DMG Chapter 7 (Part 3)
by Bree* * *
It was payday again. Kang I-won, who always seemed lethargic, looked even more so today.
He sat slouched on a sofa, one of the many scattered throughout the center. Leaning against the backrest, his body was limp, and his bangs hung low, nearly brushing his nose, casting a shadow over his weary eyes.
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He stared blankly at the floor, his face void of expression. There wasn’t even a trace of emotion—just a flat, empty look.
Beep-beep.
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The device on his wrist buzzed. Without moving anything but his wrist, Kang I-won glanced at the message on the screen with a vacant gaze.
[Bastard: Wow, you actually managed to pay it all off?]
[Bastard: You’re one tough bastard.]
[Bastard: Please use our services again next time, valued customer ^^]
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Reading the debt collector’s insincere messages, Kang I-won closed his eyes.
He had emptied out his emergency savings account and added part of this month’s paycheck to the pot. Thanks to that, the astronomical debt that had loomed over him was now completely gone.
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Not a single won remained.
He had thought that once he paid off all his debts, his emotions would surge. He’d feel joy, relief, emptiness, maybe even sadness or anger.
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But he felt nothing. No happiness, no sense of freedom, no relief—none of the emotions he had expected.
It was eerie how utterly emotionless he was.
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Kang I-won raised a hand and placed it over his heart. Even the rhythm of his heartbeat was unchanged. It was steady, calm—utterly unremarkable.
This was the debt that had tormented him for over a decade. And yet, now that it was gone, he felt nothing.
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Instead, today, more than ever, he missed his younger sibling.
Closing his eyes, he tried to picture his sibling’s face, now faint in his memory.
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Can I go see them? I hope I can. I should be able to.
But what if he couldn’t recognize them when they met? What if his sibling got angry, saying they didn’t need an older brother who couldn’t even recognize them? He thought he would know instantly, but doubt gnawed at him.
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For years, Kang I-won had tried to forget many things. He had lived his life by forgetting—his parents’ faces, his sibling’s face. Even on days when he was overcome with longing, he avoided looking at photos, fearing that seeing them would only deepen the ache.
But maybe now, it was time to look. Fortunately, he still remembered exactly where he had stored those photos.
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Of course, he wouldn’t look at them just yet. He wasn’t ready. If his suspicions were proven true—if his guesses turned into certainty—then he might finally gather the courage to open those photos.
But before that, what had he planned to do once his debt was gone? Nothing came to mind. He was sure he’d made plans, thought of many things he wanted to do, but now his mind was blank.
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All he could do was sit there, staring into the void.
A voice broke through Kang I-won’s deep thoughts.
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“What are you doing there?”
The familiar voice resonated in his ears. Slowly, Kang I-won opened his eyes and lifted his head. Standing before him, just as before, was Heo Do-gyeong, looking down at him.
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Whether it was last time or now, Kang I-won couldn’t help but wonder how Heo always seemed to know where to find him. With a faint curiosity, he responded in a lethargic tone.
“Just sitting here.”
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Heo Do-gyeong gave him a skeptical look.
“…You look like you were thinking about something weird.”
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“I wasn’t.”
Kang I-won answered shamelessly. Missing his sibling didn’t count as something weird, after all.
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Staring at Kang I-won with a half-lidded gaze, Heo Do-gyeong eventually sat down on the sofa, leaving a space between them, just as he had done before.
Unlike the slightly somber atmosphere last time, today Kang I-won felt genuinely fine. Thinking about meeting his sibling made him feel a bit happy, even hopeful. So, he was okay.
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Kang I-won glanced at Heo Do-gyeong sitting next to him. Now that he thought about it, he had planned to treat Heo to a meal once his debt was paid off.
“Guide Heo.”
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“Why are you calling me out of nowhere?”
“How about I treat you to a meal?”
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“Out of the blue?”
“Yes, out of the blue. I’ve got some wiggle room now.”
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The money that had been drained by debt was now free for him to use. He didn’t need to scrimp anymore, and thanks to dipping into his emergency fund this month, he even had a decent chunk of his paycheck left over.
“I don’t really know what kind of places Guide Heo might want to go to. If you suggest a few, I’ll make a reservation somewhere suitable.”
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“I’m not so hard up that I need you to buy me a meal, Esper Kang.”
“Fine. If you don’t want to, forget it.”
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At Kang I-won’s indifferent reply, Heo quickly denied it.
“It’s not that I don’t want to. I’ll send you a list of decent places, so pick one that suits you. Any time works for me.”
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A brief silence followed before Heo Do-gyeong spoke again.
“Have you been sleeping well these days?”
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“Yes. Much better than I expected.”
Since that day, Kang I-won had at least been able to fall asleep. He still dreamed of his younger sibling, but not all of the dreams were filled with cries.
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Sometimes, his sibling would come to him proudly holding a perfect score on a test, bringing him joy. Other times, they’d show him a sketchbook, claiming they had drawn his face, with a messy but earnest crayon drawing that made him smile.
“It’s probably thanks to you, Guide Heo.”
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“I didn’t do anything.”
Heo Do-gyeong’s words had eased a significant part of the guilt Kang I-won carried about his sibling. It was almost as if he had been waiting for someone to say those exact words. While the ease with which the guilt lifted occasionally sparked moments of self-loathing, Kang I-won decided to savor the brief peace he now felt.
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On top of that, Heo’s recent guiding sessions had a peculiar effect—they lulled Kang I-won into a deep, restful sleep. The insomnia that had plagued him so relentlessly was now significantly alleviated.
It wasn’t completely gone, of course, but compared to before, he could finally breathe a little easier.
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Beep-beep.
Their conversation was interrupted by the familiar buzz of Kang I-won’s device. Checking the message, he saw it was from Choi Soo-bin, who had gone silent after being deployed to Ulleungdo shortly after heading to Seoul.
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[Choi Soo-bin: Hey, Kang I-won! Are you alive and well with all your limbs intact? I’m heading to Seoul soon. Let’s meet up if you’re free!]
[Me: OK.]
He felt a stare piercing his cheek. Glancing sideways, he found Heo Do-gyeong glaring at him with a displeased expression. Kang I-won frowned and asked,
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“…Why are you looking at me like that?”
“You reply instantly to some people, but ignore messages from others…” He paused before adding, “Never mind.”
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Never mind? Kang I-won thought, though it was obvious from Heo’s face that it wasn’t nothing. He recalled sending a message to Heo during his month-long absence, back when he thought Heo wouldn’t return. He had ignored the reply, convinced there was no point in responding.
Is he seriously holding a grudge over that?
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As childish as it seemed, Kang I-won couldn’t think of another reason for Heo’s behavior.
All this over something so trivial.
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Reaching out, Kang I-won ruffled Heo Do-gyeong’s hair as if teasing a younger sibling. Somehow, Heo’s reaction felt endearing. Flustered, Heo immediately tried to smooth down his tousled hair with his fingers.
“What are you doing?!”
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“You’re cute.”
“Who said I’m cute…!”
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Kang I-won chuckled, amused, and his laughter only made Heo more flustered. Springing to his feet, Heo stomped off in irritation, his ears visibly red as he walked away.
* * *
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02:31.87
* * *
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Kang I-won took the lead in organizing a Team 5 dinner. The location was a nearby barbecue restaurant, and the date was set for the evening before Kang I-won’s day off.
Han Kang-jin, surprised by this initiative, asked, “What’s gotten into you?”
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“No particular reason. I’ve been mooching off everyone for too long. Is Guide Heo Do-gyeong coming?”
Even though he already knew the answer, Kang I-won asked out of courtesy. Predictably, Heo Do-gyeong shook his head.
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“I’ll pass.”
As expected, Heo declined with a grimace.
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And so, Team 5—minus Heo Do-gyeong—gathered on Thursday night. While no one ate as much as Kang I-won, the entire team being Espers meant their appetite was considerable, and the total on the bill was no small amount.
After glancing at the receipt, Han Kang-jin asked with concern, “You’re not overdoing it, are you?”
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“It’s fine. I’ve been treated plenty of times before.”
“Well then, thanks for the meal.”
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“Thank you for the meal!”
“Thanks, I’ll cover the next one.”
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With that, Han Kang-jin, Kim Young-ho, and Hyun Ho-jun expressed their thanks and headed out, leaving Kang I-won alone to handle the bill.
He double-checked the receipt.
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Originally, they had planned to order pork, but thanks to Kim Young-ho’s insistence on beef, the cost ended up higher than expected. Even then, they had exercised restraint, complaining that too much beef was heavy and greasy.
Still, considering how much he had been treated in the past, Kang I-won didn’t mind the expense.
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The following day was his day off, and he had plans to meet Choi Soo-bin. As agreed beforehand, Kang I-won was supposed to treat her as well.
* * *
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On his way to the meeting spot, Kang I-won unzipped the top of his track jacket, which had been zipped up to his neck, letting it hang open around his chest. The once-chilly air had warmed to a comfortable level, signaling that the heat of summer would soon arrive.
“Hey! Over here!”
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Choi Soo-bin waved enthusiastically as she spotted him. Her face was lit up with a cheerful smile.
“Wow, it’s been a while. How’ve you been?”
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“Same as always. What about you?”
“Me? Oh, I have so much to tell you. Let’s sit down first—I’m getting tired just standing here.”
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With that, Soo-bin gently pushed Kang I-won toward the restaurant.
Once seated in a cozy corner, the two placed an order that prompted the restaurant owner to raise an eyebrow.
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“You’re sure the two of you can finish all that?”
Soo-bin grinned mischievously and quipped, “Oh, don’t worry. He’s going to eat most of it.”
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The owner glanced skeptically at Kang I-won. “Him? He looks like he could barely lift a chopstick.”
Laughing, Soo-bin replied, “Oh, don’t underestimate him. He’s an Esper, and Espers can eat a ton!”
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At that, the owner’s eyes widened. “An Esper? Well, in that case, I’ll make sure everything’s extra tasty. Just wait a moment.”
“Thank you!”
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After folding the menu and setting it aside, Soo-bin turned to Kang I-won and asked, “But seriously, what’s with you treating me? Didn’t you say you were always broke because of food costs?”
“…I paid off my debt.”
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Soo-bin, the only person who knew about Kang I-won’s financial struggles since their training days, looked at him in surprise. Her eyes widened before softening into a crescent shape as she smiled.
“That’s amazing! You’ve been through so much. Now you can finally start living for yourself. So, what’s next? Have you thought about what you want to do?”
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Though he’d considered many possibilities, nothing came to mind now. His lack of motivation kept him from diving deeper into his thoughts.
“Just the usual,” Kang I-won said in an even tone.
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“Ugh, that’s so boring! Why not pick up a hobby? I can suggest a few! I just started rock climbing recently, and it’s surprisingly fun.”
He vaguely remembered wanting her hobby recommendations, but at this moment, it felt unnecessary. Kang I-won shook his head.
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“No, I’m good.”
Soo-bin pouted, her lips curling in mock complaint.
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“You’re no fun. Are you really planning to live like this forever?”
“…It just doesn’t feel real yet.”
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“Fair point. You’ve had a rough time for so long.”
Taking a sip of cool water, Kang I-won steered the conversation elsewhere.
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“How’s your sibling adjusting?”
At the mention of her sibling, Soo-bin’s face lit up as she nodded eagerly.
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“Oh, great! It was rough at first with the new environment, but lately, they’ve been all smiles. They’ve even made new friends, and I finally signed them up for piano lessons like they kept begging for. Turns out, they’re a genius! They’re so good—maybe a future world-class pianist? You should visit Seoul sometime. I’ll let you hear them play.”
Kang I-won couldn’t help but feel envious of Soo-bin, who could provide so freely for her sibling. If only he hadn’t made that choice back then…
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He abruptly cut off his own thoughts. No need to spiral into gloominess, especially around Soo-bin.
“…Sure. I’ll come if I have time.”
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His vague promise trailed off, but Soo-bin seemed satisfied, already diving into her next topic.
<Continued to Volume 3>
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