Goal: Removing the First Obstacle (4)
After finishing his story, Sa Hae-geon looked at me anxiously. He fidgeted like a puppy who had caused a major accident, as if there was something wrong with my expression. To be honest, I had many thoughts after hearing his story.
He had pushed himself too hard because he wanted to see me. Could I really be such an important person to him? I wondered if Sa Hae-geon was overestimating me, and this thought filled my mind.
A headache came on as I alone learned the reason that Jong-hyeok hyung and the other team members would never know. Though I had much I wanted to say to Sa Hae-geon, it would be better to talk after leaving the dungeon. Looking at Sa Hae-geon, who was fidgeting his fingers and waiting for me to speak, I said:
“Let’s continue this conversation at home.”
“…Yes.”
As I left the tent with him nodding obediently, I saw the team members sitting around the campfire with worried faces. They had been conversing among themselves, but upon seeing Sa Hae-geon and me emerge from the tent, they jumped to their feet.
“Rookie!”
“…Sa Hae-geon Esper!”
Sa Hae-geon looked bewildered at the team members calling his name and rushing toward him, and he began to back away cautiously. However, before he could escape, Lee Cheol-min Esper firmly grabbed his shoulder.
Lee Cheol-min Esper, who had grown quite fond of Sa Hae-geon despite their short time together, seemed very shocked by Sa Hae-geon’s collapse. With a serious expression, he began to speak.
“Hey, Hae-geon.”
“…Yes.”
“Hah… Never mind. Don’t do that again in the future. We tackle dungeons together. Understand?”
“…Yes.”
He seemed satisfied with Sa Hae-geon’s answer and nodded, releasing him. However, the other team members still appeared to have much to say. I stepped back a few paces from the team members’ intense gazes directed at Sa Hae-geon.
Though I felt sorry for Sa Hae-geon, I couldn’t stay by his side as the team members’ stares made me uncomfortable.
Outside the dungeon, it was nearly noon. Sa Hae-geon, after being lectured for quite some time, was finally able to exit the dungeon. Having endured nearly twenty minutes of scolding, even someone like Sa Hae-geon seemed quite drained, his complexion pale. I patted him on the back comfortingly before boarding the bus.
The bus, which had been empty when I boarded, gradually filled with team members. After An Jong-hyeok, the last one to board, the door closed. Hyung picked up the microphone at the front of the bus and looked at us.
“Good work, everyone. Though we had some mishaps both big and small, let’s appreciate that everything was resolved safely. Now, get some rest.”
“Yes, sir!”
After finishing his words, Jong-hyeok hyung sat down, and the bus began to move at a slow pace. Sa Hae-geon, who let out a small yawn, rested his head on my shoulder without caring about the stares around us.
“…Hae-geon?”
“Yes.”
I looked down at him, who absolutely refused to lift his head despite my quiet question, and then closed my mouth. He must have had a tough time in the field, so letting him use my shoulder as a pillow should be fine. The other team members would understand. And anyway, if I said no, I’d just get his strange answer about how my right arm belonged to him, and he considered my shoulder part of that arm.
So I surrendered my right shoulder to Sa Hae-geon and was about to lean against the window and close my eyes.
“Huh?”
Esper Lee Seong-rok, who I thought was quietly resting, made a loud noise.
“Whoa, you startled me. What is it? What’s wrong?”
“Seong-rok, aren’t you sleeping?”
“You’re noisy, Lee Seong-rok.”
“Let’s go quietly today since we’re tired, okay?”
Despite the team members’ rebukes, Esper Lee Seong-rok shouted without caring:
“There’s an article saying Shin Woo-jun is illegally occupying an abandoned building!”
“What?”
“Shin Woo-jun? Really?”
“What did you say? Let me see. Which article? Post it in the group chat.”
The team members, who had been complaining about the noise just moments ago, now urged Esper Lee Seong-rok as if they had never done so. Esper Lee Seong-rok chattered away as he posted the article link in the team group chat.
“I was just skimming through news headlines to see what happened while we were in the dungeon, and this caught my eye. Some brave reporter must have found out. Isn’t that crazy?”
“Where is this abandoned building… What? It’s in the outskirts?”
“Ah, it seems to be in an area that’s noisy with redevelopment projects.”
“That’s why you all should stay close to the news like me. If you regularly read articles…”
The team members ignored Esper Lee Seong-rok’s excited talk and conversed among themselves.
“How on earth did they find out?”
“I don’t know. Maybe the reporter is an Esper. Probably followed Shin Woo-jun secretly or something.”
“Wow, that’s brave. They practically risked their life. What should we do, Team Leader?”
“Will Shin Woo-jun still be there until we arrive?”
Everyone’s attention turned to Jong-hyeok hyung. Receiving everyone’s gaze, he spoke:
“Knowing Shin Woo-jun, who enjoys public attention, there’s a high possibility he will.”
“Then…”
“Yes. Since we’ve already received permission from the Ability Department, we just need to form a team after a meeting.”
“You’ll include us too, right?”
“Team Leader, you can’t have all the fun yourself. You know that, right?”
Jong-hyeok hyung looked at the team members begging to be included and shook his head. Yet he didn’t explicitly refuse, which kept the team members on edge.
“Quiet down. We’ll discuss the rest at the center. Everyone get some sleep.”
With those final words, Jong-hyeok hyung crossed his arms and closed his eyes tightly. The team members, uncertain if the conversation was truly over, resigned themselves and one by one began to close their eyes and rest. Only Esper Lee Seong-rok, who had first brought up Shin Woo-jun, still held his phone, marveling as he skimmed through the article.
“Wow, even I think my instincts are amazing, really…”
Esper Hwang Ji-hyun, sitting next to Esper Lee Seong-rok, spoke in an irritated tone, seemingly annoyed at having her sleep disturbed.
“Seong-rok, stop that and go to sleep.”
“Yes, yes. Just a little more time to look.”
“I might throw your phone out the window.”
“Okay, okay. I get it. So aggressive…”
Esper Lee Seong-rok shook his head and put his phone in his pocket. As silence finally enveloped the bus, Sa Hae-geon’s hand slowly reached for mine. His lukewarm body temperature wrapped around my entire hand.
His body temperature varied each time, always giving a sensation that was both familiar yet strange. I carefully held Sa Hae-geon’s hand in return. Surprised, he suddenly lifted his head to look at me.
“…Why?”
In response to my embarrassed question, Sa Hae-geon shook his head vigorously. Then he rested his head on my shoulder again. His face, visible at a glance, was flushed red. After glancing at his face, I too closed my eyelids. Even though we hadn’t done much, spending time in the dungeon was always tiring.
How long had I slept? I vaguely heard Jong-hyeok hyung’s voice.
“We’ve arrived at the center. Everyone wake up.”
My eyes opened wide at those words. Feeling the weight still on my shoulder, I turned my head to confirm and saw Sa Hae-geon’s face, sound asleep. Even he, who didn’t seem to need much sleep, had succumbed to exhaustion after the forced march.
“Wow… Already? We arrived faster than I thought. It doesn’t even feel like I slept.”
“I know. Is everyone going to eat before leaving?”
“Eat? What do you mean eat? I need to get my Guiding and then go straight home to sleep.”
“Wow, I’m really envious. I still have to go to another dungeon this evening.”
“The article revealed where Shin Woo-jun’s abandoned building is. Is it right for us to just leave?”
“Who goes somewhere without a plan? We should meet tomorrow for a meeting and then go. Right, Team Leader?”
“Yes. Since we’ll have a meeting tomorrow, you can all go home for today.”
The team members were already getting off the bus. I gently shook Sa Hae-geon’s body.
“Hae-geon.”
“…”
Receiving no response, I shook him again and called his name once more.
“Hae-geon, we’re at the center. Wake up.”
Sa Hae-geon’s eyelashes trembled slightly before he opened his eyes. Looking around to check his surroundings, he asked in a husky voice:
“…Yes?”
“I said we’ve arrived at the center. Get up now.”
“Ah… yes.”
Soon, the weight on my shoulder disappeared. Sa Hae-geon sat up straight, then stood up and extended his hand to me. It seemed he wanted me to take his hand to stand up, which made me smile. Though I could easily stand up by myself, I said nothing and took his hand.
I just wanted to do it. Even knowing I was being too soft on Sa Hae-geon, I wanted to take the hand he offered. I felt Jong-hyeok hyung’s gaze on us. When I turned my head slightly to check, there was a faint smile on his lips.
“…Let’s get off.”
“Yes.”
“Go ahead. See you tomorrow.”
“Yes, I’ll go in first. You should rest too, hyung.”
“Okay. Hae-geon, get home safely. And reflect on what happened today.”
“Yes. I’m sorry.”
I got off the bus with Sa Hae-geon, who had bowed his head deeply. After confirming no one was around, Sa Hae-geon suddenly threw himself into my arms. Patting the back of the large-bodied guy, I headed toward the center with Sa Hae-geon.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
