah, yes!”
Jihwan turned his head back and forth looking for a place to land, then attempted to land.
Minjae, who was set down on what appeared to be the roof of a school on the outskirts of the city, landed while grabbing the collar to maintain balance due to the unstable landing. He could see Jihwan bent awkwardly at the waist, offering his collar to Minjae.
“Hey.”
“Yes…?”
“Why is your flying skill so terrible?”
“I-I’m sorry. It’s my first mission…”
That makes sense. Despite being bigger than him, the way he mumbled and became dejected at every word made him no different from a kid. Minjae felt the fatigue catching up with him belatedly.
As Minjae searched his back pocket, he realized he had lost the water bottle he always carried and silently cursed.
“Um… Sunbae.”
“What.”
Having forgotten that he was still holding onto the collar, Minjae responded casually while looking toward Jihwan, then was startled by the face that was closer than expected.
Ahem, clearing his throat, Minjae released the collar he had been holding.
But even though he released the collar, Jihwan remained slightly hunched over, studying Minjae’s expression. Minjae tried to maintain an expressionless face.
“Are you okay?”
Minjae was a bit dazed at Jihwan’s question.
“What?”
“Um… you looked troubled.”
After saying that, Jihwan scratched his head. Minjae was a bit confused. So you’re saying you just snatched me from the press conference and carried me away because I looked troubled?
“What?”
“Weren’t you in distress?”
Jihwan looked at Minjae with a surprised face. It was a face full of fear. Why is he scared? Minjae had no idea what Jihwan was thinking.
“So, you ‘rescued’ me because I looked troubled?”
Minjae put emphasis on the word “rescued” as he asked.
“…Did I do something wrong?”
Jihwan asked back, blushing. He fidgeted, glancing at Minjae’s face.
Minjae began to be engulfed by an inexplicable unpleasant emotion. It felt like his stomach was boiling.
“…If that’s the case?”
At Minjae’s words, Jihwan’s expression froze strangely. It was like the face of someone who had been hit. That face crumpled and shook. Then, Minjae’s vision went dark.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
