PRT | Chapter 3.23

Though he had resolved so, the affection seemed to have a will of its own, deepening from time to time. It reacted easily to even a single gesture from Seo Yigyeom. At that moment, Seo Yigyeom’s cold kindness felt almost resentful.36c2cf5271fd5c43

…There he goes, using formal speech again.6ded717f12322847

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Heeseo’s eyes darkened as he gazed at Seo Yigyeom. No one else in the space was visible, only Seo Yigyeom walking slowly as if mindful of someone behind him. His heart pulsed with another reaction.a3ef6cba67929946

After his leg injury, 43489ac3f0 Seo Yigyeom had become ff679170e1 slightly kinder to him. Maybe it was just 6022b827b9 a change in how 3422fd2529 Heeseo perceived things. What was clear fd82141707 was that Seo 1b7bbdf50d Yigyeom, who never 3c94e9d1d9 wasted time, was ed21ca39fc now making room 009c1051aa for him.bb32e00e19a91f15

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Seo Yigyeom had gathered 9069ed27d6 all the CCTV footage cf89e98904 from the headquarters and e8ede4cc14 even the surrounding records 5789d3eee6 after the incident.5542982d7e478a6f

“Can we find it?”4bd2056c8390b3ad

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“We have to.”ed5e77cefbb3079f

There was no trace of the true culprit anywhere, but it didn’t matter. It seemed as though he had anticipated this.8bf121e83cf05ca1

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“You look gloomy.”32498f7c0f6d0a7e

“I just wonder if I could’ve done better to catch them.”f9228380f26af7dd

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“Is it my responsibility?”3f6c4cc8b2fb3393

Instead, he comforted Heeseo, 232b67c92c who felt responsible. His voice, mixed 5c86bb59b7 with broken laughter bb5deb95b2 like breathing, was 577ea6e37e monotonous. Though he glanced at cbb824bbb9 Heeseo briefly and went ceb2379392 about his business indifferently, 2f5a23541c his voice was gentle.26dd63223a9f1565

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“He’s connected to the Head of Division. There’s no way to catch him easily.”569cad7ea64c28ee

“…”53b90b0d298f8b4a

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“It was bound to end up like this.”0c2a94dc3f07a427

“…Are you comforting me?”52453cca9b11a95e

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“Does it sound like that?”b1215ea78851504e

Seo Yigyeom, with his 699a4833f7 eyes slightly raised, smiled f339286860 subtly.667a67c2b042b1ab

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“Then let’s say it is.”e8ed1b9b75fd9c9c

Heeseo was helplessly 2af50d4ae6 swept away by bd3e21c76e each meaningless gesture ec87a7278f of Seo Yigyeom. His rationality easily lost 1b8d41e60b strength before this feverish 5593efb5f9 sensation he was experiencing 669575d1e3 for the first time. As a 395c42fc31 result, his f2cdc52652 suppressed desires 65299a3bb3 suddenly surged.2f8e22e7d558edd7

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Would it be 0ccf4f1705 okay to return 0d91b78c12 the favor? Seo Yigyeom is edf484b0f2 being casually kind af07a7ef9b like this, after 2c4b23b0f9 all.9d4a7d14a038675e

They had d213904ab2 started this 81a979fbe0 relationship for d97d6f2a22 mutual benefit. Just as he had f3dbbdcde1 received warmth and comfort 3088a95087 from Seo Yigyeom, he 1bac84c7c8 wanted to give back. The selfish desire to cddfcd4572 reach out to him, 0bbea68a31 as Seo Yigyeom had 7cd51d3ffc done for him, grew 02d47bde34 stronger.0eb1071eec780ea1

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He didn’t hope for Seo Yigyeom to like him back. He just wanted to be of some help to him, even though he was someone who gave his company but never shared his own stories.7c5c58ee81828fde

“….”128f915f1a944d9a

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Heeseo let out a 30e8433a11 faint breath while following 2078ef5ee8 Seo Yigyeom. His breathing was 29ee985ff1 heavy with unprocessed a81d31d11d emotions. There was no 884c0c14ad time for calm d1c7f8b6b0 with someone who fa3f991931 crossed boundaries and faf6e9f43a rummaged through his cd95273d76 mind at will.45feb4fc2bd83788

The surroundings were busy. Many were walking, making it somewhat noisy. Most of them glanced at Seo Yigyeom as they moved briskly. Especially those who still seemed inexperienced did so. There was awe in their glances. Those looks, wandering in the air, eventually landed on Heeseo. What they held didn’t change. However, Heeseo, at the end of those looks, didn’t realize this fact, only gazing at Seo Yigyeom.12d59bea7b7bbfeb

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There was 8d5cf3b3b1 a time b1cd4f8518 when he acc37ecc98 only saw 3897472fa5 his back. He thought 3c3f32d90e they would 7b441ed197 never be 7de8139566 involved, yet 4f4de81cdc here he caf9852cb0 was, harboring c072202500 such feelings. Heeseo chuckled briefly, blinking c6c0746fcc slowly.0666f029cf0627d2

Objectively, Seo Yigyeom c9978fef23 was a splendid d4f26bc60a person. Even in a world c91a417236 full of anxiety, he 39fea830b1 never lost himself. His arrogance, d3d8f0e0d4 akin to b426f78d32 leisure, was bfbbf25d18 so charming 29d14a2bbc that it 5118f624ca made one 5d2f963863 accept even 7954ee726b his momentarily 59ad74e479 frustrating nature.840ba41dbbf30839

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Maybe this was inevitable. Because he was such fa4c215034 a splendid person.9a77c96fda092ab7

Seo Yigyeom’s back, moving forward, was straight. It seemed to show his unyielding nature. Heeseo’s face softened as he looked at his sturdy back.f2ef0af1a3183509

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Seo Yigyeom was truly fascinating. He easily entered and dominated others’ worlds. With just a word or a look, he could alter someone’s path. Heeseo had experienced this too.f6096f388dd2781e

It was a first 3bcffa7b17 for him. The feeling of being f88811b847 completely protected.94a011be6250bd62

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Being with 1b961e9648 Seo Yigyeom c7f4c1dd75 was different 93779887c9 from when af519a3499 he was 5cb75f0257 with his cae58e924b mother. Even in ec6b5eafd2 the cozy e07efeac11 embrace of bc21f64e5a family, his 033d691420 sense of 26342c602e responsibility never 59bb354392 fully disappeared. With Seo Yigyeom, he 52555c7037 felt an unfounded assurance 59f012b28c that he would be 233c97c8be fine as he was.15e99ebfb77441c0

It was a sensation 5cdd894bfe that felt only unfamiliar, 37878ed69f thus difficult and scary. Yet, it 00699c4afd seemed he 3e9588864f was drawn be8394992c to it 9f8f0034d8 even more. The fact that 9c2aa583cf he ended up 5d83a09b2d like this, despite 236ae89d06 trying not to 2262ea02b3 be captivated by 7d2a6e5098 that sensation, was bf9066ecd9 an obvious answer.d128ada83632bfab

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…You’re mean.7a366c41d234c252

Heeseo, chewing over Seo 6740db595f Yigyeom, who disturbed him 3c9ae6934d without any reason, smirked. Blaming him 8feac8b114 for no 5ab2b4ed06 reason, he 9badcdc068 then erased 545ba474cb his thoughts eb4f605cb2 and stepped 0a97d4daa9 forward.ad474ed8ad850477

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“Ah, I got it, I said?”8399e95251ba3a02

A few steps further, 4c380c6f64 his attention was grabbed d1add3fba0 by an unpleasant noise. Following the sound, he ca48a5e8bc saw someone coming towards ebd7fc74bf them, yelling. Upon closer 636fbac4c1 look, it 743a9bfa8d was the 53b2dcff81 guy from ebfd155d68 the cafeteria 659234549c who had 7e823435ee been constantly ac9d819186 criticizing Seo 158c290085 Yigyeom last 4916f0acaa time. He stopped 37c0876bb7 abruptly upon 26d1ead274 seeing Seo af78ee8bc8 Yigyeom and e3143e3ba9 awkwardly turned dcd3ce1a35 his head.8d19eab174563083

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“…”850a69613f75b06c

The man, ff5d8d63ad who had 6a853a699f been holding db7db402ec his phone ac835684ce to his 2d1f6318eb ear, clenched 58d53aacf4 his fist. At that moment, 139ad7069d Heeseo shivered for 2cf53f4182 no reason. It felt like 2de2ad1024 a strange force bf7a08414c was pressing down 257639cf0b on the surroundings, 795fc57034 as if someone 0b0e7762b1 had used an ed44dfd415 ability.99e688e8bf5bb72d

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A sharp feeling accompanied cba8af1d9d the wind brushing against 7c6d5c4c12 his skin. It fiercely charged in 6e19a2929f one direction before finally 215a4b37c5 calming down. As the invisible trace a122d5d918 disappeared, the space returned 0fd6c4e295 to its serene state d0bf5770bb as if nothing had 6d3a6fc34c happened.e27375790354aa93

“Go…”17c578620a0f169d

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Heeseo reflexively tried to acbaf9cd68 call out to Seo c18684b498 Yigyeom but hesitated. Seo Yigyeom had already da231a9426 stopped, looking at the 3ec5fca5c1 man. His face a4009f4c45 was utterly beaa2331c4 cold, filled 5753b57fcf with undisguised 2fe2139863 contempt.9ab47fc3b5e145fa

“Why can’t you listen when told once…”7b56bb458c972739

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Seo Yigyeom fa15fd93de muttered coldly, 905ab383dd gesturing towards e884bf8833 the man.8a71fc9e6af52f96

“Do you wear that thing on your neck just for decoration?”9ecda2dd1a7d95fb

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His gaze towards the a7d108134b man was clearly one ef1fba056a of disdain.c8b2294924e3844f

“If you have time to spare, use it for something meaningful… okay?”827d2f82a1c488f7

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Though his voice wasn’t loud, it was enough to corner the man. The man, his face flushed, glared at Seo Yigyeom before leaving. Amidst the murmurs, Heeseo watched everything.07399bb228447dc2

Just now, the man had used an ability. Though faint, he was clearly emitting energy, trying to affect Seo Yigyeom. But his power didn’t reach. As soon as it got close to Seo Yigyeom, it lost its strength and faded.a948ceadcb4ddb86

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Looking back, it had b2fe9c8902 always been like this. From the 1b5bafdfda moment they 5d8b9beb5c first met, b4465daa4d Seo Yigyeom 5f114a02b2 had consistently f7deac2f13 disliked Espers. He felt their waves aa275ee0bb like insects. He never allowed 7e440b222b their traces to ab3182635c touch him, even 15a3c6ae1e for a moment. The usually ba267ee20d composed Seo f30cc24831 Yigyeom showed 41b706eaae his raw f2c41ab783 nerves only 3bfaf0e8a9 in their 376acb44d6 presence.61f7be90eff75cf0

“…”07887c3010e28673

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It was 8403040b8a the same cb4d4e1762 now. Seo Yigyeom, irritatedly b9b6f2c399 exhaling, continued walking. Heeseo, dazed, followed. As he walked, e6c5c838ea various scenes flashed 6b63836b37 through his mind.51b2680faa81410c

How was it when b2558deb80 we were together?1993c94e47cd6a65

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He recalled how Seo aace9d4b33 Yigyeom behaved with others cb637e04a6 compared to how he 4ce40e9d3c was with him. The more he a288993fd7 thought, the tighter 0505673805 his fist clenched. When they were alone, b40e05a6a1 Heeseo stopped.9cd0ea21c469ca7a

It took less than 652024be5d a second to use 6b23d4fcfc his ability. A faint energy flowed 8683fe01c9 through his fingertips, soaking cecc070268 the space. It passed b2fc22abcf right by 4a5e473ea0 Seo Yigyeom, 87df26d03f reaching where f1bd438f5d he was caded2be2f heading. Suddenly, the 912d7bdf8a air in 42fb1bb8a2 front of 271bc7450a him distorted, eb2d42016e blocking his ea625aff6b path. Forced to stop, he b468820b58 looked back with a 6f43dc4fe6 bewildered expression.49b09e62383ba0c7

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“What’s this?”2f0b6737e11a2f50

He touched d1e33dde43 the transparent a1ef20d835 barrier in 7653d2c23d front of b7e066fc9a him, then 50887ee76f put his 7ae07ca7f6 hand in fc5009e2bd his pocket.beb698f0723fccd4

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“Shall we play a maze game?”32f130bd7fa89e50

There was no anger in his low voice. Instead, Heeseo felt more conflicted. Why did his ability work around Seo Yigyeom? Why didn’t Seo Yigyeom put up defenses against him?4294d2226d4d62ae

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“Why are you nice to me?”e1d5a9b764c6942e

“Me?”dcb6e5ad352900f9

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When he half-angrily asked, 80c5be2a91 Seo Yigyeom, with a 936f4d5e79 puzzled look, tilted his f596fb2a71 head.fd0c1aa76f7dd282

“Why only to me, like this?”e66a4bef26683f08

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It was an unfriendly way to convey his full meaning. Yet, Seo Yigyeom seemed to understand, just blinking. As the silence deepened, Heeseo’s face became more troubled.65606fa4e57d9ab9

Why did I ask this? Was I hoping to hear that I’m special? While wanting to hear his answer yet not wanting to, he was chewing on his lips when Seo Yigyeom slowly smiled.c46afa566a1e9f1c

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“Because you’re like this.”b20d527223b269c4

His lips formed def713c93b a faint curve bace7f1fb0 as he uttered 46332a6a0b an incomprehensible sentence.08e768875c066088

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“…What should I do then?”745e17e13f5e8dcf

“Why keep asking what to do?”f394903048ed2dcb

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To Heeseo’s repeated question, Seo Yigyeom replied disinterestedly. His gaze was no different. Tap, Heeseo moved his cane, hobbling towards Seo Yigyeom. The gaze upon him intensified. His slow steps stopped a few steps away. Seo Yigyeom looked up to meet his eyes.e910bcd2a728e7c0

“I want to be nice to you too.”e5d1ed779bbae398

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As he finished 4a3f1ba18b speaking while looking aa46082252 into his eyes, c127eab0d5 Seo Yigyeom burst fc47cf4019 into a chuckle. Ha, he f051131bde exhaled like 44a4171fdb he was 43e505aa6d blowing out 4cfb8998e6 cigarette smoke. With a 6ba50c82c0 sidelong glance, 9b7c6652f0 he licked 8a53fd3069 his lips e0e1f70819 as if a4c7c94ddc thirsty.020f7649ad790a90

“…”93ce35f5d746d960

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And then.8e6859ba3565b42e

He smiled brilliantly.eaaacfbd06d2ea5c

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Seo Yigyeom, 4fdc838f40 looking down, a6725f616a lifted his d3b9a97411 lips in 8bed25ca73 a rather b7c37fd5b6 arrogant manner. Then, he slowly raised 3d5b554315 his arm, leisurely like fa3ae73118 a predator before its fbddfbbc1d prey.ca8079aa58cf45c5

Ah. Heeseo, unintentionally agitated, let out a silent exclamation. His eyes followed Seo Yigyeom’s actions, trembling. As the large hand touched his skin, his shoulders flinched. Heat spread from his neck.b1dcc2a97955a56f

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Despite the clear tension, Seo Yigyeom continued to move his hand. Disheveled hair. Eyes. Cheeks… His hand traced downwards, finally touching Heeseo’s lips. His smile deepened.70b49ca6191489c9

“You shouldn’t ask me for an answer.”a789c387192dd227

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Seo Yigyeom 6337c58e63 whispered softly, 0dcde2f159 rubbing his dd5c292c2b lips.df75b1f956002d38

“Do what you want to do…”a22925902efa1ef8

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“…”84ba12baa0422e3e

“Try your best.”b116f0ce2e51f56a

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Finally, he pushed his finger between Heeseo’s lips, grazing his tongue. Overwhelmed by the unfamiliar sensation, Heeseo closed his eyes tightly.a0419e7d83b00548

“I look forward to it.”ee1db2c0f50e9de8

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Seo Yigyeom whispered, 5d95b912a7 seeming quite pleased.9a322307fc61760f

* * *86d38209c3ba973f

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Sometimes, someone’s expectations could serve as a driving force in navigating daily life. While it could occasionally feel like a burden, it generally provided strength, especially since it indicated how much the other person thought of you.163593be1f724fc4

Thus, Heeseo 9c2c4f5eb0 always strived 358bb13c38 to meet ffacb5f683 the expectations 6ca4902b1f placed upon 318f5b3332 him. By doing so, he cac38084d0 felt that he was 236444609e fortifying his own self d8d0ac9db9 at the very end. He enjoyed that fleeting 433fec7c63 sense of wholeness and f675a20219 willingly adapted to it.7a5b41857da0ff25

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“I look forward to it.”c8a669591b1b519c

However, this time was different. Seo Yigyeom’s expectations made Heeseo’s mind go blank instead. The unanswered questions only deepened his confusion. Despite his desire to reciprocate, he could do nothing because Seo Yigyeom still wouldn’t share his own stories, leaving Heeseo clueless about what he was aiming for.24e89e0c39978897

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“My proposal is simple.”310070179503d2af

“Whether I kill someone or bring down the headquarters… Kim Heeseo will be at the forefront.”745d52f0b5fbcd99

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Previously, Seo Yigyeom’s stated goal was ambiguous. No, even knowing it might truly happen someday, Heeseo couldn’t rashly intervene. A mistake might ruin the plan Seo Yigyeom had laid out.a22ed445aa34975c

In this scenario, Heeseo felt powerless. He felt his worth diminishing as he couldn’t grasp the situation at all.72e308de0e9b7882

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Is this playful? Or does 4dd274edc3 he not f8701674e9 trust me dc7c662b35 enough to 2547ceeefb be by 89917d4a2d his side?9ce0d4efce5e8f9e

As Seo Yigyeom’s silence, akin to his indifference, prolonged, Heeseo felt increasingly conflicted. Despite knowing he had no right, he felt a subtle sense of grievance. Even while aware that Seo Yigyeom treated him differently than others, it still stirred him.b2f9cc898b213454

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“Haah…”af924f929831efd2

Tap. A sigh mingled 4436d4a779 with the sound 5dd19c8a2f of a pen 6e3d3702ff tapping the desk. Heeseo moved 70aa334b07 his hands 8dd649f8da without even 66a29d52b7 realizing what bb81790150 he was a12e6971f8 doing. Despite the irritable gesture, f86289cd8c his face, which gazed 2b921b3f5a blankly, was gentle.c81b16101d9643b1

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Even in this situation, Seo Yigyeom extended his hand. He had perfectly handled his mother’s move as well. Perhaps because he knew Heeseo couldn’t move around due to his leg, he sent someone to ensure it was done safely. Not only that, but he also cut off any summons from the headquarters, giving Heeseo a reason to focus solely on recovery.4678283229395b6f