Kang Bijun wore a conflicted expression. I couldn’t exactly blame him. Even if I was an SSS-Rank Guide, siding against the Guide Center was no small matter—it’d be a heavy burden for anyone.
But his hesitation didn’t last long. Kang Biso quietly reached out and took my hand, then looked at me with a gentle smile.
“Hyung.”
“…Yeah?”
“Don’t worry. I’ll help you get your revenge. I promise. But in return…”
His rare, serious expression made me tense, waiting for what he’d say next. With a calm smile, he lightly tapped the back of my hand with his fingers, as if to tell me there was no need to be nervous.
“You’re not allowed to do anything dangerous on your own again. Got it?”
He was clearly referring to the time I fought off Espers to escape from the Center. He’d emphasized more than once how I should never do that again, so I nodded.
Back then, being locked up had pushed me past my limit—I was ready to risk anything just to get out. But things were different now. I had Kang Biso with me. I didn’t need to worry about that anymore.
Still… wasn’t he the one doing even riskier things? Sure, it was all to save me, but even so…
When I nodded without protest, a satisfied smile curved his lips.
“Well, once you join ZEC, we’ll always be together. That means you won’t be in danger anymore.”
“I’m more worried about you, honestly. You came alone to rescue me again, didn’t you?”
“Well, I wasn’t completely alone… But I like that you’re worried about me.”
“Just promise me you won’t do anything reckless by yourself either.”
“Ha, seriously…”
The moment he finished speaking, Kang Biso grabbed my waist and pulled me close. Our faces were just inches apart, and my heart started pounding so loud I could hear it—
Ahem!
Kang Bijun cleared his throat loudly, cutting in. I flinched and quickly pulled away from Kang Biso, flashing an awkward smile. For a second there, I’d completely forgotten he was even in the room.
“Well, I’m in favor of Hwang Seol-bin joining us too. I’ll be counting on you.”
“I’m the one who should be saying that. I look forward to working with you.”
I gave him a small nod, and as I did, Kang Bijun smiled back and gestured toward Kang Biso.
“Captain’ll fill you in on the basics. Honestly, as long as you guide my brother properly, that’s all we really need.”
“Just Kang Biso…?”
“Yeah. That’s the most important part. He’s picky as hell—he even gave his Guides a hard time—”
“That’s enough.”
Kang Bijun cleared his throat. “Anyway, you won’t be heading out for a while, so if you need anything, just ask me or my brother.”
I glanced over at Kang Biso, who looked positively smug, like a predator that had just caught its prey and was basking in satisfaction. That cocky little smile made me chuckle.
“Alright, I’ll do that.”
And with that, my conversation with Kang Bijun wrapped up nicely, marking the official start of my new life in the hideout.
***
It had already been two weeks since I joined ZEC—and to be honest, life here was a lot better than I expected.
No, scratch that. It was actually way too comfortable.
The only thing I ever did was guide Kang Biso. That was it. The rest of my time was spent eating, sleeping, hanging out with him, and wandering around the hideout. Day in, day out, the same cozy routine.
Even now, we were sitting side by side, watching TV together. Then Kang Biso’s phone vibrated.
“Yeah, hello? What, right now? Ugh… I’ll be right there.”
He ended the call with a visibly annoyed expression and slowly dragged himself up. When I turned away from the screen, he let out a deep sigh, looking like he wanted nothing more than to throw himself back onto the couch.
“…Deputy Commander’s looking for me.”
“Is something wrong?”
“Nothing big. I’ll be back soon.”
We’d been practically glued together, so hearing he had to leave—even just for a bit—left me feeling a little down. Still, I kept my face neutral and nodded.
“Take your time.”
“I’ll be back before you know it. Just wait a little, hyung.”
He pouted like a sulky child, clearly unhappy about leaving me alone, then reluctantly made his way to the door.
As soon as he stepped outside, the room fell silent. The quiet felt… weirdly empty. I started flipping through channels with the remote, but nothing caught my attention.
Was being alone always this boring?
Before I met Kang Biso, I was perfectly fine entertaining myself at the Guide Center. So why did it feel so empty now?
[If you have any information about this Guide, please contact the number below.]
As I absently surfed through channels, something familiar suddenly caught my ear from the TV.
They were airing ads looking for me.
At first, the broadcasts were nonstop—morning, noon, and night. But now? They’d dwindled down to the occasional appearance, showing up maybe once in a while.
Still, just hearing it again was enough to make my skin crawl. Irritation surged through me. I shut the TV off and stood up.
“…Maybe I should go stretch a bit.”
I checked the time. There was still a while before lunch, so killing time with a light workout didn’t sound too bad.
It’s just a quick session. No big deal.
I stepped out and headed toward the training grounds, the path already familiar by now. Along the way, voices called out to me.
“Hello, Guide-nim!”
“…Yeah. Hello.”
I’d walked through the hideout enough times with Kang Biso that I’d ended up recognizing quite a few faces. Every time we passed someone, we’d exchange greetings, even if they were brief.
At first, they’d looked at me like I was some kind of sideshow attraction—a Guide they’d planned to kidnap who walked in on his own, and not just any Guide, but the SSS-Rank one causing chaos on the news. But now? After a few run-ins, people had gotten used to me. Most just threw out a casual nod as they passed.
I returned a few of those greetings, and before I knew it, I’d arrived at the training grounds. This was my third time here, so I pushed the door open confidently. Inside, the members were completely absorbed in their drills. No one even looked up when I walked in.
…They’re really into it.
I’d trained here too, back when I’d first been dragged in—doing shooting drills alongside them while wearing a mask. Thinking back on it now, it felt almost laughable. I’d been so desperate to escape, running around the place, even training like one of them. In the end, it didn’t matter how much I tried to hide—Kang Biso had figured me out anyway.
I gave the training crowd a passing glance, then made my way to a quiet corner. After stretching to loosen up, I started working out using the equipment. I’d learned during my time at the Center that if I didn’t use my body regularly, it stiffened up fast. So now, I made a habit of staying active whenever I had the time.
“Hey—!”
Just as I was zoning in, someone came over and called out. Three members of the organization stood there, all scowling and smirking in that infuriating way. I matched their energy with a frown of my own. The largest of them stepped forward and said,
“Come on. Let’s see some Guiding.”
“…Excuse me?”
“I said guide us! If you’re a Guide, then act like one. Sit down, be quiet, and do what you’re told. What the hell are you doing here, showing off?”
Wow. That’s new.
Up until now, people had either been polite or kept their distance—probably because I was always with Kang Biso. Even when I walked around alone, they either greeted me or quietly avoided eye contact. But this was the first time someone had straight-up picked a fight.
…Honestly, this makes more sense.
Even if they were under Kang Biso’s command, at the end of the day, these people were still Villains. Of course some of them would look down on Guides. And now I’d just waltzed in, stuck myself to their Captain, and spent every day lounging around without lifting a finger. It’d be weird not to stir up resentment.
Still, I didn’t expect it to come at me this directly.
Normally, I would’ve been pissed—but in the middle of such a slow, repetitive daily routine? This felt like a welcome bit of entertainment.
…So, what should I do with you?
I stayed quiet for a second, weighing my options, and apparently my silence made the big one think I was scared. He smirked and gave my shoulder a little punch, light but mocking.
“See that? This is the problem with Guides. Always acting like they’re something special just because they can calm Espers down, but the second things get tense? Total cowards. Can’t even say a word. You sure you’re even cut out to guide anyone? Or are you just good at spreading your legs, huh?”
…Did he just—
For a second, rage flared so hard I almost moved. But I forced myself to swallow it down and answered as evenly as I could.
“…That’s enough.”
“Enough? Why? I’m just saying what everyone’s thinking. You’re not even really an SSS-Rank, are you? You’re a spy from the Center, right? Just trying to screw the Captain and get whatever intel you can out of him?”
“…I said, stop.”
“Come on, let us have a go too. If you’re giving it up anyway, might as well share the wealth, yeah?”
They burst into laughter, taunting me like it was nothing. Normally I’d let dumb insults slide, but this? This had crossed a line. Far past it.
Fine.
If this was how it was going to be, then I’d use this as a perfect opportunity—to show everyone here exactly what kind of person they were dealing with.
I folded my arms and looked them up and down, slow and deliberate.
“Just looking at your faces is making me want to throw up.”
“…What did you say?”
“The hell did you just say to us?”
“…This little shit—!”
Funny how they were shaking with rage now, after mocking me with their full chests a second ago. I let out a dry chuckle. The big guy raised his fist and swung it toward me.
It stopped right in front of my face.
I didn’t blink. Didn’t even flinch. Just stared straight at his fist. That seemed to rattle him—he froze, breathing heavy, fist trembling with tension.
By then, the rest of the training hall had started to take notice. A small crowd was gathering. The other two guys with him immediately reached out to pull him back.
“Hey, Kim Jin-dae, enough!”
“Do you want the Captain finding out about this?”
“Seriously, you’ll get your ass handed to you if this goes too far.”
As people stepped in one by one, the guy—Kim Jin-dae, apparently—looked conflicted. He clearly didn’t want to back down, but the moment Kang Biso’s name came up, fear flickered in his eyes.
Still, I had no intention of backing off. Not now.
So I leaned in a little, voice cool and clear.
“Wow, you’re a Villain and you’re scared of a little Guide? Can’t even handle me. Pathetic. Tell you what—how about we settle this with a little bet? Just the two of us. One round. If I lose, I’ll give you whatever you want. But if I win? You owe me a public apology.”
“…What? Are you serious?”
“Why not? I’m confident I’ll win. You just look that weak.”
That stirred the room. The watching Espers all started murmuring.
“Seriously? Does he think he stands a chance?”
“A Guide beating an Esper? What kind of delusion is he living in?”
“If we end up with a corpse, that’s on him.”
“But… I kind of want to see it. We’ll stop it if it gets out of hand.”
They all seemed convinced I was going to lose, shaking their heads and whispering to each other. Not one of them doubted the outcome.
I, on the other hand, didn’t look away from Kim Jin-dae. Not for a second.
Well? What’s it gonna be? Are you in or not?
Apparently, he was simpler than he looked. I could see it click in his head. Weak? Me? His face flushed red as his pride boiled over, and he barked out,
“Fine! You’re on! But don’t say I didn’t warn you!”
