Onyul was trapped in a space that was red on all sides.
There, espers who had died unjustly without even being able to close their eyes were staring at Onyul. Their bloodshot eyes contained some inexplicable resentment.
It seemed like they all hated Onyul.
I-I also did my best to help… I wanted us all to live together too…
Onyul barely managed to make excuses, but as if they couldn’t hear his sincerity, they each reached out their hands and grabbed his ankles tightly.
It’s because of you.
Everyone died because of you.
Are you happy you survived alone?
Their fingertips touching his ankles were hot and painful.
Onyul resisted with all his might, but the more he did, the more it felt like he was sinking into a quagmire.
Stop… Please stop…
Then a pitch-black silhouette appeared from somewhere and embraced Onyul. As soon as it did, the pitiful things that had been holding onto Onyul disappeared.
Hyung, everything will be okay now.
The voice whispering in his ear was somehow familiar. Strangely, as soon as he heard that voice, it felt like his racing heart was calming down.
“…”
Onyul, who naturally opened his eyes, exhaled a deep breath.
It was a dream he hadn’t had even once since becoming the ordinary convenience store owner Kang Ian. He had been doing well as if he’d never had such a past.
But why did he suddenly have such a dream…
At that moment, he recalled what had happened just before he lost consciousness.
Learning that Gu Baekyoung had been confined in a Box because of his death and shedding tears, the gate he had dispatched to rampaging, encountering Gu Baekyoung just before rampage at the place he’d gone to just in case, somehow bringing him back to his senses.
Ah, I had such a dream because I experienced something similar to the past.
As he was collecting his complicated thoughts, he belatedly realized that someone was holding him tightly.
“Are you awake?”
The voice he heard in his ear was quite familiar. It was the same as the voice he’d just heard in his dream.
The name of the voice’s owner flowed out from between his slightly parted teeth.
“Gu Baekyoung…”
Unbelievably, Gu Baekyoung’s voice in the dream had calmed Onyul down.
He was just like a savior who had pulled him out of a nightmare.
“Yeah, it’s me.”
Gu Baekyoung’s voice, which answered nonchalantly, only felt odd.
“Why are you holding me? Am I still dreaming?”
But for it to be a dream, his body touching him so closely was too realistic. The body temperature of the guy touching his skin was so hot it was burning up.
…Is something wrong with him? He felt needless worry that perhaps the aftermath of the rampage might still remain.
Instead of answering, Gu Baekyoung loosened his tight embrace of Onyul a little and tilted his head. As expected, he felt the sensation of lips that were too vivid to call this reality.
Gu Baekyoung had pressed his lips to his forehead. Just like kissing a beloved lover!
Ah, no. Though we are limited-time lovers, that’s true.
“Does it still feel like a dream?”
“N-no!”
Startled by the sudden skinship, Onyul tried to distance himself from Gu Baekyoung, but Gu Baekyoung’s hand pressed firmly on his back. As if to prevent him from escaping.
“Don’t move away.”
Even though his face clearly wore a smile, perhaps because of his low voice, Onyul felt pressure from Gu Baekyoung. Onyul only pulled his face back and looked up at him.
He had shamelessly hugged him and kissed him, so he’d forgotten to ask about his well-being. Onyul belatedly asked about his condition.
“Are… you okay?”
To the naked eye, he did seem okay.
His complexion was good, and his eyes were clear. Seeing him cheekily pretending to be a real lover, he seemed perfectly normal.
Thank goodness, really thank goodness.
He didn’t regret going to the scene even while trembling.
But what I don’t understand is how I brought Gu Baekyoung, who was on the verge of rampage, back to normal.
He had merely held his hand. It wasn’t like they kissed or did anything more.
Yet Onyul had brought Gu Baekyoung back to his senses and even recovered his condition on top of that.
Come to think of it, aren’t I actually an amazing person?
“I’m completely fine thanks to honey.”
At least Gu Baekyoung didn’t seem to be lying and pretending to be okay.
“I’m really glad.”
“I’m grateful, but weren’t you scared? No matter how much you like me, what if you enter such a dangerous place.”
“I was scared…”
Even now, his hands trembled when he thought about that time. He didn’t know with what state of mind he’d stepped into the rampage site filled only with trauma.
But the strange thing was, even if the same situation repeated, it seemed like Onyul would save Gu Baekyoung.
Moreover, now that he was certain he was the only one who could help him, it seemed like he wouldn’t be able to turn away from him in danger.
“I’m sorry.”
“No, there’s nothing to be sorry about. It’s a matter of someone’s life. Since your body recovers when you hold my hand… that’s why.”
“Ha… Why does it sound like you’re saying you love me.”
Gu Baekyoung, who interpreted Onyul’s words as he pleased, giggled.
“I-it’s not that I love you, okay?”
“No matter how much honey denies it, the entire nation has learned about your relationship with me.”
“Huh?”
Instead of answering, Gu Baekyoung handed him Onyul’s phone, which he’d somehow obtained.
“Look at the news.”
Onyul hastily checked the current situation.
Internet portal sites, video platforms… He belatedly learned that all sorts of places were plastered with stories about the cat helmet.
[Mysterious cat helmet stopped Gu Baekyoung’s rampage]
[Who is the cat helmet… The scene is in chaos with the appearance of an unidentified guide]
[Gu Baekyoung’s secret guide? Interest in the mysterious cat helmet continues…]
Articles speculating about Onyul lined up one after another, and not only small channels aiming for views but even terrestrial news kept broadcasting images of Onyul.
“Wh-what is all this.”
Onyul stared blankly at his own face on the screen.
And at that moment, he realized. That things had gone seriously wrong.
Then, Park Hanil, the Guide Center Director, appeared in the YouTube video that was playing. He was giving an interview about this incident with a confused face.
[“I cannot give you a definite answer yet. We are also looking into the identity. However, since they seem to be acquainted with Esper Gu Baekyoung, you don’t need to worry too much.”]
[Comments]
⌞Wow… they stopped Gu Baekyoung’s rampage???? What’s the identity of that cat helmet ;;
⌞If they calmed down an S-rank esper on the verge of rampage… shouldn’t they be at least SS-rank? This might be the first SS-rank guide in the country.
⌞But wait, a guide even the Center Director doesn’t know? Isn’t this an unregistered guide? ㄷㄷ It might actually be dangerous
⌞ㅋㅋㅋㅋ Is it cool to come out wearing a helmet? If you hide your abilities and problems arise later, who takes responsibility?
⌞Seems like the Anti-Management Bureau side is putting on a showㄷㄷㄷ Anyway, they should definitely investigate their identity!
The comment reactions were explosive.
If there was something unfortunate, it was the fact that there were more people who had antipathy toward the unidentifiable ‘cat helmet.’
People were worried that the owner of that helmet might belong to the Anti-Management Bureau.
This was because those called the Anti-Management Bureau, commonly known as Overload, had been committing evil deeds.
They were a force opposing the current Management Bureau system, kidnapping low-ranked espers and guides to torture or brainwash them, and illegally creating ability users to periodically attack the Management Bureau.
They even planted spies in the Management Bureau to interfere with the Bureau’s work.
Due to their indiscriminate violence, there were many cases of civilians being harmed.
Civilians showed extreme disgust at just hearing the word “anti” in Anti-Management Bureau.
Some people hated Anti-Management Bureau ability users more than gates where monsters from other worlds ran wild.
Onyul also didn’t like the Anti-Management Bureau much. Though he’d never directly clashed with them, who could like people who attacked innocent people?
“Wow… what is all this even.”
Onyul, who had roughly skimmed through the comments, sighed.
No matter how much he scrolled, it continued endlessly. He hadn’t imagined the topic would be this big.
Unlike the flustered Onyul, Gu Baekyoung seemed excited for some reason.
“What happened? The fact that my honey saved me has been revealed to the whole world.”
“…”
“What do they call this? An official couple announcement?”
“I don’t think that’s it?”
“Don’t worry. I just need to clearly prove that the cat helmet isn’t from the Anti-Management Bureau forces.”
Gu Baekyoung smiled an enchanting smile.
And the more confident Gu Baekyoung became, the more Onyul felt a strange unease instead.
Something like… a feeling that things had gone wrong.
I’m probably worrying for nothing. Well, how weird could he act?
No matter how peculiar Gu Baekyoung was, he thought he wouldn’t do anything absurd even when it came to proving his identity.
