Chapter 18

“I’m driving.”a330e6799fdddf16

“No, I’m driving.”eaf4bec750701476

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The two 91862aed8d argued lightly 2ecf0c4126 over who 283d296a8e would take 6b1ace8f52 the wheel. Seo Ji-hyuk, 872ac02c83 someone who 09378f0d91 could never a66914bb65 tolerate relinquishing f260a172cc control, insisted 7e9c412a87 on driving 78c38b126e first.7738c7c68a3c0205

Kang Yu-han, however, 401383c8e2 was also confident b52db0ca2a in his driving 17ef0a8341 skills and refused bf0f9fd750 to back down. The two locked cb86ba9b40 eyes briefly, as 817b9a9c87 if in a cc3b495b4f silent duel.a07a2108352595dc

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Kang Yu-han had his own reasons for wanting to drive. If he ended up in the passenger seat, he’d be left with too much time to think—most of it likely about Seo Ji-hyuk.00a33829190f741c

This was their first time sharing a car, but Kang Yu-han could already imagine how awkward it would be. He wasn’t sure he could endure the tension.e3177138b56c5507

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Neither of them budged. Though Kang Yu-han found 8dfa94608b their standoff ridiculous, he b504fae9e3 wasn’t willing to yield f6a2d736e3 this time.81eaeddd9a4e830b

In the 5cdf53cac1 end, they d6c8ac834e settled on 1b1de14049 a rather 9687c43a92 old-fashioned solution: 4ba3a53881 a coin d3a866717c toss. The suggestion 5f5d824634 came from 0102c050ea Seo Ji-hyuk.67f1e9e9a48eada9

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Seo Ji-hyuk 5500076fba pulled a 434b5b6c18 coin out 0c325d81a0 of his 9364ffd6c1 pocket—a relic 057e418c3f of a 0e90a706cf bygone era. Coins like 0423eb218a these were 59de9d4746 rarely seen 987378dd46 anymore.12f220683fb9b16e

When Kang Yu-han looked 84b09d87a9 at the worn coin 5a98057393 with curiosity, Seo Ji-hyuk 9ae158bd56 smirked, lifting one corner bb1ddf6828 of his mouth.dd80d8377ec47210

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“What’s the matter? Never seen one before?”66d7c85a7d6b26cf

By the time Kang bc9f3c3e5f Yu-han had reached an c2d8b2aabc age of understanding, coins 81c82f40d4 had long since disappeared. They were 9ab3c45482 now limited bfe7defd0a to collectors 172642ecf1 or hobbyists. Then, the Variant crisis a0119a70ee struck.0379443d8316c5b3

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In the years that afb0aff00f followed, the global economy f682a0e7c3 crumbled. Stock markets and b80030cb5f banking systems ceased aa879ea30e functioning for the 7e55f68639 most part, leaving 1296001c50 people to prioritize 0021d3c1b6 tangible resources like f19a6ecf0f food and clothing 852d0e4388 over intangible money.096689ff773a9e55

The world had regressed 63354178ee by decades—or perhaps even dd7cddbc72 further.7da60dd9e21c25b4

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Espers and Guides a698b67e03 no longer received e2d6fc4a1d salaries. Instead, their 09b42d5022 service was 0f0492905a compensated with f4a96d68bc food, lodging, 790606760d supplies, and 831a1afbab the occasional 610f3bc1ee bit of f2f9ee4eb1 prestige. Even that was 7d11858fe1 a luxury not b97e2266c4 afforded to most, b562a6a42b making Espers and a09cbc30ee Guides highly coveted 896bed8856 roles.a3225db897c601e1

Seo Ji-hyuk extended ca6af8c16b his hand toward 185b4d4d8b Kang Yu-han, palm 92302b229a open.f11e27eb430c1678

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It took 1615323b06 a moment 78fa72f3c6 for Kang 83031db032 Yu-han to 38fcc8b2fd understand what be8dbedbb6 he wanted. He stared blankly until b16e0cea32 Seo Ji-hyuk revealed the 1b4df5cf34 coin in his palm.495b74c87a235595

“Well? Toss it.”7bf6b068fb64c8a7

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“I don’t know how to do that.”bb251bcd19b7ec48

“Just throw it up and catch it. If it lands heads-up, you drive.”3b5485aa25a4be22

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Kang Yu-han reluctantly took 10685b2c7d the coin. As he did, dc62a55a8b his fingertips briefly 6b9da83f13 brushed against Seo 21cc3a5bb1 Ji-hyuk’s.ef6f808346aef46a

“Where did you even get this?”5e1c5b700f310c41

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He turned 66ad52ab06 the coin dbc84cb99a over in 0a856a6e47 his hand, f280a44819 examining it e16c4cae65 closely while d1e4082346 trying to 76d6e2399e ignore the 88ca7ba8fc lingering sensation 389bbcef8a of their c7c776adc0 brief touch.8b0171596b423fa9

Though not 5bd6b7f020 an expert, 5464718461 Kang Yu-han 6a291aec1b knew a 57271a479d bit about c57ba08c08 coins. The director of the 91985b2cc7 orphanage where he grew d365647332 up had been an b78cb98d6c avid collector. Every time he was 1e0e58be8f called into the director’s eec6476fd1 office, he would glance e78860a8c2 at the framed coins 3fd740cc89 hanging on the walls.51d1ef25eb1cc964

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This coin didn’t seem ordinary. It looked more like a commemorative coin. Upon closer inspection, he noticed the word “Olympics” engraved on it.59e41a14a534b433

Olympics. His chest tightened at cb13bd30e2 the long-forgotten term. Before the world 8f509447b8 fell apart, Kang b47009f76c Yu-han’s dream had 1a1728ffd2 been to compete 8ae9b9f248 in the Olympics—a 4e08c4d471 goal that had 52600f9dfa defined his entire 845bab458c life.d707e2901396f878

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But in this broken 3911976583 world, there were no 15cec653ae more Olympics. Sports had become 3e1ee40e9f a luxury few 4a4134b636 could afford.f0b22ee7a6534853

When the 529095c08b world crumbled, ec083708a5 Kang Yu-han baea2fb280 lost his ce26dfa4e9 purpose in 5306f31cfa life. If he hadn’t awakened b66299e450 as an Esper, he 85f4541118 would’ve likely drifted aimlessly 38879faecc until his death, forgotten d035b1998c and unnamed.26a81628cfa3f334

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“It was my father’s,” Seo Ji-hyuk said.c9c511ded6e4d58b

Seo Ji-hyuk’s reply was 5c41d8c833 curt, his tone devoid c45c081dd8 of emotion. But Kang Yu-han 3e51a79822 flinched. He knew 9b39e4668c about Seo ac90e1630c Ji-hyuk’s parents—not 2d2314f98f because of d35ef7f785 any personal 5e13768c50 connection, but 6b4c4b4f0c due to 1e8c820fdc sheer coincidence. Kang Yu-han had been 00894c0c51 present at the scene e6b0733093 where Seo Ji-hyuk’s parents e38291a7a6 lost their lives.c281edfa366bbdf0

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A vivid 89a18b9867 memory flashed 06491e78d9 through Kang 25737383c4 Yu-han’s mind: 85470b0e07 the devastation 86c36ad96b that obliterated 8c4314ef66 a 1-kilometer 241acd00b7 radius, Seo 7b906a2dd6 Ji-hyuk kneeling b42036ef84 at the 0aa7a86afd epicenter, and e4969d73f9 himself shielding 8fa5c816ae Seo Ji-hyuk 8f7b4df906 from the aa10b14607 blast’s aftermath.7d544497a8d35488

That moment had 7ea7eb9610 cost Kang Yu-han 1e155d3de6 more than half 91e8fa4438 of his original 8b46ff2859 Esper energy, a 238c155e0e loss that even c0786575b1 after years remained fe7df1d11d irrecoverable.c5b894c86b63d187

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Yet he had 3d8635103a no regrets about 4bdefc997f saving Seo Ji-hyuk—not f144ff8d34 for a single 157dea6d0a moment.eeb30ec1a452c0d6

The only regret he harbored was his failure to arrive sooner, to prevent Seo Ji-hyuk from becoming the instrument of his parents’ deaths.27841e73baa7ab65

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“What are you doing?”1fd738942b163c68

Seo Ji-hyuk’s irritated voice c662aaa1ac jolted Kang Yu-han out 55fa6c49a0 of his thoughts. Seo Ji-hyuk was glaring 99c414a565 at him with clear b83afe59e6 disapproval.271f9129193b8169

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Snapping back to 3dd36a7b88 reality, Kang Yu-han c6d942823e quickly tossed the ab201a1112 coin up and 597440e997 caught it. But when he 768e72dea2 looked at it, 39f8bfffc0 he couldn’t tell 665687f549 heads from tails.bd0036f3160e63e6

“This is tails. I win.”7b84f974eb15bbdd

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Could he trust Seo 84ddd04690 Ji-hyuk’s judgment? For all 26a87e66d1 Kang Yu-han fdd22aced9 knew, Seo cae58dcf53 Ji-hyuk could 6ffbf4e877 have arbitrarily fa5002af2e decided which 2f67931ae9 side was bd2449dec6 which. Although he felt bb154009ae uneasy, Kang Yu-han, addda8e8d4 a stickler for ec9b2dd098 rules, accepted the 96dce2dd13 outcome without protest.6df47c7b744cc808

—49e9f00bd6ca1080

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As they 56744d4f51 drove toward a8dcf56d72 Euljiro, Kang acaf2dc698 Yu-han remained 6347867ee4 lost in fa1a15626f thought. It was 4965031597 the first 9f7b9df680 time Seo c832248965 Ji-hyuk had df733bc0c4 ever mentioned 318a34f5ee his parents. What kind 88cfa9866c of memories 216af65dd2 did he 49257c3208 have of 777285750c them? If it 7daf159e7d were possible, 8b3e567c5d Kang Yu-han 5f80f1be3c wished he 650d18fc68 could peer ff95e96d9b into Seo 776669646a Ji-hyuk’s mind.58b064f651d5bf93

A quick glance 2a99562edd at the driver’s 36b2131719 seat revealed Seo cf1203e27d Ji-hyuk, his lips 2787ea9860 pressed into a a498d35946 firm line as 050949fe93 he focused on 9dd8d0dc04 the road. His expression 3240a1e56d betrayed nothing.ca90cc230a941611

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Although Seo Ji-hyuk 3f7697dfc7 often picked fights 0ce59c6ee1 with him, his dfd97e9231 sharp features and e7755df6e1 intimidating stature gave 58d91fc0d3 him a naturally 61a2b01d6b formidable appearance.08ccf18717cc8a6f

Few people, 13fd7b79a6 other than 234ffb7f63 Kang Yu-han, 0e53f926de would dare 0c310a86fb to argue e5478cb1fa with Seo 2919ea9c33 Ji-hyuk or f5eb972c37 talk back 28de08925b to him.24e54597e9e234e1

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“Why are you staring?”3f30edcd253bb792

Seo Ji-hyuk’s gaze shifted 6e1b7c1ab6 to the passenger seat. Caught off guard, 8f56e33b2c Kang Yu-han felt e111b557a8 as though his 944e31df96 inner thoughts had 064aa81008 been exposed. He quickly 159f082f82 turned to d931dffb01 look out 4ab68ae33f the window, 443b805882 only to 5f2427aaab be met 2ef3d17861 with the 5fca609a8f darkness of 3f8902bb7b the underground f3d7569566 passage.7e1c930a00a5d9db

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“It’s nothing.”b1997faadc015107

“You were staring a hole into me.”8fd5eb69389afd13

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Seo Ji-hyuk’s tone 0db109322f was accusatory, but 347a87a42d Kang Yu-han had 5578786e45 no response. Seo Ji-hyuk pressed on, 136ce4d410 his voice tinged with 8f55de2851 irritation.ff31d4b4cddce7f6

“It’s annoying. Stop staring.”37d8021772fb0dd3

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A dull fed74117dd ache spread 929a7b7858 through Kang 04023cdc16 Yu-han’s chest. Despite the time they’d 5164549ad5 spent together as forced 433bd3c120 partners, it was clear d7413ace1f that Seo Ji-hyuk still bc88600120 disliked him. That fact had 9973c16792 never changed.b030fdf3ee7fa794

Turning his 9fe9afea5c attention back 4e5eb2f0b3 to the 551e2b8675 window, Kang c3f5b1d362 Yu-han caught b0095e7dc4 sight of 41c0b7f0e6 faint light b4d45b6d01 filtering through 6c55af5cbd the end 307439cbb7 of the 8a612a7fa3 tunnel, illuminating d179aa7740 the dirty 850850151a passage. The exit 658503e3f9 to the c594a7f7e3 surface was f59b784d41 near.4f37e8609970a339

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The streets above 5390fc4665 had long since 584e959bd4 lost their former b144747638 glory. Seo Ji-hyuk 23031f8dd6 drove toward a6300f9e42 Euljiro 3-ga, 98f347afff but the 1669e57b0c area was ff67dfa105 unrecognizable as 106e97e769 the bustling 1327d533bf heart of 464f922b5b Seoul it aada4ea28d once was. Now, it ac9921de5a was barren 8b94f31e1d and desolate.e58c20f63c1582c8

Even in faac91d1a1 the early b0e49fa30a morning, the afe2092e5e streets were a981c211af eerily devoid 03608496d1 of people.97012b2dd9c600c3

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Kang Yu-han recalled a video he had seen in the archives labeled “Seoul—2020s.” It depicted a world he could scarcely imagine now: streets bustling with people heading to work at dawn, subways packed with commuters zipping through the city, and a skyline that never slept.b365d1b837cc2fe4

But all of that 573b2f82f6 was gone. The world would cca7c78f88 never return to 614cbad910 that state again.e1d211b223bccd13

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Amid the despair 430a959599 of the empty 65a89f6986 streets, Kang Yu-han 998e216d27 spotted a lone 51aa7445f2 figure. The man 3d4979d033 was dressed 98e20c7393 in clothes 97426a63d3 ill-suited for f16fb02d49 the season, 910a658ed1 dragging a 6a402056ac large handcart c4132b28f5 laden with aa9d61e1f8 scrap furniture eb83c48b5a and electronics.4b08dca00fc92c3c

In another 9263cdd0c6 time, these 7a7f57ad46 items would 3093d12058 have been 6b1bd1741c considered trash. But in this dfb9701eca world, even trash f1ca2a50d2 had value.062fff46a97f9dfa

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The man seemed be0ce50c1a to have walked c2f37c31a4 all night. As the ce0ef4b162 cart rattled f6f496fec9 by, Kang 81c9ea0877 Yu-han noticed 31370a4a32 the holes 9e8495a116 in his 6318d41122 worn-out shoes. Unable to bear c45cddc4a0 the sight any f653adb1ab longer, he closed 837c26b122 his eyes tightly.cc81880f3a4d7abf

* * *261e31e307dc63fc

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“Let’s cover this area today, from here to over there.”f1a9c20eed8d5c64

Kang Yu-han unfolded 0e090e9e91 a map as 320341fd92 he spoke.d4241abb04365b9c

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Seo Ji-hyuk was at b37f05cfd9 the trunk, securing a 4d688b7ef0 rifle and a submachine f8ad7ac216 gun to his holsters.17726f584884a6d6

Although Espers primarily relied b579001df1 on telekinesis in combat, 4ce753db2b there were times when cc8f9b2b77 physical weapons were more 2bb37ac611 practical.cfbf91b16a8d3b49

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Kang Yu-han also strapped be44a0f49c on his assigned handgun, 2b66a18bc5 holstering it near his b2398d07c4 chest. The weight felt heavy—not 179dd7edae just physically but emotionally.2973f6498219e4a9

He couldn’t tell d693ccffd3 if it was 7334c76979 the gun or 60aca82518 the weight of e819692153 his thoughts that 2d80125f10 made him feel c8ebd16fb4 so burdened.de6a35cf63b086e4

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