# Chapter 25
“There he goes again…”
The back of Yeo Dowoon appeared in the middle of the street, walking somewhere, far from heading to the training grounds—he was leaving the building altogether. Sighing as if annoyed, Cha Haseong approached the window and pulled the curtains shut.
He had no intention of being held back by a child who would try to ruin someone else’s life even with the slightest kindness. Yet he had to admit that he’d encountered an unwelcome emotion.
That blockhead always acts as he pleases, contrary as a frog. And yet, he’s so exaggerated and honest about everything…
“If Yeo Dowoon doesn’t go to the training grounds, I’ll be the one who suffers again.”
He really makes things difficult for people.
Cha Haseong looked around at the shopping bags Dowoon had left behind and sat on the sofa.
The logos of famous brands, emblazoned like medals, seemed to explain everything about an Esper who had lived his entire life as if he were the center of the universe.
***
“Dowoon…? Is that really you? The Captain’s asking for the fifth time if anyone knows where Yeo Dowoon is. Am I allowed to answer him?”
Shim Woomin, who had been crouching alone in the deserted smoking area, opened his eyes wide in surprise and spoke.
Judging by how he was tapping his temple, unable to hide his bewilderment, it seemed Kwon Jeonghoo was broadcasting his voice throughout the entire base.
What an idiot…
Since Jeonghoo had established a mental connection, he was essentially being wiretapped in real-time anyway. Dowoon couldn’t understand why Woomin was asking him about whether to answer, making things unnecessarily complicated.
But Dowoon didn’t express these thoughts and casually replied, “It’s your body, hyung, do whatever you want.”
Wearing a black cap pulled low, Woomin had deep shadows under his eyes, perhaps from suddenly being assigned to Team Delta these past few days. His complexion was so sickly he could pass for a corpse.
Feeling somewhat guilty, Dowoon asked, “Did you come out in the middle of partnership training?”
“Yeah… I nearly died. Meeting them after so long, I wondered if they were raising wild boars? I can barely remember if they were always this rough-looking.”
Although the Espers who had been working with Cha Haseong would also be struggling to build partnerships with different guides overnight, the most exhausted person was obviously Woomin.
Looking visibly fatigued, he rubbed his nape and patted the spot beside him. He stretched his legs out straight and prodded Dowoon.
“I heard you’re in pair training, come over here quickly and tell me about the newbie. Rumors are flying.”
Dowoon sat down beside him without hesitation and snatched his cigarette pack.
Without even asking permission, he stole two long cigarettes and, imagining Yoon Minoh’s perverted face, spoke in a childish voice.
“For good reason. That bastard is completely this.”
He put his finger to his temple and twirled it, to which Woomin objected:
“I heard you two are like lovebirds in Delta? Like an old couple who’ve lived together for over a hundred years.”
“Those bastards have been talking nonsense for ages. Please tell them to watch their mouths.”
The filter hanging from Dowoon’s mouth was already mangled from chewing, suggesting the mere mention irritated him.
Woomin swiftly confiscated the cigarette from Dowoon and offered advice.
“If I give you cigarettes, I’ll get summoned by the Captain and get beaten up. If you really want to smoke, buy them secretly. I can hear the Captain getting upset from here.”
“That’s why I came to smoke secretly. I know you’re always hiding here whenever you have free time.”
“Well, for that, you should first get the Captain’s permission…”
“When did I become Kwon Jeonghoo’s son? Let’s not treat me like a kindergartner.”
“It’s not like I want to do this either, you know.”
It sounded less like advice and more like carrying out orders.
“Just ignore him. It’s not like Kwon Jeonghoo’s meddling is anything new.”
At those words, Woomin, who had been silent for a moment as if taking a vow of silence, laughed dejectedly.
“The Captain would be so proud if he heard that.”
“Just give me the cigarette already.”
“Why don’t you go and call him ‘Daddy’?”
Dowoon asked regretfully in response.
“Are you sick somewhere today, hyung?”
“Huh? No?”
“Then should I make you sick? What’s wrong with you?”
Despite the threatening question, Woomin just narrowed his eyes with a smile. As if planning to tease Dowoon thoroughly to celebrate their reunion after a while, he took off his cap and answered.
“I’m not into the sick side, I’ll pass on that. Making someone hurt is fine, but I don’t think you’d like that.”
Meanwhile, the shadow that had been protecting the two from the harsh sunlight was disappearing like a full moon turning into a crescent.
Blinking like a camel at Dowoon’s now clearly visible face, Woomin placed his cap on Dowoon instead and said:
“From a distance, the shadow hid you, but up close… I was shocked when I saw you.”
His cloudy pupils had been fixed on Dowoon’s lips for some time.
“I wondered who had completely devoured our Dowoon.”
The relationship between Dowoon and Woomin was merely that of workplace colleagues—neither particularly good nor bad—but occasionally, when Woomin wasn’t feeling well like now, Dowoon would get caught up in his low-level pranks.
Woomin grabbed both of Dowoon’s cheeks.
When his mouth formed an “oo” shape, Woomin gestured toward the opposite direction and brought his face close. His voice continued in an interested whisper.
“Actually, I just feel proud, but…”
“What are you doing by yourself?”
“I don’t think it’s the person walking this way right now?”
“…Who’s coming?”
To that, Woomin murmured as if curious himself.
“Either the person who bit and sucked your lips, or someone who couldn’t… one of the two?”
“…”
“Isn’t that why he looks so ferocious?”
“Suddenly making up stories and going crazy. Move.”
“Let’s just pretend to kiss for now. Don’t turn your face, stay like this. This angle is good.”
But when the impatient Dowoon immediately tried to look behind him, Woomin held firm, tightening his grip on Dowoon’s cheeks. Dowoon asked pitifully.
“…Are you really using your strength?”
“Yes. Completely.”
How pathetic.
Contemplating how to deal with the emaciated A-class guide, Dowoon sighed deeply and pressed Woomin’s solar plexus.
“Ah… ugh!”
Simultaneously, Woomin convulsed like an aspen tree, enveloped in a biting cold that felt like an ice water rubdown from head to toe.
It was as if a Himalayan blizzard was whirling through his entire body.
As Woomin groaned and shuddered, Dowoon lightly tapped his forehead, easily knocking him over. This showed considerably more restraint than when dealing with fellow Espers.
If it had been Ko Ijae pulling such a rotten prank instead of Woomin, Dowoon would have definitely frozen that wretched mouth of his.
“You could just curse at me, Dowoon…”
Sweating profusely and in agony, Woomin murmured as he realized it was only Dowoon’s middle finger that had laid him out flat.
His now bluish lips trembled as he added:
“I’m about to get hypothermia…”
Clicking his tongue, Dowoon offered insincere comfort.
“That level is good for your health. It’s similar to a cold compress.”
“Who puts a cold compress on their entire body?”
The fact that he could still talk back showed that Dowoon had adjusted the intensity appropriately. Dowoon flexed and unflexed his finger with a satisfied look.
How am I even good at this kind of thing?
Sometimes, controlling one’s abilities so delicately requires more dedicated effort. That is, if you don’t want to carelessly flick your hand and turn unintended targets into ice statues.
Saying “I’m going now,” Dowoon bid farewell, stole Woomin’s cigarette pack, and stood up. Taking out a long cigarette, he finally felt somewhat appeased.
Though he’d been maintaining his smoke-free status for years, unable to withstand Jeonghoo’s scolding, the fact that he craved nicotine this badly suggested his life had become particularly arduous lately.
“That dog-like bastard Yoon Minoh…”
He felt furious and heated thinking about the mentally deranged person who had fearlessly imposed a 10-year pair clause, ruining his retirement plans.
With his most promising plan torpedoed, he needed to devise another method, but thanks to being harassed by a ruffian like Yoon Minoh, his brain wasn’t working efficiently.
While pessimistically contemplating the future and dusting off dirt particles from his shoe tips, Dowoon was suddenly grabbed by the ear and dragged away.
“Ah…!”
“Shut up and follow me.”
Just from the back view with the shirt about to burst, he could immediately recognize who this man was.
Kwon Jeonghoo, who had been waving his hand mercilessly, finally threw him aside as desired when they reached a deserted flower bed. He confiscated the crumpled cigarette pack from Dowoon’s hand and harshly rebuked him.
“A guy with a history of addiction treatment is stealing and smoking cigarettes?”
“…Who said I was smoking? Didn’t you see I was just holding them?”
“Your excuses are pathetic too, you nicotine addict. If you want to go back to rehab, keep it up.”
