# Chapter 35
Juan smiled mischievously as if he could see right through Jiwoo’s thoughts, and continued speaking.
“The Association will certainly be in an uproar if an S-class Guide disappears. But those Association bastards will never find us. They’ll just waste their time searching.”
He spoke as if he knew exactly what Jiwoo was worried about. Though Jiwoo knew he shouldn’t listen, he found himself focused on Juan’s words.
Wandering slowly around the room, Juan caught Jiwoo’s gaze and pulled his lips into a smirk.
“And then! A new S-class Guide appears!”
Goosebumps ran all the way to the top of Jiwoo’s head. The scene unfolded vividly before his eyes. It wasn’t difficult to imagine—it was something he had fantasized about often, even before Juan arrived.
Juan drove the point home to Jiwoo, who was still fearful of the Association but couldn’t help feeling exhilarated.
“If you want, we can write a contract. One that states all the anti-government personnel involved in this deal, including myself, won’t breathe a word about our agreement with you.”
Jiwoo’s pupils trembled uncontrollably, completely shaken by those words. This had been his biggest concern.
Even if Jiwoo cooperated, if they betrayed him first, he would take all the blame.
But the offer of a contract made it impossible not to waver. This wasn’t just about legal effectiveness.
Those who opposed the government wouldn’t follow the law anyway.
The contract Juan mentioned was created by a special support-type Esper, and breaking the terms written in it would result in a curse.
That’s why the grade of the contract was also important…
“Of course, it’s an S-grade contract.”
Jiwoo swallowed hard. The certification mark, impossible to forge, was clearly stamped on it. It was a genuine S-grade contract.
“…But if this drug truly enhances Guiding grade, why not give it to your own Guides? Why come to me specifically?”
Juan let out a small sigh.
“Do you think we have an abundance of Guides in the anti-government faction?”
They didn’t. The government was scooping up the relatively scarce Guides like raking leaves, and giving them everything they asked for. There was no reason for Guides to abandon this comfort and defect to the anti-government side.
“Of course, we have some. We can quietly kidnap—oops, I mean scout—lower-grade ones that the government pays less attention to without much trouble. But higher grades are different. We can’t afford to waste drugs on them when even B-grade Guides are scarce, let alone A-grade.”
“Ha, so I’m expendable, is that it?”
At the fierce response, Juan shook his head as if exasperated.
“Why are you so cynical? You think I’d propose a deal where you just take it and die? The success rate is 80 percent. The odds are in your favor.”
“Then give it to your own Guides.”
“As I said earlier, we don’t have enough talent to risk even that 20 percent chance of failure. Besides, if a B-grade takes it and succeeds, they’d only become A-grade at best. Unfortunately, this drug can’t be taken twice. So we don’t have suitable candidates on our side.”
Juan fell silent for a moment, then narrowed his eyes at Jiwoo who was still hesitating despite coming this far.
“If you’re not going to do it, decide quickly. It’s not exactly comfortable for me to be here either.”
Jiwoo’s heart was already leaning toward agreement, but he was still hesitating due to a small remnant of conscience and fear. He released his lip, which he had been worrying, and answered.
“…Some bastard barges in here and spouts lies. Let me ask one last thing.”
“Last question? That’s a relief. What is it?”
Despite the sarcasm, Jiwoo didn’t even get angry. More precisely, he didn’t even register it. Jiwoo parted his hesitant lips.
“If the success rate is 80 percent, you could kidnap an A-grade, which would be much easier. So why give me the drug and try to take that person instead?”
Not entirely stupid, I see. Juan laughed brightly and answered.
“Of course that would be more convenient.”
He nodded as if he understood Jiwoo’s doubt. It was like watching an actor’s movements on a theater stage.
“But… if we take an S-class Guide right from under the noses of those Association bastards, imagine how furious they’d be. If we’re going to do this, it’s better to make them angrier. Oh, and I also like Guide Lee Hajin’s face. I wonder if his body would be to my taste too.”
Jiwoo, who had been overwhelmed by the shift in atmosphere, felt his energy drain at the last comment.
Feeling absurdly indignant that he had been intimidated by such a person, he spat out curses.
“Fuck, I don’t care about your tastes.”
“You asked for my reasons… Anyway, I’ve answered all your questions. Now decide. I won’t give you any more time.”
Despite hesitating and pondering until the very end, when the moment of decision came, Jiwoo didn’t waver.
“Let’s make that contract.”
Facing Jiwoo’s resolute expression, Juan smiled brightly.
“An excellent decision.”
* * *
At first, Jiwoo regretted shaking hands with Juan as soon as he disappeared.
However, Jiwoo ultimately didn’t back out of the contract, and his guilt about betraying the Association and his fear of being discovered dulled as time passed.
Contrary to his appearance, Jiwoo was quite timid. That’s why, to exercise the utmost caution in this matter, he behaved meekly as if intimidated even when no one was watching.
His target was Hajin, but what Jiwoo needed to deceive was the entire Association.
If Hajin disappeared, Jiwoo would be the first suspect. A natural suspicion.
He had shown wariness toward Hajin even before meeting him, deliberately sought him out to make sarcastic remarks, isolated and bullied him—he had displayed every sign of hatred.
So he couldn’t afford to be hasty. He needed to lower Hajin’s guard and make people within the Association believe that he no longer hated Hajin.
Of course, after smiling brightly at Hajin, calling him “hyung,” and acting sweet, he would come back and feel nauseated, but what wouldn’t he do for his goal?
Jiwoo’s hand unconsciously moved toward the vial of medicine hidden in his chest.
* * *
Meanwhile, Hajin was leisurely enjoying coffee at the donut shop Jiwoo had recommended. Relaxed, he leaned back and closed his eyes.
Despite having avoided Jiwoo because of awkwardness, he was now enjoying this leisure time to one hundred and twenty percent.
He liked it so much that Hajin, who rarely engaged in private meetings, thought he shouldn’t refuse if Jiwoo invited him for a meal next time.
Hajin wasn’t doing anything in particular.
He hadn’t wanted time alone to do something specific; he just enjoyed being wrapped in appropriate white noise without thinking about anything.
After leisurely finishing a cup of coffee while staring blankly out the window without a single thought, Hajin finally got up when his coffee revealed the bottom of the cup.
Then, with bags full of donut boxes for not only the ones Doyoon had mentioned but also for the other three people, Hajin slowly walked back to the dorm.
As soon as he opened the door and entered, Doyoon rushed out.
“Hyung!”
Surprised by the intense reaction, Hajin held out the donut boxes, thinking that might be the reason, but Doyoon clutched his chest in frustration.
“You think that’s why? Why didn’t you answer your phone?”
“Phone?”
Only then did he check his phone in his pocket, seeing about 10 missed calls.
Hajin felt somewhat irritated by that number. He wasn’t three years old; he was in his thirties, and just because he said he was going out to have some fun…
He thought leaving messages alone was excessive enough, but now he had to be scolded because he came back a little late?
“Doyoon.”
When Jinwoo called his name in a stern voice, Doyoon’s shoulders seemed to flinch, but his grumbling didn’t stop.
“I was so worried when you didn’t answer your phone. And you sent me away but went out to play with someone else…”
Hajin, who had been momentarily upset, let out a small sigh at the muttering. Looking at that figure, his anger subsided.
“I had it on vibrate, and with both hands full, I didn’t know you were trying to contact me.”
Hajin showed the bags in his hands and started walking toward the kitchen to put them down, but Doyoon, now anxious about Hajin’s reaction, followed closely behind.
“Are you mad because I yelled? I’m sorry, hyung. I was just worried and felt hurt…”
He hovered around Hajin without coming too close, looking exactly like a child who had done something wrong. Hajin turned around to meet his eyes.
It seemed unfair that while his actions were childish, his head was a full height taller than Hajin’s—and Hajin wasn’t even short.
“Since we’re on the topic, I understand the concern, but I’m thirty-two years old.”
Even before Hajin could fully express himself, Doyoon was already acting like a thoroughly scolded puppy.
Looking at him shrinking down until their eye levels matched, Hajin ultimately cut down what he had wanted to say.
It would be a lie to say he wasn’t frustrated, but remembering when the last time was that someone had worried about him, he couldn’t severely scold the emotional youngster.
“Besides, I’m a person who has lived alone until this age and is accustomed to it.”
“…You’re not saying you’ll move out of the dorm, are you?”
“That’s not what I meant, but if I can’t even have this much personal freedom, I might have to consider it. After all, there are separate Guide quarters, aren’t there? It would probably be safer there, with other Guides living together.”
It was a quick wit he employed to tease the panic-stricken Doyoon, but once he said it aloud, it actually seemed like a good idea.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
