#77
The characteristics of an Esper who manipulates wind were secrecy and quick mobility. It was good for monitoring targets from afar and could conceal its presence well enough to escape detection even by other Espers.
“What? Just inform them?”
Isn’t it natural to help if there’s any danger? In response to this question followed by an obvious doubt, Oh-yul let out a low laugh.
“Did I give Moon Jin-hyuk Esper a chance to ask questions?”
“No.”
Oh-yul’s voice was gentle and soft, but Moon Jin-hyuk quickly shut his mouth at the coldness contained within it.
There was an unspoken pressure to just do as told. Moon Jin-hyuk was grateful that his superior, who seemed to have an uncanny ability to detect even internal grumbling, couldn’t see his expression right now. Oh-yul recited an address in a low voice. Moon Jin-hyuk desperately tried to engrave the address in his mind.
“But how long should I follow them?”
There was no exact timeframe. It depended on how the infiltrators who had crept into the city would act, whether the period would be shortened or if it would become a long-term battle. However, Oh-yul estimated that it wouldn’t exceed two months. Once Oh-yul officially took the minister’s position, Kim Dong-cheol wouldn’t have even the slightest chance.
Even though Kim Dong-cheol had been pushed out rather pathetically, he was still a person who had controlled the city for over 10 years. It wasn’t good to underestimate him. The sinister predator held its breath in the shadows, just as it had always done.
“You’ll find out. It would be good to start from now. For the time being, you don’t have to respond to dispatch orders.”
“Understood.”
Moon Jin-hyuk calmly left his final answer and ended the call. Oh-yul tapped the pager lightly, tuk, tuk, and then called up a function. A small, round screen filled with an abbreviated map. A clear red dot blinked and pulsed on that map.
That dot was staying exactly above Ho-woo’s apartment. Ho-woo’s pager was left alone at home. Oh-yul narrowed his eyes slightly, then let out a light laugh.
By now, Ho-woo, not being a person whose intuition had evaporated, might have vaguely noticed that Oh-yul was not just a kind and pitiful Esper. From the beginning, he didn’t mind appearing weak to Ho-woo, but he hadn’t been particularly diligent in hiding his true nature either.
Given the reactions of those around Oh-yul, and the fact that he had accurately traced the meeting place that wasn’t even disclosed today, it wasn’t unreasonable for Ho-woo’s suspicion to extend to the pager.
But leaving it behind is a bit hurtful.
The monster who wasn’t hurt at all muttered to himself.
Although he had set it up to be traceable in case of emergency, a far superior tracker than this machine was already built into Oh-yul’s body. He gently grasped the sensation given by the faint imprint. Ho-woo, tied to its end, felt vivid.
He felt fragments of emotions like welcome, joy, and confusion mixed within. He satisfied his secret possessiveness while feeling these fragments of emotion like bitter chocolate.
Until reuniting with Ho-woo, he had intentionally ignored the imprint. He knew that if he tasted even a little sweetness, that greed would overwhelm him and then devour Ho-woo as well.
But now he didn’t need to hesitate. Wherever Ho-woo was within this city, Oh-yul was a superior tracker than any tracking device.
Would he dislike knowing that he had become the unilateral subject of an imprint? If he found out how that imprint was made in the first place, he certainly wouldn’t be able to love him.
Love, huh.
He never wished for such a thing in the first place. It would be fortunate if he didn’t push him away as horrible.
He pondered for a moment, then counted the days.
That day was soon approaching.
While it was a new beginning for him, for Ho-woo, a day like a forgotten nightmare was slowly approaching.
The unusually hot day at the end of the rainy season in midsummer was still a vivid memory for Oh-yul.
He slowly opened the album of memories he had kept covered.
***
The two children put their heads together and shared a picture book.
Ho-woo’s gaze was fixed on the sea drawn in the picture book, and Oh-yul gazed at Ho-woo with calm eyes.
Feeling the intense gaze looking at him, Ho-woo smiled brightly and whispered softly like someone making a great confession.
“I like the sea.”
The shining sunlight, the golden-painted beach, and the blue waves drawn as if crashing were crude, but enough to fill a child’s rich imagination.
Light-colored round eyes met eyes deeply dyed purple. The child’s two eyes were full of sparkle when talking about what he liked, without fear or hesitation. Finding it endlessly lovable, the young Esper trembled. He knew that Ho-woo would say he couldn’t breathe if hugged tightly, but wouldn’t actually push him away.
“Let’s go to the sea together, big brother.”
“Okay.”
Even though he could only take a few steps away from the bed at most, Yul promised, even linking his pinky finger.
I’ll definitely go to the sea with you.
“You promised.”
“I promised. Don’t worry, even if you forget, I won’t forget.”
Yul laughed softly, then frowned as he felt a familiar presence gradually approaching the room. It was a welcome presence in the morning, but not at all welcome in the afternoon like now.
Yeo Na-kyung.
Oh-yul recited the other’s name in his mouth and raised the end of his eyebrow.
“Young master, didn’t Ho-woo bother you today?”
He wasn’t bothersome. Rather, Oh-yul wanted to stay in this house with Ho-woo and not leave. Oh-yul’s deep eyes glistened, and he let out an invisible sigh.
Unfortunately, she came to pick up her son to match her quitting time, so there was no excuse to keep him longer. Yul tried to hide his disappointment and got up from lying on the floor with Ho-woo.
“It was fine. Besides, it seems you finished work early today.”
“Yes… I’ve prepared dinner on the table, so please make sure to eat it.”
Her face subtly contorted at the calm response from a child only two years older than her son.
Worry, anxiety. It was an expression tinged with such negative emotions. Of course, most of the wariness was directed at Oh-yul, while the worry was for Ho-woo. Yeo Na-kyung, who was under Oh-yul’s suggestion, also instinctively realized that something was strange about her little young master, but she couldn’t quit her job. More accurately, she couldn’t say she wanted to quit because of the suggestion.
Moreover, a strange sense of reluctance to take Ho-woo away and a compulsion to take him away fought fiercely within her every time. Of course, the side that always won was the one that took him away. She, who had stiffened at the purple eyes staring up at her, reflexively hugged her son who came running to her.
“Mom! I promised to go to the sea with big brother later!”
She hid the small body that ran and hugged her tightly behind her body. It was close to instinctive protection. However, Ho-woo’s brightly smiling face was spotlessly bright.
“Let’s go together, Mom.”
Yeo Na-kyung’s face hardened a little at Ho-woo’s pleading.
“The sea is dangerous, so we can’t.”
“Eeh, why? The picture book said it was really cool.”
Even though she scolded him like she was reproaching him, Ho-woo, already caught up in his wonderful imagination, didn’t believe that it was dangerous. His eyes looking up at her sparkled with expectation.
Let’s go together. We will go together, right?
Faced with the continuous pleading as if throwing a tantrum, Yeo Na-kyung, who looked perplexed, had no choice but to answer that they would go together as if coaxing him. Oh-yul knew that answer was close to an impromptu response. Perplexity flashed in Yeo Na-kyung’s furrowed eyes.
“Big brother! Mom said she’d go with us too!”
“……”
Oh-yul quietly looked at the mother and son.
Yeo Na-kyung looked at Ho-woo, who was overly excited, and when her eyes met with Yul’s, she stiffened. Instinctive fear bubbled up in her eyes. Yul stared at her intently with a gentle face as she hesitated and stepped back.
Has the suggestion weakened?
Yul clicked his tongue, realizing that a weak suggestion, unlike directly messing with the head, could be broken at any time if there was a trigger. It would be troublesome if the suggestion was unnecessarily broken and she didn’t bring Ho-woo. As Oh-yul forcibly squeezed out his remaining strength to tighten the weakened suggestion again, he briefly swallowed his breath at the extreme pain that suddenly came over him.
“―!”
When Oh-yul suddenly curled up his body and trembled, Ho-woo opened his eyes wide. Yeo Na-kyung instinctively grabbed and hugged Ho-woo as he tried to approach Oh-yul in surprise.
“Big brother!”
Ho-woo’s startled voice, held in his mother’s arms, resonated loudly in the room. Yul tried to say he was okay, but his voice didn’t form words and scattered as animal-like groans.
It was strange.
It was different from what he had felt so far.
This wasn’t the pain felt from consuming energy, but rather something rising…
Oh-yul’s vision gradually turned white. A terrible scream was let out between his clenched lips. It felt like it would be less painful even if his insides were ripped apart and his organs twisted.
White frost settled under his hands that were gasping and touching the floor. The room temperature dropped rapidly, roughly snatching away the warmth. White steam spread between his lips.
An ominous premonition seized Oh-yul’s mind.
