# Chapter 42
Han Jiwoo’s statement sounded plausible, but it still didn’t answer the question of why he was left behind.
‘That bastard never actually answered the question in the end.’
Perhaps he was just angry that only Han Jiwoo had come out unscathed. But something that could be called a sixth sense was screaming that something wasn’t right.
“Team Leader.”
Baek Jaan, whose instincts were especially sharp when it came to Hajin, was already suspicious of Han Jiwoo. He called out to Cha Jinwoo with a tone that implied they shouldn’t let this slide.
“Rescuing Hajin is our top priority right now. Everything else can wait until after that.”
Though still annoyed, Baek Jaan nodded in agreement.
Meanwhile, after the visitors had disappeared and he was left alone, Han Jiwoo wiped away the tears that had streaked across his face with an indifferent hand.
‘Such persistent bastards.’
Han Jiwoo shuddered at the stares that had been fixed on him until the moment they turned to leave.
If he had acted even slightly awkward or stumbled over his words, his neck would have been torn through those beasts’ jaws immediately. Han Jiwoo absently rubbed his perfectly intact neck.
‘Still, I’ve managed to turn their attention to Seo Juan, so they won’t be focusing on me for a while.’
After that, with his rank elevated to S-class, they wouldn’t be able to touch him even if they remained suspicious. Han Jiwoo silently curled up the corners of his mouth into a smile.
They would never find Lee Hajin. And when that happened, they would eventually have no choice but to seek his guiding as an S-class, and the Alpha Team’s attitude, which currently treated them like Hajin’s dogs, would change.
Han Jiwoo covered his mouth with his hand as he imagined a future where their blind affection for Hajin would become his instead.
His face was filled with a joy he couldn’t show to anyone.
* * *
When he regained consciousness, Hajin found himself in an unfamiliar place. He sat up, moving his stiff body that ached from the long sleep.
Despite going along willingly, Seo Juan had put him to sleep, claiming they couldn’t show him the route to their secret base. Now Hajin had no idea how much time had passed.
“Ngggh…”
Perhaps because he’d been drugged to sleep, he didn’t feel refreshed despite seemingly having slept well. His head felt foggy, making him suddenly crave coffee.
‘This place seems more livable than I expected.’
While it couldn’t compare to the accommodations provided by the Association, it was a space similar to the house Hajin used to live in.
It felt strange that a place where kidnappers lived had such a homey atmosphere.
Hajin got out of bed completely and turned the doorknob. Surprisingly, it wasn’t locked and opened easily.
Hajin became even more puzzled. They kidnapped him but didn’t even lock the door?
Having only turned the doorknob without pushing the door open, Hajin hesitated momentarily before pushing it open forcefully.
His eyes met with those who had apparently been watching since he woke up, as they were already looking in his direction.
‘They should be surprised.’
“I thought you’d be surprised, but you’re not?”
Unbelievably, Hajin was actually quite shocked. So shocked that he’d frozen up. The man who spoke first had a face Hajin had never seen before.
Of course, except for Seo Juan, all the faces here would be unfamiliar.
Reminded of this fact, Hajin swallowed dryly and headed toward the refrigerator. Three pairs of eyes followed him, seemingly amazed by how confidently he moved around as if it were his own home despite being kidnapped.
But Hajin, already accustomed to such stares, paid them no attention and took a bottle of water from the refrigerator, drinking until his thirst was quenched.
He wondered how long he had been asleep for his throat to be so dry.
“Does even a Guide become physically stronger when they reach S-class?”
“I-I don’t think that’s the case?”
“Then why is he acting like that?”
Hajin didn’t even glance at them despite their conversation, which wasn’t even whispered but openly spoken. Instead, he seemed intent on figuring out where he was, throwing open doors here and there.
The strange standoff broke when an anti-government Esper, unable to contain his curiosity, approached Hajin first.
“Hey, aren’t you scared?”
Only then did Hajin turn to look at him. In truth, he had finished his exploration after opening just a few doors.
“Why should I be scared?”
“Huh? Because you’ve been kidnapped?”
“As long as you’re an Esper and I’m a Guide, I have nothing to fear. If anything, shouldn’t you be trying to impress me?”
“…I guess that’s true?”
‘What is with this clueless guy?’
He looked like the type who would try to extort money just by making eye contact, yet his behavior was completely guileless.
Hajin was thankful he had received proper training.
If he had been kidnapped before training or captured by the anti-government faction from the beginning, he would have certainly been taken advantage of, doing whatever they asked out of fear for his life.
The man who had tilted his head and made a naive sound at Hajin’s words seemed to sense something odd and cocked his head. But soon after, Hajin spoke as if he didn’t particularly care.
“If I impress you, will you be nice to me?”
He wasn’t being slick like Seo Juan; he asked with wide, round eyes, making him seem even more sincere.
Hajin briefly looked at his clear eyes, finding it strange that a kidnapper could look so innocent, then turned his gaze away. He should just drink more water.
“I don’t know. Didn’t you already mess up your chance to impress me? You kidnapped a person, after all.”
“Hmm, I guess that’s true…”
Whether he was easily swayed or just thoughtless, the man was taking Hajin’s words at face value when another voice cut in.
“If you stay here long enough, you’ll run out of choices, so what does it matter?”
Hajin’s eyes met a piercingly indifferent gaze. But the moment was brief. As if their meeting eyes had been coincidental, the man looked away.
“Ah, that’s true too.”
Before Hajin could find this strange, the naive voice spoke up again, drawing Hajin’s attention back to the man in front of him.
‘How gullible can he be?’
Hajin decided to give up on trying to understand them normally. It was a pointless attempt to begin with. How could one understand kidnappers by normal standards?
After filling a cup with water, Hajin turned to go back to the room where he had woken up.
“Oh? You’re awake?”
That would have been the case if not for the now-familiar voice that reached his ears. Seo Juan took off his shoes and walked through the living room toward Hajin.
Although it made sense to take off shoes indoors, there was something particularly irritating about his action. Was it because he was a kidnapper?
“If you hadn’t woken up, I was planning to wake you with a kiss. What a shame.”
“Ugh…”
When Hajin made a disgusted sound, Seo Juan pretended to cry, making fake sobbing noises as if hurt. Then, as if approaching a close friend, he smoothly moved to Hajin’s side and rested his head on his shoulder.
“So cruel. Isn’t it romantic?”
Seo Juan paused briefly, then lifted his head and used his fingertips to turn Hajin’s chin toward him. Their noses almost touched.
As Hajin tried to pull away from the unfamiliar sensation and the too-close proximity, Seo Juan moved his hand like a snake and wrapped it around his waist.
“Waking the sleeping princess with a kiss, you know.”
Hajin tried to avoid the face that was gradually approaching, but Seo Juan’s body didn’t budge at all. From behind, someone could be heard gulping.
Realizing he had become a spectacle, Hajin frowned and raised his hand to cover his mouth.
Seo Juan’s lips, narrowly prevented from making contact, narrowed his eyes briefly, but then smoothly kissed the back of Hajin’s hand before pulling away.
“The prince is sad.”
“You mean the witch, not the prince.”
“Well, I guess that’s right. But babe, those guys aren’t princes either.”
Hajin immediately understood who “those guys” referred to.
“If anything, you’re the prince. They’re either witches targeting the prince or baby dragons guarding the tower where the prince is locked up. Baby dragons whose ankles are chained.”
“…I’d rather deal with the dragon.”
“Oh my, I must have really fallen out of favor.”
Seeing Hajin’s cold reaction, Seo Juan stepped back decisively as if deciding to stop there for the day, and introduced the men who had arrived before him.
To Hajin, it was a truly pointless exercise.
“Have you all introduced yourselves? Honestly, I doubt it. These guys have no social skills whatsoever.”
“I don’t want to hear that from the guy with the worst personality.”
One of the men who had been giving indifferent glances openly insulted Seo Juan, but Juan merely shrugged and continued with the introductions.
Having delivered a good comeback to Seo Juan, the man continued to hold Hajin’s attention.
He was a handsome man with a muscular build and strong features. If they hadn’t met in a place like this, Hajin would have thought he was a physical education student or an athlete.
“The guy who just spoke is Seo Jihan. Similar name to mine, right? He’s my twin.”
“You really don’t look alike at all.”
Hajin was startled to find himself speaking his honest thoughts. But rather than being offended, Seo Juan and Seo Jihan seemed pleased by his reaction.
“Thanks for the compliment.”
The idea of siblings getting along well is often just an adult fantasy. It doesn’t mean such relationships don’t exist, which makes them all the more fantastical. But as an only child, Hajin couldn’t understand.
“Is it better for siblings to not look alike?”
This time the answer came from Seo Jihan.
Despite trying hard not to show interest in Hajin, refusing to look at him, his face was flushed with anger at being associated with Seo Juan.
“If someone said I looked like that bastard, I’d have to kill myself for living a wasted life.”
‘Being an anti-government kidnapper isn’t exactly living a great life either.’
Even though Hajin was generally straightforward, he kept this thought to himself. Meanwhile, Seo Juan just smiled brightly despite Seo Jihan’s sharp words.
“Our Jihan just can’t be honest. Left the Association following his big brother and everything.”
“Fuck, don’t spout that disgusting shit.”
Finally, a crude word escaped. Seo Jihan was genuinely angry.
He clenched his fist so tightly that the veins bulged prominently, making Hajin think that if he were hit by that fist, he’d be done for.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
