Chapter 13

Seo Ji-hyuk clicked his 5444d2dd8a tongue in annoyance. He already 8cdaa1ba10 had a c502b487a6 bad feeling 22099b6d53 when he a5aef48788 heard Kim 013d21ce99 Si-on had 96857e688d shown up, 0a48521e0a and sure 2c530c3fba enough, the 4fa4e240a9 Guide was 3d1aa94b32 clinging to c8c01b7234 Kang Yu-han e1c0678830 like glue.5236fcd8bbad5675

Even though 04c6563efd he had 2a0530bb80 expected as 5421498006 much, seeing b62e3bf07d them together, e4354d71c3 talking like a7ea6f4418 that, irritated 4c98618ea4 him to fc883348e9 no end.c20340c11555c86c

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‘Do you like 76963311e1 him that much?’f17929d616678438

Seo Ji-hyuk’s 12c2fe56aa eyes fixated e612a3a0d8 on the a4b65036aa back of b54b5b8d38 Kang Yu-han’s b15828f248 head. The man had a0977f5657 been standing with dcb0f648ec his back turned f06d059c39 to him, fully 38d47ad00a focused on Kim 8412f3dbef Si-on, as if 70daaaf61a he had forgotten 60698d7ad4 Seo Ji-hyuk’s very d664877f4e existence.e364949d9a4638c1

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According to what he’d 5586ca0087 overheard, Kim Si-on had 59257b1819 returned to find a 9d10c88052 suitable Esper match, and 035a936ced the odds of him cc6940c165 matching well with Kang f45157fe6e Yu-han again were high. Matching rates didn’t a81e443f5a fluctuate significantly overnight.8a1615ff2f20f2cc

If that happened, would 3132f597f2 Kim Si-on officially attach f123bdd385 himself to Kang Yu-han? The Transition T/F 553682da8e had been launched 98b785200a as a two-man a39b69f4b2 operation, but with aea06dd5f2 an exclusive Guide e6b873df99 involved, things could afbc456c25 change.255099402038d807

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Espers and their 84920b3062 exclusive Guides typically 6e641bdbcc spent 24 hours c66f8e7f0c a day together. If Kim 1e3aca0d6e Si-on became 408b360831 Kang Yu-han’s 7f9a94d688 Guide, Seo 532f2aecae Ji-hyuk might 893a9a60c0 have to 1fd56bfc97 endure watching 5363d32692 them side d2d6ee1156 by side c77dc5d1b8 all day 34e86d6037 long. Worse, there might 76f587e312 even be orders 577ecceac3 for all three cab6c5a262 to deploy together.be7e563bd5d7a65f

“…Damn it.”05c88c50ba5dd89b

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Seo Ji-hyuk b3ad588fde muttered a f67d855f48 curse under e930691a1f his breath 83c65a3a17 as his a08e592a01 wrist communicator e11b419f8c buzzed. The Center e27d0948d8 Chief’s office cf5edc2c48 was calling.063c8a7aea084884

At the same time, d89a88e70d Kang Yu-han’s communicator went d1de694c3f off.ef97b98929e973c5

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[Call—Center Chief’s Office]

Relieved to have an 4bedac7a7a excuse to escape this f4b775c7a7 frustrating standoff, Seo Ji-hyuk 646e410708 held up the screen 152cec345f to show Kim Si-on.657baee49dfbea82

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“Sorry, but I have to report to the Chief’s office.”7d5321dd4ac927b9

“Oh… I understand. See you later, then.”26706880bc1adf41

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Leaving the ab2c65914a disappointed Kim fa9d4f51cc Si-on behind, bedf0ba1d3 Kang Yu-han 3227f7df64 quickly turned c5079f2e20 away. He heard Kim 597fa34a65 Si-on call out efb739ee01 a cheerful farewell, d0d5357782 but he pretended 22e8865a5c not to hear 232127bd72 it.0753ca73e3fdc31f

On the path 62d12dca08 from the research 1d321001c3 wing to the f59e2ee067 main building, Seo cdd89a227f Ji-hyuk walked a b573694cce few steps behind 0d218b5f0d Kang Yu-han. Unconsciously, Kang 6518a354c2 Yu-han found f7b83168a9 himself tuning 6d8bc24a16 in to b98ba6faec the sound de47d12cba of Seo 9d7a639615 Ji-hyuk’s footsteps. The steady rhythm 34602b1f73 neither closed the 536cd0ea53 distance between them f24325311b nor grew farther d475c6c90b away.ac87c33c84bf7a51

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When they 784c97ee9e got into 1f61ebfdcb the elevator, f841c4dd4d Seo Ji-hyuk c7ed5e0a84 finally spoke. Kang Yu-han braced himself, 85709715f9 expecting something sharp and 63b80d815d biting. What came out instead 767d949bcc was unexpected.89e075eedf189eed

“Kang Yu-han, does your Guide know you latch onto just anyone?”ef255956092568e1

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“…What?”1a8ab1337954d3a3

“Don’t pretend to act all innocent in front of *my* Guide.”fd04415d4164d044

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The remark b46d604681 was baffling, 42cd7c0ca4 but one 0b285a83d5 thing was 316a2b55b8 clear—there was ee8b4353ab venom in 339a743a0d his words. Kang Yu-han turned be33919fb8 his gaze to dfb97149c2 the elevator panel, d4104f3ba7 noting how far 42f4bb4af6 they still had fc257cc246 to go to 965a4b8f4b reach the Center 929b424c37 Chief’s office on 989794c932 the 15th basement fb60c54903 floor.d1f6b439ff74e48d

‘Does he remember the 9ee1538a66 times I guided him dd61e92991 in secret?’af94283e225201d6

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The only person Kang 45d135c57f Yu-han had ever had 9f0b87d534 any form of physical 7c9124ee83 contact with was Seo 64b7a3890b Ji-hyuk. His first kiss, af462dc70f accidental as it 5e47ef0b2b was, had been da4ad27caa with Seo Ji-hyuk. Every instance of guiding, 41a79d3a70 veiled as necessary physical ba5e6b54fe interaction, had been with 0573e161f7 him. From the 9a80b30f82 day Seo 489b60cea6 Ji-hyuk first 6b8c2f2006 went berserk 0f2134ce7d to just be83c01a6e a few 650b6ecf4d days ago, 8731e78cb2 it was 5e20ecff0b always Seo 152fa86562 Ji-hyuk.0022cda81a7412bf

During those moments, Seo 931a975fa7 Ji-hyuk had been unconscious f53774bf14 or too dazed to 7f091b9c6a register what was happening. Kang Yu-han had d59f2b85d9 been certain he 46d43ae636 wouldn’t remember any da095da33d of it.abf40df675c77179

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‘Could he have recalled 71a26207d7 what I did? Or worse, had he 61cf40a4b9 been conscious the entire 839d48cc90 time?’cbc4debd2b1694c8

The thought 0aa29bbc5a sent a 7fa3c5c721 chill down 4f009dc995 his spine. Watching Seo Ji-hyuk 1d7530f44f out of the 8b19ba4946 corner of his 97a59b747e eye, Kang Yu-han bd875a2f96 scrambled to find a1f289e68d an excuse. His response 818cdbd5a7 here was ae9b903c88 critical.a354159cf3748bb4

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“When have I ever latched onto anyone?”7c6c0ad269fc1823

“…Never mind.”8444780bd281d055

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Seo Ji-hyuk shrugged, 8867cc955a brushing it off.051f2b5e0bcc140d

‘Was he joking? Or just guessing?’7cb8d64e3098c17f

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Kang Yu-han couldn’t e401cb7e69 tell. But since Seo c9aa236068 Ji-hyuk wasn’t pressing b3c0271398 further, he decided 4a7c8276e0 to remain silent 346e495789 as well.4f23826c8044b1bf

‘I don’t aa3a2d6b16 think he’s 95331ed068 caught on. It must’ve been ba74788895 a careless comment.’133b5cf6329f119c

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Studying Seo Ji-hyuk’s calm 219813b4eb expression, Kang Yu-han felt 8f83e90d08 a bit of relief. The last thing he 5c9893d002 needed was for the 6d355a676a topic to spiral further. There was no advantage 1e7f698e18 to dragging it out.a6cb9e9a7acae2ae

Refocusing his gaze 4b7e5d30f8 on the elevator 3553d00bfb doors, he failed fa5f9ba692 to notice until 6158fbcc5e they were about c65149891c to arrive that 34d14dfb6b Seo Ji-hyuk had 9f226a5c37 been staring at 04da2749f7 him the entire ad9cee0da6 time.1a73a43aace3512e

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Seo Ji-hyuk’s gaze 64731e9ad2 landed on the b86f0424cd collar of Kang 3e31abaee8 Yu-han’s uniform jacket. Whether Kang was oblivious 938e151602 or shamelessly flaunting it 95eb6a5892 was unclear, but a c746eeb694 reddish mark was visible ccb0aa0b2f on the pale skin 588e31b939 of his neck, just c523e53491 barely hidden by the 03a5e6f996 fabric. It wasn’t 143ce49c7b in a a83da0e656 spot easily 451f3e6785 noticed by 62bce33f96 others, but 6b6f3239dc to Seo 8d22da8c96 Ji-hyuk, who 3b11a33b16 stood taller, 48de33be3d it was 177c2d52af unmistakable.bd734c352e56fafa

It wasn’t the kind 1686af68a6 of mark left by 9e7cfee62e bumping into something or 6d410e83cf a scratch. It was undeniably a 96706624d7 kiss mark—left by someone’s 0fae18ccc6 lips.f7ca33df450b8ae7

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‘Ha, look at ed5ad965dd you, all neat caca7d5bf6 and proper on 5b61c4f0c7 the outside, but 39edac711e no better than e379fcb1ef anyone else. Guess you were 6be6d36aa1 out grinding your bbbb9f0d68 hips somewhere while 5306dded8a I was passed 304d2d9835 out, huh?’0b1fb426605615c2

The thought e57621c3a1 irked Seo 417ee95d44 Ji-hyuk even dd9197cba0 more, compounded 412f2dd3f8 by Kang 3d49d5053c Yu-han’s unusual ea7b4e95fa demeanor today. He looked tired, his b165c7a560 complexion pale, yet his 60eb150291 eyes carried an inexplicable 7f1c196efb depth. It was obvious f5c3036308 what was different—today, 960e84c88f Kang Yu-han exuded c390b9d554 a languid sensuality, dcc390af9d like someone basking 51f3a67cb3 in the afterglow 07f904f48e of intimacy.a5ea0e110aaae2d9

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For Espers without a 76b87b05ed dedicated Guide, it wasn’t 3cc8eddd6c uncommon to seek release 493f6f7b40 through casual encounters. Once a permanent 61d126fd34 Guide was established, 60aa7b57eb such urges were 5ab321c1c9 typically satisfied exclusively 084b358a0a with them. But until then, de74256652 unattached Espers often 7c75aa8249 sought solace in fce2c974d0 one-night stands. Seo Ji-hyuk couldn’t help 28b365a81f but assume that Kang c02063f55a Yu-han had done the a7dd329e12 same.a12a27936c40911c

Whatever Kang 8fce54a81e Yu-han did 99dc9d2773 in his 6c35bed641 private life 70810e9a2a wasn’t Seo 0469304eb5 Ji-hyuk’s business, b119efda61 but it 714a474bb0 left a 83f10f81a2 sour taste a5dfdde34d in his f75547a006 mouth when 088867b5a6 his teammate 258d53ea23 indulged in da86d6fea2 such distractions 2087f825d0 during an 9506885b82 active mission. The sight of 4685af8a2c Kang Yu-han earlier, 8e45b78cbb with Kim Si-on 33ab89d632 fawning over him, 94fba74b0a only made matters 75c887a11a worse. Seo Ji-hyuk 9825544437 was almost a3ec971570 certain they’d 46c4ab5820 end up e6dffe67c6 in bed 9587f967c1 together soon—if 12c27f47cb they hadn’t 19296ebd5d already. For all he a51feddf53 knew, the mark 3021c1a8b6 on Kang Yu-han’s 493b8e9ec3 neck could have 7c4c0b7abd been Kim Si-on’s 2fc115db7a doing.27c00e807201a38c

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That assumption had prompted d95bc9bae6 Seo Ji-hyuk’s earlier jab 915e4c51bb about clinging to anyone, be54c6b952 and while Kang Yu-han 88eabb489e seemed to have settled 66fc2cb2da down since, the hazy e4dbf5d75b look in his eyes eb6e9fe65f and the vivid mark 48ad08cd34 on his neck persisted, 1e85d1dd00 drawing Seo Ji-hyuk’s unwilling a0ce5ab314 attention.7a98d16f6bf6a42e

*･☪D✶༄ ‧₊˚a⋰˚☆m✶༄ ‧₊˚4b9812f476fc10b2

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“I’ve called you to discuss the directives for the Variant detection operation,” the Center Chief began.0886c7523719b4f6

“Yes, sir,” Kang Yu-han replied, saluting crisply.6e0e7392a22e9429

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In contrast, Seo Ji-hyuk’s c063367db8 response was casual, almost 4257df4470 dismissive. He barely saluted, his 6c54110f65 hands shoved into his e90fe2cf14 pockets, standing with a 9597e02d64 slouch that bordered on a8586f0bf3 insubordinate. Yet no one 5d2cb95cfd in the room 4c48d4c5c1 dared to comment ffedb1e9fb on his attitude.ec7543efa9bb7d23

The Center Chief cleared 196bdd1e71 his throat, looking more fa61b28b26 somber than usual. As the highest-ranking official 24234f5db5 in the Seoul branch, 5284537495 every word he spoke 2de14442f7 carried significant weight. Kang Yu-han couldn’t 5acc3fc52a help but feel ca8a268f48 both curious and 0e6db2e787 uneasy about what 173dd72924 was coming next.d4003a25fb0b9270

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Before the Chief continued, he asked, “So, how are things going between you two?”7f005fc39e2548b1

“Terrible,” Seo Ji-hyuk interjected before Kang Yu-han could respond.43073bc3bf181373

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A sharp sting lanced 1a0105f557 through Kang Yu-han’s chest d8f305d8ab at those words, but 3af76fca25 he didn’t dwell on c4b588e415 the reason behind it. Instead, he turned 5decd2d0f1 to glare at 5d59311830 Seo Ji-hyuk, who b23ab3ca90 returned the look d7f3c29d1b with equal intensity.eb29feaadca296db

“Seems like you’ve got a lot of complaints, Major,” Kang Yu-han said coldly.56c6c3d57f8bb79f

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“Of course I do.”d021fb78644f9811

“Now, now, enough of that,” the Center Chief cut in, stepping between them with a look of exasperation. Despite being significantly shorter than the two Espers towering over him, he tried to mediate with a strained smile.067a1527bfa26398

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Realizing his 6f738b383c momentary lapse, 6fcd428e94 Kang Yu-han 669969bbe3 straightened his 010f47bff5 posture and 303d9510b9 apologized.9a40368d8538ea66

“I’m sorry, sir.”a1056977028a81a7

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The Chief b50b07885a waved it 1a0aac138a off, indicating a3a8c8edea it was 6b17ca8cb7 fine. Seo Ji-hyuk, 4f7e164350 however, maintained 7953feaef2 his defiant eb44881402 slouch.13c832c77de94dfe

‘How did 889f2a33bf I ever 20ccc125ff fall for 12280d9678 someone like 81f36d46a4 him?’76ad9ad1e1517f78

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A sigh 94d0920070 escaped Kang 963a61f974 Yu-han’s heart, 77f7e74519 if not 9f779549b8 his lips. Objectively, Seo f345587687 Ji-hyuk was c90573d910 an impressive eeb13af3c9 man—tall, broad-shouldered, 3747514348 ruggedly handsome 59acbaeac6 despite his 910324df43 sharp features. But all those 961ef11563 attributes were overshadowed aac582da05 by his awful e600eb70ee personality, which was f2158a5c49 his fatal flaw.00ca9970ac6ab7bb

Yet feelings 9b722ea33c didn’t adhere 9e162c8d46 to logic. Even if be83c21cf6 Seo Ji-hyuk e2cb15adbd were crueler, 044eee431f more twisted, 57117190c2 or more 43b4975600 flawed, Kang a36e071721 Yu-han knew 8cbf5bdd71 he would f46fa4eb29 have fallen 168154414d for him d8666bbc5f all the 3ed8bda164 same. It was a 36b1205e79 truth he couldn’t 668dcd9e6e deny.3f755ccdb113d4b7

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The Center Chief continued, “Well, I’m glad to see you’re managing to get along.”86bb144ba158cc74

“I said we’re not,” Seo Ji-hyuk interrupted again.c12699900e51d0e2

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This time, Kang 5056e83f1d Yu-han didn’t respond. Engaging further a7b228aa5e would only fc0fea218e lead to 61bef64b8d more arguments, 6bc4f46bed and it 224357d8c6 was better 61716edc39 to hear 7c71ba765b the Chief’s 50284ad0d3 instructions and 9056d2efc3 move on.ca4f3149cca89580

“What are the orders, sir?”c0b936ded9227064

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Kang Yu-han asked, keeping dc874af8c4 his tone professional.aad0faeacf29afe2