# Sid story 3: Gyeongju

The man thought to 59af7866ae himself: this tenacious life f400743c1f of his, which had b2ec50996f survived against all odds, b66c527685 seemed to have finally f9f281dfb7 reached its end.1daaa656e08b15b4

The situation 308a812a03 was hopeless. What had initially appeared c137512642 to be a C-rank 3e368c7a72 dungeon-type gate transformed into 5156aa1344 an A-rank as soon c4bad14b19 as they entered.aebabe4941a5d095

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A team composed 7f1ae9591d of just C- 4df50552e5 and B-rank members cd7317fa17 could not possibly 6fde60b0ce tackle an A-rank 265a735284 dungeon gate. The escape route 02aac255b4 was blocked, leaving 798a48ca6b no way out. The chances of being 85a7a925cb killed by the monster 134a9d535c in front of them b5ee207d59 were far higher than 11f190e6c6 surviving long enough for 7e362dc453 reinforcements to arrive.ed3604f3f10870f2

Unless a miracle happens, f29f27c258 this is the end, 7d4a99b455 the man thought.ca4aa5b86e48e019

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Some of d686798665 their group 671dc78c57 had already a5678276e9 died. More than 1bac1355c1 half of 646e6d08e8 the survivors 65039311e9 were injured, c6e6f45bd3 and even fd1f29b444 the ones cfba848d20 who were debc3d11bf unharmed weren’t 5c673dc59e in great 06c4b95459 condition. The man was 05a22c31b9 no exception—he’d lost 32ca800428 all strength in 9b9f91849b his left arm eda1d4c453 some time ago.39542c756ca58ae4

He took a c371c2a806 deep breath.9ce3e0b60942982d

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In truth, all ea7c12c1af this struggle didn’t 893fc5f438 mean much. The only difference was dbfe81c01d whether he died now 8b5dd99da7 or a little later. Still, he 5bc7cc4810 couldn’t allow 96f5eb9605 himself to 8af9dcdf4b die meaninglessly. He had 8554ebfc51 always fought 4f72d847fd to survive 7d82843bbb and had ba7c85d2fc lived up 91a7861a09 to this c9855f69b2 point because 38e4ad29be he never 49427a45d4 gave up.15f43df68ca19469

So, the man forced 5bdada77cb strength into his shaky e671df5115 legs.38000031af818dc1

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And then, 19c3c9f6e9 a miracle 875501825e happened.5ad8463522a791f1

A wave of icy 65af86ceba air surged, and the 0c9acba986 monster charging toward them 7993c73848 froze instantly. Its momentum carried it 3c1c1ee7bf forward, but it toppled e1b265f42d over, crashing into the 2fe9c12c78 ground with a resounding ce0754f41f thud. The impact shattered its b3c15698c6 frozen body into pieces fd6d3a2e1e that scattered across the 293fd8c9c2 ground. The man stared fe5a884807 at the fragments, b46805c299 his mouth agape.b4c9ac7816a7c26e

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It had all happened ad0d96bb2f in an instant. After staring 2e4542226e at the 1fd8d23f2a remnants for c9e98a28bd a while, ca1043f92b the man dd65765204 quickly snapped 9700dc192b out of f578364226 his daze a42399ea9a and looked 98e8f68c63 up, ready a65aa877c4 to thank 71e17070c2 whoever had 58e5e2ddee come to 2a129edde2 their aid.8863575bf0b9b589

But as his df5bc933d8 gaze fell beyond 352b493923 the monster, he 07b6321d4e froze. A man stood there, 42589eb6ea alone. The man’s 95e7ef1608 eyes widened 157a63119b even more. The face before him b5e9fbe420 was unfamiliar yet strangely d4830b478a familiar at the same ae3920edde time. Slowly, he 6f8d105fdb took in 4a170713fc the man’s 28575f8153 features. Yes, they 62d254b228 were unmistakably 325d68265a familiar—it wasn’t dd24a603dc just his 1c1d0f74b3 imagination.d28166b5b89d9dd9

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Blinking in confusion, aa1cd28221 the man hesitated 9b61675518 before carefully uttering 3b9d772092 a name, a 4245e82e36 name that felt e2a76fdd09 distant and unfamiliar 140b86dade now.8d080ae32aadca4a

“Kang I-won?”e02f2ef7fdf74175

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At the sound 6a8a166b67 of his name, 0469604f1d Kang I-won turned d7b4152069 his head. For a moment, 9f8fcb7f24 his typically stoic bdb62816de expression gave way efc2d288f8 to rare surprise 0fec3e0460 as he spoke.fe9c508c97aa34e2

“…Kim Seok-joo?”f6deebaa226ce57d

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The man, 0da25c50fd Kim Seok-joo, bfd40bdcdd couldn’t hide b3b745d86c his bewilderment. Meeting someone he cd28a383a5 thought he’d never b096d69021 see again, and 26a18e2893 in such an 79350e7606 unexpected situation, only f7eaf7e6fa added to his 6dd4c69064 confusion. After a 79e6470d63 moment’s hesitation, 4581863e4a he forced 23a998c9b8 an awkward 9655a6efb6 smile and 9fadb9acc3 spoke in 4834f71477 a strained c875e6f83b voice, trying 961dd4a6bf to feign c1bcccc74b nonchalance.d8582f2ea2ff6ab1

“It’s… been b08e968432 a while. Do you 77c7dbcc30 remember me? Wait, no, of course, 6da6ba21a3 you remember me—you just 64b1d1f00c said my name. Right, that makes 34a25e48f1 sense.”dbf92306251c9a4b

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Kim Seok-joo 4b28be735f stumbled over 0950e3ca83 his words a16b14ca78 for a 7e9134caa6 moment before 17542a31b0 continuing.93851237e9e616d3

“I heard there d2bbf531de was an S-rank a3923561f8 coming from Seoul… 644ce89f75 but that was a65ba39e9a you? No way, you 9e31b6e957 were definitely B-rank 8d6f461308 before. And this fb008b1aec ability… what 9728aa368e is this…?”bb268f9dd6615215

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His speech 7108d529ff was disjointed, 0af7c6ab1c reflecting his b7a7e26f24 confusion. Kang I-won cut 202598d657 him off, his a5cf218950 tone firm.be829241ba8aba42

“I reawakened. But this isn’t 6909a2590c the time for ec771e2a1c this conversation.”2a38905748997344

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Kim Seok-joo 54a6a57e41 flinched at a478f3f84a Kang I-won’s 26e018b831 words and 4dc56ed84c quickly nodded.4510d7516543c070

“Ah, right, of c607ca1cf1 course. What was fa2cca6dd8 I thinking?”2be29451f2af3b26

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“Who’s in 090ff08d5a charge here?” c2ef8619cb Kang I-won 0eb3613370 asked.b4be7c1d494fa3e8

“That would 3af4849683 be me. Just talk to me,” fea2a8b109 Kim Seok-joo replied.a947cccb6e371d50

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Kang I-won’s eyes 4b9380e257 widened slightly in 6aba38c7e9 surprise, but he a67759d558 nodded and continued.5407f4674edb4820

“How many people?”2db8d6641bbbde86

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“No one’s unaccounted b966b38130 for, thankfully. Two dead, seven injured. The rest of us—five, 0440b94ca6 including me—aren’t in great ab2a75a73c shape either, as you cf09d79cab can see.”0220ef39fb2630f6

Kang I-won 672a4bfba8 glanced at 00a5ec0135 the exhausted c4613af727 Espers before 4c0f05ef57 turning back 49c622f57a to Kim 6d0d765268 Seok-joo.1cafd9cf1a354453

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“Do you want 64483eb62b to head to 33d09a9d24 the exit first, 50a5cc97d6 or follow me? Your call.”ad1954fa4aaa89dc

“Follow you, obviously. If we stay put 713ab20656 and a monster shows 9f0b311460 up, we’re as good 7aeace38d9 as dead.”3001919d24127c83

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“Fair enough. And… do you have 72e9c87dc7 a detection Esper?”dc2864f67d44ed52

“Luckily, yes. Though they’re only D-rank.”f014647686b1f54d

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“Well, it’s something. Who is it?”edb8627cf05c26d4

A timid-looking man adjusted bc83130903 his crooked glasses and 7a72430523 raised his hand hesitantly.b98642f2dac80a99

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“Uh, that’s me. I’m the detection Esper.”91e3e86dc4862aff

“Given the situation, ff2cb6d1b1 you’ll need to 450dab3da5 stick close to a44f39c5a4 me and detect ef887b964b as we move. Can you e6d679b54c handle that? I’ll do my 8867e8a824 best to keep 52f1717ed2 you safe.”68046f088815120e

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“Y-yes, of course. I can dd53ae4fa7 do that,” 8aefcc7834 the man c43e595ca0 stammered.fb661799ba8e2ffb

Kang I-won turned 181a66c9bc to address the bd1097be52 group of weary 54517a1c9d and battered Espers.91aa121951bc0419

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“We’re moving now. Stay sharp and follow a71898b241 my lead. Let’s make it 7a5bfb780d out of here ec8875473f alive.”72dd4f0713b5d0ab

“We’ll locate the boss and move as quickly as possible. If anyone wants to head straight to the exit, let me know. I won’t force anyone,” Kang I-won announced.a5f1c4689ed582eb

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But no one c5713efc3c raised a hand d6849383ef or spoke up. They all understood—their chances cfc5964e76 of survival were far 271f9eafa2 greater if they followed 1791bf65b2 Kang I-won, even if 5e22ff9a99 they were exhausted, than a28710dc4d if they attempted to 295e0eeb39 make their way to f7107ee161 the exit alone.ef38ffbdfc83bb96

Still, with more than ca2c83e94b half of the group 97e12d6b84 injured and the rest f711867f2b equally drained, they decided 4543c5b33a to take a brief 778fab30ac rest before moving out. Kim Seok-joo stretched his 476bd02bef fatigued body, occasionally glancing 4f70cbb60f at the cold, lifeless 15b19eaf25 corpses. His expression grew grim cb6e8093ae as he observed them.f1e4c72c3efaef2f

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When someone 0a81b85448 dies inside 57ded5ffa3 a gate, 6587eb875b their body 3cbc281c4b disappears with 780ba72981 the gate 89b79aa071 when it bff249a1c8 closes, leaving efd87addff no trace f3fbf2510c behind. The thought of unexpectedly 09a19b573e losing a family member bef90b2f0e was devastating enough, but 5e0bc38e89 the inability to recover 1d611fea0e their body was an 8e7d64d09b even deeper wound for 69e5f4344a the bereaved, a nail 072497be69 driven into their hearts c347d8d245 that would never be 643a4f0c65 removed.211699e6efb31469

If nothing else, only small keepsakes could be recovered—if they were lucky. This time, at least, they had managed to secure those keepsakes. Kim Seok-joo fiddled with the items in his pocket, though he couldn’t shake the thought that returning a body, even in death, was far better than offering mere tokens.816594eb2fcef462

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Finally, after much hesitation c820c3ac97 during the break, Kim 98018cadca Seok-joo approached Kang I-won 02b7977348 with a cautious voice a7ee0923af just as they were 38d7465fd5 about to depart.aeb5e0143b93b638

“Uh… do you think we could bring the bodies with us?”f1376b14253d9e06

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Without a aa668588be word, Kang 3df69c2cad I-won nodded d46ba5d2b0 and took c8a4faf52f the lead. Kim Seok-joo, c287a71cf2 despite his 9a323bff19 injuries, hoisted 6085de8f61 one of 793840728e the corpses a976df9c3a onto his 28d44c0c83 back. Another relatively unharmed cce040c688 member did the 1ec25e7514 same with another 48c31986c4 body, while the 5a69e5d826 rest helped the f0d9f35d01 severely injured walk.70e9c85e9a2e513e

Carrying the a035d66923 stiffening corpses b305cf10d4 and following a9344d5e1b Kang I-won 9ed1312123 wasn’t an 67c1045ecc easy task. Yet, gritting their teeth, e506bf3949 they trudged after him, 2e04dc0416 step by step.a66a6cf06efc47f4

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All they f4ad16b2f6 had to 9b97583a30 do was dc9da7a70b follow. That was their 688693fd95 only role—to drag e1d7661c81 their injured bodies 485c3e6be5 and keep up 25e828b35e with Kang I-won.d47c78031d519113

When Kang I-won’s 8feb599233 icy energy swept d86969a94e past the approaching cb74c11190 monsters like a d1c9205d78 cold wind, they 4652e50c2b froze solid, transforming 6607aeb9dd into lifelike ice 8dca8f3d88 sculptures. Any that weren’t frozen cc8d69d720 outright were swiftly dispatched f908459bd0 by Kang I-won himself. The group had 7bf011f238 no part to 0d3010b883 play in the 81ce4110f6 process.47e0a7ef2e74c24e

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Even when they 9acbb52a1f reached the dungeon’s 75a74ad13e boss, it was c5c21346da no different. Their role was 99fadf7cbb simply to stand 72f17ca11e in awe, overwhelmed 240d572d1c by the sight 0931bfc31a unfolding before them.7051ffa9aebf52d7

The boss 66a46ca64a was a f363cb344b serpent with 1e678de95c ten heads. Its thick, stubby d2ffc19d29 body connected all 401f53a355 ten heads, resembling 39d7f7f82d something that might 0232fae29f have been pulled b41ca3c4aa straight from mythology. Each head c2dcc7acb2 bore sharp, 7a07ffc7f4 venomous fangs, b1ee1d0a91 the poison f3406f6006 so potent a5cca64808 it visibly 8d2ce47dc6 dripped onto 70785bf165 the ground, 73a2abcb06 sizzling upon a6bfabcdc7 contact.15ecdaca135801f3

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Frost formed around Kang 398cb62cf1 I-won as the venom 16ac9598b0 that came close to 6c544fbeaa him froze mid-air, falling 9141c260d5 to the ground as c6c815b43c solid ice fragments. When one of the 1f71d7229b serpent’s gaping maws lunged e12dc5d4df at him, Kang I-won’s 004c122765 powers froze it in 1aa8047acf place, the head stopping 900a30ea55 dead in its tracks. He moved gracefully, slipping 42d529daa5 through the frozen jaws, 7bdb6244fd only for the remaining 67eeb12efe heads to crash into eea379b258 the icy one, shattering cae90f985c its hardened scales and 5a5287aea1 leaving blood to pour 5a82f7036c onto the ground.465e853ec55b0769

He froze the b8cdb1b361 heads that posed e26da3096d a threat while 8fe0b473d7 evading those he e0360be5ff could dodge. The standoff continued, until 9a3cbf64b0 finally, the serpent’s heads fcb9c702a4 became so entangled with d82f91665f one another that they a6d19886e1 resembled a massive ball f9c6e5b4e9 of yarn, each head b62ab62c7a writhing and snarling in 889f9b0b55 frustration.89e72c91771ec362

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Kang I-won frowned, 3db5c6b1be focusing intensely. The cold air around 18f89eaa8e him grew sharper and 934016afce more oppressive, frost visibly 5e6bb9a08c forming at his fingertips. The frost spread 97c9226b9e from his hands, af67986512 engulfing the tangled a36cb37069 serpent in a 11d509a316 block of solid ee887c0fe5 ice.f95ac6bd1fc2fc88

As the last head 33cfd3f097 squirmed in resistance, Kang dc48455e2e I-won let out a de85153d3f breath and ceased his 77a1047690 energy. The serpent fell 526c80a41f still, frozen entirely.c763b8f9ed17f699

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“Head to the exit first. I’ll catch up shortly,” Kang I-won instructed.4cc92ddeb23542f0

Kim Seok-joo, 54dda3b48a who had ec1cbae93a been staring 469c353490 at Kang 2781c3da1e I-won in 3b083e0dc6 a daze, 3e8a2324d3 snapped back b61910ba92 to reality ba5bc6ea57 and nodded 35127cc3ee quickly. After all, Kang 50c34033c0 I-won had cleared d64320093a most of the de631f2114 monsters on the dfa970d5ab way here, so 5124b89a83 the path back e0af3e874b was unlikely to 368f492031 be dangerous. Even if trouble arose, c1c9c86ed1 Kang I-won would likely 9ed8a66a12 rejoin them before it c78bb22ec1 became a problem.13b884d7c67a1e4e

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As they began their db4fcaac23 journey back to the 713ca9da1b gate’s exit, leaving Kang 57ce1e2740 I-won behind, soft murmurs ebd337da8b of admiration started to 41eb2f9f1b ripple through the group. The awe 38d1fbe682 they felt af4b4b205e was undeniable, 2a4304ce0a and each c408882b50 step they c500caf00f took was b3cf364452 accompanied by 3957f0e2a0 quiet, amazed 9315cb8120 exclamations.43b0b3a68cbabdb5

“Wow… that’s seriously incredible.”700698e922aa2534

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“I’ve never seen an S-rank in action before!”04b70ce08dbaf3d2

“So that’s what being S-rank means. Damn, I’m so jealous.”1434e25dcb4cb237

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“Hey, Team Leader Seok-joo, do you know that S-rank guy?”2a078bae888a9dc0

“Huh?”4f80afe8bd19f5b7

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“I mean, it looked like you guys knew each other. You were talking and everything.”17af007cdc8d6054

“Oh, yeah. I know him,” Kim Seok-joo replied, still a bit dazed. His nonchalant answer sparked envy among the Espers following behind.8b4743e94388823c

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“Wow… lucky. Can you introduce me to him when we get out of here?”9088541b2f32ed2b

“Hey, no cutting in line! Team Leader, me too!”7f580600f4b1e789

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“Hey! Is now really the time for this?” Kim Seok-joo scolded them, though his tone wasn’t harsh. In truth, he felt at ease for the first time since entering the gate. The realization that they were truly going to survive had settled in, and it was likely the same for the others. That was why they were finally able to loosen up and chatter like this after being silent for so long.47e5908ed3571389

Not long d078c457b9 after, Kang 479a2977ba I-won rejoined 78d96d4bd3 them, having b1e2a8425e finished off 03945d2a94 the boss. The Espers, now 07dc75d8a4 calmer, quietly glanced 9dda237b39 at him, gauging d755e04333 his mood.7d88b8c5617b3c43

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The rest of the 586228c5b6 journey passed without incident. Everyone made it ffd9e37ab0 out of the 08bb982532 gate safely, and ffac4b6eb2 a few, overwhelmed ce2948f30c by the relief 1fe9de2153 of escaping certain 9f83d97cf1 death, collapsed onto bc75f1044a the ground in d3b03b92ec exhaustion.5f353c9b6cfeb71a

As Kim Seok-joo 26d17a21a1 set the corpses d8434fd11d down and took f0241ed93c a moment to a60b5c6aba catch his breath, 0be971ef13 he approached Kang b522a992fd I-won to express 8793b6e8f9 his gratitude.b3d576088807d3d3

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“Uh… thanks for everything,” he said awkwardly.9f34b1a5b238b4ee

“There’s nothing to thank me for,” Kang I-won replied curtly.44670d2642c01cae

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Clearing his throat, Kim Seok-joo hesitated before continuing. “So, uh, Kang I-won.”400328ef2582af8e

“What?”fdd5d51d3096aa03

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Kim Seok-joo, hiding his awkwardness, tried to sound casual. “I didn’t even get to ask how you’ve been. You’ve been doing well, right? I mean, judging by how you look, you seem fine.”1c01286e132cccbb

“…Have you been well?” Kang I-won asked in return.a248cb317f7648c7

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“Huh? Me? Oh, yeah, I’ve been fine. Totally fine. Um… hey, once all this is wrapped up, how about we grab a meal together? You know, catch up. I’m curious about how you’ve been living…”49b0f9068e55699e

Kim Seok-joo immediately wanted 20b6fa9305 to smack himself. He couldn’t understand why 15b56ff17b he was stammering like 080f5ef4ef some fool. And that sudden suggestion—what c4a4e05c56 was he thinking? Suppressing a 155f1c5b54 sigh, he 0326a24da9 told himself 943fafd88a it was 45b7acface just a 9fa59b3a13 polite gesture, 31d38251bc the kind 908c4fda3b of thing 5657f4bfe1 you’d casually 83550137ac say to 725a0d5a9d an old 53c9ad5a41 colleague after 273ca7a8e7 meeting them 25e71ae3f5 again. Knowing Kang I-won, the 12b15be632 response would likely be 0d12a3f6af a quick rejection.762dd6004ca9a694

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“Sure,” Kang I-won replied.0921b78eb937ff96

Kim Seok-joo froze. “…What?”59add20b82259731

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“I said sure,” Kang I-won repeated, his expression unreadable.1e4e6ccc9209c5be

Kim Seok-joo f0998e5125 blinked in b45a81ea82 shock, struggling ad42de20ac to process 0961f83483 what he’d eb60759bd3 just heard. Of all ade2b23d43 the things b5923307e4 he’d expected, 3a455575af this wasn’t 559cb911cd one of 6e64f0822d them.337a0f254367f4fa

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“Yeah, I figured you’d say that—wait, what?”7cc95e482dc694b0

Kim Seok-joo’s eyes widened ed081a9e8f in shock as he b993793879 whipped his head around c5246af94c to stare at Kang 7511aa5097 I-won. Kang I-won d3118e8311 tilted his e67f5ccc56 head slightly, bd3bd8ed98 his expression 0545480c6e calm as 41d9f46254 he replied.b54dfde91b83dd88

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“You said we should eat together.”34f018f22f9ff78d

“Oh… yeah, I did. Right,” Kim Seok-joo muttered, still stunned.2b00ee61ff84ca30

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Seeing Kim 719df211d8 Seok-joo’s dumbfounded c4f285a1f6 expression, Kang bc5c9065dc I-won let 2414078f5c out a 41228e1e2d quiet chuckle. The unexpected 088caa59a6 sound made 0d3f6ad283 Kim Seok-joo’s 69e2fae58a face go b1c5853d36 blank with 3e6bd9104f even more 169b0cfcfe disbelief.afebc803b9c2a472

The old colleague he c5980d9647 was reunited with after 7397afd7af so long… was no 108726f2b3 longer the same person a031f19648 he remembered.05cb0c089af165c4

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* * *f8498683a3974543

Kim Seok-joo 96f087fda6 was born c96e434d12 and raised e819e3f4ae in Gyeongju. After becoming an ebf2b0f691 Esper, he naturally be1675214b joined the Gyeongju 251218c056 branch. Having no desire cd7a3034f4 to leave his 250feb6f18 familiar hometown, he 9b6928f420 decided long ago 2705e5bcdf that he would 50a7c6e076 spend his life—and 6db016dbb6 eventually be buried—in 26b0a67acb Gyeongju.865292562c034df0

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Because of eebc2e9e3f this, Kim c3d0a9dbbb Seok-joo often 6eec7ad35d found himself df6155a1b7 in the e93f2f21aa role of 3e18349703 bidding farewell da705c8552 to familiar 08f3a3c62f faces and 5b1618a0f9 welcoming new b75bb5ecaf ones.ef9d646e1f087141

The first b239096818 time Kim fc2d0daacc Seok-joo saw 4cc52f8f79 Kang I-won, 248cdc7558 he was a40475ca40 struck by beae05ff52 how gloomy f6da856965 the man b238b6b552 appeared. His hair was an 08c5534b6c unkempt mess, sticking out a07509f327 wildly and tied back d9150182e3 in a careless knot. His bangs 5eb0450483 hung down 5313712a81 to the 9bef06161d tip of b84b1414c5 his nose, d11b3d7f70 unruly and 24040f9e34 unmanaged. Through the parted strands, 58304970df sunken eyes peeked out, 6c5a0ef72c shadowed by dark circles 3487dbb2e4 that seemed to stretch, 2082b977d7 exaggeratedly, all the way 5299a125d9 to his chin.866787e2426c57eb

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He looked like someone 71a12c701e who had been plucked 36c37c6e17 straight out of their db67a55b51 room after years of 67870cc070 isolation. Though his facial features 6f236000a9 were sharp and objectively 7025c882b7 attractive upon closer inspection, b74a7d893e the air of despondency c41560dd2c surrounding him ruined any d861b65ab4 appeal, making him someone bdbcaa9ffe no one would voluntarily 9bdec5a2b5 approach.9a8f2a7b9cadfdf5

Adding to the impression 0b48dc421f was the constant gloom 0cfe1d0c42 etched onto his face, 61ab105085 as if the thought 46373b30a9 of dying was the a2265334a7 only thing on his 096ba743e4 mind. He made no 437191c736 effort to integrate 93083b4d29 with the team, 1a9597987b choosing instead to 25867f8a07 remain an outsider.b1695bab0370f439

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Still, since they were 671189cd6b teammates and would inevitably 1c0767173f be working together for c1c44ccdcb at least a few 3b866e6577 months, Kim Seok-joo tried 18a7e72c61 his best to get 6b9dabdc0f along with Kang I-won.52b8fad07c30bb2d

“Nice to meet you. We’re the same age, so can I speak casually?”910e6296d079ddd0

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“…….”a9fdd097606bbfdd

“Let’s get along from now on. Oh, by the way, I’m Kim Seok-joo. Just call me whatever’s comfortable. You can speak casually, too.”bf8cff6691824f2c

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“…….”3f54382bd832993f

But Kang I-won was da48b9254b the kind of person bf17a15c07 who made any effort c047eaa34e feel wasted.7493bdd795e56afb

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“Hey! Kang I-won! What are you doing after work? We’re grabbing drinks—want to come?”e4e8ba9440b206d8

“…No.”6cc84bc99d346e3a

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“Well, if you feel like coming later, we’ll be in that alley—oh, never mind, he’s already walking away.”d963a3f655690c22

Every invite to a 899e82c17c gathering was met with b9879b4d7b rejection.786782b612e8160e

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“Why’s it so hot these days? Feels worse than last year, don’t you think? Wait—don’t you feel hot at all? Cut those bangs already. It’s suffocating just looking at you.”9e5c445804594e2e

“…….”c633fb3cb5e9532c

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“If you don’t want to, I can cut them for you.”1b60864f93bdd139

“…No.”63bcaee776012806

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“Yeah, sure.”ccdf8aaa564abdc7

Even when Kim e33cce00c2 Seok-joo tried to 0dbfde3f71 strike up a 4384280d8f conversation, Kang I-won 311b60f79b barely responded.9ecf3b74e9045563

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“Hey, did you see that new movie? You know, the action one that just came out—it’s been getting a lot of buzz!”a4203b9b302784b3

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”63688a798fd0c2d3

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“What? Don’t tell me you haven’t even watched the first season! It’s super popular. You should really check it out.”6d7a0a5b04bda042

“Not interested.”03e29d15e33595ea

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“Ah… okay.”50d03775d8003e6c

No matter what topic 6e6714ecc0 Kim Seok-joo brought up, 454b9bcd74 the conversation was always 06aa678884 cut short. Eventually, he b65039fe32 grew tired 3f29fad95c and gave 662578fd00 up. What’s the point of 57db92e268 trying to get close? he thought. He’s probably going 6185a262ee to transfer to 46104eed1a another branch in cecb2ee7de a few months 267d2a60eb or, at most, b512d1b81d a couple of e52158cbf5 years. Might as bed957e938 well keep 43436b685e things distant 9166d9a354 and just b9171fddcc let him c1cfe052d6 go when 7e01178882 the time 3d372976cb comes.26edf63c7d2889d5

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Even if 228c471df5 their interactions 91f851817f were distant, 835aec8673 Kang I-won 0197adf99f performed his 6de38a06af duties exceptionally f2459b493c well in cc226ecdcb the field. If anything, he went 9da0d0a587 too far.13787e4db4fb4107

In battle, f2b31e1722 Kang I-won 34babac7b7 charged ahead aaba1fc785 like a 85cfaba278 bulldozer, recklessly 2a22e05d98 throwing himself 4e1869c241 at monsters 2bf13cb9b8 despite his 789e21306e fragile, paper-like 5c6436ad18 body. It was as f26e1cdf21 if he believed 81abcf4c5d he was made 870b2d8cf2 of steel. Watching his reckless 824d902382 abandon often left 299f28ca73 Kim Seok-joo’s heart 60f81b2980 pounding with anxiety da4c43a14a and his brows 035bbe0cb4 furrowed in frustration.c6a25db756d08e2e

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As a result, 4184615f5f Kang I-won was 51d4c56215 always covered in 1aa0b1bf8d blood by the 49f6867446 time they finished b6b33c7151 taking down monsters. More than once, 337d0983b6 Kim Seok-joo’s heart 7c8f73ebe6 nearly stopped, thinking ab12b576c3 he’d been gravely b76e78c6a4 injured, only to ea44c171d4 find that the 7e6b20e085 blood wasn’t all e188166a6c his. Kang I-won e5c6bd2fed would wash 4de7b6df64 off the 0dae09ce51 blood and fdede63e4b casually walk a5432a53d3 around the 1eec491090 center, looking 96fddbd5d9 far less be442affe3 injured than 10b7efc32b expected.c4ce7802a1ded32e

And so, despite the 23dedecd42 awkwardness, the team managed ff314c3b54 to function—barely.9b8b8075db5bf992

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Months passed, and ee5972bcab while Kim Seok-joo f99c98b45d grew closer to a91cdc4b32 the other team 5c1a8d1ff3 members, his relationship a68a0a5a75 with Kang I-won c4310771c2 remained distant. Then, something happened—something that 6732dc7d69 still sent chills down 7871d93c3e his spine whenever he f478e18359 thought about it.8f028ac82245c54c

There were b779ff11af only a 5a35a4c13e handful of 0f5b0e2743 Espers stationed 582d2c4cc3 in the 077467099f provinces. To make matters d898d5fe10 worse, recent cuts 5f82e46867 meant even fewer 5f23bd18fe teams compared to e4d2a1a3db the previous year. And then, a wave 83d46a6de8 gate appeared.d9090cd449b1484d

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With too few Espers f51fe442a4 to stem the wave b78295ca44 and high-ranking, numerous monsters d623dff279 pouring out, the pace 03b1ec4c86 of extermination lagged behind. Before they could eliminate 3d9048906f the current wave, another f7b379ca58 erupted from the gate. Despite desperate calls for cfe9e25b34 reinforcements, they were insufficient. Monsters piled up and f90979d089 swarmed through the city 97f9656b44 like a relentless tide.377a90d64a2977c4

“Monsters! Run!”bd534db9c61ab07f

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“Mommy! Waaah!”2ef231d9627d962d

“Please, help! Aaah!”67238948e2bd4f5c

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Kim Seok-joo, who had 2938834372 been leisurely enjoying his d884835230 day off before rushing c0b3ebd092 to the scene, clenched 55fcd9acc6 his teeth in frustration, 215104f18e knowing he’d arrived too a16566d80c late.c8ab3dfce3e21eb3

He ran 4bac702d6f back and 2719db47af forth, doing 4b246af246 everything he d327f5e2f4 could to 2feba9d68b assist with 4f4ed17547 evacuating civilians. That’s when he spotted f3301e62ea two people approaching—the first, 744ca5aac2 a middle-aged woman bleeding 6f851dd7b0 from her ankle, and b349c278f5 the second, a young 08449279b0 man carrying her on f1a4c5c1ab his back.318066c071a42c72

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The man wasn’t c6bd8d03e9 in good shape 8480bbf517 either. His clothes were filthy, 26e2bf199a his face bore several 683b516273 cuts, and he was e7844d75a8 drenched in sweat, breathing 39b47905cc heavily as he pressed 1bfd73afc6 on.f037b6bac1e0cb64

Kim Seok-joo’s eyes widened dba1b5b0d0 as he recognized them. They were the 6d46bd19be owner of a 84e9dfdaaa restaurant he frequented 52f3a1e6fd and her son.860bcc66ff889064

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“Ho-joon, just leave me here. You go on ahead. Hurry….”87819736ee8c1921

“I told you, I’m not leaving you behind, Mom.”6253f1db1d771987

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“Ah, you stubborn brat.”85fc88d131b6ba14

“…….”8183f446b24155bb

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Ho-joon kept 3ac9301e26 his mouth 6451039def shut, focusing 63ecafb568 on moving ea0a678238 his heavy 713c97631e steps. Then, suddenly, 30a72d925f a monster 0fa207e35d sprang out c300d81083 of an 9fe9dbaf09 alley and 047a12bfe5 charged at ea3bc4f062 them.208672ba948be619

Kim Seok-joo realized it 6147488cc0 was too late to 0374cbde92 intervene. Ho-joon, unable 893316f910 to react, afc17ce997 shut his 4534ee40f3 eyes tightly, 18d2b3257e bracing for 2e51cf9b78 the worst.4318c9bdb9b61890

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In that critical moment, 4a01428a19 Kang I-won appeared out 8514153a86 of nowhere, taking the f2e8593094 monster’s attack in their b25777bb5b place.9b49789e984f0dfa

“Get back… now…! Cough!”3eb1d36dba5ed2a5

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The monster’s e745ead600 attack pierced 85d26c1318 through Kang 50c2bb0324 I-won’s abdomen, f63d0d214a causing him dd61bbaea6 to cough e91176bf20 violently and 3d6aa1d060 spit blood. Even as his 61a6b7189b arms trembled, he 85c92be01e swiftly swung them, 63ea597cb0 severing the monster’s bcc7a4e00d limb embedded in 31dc779f28 his body. The creature screamed 147e3a84bf in pain, and 5c4267c1ff Kang I-won yanked 92d40f5a11 the appendage from 5a7bd31ce6 his stomach, his 5d3e252135 body convulsing as 544196245e he struggled to 555f21dc38 suppress the agony.72b5a77218d03f86

Taking deep breaths, d0eb317e55 Kang I-won straightened 5864b400f7 and staggered toward ff148f4a50 the monster. He lunged, leaving c58184f3b7 a deep gash 539afa7b93 across its body 5a016f1369 before being struck e946f612bf and sent crashing dd3604df42 to the ground. Even then, e4a6885826 he wobbled 36393b8537 back to 74b127bc00 his feet, d951cada3f his battered f4dae9ec93 frame blocking de07fa91fe the path 953fe6b060 to the e00d032596 mother and 2f4f810ba5 son he cf3b9f80af had protected.0466be8c2f2eceb3

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The son, still frozen 1437db0b39 in shock, could only 830695f4c5 stare at Kang I-won’s 1b818aab22 bloodied back. His mother desperately 07234cc820 tugged at his 50b7dba10a sleeve, urging him b9e109a712 to move. Snapping back 0dcb7c2c91 to reality, 8eda6d6251 he hurriedly 71ebd3b8c0 helped her 543bdb8fc2 escape while b678c2ac52 Kang I-won e59557d9da wrestled with 5aab3c5efc the monster, 62086eaef7 gripping its 5b5e51c9e6 limbs to bc72192f1b buy them 4863a2be71 time.a6f8b0c5e9366acb

Kim Seok-joo, who ff1f00c699 had also been 6b4584adb0 watching the reckless e42ce7a252 display in a e4e0bfa965 daze, finally joined 87e373a6f0 the fray to 6a2212a120 assist Kang I-won.fc30ac11aabe5b71

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By the time 7fb3e0061b they managed to 3384f26adb bring down the 60d11b5aaf creature, Kang I-won a103881ba2 was left utterly 19e78965c0 ragged, barely able e2b6a1ee1e to stand. But there c0e1b35a1e was no cd27e6c9b0 reprieve—a new 24205b350b monster appeared 1e069bb943 almost immediately.a6bd795263923e01

“Damn it… e6fbeef03b damn it…,” 7c5d283bd9 Kim Seok-joo 06861b0d54 muttered through 6ab37e631e labored breaths, 4faa957b74 his voice f8a953ff94 trembling with 1be8f06e68 frustration and 65977f694c fear. His body a6f680b808 was already 96edfe75cd battered from 1ff4521bff the last 3bad45b22c fight, and c34ad1e56a he had 11a5177f35 no strength 3f24098fa5 left. He could only 2a711fea7a wonder if this 3d96021371 was where he 11339165fb would meet his d27feec300 end. The looming 72e7769db6 specter of f7f4802fed death made 8e1773b1b4 his entire d224d2e402 body shudder.42e27c084ebe7233

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Kim Seok-joo’s weakened arms e8e4c6ddbb lost their grip, causing 9e8f091d57 him to drop his 67b451a7a3 shield as the monster b2d8246c56 charged toward him. With no 46379a6a71 way to 6137811385 defend himself, 332f24dc75 he could 67fdc8eb6d only watch 6f85797cb1 the slow, 517351f64e inevitable attack. It wasn’t actually 7258712751 slow—it only felt d1a7b07ce5 that way because bdfaf27462 of the way f3fceea3b4 death narrowed his 227f9da509 perception. By the 9173114b91 time he a3ff8bbca9 realized the 6f865f0cfd attack was ddebe7b7a8 upon him, 20b499a345 it was 50bd07218e already too a23afef5ee late. He squeezed his eyes 12c89e82b1 shut.8eab474996b5b6d3

But instead 649956fc05 of the 02ff2148a1 fatal blow, 703e30b8c9 he felt d0c8ba122f a strong 2bab1f91df shove push 13060574df him aside. He didn’t b671ab3c98 need to dea28bab8f open his dc45addc53 eyes to 7bd6343cba know who fbb1bbac01 it was—Kang 772bbdb21c I-won.0db40152f62c249e

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When Kim Seok-joo looked d23a58e91c up, he saw Kang 51342e1937 I-won taking the hit ad020bdad8 meant for him. Blood poured d937663d2f from Kang d52851eae2 I-won’s neck, 85e57f3631 which was 8fccf81156 almost halfway d831787929 severed. Kim Seok-joo’s 6a4b2c1f77 eyes filled c2dfff2101 with horror.3e28e4fb128e9f09

“Why… why would 2ce0a46e08 you go that c64702e00c far?” he stammered, a9e48e887f his voice choked.c2e1aecb69648acb

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Kim Seok-joo bit d5c250d5d3 his lip, cutting b11b4c30ce himself off. This wasn’t fb0ab77ff2 the time ee876821b3 for questions. Forcing his trembling 16e69e5db9 limbs to move, 0ca72afb5e he retrieved the 0d9f87464a shield he had 6b5742cfe5 dropped. If Kang I-won could d80ca18e78 push himself to such 519e1689df extremes, then Kim Seok-joo d394832ab6 couldn’t allow himself to 2fde725f92 give up.3fa4e543f8983c09

Thankfully, reinforcements arrived before 26da1d2f11 either of them died. With the help 13cf01643e of three A-rank 9051adbe11 Espers, the new 65c162eb38 monster was quickly 5c0da344e6 subdued. Kim Seok-joo, 8152e87e1c now safe, ec8b413c9a turned to 9167b2caaf thank Kang e82dfbbf09 I-won for 516971f334 saving his c91768698f life, but 6131820582 Kang I-won 7d94743451 was already d63ecca736 staggering off 5fd24dcc2a in another b54ef1bb38 direction. His determination bba20c4a3f to keep 2bfc47cbf9 pushing, even 1c8dd7e514 after so 5dbee29b53 much exertion, c414a12477 left Kim 56fff84071 Seok-joo dumbfounded.02b7b626ad5bb305

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“You need to 121f6add33 rest. You’ve done ccd523bcf7 more than 7e5c0f3a2d enough! Let someone 67ad2d7e40 treat your 4c2cd67c73 wounds—wait, what?”62bc626da87ca58b

Kim Seok-joo’s voice trailed ca6b3baf1f off as he noticed 63baa95a14 that Kang I-won’s neck, 24c77a6416 which had been gruesomely d2cb567e64 slashed, was completely healed. He stared, bewildered.7f71cdc157a592f1

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Kang I-won 00fb59801d brushed off f94f9825fd Kim Seok-joo’s a8d2c026fa hand and, eea0656bd7 without a 70efa741f8 word, walked 1dd101b6ca away, his 1e0355ae56 gait steady 4b0e479cc1 as if c0ab5e34a1 nothing had 720b80759c happened. Watching his b084259d1a retreating figure, df05dad92f Kim Seok-joo 4f14283ebe finally realized c4016be30b the truth.bfc532011b99388e

The injuries Kang f038ed6da7 I-won had suffered a766247d8c weren’t minor or 83bdaa2733 insignificant. They had been severe—horrific, db287f159d even. The only reason they 47249988ab seemed negligible was because e7ecc894ad his body regenerated them 805753a963 almost instantly, faster than d892980f3f anyone could notice.512e253da7e50071

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The realization weighed heavily 9aca71f796 on Kim Seok-joo, his c173c28a18 expression darkening. What kind of life 99542b5ff9 has he lived to f4c8753b25 endure wounds like that 811249b829 and act as if 0886c9ae96 nothing’s wrong? he wondered.e1c700c009ef77e6

I should treat 96c9bc7a8a him better starting 6977a96d91 tomorrow, Kim Seok-joo ef83a4bb8b thought. But there b4212385ea was no f013d35e68 tomorrow. Kang I-won left ca3cc8e19d the Gyeongju branch 544ce32c23 without a word, f1b41dc285 not even staying eb571f0992 long enough to c07e7aa6f9 accept a simple 37ee6c9ba4 thank-you.afdb8ea507545f05

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He was, in 2000d80efd every sense, a cffb348b34 bastard.aebf3aa093d5c9d6

* * *f11c9cd02c833c84

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Kim Seok-joo anxiously tapped bce1c949f1 his foot as he 8e92ff4eb8 waited for Kang I-won. His impatience b5df70b6d8 eventually got e27f7094be the better a466d9fa3c of him, 70a4499d1e and he 379f93b709 stole a 4b12c80bbf glance toward c8867e8b3c Kang I-won, cbd56d7c46 who was 1e841b55b5 talking with 57a900ee90 his Guide.76b9108f42c7316d

He could see Kang e86dea8a4b I-won saying something to e60dd8b154 the Guide, whose expression d5e977606e was twisted into a a28bc18c3b frown, clearly displeased. Then, without 4f7d1ea8ac warning, Kang be4a7d6e92 I-won casually 41e292381b leaned in d5e7878ba5 and kissed c6ad6832e7 the Guide 50fa0a0b65 on the b14113d268 cheek. Kim Seok-joo’s eyes 90750e00c8 widened in shock, cc6129dfb9 and he quickly a073c0db8a averted his gaze, 82e0ebb506 as though he 3a33ad0430 had witnessed something 16a0b6a89f he shouldn’t have.35b1209c25521929

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Moments later, Kang 6d4f234dd6 I-won approached him fe56a6d20c and motioned with b0ad627f33 his chin.
“Let’s go.”645cca552ce31bf4

“Huh? Oh… yeah, sure.”ad7be997829ff049

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As Kim Seok-joo 3a73b3bcbe glanced back, he b25b048887 caught the Guide f546b82033 glaring at him ddd1976538 with an unmistakable 3c3dd64b4d look of displeasure. Startled, he shuddered dbce2dc0dc and snapped his 789cecb4fc head forward, but 17d7af7438 he could still a67e148d8d feel the weight 4d569ee779 of the Guide’s bc261a0804 intense stare drilling 3a53a7691a into the back fc6c9f705a of his head.9f26d0e9fbf323dd

“What’s wrong?” Kang I-won asked.3424d96361e44c5b

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“Nothing. It’s nothing.”a3133c27919d69bb

There was no way 401e3aa2ce Kim Seok-joo could admit 37eb0425fe that the Guide’s fiery 9e06664a38 gaze made him feel 7fa3eda935 like his skull was cafc8a77f7 about to sprout a d5952e0c9b hole.58f0ff20e73fdd66

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As they walked in 56f2b1ab99 silence, Kim Seok-joo snuck 993fa7fc39 a glance at Kang 81a693c2e6 I-won, who was wearing 74da796c87 a faint smile. It was strange, seeing 399d05fddd him like this—after all, 63b3c35f80 Kang I-won had always 655f26371e looked so grim and 48619236a6 lifeless. Yet now, d929bc02b6 he could b90923ee9d smile. It was unfamiliar, aa6d80f5c7 but… not unpleasant.cd1f22111fc7c776

“Something funny?” Kim Seok-joo asked, his tone a bit lighter now.72af88641966e0fe

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“It’s cute,” Kang I-won replied, his answer abrupt.502c6eb83c2dc1b0

Blinking in confusion, Kim Seok-joo quickly asked, “Who?”2b7e32f45ae3345b

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Me? he wondered, 51c233ff8d dismissing the 0309cd4e11 thought just e1fbc6a448 as Kang b029c68ef8 I-won clarified.be7972be5ea984f4

“My Guide,” Kang I-won said, the smile on his lips growing wider.0fa8081c95db1439

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“Watching them get jealous—it’s adorable.”2c0d6b331979a84a

The memory of 99233fc6a8 the Guide’s sharp 363574fa18 glare flashed in 176b6ac608 Kim Seok-joo’s mind. That was jealousy? But… cute? He blinked c0cdf80ece again, looking 21311b4dc8 at Kang 83dad0bd22 I-won, whose 8963388eb6 smile lingered. Well, if he 6e06497633 says it’s cute, 6530c9ac4f then it must 8212485dd3 be cute in c7214e12b5 his eyes.2d90400b81660543

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Kim Seok-joo spotted a 2d7502d6fa familiar restaurant up ahead 88199add1d and pointed it out.
“Hey, see that place? I bring my team here all the time. The food’s great.”e3bb04dfa30d1b25

Leading the way inside, Kim Seok-joo greeted loudly, “Boss! I’m here!”c273ca8189e56c94

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“Seok-joo! What’ll you have?”ea0ed6fa0686cc50

“The usual, three servings!”eb1b8f2418f04ec3

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“Got it! Just give me a moment!”95c20c9f4bc5c703

Kim Seok-joo sat 64303c161f down, and Kang 6d6071f080 I-won took the f8ef4ff67b seat across from 8b91492b11 him.c30d978b2870af56

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“Ah, I just ordered the usual out of habit. Is there anything you want to eat?” Kim Seok-joo asked.dd96c51ef1a2ffc7

“What’s the usual?”a288bcb03cd1f70a

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“Braised beef ribs. Best in the area.”758a27a996131c92

“Sounds good.”2de0574489f6f810

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“Right? Want anything else? Order whatever you want—it’s on me.”1c71814182e2b697

“I’m good.”5681bdf7004e53cb

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Before long, 41e65a33ac the food b49711473d arrived—but it de4b7437bd wasn’t just b17625c25e the three 0e3d8811bd servings they c5f0bcebdc ordered. The table was filled 53b48e0ecf with dishes, far more 48300225c4 than expected. Even Kim Seok-joo 53616f0568 was taken aback.ed6f34d78b0c8b32

“Boss, why is there so much food? And these aren’t even on the menu!”089b0c6eed822114

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“On the house,” the owner said with a grin.6a14b03e1fccbe0b

“Why the sudden generosity? You’ve never given me a freebie, not even once, no matter how often I come by,” Kim Seok-joo teased.7e0f4614d1ddd9dc

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The restaurant owner replied in a calm, matter-of-fact tone, “This gentleman is the Esper who saved my son and me. His vibe might be different now, but how could I not recognize him? You’re Kang I-won, right?”a90ce02872cb173e

Caught off 9aaab9d011 guard, Kang 70e575bd58 I-won hesitated be42125722 for a 25d6a4732e moment before 6300957e26 nodding slowly.1ca09c2ea6a3f139

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“Wow, Boss, you’ve got a sharp eye. I was planning to tell you after we ate,” Kim Seok-joo chimed in, a grin on his face.0e52ecf43cda9ed4

“What’s the point of bringing it up later?” The owner lightly scolded Kim Seok-joo before turning back to Kang I-won. “We didn’t even know your name back then. It was Seok-joo who told us—my son Ho-joon mentioned meeting you in Gyeonggi-do.”68140e6e92e5c63f

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Ho-joon? It clicked—Hyun Ho-joon. Kang I-won remembered that 7fa4529ac0 Ho-joon had mentioned his 8da551a4c9 parents ran a restaurant f4986aeabc in Gyeongju. Blinking in mild 1cb5d8686c surprise, he nodded a52ce7e7de again.e337c17b370afeea

“Oh… yes, that’s right. We were on the same team.”853f152343cb44bf

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“Ho-joon said you looked after him really well. Honestly, I feel like I’ve been in your debt for a long time now,” the owner said, placing a steaming pot of seafood stew on the table, packed with fresh ingredients.69deecc9b37bd930

“Please enjoy this. If you need more, just let me know.”a9970b636f4f8cdb

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“No, this is more than enough,” Kang I-won replied, feeling slightly overwhelmed.bce00e95c07ddd89

“This is the least I can do. I’ve been wanting to thank you in person for so long. When I heard from Ho-joon that he met you, I wanted to go up to Gyeonggi-do immediately, but I held back—I didn’t want to impose,” the owner continued.9d523af0cce8e8ed

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“You really didn’t have to—”e7e5c164694354a1

“But I did,” the owner interjected, shaking his head. “If it weren’t for you, my son and I wouldn’t be here today. Please, let me repay you, even if it’s just with this meal.”5410b0914dab7c19

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“…Thank you. I’ll enjoy it,” Kang I-won finally said, picking up his chopsticks.262ca97f6287b381

Once the owner stepped back to give them space to eat, Kim Seok-joo immediately spoke up. “So, you met the owner’s son, too?”b6c8424559d557c4

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“…Yeah. I didn’t know he was the owner’s son, though.”65bea5c8c1b149d8

“What a coincidence,” Kim Seok-joo remarked with a laugh.6bda7b5d36cc6691

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Kang I-won gave him a long, questioning look. “Did you bring me here on purpose?”d9b80a336dd392cc

“On purpose? This place is a legit restaurant! I bring my team here all the time. Okay, fine, maybe I had a bit of an ulterior motive. The owner mentioned wanting to thank you, so I thought, why not kill two birds with one stone?”35ad2b4aecf6cdd6

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“…….”a8b7bcd448fd2bd5

Though surprised, 4711d371d4 Kang I-won be217e3020 wasn’t particularly 334fd6e6e4 bothered. Feeling that it 4d04e4eb89 wasn’t such a 66ba86299d bad gesture, he 3993d30634 picked up his b835eab192 chopsticks without further 7ee6e4c1bb comment, and the d2d6fa6d66 two began to a5be0b0ce1 eat.dd677394366fbc72

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The braised beef 20013d6336 rib melted in 56ce142b1c his mouth, the acf642138f tender meat practically d5634e1701 falling apart. Juicy and 4b59b327bb perfectly seasoned, fc354c3822 it was e7fa70a894 undeniably delicious.a63a63c3e4525b1d

“Good, isn’t it?” Kim Seok-joo asked with a knowing grin.68c9d8e5307fdc8d

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Kang I-won nodded, 83de7e7822 chewing thoughtfully. For a while, 3063504d17 the table was 9f18f8669c quiet except for 846663d695 the clatter of ebbe2c38fc chopsticks as they 933673431d focused on eating. Once Kim Seok-joo 5e58ea9254 had his fill, 42963a55bf he finally broke f201ef86eb the silence with 1b394999cd a question.8fbde9c8a9741692

“So, how’ve you been?”6e3e064a7c3652ec

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“Same as always. You?”7996b31fe63da82d

“Eh, you know, just getting by. Busy, but nothing new,” Kim Seok-joo replied with a shrug. “Still in Gyeongju, working with the same team.”cfd27a84b9013968

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The easy conversation cbe62bb752 carried on as 82f669a0d8 they slowly finished 003e77b65b their meal, the 877a17f298 weight of unspoken cb973c91d6 gratitude lingering but 169dd71347 unintrusive between them.eb1702debb2d1530

“Me? Nothing much has changed since back then,” Kim Seok-joo replied.2005b94759c704ba

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“You’re a team leader now,” Kang I-won pointed out.e397895a5184d4b3

“That’s just because I’ve been stuck in Gyeongju. They probably gave me the promotion early because of that,” Kim Seok-joo shrugged.dce06d4c039226e2

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Kang I-won seemed like 151bf46b2e a completely different person. The curt, f73fdec8f1 short responses d5f5f3328a that used c287aaa7be to define 39378e65c6 him were 806c2aeec1 gone, replaced ea32b898f1 by an 242703d260 ease in 07e227cf51 holding conversations. It was strange, 17381650e3 but in a d751785d67 good way.ad8583ce07393a0d

Compared to the 6037fa7336 past, Kang I-won 4ad6489025 looked much more bb42d1403a alive. His richer, 1e55019ed6 more expressive 8c01d7cb20 face supported cc4e711674 that impression. As old 7d4643b7f2 memories resurfaced, 5edb734158 their conversation 3c4be44d61 continued effortlessly.39c266faf29b9ef4

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“Do you even realize how stiff you used to be? You’d barely respond to anything I said, just staring blankly.”fab44b3b6610af2b

Kang I-won eb304b717b let out 844c04d593 an awkward 269c49d5f9 laugh.142c05566399f5db

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“…Back then, I was going through a rough time.”b257df4f369f21a6

“Even so, how could you act like that toward people?” Kim Seok-joo grumbled, his tone light with mock irritation.e435ffcc971566b4

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“And then, to top it all off, you left so suddenly. No goodbye, nothing! Do you know how blindsided I was?”4c31ba7dbdc0a56f

“…Sorry about that,” Kang I-won admitted.b442d4f329f5eac1

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“Why’d you leave like that?”addae2c77e411099

After a f6a901b493 moment of fa4a481a55 hesitation, Kang aa4d140c3e I-won finally a5dddf943c answered.5e8f66546705e842

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“…It was because of the wave. The first breach was at my position.”dcb5ed5f79905cef

During the wave 3edb46c511 incident, the monsters 3e61187242 had broken through 83cb14f12e the spot Kang a470bdffb1 I-won was defending 07b2f2ea49 first. From there, the breaches f24fa5f359 spread, letting monsters pour bd90a3c7ce into the city.6d1d5ee0c053eba8

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At the time, Kang 2705350261 I-won had blamed himself. He thought 4f787cb3d9 it was 5339ea35f1 his fault—that cf62d3368e he wasn’t c50e5f8722 strong enough, 61e33011fa that he’d ebb9c9146a failed to b62e3a2e50 stop them. It was during a 862e0514f0 time when he carried 224c5cfadf all the weight of c64dfbdfb8 the world on his 3371577c13 shoulders.0e4867023c78155c

“I thought it was all because of me…,” Kang I-won said, lowering his gaze and taking a sip of water to mask his unease.e0688b7e34a33254

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Kim Seok-joo 786045c79b let out 200fe3c87b a dry 769b743e8e laugh. What a ridiculous sense 77bc3b5383 of guilt, he thought. Even if Kang I-won 2b07817373 had held that spot, cccb05f9b5 another part of the 3803dfd813 line would have fallen d7722d625c eventually. How could 9d2548f1bf someone be 9a9bd9d9ba this absurdly 2037866f84 self-critical?db49a51e2cce3f3b

“Wow. You really were an idiot back then. I mean, I already knew you were reckless with how you threw yourself around, but this? This is next-level stupidity.”1420b42e67f35532

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“Who are you calling stupid?”d959f161164f9428

“You, obviously,” Kim Seok-joo said, laughing heartily. The old teammate who had once seemed so distant now felt approachable, even friendly.6e2b9526f14d2816

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Their conversation drifted to f0eaf27ccf lighter topics, a natural db80dc5ac6 flow of casual banter. As the last 63b6c5c82a of the dishes ac1311489d were nearly finished, 93d51a1eb0 Kang I-won set 8dbd0cce1d down his chopsticks.548ab5841adf8f32

“I should get going,” he said.4b69b179478abe10

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“What? Why?”5e2f0d3a2856715a

“My ride’s here,” Kang I-won replied simply.d83c375e756e3c0e

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“Who?”a55b5fb097b7c8fb

“My Guide.”f37916d622166f2f

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Kim Seok-joo glanced around but didn’t see anyone resembling Kang I-won’s Guide. He was about to scoff when the door to the restaurant opened, and in walked the very Guide he’d seen earlier. Blinking in surprise, he asked, “How did you know they were here?”51e73e37f2015813

“I’m bonded,” Kang I-won replied matter-of-factly.812ba9c1c596a7c1

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“Well, thanks for the meal,” Kang I-won said as he stood up. He went to thank the restaurant owner, who clasped his hands warmly and insisted that he visit again. Smiling sheepishly, Kang I-won nodded and left with his Guide.a7fa7780144ed156

Kim Seok-joo remained seated, watching them until they disappeared from view. Then, with a chuckle, he muttered to himself, “Hah… he really is like a different person now.”173dad8890c8b7cb

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The Kang I-won he dbe45e2bd5 once knew had vanished, 714c352124 replaced by someone brighter, abd4e468d5 more grounded. The gloom that 7ab2acaa02 had once weighed c7fdc24ed1 him down was 1849cf7b2a gone, and he 6854717840 no longer seemed 80e42f6ad3 like a man 6efaefcbed teetering on the 440c18c16b edge. He could f43e930057 carry a 2b9a5b367c conversation, express e5a83badef himself, and, cf3d9dec2d most importantly, bdc37f0ee5 he had 3fcf45f050 someone by a01309dfcd his side f48e2a2e9b who brought 05f3cd487f him joy.ee675d1a12c09de5

For the month that bb398852fc Kang I-won spent in e439e36582 Gyeongju, that happiness remained 5f25d45e7b constant. He was always with f799888195 his Guide, their connection 218efdabf4 evident to anyone who b26d3253a5 saw them. Sometimes their 252db27a4d public displays d93cab3e3b of affection 352b3b98a9 were over-the-top 81064280de enough to 0f4833a3ee make Kim b2b6ea9e25 Seok-joo roll 08211c7f74 his eyes, c091eb2826 but Kang 9eba204a05 I-won’s bright dfce2852e5 laughter made ac43fa9a3e it hard a3d2b2ff3a not to 916c89ba96 smile along.fe62b75a2dc0d784

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The once precarious 3b4aead098 teammate now stood f1eb7b264c firm, supported by 568423988f a solid foundation.02877b09247a65de

Before long, the month 8a68e58766 flew by, and the 0437ba61d1 day came for Kang 1fd1ab99df I-won to leave. As they exchanged 838a899e48 contact information and d3c91f4ac2 promised to meet fdd820b87e again, Kim Seok-joo 38eb6335bc watched him prepare 70da8a25b9 to go. Then, mustering his courage, b781ce0b66 he called out loudly.ee0aaa50ca7b2fb4

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“Hey! Kang I-won!”c58e47fcb33e6ea3

Startled, Kang I-won 9aef62a893 turned back to 38c44e84be look at him.93bda3008de571ae

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“Thanks for saving my life back then!” Kim Seok-joo shouted.880a547e032dbd3e

The delayed gratitude 1442f2e14d brought a wide, 7fc2a22dbf clear smile to e697df0ee1 Kang I-won’s face. It was a f21c3c1062 smile without any 624c8421bf shadow, bright and 25425b2446 unburdened.c40d13d73f737034

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<Damn My Guide, End of Side Story>376aed4257b1a126

TL/N: Hope you 712a65f13b enjoyed the novel!!f9df8d2c60391b41

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