IDESGI Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Hyunho stole a glance at the man sitting across from him and swallowed hard.

He had been on his way to breakfast when Yushin had suddenly dragged him off somewhere. He hadn’t even had the chance to ask where they were going, but upon arriving, he immediately realized that this room was much bigger and grander than the one he had been assigned.

Most likely, it was Yoo Ihan’s personal quarters.

‘Of course, heroes get special treatment.’

The room was even better than the one assigned to Yoon Geon, another S-Class Esper. But it made sense—after all, Ihan was the hero who had saved Seoul the moment he awakened.

Ihan scooted his chair closer and smiled at Hyunho.

‘Wow, his skin is flawless.’

His face was smooth, not a single visible pore. His sharp, well-defined features were so perfectly balanced that even Hyunho, a fellow man, found himself momentarily mesmerized.

After spending so much time around Yoon Geon—who looked like a walking sculpture—Hyunho had started seeing most people as plain by comparison. But Yoo Ihan was different. He felt like he was beyond human beauty in a whole other way.

“So, Han Hyunho? I heard you just turned twenty. Mind if I speak casually?”

“A-ah, no! It’d be an honor!”

“No need to be nervous. Yushin mentioned you, so I just wanted to meet you in person.”

Hyunho, who had grown up in the same neighborhood as Yushin, glanced at him in new admiration.

‘So hyung really is friends with Yoo Ihan, huh?’

But then, why had Yushin always been so reluctant to talk about him?

When Yushin had been assigned to Zone 1—the zone reserved for elites—Hyunho had eagerly asked him all sorts of questions about Ihan.

“Hyung! What’s Yoo Ihan like in real life? Is he as good-looking as he looks on screen?”

“He doesn’t really photograph well.”

“Whoa, so he’s even better looking in person? He already looks amazing…! What about his personality? He’s super kind and friendly, right?”

“…Ha.”

Yushin had only laughed bitterly in response, saying nothing more.

“Sometimes, ignorance is bliss.”

Hyunho had never understood why Yushin had reacted that way—until now. Meeting Ihan in person only made him even more confused.

If it were him, he’d be bragging about it everywhere.

“You and Yushin-hyung are close?”

“Yeah. We’re friends.”

“…Like hell you are.”

Yushin gritted his teeth, muttering under his breath.

Ihan turned to him with a perfectly innocent smile.

“Yushin, got something to say?”

“Nope! Nothing at all. Haha, of course, friends! Such good friends. It’s honestly tear-jerking how close we are. Yeah.”

The way Yushin emphasized tear-jerking so deliberately felt odd, but Hyunho didn’t care about any of that.

“Um, I’m actually a huge fan of yours, Esper Yoo Ihan! I’ve watched everything about your Jamsil Gate battle—every video and article online!”

“Really? I’m honored. It’s nice to be popular with promising young Espers like you.”

At the praise, Hyunho blushed like a child, squirming in his seat as he grinned.

“No way, it’s my honor.”

“Is that so? Well, thanks.”

Ihan’s lips curled up in a soft smile before he casually shifted the conversation.

“By the way, I heard you work with the police. Doesn’t it bother you? I mean, you’re an Esper, but you’re working with law enforcement.”

“It’s fine! Though… I guess I shouldn’t say this, but my ability isn’t all that useful for fighting monsters. But it is great for catching criminals! Every time we track down and deport a bad guy, I feel really proud.”

“That’s a good attitude. But don’t you think you should experience working as an Esper? It just so happens that I need someone like you. If you do me a small favor, I might be able to bring you over to Zone 1.”

“Huh? Really? But my abilities as an Esper aren’t that great…”

Hyunho blinked in surprise, and Ihan, still smiling, responded smoothly.

“Esper abilities can be trained.”

“Can they, though?”

“Yeah, they can…”

Yushin mumbled from the side, but Hyunho ignored him, deep in thought before eventually shaking his head.

“No, thanks. I actually like Zone 5. My ability is kind of a niche one, so I think I’m better suited there.”

Ihan watched him for a moment, then chuckled lightly.

“I’ve been thinking this since earlier, but you’re really optimistic. …Kind of tragically so.”

Why is being optimistic a bad thing?

Hyunho tilted his head in confusion.

Just then, Ihan’s gentle smile faded into an icy smirk.

The sudden shift in atmosphere went unnoticed by Hyunho, who simply scratched the back of his head and grinned.

“Still, just the fact that Esper Yoo Ihan scouted me is an honor. I’m probably going to brag about this to everyone.”

“Hey, dumbass.”

“Huh? Yushin-hyung, what’s up?”

Yushin, his face now deathly pale, nudged Hyunho repeatedly while whispering something under his breath.

Hyunho, slow as ever, just blinked at him like an innocent puppy.

Meanwhile, Ihan exhaled softly, lowering his head before lifting it again with a faint, eerie chuckle curling at his lips.

Seeing that, Yushin immediately took a step back, his expression full of dread.

After a long silence, Ihan finally spoke.

“Hyunho, I’m generally a kind person. It’s just easier that way. If I smile and say the right things, most people like me and do what I ask.”

“Uh… what?”

“But sometimes, kindness doesn’t work. Some people take me for a fool. Or they’re just too optimistic. Like you.”

Hyunho suddenly found himself unable to move.

It wasn’t just fear—something in the air itself was pressing down on him, making it impossible to resist.

“Dumb people can be fixed with a bit of discipline. But people like you are tricky. You don’t respond to kindness, and I don’t really enjoy violence.”

Ihan’s lips curled into a chillingly serene smile.

“After all, I’m a very peaceful person.”

“Bullshit.”

Yushin, his face twisted in disgust, spat out a curse.

Ihan’s gaze flicked toward him lazily.

“Yushin, you’re starting to get on my nerves.”

“…Sorry. I’ll just shut up.”

Smirking at Yushin’s instant surrender, Ihan turned his attention back to Hyunho.

Hyunho’s breathing became increasingly labored, as if he had climbed to a high-altitude zone without enough oxygen.

“Hah… Haaah… I… I can’t breathe— Hhk!”

“So, I’m giving you a choice. You can listen while I politely threaten you, or I can keep going until you get it.”

‘How the hell can a threat be polite?’

But Hyunho was an Esper too.

And like any Esper, he instinctively understood when he was at a disadvantage.

Survival instincts kicked in, and he flattened himself in submission.

“T-threats! I’ll take the threats! Just say the word!”

“Glad we have an understanding.”

The crushing weight in the air vanished instantly.

Coughing as he caught his breath, Hyunho cautiously looked up at Ihan.

Lounging against the sofa with one leg crossed over the other, Ihan looked every bit like an emperor surveying his domain.

A tyrant, sure—but still a ruler.

“Just one little favor. I need your ability.”

“What… What do you need me to do?”

“I want to know what my Guide is really thinking. Can you do that?”

‘So Han Yeoul was telling the truth.’

Had Yeoul not warned him, Hyunho would’ve been far more panicked by now.

Taking a deep breath, he slowly nodded.

“Good. I knew you’d be reasonable.”

Ihan’s smile softened once more, but this time, Hyunho felt a shiver run down his spine.

Unlike before, that smile didn’t seem warm at all—it was terrifying.

---

Unlike Zone 1, the Zone 3 center was much smaller in scale.

Not wanting to squeeze into the crowded break room, Yeoul stepped outside.

The spring breeze was still cold as he sat on a bench in front of a small flowerbed.

“Hoo—”

He blew on his latte and took a sip.

Even the coffee tasted worse here. The flavor was completely flat, leaving only a bitter aftertaste.

Frowning, he lowered the cup to the ground without drinking any more.

Leaning back against the bench, he let his body relax.

Ever since his third time reversing time, his stomach had always felt uneasy. No matter what he ate, he couldn’t digest it properly.

That’s why he kept relying on liquids to get through his meals.

Sometimes, he thought…

‘I’m going to die anyway. Why bother eating three meals a day?’

Maybe he could just starve to death quietly.

Without pain.

“Would dying from malnutrition take too long?”

Yeoul let out a weak laugh, closing his eyes as the wind playfully lifted his fine brown hair.

Then, something warm touched his cheek.

Startled, he opened his eyes—only to find Ihan standing before him.

“You haven’t eaten yet, have you?”

Without waiting for permission, Ihan sat down next to him and handed him a latte and a sandwich.

“Eat this. Stop making yourself sick by skipping meals.”

“I don’t need it.”

The moment the words left his mouth, he wondered if he had spoken too coldly.

But then, he scoffed at himself.

‘Why does it matter? I’m being distant on purpose.’

Ihan always made him feel weak—made him want to be kind.

But he couldn’t afford to be kind.

“You eat it,” he said instead.

Even while pushing him away, he still worried whether Ihan had eaten.

As if sensing his true intentions, Ihan shamelessly leaned in, closing the small distance between them as he playfully whined.

“You’re worrying about my meals? Yeoul-ah, you’re too sweet.”

Yeoul flinched, his expression hardening as he tried to glare at Ihan.

“I said I don’t need it! Do you not understand plain words?”

As he turned toward Ihan in frustration, his arm accidentally knocked the sandwich out of Ihan’s hands. To make matters worse, the latte he had set down earlier tipped over, creating a mess.

“Ah.”

Yeoul had no intention of doing that. He opened his mouth to say something, to fix the situation, but stopped himself.

No. Even if it was an accident, he had to pretend it wasn’t.

So instead, he raised his voice.

“See? I told you I didn’t want it!”

He was doing everything he could to make Ihan let go of him. But the moment he saw disappointment flash across Ihan’s face, he realized he didn’t have the courage to face it directly. His gaze dropped slightly.

Ihan, however, simply wrapped an arm around Yeoul’s shoulders in a comforting gesture.

“It’s fine. Something like this can be replaced. Don’t worry about it too much.”

Why… why are you always like this?

Yeoul bit the soft flesh inside his cheek and swatted Ihan’s hand away.

“Don’t touch me. You’re not someone who can do that anymore.”

Ihan was silent for a moment.

“I can understand you throwing away a sandwich,” he murmured. “But Yeoul…”

His gaze bore into Yeoul, unwavering, intense.

Yeoul wanted to look away, but Ihan’s hand cupped his cheek, holding him in place.

“Why are you trying to abandon me?”

The night Yeoul had said he was scared of him, Ihan had considered two possibilities.

First, that some reckless Esper had told Yeoul the truth about him.

‘Hmm. That seems unlikely.’

He had made sure to keep a tight leash on the Espers in Zone 1. As far as he knew, there wasn’t a single one with the guts to spill the truth to Yeoul.

That left the second possibility—Yeoul was hiding something.

Something he didn’t want Ihan to find out.

‘What is it?’

No matter how many times he asked, Yeoul refused to answer.

So Ihan had turned to his final option—Han Hyunho.

Using a psychic Esper’s ability had a major drawback: once the ability wore off, the target would know they had been influenced. Ihan normally avoided such blatant tactics—if he wanted information, he preferred to extract it without being caught.

But this time, he couldn’t afford to be subtle.

He needed to know.

‘Finally, I’ll get the truth.’

Everything had gone according to plan.

With Yeoul resting on the bench, Ihan had asked the question that had tormented him for so long.

With Hyunho controlling him from behind, Yeoul had to answer honestly.

That’s what Ihan had expected.

And yet—

Yeoul hesitated for a moment, avoiding his gaze. Then, as if making a final decision, he looked up and met Ihan’s eyes.

“I like Geon-hyung.”

His voice was steady, clear.

“That’s why I want to break up with you.”

…This wasn’t in the plan.