Ji Gwanyeong’s body cannot be examined with the center’s machinery.

Oh Yeon said as he zoomed in on the CCTV screen inside the training room, observing the Esper, who was frozen like a statue. However, even with a close look, he couldn’t determine why Gwanyeong, who would normally react immediately to the program, had suddenly stopped. Oh Yeon quickly moved his hands, intentionally diverting the attack aimed at the two, as there was a possibility that one of them could get hurt, especially since Ji Gwanyeong seemed to have no intention of defending himself.

The program that Oh Yeon had created was designed so that only the guide would be attacked during the pair’s exercises. Of course, the program didn’t actually harm the guide. It just simulated the attacks. That alone was enough to make the Esper take it seriously. This is why physical Esper types, like Oh Yeon, who also used the same program, despised it.

“Damn it, that Esper…!”

Instead of the two Espers talking, the voice of the guide, Park Seungwon, became urgent. Oh Yeon and Miyeon instinctively turned their heads toward him. But something was coming at them faster than that.

Boom!

Oh Yeon’s eyes widened.

The 5cm thick magic mirror made from a special reinforced material was resistant to most physical shocks. It meant that even if a few of the supports inside the training room flew at it, the mirror wouldn’t even get a scratch. But if all the supports in the room were removed and then gathered together and struck with excessive force, the situation would change.

“Shit, that crazy bastard! What the hell is he doing?!”

Miyeon, usually unflappable, let out a curse, unable to contain her frustration.

Instead of getting excited, Oh Yeon pressed a few buttons. That activated an emergency warning throughout the center. The enormous steel mass that could block the entire view of the training room hit the control room’s mirror once again with great force. Miyeon bit her lip and alternated between clenching and unclenching her fists.

[This is Zone C-21. An anomaly has been detected in A-1 Training Room.]

“Esper Ji Gwanyeong is refusing to cooperate in the training and is attacking the control room. Assistance is required.”

[…Preparing immediately. How much time do we have?]

Bang, boom, bang. With the strange and enormous noises that shook the entire training area, cracks began to appear in the mirror. Ji Gwanyeong wasn’t just issuing a simple warning or protest.

He intended to kill everyone in this control room. Oh Yeon said calmly as he stood up from his seat.

“…As long as Miyeon can hold on.”

Miyeon’s power was combustion. She could burn anything she touched with her body. Miyeon stood closest to the mirror, with Oh Yeon behind her, and the guide, Park Seungwon, positioned at the farthest point, where the potential damage would be minimized.

“Haha. Dying on the same day as Yeon was always my dream.”

“…Oh Yeon, can you make your guide shut up?”

“Park Seungwon. Be quiet.”

Seungwon chuckled softly at his Esper’s words.

But his eyes were coldly shining. He knew well that he could not protect his lover or stand up for them. No matter how much Oh Yeon was an intellectual esper, he was an existence beyond comparison with ordinary people.

Miyeon quietly made the sign of the cross. She would leave it to the heavens.

The large steel mass visible beyond the mirror seemed to retract momentarily before rushing back at high speed, as if it was about to strike its final blow. Miyeon clenched her fist tightly. One, two, three.

The magic mirror that separated the training room from the control room shattered, and half of the machinery in the control room was immediately crushed to the point of being unrecognizable. Miyeon’s hand moved in tandem with this. It didn’t require any ignition point to fuel her flames.

Ji Gwanyeong was strong. His power was so great that judgment was unnecessary. But the monster had yet to master the delicate handling of power like Miyeon. She had a genius-level flexibility when it came to controlling her abilities.

Miyeon hurled a flaming whip at Ji Gwanyeong’s steel mass as it was being pulled back to gain momentum again, leaping along with it.

A modest attack was a luxury. To buy time, one would have to strike with the intent to kill Ji Gwanyeong. But the only concern she had, despite her resolute decision, was for Cha Taehun. She feared that this violent esper’s guide would get hurt.

But now, for the first time, there was only one man standing in the middle of the training room, hidden until now by the steel mass. Thankfully, it seemed that her guide had already been sent out. It was a small blessing amidst the misfortune.

Miyeon unleashed a relentless barrage of fire arrows at Ji Gwanyeong. He easily blocked her sharp attack with a small gesture, sweeping a metal plate at his feet, and then hurled the red-hot steel mass at her.

Miyeon quickly dodged it, her body springing back. But everywhere her foot touched, the ground was torn apart, and she had no time to catch her breath. She gritted her teeth and set the tile where Ji Gwanyeong stood ablaze, but with his overwhelming strength, he dodged her attack by simply shifting slightly to the side before she could properly aim at him.

“As expected, Ji Gwanyeong,”

“…”

“You’ve been an asshole since the first time we met.”

“…Is that so?”

Ji Gwanyeong responded quietly to Miyeon’s words, now devoid of even formalities, laced with vulgarity. As expected, there was no elegance in her speech. Ji Gwanyeong slightly tilted his head. That look, like a painted image, resembled the beloved actor Ji Gwanyeong, but now, Miyeon was no longer deceived by it.

“For the first time, I’ve found common ground with a fool from the center.”

“You crazy bastard, do you think you’ll get away with this?!”

Ji Gwanyeong’s eyes flickered faintly.

“You should know well if you’ve been around here long enough.”

“…”

“Between esper Miyeon and esper Ji Gwanyeong, who do you think the center will be more concerned about?”

Miyeon ground her teeth. No matter what happened, she wanted to land a hit on that flawless face. But she knew that the man in front of her would attack the pair of Oh Yeon and Park Seungwon next, so she couldn’t act on her feelings.

At the very least, she had to buy time for those two to escape and for the reinforcements to arrive. Miyeon forced herself to hold back her boiling anger and opened her mouth in response to Ji Gwanyeong’s provoking words.

“Let’s hear it then. Why did you suddenly attack, Ji Gwanyeong?”

“Just because I’m in a bad mood.”

“…Mood? You’re doing this because of a mood? Why the hell?!”

In the end, her calmness lasted no more than a few seconds. Ji Gwanyeong, that esper, was truly insane. She could only see him as completely psychotic.

Instead of answering Miyeon’s words, the monster flicked his eyebrow slightly and threw a sharp steel rebar toward where her head had been just moments ago. There was no way out. Miyeon decided to choose what she had intended to use only as a last resort. It was a method to set the entire ceiling of the training room on fire, which would, at the slightest mistake, pour the flames onto Ji Gwanyeong.

It was something that could injure her as well, but there was no other choice to stop that esper, even for a moment. Miyeon placed her hand on the wall and quickly spun around the training room.

But that was her mistake, a fatal miscalculation that gave Ji Gwanyeong the advantage. However, she had yet to realize this. Miyeon’s flames shot up the wall and began to rise toward the high ceiling of the training room.

The thick smoke and the intensity of the fire seemed ready to consume the entire room. Miyeon subtly lifted the corner of her lips. Now, if she just swung her hand, the heated steel objects would rain down on Ji Gwanyeong.

There would be no place to escape if the ceiling came crashing down. It would be fine even if she destroyed it. She never dreamed of completely overpowering Ji Gwanyeong. She only needed a little time to hold off the violent esper before her.

But the esper was watching, unaffected by the flames Miyeon had unleashed, just observing her as she charged toward the ceiling like a ticking time bomb. There was no trace of anxiety in the esper’s demeanor. In fact, he seemed to be enjoying himself.

…Is something wrong?

Miyeon, with a chilling intuition, raised her head to look at the ceiling that Ji Gwanyeong was watching. It wasn’t long before she swallowed her curse and tried to stop her power. But the fire had already raged to the end with madness.

Ji Gwanyeong’s eyes narrowed slightly.

He couldn’t handle his power as delicately as Miyeon. He had never undergone such training. Therefore, even though he tried to forcefully suppress and cut through Oh Yeon’s program, he hadn’t had the leisure to truly control it.

But there was one thing that Ji Gwanyeong handled very skillfully. Since his awakening as an esper, it had become second nature for him, and if given the opportunity, it would completely erase any faint hope Miyeon had. Even if a few backup forces arrived, the moment they stepped in, they would be cut down.

It was water.

Miyeon swallowed a sigh. She didn’t even have the chance to avoid the water falling from the sprinklers at the ceiling and was drenched in it. It was her mistake. As the water dropped onto the steel that had reached its boiling point, a loud noise erupted, and steam began to rise in thick clouds.

Ji Gwanyeong closed his eyes and leisurely enjoyed the support coming to him.

Despite his hair and clothes being completely soaked, he remained unfazed, his face calm and serene. Miyeon, unable to muster the will to ambush this esper, merely bit her lip tightly.

How long had it been? Miyeon, with her gaze lowered, heard the leisurely voice of the esper.

“There’s enough reason.”

Reason?

Miyeon, trying to understand Ji Gwanyeong’s sudden words, feigned calmness. It was a struggle just to stop herself from grinding her teeth, her hands shaking with barely-contained force. She hoped that the reason was that she had been drenched in ice-cold water for the past few minutes.

She felt no pride in admitting she was frightened by the esper walking toward her with a faint smile, brushing his wet hair aside. After all, she, too, was an esper. Miyeon took a deep breath and reflected on Ji Gwanyeong’s words: ‘Reason.’

Before long, she recalled her own question to him. She had asked why he attacked her. Miyeon now understood Ji Gwanyeong’s cold response. This esper was saying that there was a sufficient reason for his attack.

The reason he destroyed an entire training room and tried to crush two espers and one guide with metal.

Miyeon glared at the esper, who was now within a step of her. ‘Damn it. Even if I die, will I beg this bastard to spare me?’ Her eyes burned with a stubborn determination. The monster, as if amused by her attitude, slightly furrowed his brows and smiled.

The water from the sprinklers no longer reached her. Except for the residual moisture in the air, all the water in the space had gathered behind Ji Gwanyeong, forming a massive and sharp spear-like shape, growing larger. Miyeon took a small breath at the sight, which could be called a spectacle.

With a surprisingly gentle hand, Ji Gwanyeong brushed the wet hair from Miyeon’s face. Miyeon held her breath and, with a faintly trembling voice, spoke.

“…What the hell, what kind of damn reason is this?”

The esper raised his eyebrows at her words. His body, soaked from head to toe like hers, was dripping with water. Miyeon involuntarily hunched her shoulders at the sensation of the droplets touching her. She couldn’t completely suppress the primal fear.

Looking down at her with the eyes of a predator, the man finally spoke with a clear voice, one befitting his profession.

“Choi Taehun is crying.”

It was an entirely unexpected statement. Miyeon, with a stunned expression, closed her mouth for a moment. Then, as she snapped back to reality, she was about to question if he was trying to kill people over such a ridiculous reason. But her mouth wouldn’t open as she intended.

The monster’s expression had turned from its previous calm demeanor to a cold one.

“Over there! The two espers stuck together?!”

Miyeon suddenly realized.

It’s laughable, but Ji Gwanyeong’s attitude towards me was truly, as he said, rooted in pure annoyance. If I were to ask him if he attacked me for such a trivial reason, the esper in front of me would no doubt answer affirmatively without hesitation. The man before me might have sharpened his stance, ready to kill, but he did not harbor any murderous intent toward me—at least, not right then.

But now, it was different.

Miyeon instinctively felt it and, to survive, clamped her mouth shut. The monster slowly turned his head, as if a broken machine were moving. The moment he sensed the presence of someone who shared a name with me, he realized that something inside me had completely stopped.

“Miyeon, if you don’t let go, I’ll—”

“…”

“Pop—right in the head?”

A long sigh escaped from Oh Yeon’s mouth. His helpless guide knew very well that once Ji Gwanyeong got riled up, he wouldn’t stop his irritating words without scratching his nerves first.

Ji Gwanyeong stared indifferently at the people standing in front of the training room door. The sight of those with merely average strength, unable to hide their terrified faces, made them look weaker than the foul-mouthed researcher in front of me. It was laughable that such people had been sent as support.

Furthermore, there was something else that had provoked his temper.

“Hm? Prince. Why don’t you say something?”

“Yes, yes? What… what should I say? But this is really not a gun, right?”

“Haha. Well, who knows. Hey, Ji Gwanyeong?”

Ji Gwanyeong glanced at his guide, who had been captured by Park Seungwon and was still in a dazed expression, with a gun pressed to his head. The guide’s eyes were still red from crying.

His esper, who had suddenly pushed him away, had been shoved out of the training room. Taehun didn’t understand what was happening at all. When Oh Yeon and Park Seungwon rushed out through the back door, they froze like statues as soon as they saw him, and the loud warning alarms throughout the center added to the chaos.

“B-but it was fine just a moment ago, why… oh.”

“…”

“What’s this, Ji Gwanyeong?”

As the guide pointed to the massive spear he had created, Ji Gwanyeong, who had been keeping his mouth shut, furrowed his brow. Soon after, the spear, which had been growing in size, suddenly collapsed with a sound as if something had burst, scattering droplets over the broken debris in the training room.

The tension that had been stiffening in Miyeon’s shoulders finally released. But the esper, without even sparing her a glance, walked directly to his guide’s side. Park Seungwon grinned and released the “prince” he had been holding onto. The negotiation had succeeded.

“Prepare the clothes.”

Ji Gwanyeong spoke curtly in a somewhat languid voice and dragged the still-confused Choi Taehun out of the room.

* * *

Now, Choi Taehun sat alone in the reception room of the center, half in disbelief and half in guilt. His partner, Ji Gwanyeong, was being questioned by the researchers and couldn’t join him.

The guide had wondered if something had gone wrong in the training room when he saw his esper changing clothes with a somewhat indifferent expression. He had so many questions.

Was Ji Gwanyeong the one who had saved him at the scene of the terrorist attack that day? How did he know where I was? Had he known me before…?

But as soon as the esper finished adjusting his attire, he was almost dragged out by the researchers, who wore hostile expressions, so Taehun couldn’t even get a proper look or ask any questions.

So, the guide was the one who asked first, looking tired, “What kind of trouble did Ji Gwanyeong cause?”

Choi Taehun, who was the closest researcher to me in the center and like an older sister to me, had never seen such a strange expression on my face before. Perhaps it was because he had always been the one running to fix things whenever the younger ones caused trouble, but from the look on my face, the guide instinctively felt that there was a huge, exhausting backstory.

And his instinct was right.

I confessed everything Ji Gwanyeong had done—except that he had genuinely intended to kill us. Choi Taehun was in utter shock to find out that the entire training room had been destroyed because of him. As a normal person, the revelation shocked him to his core. The guide, upon hearing the situation, stood frozen for several seconds, forgetting to close his mouth.

It was hard to believe that his esper had completely demolished the well-equipped and spacious training room just after shedding a tear from the aftermath of the terrorist attack. Looking back, the researchers he had passed on the way here seemed to have rather wounded pride on their faces.

Until now, even with the various big and small accidents during training, the center had never experienced such a complete and irreversible destruction. For the center, which had always been its pride, to be reduced to a complete wreck in the blink of an eye by the whims of a single esper, it was no wonder that it was understandable a hundred times over.

Choi Taehun, who knew everything about the researchers at the center, including their family relations, was at a loss for what to do and instead offered an apology. However, Miyeon shrugged her shoulders and, with a hearty laugh, said, “Oh Yeon’s team will probably have a hard time with this, huh.”

In fact, after hearing the reason behind why Taehun had unknowingly cried, she was so shocked that she hugged the guide tightly and rushed out, saying she would call in a mental health counselor. Miyeon was that kind of person.

Left alone in the reception room, Choi Taehun let out a deep sigh.

Ji Gwanyeong, that esper, was truly an enigmatic man. But the guide, though unsure of many things, had come to realize one thing with near certainty. Taehun thought back to the man who had hugged him tightly in the training room, to the point his arms hurt. He truly was an impossible person. His personality was worse than Taehun could have imagined.

No, Choi Taehun was convinced that, of all the people he had met in his 28 years of life, Ji Gwanyeong’s character was the most twisted. It was really too much for someone who appeared so perfect and flawless.

Taehun rubbed his stiff neck.

In the now-empty reception room, the guide’s lips parted slightly.

“Is Gwanyeong very busy right now?”

The esper did not come. But for some reason, the guide had an unexplainable certainty. Somewhere in the center, his partner was undoubtedly listening to every word he said.

“I’ve been thinking about it.”

Taehun took a deep breath. Then, with a determined look on his face, he spoke with conviction.

“After all, Ji Gwanyeong is weak.”

‘Weak.’

That was one of the least fitting words for Ji Gwanyeong.

And it was also something the esper had said to the guide during their first intimate encounter. But now, the guide was returning the words he had heard from the esper to him.

Taehun felt his heart pounding, as if he had done something wrong, even though he had spoken boldly in the empty room. He absentmindedly scratched the toe of his shoe. The sound grew loud enough to ring in his ears, and he squeezed his eyes shut.

How long had it passed? Not just a few seconds, but not quite a few minutes either. After a brief pause, the guide slowly opened his eyes to the fingertips of someone brushing against his cheek.

The esper had an unreadable expression.

His face, which seemed kind at first glance, was hard to read when he didn’t reveal any emotions. It might have been because his usually well-groomed black hair was falling over his eyes, giving him a more inscrutable look.

The silence, which had lasted for a while, was broken again, this time because of Choi Taehun.

“This side is weak.”

The guide poked the chest of my esper with his hand. Despite the searing flames of Miyeon, which could melt anything, Ji Gwanyeong flinched slightly. For the first time, there was a hint of emotion on the man’s face.

What was he saying?

“There’s no such thing as a glass mental state, really.”

“Me?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

For the first time since the guide’s shock episode, the esper was engaging in a real conversation. Taehun was actually quite pleased by this. However, the things Taehun was about to say were the type of words that would likely irritate that twisted man’s ears.

The guide spoke slowly and deliberately, as if he were speaking to a younger sibling.

“Ji Gwanyeong, you’re afraid of getting closer to me, aren’t you?”

The esper merely stared intently into the guide’s eyes, showing no response. His expression, neither agreeing nor denying, was the outer shell of a monster built up over time.

Taehun, observing his esper, knew that he couldn’t fight against it, but he could see the esper inside, deep down, where others could not. There, behind the ugly, tangled mask, was Ji Gwanyeong.

“Why? Do you think I’ll suddenly die like my parents and leave you behind?”

“…”

“Do you think I’ll rush at you for money, like those bad adults who only wanted to use you?”

“…That’s enough.”

“So, you’re living alone in that palace of a house because you’re scared, right?”

“Choi Taehun!”

The guide noticed the hand of the esper, clenched so tightly it seemed to hurt. Taehun carefully placed his hand over it. This was Taehun’s first real step forward, one he had always hesitated to take with Ji Gwanyeong.

The esper tried to pull his hand away, feeling the warmth of Taehun’s hand on his, but Taehun gripped it tightly instead. There were many ways Ji Gwanyeong could have ignored it. But he didn’t reject that weak grip.

“Ji Gwanyeong, I have no way of betraying you.”

It was a vow, a solemn statement. The esper met the guide’s gaze and watched him intently, as the guide spoke each word with strength.

“My back bears your name.”

“…”

“Ji Gwanyeong, you’re the only person I can save.”

It wasn’t a lie. Up until now, Taehun had never been matched with any esper. He had almost forgotten that he was a guide.

“I will protect your weakness, Ji Gwanyeong. That’s what a guide like me is supposed to do. So…”

Taehun’s eyes were slightly reddened. The esper stared blankly at “his guide.”

“Ji Gwanyeong, please protect me.”

“…”

“It was you, wasn’t it? In Gangnam.”

Ji Gwanyeong almost reached out his hand, seeing Taehun’s face, which looked like he was about to cry again. He hated that expression. The sudden anger in his eyes was because, at that moment, he had resolved to kill the researchers casually sitting in the control room, while Taehun was trying to force back tears, his brows furrowed.

However, this time, the guide succeeded in holding back.

“Thank you. Truly.”

Instead, Taehun smiled as if he had finally said everything he wanted to say. With tears lingering in his eyes, Ji Gwanyeong lowered his arm, which had been half-raised.

His tongue, which usually picked the most elegant words and carefully put them together, seemed stiff. He wanted to say something, to respond to his guide’s words, but no words came out.

“…Hmm, it would be nice if you were a little kinder to the people at the center, but if you don’t feel like it, I guess there’s nothing to be done.”

It wasn’t something that would change anything, and Taehun awkwardly added that. He then stood up from the table where he had been leaning. The guide’s hand, which had been resting on the esper, naturally fell away. Taehun decided to be understanding of Ji Gwanyeong’s silent reaction, thinking that he needed time to think as well. It was a thank you he had to give, but still, it felt a little embarrassing.

Taehun bowed his head to Ji Gwanyeong and quickly left the reception room. He saw Lee Miyeon running quickly down the hallway, accompanied by the mental care counselor.

“Miyeon unnie, I’m fine.”

“Still! Ah, I thought you’d be okay with this kind of training, but we were too short-sighted.”

Miyeon, who had become even more emotional at Taehun’s considerate use of the word “unnie,” urged the counselor, walking slowly behind her. She was worried that the training might have triggered a trauma for Taehun.

However, when Miyeon turned back to look at Taehun, who had been smiling at her just a moment ago, she suddenly stopped in her tracks. The researchers, who had been running toward her, clenching their teeth as they chased the suddenly disappeared esper from the interrogation room, also froze.

“…Wait, hold on…”

There was no time to escape.

The attempt to avoid the persistently pursuing tongue only resulted in a more noisy, slimy sound.

Taehun naturally twisted his head and struggled to break free from the man who was deeply kissing him, but it was a futile effort. The guide is simply “weak” in this aspect, unable to overcome his esper.

A muffled sound escaped from his mouth, which was blocked by a piece of flesh that slid down to the infinitely soft side under his tongue after briefly finding a gap while touching the rough part of his palate. The esper, meanwhile, had already pushed his guide against the wall, eagerly and greedily intertwining their tongues. He doesn’t care about the stares of others.

He’s simply too engrossed in pulling the man’s face, who’s trying to avoid him, close and kissing him, as if he’s utterly captivated by him, cherishing him, and unwilling to miss a single moment with him.

Lee Miyeon’s mouth let out a sarcastic chuckle.

“What bad luck.”