DB Vol 3 Part 6

Both the man before him and his past self had tried to take revenge on Ji Geun-oh in the same way. Won-woo held his breath and examined Gye Yoon’s eyes as if to confirm. Even though he knew intellectually that they weren’t the same person, when their gazes met, the first thing he saw was similar eyes. Damn it. As he inwardly cursed, unable to say it out loud, Gye Yoon, perhaps misunderstanding Won-woo’s hardened expression, asked slowly,

“Why are you scared? You said you had nothing to do with Ji Geun-oh.”

Though his tone wasn’t sneering, the content was clearly mocking to anyone who heard it. Thanks to this, Won-woo was able to erase the past that had overlapped with him. Right, it’s not him. Nothing’s similar except the eyes. Besides, Ji Geun-oh has so many enemies, doesn’t he? Even Yoo Geon-young dislikes Ji Geun-oh.

Coming to his senses, he glanced around. Although Gye Yoon openly talked about revenge and mentioned Ji Geun-oh’s name, no one was looking this way. Only then did he remember that Gye Yoon was using his sound ability. So Won-woo spoke comfortably too.

“That’s right. I should have killed you preemptively so there’d be nothing to be scared of.”

Finding Won-woo’s words amusing, laughter spread in his eyes.

“How were you planning to kill me, Hwang Sang-cheon’s adopted son?”

That damn adopted son. His boasting as if he were some king was annoying. The problem was that this boast worked on Won-woo.

“Obviously, I’d have to kill you well without Mr. Hwang knowing.”

Won-woo replied half-heartedly and frowned at the other.

“Is this that funny?”

“It’s better than crying, isn’t it?”

“No, crying would be better.”

“Ah, damn it.”

What, why are you cursing? As Won-woo was dumbfounded, Gye Yoon, who had cursed momentarily, seemed surprised too and turned his head. Then he muttered as if making an excuse.

“I prefer making people cry.”

“Your preferences are none of my business.”

Won-woo spat out irritably, then immediately regretted it. Why can’t I control my emotions well in front of this person? Won-woo was known for rarely getting excited, so he wasn’t used to being like this. As they each looked away for a moment, feeling pathetic about themselves, an awkward silence fell. As Won-woo was inwardly complaining about how slow the kimbap was coming out, he heard the other’s mutter.

“The kimbap is taking forever to come out.”

“Didn’t you use an Esper order?”

“No. I’m too embarrassed to do that kind of thing.”

“You should have done it even if it’s embarrassing. So I could tag along and get some too.”

Gye Yoon raised one eyebrow as if surprised.

“You want to eat with me?”

“As if that would happen.”

“Then are you saying you’d easily take advantage of the conveniences I can enjoy?”

Won-woo replied shamelessly, as if to say ‘what’s wrong with that?’

“You’re the one who needs to look good to me, aren’t you?”

He thought Gye Yoon would get up, offended by this, but instead, his eyes filled with laughter again.

“If I had known I could score points just by advancing the kimbap order, I wouldn’t have prepared anything else.”

What did you prepare? Barely holding back from asking this, Won-woo saw Gye Yoon staring at him intently and asking:

“Have you found a place to stay?”

“Mind your own business.”

“The office next to my father’s is empty.”

…Oh, really? As he pretended not to be interested and drank water, he heard an invitation.

“Move in.”

“Even if you promise to buy me kimbap every day, I don’t want to.”

“I can’t promise ‘every day’ because I don’t know when I might die.”

Won-woo stopped his hand that was about to put down the cup. Gye Yoon’s voice was as dry as a desert. He always spoke of death with dried-up emotions. As if hope and expectation had evaporated. Won-woo repeated to himself what he had said tiredly many times. This person is not him.

“I don’t need kimbap, promises, or a house.”

“Then what do you need?”

It was a question that countless enemies trying to persuade Won-woo, and even allied espers who had received his guiding, had asked. So he automatically let out a cold answer.

“I don’t need anything.”

“How about me?”

Ha. The reason Won-woo let out a short laugh was because of what Seona had said. She had warned him to be careful because he might do something terrible, right? Is he trying to seduce me with guiding sex? Expecting an obvious answer, he looked at Gye Yoon, but an unexpected word came out.

“I’ll be on your side.”

“…”

“Be on my side too, Ji Won-woo-ssi.”

Unlike the pleading words, his voice was calm. Moreover, the look in his eyes was so dark it seemed more like a threat than a request. But even if he had said those words while dancing, Won-woo would have been equally surprised.

On my side? To think the correct answer that no one had guessed would come from the mouth of someone he had only met twice. Won-woo stood up, crumpled his number ticket, and threw it into the trash can beside the table.

“No thanks.”

Although all Won-woo had done at the Center today was go out for lunch and come back, he remained at his desk even after work hours had passed. With his lodging burned down, he had nowhere to go. But going to Sang-cheon’s house meant he would obviously run into Gye Yoon. It was ridiculous that he, who avoided Espers, was doing this, but Won-woo thought he had no choice. He had heard the correct answer.

‘I’ll be on your side.’

It was also a word that hit the bullseye in the center of the target.

“Haah.”

As he sighed like that, grateful for the empty office, he heard a mechanical sound ringing at a constant rate.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

At first, the sound was so faint that he had to strain his ears to hear it. Then he realized it was coming from the communicator in his pocket. It was the modified Center communicator he had received at the farm. But how could it make such a sound here? As soon as he put it to his ear, he heard a familiar static.

“Nani?”

He called the name out of habit, but there was no sound. Wasn’t it a communication from Nani? Should he switch it to the Center mode? Just as Won-woo was about to pull out the communicator, he heard a response.

[Yes.]

Ah, it really is Nani. Won-woo, pleased, asked lightly,

“Was that signal just now calling me? Is something wrong?”

[No. I thought you might have forgotten me.]

Won-woo knew Nani got upset easily, but he couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

“Ah, so you felt neglected?”

[…You’re being very affectionate.]

The mumble sounded somewhat sulky, making Won-woo chuckle again. Is this one getting upset even when I’m being affectionate now?

“You really don’t have any business?”

[I wanted to let you know that the server has been somewhat fixed.]

As expected, Mr. Hwang started fixing the server as soon as he received the money.

“That’s good. Are you feeling better?”

[Somewhat. But I’ll probably get sick again.]

“When that happens, I’ll fix you.”

Won-woo could also afford the server costs since he had made money from the alpha seeds.

[Can you promise that?]

“Of course. Don’t worry.”

Haah, it sounded like a deep sigh. Isn’t this not the time to be sighing? As Won-woo was taking out paper to write feedback for Sang-cheon, he heard a sarcastic question.

[Why are you fixing me? Because I’m on your side?]

Strangely, Won-woo was reminded of what Gye Yoon had said earlier. He paused his pen at the odd feeling, then started writing again.

“Yes. Because you’re on my side.”

[How can I be on your side when I’m just a machine and haven’t done anything?]

“You did do something. You stayed by my side.”

[Is that the reason?]

“Yes.”

Won-woo answered with a smile, but Nani seemed unsatisfied and asked again.

[Anyone could stay by your side, couldn’t they?]

“That’s right. Maybe because anyone could be there, everyone always leaves at any time.”

[…]

“I’ll back you up well too. I’ll definitely fix you so you don’t get sick.”

[…Ha, shit…]

It sounded like a deep sigh of frustration, not knowing what to do. Isn’t this kind of sigh something that should be made by a desperate person who has just lost their loved one before their eyes? Won-woo added to the feedback again.

‘Inappropriate use of sighing.’

By the way, as he was wondering why Nani was questioning so insistently, he paused. Surely the server costs in this world aren’t over 10 billion or something, right?

Gye Yoon, even though he knew he was clearly wearing the mask of an AI, couldn’t stop asking questions like a person. How on earth can one become on your side? Won-woo’s answer was so simple it was frustrating. Just stay by his side, he says. Moreover, why is he so unnecessarily affectionate to Nani? He was so affectionate it made him want to curse.

“Fuck.”

Right, cursing isn’t the problem. It’s just everyday language. The problem was this emotion welling up without him realizing. It wasn’t anger, it wasn’t irritation, and it certainly wasn’t disappointment. It was just… just, a hot heat fully gathered inside his chest.

Since his parents passed away, the only emotions he had felt were burning anger and vengeance. Always dry and withered. That was different from this heat he was feeling now. Though he didn’t know what this was, one thing was certain. He felt like he was going crazy with impatience. Was it just because Ji Won-woo wasn’t easily within reach?

Gye Yoon ran his hand through his hair and glared at the lit-up East Center building in the darkness. He rejects me so coldly, but he’s so affectionate to that Nani bastard, fuck. He couldn’t suppress his jealousy towards the machine he had pretended to be.

In fact, Gye Yoon was confident he could persuade Ji Won-woo. Because he could use Nani. It wasn’t for nothing that he had imitated that fucking machine. It was all for this day. So he had planned to talk to him more earnestly as Nani and persuade him. But hearing him say so easily that Nani was on his side made his insides twist.

All he did was listen to him talk a few times. He could do that too. Actually, the conversation they had face to face was quite enjoyable, and he felt like he could chat with Ji Won-woo for hours, for days, just looking at him. But for Ji Won-woo to be so cold to him yet open his heart so easily to a mere machine.

‘Everyone always leaves at any time.’

Ji Won-woo’s voice kept echoing in his ears. At that time, he had almost blurted out. I won’t leave, then. If it’s Ji Won-woo, he could keep him by his side even if he coldly rejected and pushed him away every time. Even negative reactions towards himself made him feel good. So incredibly good that…

Gye Yoon cursed inwardly again, “Fuck,” as he caught himself thinking. There was a reason he had cut off the communication. The firmly erect dick in his pants was again making its presence known. This was utterly incomprehensible. Why had he become so aroused just from hearing Ji Won-woo’s voice?

On some dark rooftop with a distant view of the East Center building. Gye Yoon closed his eyes tightly and suppressed his breath. It felt like he could masturbate and ejaculate just from that tiny light in the East Center where Ji Won-woo might be. But he couldn’t become equal to a perverted bastard stalking Ji Won-woo. He pulled up his last shred of self-respect and ignored his heated body.

***

The internet here is garbage. This was the conclusion he had reached after continuously searching for information online since coming to this world.

Of course, he wasn’t talking about the slow speed. Well, the speed was garbage too, but more than that, the problem was that there was no useful content.

There was only an overflow of all kinds of sensational news and gossip, with no usable information at all. It wasn’t incomprehensible. It had been the same in the world Won-woo was from. Espers controlled information to suppress opposing public opinion, throwing out only sensational and primal entertainment.

Despite the policy of keeping the public ignorant, they eventually collapsed, but what was astounding was after the new government took power. Those trying to take the place of the disappeared Espers began a dirty political fight. And the first thing those who gained the upper hand did was to seize control of information. They followed exactly what the Espers had done, covering up controversies with sensational gossip and distorting the truth.

How much worse would it be here, where Espers rule? There was clearly a sea of data and people’s voices on the internet, but no proper information. Fortunately, there was someone he could ask.

“Why are you asking about the Gye brute?”

Seona immediately asked back, on guard. Won-woo couldn’t bring himself to say it was because he was someone he had guided, so he just smiled ambiguously.

“There’s something I need to confirm. I tried searching the internet, but there’s hardly any information about this person called Gye Yoon. Even what’s there is just strange, implausible rumors.”

“What kind of rumors?”

“Things like Gye Yoon going rampage from not receiving guiding and going around drinking people’s blood, or the Gye family summoning demons and using dark powers, resulting in a curse.”

“That’s bullshit.”

Of course it would be. Won-woo nodded, but hesitated at Seona’s next words.

“But the word ‘curse’ is understandable.”

“Really? Seona-ssi, you don’t believe in superstitions and really hate them, don’t you?”

“Yes, that’s right. How did you know?”

Well, because we were practically together for a whole year. Seona didn’t believe in superstitions, not even the little jinxes that everyone else had, which made working with her convenient. This time too, Won-woo smiled vaguely and evaded the question.

“Just because you seem like a practical person.”

Taking it as a compliment, Seona raised her chin proudly and boasted.

“I do have that side to me. I absolutely hate anything unrealistic.”

“Hmm, but you like Gopnalssu, don’t you?”

“What’s unrealistic about that?”

Won-woo realized it was a topic that couldn’t be argued about as he saw the shameless eyes of a fan. So he immediately changed the subject.

“Why is the word ‘curse’ understandable then?”

“The Gye family’s guiding wavelength is too unique and narrow. There’s no Guide that fits well enough to call it a curse, but I heard that in the past, they used to find Guides with their status and money. But since nine years ago, they haven’t been able to find even that because of the Guide Center’s interference. It must be hell to live.”

Hell. Won-woo recalled Gye Yoon’s hand that he had held. The moment he grabbed it, it was twisted and chaotic to a horrifying degree. It was amazing how he could endure without going rampage. That made the fact that he had an incredibly large power seem secondary.

Moreover, Gye Yoon appeared calm on the outside even in that state. Won-woo hadn’t experienced it himself, but he had heard that when energy rampages like that, it feels like your head is being sliced with a razor blade, so he couldn’t help but be surprised again at Gye Yoon’s endurance.

“Well, it seems they’re all gritting their teeth and enduring for the sake of revenge.”

“Revenge for what exactly?”

“Ah, it seems the Gye family believes there’s another reason for the previous family head’s death. Um, I don’t know this for sure.”

“What’s the publicly known reason?”

At Won-woo’s question, Seona made a somewhat troubled expression.

“A rampage. There were numerous Gye family Guides at the scene of that rampage. And there’s a witness who saw the situation, and according to that witness… all the Guides were trying to escape due to continuous abuse from the Gye family.”

Won-woo immediately realized why Seona had difficulty speaking.

“Is that witness Ji Geun-oh?”

“Yes.”

“…”

“But there are other witnesses too. And the surviving Guides gave the same testimony. Because of that incident, the Gye family was branded as an enemy of Guides.”

Seona added, but Won-woo believed all the testimonies were fabricated. If Ji Geun-oh was involved, there would certainly have been lies and conspiracies. That was his specialty.

“So now the Gye family is suffering from lack of guiding. I even heard a rumor that a few weeks ago, the Gye family head knelt before some Guide for the sake of her daughter.”

Won-woo turned to look at Seona with curiosity.

“But at that time, there was a Guide sent from the Ji family, wasn’t there? They brought a Guide when Gye Yoon was imprisoned.”

“Yes. But it seems there’s some problem with that Guide. That’s probably why the Gye family head is trying so hard to find a Guide.”

Well, of course there would be problems. It’s a Guide sent by Ji Geun-oh. Then Won-woo heard Seona sigh. It seemed she couldn’t feel completely detached, being of a similarly unique wavelength herself.

“Even though the Gye vice head is called a brute, he sacrificed so much for his niece, but the result isn’t good. It’s really unfortunate.”