Blame v2c29

Evil Endem is kind to Cheche.

It was completely different content from the rumors until now.

***

As Evil wanted, the re-measurement date was moved up. To this very morning.

The Soul Aura awakening of a refugee from Tar was unprecedented, so the re-measurement results were also a matter of extreme interest. Media outlets that had been leisurely waiting for the previously announced re-measurement date hastily put out headlines saying ‘Tar’s Young Hero Cheche Takes Re-measurement Today.’ If the sudden date change had been due to Center circumstances, they would have put up critical articles, but because it was due to Evil’s whim, no one criticized that part.

Evil came down to the measurement room this time too. Last time they did Soul Aura and Adapter tests, but this time they dealt only with Soul Aura in depth. For a more thorough examination, Cheche entered a private room where others couldn’t be seen. Evil watched from across the room as Cheche underwent various tests after attaching brainwave measuring devices to his head.

It was a glass wall visible from only one side so the measurement subject wouldn’t notice, but Cheche kept looking this way as if he already knew. When their eyes met for the third time, Evil smirked.

“He keeps giving signals that he knows I’m here. How cute.”

Without taking his eyes off the screen, he asked the extremely tense measurement room team leader.

“Doesn’t this make it pointless? You need to test him in a state where he can’t see others’ gazes.”

“Yes, well… it’s okay because we’ll derive results assuming he noticed the gaze.”

When specific words or images appeared on the monitor in front of Cheche, the changes in his brainwave values would show on this monitor, and S-rank Soul Aura Users had very high ranges and values of change.

For example, even just looking at a photo of the sky once, a Souler expressed far more diverse emotions than a non-user. The monitor revealed what emotional changes were occurring inside the doll-like face with emotions cut off.

An ordinary person would have looked forward to the idea of peering into someone’s inner thoughts, but Evil was different. Evil expected Cheche’s brainwaves to remain constant regardless of what he saw, and that expectation was precisely met.

“I’ve never seen someone with such little change in all my time working in this field…”

“Try putting up a photo of Tar. It’ll fucking fluctuate like crazy.”

Evil spoke cynically. He was displeased that his expectation had been met. He wished there was something other than Tar that could move Cheche’s brainwaves.

A Souler who cries easily, a Souler who rejoices easily, a Souler who easily controls their emotions… Among the countless Soulers, what type would this one be?

The result was as Evil expected.

In Cheche’s case, he was a Souler who hid things well. One who concealed emotional fluctuations as if they never existed.

It was an extremely rare case.

If he could hide his own emotions this well, he could hide others’ emotions just as easily. The measurement room team leader said he would be a great help to non-users living with memories they wanted to forget. Though he couldn’t erase memories, he could prevent them from suffering from those memories anymore.

After the results were somewhat derived, Evil crossed his arms and bluntly spat out:

“There are so many problems with the Soul Aura measurement system. Motion Aura is measured physically right away, but this side is too ambiguous.”

“We, we’ll work on improving it.”

“It’d be better to sit someone down and have them guess what this person’s current psychological state is. Rather than this kind of brainwave test. Honestly, what is that? Dripping all over the head. It’s not even a biological experiment.”

Cheche had various things attached to his head for brainwave measurement. With the beautiful boy with dark brown skin sitting alone in the white measurement room in clean white clothing with an expressionless face, it really did look like a biological experiment.

“Fucking ugly and cute.”

Evil took out his phone and kept snapping photos. Though some private companies made their measurement rooms public, the Aura User Center’s measurement room was a private space, and recording devices like phones had to be returned at the entrance. However, no one restrained Evil.

“He really can’t see in there, right?”

“Yes, he can’t see.”

“It seems like he can see. We keep making eye contact.”

“From that side it would be a mirror… Ah, we can change it so he can see this side. Should I try it?”

“Yeah.”

The laboratory team leader gave a look and an employee manipulated the pad.

Cheche, who had been looking this way dryly, blinked his eyes. Slowly, blink. His silver eyelashes went down then trembled as they came back up. Making direct eye contact with Evil, Cheche tilted his head slightly to the side and smiled gently.

“…”

Evil was so surprised he clutched his chest.

“Wha, what? Why is he doing that? Why is he smiling?”

“It seems like he’s smiling because he made eye contact…”

“Just shut up for a bit, fuck.”

The measurement room team leader who couldn’t read the situation closed his mouth, and Evil stared at Cheche while clutching his heart. Perhaps thinking it strange that Evil was suddenly rubbing his own chest, the brainwaves on the monitor changed slightly then disappeared.

The graph came out almost in a straight line, then suddenly spiked sharply. Since they were making eye contact, it kept vibrating slightly. It rose sharply then went back down then rose again… Though the range was small, it clearly reacted.

“…”

Evil jumped to his feet.

“Don’t move on to the next one until I come back!”

“Yes…”

Evil stormed out of the measurement room with a bright red face, stomping loudly. Cheche also turned his head toward where Evil had left, then soon took a proper posture.

When Evil’s figure disappeared, the graph returned to a line. Like the horizon of a small pond with no wind blowing. It settled down calmly.

***

The remeasurement ended in time for lunch. Evil and Cheche went up to the cafeteria with James. Having heard about Evil’s visit since morning, they had blocked access to the cafeteria for about an hour, so it was quieter than a restaurant where secret conversations took place. Worried they’d be criticized even if there were no people at all, they seated a few people in corner seats to pretend to eat, but they were careful not to make even the sound of spoons hitting trays, so they were no different from decorations.

Evil, who had piled up lamb ribs—a menu hastily added this morning—frowned at Cheche’s plate.

“What’s this? Are you on a diet?”

Evil put several lamb ribs on the plate that only had greens and bread crumbs, then

“Eat it. Unless you want to starve to death.”

He threatened. For Cheche, whose stomach was already bloated, it was torture. Evil ostentatiously tore into the lamb ribs.

“As expected, the cafeteria is fucking tasteless. I should never come again.”

It was a statement like a blessing to everyone.

Cheche stabbed the lamb ribs with a fork, then tore off a little meat and put it in his mouth. And after that, he didn’t even glance at the lamb ribs.

“Director, the afternoon schedule is visiting icy road accident sites. We’ve currently narrowed it down to three places.”

“Are they close to the Center?”

“Yes, all within ten minutes.”

“Yeah.”

Evil waved his fork back and forth as if to say that was enough, making James shut up.

He frowned at Cheche who was only nibbling at salad, but didn’t tell him to eat more. The refugee’s complexion didn’t look good. Evil deduced in his own way the reason Cheche’s expression wasn’t good and opened his mouth.

“The results come out in a week. You’ll be anxious until then.”

“…”

“Don’t worry. You’re S-rank for sure.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Cheche lowered his eyes.

He didn’t seem to believe it at all. Though it greatly displeased him that he dared not believe his words, Evil held back this time too.

The cafeteria’s dessert beverage was, as expected, warm tea good for drinking in winter. Evil and James preferred coffee over tea so they didn’t even look at it, but Cheche unexpectedly sipped it well. He consumed it much better than the lamb ribs or salad. That sight looked like a sparrow that had wandered around starving in winter and finally found water to drink, so Evil was satisfied.

“Is it good?”

Since he was drinking it so well, Evil wondered if this tea was good and brought the teacup over, placed his mouth exactly where Cheche’s lips had touched, and took a sip.

“Well, it’s not bad.”

As if that wasn’t enough, he ostentatiously licked it with his tongue and returned it.

Evil watched with an evil smile as if to see what he’d do. Cheche, who had been staring at the teacup, suddenly held it out to James sitting one seat away.

“Would you like some too, Secretary-General?”

“Hey!”

Seeing Cheche offer the teacup to James, Evil shouted furiously. Cheche looked up at Evil with eyes that said ‘I have absolutely no idea why you’re suddenly shouting.’ Only Evil was dying of frustration at that indifferent expression.

And James, who had suddenly been used by Cheche, was also dying of absurdity.

So this is what happens when you get caught between two people who are flirting…