***
It was a faster clear than expected. The team members who watched Jung Sijun’s combat up close, which was closer to venting anger, clicked their tongues inwardly.
‘Crazy bastard… venting his anger and throwing a fit inside the gate.’
Whether he’d had an argument with Yoon Kihyun or not, his killing intent had been tremendous even before entry. However, since the clear ended safely, they could breathe a sigh of relief.
Right now he was wrapping his eyes in killing intent and couldn’t properly control his wavelength, but once he went into the guiding room and came out, he’d be relaxed as if nothing had happened.
Like a puppy happy after receiving plenty of its owner’s touch.
‘What the hell does he do in there? A person changes that much from guiding?’
‘Isn’t he fucking hypnotizing him?’
Jung Sijun’s transformation after having Yoon Kihyun as his personal guide was remarkable.
Should they say the center’s Mad Dog, who was unrivaled in being sensitive and prickly, was now like a tamed beast that had received its handler’s touch?
He still tormented them under the guise of physical training and threw terrible fits on days when they made mistakes during clears, but he’d definitely changed. The old Jung Sijun was a crazy bastard at a level where human words didn’t get through, but now at least they could communicate with him, couldn’t they?
“Team Leader! Good work!”
“…Yeah.”
Jung Sijun lightly stretched his body, still not calmed down from the excitement after the battle ended. Having used his body more violently than usual, his body felt stiff for the first time in a while.
After the battle ended, his head was still full of thoughts about one person. It was about Yoon Kihyun, who would be spending time alone in the guiding room by now.
‘I knew he was a difficult type to get close to, but isn’t this too much?’
He still felt bitter about Yoon Kihyun rejecting his gift. Jung Sijun let out a deep sigh while checking his physical condition.
‘Hmm. All healed.’
He’d sustained minor injuries due to moving more roughly than usual. However, by the time the clear ended, the wounds had closed without a single scar.
The phenomenal recovery speed was counted as one of the secondary advantages that came with awakening as an Esper, but originally it hadn’t applied to Jung Sijun. Because his wavelength was so finicky, guiding was always insufficient.
When Yoon Kihyun worked at the center, he was generally in charge of Jung Sijun’s guiding, but he hadn’t received enough guiding to be satisfied.
Even excluding Jung Sijun, there were many Espers who needed Yoon Kihyun’s guiding. During his team leader days, Yoon Kihyun had been even sharper than now.
Even for S-rank Espers, he didn’t pour out his guiding energy completely, and ended the guiding once he thought the purification was adequately done.
Should they say he definitely left a share for the Esper waiting for the next guiding?
In terms of work, it was certainly a professional aspect, but personally, the disappointment was inevitable. However, after bringing Yoon Kihyun in as his personal guide, everything changed.
The minor injuries he’d taken for granted after awakening as an Esper, the nerves standing on edge, most of the things he’d found uncomfortable all this time had disappeared. It was close to a miracle.
“Whew.”
Jung Sijun took a slow deep breath.
While relaxing his body until the fine tremors crawling all over his body right after combat subsided, thinking of the pale face that would be obediently waiting for him in the guiding room by now made him want to rush out immediately.
But he couldn’t appear covered in monster bodily fluids. He had to maintain basic manners and score points as much as possible.
Because bastards like that fox Seo Igyeong could appear at any time.
Lately, not only was Yoon Kihyun exchanging messages with Seo Igyeong, but they’d even become close enough to warmly greet each other when they met in the lobby.
According to him, they were just casual acquaintances who exchanged greetings, but looking at Seo Igyeong’s eyes, he was clearly being coy. Those eyes weren’t the eyes of someone looking at a simple work colleague.
‘But how exactly am I supposed to get close to him? Ugh! Even when I give him gifts, he says he won’t accept them.’
Jung Sijun had been frequenting department stores a lot lately. When stress accumulated, he tended to relieve it through spending.
Yesterday too, when he stopped by the watch store to pick up a watch he’d reserved and asked what would be good as a gift watch, they brought out several popular models.
‘Even someone who isn’t particularly interested in watches would like these lines. I’ve rarely seen anyone who dislikes this series.’
He didn’t take the employee’s words at face value, but even to Jung Sijun’s eyes, it was a design that suited Yoon Kihyun well, so he purchased it as is.
He’d like it if he received it, right? No matter what, this design shouldn’t divide preferences.
He hadn’t thought he’d be refused. However, Yoon Kihyun always had a talent for going against his expectations.
‘I clearly told you I don’t want to accept this.’
The gifts he’d given Yoon Kihyun under the guise of “settlement money” until now were still placed on the guiding room table even now.
It was a kind of protest. Jung Sijun, who’d been rejected after buying it with thought, had conspicuously placed it on the table, telling him to take it later if he changed his mind. And Yoon Kihyun was treating the watch box like an interior prop and ignoring it.
‘What exactly is the problem?’
He was still shocked that his gift had been rejected. When he’d accepted them well until now, he couldn’t gauge what sudden change of heart had occurred.
While thinking about Yoon Kihyun with a deeply furrowed brow, one of Jung Sijun’s team members approached with an affable face and asked.
“Team Leader.”
“What.”
“Are you eating separately today too?”
He was someone who couldn’t properly make eye contact until a few months ago, but lately the frequency of him speaking up had increased. It was all because after Yoon Kihyun came, he’d mellowed out and the frequency of torment had decreased.
Since Yoon Kihyun would have already eaten even dessert by this time, when he shook his head, they suggested eating together after guiding was finished.
“Where are you eating?”
“We’re thinking of going to the Korean restaurant right over there. That place with the delicious pork bulgogi.”
“Do that.”
“Should I order a portion for the guide too?”
The youngest, who usually handled orders, roundaboutly asked whether Yoon Kihyun would be joining. The reason for asking again even though he’d told them they were eating separately was obvious.
“You want to die? Park Gyeongmin, what time is it now?”
When Jung Sijun asked with a snort, the color drained from the youngest’s face.
“It’s 2:51, Team Leader.”
“Would he not have eaten by this time?”
“I’m sorry.”
He wasn’t unaware that the team members wanted to see Yoon Kihyun one more time somehow. They were guys who’d been interested in Yoon Kihyun even before he became a personal guide anyway.
Cheeky bastards. Anyway, they don’t know their place.
Jung Sijun rolled his eyes. He had a duty to protect his guide among these fucking Espers. Because that would be the basic courtesy to maintain as an employer.
“Let’s fucking train hard today.”
“Team Leaderrr…”
A burly black-haired bastard drawing out his words was disgusting enough to make him want to vomit.
“Fuck. Really living comfortably these days, aren’t you?”
“Not at all!”
They were definitely bastards who only came to their senses after being cursed at.
Jung Sijun glared and jerked his chin at Kim Chamin, the vice team leader. Meaning to take him and get lost. Kim Chamin, who was quick on the uptake, immediately smacked the back of the youngest’s head and dragged him to a corner.
‘He wants to die, really.’
Jung Sijun placed his hand on his waist and tilted his head back.
Anyway, this was the problem with bastards with dicks. If you treated them even a little well, they’d somehow gauge whether there was room to stretch their legs and test the waters.
After throwing a fit, if you treat them even a little well, they try to sneakily climb up to see if they can crush this bastard.
This isn’t the Animal Kingdom or anything.
Fortunately, Jung Sijun had expertise in organizing the hierarchy by force due to his family history. He had talent too.
Having learned only these things from watching in a gangster family, adapting at the center was no different from a piece of cake.
“Whew.”
Since the sensation of his whole body’s muscles screaming had also subsided, it was time to return to the Awakened Center, shower first, and then go see Yoon Kihyun.
Lately, he’d been showing clear signs of fatigue, so perhaps when he returned, like last time, he might be sleeping soundly like an angel.
‘His sleeping face was really killer.’
If possible, it would be nice if he slept comfortably on the folding bed he lay on his stomach and played on. He’d never once seen him sleep on that bed.
It was fortunate that the sofa was at least wide, but seeing him uncomfortably sleep sitting on the sofa when there was a bed where he could stretch out his legs, as his employer, he felt quite uncomfortable.
He’d put various things in the guiding room for him to rest, but Yoon Kihyun didn’t seem to rest comfortably in that space.
‘I think it might be more comfortable to receive guiding outside the center…’
The problem with that was he wouldn’t be able to see Yoon Kihyun during the time at the center.
But there was the big advantage of being able to block the approach of fly-like bastards like Seo Igyeong. Plus, he could prepare a better space for guiding.
‘Should I really buy another house while I’m at it?’
Thinking it wasn’t such a bad idea, Jung Sijun thought of the guide who would be waiting for him in the guiding room today too.
No matter how he thought about it, it was a phenomenal face. Because just thinking about it made him smile.
