“Why are you holding that useless knife? I already cut all your steak for you. Espers shouldn’t carelessly hold knives. At this rate, an Esper’s going to kill a Guide. Hurry up and put it down obediently.”
“Ah, this is irritating!”
Daehoon laughed lowly.
“Just hurry up and eat.”
Ilkyung glared at him with triangular eyes and put the meat in his mouth. Whether it was because he exercised or because this restaurant’s meat was delicious, the meat melted smoothly in his mouth. The moment Ilkyung put the bite-sized piece of meat that Daehoon had cut into his mouth and chewed, he erased his previously complaint-filled expression and made a satisfied face.
“Wow, it’s delicious.”
“I’m glad it suits your taste.”
“But Director. Noona said it was another wild goose chase?”
They had raided sites several times after finding out where the remote control was coming from, but they had already come up empty-handed several times because of how cunningly they escaped. Noona was extremely frustrated, saying that Henry had even confronted some ability user from the anti-government forces but lost them right before his eyes.
“Still, you must feel reassured having Henry there.”
“Henry does play a big role, after all. Since he’s S-rank.”
At the answer that came without a moment’s hesitation, Ilkyung glanced at Daehoon. How could he gain trust like Henry? Come to think of it, he hadn’t asked what kind of relationship they had. There hadn’t been an opportunity to do so, and it would have been awkward to suddenly ask what their relationship was.
“Does England have many talented people like Henry?”
Ilkyung chose to ask indirectly.
“Since the country is big, there are many ability users too.”
“I’m kind of envious. If we had more ability users too, we’d catch the terrorists right away. This time it seems to be dragging on unusually long.”
“The scale seems quite large. We’re trying to uproot them completely this time, so that’s why it’s taking longer. I’m worried that there shouldn’t be any injuries or deaths among people.”
As Director Ha said, casualties were the biggest problem. You never knew when another incident would occur, and it wouldn’t do if it harmed innocent people.
“Isn’t there a way to resolve it quickly?”
Ilkyung asked, taking a sip of water.
“That’s why we’re also planning to increase our personnel.”
“Do you even have personnel to deploy?”
Ilkyung asked, tilting his head. As far as Ilkyung knew, there was no one to send in right away. Even now, all the major Espers were already in this explosion team.
“Are you bringing people from overseas again? From England this time too?”
“No matter how many talented people there are, would they come again? That country has so much to do too.”
“Then what will you do? Deploy B-ranks?”
“Woo Ilkyung has to go in.”
“What?”
Ilkyung looked at Daehoon as if he’d heard something he shouldn’t have.
“No… not everything you say makes sense, Director.”
It was a way of speaking that could seem rude in some ways, but Daehoon didn’t really care about that. Since when did he discuss manners with Woo Ilkyung?
“That’s why Woo Ilkyung needs to work hard.”
“Wow, so you’re feeding me delicious food and then making me work? Is that why you brought me here? I’m not doing that mileage thing you mentioned earlier.”
Ilkyung should have put down his fork, but he absolutely didn’t put it down. Because humanly speaking, it was too delicious.
“There’s no such business ethics as deducting accumulated mileage.”
“No, you should say things right away. I just manifested, so when will I become a proper Esper? Just talk to England.”
“With this lack of confidence, really.”
“Director should try doing it with the Research Team Leader right now. Really, there’s nothing like it for making your confidence drop.”
“Should I guide your training?”
For a moment, Ilkyung was tempted. But he quickly shook his head. This person would probably be more, not less. Why wouldn’t he know that temperament? A mischievous, nasty, wicked temperament.
“Tell me anytime if you want.”
“That’s not the problem—why doesn’t Director form a pair? If it was going to drag on this long, it would have been good to form a pair early on. Section Chief Kang’s face has already become half its size.”
Section Chief Kang, whom he ran into in the elevator this morning, looked like he wanted to die too. It was because they hadn’t seated anyone in Ilkyung’s position yet.
“Why doesn’t Woo Ilkyung take a matching rate test?”
Daehoon completely changed the topic. Now the arrow was pointed at Ilkyung.
“Are you joking? What would I do taking a matching rate test right now? I don’t even go on deployments. Actually, even this watch is useless to me right now.”
Ilkyung said, holding out the watch on his wrist. Espers each had a watch that showed their body’s condition. That watch could measure an Esper’s condition, but actually right now this watch wasn’t really necessary for Ilkyung.
“That’s why I’m saying come to the explosion team and go on deployments.”
“Wow, you really just say whatever. Knowing my abilities aren’t up to it.”
“I thought Woo Ilkyung would do it for me, so it’s disappointing.”
At Daehoon’s words, Ilkyung glanced around cautiously. When he said it like that, it was as if he had some choice in the matter. But Woo Ilkyung himself knew better than anyone that his abilities weren’t up to it yet.
“Eat a lot.”
He thought he’d say something more, but Director Ha said that and then didn’t say anything else.
* * *
“Focus! You need to focus!”
The one thing he had been somewhat confident about was concentrating and exerting his power. But right now he couldn’t focus at all. It was because he kept thinking about what Director Ha had said while they were eating earlier. Right now he couldn’t even properly move a small object like this, so how could he be entrusted with such a major incident—he couldn’t understand what Director Ha was thinking at all. Was it just a joke he’d thrown out, but he was taking it seriously now? But he wasn’t someone who would joke about work.
“Again, pull yourself together and try again.”
“I’m sorry.”
Ilkyung tried to concentrate again. He couldn’t remember well how he had stopped the fireball falling before his eyes on the day he manifested as an Esper. It was pure coincidence. He reached out his hand because it was so urgent, but he didn’t know it would stop like that.
Ilkyung concentrated again to try to move the box in front of him.
“That’s not it, Esper Woo Ilkyung!”
What came back in the end was the Research Team Leader’s scolding. Ilkyung hung his head low.
“No, how are you worse than yesterday?”
“I’m sorry, I’ll try again.”
“Right now, Esper Woo Ilkyung manifested later than other Espers, so you need even more effort. But if you do 30 minutes less of morning exercise like that, and even neglect this telekinesis training, what good is your level?”
He’d never been scolded this much even as a child, but Ilkyung had been like this every day since becoming an Esper. Director Ha shouldn’t have come in the morning but should have come now to save him. No. If only he hadn’t put such false hope in his head while eating lunch, it wouldn’t be like this.
“Are you listening to me right now?”
“Yes, I’m sorry.”
“If you’re sorry, focus properly and do it. Esper Woo Ilkyung isn’t the only newly manifested Esper, so how long do I have to concentrate on you like this? If it weren’t for Director Ha, tsk.”
The Research Team Leader clicked his tongue. At those words, the tears that were about to come out of Ilkyung went right back in as he tilted his head, wondering what he’d just heard.
“Uh, what do you mean by that?”
When curiosity arose, Ilkyung absolutely had to resolve it. Ilkyung completely let go of the telekinesis test he’d been doing and asked the Team Leader. But the Team Leader didn’t give the requested answer and looked at Ilkyung with strange eyes.
“What?”
“What you just said. You just mentioned Director Ha.”
“Isn’t it too obvious? As Esper Woo Ilkyung also knows, we’re not wiping out the anti-government forces right now and keep missing them repeatedly. From Director Ha’s position as the person in overall charge of that team, how anxious must he be? So he’s hoping that Esper Woo Ilkyung will do your part as soon as possible.”
“What does that have to do with you training me exclusively?”
Even after hearing the Team Leader’s answer, Woo Ilkyung couldn’t really see the connection and tilted his head.
“Director Ha told me to bring you up in a short period. So I hope Esper Woo Ilkyung will also work hard and be of some help.”
The corners of Ilkyung’s mouth drooped again.
