In Hyun Tae-oh’s living room sat Beom Do-il, Yoon Do-jae, and Lee Jun-hyung. They were talking about Tae-oh, who had left Chi-yu in their care before disappearing to hunt down the S-rank Esper who had attacked him.
“So… can he even be tracked down?”
Jun-hyung asked, worry written on his face. Do-il, equally tense, answered.
“Tae-oh tagged him with Light-attribute energy when he ran, but he destroyed it within a few hours. That confirms it—he’s definitely S-rank. If the Light had remained, maybe we’d have a chance, but now? It’s like searching for a needle in the desert.”
At that, Do-jae spoke up quietly.
“Among all the attributes, Light is the best for tracking—it often comes with Clairvoyance. Even if he noticed and destroyed the mark, the path he took before that would’ve stayed imprinted.”
He lowered his voice, careful not to wake the sleeping Chi-yu.
“Of course, not every Light Esper can detect such fine traces—whether with their eyes or abilities, it varies. But Hyun Tae-oh won’t miss a thing, not even the smallest particle. His main powers are Light and Electricity.”
Jun-hyung gave a relieved nod, while Do-il turned wide eyes toward Do-jae.
Catching his look, Do-jae raised a brow. Do-il blinked rapidly before blurting,
“Wow… this is the first time I’ve ever heard Esper Yoon Do-jae talk this much.”
“……”
“No, seriously—if you can explain things this well, why’ve you been in quiet mode until now? It’s frustrating.”
“…I talk when there’s something worth saying.”
“But wait, are you two still using honorifics?”
Jun-hyung glanced between Do-jae and Do-il.
“You’re the same age, right? Just drop the formality. Once filming resumes, you’ll be living together in the dorm anyway. Wouldn’t it be weird to keep speaking formally when you’re already familiar? Talking casually with one person and politely with another—that’s awkward.”
“Uh… should I drop it then?”
Do-il asked, turning to Do-jae.
Do-jae gave a small nod.
“In any case, I hope he doesn’t come here.”
Jun-hyung muttered while staring at the bedroom door where Chi-yu slept. Do-jae’s gaze followed his.
Tae-oh had gathered them here out of caution, but the chance of the culprit coming back was slim. Even an arrogant S-rank wouldn’t dare trespass in the home of an SS-rank Esper.
The stronger they were, the more they instinctively avoided those above them. And Hyun Tae-oh, as an SS-rank, was the ultimate predator to avoid.
Tae-oh knew that better than anyone. Yet his concern for Kang Chi-yu’s safety outweighed logic or convention. For him, Chi-yu’s safety came first—always. That was why he’d even summoned people he normally wouldn’t trust at Chi-yu’s side.
Yoon Do-jae found himself wondering if Tae-oh’s feelings for Kang Chi-yu might run deeper than his own.
But that didn’t mean his feelings were light. He didn’t feel like he was losing. After all, the thought of anyone hurting Chi-yu made him want to tear them apart.
All he could do now was hope Tae-oh found the Fire-attribute Esper who had targeted Kang Chi-yu.
***
Dawn was closing in.
Tracking that damned Fire Esper had taken much longer than expected—his path was scattered and erratic. Tae-oh’s patience, already thin, had worn down to nothing.
The moment he’d been attacked, the Fire Esper had fled to the Central Bureau, where other Fire Espers were concentrated. Clever—exactly what you’d expect from an S-rank.
What he’d done during those three hours was unknown, but he’d left traces all over the Bureau’s buildings. Afterward, he finally realized the Light mark clinging to him and destroyed it.
From then on, he must have been paranoid, skulking around, terrified Tae-oh was still tailing him.
So instead of returning home, he hid among other Fire Espers, thinking it safer. Only as dawn approached did he decide it was safe to go back.
Tae-oh checked his wristwatch, drawing in a deep drag from the cigarette between his lips.
He rarely smoked—Chi-yu hated it. But his patience was gone. Sitting idle wasn’t an option.
Exhaling smoke with a sigh, he muttered inwardly for the bastard to hurry up and show himself.
And twenty minutes later, his wish came true.
Jeong Seong-gon, the Fire Esper, having destroyed the Light trace and tangled his tracks by mingling with others of the same attribute, finally felt safe enough to head home.
He hadn’t imagined an SS-rank would be waiting near Kang Chi-yu’s place. His plans had collapsed.
He’d meant to threaten Chi-yu into breaking away from Tae-oh so Min Yu-hyun and Tae-oh could film Season 2 together. But before he could even finish his intimidation, Tae-oh had appeared.
And not just appeared—he’d wielded Water and Ice, natural counters to Fire. Seong-gon had nearly been taken out then and there.
He shuddered, shaking his head at the memory of that close call.
Next time, I’ll keep my head down. Just scare Kang Chi-yu enough to drive him away.
That was the thought as he entered the alley toward home.
If Min Yu-hyun recognized how much I’ve done for him… if he gave me even one Guiding session… that’d be enough.
With that desperate wish, Seong-gon turned the corner—
—and froze.
“Ughk!”
A flash of light exploded in his face.
An attack slammed into his gut before he could react. He doubled over, hastily raising a Fire barrier.
“You bastard, who the hell—!”
But when he lifted his head, his face drained white.
Hyun Tae-oh stood above him, his entire body cloaked in black shadows, a cigarette clamped in his mouth, his expression murderous.
“Fuck. Next time, walk faster.”
“Hy—Hyun Tae-oh, Es—! Ghhk!”
Before he could finish, Tae-oh’s shadow struck his gut again.
His Fire barrier shattered instantly, frozen useless by Ice.
Hit in the same spot twice, Seong-gon spat blood, collapsing forward. But he wasn’t about to just give up—he was still S-rank. He hurled flames at Tae-oh, fast and furious.
Tae-oh didn’t even flinch. Expressionless, he spat out his cigarette, spread his palm, and summoned a massive surge of water. The torrent was so powerful it whipped his hair skyward.
Sensing danger, Seong-gon frantically raised a wall of fire.
It wasn’t enough. The water bomb tore through the flames and slammed into him. He was hurled against a wall and crumpled to the ground, coughing blood.
“Gahh! Ughh!”
Still expressionless, Tae-oh walked toward him.
Seong-gon clutched at his bleeding mouth with one hand, raising the other in a desperate plea to stop.
“W-wait!”
Tae-oh didn’t slow down. Panicking, Seong-gon shouted,
“I—I had a reason! I’ll explain everything!”
Tae-oh didn’t care for excuses. In an instant, the water in the air crystallized into sharp ice spikes. Terrified, Seong-gon blurted out that he wasn’t the only one harassing Chi-yu.
Only then did Tae-oh’s brows twitch in irritation. Relieved at the pause, Seong-gon wiped blood from his lips. Tae-oh’s voice was glacial.
“Who?”
He wanted a name. But Seong-gon misunderstood, thinking Tae-oh had given him the chance to justify himself.
He rushed to explain instead. His excuses were pathetic—reasons no one would accept.
He ranted that Min Yu-hyun and Hyun Tae-oh were destined to be a Pair, that it was the natural order. That an SS-rank like Tae-oh had no reason to cling to a useless B-rank just because they were childhood friends.
That an S-rank like Min Yu-hyun and a B-rank like Kang Chi-yu weren’t even comparable—it was insulting they were mentioned together. That only Min Yu-hyun should be by Tae-oh’s side in A Pair is Born Season 2.
He urged Tae-oh to change his mind and stay paired with Min Yu-hyun.
Tae-oh listened silently. Mistaking silence for consideration, Seong-gon grew bolder, saying things he never should have dared.
“So just wake up and choose Min Yu-hyun already. Everyone wants this—not just me.”
“……”
“I’m representing all of them. Making sure that shameless B-rank Guide gets separated from Esper Hyun Tae-oh.”
At the word shameless, Tae-oh’s brow twitched. Yet he kept listening.
“So give it up. If you stubbornly cling to that useless B-rank instead of Min Yu-hyun, then not just me—every Esper against it will torment that B-rank until he breaks!”
At that, Tae-oh tilted his head slightly, his voice cutting cold.
“So who are the other ones?”
“…Huh?”
“The names. Of the bastards harassing him.”
The chill in his tone made Seong-gon’s hair stand on end.
“Uh… I… well…”
His eyes darted nervously.
Even cornered, he couldn’t sell out his fellow Antis. Pride as an S-rank bound him—he couldn’t stoop to snitching.
Sure, he’d blurted earlier that he wasn’t alone, but that had been in the heat of near-death.
Now, instead of naming names, he tried one last time to persuade Tae-oh.
“P-please, just choose Guide Min Yu-hyun!”
That was all he truly wanted to say.
“Shut up. The names.”
“If you don’t, we’ll torment that B-rank until he dies! I’m not the only one who can’t stand him! So just—arghhh!”
An ice spike drove into his shoulder.
“AAAGH! Aghhh!”
Seong-gon screamed, writhing on the ground.
Tae-oh advanced, eyes frigid, footsteps merciless and swift.
