# Chapter 71
As consciousness gradually returned, the face that looked so much like Junseo’s finally came back to mind. Even down to that smooth way of speaking and that strangely affectionate smile.
Dohyuk realized that Dr. Jeong had no intention of telling him anything about the cat. So the only one who could give Dohyuk answers about the cat would be Dr. Yu Junwoo. He even had that expression like he knew something. Going to find him directly tomorrow would be the best approach. If he had any connection to Junseo, he could easily get contact information through him.
“Your brother or uncle?”
“Yeah. I saw someone at the lab today who looks like you.”
When Junseo casually took Dohyuk’s hand firmly, the captive hand flinched out of old habit. Dohyuk just shook his head slightly at the glance directed his way. Even though he thought he’d grown accustomed to Junseo by now, the habit showed no signs of disappearing.
Dohyuk curled his fingers, but Junseo paid no mind and burrowed into the gaps between them. While they were focused on playing with each other’s fingers, a considerable amount of time passed.
After waiting quietly for an answer with no response, Dohyuk looked up at Junseo. “Junseo?” At being called, the round head that had been lowered to look at Dohyuk’s hand responded.
The eyes that appeared immediately beamed at Dohyuk. With eye-smiles so narrow that the round pupils were barely visible, Dohyuk lost himself as usual and failed to notice what Junseo was thinking behind that angelic face.
Junseo, who had been coldly thinking something like, ‘He was told to stay in the lab, but he couldn’t even understand those few words,’ soon returned to his harmless expression and rubbed his cheek against Dohyuk’s hand that he’d been caressing.
“You’re really not interested in what’s around you, are you, hyung? Like politics or economics.”
“Why?”
“The sons of Representative Yu Minhwan are famous, you know. If you just looked up articles, you’d find my name or your name right away.”
So it was his brother.
Dohyuk absent-mindedly rubbed the back of his head. He wasn’t interested in politics or economics, let alone sports or entertainment issues. Seungmin even mocked him, saying it was impressive he even knew the president’s name. Hardened by such remarks, normally he would have just said, “I see,” and moved on, but he didn’t know why his face heated up so easily over trivial matters in front of this person.
“Ah… Is it that bad? I should start reading the newspaper from now on.”
When Dohyuk answered vaguely, contrary to his expectation, Junseo replied nonchalantly:
“There’s no need to be interested in things you’re not interested in.”
“Still, I should pay attention to important matters.”
At Dohyuk’s words, the soft face still half-buried against his hand flashed an eye-smile.
“Why worry when you have me?”
Could there be anyone else who would so boldly give permission to use them like this? Dohyuk found Junseo fascinating but still couldn’t easily reach out.
Being used was a lonely act that brought relief that one still had usefulness to the other, while also despairing at the uncertainty of the next day. Junseo was not someone suited for such a role.
Dohyuk just smiled slightly and dropped his hand.
“Now that I’m feeling better, shall we go home?”
Junseo, who had been staring languidly at the dropped hand, smiled brightly like an innocent child as soon as Dohyuk’s gaze reached him. He nodded his unblemished, clear face and whispered that they should take time off right away.
It was four days before the Underground Nation dispatch mission.
# Chapter 71
“Guide Yu Junseo. You were behaving well for a while, but why are you causing trouble again all of a sudden?”
Reading a book with a docile expression, Junseo responded by raising one eyebrow. His face clearly said, “What nonsense are you talking about to someone as gentle and kind as me?” At that brazen look, Junseo’s private room mate, Director Park, finally burst out in anger and pounded his chest.
“Word is all over that you reported the Headquarters to the Ministry of Employment and Labor! Have you really lost your mind?!”
“Ah. The report about annual leave rejection?”
“Yes! What kind of madman reports a government agency to another government agency…!”
“It’s right here. But this is too much. They said it was a secure reporting system that guarantees the anonymity of the reporter.”
His tone was indifferent as he cut the other off, showing his irritation at something. Director Park felt like retiring every time he saw that disrespectful face. After Junseo became the partner of an A-class Esper, he even voluntarily followed along on dungeon duties he’d never attended before, giving the director a sweet rest period of over a week. But as the old ancestors said, what comes must also go, and Junseo was doing crazy things again as soon as he returned.
“A reporter saw you visiting in person, that’s why! If you want to file a complaint, please use the internet!”
Director Park advised, who started his daily routine by submitting lengthy electronic complaints about the liberty rights of S-class ability users to the government petition portal every morning, wishing for Junseo’s resignation. Of course, despite the senior’s meaningful advice that should be taken as a lesson, Junseo’s response was nothing short of cold.
“If I do it online, they’ll just ignore it.”
“Eek!”
With that short exclamation, Director Park clearly expressed his inner thought, ‘This guy definitely leaked it to the reporter on purpose!’ as he trembled his fist.
Junseo was right. If he made the report anonymously through the internet, how would Headquarters know? Even the electronic complaints that Director Park wrote every morning for stress relief were consistently ignored. But Junseo, as an “S-class ability user,” had been photographed confidently entering the Ministry of Employment and Labor, stimulating the curiosity of the entire nation, and ultimately using the professional dedication of journalists who struggle daily to satisfy that curiosity as a stepping stone to briefly reach third place in real-time search rankings.
As a result, Director Park had met with the Guide Bureau Chief right after arriving at work. The Bureau Chief had vented his anger, saying they were fortunate to have quickly corrected it as a speculative article, but they both knew that Yu Junseo was actually at fault. Rather than messing with someone who would leave a bad aftertaste, they had targeted the more vulnerable Director Park.
It was typical military-style thinking: take down one higher-up and they’ll handle the rest. And he hadn’t even served in the military. Director Park, who had proudly completed his military service and civil defense duty, ground his teeth.
“Anyway, the Headquarters resolved this issue favorably, so don’t make the same mistake next time.”
“Then they should approve the annual leave.”
This was the point where Director Park felt his insides bursting.
“Your leave was approved! Why did you come to work today!”
The man who had taken leave came to work, and then ostentatiously filed a report with the Ministry of Employment and Labor about annual leave rejection. He was completely insane.
“Guides and Espers have different working conditions. I came to work after worrying about my partner whose leave was rejected and considering what changes might be needed in Esper welfare policies.”
He couldn’t bring himself to say, “Tell that to your father who eats government rice.” No matter how angry he was, Director Park knew where to draw the line.
“Espers are under a comprehensive wage system. That’s also why Espers’ wages are significantly higher than Guides’. This is a system solidified by practice, so there’s nothing that can be done. Espers’ working hours have always been irregular.”
Director Park began to reason with Junseo in the gentlest tone possible.
“Of course, with a comprehensive wage system, it’s not illegal since annual leave allowance is included in the wages even if all allocated leave isn’t used. Still, isn’t it essential to provide an environment where workers can use their annual leave? I merely raised a question about that aspect, Director.”
He wanted to sew that chattering mouth shut. He felt like directing his anger at the personnel team that rejected the leave, but even so, Director Park understood them. With the diversity of dungeon issues these days, field assignments were pouring in daily, from long business trips to short field work. Higher-grade ability users were being dispatched to dungeon missions or sent to regional field work without rest, keeping even the personnel team busy. Yet, they couldn’t neglect headquarters protection, so at least two higher-grade ability users always had to be stationed at headquarters. Here, “higher-grade” referred to A-class or above.
In the end, the leave was rejected due to shortage of manpower. Who could be blamed?
I’ll endure it. The Director pressed hard on his throbbing head. The sound of his hair falling out seemed to strike a chord.
***
The ventilation duct cover rattled. It was brief enough that, had he not been on high alert, he might have dismissed it as just ambient noise. Eventually, just as the separated ventilation fan was about to fall, a hand suddenly emerged from beyond the duct and grabbed the structure.
The man who abruptly appeared leaped down from the high ceiling, but there was no grating noise. He slowly straightened his body after bending it for an efficient landing. With each movement, solid muscles stood out beneath the pitch-black Esper combat suit that clung tightly to the wearer’s body.
Junwoo addressed the man with a face showing no surprise at all at this unusual method of entry.
“You really arrived exactly on time. It’s amazing that you don’t even look tired.”
“I’m nothing special, just an Esper.”
“The modesty. I don’t think I could do it. You heard Dr. Jeong yesterday? I’m also from the Headquarters Espers. Though I’m a mental type.”
