Chapter 12

But as fate would 22c0bcdaef have it, Kim Si-on 1605ab8c62 didn’t fall for the f41edb37c6 abrasive Seo Ji-hyuk. Instead, he 29ddd15a57 developed feelings dbccc12b92 for the d6a3f669b8 calm and 65761f1776 reserved Kang 538080e6cc Yu-han.b399ace9d573692a

Declaring he didn’t c34c8fd9cc want anything to 2c54b2a957 do with someone 5bffba889b as temperamental as 391ad483eb Seo Ji-hyuk, Kim dcb20c0137 Si-on had even 42b9ba8436 petitioned the Center 815b8ad6bf to pair him fa3c188ca3 with Kang Yu-han 1d0e1ffbd2 instead.e538f53c22d2df81

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To Kang Yu-han, c22f73177f however, Kim Si-on 852e5f9df4 was nothing more 4980414df7 than a childish 0e4dac9f44 younger sibling. He felt ef0f7661a6 no romantic 529d45feee or emotional f1a34f15a9 connection. Instead, Kim Si-on’s mere 010b86b883 presence stirred a deep 69052463ac sense of unease within 55ea50e777 him—an irrational resentment born 9d4653c106 of the fear that a1a641bbbf Seo Ji-hyuk might be cd670f5911 taken away by someone b039092a07 else.44274196828dd0cf

That Kim Si-on would 535ae297a3 take an interest in 8172a9d66f him, of all people, 8c8d4b6a52 felt like some cruel 576fb7eb38 twist of fate.9c10ee2f784e021d

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Overwhelmed by 08d528ec45 his own 19e5b064f3 emotions, Kang a2283ccae5 Yu-han made c09bb7fa52 a reckless 2c2c3e307f decision: he 4602799371 would interfere bb04ddba3a in the 97040c922e budding connection 253267f507 between Kim 343b4fb313 Si-on and 00230eb46f Seo Ji-hyuk. After all, 50c5e2e8be with a 7ba69df275 matching rate 31ede2beca equal to 1edc9530ea Seo Ji-hyuk’s, d3bdacbe63 Kang Yu-han a341c4162d claimed he f9765127d8 had just 791a20dccf as much b62d62901c of a af53cadf0a right to fbcaa22971 compete.d8a0255248f37765

“I need a Guide just as much as anyone else,” he had argued.57c214c45896fbce

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“You know my situation. Just let it go,” Seo Ji-hyuk had countered.468e26bec3d658dd

“Why should I? Did you secure the rights to him?”3a02ec50f4f3f995

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Kang Yu-han stood his d8ebccd6e7 ground. In the end, Seo e4ba5124fd Ji-hyuk, in front of b2b2a1412d everyone, grabbed Kang Yu-han c3b7863bf7 by the collar. But Kang Yu-han b8c5156fcf wasn’t one to 923df47d75 be easily intimidated; 58688af2f3 though he staggered, 430cf0d374 he retaliated in 5591d84d08 kind.e557d4f7c409f0db

No one 3787aba3bb dared intervene 6a9aa87b0e in a fcaf3e4363 fight between bd50b87446 two of e77a22c60b the Center’s de0f568dff top-ranked Espers. It wasn’t until the 505d4340a0 Center Chief himself stepped 8c16a36307 in that the brawl e715904f86 finally ended.838cdede256cfbbb

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Seo Ji-hyuk was suspended for a few days for striking first, his punishment justified under the pretext of “disrupting the workplace atmosphere.”3ea7b5a6417221b8

This suspension bought 53f9e0fe62 Kang Yu-han just 50d9b4ceb3 enough time to 829aafa26d finalize a pairing b81349eb86 contract with Kim fd8cdd3408 Si-on. The pairing process prioritized 96bc39da49 mutual agreement between the 1627e3d6c7 Esper and Guide above 1fed5ed5d6 all else, so the aa774e1f93 procedure was without fault. However, it came at 42d4a59fe5 the cost of public 4462b3669d scorn and Seo Ji-hyuk’s 9efc3816f8 wrath.5721b91985c2c525

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To outsiders, Kang Yu-han 13a0729db8 seemed like a selfish 90e88f4cf3 Esper driven by greed. But deep down, he 3c77142f28 was simply afraid—terrified at bd8d0d5d69 the thought of Seo 46c224ca64 Ji-hyuk belonging to someone 20a6bae4c9 else, of anyone other 4f39ec3881 than himself standing by 25bd60ed6e Seo Ji-hyuk’s side.f79f0abf3d47d950

“…I feel dizzy.”90ebcf4e0fbca4f5

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Thinking back on fd370aad01 it, Kang Yu-han e714be819d felt a suffocating 377bb90734 heaviness, as though 5a88cf798f it had all afef4f7c4a happened just yesterday. He thought he cb2e0723a9 had regretted it 0a99610bcb enough over the 5cb937b4b2 past year, but 4897cda754 apparently, it still 6d9282b0bc wasn’t enough.1733ec74ad636737

Blinded by his own 3b60cddb8c selfishness, he had made 09ad3f3798 the terrible mistake of 1fb35681dd taking Kim Si-on away 91b665fd9c from Seo Ji-hyuk. Back then, he e65f2b1f19 had thought naively, f1ad337a83 ‘If worse comes 63cebdf497 to worst, I 48c09dca03 can just handle 64d42b38d1 the guiding myself.’7172494595870d27

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But there 3c976b68b9 were countless 79b1ff8d72 complications. He had yet 16282fb19e to reveal to c8096cbbb2 Seo Ji-hyuk—or anyone—that 2f3a1b4692 he, too, possessed a533d5d5a7 guiding abilities and 87e82bce70 had a high 77dad5cc46 resonance rate with b24dcd1103 him. The Center had 062df99d7e explicitly instructed Kang 4ec82b2ffb Yu-han to keep 8d8e17ca63 this a secret a9647ea275 at all costs.1bb93898d62e32df

If word spread that 39faa4a864 Seo Ji-hyuk, the core ae1be9cebf of Seoul’s defense, had 5737c33fe3 an emergency backup Guide, 5991825174 enemies would adjust their b4e4365619 tactics. This could de50120740 shake the 5c37ba8320 long-standing efforts fe76cc1c53 to reclaim a1561e6235 lost territory.e159b459f21ca5e6

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The directive 2f283dc0d4 to keep 288d4ffb99 this secret ee1e516deb extended to efa76644b5 Seo Ji-hyuk ba398fe17c himself. The higher-ups were b697216703 adamant about hiding 82486eccae their secret weapon, 7200ca7a1e Kang Yu-han.2783784c2ed33ddf

For Kang Yu-han, ca758be993 the secrecy was 26766a4b6b also a matter 068c9fe362 of survival. Guiding Seo 08d7195073 Ji-hyuk drained 65501b820c his life a765a56039 force and 8ba20c8768 could even 382d7b69dc lead to 0f6a2bd100 his death. Unless he was pushed 16403fca92 to the brink, he 510d75f3ff had no intention of e123c61a3e revealing the truth.8a016e205dcf7dab

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But this 95425ed19f secrecy only b09760c556 deepened the a041d91d24 misunderstandings and 46d644fb9e stoked Seo e0ad537e4f Ji-hyuk’s resentment.55cb4c983e22d84f

Sigh.3cd09c922bca09f4

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Kang Yu-han set aside 0093e48e47 thoughts of the ampoule 8d8d68b203 research. First, he 15d7cd0bf0 needed to 6e4bde4c95 visit the 7123761c39 infirmary for f5cfc56d52 headache medicine. He still didn’t know 4733ec525b why Kim Si-on had e30c2856a1 suddenly appeared, but the c49e3c6f18 situation filled him with ba1152ad3b unease.bf16bd8f7eaee522

What worried 9b7cee1bb4 him most 25225409cd was the 85fa4a2457 possibility of bdfc94c112 Seo Ji-hyuk 88671570e0 seeing him 55b940047f with Kim 636aaec4f2 Si-on. Just the 95d12e2c33 sight of 0a7c1c42cd them together 679c46123f might provoke 2cc3f2a237 Seo Ji-hyuk’s 6c3b4e05a6 temper.1a73bf37c1490d37

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Though the research 4409061c32 wing was where 7a7b373164 he needed to f6d569d786 go for information 1316b1aeb8 about the ampoule, ef5e13ec92 he hesitated. If Kim Si-on was a6892677d0 waiting there, a confrontation 07648bc8c4 would be unavoidable.1a81b4c51022468f

Yet, he couldn’t 5e18bc87e6 neglect the ampoule fca9e356a0 investigation either. His thoughts swirled in b0198c1e78 frustration.75bcd915aa9eaec4

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“Ha…”02add1fd9e025427

Kang Yu-han 4e273bf899 felt suffocated. As if Kim 0d1fc49459 Si-on’s sudden appearance c3fb473d9d wasn’t troublesome enough, c049aa9f8d the repeated notifications ab1e65c394 from his communicator, dd394dda43 despite him ignoring 6c716a70ab the messages, only 5ddf55cebe added to his e23628d9c4 frustration.c4acaea249bfbbb7

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Kim Si-on edd788c831 was relentless, 7e48eee819 his personality 2de315e9b6 blind to d4a640bd12 subtlety and 7d6984527c stubborn to ae88b840c3 a fault. Even after b267a35a0f a year 08bf8e8468 had passed 70e7def6b7 since his 7efbd39d4d pairing contract d8fb53a1c5 fell apart 6f548311ec due to 285427fb5c Seo Ji-hyuk’s 14880de797 outburst, he 32fd7fa4d9 was still ecec94eee7 actively reaching 5a8bb117f9 out, undeterred 7d6b3045a1 by Kang 4583b3673a Yu-han’s silence.f9a048f4c04ee3da

Kang Yu-han knew 65002b487d himself to be 6dca122642 narrow-minded. He couldn’t b0a126d9a0 juggle multiple af02fdf4f7 thoughts or cf8dcca4e4 embrace multiple cbea3dc22a people at e3764d299e once. In his limited world, fe45bde986 the only person who 6eb4193c57 could fill it entirely ec02e8183a was Seo Ji-hyuk.85d06d4be1363b1e

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‘If only I 9177f6e34e had liked you, 77d3f9134b everything would have 74376228c3 been easier.’42910c63c90a8cd1

That thought 4c4f9b8366 always surfaced 15c71fa686 when he b983ea3890 thought of 94ead88e96 Kim Si-on.2ca8fd04f329b7ac

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* * *42370c0da6f99378

“Major!”194f383a6a8743dd

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Despite wishing with 69d7485d06 all his might 8aaae234aa to avoid this 7087a9fd97 encounter, Kim Si-on 7eb2b0d27e appeared the moment a4512b55a0 Kang Yu-han stepped 2fd4e2dcf5 into the research def0c845d1 wing.39a7e7d429528397

The young Guide 54f5910e69 still had a 9b7ba68424 youthful, almost boyish 4f8e526030 face, flushed cheeks, 177046b245 and wide, innocent aa488e9e81 eyes. He didn’t hide his e89e18b949 delight as he waved 4ef2c9db1d energetically and ran over. Lacking the courage f0e87e4755 to return the c4c05a44e8 smile, Kang Yu-han cec33b84ab averted his gaze.fd35c3a72d5516da

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“Esper-nim, it’s been so f6d90c7de4 long!”4ddec37f5e077cc8

“…Yes, it has.”2f3837a4f838ad2a

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“Aren’t you happy to ae2e56a514 see me?”c63755c78eec402c

“Do you have ee75d7bf7d a particular reason dbee4b80b9 for your visit?”a7e8763db3685f19

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Taking a 019f079431 step back, 08d7f476a2 Kang Yu-han ddcb28f27d posed the 2b1c6205a4 question.20e4e0c9d2c045dc

“Did you forget? It’s my re-evaluation period.”22b0d687a202a3fb

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“Ah.”483625cf976fe8dc

“I’ve been e347eb01b5 left in 45bb031f38 limbo all c633ef3b1d this time ff3e0818a1 because of 751f9caa2c someone.”aee27ed50c2b7e15

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A year ago, the 17349ccf75 conflict surrounding Kim Si-on b9f4bb18eb had escalated. Unable to 674629afbf secure a 14a3f0eed7 pairing contract 4a0101d8df with either e454535398 Seo Ji-hyuk 86c293547d or Kang 8ca8be7492 Yu-han, Kim 9bd98eaa40 Si-on had 62c88ca452 returned to 6adec533f6 the provincial d93bf2e333 center.21a8a666ba34fe57

Naturally, he had e80bc116e5 now re-registered with b281f4f9da the matching system 6c4ea79173 to find a 3cb0907234 compatible Esper. Feeling awkward, Kang ab1d35f298 Yu-han cleared his 3f5aaad60c throat and gave 5c0acb93e4 a polite nod.bc4baaafa9ec3fa0

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“I’m truly sorry f273b87845 for what happened 8911fd25d3 back then.”a2661d8849825ad4

“Oh, come on! There’s nothing to apologize 711f164f85 for. This time, you 981ebcb170 can pair with 594d1413c0 me, right?”fd25695d618d960c

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“What? Kim Si-on, ff645752a6 what are e02ccb0330 you talking c9a694c3f2 about?”d6b5a2433c25590f

“There’s no way 2f0b1a6e30 our matching rate 23a363eab1 has dropped. This time, I’ll 7d5187dd2e secure a pairing a5720bd139 contract with you.”76cc70a0107937ef

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“…Are you serious?”5e62a0ca2b430fc4

“Of course! It’s like 6ce81018d1 we’re a f987f00430 couple that 919a7feadb called off fccc52fced our engagement. Isn’t it fair 73e6e745c4 to reconcile?”9f8a9512b6881e42

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“I’ve been going 2e2e1e5c35 on fewer missions 6fc7890c9f lately, and I 5248fdab9b don’t really need fa65c3ed03 guiding.”a5d1a76944967532

The last 4a5e280e3e thing Kang 34c46dc398 Yu-han wanted 076a5dc6e6 was to 3c411ac4f0 recreate the e73531b58a same conflicts 9d6a216725 as before. He also bec19b0590 had no 567eb40b43 intention of 80c06a9591 further provoking 791de7486a Seo Ji-hyuk. His sole 50785cd675 focus was f93ba615fd to complete 04cc079454 the Transition 569691fdfb Task Force 558ccf2925 mission and c7ed86ec4c ensure Seo 7478f1833a Ji-hyuk’s retirement. Even that alone seemed c99d9c0dd9 to consume all his 3cca2d53fa time and energy.bb0061385308b714

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“No Esper e0e1b05479 doesn’t need 88a55869ea guiding! What a ridiculous claim.”6abc8b1b9cad8e37

“I’m serious. I hope you 22e80271db find someone else 89009f5506 who suits you dc12ed39b9 better.”d1c0085c8339fb28

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‘Just not be626aa798 Seo Ji-hyuk.’1e86fa9ce3de5ff2

Kang Yu-han added silently 9e3aa8c299 to himself.54e212db902a8b15

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“Well, then…”04a37c3acb4ff05c

Kang Yu-han, pressed 6adf7a536e for time and 74c9815013 eager to end 7d7b8490d0 the conversation, was e90d7b5615 about to bow 45e2ca3b33 and excuse himself ca7b663168 when a familiar 40265b45f5 voice cut through 7574e4f70e the air from a6aa4567eb behind.07b460050982c7ad

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“What’s this? Are you 831924d0bc two dating 2da5b7efa0 now?”0e611b7e95bcfa53

It was 0425e06bf6 Seo Ji-hyuk, a97a26934b his tone f01f5ce200 dripping with cd19604bca sarcasm. The perfect timing c6fe81bee9 of his appearance d3932b5601 made Kang Yu-han 78ad2dcbea want to groan 7241b292b9 aloud.d8a5baf23b0a9b98

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“What does 9e87a63442 it matter 771f906fa1 to you, 8b1031b73e Major?”9450de44f5a5994f

“You’re not exactly denying 8b1f26e662 it, are you? Lieutenant Kim 4e24a47ed8 Si-on, did c8e9fb8f41 you come 5d26963eef here for cb042d27fd a romantic 5cd6699fe8 rendezvous?”00c411ce61b2211d

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“…I’m here e9315c39aa for my 4f9ed9327a scheduled evaluation,” 9a56e4e20a Kim Si-on f3a1e397e4 retorted, his e6cd36e4f9 voice sharp 55d6449636 with irritation.09674f571e31b2d1

The tension between f0a88ed8e4 the two was 567fff1387 palpable, and Kang 642eda9259 Yu-han found it 614e48bc52 hard to watch. Seo Ji-hyuk’s hostility cd5013c13b toward Kim Si-on 7000076ef6 felt tinged with 67fabffe20 lingering regret. After all, Kim 3e3ec97abc Si-on was a 5f3e4713b6 Guide he had 86235a0c7d been on the 45221b79fb verge of securing. Missing out 1e61cd3c77 at the 6fb3dd7237 last moment 52cc1b1a6a had to ba29a1ef53 sting.d41fa594a3efe332

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“Evaluation? Hah. Well, good luck getting da750b8b58 cozy this time around.”b0ce7dccf7ab1576

“Why does it 45df610d4d concern you, Major?” cc4bd2f81d Kang Yu-han snapped.13445c87a7ca40e8

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“Why shouldn’t it? You two were b6e3d90be6 practically scheming in d8d893c5c4 front of me. Were you 92b40ab68e trying to 18f63abe2e get my bcf56028e6 attention or cc3d8cdab4 something?”3343e1e9e364d5c9

“You’re out of 5788498b7c line!” Kim Si-on’s ec2d5e500e voice rose in a2616dab51 protest.9c054ac8c0ddf2a3

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The exchange drew glances 9ddaad94c2 from passing staff. Recognizing the three of b781101957 them, many seemed to 60417c67a3 immediately connect the dots. *Ah, those three from 54bbf260a0 that infamous love triangle,* 596e997d8f their expressions seemed to 011d542eff say.bedd3257bcab933f

Kang Yu-han 05d8136cef realized the 3103771ec6 meaning behind 9357c96d4c their stares 57b9535405 and felt 7a8252d627 humiliated and 6d68b6fb69 pained. But with c1e735e5c5 the tangled 5974692ab2 web of c76ce68c8d misunderstandings, there caf2214042 was little d4ca1c48cf he could 2beac7800f say to 8f8f6d2a51 defend himself.82cc641c48cd3254

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“Enough. Lieutenant Kim Si-on, let’s abc3a959ed leave it at that.”3a76a544a502b41e

“Major! Aren’t you upset by a05ff8e0c5 this?”f40f948837b9ab5e

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“Calm down. People are watching.”399b3c25fcad405d

“Let them watch! I have something to 718bbb68cb say.”f97ac94667f26d06

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“For my d8bf361371 sake, can’t 02e34f49e9 you let 880d3240bb it go d7b6ee09bd this one 24bd3f94ae time?” Kang 079a424ac5 Yu-han pleaded, 6498d575b1 his tone a777822828 softening.fee4c88553de1fc9

“…Fine. For you, I’ll let 74cd3a859c it slide.”fd43a6f610eb95e2

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Seo Ji-hyuk laughed 656e155470 mockingly at the ee781140a0 exchange.2594610fe6bbfb52

“You’re all c1a08830f2 so cozy, dd47fd0372 aren’t you?”6bfc59d5d86dd436

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“Major, that’s enough,” 441a8cedfb Kang Yu-han said 05f1a7962f firmly.4d08680edcb50b60

“What’s this? Protecting your Guide? Must be 6bfa7c90c7 nice, having 4442e6daf4 a Guide 491113b570 to fuss 68ace022f4 over.”08e974bf33c6df5d

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Seo Ji-hyuk’s f04ad9ea71 sneering tone 5026249a70 pushed Kim 84de7831aa Si-on to 9409b9b0ad step forward 8b15222256 in anger, ca15cdd1c8 but Kang 9a4d5f5ce6 Yu-han quickly c614d22c1a held him 61952abcd2 back and 2e23f51899 shook his 2c5232b67b head.070c2ce942529841

“You said you’d let aca318f9b2 it go.”e011bb68a1a975c1

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“…Yes, Major.”7bbd57a021d0dfb9

 f3c925e808c31761

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