IDESGI Chapter 45

Chapter 45

On his way back from calming down the Team 1 Espers, Yushin raked both hands roughly through his hair.

“How long are you going to stay there, Yoo Ihan?”

In truth, the one most frustrated by all this was Yushin. The other Zone 1 Espers simply followed Ihan’s orders through him, but Yushin saw exactly where Ihan was and what he was doing.

“Please… get me out of here… I’m begging you…”

Yeoul’s desperate face flickered in his mind. Yushin was on Ihan’s side, but that didn’t mean he could justify everything Ihan did. Right now, Ihan was clearly crossing a line.

The sight of Yeoul, bloodied hands outstretched toward him, was beyond pitiful—it was downright heartbreaking.

Why was Yeoul rejecting Ihan so fiercely? Unless Ihan had somehow been his parents’ killer, Yushin couldn’t make sense of it.

‘No, that’s impossible. Guide Han Yeoul is an orphan.’

It was common knowledge. And Ihan had lost his parents long ago, too, which was why Yushin had thought the two of them suited each other well.

Only someone who had been wounded could truly understand another’s wounds.

Yoo Ihan—always so confident—had never seemed depressed or sorrowful about anything except Han Yeoul. But surely he had his own hardships.

And Yushin had believed that Guide Han Yeoul could be the one to comfort those wounds. When the two of them bonded, he had been one of the few people to genuinely bless their union.

Ihan’s love for Yeoul was so familiar by now that it barely even registered anymore, but anyone who had seen them up close knew Yeoul loved Ihan just as much.

They were an almost disgustingly perfect couple. The sort of couple that made him mutter, “Fine, the two of you can just live happily ever after,” in a tone that could be mistaken for sarcasm—but was, in fact, genuine acknowledgement of their love.

So why was Yeoul trying to leave him now? If it had been a slow change over time, that would at least make sense. But this had happened suddenly. Even for Yushin, who wasn’t directly involved, the change was baffling—so how much more so for Ihan?

The only reason he had agreed to Ihan’s absurd request to help keep Yeoul confined was because he completely understood Ihan’s state of mind.

But as time passed, he began to feel disillusioned about the whole thing. Instead of warming to him again, Yeoul only pushed Ihan further away, and Ihan was falling apart at his side. A relationship where being together only caused pain… was nothing but a curse.

‘I never should have agreed to help hold someone prisoner in the first place.’

If Ihan had threatened him, Yushin would have refused outright. But Ihan hadn’t given a high-handed order like usual—he had pleaded, sincerely.

“I need your help if I’m going to change Yeoul’s mind.”

That was why Yushin had supplied him with food and daily necessities. But the situation had dragged on far longer than expected, and with Zone 1 Espers growing restless and constantly asking when Ihan would return, Yushin was reaching his own limits.

The biggest problem was—

Beep—

At the sound of the call signal, Yushin looked down at his watch with a weary, almost resentful expression. The summons was from Central Headquarters.

Sighing deeply, he set off toward HQ.

* * *

Yushin stood before the Director with his hands clasped behind his back, clenching and unclenching his fists.

“We’ve been seeing a lot of each other lately,” the Director said with a mocking edge.

Yushin’s lips twitched.
‘My point exactly. Why do you keep calling me in?’

Until recently, he had barely ever needed to meet the Director, but now they saw each other every three days or so. Even a lover wouldn’t meet this often. He grumbled inwardly.

“So,” the Director continued, “no word from Esper Yoo Ihan?”

“No, sir. I’m doing my best to track him down, but he’s thorough to the point that it’s hard to catch even a trace.”

“I see… is that so.”

The Director looked Yushin up and down with obvious displeasure. Yushin forced the most innocent smile he could manage. People say you can’t spit on a smiling face, after all. Surely no one could curse at someone who smiled this brightly.

“Do you feel like smiling? Do you know how much trouble the government is in without Yoo Ihan?”

Unfortunately, the Director was the kind of man who could spit on a smiling face. Yushin’s smile vanished instantly.

The Director slammed the armrest of his chair and barked at him.

“The number of unprocessed gates in Zone 1 keeps piling up! Do you know how many evacuation orders we’ve had to give just this month? We can only keep the media in check so many times—at this rate, the entire world will know Yoo Ihan is missing!”

“The Espers in Zone 1 are doing their best,” Yushin said.

The Director snorted, dripping sarcasm.

“Of course. If this is your best—letting countless people die in the country’s most vital region—then so be it.”

Anger flared inside Yushin. The Director had to know he was being unreasonable. This was nothing but venting his frustration, and Yushin was an easy target because of his closeness to Ihan.

‘That bastard Yoo Ihan… when you get back, you’re going to owe me big.’

He ground his teeth, vowing to collect the debt, and struggled to keep his temper in check.

“You know we’re not just sitting around,” he said. “Yes, casualties have increased, but the daily death toll is still about the same as in other zones.”

Zone 1 was several times larger than the others. When Ihan was there, casualties were far lower than anywhere else—not because Zone 1 Espers were incompetent, but because Ihan was extraordinary.

The Director knew that as well as anyone. He simply wanted to vent.

Loosening his tie, the Director continued irritably, “World record for fastest gate clear times, most gates processed—Zone 1 was the pride of the nation. And it wasn’t just that. When an unmanageable gate opened in another zone, Yoo Ihan took care of it.”

“…That’s—”

“He’s still getting deployment requests now, but we’re turning them all down. If this continues, it’s not just Zone 1 that’s finished—it’s the whole country!”

The constant accusations were wearing Yushin down, and his own anger finally slipped out.

“If losing one man means the country collapses, isn’t that the real problem?”

“What did you just say?”

The Director’s sharp, furious gaze made him flinch. But since the words were already out, Yushin decided to go all in.

“Civilians dying to monster attacks isn’t new. The difference is that after Ihan showed up, the numbers dropped dramatically. The increase now isn’t our fault—it’s simply that his arrival was what changed things in the first place.”

The Director stared at him for a long moment before speaking again.

“A decade ago, our country was still receiving aid from the United States. We spent tens of trillions in return, and even so, deaths outnumbered births.”

His rough fingertips brushed the casualty numbers on a report. For a moment, he looked small and tired, and Yushin said nothing.

“Then Yoo Ihan appeared. Do you know what happened after that?”

“……”

“The US started paying us enormous sums to deploy him. And in Zone 1, at least, births began to outnumber deaths.”

The Director removed his glasses and set them down, letting out a bitter laugh—unclear whether at Yushin or himself. His voice was worn and weary.

“You say if the country can’t survive without him, that’s a problem? No. The truth is, it was already dying. He’s the one who brought it back.”

Defeat lined his face. Having confirmed he would get nothing from Yushin, the Director waved him away.

“Go. And if you find even the smallest lead on his whereabouts, report immediately.”

“…Yes, sir.”

Yushin left quietly, mind tangled in knots. He wanted to help Ihan as a friend, but he was reaching his limit. The pressure from HQ, the resentment of Zone 1 Espers, and above all, the image of Han Yeoul begging to be saved were shaking his resolve.

“…Yoo Ihan, what are you going to do now?”

He didn’t doubt Ihan—but he wasn’t in his right mind. As absurd as it sounded, what if, just maybe, Ihan abandoned the country for Han Yeoul? If he left Zone 1, what then? The thought alone made the future look bleak.

“Hyunho… Yes, I’ll call Hyunho.”

At the very least, he needed to know why Yeoul was rejecting Ihan. If he could understand the reason, then he could decide whether to help him or not.

He would probably catch flak for using abilities for personal reasons again, but it was the fastest way. Just as he was about to head for Zone 5, someone grabbed him and pulled him into an empty room.

“Who—Yoon Geon?”

The name slipped out before he could stop himself, eyes going wide. What was Esper Yoon Geon doing here? Had HQ summoned him? Yushin was stunned.

Yoon Geon gripped his wrist tightly and demanded in a hard voice, “Esper Kim Yushin, where is Yoo Ihan right now?”

The normally calm black eyes held a rare urgency. Yushin opened his mouth soundlessly, staring.

“How do you—”

Could the news of Ihan’s disappearance have already spread to Zone 5? The thought made his head swim. If even remote Zone 5 knew, then the whole country must know by now.

Sensing his shock, Yoon Geon replied calmly, “I’m the only one who knows that Yoo Ihan and Han Yeoul are missing. Now tell me—where is he?”

He stepped forward threateningly, and Yushin froze under the pressure. The weight of it made lying feel impossible, and he stammered.

“I—I don’t know. We’re trying to track him too, but his whereabouts are unknown.”

“…You really don’t know?”

“Yes. I really don’t.”

Regaining his composure, Yushin brazened it out with a blank expression and a few blinks. Yoon Geon’s eyes only grew colder.

His wrist hurt from the grip, but Yushin couldn’t bring himself to ask him to let go.

Yoon Geon looked like a lion that had lost its cub—tense, dangerous, ready to tear into him at any second. Even though he lacked Ihan’s power to heat or compress the air, Yushin felt like he might suffocate under that gaze.

At last, Yoon Geon released his wrist. Yushin exhaled in relief and stole a glance at him, deep in thought.

“Is this about Guide Han Yeoul?” he asked.

Yoon Geon stared at him for a long moment, then spoke slowly.

“Esper Kim Yushin, if you meet Yoo Ihan, tell him this—”

His low voice was cold enough to chill the air.

“If he keeps doing nothing, Han Yeoul might die.”

Yushin’s expression, carefully composed in an act of calm, twisted into shock.