He didn’t usually use his power this way, but this couldn’t be helped. How could he send home something trembling like a young puppy? He had to make the kid stable somehow before sending him. It was the same now. The research team leader was famous in this Center for being inhuman. He had a businesslike and cold-hearted side, so there were often cases where ability users’ complaints exploded. Daehoon knew this. And usually, he didn’t care whether the research team leader did this or that.
The research team studied various things like the manifestation of ability users, Espers’ rampage, more efficient guiding, and so on. But before that, when new ability users entered the Center, the research team was also in charge of training them before deployment.
The research team leader was famous for his harsh training. His infamy was so high that when Daehoon heard the rumors, he thought he was fortunate to have been in England from childhood and started Guide work there for the first time. If he too had learned Guide work here under the research team leader, he probably would have smashed the Center first, never mind being a Guide.
Clearly, if he had just left Woo Ilkyung inside, that viper-like research team leader would have already killed the kid’s spirit and rattled off the schedule he’d have to do from the next day. Daehoon didn’t care whether he glared at him for preventing him from leaving work in the office, and sat Ilkyung on a chair outside, then stood in front of Ilkyung and blocked the doctor and team leader’s line of sight.
“Are you feeling a bit better?”
“I don’t know what this is. I didn’t wish for this.”
“Weren’t you always wanting to become an ability user?”
Ilkyung looked up at Daehoon with drooping eye corners. His complicated-looking face was pitiful on one hand and made him want to make him cry. When he cries, those eye corners turning red would be pretty. Daehoon momentarily didn’t know why he thought of the day they had sex.
“Should I buy you some coffee loaded with caramel? Will eating something sweet make you feel better?”
“I’m just flustered. When I was young and wanted so badly to become an Esper, there was no news, but now when I’m finally thinking it’s okay, that being an ordinary person doesn’t matter, what is this… It’s not even teasing… Why is my life like this, Director?”
The kid was dejected. It probably wasn’t entirely good. In fact, Daehoon had no particular thoughts when he became a Guide. He manifested when he was very young, and since his mother was actively working as an S-rank Guide, Daehoon had never even made the assumption that he wouldn’t be an ability user.
But Woo Ilkyung was the complete opposite. As the only ordinary person in an ability user family, Woo Ilkyung had waited to manifest all through growing up. He didn’t know when he gave up on that feeling, but the disappointed heart must have remained. No, in fact, he might not have given up. While outwardly performing Field Support Team duties skillfully, in one corner of his heart, he might have been thinking “I want to become an ability user too.”
“You must be confused.”
“Were you like that too, Director?”
“Yes, I was.”
Daehoon lied plausibly without even wetting his lips. If he told the truth that he himself wasn’t like that at all, Woo Ilkyung seemed like he would burst into tears right here. He didn’t mind Woo Ilkyung crying, but he didn’t want to show that crying appearance to other people. Here, he wouldn’t even be able to lick his crying cheeks clean with his tongue.
“What did you do then?”
“Well. I was too young then, so I don’t remember well. But still, Ilkyung-ssi.”
Daehoon, who had been standing the whole time, bent his knees and sat down in front of Ilkyung, looking up. Ilkyung, who had been looking up at Daehoon, lowered his head slightly.
“Ilkyung-ssi. Do you hate that you became an ability user?”
“I don’t know. What I should do or how.”
“What can we do when it’s already happened? This isn’t something that can be undone.”
“I know that, but still…”
Daehoon took the small hand resting on Ilkyung’s knee and stroked the inside of his wrist with his thumb.
“Still, since it’s already awakened, it’s better that you awakened as an S-rank Esper. Right?”
Daehoon spoke as if soothing a child. He slowly caressed the tender skin on the inside of the wrist while maintaining eye contact with Ilkyung. Daehoon let his energy flow, hoping Ilkyung’s turbulent heart would calm down a little.
Guides didn’t just heal wounds on Espers’ bodies. Stopping their rampage ultimately meant stabilizing their minds.
“Is it really okay that I awakened as S-rank?”
“You know what F-ranks do. Wouldn’t it be better to do important work anyway?”
Ilkyung’s face, which had looked ready to cry, relaxed a little. Ilkyung nodded slightly. It seemed that Daehoon and Ilkyung’s matching rate wasn’t completely rock bottom after all. Though it wouldn’t happen, but if Henry were in this situation and Daehoon tried to guide him for mental stability like this, it wouldn’t have even a slight effect on Henry. For guiding to be possible in Henry and Daehoon’s relationship, someone would probably have to fuck and shake and fight—to put it crudely. But even if they did that, how much healing would it really do? Even doing that wouldn’t heal him properly. And more than anything, Daehoon had no hobby of fucking someone his own size.
“Are you feeling a bit calmer?”
Daehoon asked once more. Then Ilkyung nodded.
“Thank you.”
“For what? It’s been a long time, should we go home?”
“The Research Team Leader is waiting.”
“Hold on.”
Daehoon stood up from his seat. Then he went to the Research Team Leader, who had a disgruntled expression.
“Assistant Manager Woo has something to discuss with me, so I’m taking him. The preparation and training can start tomorrow anyway, so explain after he comes to work tomorrow. Let’s go, Assistant Manager Woo.”
“No, Director! What are you saying? We’ve been waiting all this time.”
Sure enough, the Research Team Leader raised his voice in protest. To that, Daehoon said indifferently without changing his expression.
“I’m in a hurry too right now. Even if Assistant Manager Woo can’t be deployed to the Esper Explosion Team right away, he needs to know the flow of events.”
“What? Doesn’t he already know all that?”
“What the Field Support Team knows and what the Esper Team knows are different. I’ll explain and send him home, so just know that. Let’s go, Assistant Manager Woo. No, let’s go, Esper Woo Ilkyung.”
Daehoon left without even listening to the Research Team Leader’s response. While everyone except Daehoon was dumbfounded, Ilkyung hesitantly greeted the Team Leader and the doctor. The irritated Research Team Leader was about to say something, but Daehoon rushed him again.
“What are you doing, Esper Woo Ilkyung? Follow me quickly.”
When Daehoon spoke irritably, not letting him say anything, Ilkyung hurriedly followed behind.
“Huh? But where are we going?”
“To eat.”
“What? Didn’t you say you’d explain something?”
“What explanation? Get in.”
Daehoon opened the passenger door of Ilkyung’s car again. His actions were so natural, as if it were his own car. Ilkyung got into the passenger seat, reading the situation. Daehoon closed the door, got into the driver’s seat, and clicked his tongue at Ilkyung, who was still spacing out.
“How long are you going to be out of it?”
“What?”
“I said we’re going to eat. There’s nothing to explain separately. The facts the Esper Explosion Team knows and the facts the Field Support Team knows aren’t different anyway. Let’s eat and go home.”
Only then did Ilkyung realize that Director Ha had lied to get him out of there because he looked like he was having a hard time.
“Is there anything you want to eat?”
“No, not really right now.”
“Then should we just go home? You must be hungry though.”
“But Director, don’t you need to go to the scene today?”
“It’s fine because Henry’s there.”
Daehoon answered as he smoothly started driving. Come to think of it, this Explosion Team work seemed to be almost led by Henry at the scene. Since he was an S-rank Esper, it couldn’t be helped, but Ilkyung’s heart rippled slightly for a moment.
“Director, you know.”
“Yeah, tell me. Did you think of something you want to eat?”
“I want to go to your house, Director.”
Daehoon looked at the traffic light ahead and slowly stopped. Ilkyung hung his head low, embarrassed by what he’d said. Daehoon leaned against the steering wheel, looked to the side, and chuckled.
“Do you want to eat me, or what?”
“No, that’s not it!”
“What does it matter? Whatever it is, let’s go home and eat.”
Daehoon started driving a bit faster.
