On the way out of the Management Bureau after finishing the interview, Onyul casually glanced at the nearby Management Bureau Center.
The Ability User Management Bureau had the main building in the center, with the Management Bureau Center on the right and the Guide Center on the left.
Looking at the Management Bureau Center where he’d commuted for nearly 10 years felt strangely unfamiliar. He’d probably never go there again now.
I wonder if Gu Baekyoung went to work properly.
He still went to the Center early every morning without missing a single day. Seeing that, it seemed like Gate appearances had become frequent, but as long as high-grade Gates didn’t open or Gates didn’t rampage……
‘I hope nothing happens today either.’
Onyul, who had briefly hoped for Gu Baekyoung’s safety, tried to move his steps again.
But at that moment, perhaps because he didn’t look ahead properly, his shoulder bumped into a large man.
“Ah—”
With a short exclamation, Onyul’s body leaned forward. The energy drinks he’d brought as extras spilled at the man’s feet.
Though he’d gained a bit of weight eating Gu Baekyoung’s food, he was still skinny. Perhaps because of that, he seemed to lose his balance and fall even from a minor collision.
The hand of the man he’d bumped into quickly grabbed Onyul’s shoulder. Thanks to that, he didn’t bang his knees on the ground.
The man stood Onyul upright and even picked up the drinks he’d spilled.
“Are you alright?”
It was quite a gentlemanly tone.
Onyul raised his head to look at the face of the man who had grabbed him, and immediately his body stiffened with a start.
He was acquainted with the man with impressive bold features. Should he say he was someone he’d met a few times in his past life?
But he was someone he’d never seen once since becoming Kang Ian.
The man was someone who only conveyed his opinions through the Center Directors even when he had business at the Management Bureau, never revealing his face in the media.
‘Management Bureau Director Gu Hyeonseok?’
Onyul, who recalled the man’s name, relaxed his stiffened expression and soon changed to a face that greeted customers.
“Oh my, thank you for catching me. I didn’t look ahead properly. I’m sorry.”
Onyul, who recited both gratitude and apology at once, tried to leave the place hastily.
He didn’t want to get involved with Gu Hyeonseok.
Of course, he wasn’t a cunning person like Park Hanil. Rather, he had a reputation for being generous.
He didn’t treat people carelessly and didn’t discriminate against low-rank ability users either.
However, he had an appetite for talent, so he accepted ability users with outstanding abilities who had no parents or were in poor circumstances, like Gu Baekyoung, as adopted children and supported them.
He couldn’t be called a good person, but at least he wasn’t a villain.
Even so, Onyul didn’t particularly like Gu Hyeonseok.
Because he couldn’t read his intentions.
Rather than a person whose black insides were visible like Park Hanil, a person whose insides couldn’t be seen at all was scarier.
Moreover, if Gu Hyeonseok had been a good person, wouldn’t Gu Baekyoung, his adopted son, have told him about him right away?
Gu Baekyoung absolutely never mentioned Gu Hyeonseok. As if blocking troublesome matters in advance.
Getting involved wasn’t good in many ways!
Just as he was about to pass by Gu Hyeonseok like that, he spoke to Onyul.
“There was a bid competition today—are you a participating store owner?”
Oh dear, it seems he guessed that from the energy drinks he dropped……
As soon as Onyul nodded slightly, Gu Hyeonseok snatched one of the energy drinks.
“I’m thirsty just now—if you don’t mind, may I drink one?”
“I’m sorry, but these are convenience store products……”
He didn’t want to hand over the energy drink to him. But Gu Hyeonseok persistently held on.
“I’ll pay you enough.”
His intense gaze didn’t leave Onyul. If he kept refusing here, the atmosphere was such that he’d rather invite suspicion.
Onyul had no choice but to nod.
“Ye-es…… Just drink it. You don’t have to pay.”
“Then.”
Gu Hyeonseok, thinking who knows what, drank the energy drink without hesitation right there. As an A-rank Esper, the energy drink would naturally be effective for him too.
“Oh…… Did this originally taste like this?”
Onyul really tried to leave before he could ask more.
“Then I’ll be going now.”
But Gu Hyeonseok didn’t easily let Onyul go.
“Hey, what’s your name?”
“……Kang Ian.”
“I see, Store Owner Kang Ian. My introduction is late. I’m Gu Hyeonseok. I have the heavy position of Management Bureau Director, but you can think of me comfortably.”
Who can think of the Management Bureau Director comfortably?
Onyul forced a smile. Fortunately, Gu Hyeonseok didn’t hold onto Onyul any longer.
“Let’s meet again soon.”
He only offered those creepy words.
I don’t want to see you again!
Gu Hyeonseok passed by Onyul and entered the Management Bureau main building.
Just as Onyul was about to move his steps too, he discovered something glittering where Gu Hyeonseok had been standing.
‘What’s that?’
The identity was a small badge.
Something rather strange was engraved on the badge. It was a coiled snake, but strangely, it was biting its own tail.
It was a badge design Onyul, who had worked at the Management Bureau for 10 years, had never seen before.
‘Did Gu Hyeonseok drop this?’
Onyul picked it up for now.
***
Onyul rushed into the convenience store as if taking refuge.
Even then, just in case, he kept looking outside through the glass window. He wondered if Gu Hyeonseok, who had shown strange interest, might have changed his mind and followed him.
But fortunately, he wasn’t visible at all.
“Phew.”
When he let out a sigh of relief, he belatedly realized his back was blocked.
“Is someone chasing you?”
It was Ji Sanghyeon, the afternoon part-timer.
“You scared me! When did you get so close?”
“The manager’s face turned pale white and you were breathing heavily, so I was worried and rushed over in one stride.”
“No, well, it’s not that I’m being chased…… there’s someone I didn’t want to run into.”
“That’s serious. If you hide in my arms, the manager could be perfectly hidden. Should I hug you like this?”
Ji Sanghyeon naturally spread his arms and pressed close as if to embrace Onyul.
Onyul lightly stepped on his foot to prevent him from getting closer.
“Ow.”
Since he usually joked around cheekily like that, he wasn’t very surprised.
Even saying that, he probably didn’t actually intend to hug him. Because he always drew the line.
Onyul passed by the groaning Ji Sanghyeon and walked to the counter. On the counter was a book that Ji Sanghyeon seemed to have been reading until just now, lying face down.
『Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do?』
What justice is he suddenly seeking? Onyul didn’t pay much attention and placed two energy drinks on the counter.
“Ji Sanghyeon-ssi, you drink one, and give the rest to Yu Wooyoung-ssi.”
Ji Sanghyeon, as if asking when he’d groaned, walked quickly to the counter.
“Are you treating us, Manager?”
“It’s just a drink to call it treating.”
“Thank you. By the way, how did your bid interview go? I could have helped you, but you refused……”
“How did it go! I did perfectly well. I’m going to win the bid.”
“Your confidence is amazing.”
“Because I did that well. Haha. But at the event, Ji Sanghyeon-ssi has to work together too…… will that be okay?”
“I told you, I’m unemployed. Wherever the manager goes, I’ll follow.”
Ji Sanghyeon smiled a good-natured smile. How well does he know me to recite that he’ll follow me wherever I go?
Onyul found Ji Sanghyeon, who spouted nonsense every time, amusing, but he didn’t dislike it.
It was because he worked well, and because the bright smile he always wore was truly wonderful.
How could anyone dislike it when he flirts with such a handsome face?
But at that moment, Ji Sanghyeon’s smile began to fade. It wasn’t because of Onyul, but seemed to be because of customers who happened to visit the convenience store.
“Manageeer! You’ve been well all this time, right?”
It was Yoon Jihyuk, visiting the convenience store after a long time.
“Yes, hello.”
“You’re here at this time today too? I came by last time, but you don’t know how disappointed I was that there was a part-timer.”
He seemed to be talking about meeting Ji Sanghyeon. Ji Sanghyeon, whom he glanced up at, was still silently observing Yoon Jihyuk and Onyul without saying anything.
“Haha. Did you go to a Gate today?”
“Ah…… Yes yes, I just finished up and came back to the Management Bureau. Everything was aching, so the convenience store suddenly came to mind. My chocolate milk!”
Yoon Jihyuk seemed to have visited because he missed the energy lingering in the convenience store. Unfortunately, Onyul, who had completely awakened, wasn’t leaking his energy into the convenience store.
But Yoon Jihyuk didn’t show disappointment and joked around as if he’d visited this place because of chocolate milk.
“Please ring it up.”
Onyul, leaving behind the silent Ji Sanghyeon from earlier, grabbed the barcode scanner himself.
After finishing the payment, he handed Yoon Jihyuk the energy drinks—exactly five bottles remained.
“Take these and share them with the Alpha Team members.”
“Woooow, all of these?”
“Yes, I’m not selling them anyway……”
“Thank you! Everyone will be happy!”
Yoon Jihyuk, whose hair puffed up perhaps because he was excited, left the convenience store with light steps.
At that moment, a text flew to the phone in his pocket.
[How many are mine?]
It seems Gu Baekyoung isn’t even going to keep his secret watching a secret anymore.
Onyul looked for Gu Baekyoung, who would be hiding somewhere, but couldn’t find him at all with the naked eye.
[Specially 2]
After sending the reply, he glanced at the glass window again.
In the distance, a black-clad man who had approached without him knowing when was accompanying Yoon Jihyuk, whose hair was all puffed up.
It seemed to be Gu Baekyoung, who had come to receive the two energy drinks as promised.
