#044
“Th-thank you, Guide Lee Eunseok.”
A female guide with dried blood caked around her mouth cautiously approached and bowed her head.
The people surrounding them began to inch closer, keeping an eye on Choi Hanseo. Choi Hanseo put his arm around Eunseok’s shoulder as if to block their approach. Contrary to the expectation that he would quickly pull away, Choi Hanseo suddenly pulled Eunseok into an embrace and walked to the side. Then he reached behind a middle-aged man in a gown and swiftly snatched something.
“Ah! That’s important data…!”
The middle-aged man cried out, reaching for it.
Crack-!
The phone, which had been in video mode, was completely smashed in Choi Hanseo’s hand. The fragments of the phone, almost reduced to powder, fell to the floor with a scatter.
“Let’s go.”
Having finished his business, Choi Hanseo walked towards the entrance with his arm still around Eunseok’s shoulder. The people surrounding them quietly stepped back, making way. Eunseok obediently followed, repeatedly rubbing his lips with the back of his hand. Rationally, he knew that one kiss to save a person’s life was a small price to pay, but he still felt dirty.
He suddenly realized how good the kiss with Choi Hanseo had been. He could clearly tell that it wasn’t good because he had kissed an S-class hunter, but simply because it was Choi Hanseo. Realizing this, the strong arm around his shoulder, as if protecting him, didn’t feel burdensome or embarrassing at all.
The deputy director of the Ability Management Bureau followed them, supposedly to see them off. He tried to speak to Eunseok several times, but Choi Hanseo’s sharp gaze repeatedly blocked him.
As they exited the main entrance on the first floor, Choi Hanseo’s car was waiting. Choi Hanseo personally opened the back door and pushed Eunseok in.
“Guide Lee Eunseok! Thank you! If perhaps next time…”
Slam-.
The back door closed, cutting off the deputy director’s voice.
The car started moving. The driver handed a plastic bag to the passenger seat. Choi Hanseo took the bag and pulled out its contents.
“Rinse.”
Choi Hanseo said, handing over a small bottle of mouthwash.
Although the outside of his mouth had been wiped with an alcohol swab, the inside was still unbearably unpleasant due to the taste of blood and saliva. Eunseok gratefully grabbed the small bottle and filled his mouth with the blue liquid.
He rinsed his mouth with the mouthwash for quite a while. The taste of the chemical liquid made his mouth feel purified. Choi Hanseo held out a paper cup he had taken from the plastic bag. Eunseok immediately understood his intention and spat the used mouthwash into the paper cup.
“Drink.”
After spitting out the mouthwash, a bottle of water was handed to him this time. Eunseok couldn’t help but be touched by how Choi Hanseo seemed to sense exactly what he needed and thoughtfully provided it.
As he gulped down the cool water, the aftermath of the bloody kiss largely disappeared.
Eunseok only spoke after drinking more than half of the water. As he took a long breath, a large hand appeared as if it had been waiting and suddenly gripped Eunseok’s chin, turning it.
“Mmph…!”
Their lips overlapped. Choi Hanseo’s scent hit him strongly, and immediately a hot tongue pushed between his lips. Surprised by the sudden kiss, Eunseok glanced towards the driver’s seat. But Choi Hanseo bit his lip hard as if telling him to concentrate.
The kiss was rough, as if reflecting Choi Hanseo’s mood. Eunseok could feel his irritation and anger at having to just watch the emergency guiding scene. It was completely different from the annoying, purely obligatory kiss from earlier, awakening sensations throughout his body. Despite being the same S-class and a man, this man was… too stimulating.
Instead of pushing Choi Hanseo away, Eunseok grasped his shirt and gently moved his tongue, responding to the kiss.
Smack-. Slurp-.
The wet sounds echoed explicitly in the car. With Eunseok’s active response, Choi Hanseo’s roughness gradually softened. Finally, when the kiss became completely gentle, their lips naturally parted.
They gazed into each other’s eyes, quietly catching their hot breaths. This short distance where they could almost touch noses, feeling each other’s breath, didn’t feel uncomfortable at all.
#6
“So, how was it? Park Sunwoo?”
Moon Bora asked, stirring her strawberry drink with a straw. This question came as soon as they sat down in the first-floor café after having lunch together in the cafeteria. Ji Taeuk, who was taking a sip of his warm café latte, also glanced over with curious eyes.
“You even know his name?”
Eunseok asked instead of answering.
“Of course I know the name of one of only two S-class espers in Korea. When that kid awakened and got an S-grade, it was a huge commotion. It was like a festival atmosphere, saying Korea got another S-class, you know.”
Ji Taeuk said rapidly, showing his phone screen. There was a large photo of Park Sunwoo, the S-class esper Eunseok had done emergency guiding for yesterday. Unlike his blood-covered, pain-wracked appearance from yesterday, the normally smiling Park Sunwoo had quite a handsome face.
“They say he was on the verge of going berserk?”
Eunseok silently nodded.
“Those Management Bureau bastards are crazy too. Pushing an S-class esper to the brink of going berserk, do they want to see Seoul blown away? Their ways haven’t changed even after years.”
Moon Bora grumbled, poking at the bottom of her drink glass with her straw as if trying to crush it. She seemed to have quite deep resentment towards the Ability Management Bureau.
Well, since there’s a law requiring mandatory service after awakening as an ability user, she must have also worked as an esper for the Management Bureau for several years. It seems that life wasn’t very pleasant for her.
Ji Taeuk nodded his head as if in agreement.
“Life in the Management Bureau doesn’t seem easy, does it?”
Eunseok asked carefully.
Moon Bora scrunched up her face as if she didn’t even want to think about it. Ji Taeuk’s reaction was similar.
“I hear it’s gotten a lot better these days with all the talk about ability user rights and whatnot, but old habits die hard, you know? Since they’re legally bound to the state anyway, they just excitedly push them to their limits. They’ve got guides secured anyway, so it’s just push, throw in some guiding, push again, throw in more guiding… An endless cycle.”
Moon Bora said, chewing on her straw.
“Hah… Compared to life back then, now is really heaven. When I was there, I was constantly healing espers, nose bleeding every single day.”
Ji Taeuk made a face as if even thinking about it was terrible.
“…I didn’t know it was that bad.”
Eunseok muttered, furrowing his brow.
“What would kids who’ve just become adults know? They just do what they’re told. Eunseok, you were really lucky. If you hadn’t gotten your military service recognized and had been dragged into the Management Bureau, you’d have been doing nothing but guiding except when sleeping, you know?”
“Right. Since guides don’t have any risk of going berserk anyway, they’d have worked you to death.”
Ji Taeuk nodded vigorously in agreement.
Listening to them, Eunseok once again confirmed that his decision to escape from the clutches of the Management Bureau, even at the cost of enormous lawyer fees, had been a very wise move.
“Poor Park Sunwoo esper.”
Eunseok muttered, remembering Park Sunwoo’s appearance as he writhed in pain, coughing up blood. Moon Bora and Ji Taeuk’s expressions darkened.
“…Well, he just has to endure for a few years and then he’ll be free. Who knows? In a few years, we might be working in the same guild.”
Moon Bora said in a deliberately cheerful voice, as if trying to shake off the unpleasant feeling.
They were in the middle of changing the subject and chatting when it happened.
The smartwatches and phones of all three people started ringing simultaneously. Eunseok picked up his phone that he had placed face down on the table and checked the screen.
[Emergency Dispatch: Mass appearance of mutants in Bukhansan National Park. 1st Squad prepare for dispatch and assemble on the rooftop]
The three almost simultaneously jumped up from their seats and headed for the elevator.
“Let’s meet on the rooftop after we’re ready.”
Moon Bora said in a stern voice, watching the changing elevator numbers.
Back in his lodging, Eunseok put on his well-maintained weapons instead of packing them in his duffel bag.
A situation where mutants have appeared en masse in Bukhansan, located in the metropolitan area. It would be completely different in nature from a gate assault. If even one mutant is missed, civilians could die or get injured. It was an emergency situation serious enough to mobilize helicopters, so every second counted.
As he was about to leave the room after finishing his preparations, his phone rang. It was Choi Hanseo.
“Hello?”
– Lee Eunseok is excluded. Just wait in your lodging.
Eunseok frowned at the sudden statement.
“What do you mean? Why am I the only one excluded?”
Eunseok asked in a sharp voice without realizing it.
– It’s because I can’t accompany you in this situation.
Choi Hanseo explained in a low voice. Eunseok then remembered that Choi Hanseo was currently on a business trip to the South Sea area.
“But…”
– Your outside activities were originally permitted on the condition that I protect you. It’s not inside a gate, and in the field, we don’t know how situations might unfold. Other hunters can’t just stick to you either.
“Wasn’t that condition for gate entry situations, not outside activities?”
– Lee Eunseok.
“And do you think I’m such a fragile person that I can’t function without your protection, Guild Master?”
– ……
“If you really think that way, I can’t renew my contract with this guild.”
A brief silence fell over the phone.
“Please decide quickly whether to send me or not.”
Eunseok urged in a firm tone.
– …Alright. But promise me you’ll be careful.
Choi Hanseo said in a low voice. Eunseok smoothed his furrowed brow and lifted the corners of his mouth.
“Understood. I promise.”
After a brief reply, Eunseok ended the call and left his lodging.
