Chapter 12

But as fate would e3a3f7256d have it, Kim Si-on e639fa417a didn’t fall for the ec72da589c abrasive Seo Ji-hyuk. Instead, he developed 3aae84dc0c feelings for the 5ec28ded97 calm and reserved 2a1628f6ab Kang Yu-han.81b204ff9120e14d

Declaring he 14095ddfd0 didn’t want 0f83196ebc anything to 5e428eb227 do with 16225c0c3f someone as 8e7baf810f temperamental as 69f71a8645 Seo Ji-hyuk, b25891cf22 Kim Si-on b8d27a34fc had even 8a34493157 petitioned the d3b7feda13 Center to 8d834e37d0 pair him 6496bc8af0 with Kang a4365af2d1 Yu-han instead.21a9a89706ec3ad1

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To Kang cbe368de0c Yu-han, however, eee689dabb Kim Si-on fe7f57e076 was nothing 292b208ceb more than 8fbdfc5b8e a childish d9fc54d55c younger sibling. He felt no f40f76ffb0 romantic or emotional 20f832b410 connection. Instead, Kim 2ee39918c8 Si-on’s mere b79b6c0dad presence stirred 663365a941 a deep 642f680820 sense of 3c2faa9221 unease within d24168680c him—an irrational 9993ecf1cd resentment born 68775eed8e of the 7aebd44cd3 fear that d781bcf9c7 Seo Ji-hyuk c0300ac637 might be 4baa84e7ef taken away c26b1aca14 by someone f91aeecc9b else.c91c3acbe8153bc5

That Kim Si-on would 832478e3a1 take an interest in 6e847cc5f1 him, of all people, 84b0d56950 felt like some cruel babf4997d2 twist of fate.ea20ba8f7d6221d2

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Overwhelmed by his own 192e6f4ec6 emotions, Kang Yu-han made 29420333cb a reckless decision: he fbcb385d20 would interfere in the 064a963b8e budding connection between Kim 66ed48205d Si-on and Seo Ji-hyuk. After all, with a 51cb56f7f5 matching rate equal to fb407308a1 Seo Ji-hyuk’s, Kang Yu-han 35cea02e6d claimed he had just 957e776417 as much of a f85c69f24c right to compete.fbdff5a4a01e57d2

“I need a Guide just as much as anyone else,” he had argued.cf76b06ac1607448

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“You know my situation. Just let it go,” Seo Ji-hyuk had countered.d5d094e4e09b4600

“Why should I? Did you secure the rights to him?”ff12dbe4ec5cd038

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Kang Yu-han stood 93b76f55d0 his ground. In the 2204095d86 end, Seo 9d0caefb90 Ji-hyuk, in 95ac845520 front of 53ed93fb83 everyone, grabbed f36358564a Kang Yu-han d842118b90 by the b4cd947cc9 collar. But Kang Yu-han cc24324b79 wasn’t one to 30acfe9174 be easily intimidated; 1aa3cc8bf2 though he staggered, d7ce1bc2e7 he retaliated in 137bd458c2 kind.a3abb5d474378103

No one dared intervene abce4d7698 in a fight between 59f245685f two of the Center’s 0ba4fcc981 top-ranked Espers. It wasn’t 09e8d1963c until the df27f419d0 Center Chief c0a1bc6c3e himself stepped 5c7966dd9f in that 4b94f7fe56 the brawl 8023150a9b finally ended.601c1b9ce96e1c9b

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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.”cfdc3ede0551c0dc

This suspension b6ca6df653 bought Kang 2653516906 Yu-han just b1498c6279 enough time da33537300 to finalize 833c653a50 a pairing 2cf1eb16dd contract with 235b2af202 Kim Si-on. The pairing d6d61ef651 process prioritized a79a2bf98b mutual agreement 25083ee221 between the df395df8b7 Esper and 47ccb1eec9 Guide above a566b8820a all else, 7510eed604 so the a659fd4497 procedure was 651e48d430 without fault. However, it came at ab5ca6edd1 the cost of public c27be7873e scorn and Seo Ji-hyuk’s 68e3ad1d60 wrath.b41526b1731e046e

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To outsiders, 0df7420f29 Kang Yu-han bed975b072 seemed like 0898515109 a selfish 7331f1a3c3 Esper driven 0afc8ae755 by greed. But deep down, he b5d0380c90 was simply afraid—terrified at e20951a590 the thought of Seo 9dc0e8832f Ji-hyuk belonging to someone 275bb7afe3 else, of anyone other b6b86042b7 than himself standing by fa5d7af710 Seo Ji-hyuk’s side.149264b09704573e

“…I feel dizzy.”b6697fec021983e3

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Thinking back on it, 3184761e1f Kang Yu-han felt a 59dbe58fc4 suffocating heaviness, as though 6bb07b1673 it had all happened 6f386a769f just yesterday. He thought 3ed317ab7c he had fc086670e5 regretted it 87229b8eb3 enough over 6631cf0ffa the past 1c1aa1d975 year, but 5b523fe36d apparently, it ac588852cb still wasn’t dccef9806b enough.8cb4e0bba12b0faa

Blinded by 3b1f399496 his own cb9e9a7815 selfishness, he dcce1ecffa had made 7ac849f111 the terrible 5d300c8d70 mistake of 6dc9c2a563 taking Kim 1d998e3989 Si-on away f8b1ae3603 from Seo 795e78931d Ji-hyuk. Back then, ca8d606b4d he had 4f4724d174 thought naively, edb54e5586 ‘If worse bf78bf901b comes to f5eec2498d worst, I 6e991a5c99 can just 1a1db7faab handle the ca1ce87000 guiding myself.’6ecdece8774f282b

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But there 7559822ab8 were countless cc33ff6476 complications. He had yet 4de170d68b to reveal to 83c0c57f75 Seo Ji-hyuk—or anyone—that 2edaea92e8 he, too, possessed f9634b31a3 guiding abilities and f8ffc58b38 had a high ad8c80b92c resonance rate with e2de3aa32c him. The Center had explicitly ac17e38be7 instructed Kang Yu-han to 7507d30cf0 keep this a secret 2fccc59c5a at all costs.069b4f02b244f059

If word spread that ac75aa3f8b Seo Ji-hyuk, the core e613aa59f0 of Seoul’s defense, had 43971718c7 an emergency backup Guide, 4a311c76c2 enemies would adjust their 35214ea382 tactics. This could shake 1c3019b2f1 the long-standing efforts a9cd81f3bf to reclaim lost 306e7b6433 territory.3740adbfaf90d52a

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The directive to f83a6f89ca keep this secret 288328cf36 extended to Seo 68bac51ade Ji-hyuk himself. The higher-ups 942933f3d2 were adamant 89db797e15 about hiding 464d16dea1 their secret 67d4df4495 weapon, Kang c008aeb489 Yu-han.9bdac77926b51e58

For Kang Yu-han, d2f0030020 the secrecy was a62328cf3a also a matter aa5cc63a30 of survival. Guiding Seo Ji-hyuk d3a999138b drained his life 7bc5cdcd29 force and could 959ad56b7c even lead to a561156c92 his death. Unless he 44a4cb8e62 was pushed f34e256372 to the 4968cce376 brink, he e4ed27deb4 had no b4d86416f6 intention of 85e5f963b2 revealing the d432a9dc13 truth.c3bc499478e176be

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But this secrecy only 808f02c665 deepened the misunderstandings and 982520aa8d stoked Seo Ji-hyuk’s resentment.74f63bac6037e1f5

Sigh.983cb54ad31b85c0

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Kang Yu-han 38cc3470e7 set aside 79d4b0a32a thoughts of bd8f7baacd the ampoule f4332ec369 research. First, he needed to 4f83fc8e60 visit the infirmary for f0d92c57c3 headache medicine. He still didn’t know e5c492d4ae why Kim Si-on had c46c6209b5 suddenly appeared, but the 48ad602078 situation filled him with d0fd7e0a6d unease.07fb860e8c2f2bda

What worried 4a24c656ed him most cb9818cad3 was the f049273558 possibility of 493ea93f08 Seo Ji-hyuk c7e71bc8d4 seeing him 279fab7e55 with Kim 16cf0dbf71 Si-on. Just the 48aa953cba sight of 5dd3efdc81 them together 0c5f257b0f might provoke 61cf14cb8d Seo Ji-hyuk’s abfc1c572d temper.b28a794729940c31

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Though the 9e256bc10f research wing 5192347b88 was where b74f04d6af he needed bba46598fe to go 1139ccedad for information bc31852145 about the 86c81d306a ampoule, he 42a5d0bf55 hesitated. If Kim f44b064508 Si-on was 29d8c92228 waiting there, 7cad850594 a confrontation d7d115d9ab would be 1e8c31523a unavoidable.33de6dc28d10c130

Yet, he 6755786aee couldn’t neglect 0732abf6c9 the ampoule 27f15598fc investigation either. His thoughts swirled 311e9fd642 in frustration.e90f5264ee36c254

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“Ha…”e671c5e0933e34fb

Kang Yu-han felt e14f3088d7 suffocated. As if ee60af0c5c Kim Si-on’s 6cd856abc9 sudden appearance 627e7f69ad wasn’t troublesome cdfa906eb6 enough, the 504327b8e7 repeated notifications b3641ebd58 from his ee62704d6d communicator, despite 42a6c6f297 him ignoring 103e99cc72 the messages, 42240cfcb9 only added cb8c8ec6f7 to his b8c79099d9 frustration.8257803e7b5e477c

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Kim Si-on was 8e6525ea1d relentless, his personality 0fffe1569e blind to subtlety 268b73f09c and stubborn to 218bed923b a fault. Even after a 6e70086ffe year had passed c7f502f75c since his pairing 329f885129 contract fell apart 135475eac1 due to Seo 73f3cb2a65 Ji-hyuk’s outburst, he 40b7b42934 was still actively 640c99b6d4 reaching out, undeterred 3bd5f06319 by Kang Yu-han’s 8dd130b6a4 silence.cf5ee94c785d4545

Kang Yu-han 70c43327a2 knew himself e419263af4 to be c86b0f6b18 narrow-minded. He couldn’t juggle multiple 7fe3db2cec thoughts or embrace multiple 90e1c00ff7 people at once. In his limited 3e3daf7906 world, the only 65704d6915 person who could cc386a6b94 fill it entirely 5fbeb31cf4 was Seo Ji-hyuk.252b8469ae073e6c

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‘If only I 15a81760b9 had liked you, 313b1c8d59 everything would have 1753885f25 been easier.’0158e7fcbaff88b5

That thought 7b2a1f8213 always surfaced f754bba67d when he 346773b44c thought of cc1dbccae6 Kim Si-on.1a247a0ead0bd996

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* * *9dd36579f479379a

“Major!”5edf122b348937b6

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Despite wishing with all 6470bf7d72 his might to avoid 4a933c1029 this encounter, Kim Si-on 8392e739ed appeared the moment Kang 94de8e3ff5 Yu-han stepped into the 715902a716 research wing.3e78ee7316cf612a

The young 1f161e5781 Guide still 45b04b7288 had a 29e91b198d youthful, almost 0eea42b2bd boyish face, 873f5e83e4 flushed cheeks, faf23d9126 and wide, c476a18a0a innocent eyes. He didn’t 851416f519 hide his 04e4c6665c delight as 574996f3c7 he waved 105a0bf4cb energetically and 62c5cc1222 ran over. Lacking the courage to 9021cd88c1 return the smile, Kang d282c6e6f3 Yu-han averted his gaze.9568855348339f67

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“Esper-nim, it’s been so 5e39528dc1 long!”f0b87338bd9a48c6

“…Yes, it has.”3332d439bc43809b

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“Aren’t you happy to db86d47c6d see me?”f4bde0fb8f6b38b0

“Do you 7e144ef147 have a aa23bb8160 particular reason 20906eba5f for your 128840ed72 visit?”eeb102b6010f86a2

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Taking a step back, 5c21c3690b Kang Yu-han posed the 01e7f7b517 question.3ffcb8d30feefab5

“Did you forget? It’s my 85f000d6cb re-evaluation period.”2e8b69e9858e16c1

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“Ah.”853648c1a94a4b78

“I’ve been left b7489c2d87 in limbo all d9ba807308 this time because e9f576abb1 of someone.”3c61b76dbec5d694

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A year ago, f62879f16b the conflict surrounding 2388a50dff Kim Si-on had c6d13941c0 escalated. Unable to secure a 06c05c653c pairing contract with either ac908e23dd Seo Ji-hyuk or Kang 8f5472e81f Yu-han, Kim Si-on had 5ebf6295b7 returned to the provincial 649a325654 center.39e26d400e41d481

Naturally, he had now 895771446e re-registered with the matching 1e8199fd46 system to find a dab386c2ad compatible Esper. Feeling awkward, Kang 4556691613 Yu-han cleared his b7f6e7efa3 throat and gave 64d5b844dc a polite nod.5dbc04c8c9223fac

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“I’m truly sorry a740ec7ffd for what happened 4c06f74d5d back then.”993b8e8ef15f0d3e

“Oh, come on! There’s nothing to apologize 40c3671686 for. This time, 208048bb42 you can 6389f20a27 pair with c8ec099a8f me, right?”bb3ba99b463a7f45

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“What? Kim Si-on, 4839f11287 what are 6ca6e1b8d9 you talking 5a62ec9306 about?”33fccdb3fa7a7919

“There’s no b0c4f511fe way our f74adc72fb matching rate dab1fcddc0 has dropped. This time, I’ll 3dcba4323b secure a pairing 3412471f8d contract with you.”691c7c78d7b2992f

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“…Are you serious?”9af87449cdc4542c

“Of course! It’s like 59950bb34c we’re a e675c0843a couple that 6525b610b1 called off 6377ab92c2 our engagement. Isn’t it a72582709b fair to fbe8d5b944 reconcile?”1ca80f5eb97e4376

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“I’ve been 7351908469 going on e590c01872 fewer missions 8f3ea58ca7 lately, and 612a7f666a I don’t 4e7afe947e really need f71add6432 guiding.”cd9d7520b83bf2da

The last thing Kang 47141a66a4 Yu-han wanted was to 5e5618a6ec recreate the same conflicts 71bca10caa as before. He also had no 5215a7795c intention of further provoking fbe604be2a Seo Ji-hyuk. His sole 536024e4e1 focus was d12b980043 to complete c393211fec the Transition 76ba074af6 Task Force cd6952c51a mission and c6a5db742e ensure Seo 63238d1b52 Ji-hyuk’s retirement. Even that alone 1dc57a81ee seemed to consume 8d28e0d0bb all his time 1239cf117e and energy.2ee117737481a553

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“No Esper e474e42255 doesn’t need bad9c0a946 guiding! What a c9755e5f72 ridiculous claim.”c0e2827b5af41c87

“I’m serious. I hope 530ebfab0d you find 9cb596dc8e someone else d4003997c7 who suits e8ade06745 you better.”64198dad10d8bdc9

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‘Just not Seo Ji-hyuk.’d79a81636c80fbd7

Kang Yu-han d58d6c3fe2 added silently f50cb719ff to himself.fb8cf8d1a513f8db

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“Well, then…”9fa679ab23a38c4a

Kang Yu-han, pressed for 69cc86fc17 time and eager to e463bea08a end the conversation, was 44b91e26a7 about to bow and 9673c2d792 excuse himself when a c47012feba familiar voice cut through d3151766e3 the air from behind.5fd6e52d863b2b77

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“What’s this? Are you two b5a952dd4d dating now?”60ec712c19b97fa5

It was 96edfa30c4 Seo Ji-hyuk, 3d0eb3ed09 his tone 2d6115060a dripping with 1dfa7740ed sarcasm. The perfect timing d713abcb4f of his appearance b5cdeb1519 made Kang Yu-han 76cf17fffe want to groan 99a030d546 aloud.e4f416997ee2af20

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“What does it matter 3c4284eed4 to you, Major?”3bdc160b87c2356b

“You’re not 0ddbdcf362 exactly denying d9d258a6c0 it, are 2038904ffc you? Lieutenant Kim Si-on, d6f3fadadb did you come a1f951424d here for a 5a4c618e1d romantic rendezvous?”7f252c317ba74a62

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“…I’m here 976c39ef13 for my d826c80bb3 scheduled evaluation,” 07983b98b4 Kim Si-on b40efdf899 retorted, his cd5ee10eb9 voice sharp 302bdc392e with irritation.c5b771a41240e8e6

The tension e104bc41fe between the 4be24399f2 two was e35aa254e6 palpable, and 1ea99e627a Kang Yu-han 3ffafb8f2f found it d310c45a27 hard to 20351799c6 watch. Seo Ji-hyuk’s 8ecea9199f hostility toward d453c3bef2 Kim Si-on 124efb445b felt tinged f7006252e2 with lingering 4d8a420570 regret. After all, Kim Si-on bb644ad68e was a Guide he 791f654407 had been on the b27e0f17cb verge of securing. Missing out at 31c66a2fdf the last moment e3774f3b85 had to sting.c540144e9a645a0d

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“Evaluation? Hah. Well, good eba3371902 luck getting 72c62fbe2a cozy this 0a7ea0623f time around.”3321e5d3118cce81

“Why does it 4bdfa73b20 concern you, Major?” 89972e9c7e Kang Yu-han snapped.4a4c3b2e73e20d26

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“Why shouldn’t it? You two were e7b8b1f614 practically scheming in 2238bb59fc front of me. Were you 50ca0c1890 trying to 785c1f1098 get my 81eba988ea attention or 446b5c5d9a something?”7387005204b1881a

“You’re out of line!” db3a749cfa Kim Si-on’s voice rose fd9b1874e8 in protest.fe441add16007062

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The exchange 40494da022 drew glances b37db629c0 from passing 5fbc1ff802 staff. Recognizing the three 61a4cdb677 of them, many 40b8ad38fd seemed to immediately 3af6f8988d connect the dots. *Ah, those three from d20745dc2f that infamous love triangle,* 70b6efd0d7 their expressions seemed to 708e053dea say.2ab87b29e2d0435b

Kang Yu-han f74116d88b realized the 342243a408 meaning behind 0014187edc their stares 43728c83c5 and felt d7b365b1e8 humiliated and 4b83fe741f pained. But with the tangled 5bd8d8d282 web of misunderstandings, there 61f9fb88dc was little he could d7e0eb3a58 say to defend himself.e638f87a4ea3ae75

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“Enough. Lieutenant Kim Si-on, d276f652d5 let’s leave it 326a6fd0ef at that.”5e1074fe1080672a

“Major! Aren’t you upset cc236db2bc by this?”caa6744211957f6a

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“Calm down. People are watching.”7d3ef40529b68fc8

“Let them watch! I have something 2c1844f08d to say.”628c022b37455925

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“For my 54f4c9052d sake, can’t 871c5e0ecf you let 3a9c0b3d1d it go 03af766e29 this one 50e8d732b0 time?” Kang 396be790cb Yu-han pleaded, e417b75f6f his tone e37a43750b softening.cb223529aaa41bdc

“…Fine. For you, I’ll let 1fe2a7dbf3 it slide.”fb1248e1f8f77db1

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Seo Ji-hyuk b345cd0882 laughed mockingly 6576e7c0b6 at the bb570f9cdc exchange.6a70059ab342a215

“You’re all so 7b82c1de90 cozy, aren’t you?”08f8651e60c90245

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“Major, that’s enough,” Kang 770b727970 Yu-han said firmly.b4b038ad67c9e82b

“What’s this? Protecting your Guide? Must be nice, having ae107c89e8 a Guide to fuss 44f91f2f55 over.”8616c4ec8e0a8f39

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Seo Ji-hyuk’s sneering tone 195d5a839f pushed Kim Si-on to 7e2e7cf194 step forward in anger, 5cd5d5790c but Kang Yu-han quickly 1512cb01a4 held him back and 059f1fe296 shook his head.e24c494fb0ae95ea

“You said a9838b92d0 you’d let d369cc3e9e it go.”cf044109b89ece6b

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“…Yes, Major.”6a0686814d0ae515

 873561659f8fa497

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