# Chapter 54
“The Deputy Center Director wants to meet Guide Lee Jaehee and Esper Choi Geonwoo, so he came here personally.”
Soon the examination room door opened and the Deputy Center Director appeared. With a gentle smile, he approached where Jaehee and Geonwoo were.
“How is Esper Choi Geonwoo’s physical condition? Is he alright?”
The Deputy Center Director examined Geonwoo’s condition in detail as he asked. Then he shifted his gaze,
“Is Guide Lee Jaehee also uninjured anywhere?”
He also checked Jaehee’s condition. His face was full of concern.
“Yes. I’m fine. And Esper Choi Geonwoo’s condition is gradually improving.”
Jaehee answered the Deputy Center Director’s question sincerely. The Deputy Center Director lowered the ends of his eyebrows slightly and said,
“I should have come earlier, but I was preoccupied with dealing with the employees who caused this incident. I’m sorry.”
His tone conveyed genuine regret.
“I really can’t understand what they were thinking. Messing with an unmanifested Esper… I’ve stripped them all of their positions. I intend to make an example of them so such actions never happen again.”
The Deputy Center Director spoke in a strong tone. Then, with rounded eyes, he continued reassuringly.
“So don’t worry anymore.”
Then, wearing a deeply apologetic expression, he looked at Geonwoo and Jaehee each in turn.
“I should have been more vigilant while the Center Director is away. I’m sorry. To both of you. This happened because of my shortcomings.”
The Deputy Center Director even bowed his head to Jaehee and Geonwoo.
“It wasn’t something you did, Deputy Director, so there’s no need to apologize.”
It was unclear when he had entered, but Taeyun had approached the bed and said this.
“That’s right, apologies should come from those who did wrong.”
Jaehee spoke in agreement.
“More importantly,”
Then, looking into the Deputy Center Director’s eyes, Jaehee asked,
“Has the ringleader been identified?”
“Ah…”
As if he hadn’t expected this question, the Deputy Center Director’s eyes widened momentarily before returning to normal. Then, nodding slightly, he said,
“Upon investigation, it seems the most senior employee was behind this.”
The Center Director spoke with a bitter expression.
“I’ve known this employee since they were a rookie. They waited to manifest as a Guide, but ultimately never manifested and joined as a regular employee.”
The Deputy Center Director tilted his head slightly and looked upward, as if recalling old memories.
“That must have triggered feelings of inferiority. Not being able to become a Guide, they wanted to at least possess an Esper. Something that shouldn’t be done.”
The Deputy Center Director spoke while shaking his head slightly. Then, with a rounded smile, he looked at Jaehee.
“Well, now that everything’s been handled, don’t worry about anything else. Both of you just focus on your physical condition.”
The Deputy Center Director slightly raised his hand, gesturing to the employee standing behind him. The employee then approached the Deputy Center Director.
“We won’t spare any support, so feel free to ask for anything you need.”
The employee behind him, hearing this, began writing something as if taking notes.
“Thank you for looking after us.”
Jaehee expressed gratitude quietly.
“There’s no need for thanks over something like this. Support is only natural.”
The Deputy Center Director said with a smiling face. Then he suddenly stiffened his eyes slightly and slowly began to speak.
“More than that, I’ve also heard.”
“What are you referring to?”
At Jaehee’s question, the Deputy Center Director looked at Jaehee once and then turned his gaze to Geonwoo.
“I’ve heard rumors that you’ve accepted Esper Choi Geonwoo here as your Mark partner, and I’d like to know if what I’ve heard is correct.”
At those words, Geonwoo’s body stiffened behind Jaehee. Though the Deputy Center Director asked the question and Jaehee was the one being questioned, Geonwoo was the most tense in this situation. Geonwoo waited for Jaehee’s answer.
“Yes, that’s what I intend.”
At Jaehee’s words, Geonwoo lowered his head and rested his forehead on Jaehee’s shoulder. Geonwoo’s forehead was warm. No, not just his forehead. His entire face was like that. Hearing it directly from Jaehee’s lips, Geonwoo couldn’t contain his joy and nuzzled his forehead against Jaehee’s shoulder.
‘I wish everyone would just leave.’
He wanted to be alone with Jaehee, but Geonwoo held back firmly, worried that Jaehee would dislike it if he showed hostility toward others.
As if knowing his feelings, Jaehee reached his hand back and patted Geonwoo.
“You two seem close.”
The Deputy Center Director said, observing them.
“Frankly, I thought Esper Choi Geonwoo wouldn’t like Guide Lee Jaehee much after what happened to him. But that doesn’t seem to be the case.”
At those words, Jaehee’s patting hand stopped.
“The ones who did wrong are different people.”
Just then, Geonwoo said this and took Jaehee’s hand that had stopped patting, and now he patted it instead. As if to say it was alright.
“Without the hope of meeting Guide-nim, I couldn’t have endured it.”
Geonwoo was looking at the Deputy Center Director as he spoke, but in reality, his words were no different than if they were directed at Jaehee.
Seeing Jaehee feeling guilty about the one-sided Mark, he couldn’t say that wasn’t the case. He wanted to say that he was actually extremely happy about the Mark, that just thinking about Guide-nim made him happy, that those days of waiting for him were happy, and that meeting him filled him with a sense of completeness as if he had everything.
That was his true feeling, but if he said that, it seemed like Jaehee would leave. Seeing Jaehee beside him, carrying guilt he didn’t need to bear, he couldn’t bring himself to say there was no need for guilt.
That’s why Geonwoo now spoke up.
“I have no reason to dislike Guide-nim. And Guide-nim has nothing to feel sorry about toward me.”
How could he dislike Jaehee? He liked him so much that his emotions were beyond control.
“You seem to follow Guide Lee Jaehee a lot.”
The Deputy Center Director said, narrowing his eyes.
“Turning a one-sided Mark into a mutual Mark…”
The Deputy Center Director stroked his chin and drew out his words.
“Guide Lee Jaehee.”
Jaehee looked at the Deputy Center Director when called and answered.
“Yes.”
“Didn’t you have a one-sided Mark before? If I remember correctly.”
At this sudden question, Jaehee’s pupils dilated.
“Didn’t that Esper have a one-sided Mark without manifesting? The name was definitely Kang…”
“Deputy Director! Hello!”
It was then. Suddenly, a loud voice from behind interrupted the Deputy Center Director’s words. Everyone’s attention turned to the source of the loud voice. Behind them, somehow, stood the examiner holding a work pad.
“I came to take Esper Choi Geonwoo for a necessary examination, and here you are.”
The examiner said with an awkward smile. Since he had made a mistake before, he had to keep it secret by any means that Jaehee’s one-sided Mark partner was Dohyun. So he deliberately interrupted by pretending to greet with a loud voice.
“I guess I’ve been taking up too much time.”
The Deputy Center Director said, rising.
“Well, I understand your thoughts.”
The Deputy Center Director said, looking at Jaehee.
“If you change your mind, let me know anytime. We will provide all the support to safely remove the Mark.”
“Guide-nim, let’s go for the examination.”
Geonwoo covered up those words. As if he didn’t want to hear them, Geonwoo revealed his true feelings.
The Deputy Center Director looked at Geonwoo once and stood up.
“Then I’ll visit again next time. More than that, I also want to know about Esper Choi Geonwoo’s condition.”
He said this and looked at Taeyun.
“Is Esper Cheon Taeyun in charge of Esper Choi Geonwoo?”
“Yes.”
“Could I hear about Esper Choi Geonwoo’s condition? I think I need to know how he’s doing to feel at ease.”
“Ah, yes. Let’s discuss it outside.”
With those final words, Taeyun also followed the Deputy Center Director.
“Deputy Director.”
From behind him as he was leaving, Jaehee called out. The Deputy Center Director turned his head back at the sound of his name.
“Thank you for coming personally today.”
Jaehee smiled brightly, his eyes crinkling. Then he bowed his head in greeting.
As if pleased with Jaehee, the Deputy Center Director’s face broke into a full smile.
“I’ve only done what I should, but receiving thanks makes me feel awkward. Well, I’ll really be going now, so see you next time.”
With those words, the Deputy Center Director left the examination room.
Jaehee watched him until the end. Jaehee’s mouth was still smiling brightly. But his eyes weren’t. The smile gradually disappeared.
‘…Deputy Center Director.’
Jaehee clearly remembered who Cheon Taeyun had been beside before the regression. The sight of the two leaving now was exactly the same as back then.
And one more thing. Jaehee, having already experienced the future, knew what he had done.
‘So he was plotting to push out the Center Director from this point.’
The current situation was telling him that the Deputy Center Director was at the center of that incident that happened in the future.
In the future Jaehee experienced, due to the Center Director’s mysterious illness, the Deputy Center Director assumes the position of Center Director. Much later, Dr. Yoon’s investigation suggested that this might have been caused by external factors. Traces of an unknown drug component gradually fading in the Center Director’s body were detected in minute amounts.
But that opinion was immediately dismissed.
‘It was because the amount was too minute to analyze properly back then.’
But this time is different. Jaehee had already asked Dr. Yoon to investigate this. This time, this case wouldn’t be buried so futilely like back then.
