PRT | Chapter 3.1

The person I’m looking for?

Kim Heeseo’s fingertips trembled as he slowly repeated the words. The color of his eyes scanning the air faded. For a moment, even his breath stopped, and all thought processes halted. The fear that overwhelmed him so suddenly made all his previous endurance seem pointless.

“That…”

The words couldn’t come out fully. Only a suppressed sound escaped as if his throat was being choked.

He found him…

A breath close to a groan escaped him. Biting his lip, Kim Heeseo staggered to his feet. The papers on the floor were stepped on. His eyes, clouded and shaking, looked at the crumpled papers.

It wasn’t just the paper that was wearing out each time he scanned the documents. His heart was getting hurt as he couldn’t find even a single clue. In moments that felt like an eternity, he sometimes doubted and blamed himself.

I should be able to find him. But what if I can never catch him? What if the moment comes when no one listens to me? Even when caught by formless anxiety, he regained his strength with the thin thread of reason.

Those were the days he desperately searched for the culprit who pushed him to the cliff, determined to clear his name…

― Breathe.

A voice that brought back his composure crept into his ears.

― I can’t be 100% sure. Even if I approach it as reliable information, there’s a limit to what I can do.

So… The voice, stretched out as if adding to the night, echoed.

― Kim Heeseo needs to confirm it.

Kim Heeseo, standing there blankly, just nodded his head mechanically. He knew the person on the other end of the phone couldn’t see, yet he kept nodding.

― I’ll wait, so come down.

“I’ll be there… right away.”

The call ended quickly. The hand holding the phone fell limply. Kim Heeseo stared into space with wide eyes. He bit his lip hard, fearing it might drop from his face.

It took him several seconds to move. Slapping his cheek hard, ‘Smack!’, he rushed to change his clothes and headed towards the entrance.

This was the news he had longed for. There was no time to waste. Where was the luxury to stand and tremble like an idiot? With eyes that seemed to have tears forming, Kim Heeseo stepped out of the door.

The dark corridor lit up with his steps. His footsteps were impatient, creating an atmosphere that could make anyone anxious. Without realizing it, Kim Heeseo ran like mad.

Outside the building, it was dark and eerie. Even though he had put on more clothes, his body trembled. Yet, he could move his legs thanks to Seo Yigyeom. The promise of waiting seemed like an assurance that everything would be okay.

“Guide-nim!”

Spotting Seo Yigyeom, Kim Heeseo ran with all his might. It wasn’t a conscious act. His body moved the moment he saw Seo Yigyeom leaning against a car, smoking.

Seo Yigyeom moved the cigarette between his fingers, watching Kim Heeseo. The fragmented spark burned in the air before vanishing. Unlike the fleeting flame, his gaze lingered on Kim Heeseo without any sign of fading.

“Have you lost your sense of season, or did you just listen with one ear…?”

His voice, carried by the night air, clearly showed his displeasure.

“Should I teach you how to dress properly first?”

“I’m not cold.”

“Yet you’re shivering like this.”

While Seo Yigyeom extinguished his cigarette and crushed it, Kim Heeseo just clenched and unclenched his fists. Seo Yigyeom’s intense gaze stayed on Kim Heeseo’s eyes before moving away.

“Guide-nim, I…”

“Let’s get in first.”

Without even a jacket over his suit, Seo Yigyeom got into the driver’s seat first. Kim Heeseo hurried into the car, which was warm from the heater.

Seo Yigyeom started the car without further words. Kim Heeseo only gripped the seatbelt tightly, his mind tangled as he plunged into the road shrouded in darkness, unsure of what to ask first.

Did they really find him? Where, how? And if it’s him, what should I do next?

…What if it’s not him?

His trembling fingertips gained strength. He wasn’t sure if he could think clearly.

If Seo Yigyeom’s silence was a question, Kim Heeseo’s was anxiety. The uncontained emotions filled the gaps. At this moment, Kim Heeseo was just a twenty-three-year-old, not fully matured adult. His effort to act like he was fine was transparent to Seo Yigyeom. The silence was an answer to that.

“…”

Kim Heeseo realized something odd after they entered the highway. His head, which had been prickling from the intense stimulation, felt better now. Breathing in the quiet space, he glanced at Seo Yigyeom.

Did he… guide me?

His heightened senses immediately connected to the waves. He had heard that amplifying waves could be dangerous enough to take an Esper’s life. Knowing this, he had pushed himself to the limit.

“Thank you.”

Moving his lips, Kim Heeseo chose to break the silence with gratitude. Between Seo Yigyeom and himself, they were only exchanging what was necessary. So, he shouldn’t rely on him with this anxiety. He whispered to himself, reminding himself.

Seo Yigyeom responded only with a quick glance at Kim Heeseo. There were emotions in that glance that Kim Heeseo couldn’t read. Turning back to face the front, Seo Yigyeom tapped the steering wheel and spoke.

“It’s an A-rank pyrokinesis with a criminal record.”

It seems like we’ve caught a tail.

That was the first thing the man who had contacted him in the afternoon said. Among the unregistered individuals spread across the country, there was a certain network established. Having many eyes and ears meant news spread quickly. The man knew how to make use of the environment Seo Yigyeom had set up.

“The day Kim Heeseo came to find me, traces were found near the headquarters. It seems he crept into this area recently.”

Seo Yigyeom, sensing that this wouldn’t be a good sign, had thoroughly searched from the bottom up. Among many crossed-out names, he filtered out those who had even the slightest connection to the headquarters.

― There’s video footage, but we can’t pinpoint the exact location yet. Should we stop?

‘It seems better to keep looking rather than ask that.’

― Yeah. Actually, I’m already on it, but I asked just in case you changed your mind. To wrap this up if you did.

Seo Yigyeom paused when the man responded. Change his mind? Not at all. All the effort put in was worth it, not a single penny wasted. He realized this only after the man subtly hinted at it.

‘Use everyone you can.’

Seo Yigyeom ended the call before the man could finish his sentence. Strangely, there was a bitter taste in his mouth. What came to mind was Kim Heeseo, whom he had last seen before leaving the room.

“…How did you find him?”

“I told them to look, and they did.”

“Was it Moon Jung-o Esper-nim?”

“No, someone else.”

Seo Yigyeom handed his phone to Kim Heeseo with a casual reply. On the screen was a low-quality video. In it, a man wearing a hat was captured. It seemed to be a profile from a distance.

Kim Heeseo stared at the screen, gripping the phone tightly. His pale eyes anxiously scanned the image. He wanted to stay calm, but he couldn’t help but shake visibly.

Could this really be the culprit? But he didn’t even know what the man looked like.

His heart was in turmoil. Even if he met him, could he be sure this was the perpetrator?

“I can’t confirm from just a photo…”

“Did you commit the crime?”

When Kim Heeseo quietly answered while looking at the man on the screen, Seo Yigyeom immediately retorted. He continued speaking without shifting his gaze.

“You seem to have misunderstood something. In the end, only Kim Heeseo holds the answer.”

“…”

“Even if what you have is insignificant, you need to know how to use it.”

All Kim Heeseo knew was the scent that enveloped the perpetrator. All he had while clinging to the search was just that. It was pathetically little.

“Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Seo Yigyeom spoke as if he knew him.

“I’m saying I don’t know if you’re wrong.”

His low voice was indifferent yet strangely kind.

“This is just about increasing and narrowing down possibilities. There’s no need to be disappointed or discouraged at each step.”

Kim Heeseo just blankly stared at Seo Yigyeom.

“Don’t get swayed. You won’t last long.”

Was that chiding or encouragement? Without an answer to that question, Kim Heeseo just nodded. Meanwhile, his anxiety faded, and an itchiness grew inside his chest.

Don’t get confused. Seo Yigyeom only acted out of necessity. Don’t get used to it. Stay sharp. Thinking this, yet his fingertips softened because of Seo Yigyeom’s unexpected kindness.

“I won’t be wrong.”

Thus, Kim Heeseo answered a beat late, turning his head to the window. Instead of defining the indescribable feeling, he buried it deep within.

“I’m confident in enduring… I’ll do that too. So, don’t worry.”

As he murmured quietly, Seo Yigyeom’s gaze fell upon him, though Kim Heeseo didn’t notice.

As the dawn deepened, white snow began to fall. Like the silent accumulating snow, emotions reflecting his heart piled up in Kim Heeseo’s eyes.

The snow grew thicker. By the time they neared their destination, the world was blanketed in white. The car couldn’t find its usual speed. Kim Heeseo fixed his gaze outside, greeting the dusky sky.

The bad weather slowed them down, but it also eased his trembling. The silence pressing down on him allowed time to organize his thoughts and calm his heart.

During that time, Kim Heeseo cleared his mind of budding doubts. He left behind the suspicion and anxiety that consumed him, regaining his composure. As Seo Yigyeom had said, he couldn’t afford to react with every heartbeat.

Perhaps he needed to look further ahead than expected. Reminding himself of this, Kim Heeseo steadied his resolve. He didn’t think of it as false hope. At this point, being able to grasp even a small clue, whatever the reason, made him more grateful to Seo Yigyeom.

Even if what lies at the end of the road is meager, don’t be disappointed. That was his conclusion after overcoming the long night.

“Did they pave the road with shit…?”

Thud, as the car shook, Seo Yigyeom muttered. His voice was lower and slower than usual, creating an atmosphere of relaxed indifference.

Kim Heeseo’s gaze, which had been fixed on the passing bushes, turned to Seo Yigyeom. His eyes scanning Seo Yigyeom’s face were cautious yet bold.

How can someone look like that even after staying up all night…

Kim Heeseo inwardly admired Seo Yigyeom’s appearance, only blinking his eyes. Facing forward as if bored, Seo Yigyeom didn’t lose his presence even in the dim light, as if drawn with a different pen.

For hours, Seo Yigyeom didn’t let go of the steering wheel.

‘Are you not tired? Should I drive?’

‘Do you want to spend more time with me?’

‘What?’

‘There’s still a lot left for me to do before I die.’

‘I’m pretty good at driving in the snow.’

‘With that confidence… your lifespan might not be that long.’