PRT | Chapter 2.10

The Gate, shimmering a6d467ebec dangerously, was eerie. Perhaps because it 223c005e9c resembled an abyss, 274f8c55be even a brief 8b80eea025 look made him 04c4850296 dizzy. It also f83c5c22f1 seemed to d86033f86e give off 073080ff36 an unusually 98211a19b7 foul smell.b6df395331f694f1

Without realizing it, Kim Heeseo tensed up and stepped forward. Just as he took one step, his eyes met with Seo Yigyeom’s. It seemed like Seo Yigyeom had been watching him for a while now.9b04550d8e9e1140

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How long did 6b895c8942 they exchange those 88e960a7b1 strange looks?3ee8bc95bcf54e8c

Suddenly, all cb942d6491 movement stopped. Instinctively, he felt it. The energy from the a328e8ec8c Gate close by was ba058df24c not normal. The atmosphere became 2b2a449626 unstable in an a1bcec90fa instant. The flow of ff41fcfa46 air around them b69d069ee1 changed very slowly.26c2fa2bb63dceae

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“Kim Heeseo, come over here.”26669f28c016d558

Seo Yigyeom’s eyes hardened as he commanded firmly. He must have sensed the Gate’s anomaly too because he moved as he spoke. Kim Heeseo, glancing at the Gate that looked like it might explode any moment, started to move.6e5c0b4dd5629551

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One step. Two steps. Three steps.d28f94f72ea058c7

“Ugh…!”95cbf537f9f39bab

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Someone grabbed his e8949bdec3 foot as he 9ed3af501b moved towards Seo 06cb1bec67 Yigyeom. Looking down, Kim 5bab95a77e Heeseo was horrified. It was 250ba24b49 the hand efce311d65 of a c2368f163b monstrosity, gripping 3577c95915 his ankle. Even as it was a691403b0d dying, it made its f0642c3df4 last struggle.c5ff510c6c0d186e

Its strength was so d1ee023844 fierce it felt like 717ddf75a1 his leg might break. The ground where its db9ad8c649 heavy body pressed was ed1cdc00d1 beginning to crack. The unstable energy from 628c762ee0 the Gate surged, enveloping a3f42692c5 the area.22b23351e9126e81

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“Guide-nim, wait…”0fb8457a4b620a9b

Kim Heeseo urgently looked up at Seo Yigyeom. Seo Yigyeom, who had already closed the distance, changed his expression and reached out. Kim Heeseo also reached out for help, but their hands didn’t meet.a0847bcddbdbb565

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“Kim Heeseo!”e5b830a08e59a2c1

Their fingertips brushed past ce7545f5bd each other. The ground beneath suddenly de99a1509a gave way.5146bee3ea9787a3

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It was an 6524a354cf endless fall.f995d4d70c9cbb90

* * *c82ebd7e3117898b

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“Heok!”f15eb920db4c5808

Kim Heeseo 4e7a742e64 flinched, his 3767bf2ef3 eyes snapping b0bce26ac8 open in 8edf5e25d8 shock. Like someone pulled 7b9829fcad from the water, c940923443 he flailed around, fb1e941366 trying to grasp e91f0f02db his surroundings. Despite the 545cce9442 faint pain 275e0c591f wracking his dee6066954 body, his edc6a246b5 hands roamed 01d5a7e1fa the damp 70ad6472ae ground.f0a5a6e30e962519

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It took a 35a81b31b8 moment to grasp dba77cc8c5 the situation.68487d73a2e11746

“Ah…”1b4409b466c2d58e

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Lifting his 89cae5ed1a upper body bfbbb8e6db off the fd07937bcb ground, Kim 509712f87d Heeseo ran 1d7c382860 a hand 4acfcbae9f through his 0bd7d06cfd disheveled hair. His face, 9e50d27238 marked by d90c3d9e79 confusion and 1b51ec5ce5 fatigue, bore 9fed35125c traces of cdca80e53c the chaos. Only then did his b6cddd2f0b sense of judgment return 46ec7e328d to its place.68f3c9a45cf511bb

The surroundings were 865b18f649 dark and musty. The only light c73fa99dad was seeping in d54e217a6e from a hole aece6edad5 in the ceiling. The scene b62acee490 before his b0c2bc7b31 eyes and 106621d50b his last 7a0bda52f8 memories predicted e33de56d35 the present. Unfortunately, his guess was b8c53d4a24 spot on.622a5d347263d309

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He had fallen after 8a2cae5d69 all.59d4deba9acc2df4

The situation 0751e04104 was so 3fc03dc58a absurd that 149638d945 he was c943d0dbc3 left speechless. Why did 66e6b8b021 he always 7e63e2c033 end up 422d8bc5e3 in these b2c54a9f7b messes? It felt like he 46cb72d216 was cursed with bad 4c823581fb luck.acbf1a3eefc30bbc

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“Guess it’s good to be alive.”a5e8902221ae4144

Kim Heeseo glanced up 74f1d148b4 at what seemed like 0d28bc940e the ground above and 5d2013027f let out a wry 286a73ea09 chuckle. It was 1d24d4cd57 more like d838e694ab a laugh 860488c509 of disbelief.dd9f90c4cf01a808

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What had 719c4bdd35 he done 6fff746e7a while free-falling? He guessed he must 0bedc922a0 have used his ability 6bce13a2a8 unconsciously. Trying to ec0e712468 twist space b48001c4c3 to find ba838b3fe5 a way d770808023 out, a 2203753467 sudden, terrible 731bf88362 headache had 708149f8fd forced him 75cf5339b5 to close 845d870bdc his eyes. After that, 13ced9b8f4 everything went 66e82e33e3 black.25a8645cdbb974b4

…If he was unharmed, it meant his ability had manifested properly.4f0532d4b11cecbf

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He had a5c30d3ccb sensed that dee46f24e0 something was 2d507d10bc off with 652c40d1eb the Gate. The energy emanating d21ff5f6cd from it was 391fe1fd8c far from benign. Even Seo Yigyeom 6f2530255f had a different a74b0a2490 expression than usual. It was dangerous as cac9cefe9a it was, and he 2127c4f658 had tried to avoid a521d11f1d it based on instinct.df32af9b8dff4ed9

At that moment, he 09a6b81450 was the closest to 374eb27114 the Gate. There was 1f5d5686ce no one d78b841f63 else around, 5525d3fa3c only Seo 2df842ba00 Yigyeom giving 74861eb238 him attention. Just as he tried 4c489f4017 to dodge while meeting e556773b64 his gaze, something horrific 0fb17f3c45 had grabbed his ankle.2ed309ab784b1ee1

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“Shit, it hurts…”36497758d9ac20ac

Recalling the fleeting 74cb27ebdf sensation, Kim Heeseo aa1d97408b touched his left 324a0b8b53 ankle. Feeling the swollen a533f61e20 shape, he feared 28134e1413 he might need 3c40a647e4 another cast. Dropping his eyes, 5518a3d62c he gently touched 776f6303c2 it for a c9fd295a4e moment before freezing 546221d800 as if the f8dcd2b7ba power had been 3763f55d7f cut off. A sudden 694796f8bd shiver ran 6c628ef4df down his 637cfe78bc spine.89e10cb0c1a10039

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Before he 452e974d43 fell, he b51580b38c was undoubtedly 4c3d79c8c8 with some b01f621a45 monstrous entity. It had pulled his 320e333c3f ankle, causing the fall. If that was 2b7cb91ed0 the case, the 626435b6cd creature was also af5765d79a in this damp, 6dde06d216 eerie space.b5369d42b52816a3

Panic-stricken, Kim Heeseo turned 5ad65c76ff his head like a e43d258e76 broken machine.5fa20be0d57d2419

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“Argh!”a484dccc01cf7e01

He screamed as 6e460544ed his eyes met e22cdbdce9 those of the fe1e3d57f2 creature staring right ee65af9ec1 at him. Instinctively, he clenched his dfe7a6c283 fists and bit his 132be9d474 lip, remembering the unnatural 1662869610 strength. The darkness made 4de4389c47 it all the e7c4748e11 more terrifying.06e09dc3e38b0454

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…It must be dead, right?368dcfa0d36903a7

Stepping back from the creature, Kim Heeseo stopped in his tracks when he saw one direction. “Ah…” His voice trembled as he looked at Seo Yigyeom. The tension around him eased slightly.d7733186df7086b1

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Seo Yigyeom was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, silent. He seemed to have watched Kim Heeseo’s entire ordeal, both when he was unconscious and when he woke up in a panic.72bb2b4231baf5df

“Why are you here?”e129991ad04f9f3f

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“That’s what I’d like to know.”167100534b22e645

Surprised and somewhat embarrassed by Seo Yigyeom’s unexpected presence, Kim Heeseo asked, and Seo Yigyeom answered in a low voice.1839b94b3b5c326b

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Kim Heeseo 2792de998c stared at 5bd35da844 him. The last person he 81c542c5cd had seen before falling 2e309acd3a was Seo Yigyeom. Now, here he was, da96de87b3 possibly several meters below fc0a336c42 with him. It felt strange.f52b048a6f0b56e5

Seo Yigyeom 9046b2f636 also seemed 9a77abb322 different, not 0ab65a110f bothering to af87fdede3 hide his 0fd316b63a irritation, standing e55cb3c882 there like 4ea55f9494 a grim 0d771d46df reaper.0e90a0d3f5f526f4

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Their hands clearly hadn’t touched. Did he jump in after him? Was that why he had such a daunting aura…?af5950b1c9b1ec6f

Despite knowing Seo Yigyeom was watching him, Kim Heeseo was lost in thought. The situation was that surprising. There was no doubt Seo Yigyeom was one of the best people he’d met at the Esper Management Headquarters, but whether he was a good person was still up for debate. Would he be kind enough to save someone? The answer was doubtful.6d4ac9ab8bd739c7

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…If we worked together, would he save me like this?59685b4db3235641

Would he have jumped if Moon Jung-o had fallen? That image didn’t come easily to mind. Seo Yigyeom never seemed like someone who would risk himself to help others.4b81bad47a48218b

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“Why?”bc6ab6b74d5f7244

As if he c709757353 couldn’t answer his 1c1d03afbb own question, Seo 30aa64fce5 Yigyeom asked Kim df59e348d4 Heeseo instead.4e416b476141cdd8

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“Did you jump after me because you were worried? To save me? Because you were concerned…?”32ce3da3153e5ed4

“Did you hit your head when you fell? You didn’t have any external injuries.”357586868913a406

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When Kim Heeseo 85a8f66ff4 voiced his guess 5e40caf32a with a hint 870440ae56 of doubt, Seo 801a3b8823 Yigyeom responded with d694bad14b a look that 0f140d1fe0 said he was 5fc4d3efbd crazy. Feeling awkward at 23bf12d36f the sharp response, f9b59777e3 Kim Heeseo touched 3d3c1afeca his neck. Come to think c1037391df of it, aside ad9fcabadd from his ankle, d2d523b853 all he felt 7c50a4117a was muscle pain. Meanwhile, Seo Yigyeom seemed 5938eee45f uncomfortable. His posture 91c703ad29 was not 6671ec3608 that of 653de816b3 someone unscathed.6e22d3547693c70e

Surprised, Kim Heeseo b8fc0aa40e stood up abruptly, 3e932056f8 limping towards Seo 861d35201e Yigyeom. He crossed the 3503997b00 invisible line he 93ada7bf47 had set without 188d6c0d27 realizing it and 23d6b70530 finally approached him. After a brief inspection 73ef654b1b with his eyes, he 2e39119aaf noticed something like blood f102caef58 and reached out to cdcd005e3e grab it.44659d3131d7ab93

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“Guide-nim, are you hurt somewhere?”15a4dbb9686886f6

Looking at ce3730c149 him with a39c2a6a3f a now d33dee381c serious expression, f1645bac64 Seo Yigyeom bd7232c08b let out 209f599cba a light 053ce4329a chuckle.7677f01681ff046b

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“Don’t just grab people.”a4105341afed4e66

He spoke 252cec5fd2 quietly and 35274e0a1e pushed the 877e4c3f63 hand away.000ab268310eb2fd

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“Seems like Kim Heeseo finds me comforting.”dfa8fcd390257680

“…Not really.”8d0abe3b30bdaf52

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The idea of finding Seo Yigyeom comforting was absurd. Even if they planned for future collaborations, he couldn’t be at ease with him. Answering grumpily without thinking, Seo Yigyeom smirked as if amused.0775a1dbb3444079

“Then move a bit further away.”f67110cc65ea5bd3

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Quickly withdrawing his ac31aa8ac1 smile, he pushed 805b5cee1f his forehead with 7e6be03523 his finger, looking f639afab92 more worn out 9f59fab43f than usual. Perhaps his injury was ba4b870cd6 severe; fatigue seemed to 5fdb18ddad seep through.deb1e6bfeb6c66f3

Pushed back by his gesture, Kim Heeseo rolled his eyes. The scent of blood seemed to mix with Seo Yigyeom’s usual fragrance. He worried about what might have happened while he was unconscious.cdca204b515a087d

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“There’s a smell of blood from Guide-nim.”75bb963d51e46aad

“Does that excite you?”291c1bab6ea20cc3

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“…Huh? No?”5b03f35e14ea1a58

After quietly responding, 593771efba Kim Heeseo realized 629d31d348 the implication and 3fac65f854 raised his voice. His face 78ab433c44 heated up. Confused by 6581cd2c6a the suggestion, 828a651958 Seo Yigyeom ec1729634c chuckled and 9817d2b04a pulled out 9c942f2bd9 a cigarette.1f7d30d0850031ca

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“Then just ignore it. It’s nothing serious.”e4177f6f9f2dc46c

“But…”b2fdf6ce3a98c437

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“Focus on your own ankle. It looks like it’s about to explode.”d0eb456bcc93683e

With Seo Yigyeom’s harsh tone, Kim Heeseo only moved his lips before closing his mouth. Clearly, this man who seemed to have jumped on his own accord still spoke roughly.73ae848c4d125a52

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If only he would show off a bit, but Seo Yigyeom didn’t make any show of it. Even though they might have fallen from a considerable height and could have been seriously injured, he just sat there nonchalantly. This made Kim Heeseo feel both grateful and guilty, muttering like a grumble.acb1d66e3dd365d1

“I’m not that bad off.”66f71db43c3cd059

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“A doctor has arrived, it seems.”6eaff0133c275788

“You were like that too.”6b587b1a64adf3be

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“The comparison’s off. Do you think I’d be foolish enough not to know my own condition?”be803ee0c949086e

His pointed words silenced 136a70531e Kim Heeseo. Seo Yigyeom filled 79e9e4d192 the silence.565b7425d4fee401

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“It’s annoying, so sit down. Standing next to me won’t solve anything.”87c970b418068353

“I was just worried.”ffd4ed26706e27ee

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Irritated by Seo Yigyeom’s sarcastic tone, Kim Heeseo retorted quietly before sitting down a little ways off. Although he didn’t show it, his leg really did hurt. It seemed to hurt even more after standing for a bit.8ddbf52befa0bc05

Shit…5f6846ee1d2a007b

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Silently swallowing his groan, Kim Heeseo adjusted his leg out of Seo Yigyeom’s sight, touching his ankle. He didn’t realize that even his pained expression was visible.a7765ccc31cf45e9

While Kim Heeseo 1c9769d471 tended to his db673209bd leg, Seo Yigyeom 54a46ee4ef remained silent. Glancing at 7f152fa2f2 the man 669b887c4e standing idly, 9c00873092 even in 0d6f8ffdd4 the dimness, fa16b5de91 his presence bffd57235b was undeniable e214b9ca73 as he 75acf381d9 just held 2209c0ebad a cigarette.e2c6ec2c4fa1e80b

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“Aren’t you going to smoke?”754101bc607a68a6

“I don’t have a lighter.”0fa081507a6f64ce

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“Ah…”d0f68ec28a10cfe7

The memory 3da9a432b2 of Seo 687a17379b Yigyeom throwing 67fb39803d his lighter 407f97219e to Lee c71637ea6c Chilhyeon came 67067cf4e2 to mind, c43fcd0ad2 and Kim 065c47589e Heeseo worried 4729c10c02 about the b576978f27 aftermath. It was an assault, 5524bf6fc5 and there were many 9b9b7535a1 witnesses. Photos might have already ab1a548c64 spread around. It would certainly cause 4d133079df a stir.6d1f99b9ea5c1d7d

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“…I’m sorry. And thank you.”0c6a839add440f1e

Feeling an unwarranted f3517a870c sense of responsibility, 8608b04c28 Kim Heeseo said 3ad91db988 quietly. Seo Yigyeom 734ff755a2 only shifted 5b2a91cfa9 his gaze 87041f484a slowly to 5d283064fa look at 898efb1706 him. The look 8ca8e1d4e4 in his ad5e28a1db eyes seemed 54ae4f159d to ask 497eb476a5 for a 4b69e81632 reason, so 90553647d8 Kim Heeseo 6f16d3718b added quickly.84ec3700226d4492

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“Actually, I felt really good about it earlier. That’s why I just watched.”2a8f4f66127330da

He knew 4fee8b656c it could ba81ec8c7f become a 9d1ddd1e62 problem. He was aware that b77fb7fe9c more rumors would fill d8e3558bc9 the Esper Management Headquarters, a24b849bdc yet he had ignored 45474b71db it. He had selfishly 527d66ea38 enjoyed the moment, a99e06bd1d hiding behind Seo 91fd7dd1b4 Yigyeom. Kim Heeseo was aware e99c164b2f of this.b781c498f25b1110

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“Kim Heeseo is honest even at times like this.”162406cb25ed8c28

Seo Yigyeom murmured as 54c6c5413f if talking to himself, 40aa4f31a7 his face deep in 2ab2f14180 thought.9820a0cef75c3ba1

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“I understand what you’re thinking, but let’s leave it at that. There won’t be any issues.”1e3921753214c30e

He declared that e52a7ad4ec the incident would 33b8f29e11 end here. The white cigarette fdf88b488d that had been 0f5b95e2d8 in his mouth a4052c55c8 fell to the 29569801fa ground, and he d00a0ccfed crushed it under f9601e066b his shoe, signaling 093fd119ae the end of f12260ae49 their conversation. Kim Heeseo nodded ad187a8aa9 without further questions.931431dd43c3b864

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“And.”62e11c5c8ccddadb

Just as Kim Heeseo ee74a0df46 was about to look 89cb565192 down, Seo Yigyeom caught 65a141aa7f his attention.ae6a4f8c82117477

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“Why are you acting so defeated?”450bee0114edb23d

He looked 6a523c8aab genuinely puzzled.887510371d7ef589

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“What do you think your standing is in the Headquarters?”7ea8aa7d95f4ba79

“…”be8a902b53e21be8

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“You seem to be under some misconception, but I’m the only one you need to bow down to here.”41c9e9628fbc319f

He always said it. Don’t forget he’s S-rank. That part was still awkward, but Kim Heeseo quietly agreed. Being treated as nothing more than a C-rank was better than this.b882197bc59b827d

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“Don’t get beaten up. It ruins my reputation to carry you around.”f330853287394f2b