IDSEGI Chapter 112

Chapter 112

―We interrupt this program with breaking news. Today, a massive fire broke out at the Zone 1 Plaza complex shopping mall… No casualties have been reported…

Watching the news, Yeoul dropped the toothbrush from his mouth.

“What…?”

He had warned that they needed to prepare for a gate, but this wasn’t what he meant.

* * *

When Yeoul confronted him about what he’d done, Ihan looked back at him with innocent, wide eyes.

“But Yeoul, there weren’t any casualties. And you said that building would’ve been destroyed by the gate anyway. The result’s the same.”

Yeoul had no words. Well… he wasn’t wrong. So why did he still feel so stunned, so cheated somehow?

“Those puppy eyes… yeah, right.”

Yeoul muttered quietly, finally understanding what “Yoo-ddo” meant. Ihan’s eyes curved gently as he smiled. That face was the problem—when he looked at you like that, you wanted to give him whatever he wanted.

“Anyway, I’m glad no gate appeared.”

Maybe it was because the one-eyed being had died—no gate had opened. That was a relief, but the uneasy feeling remained. Was this really the end? The one-eyed thing was probably dead, but… the world felt far too peaceful lately.

It felt like standing in the eye of a storm. Misfortune always struck when things were calm, so he couldn’t relax. There was no progress in the research, and the two years ahead felt like they could arrive at any moment.

Yeoul couldn’t sleep properly at night out of fear. The first person to notice his increasingly gaunt face was Yoon Geon, who lived with him.

“Don’t go to work today.”

Geon told him as he was getting ready for work. Yeoul shook his head as he fixed his tie.

“I can’t. I already skipped work without notice last time.”

“There’s nothing to do these days. Just rest.”

When Yeoul stubbornly kept fiddling with his tie, Geon grabbed the end and smoothly pulled it loose. As Yeoul stepped forward to grab it back, he bumped into Geon’s chest. Geon caught his arms to keep him from falling. He reached toward the slightly rumpled collar of Yeoul’s shirt, hesitated, then straightened it for him. His touch was faintly trembling.

Yeoul pushed Geon’s chest lightly and looked down at an angle.

“I’ll do it.”

He straightened his collar himself and buttoned the one button that had been undone. Geon’s eyes lingered briefly on the nape of Yeoul’s neck before shifting away.

“I’ll put in a leave request for you.”

Leaving only those words, Geon went to work alone. Yeoul rubbed at his throat, then slumped onto the sofa. He had no idea what to do with the sudden time off.

“I want to see Ihan.”

Quietly mumbling, Yeoul turned on his phone and tapped Ihan’s number. Normally, he would’ve stared at the call button and then locked the screen without pressing it. But today, he really wanted to see Ihan. On impulse, he called him.

―Yeoul!

Hearing the excited voice, a smile tugged at Yeoul’s lips. What could make him that happy—just one phone call? But he could understand it. Just hearing Ihan’s voice was making his own heart race.

“Want to skip work?”

―I’ll be right there.

―Right there my ass. What, am I your chauffeur? I’ve got things to…!

It sounded like Yushin’s voice came from the background before the call abruptly ended. Ihan appeared shortly afterward. Yushin’s shirt looked crumpled, as if someone had grabbed him by the collar. Yeoul ignored the empty look Yushin threw his way.

“Yeoul, did you miss me?”

Ihan beamed and cupped Yeoul’s cheek. Yushin frowned at the sight.

“But why do you look so pale?”

When Ihan spoke with concern, Yeoul brushed the corner of his eye instead.

“I’m fine. What about you? Didn’t sleep well? Your dark circles are showing.”

Rubbing his face against Yeoul’s shoulder, Ihan spoke in a sweet, playful tone.

“I couldn’t sleep last night. I missed you too much.”

“Bullshit.”

A coarse voice came from behind, but Ihan ignored it and kept wagging his tail like a dog.

“Lately, nights have been so scary. When it’s dark, I feel like a monster’s gonna jump out of the closet.”

“Says the guy who can tear monsters into four pieces.”

“When I drop you off at night and go home alone, it’s so lonely and empty. My pillow’s always wet from crying.”

“Your pants, more like. You’re the pervert who gets hard just from talking about Guide Han Yeoul.”

“I even put your picture under my pillow so I can dream of you. I miss you so much every night.”

“Ha, it’d be fine if it were only at night. Problem is you’re a pain during the day too.”

Ignoring Yushin’s muttering from behind, Ihan finally turned around.

“Yushin, let’s have a little talk.”

But this time, Yushin couldn’t just let it slide.

He ran up behind Yeoul, using him as a shield, and shouted.

“Your bastard ruined my blind date! I need my own time too. Stop dragging me into your personal life all the time!”

“They weren’t a good match for you anyway.”

“What the hell are you talking about? Did you even meet them?”

“You said she was pretty. Then she doesn’t suit you. Know your place, Yushin.”

Yushin was furious at the look of disdain in Ihan’s eyes, but he couldn’t bring himself to snap back and tell Ihan to know his place—because he couldn’t deny the fact that Yoo Ihan was handsome.

Instead, he switched his target.

“Ha, did you hear that? Guide Han Yeoul, this is the kind of guy he is!”

“Yeoul knows everything and still dates me. Because he loves me.”

When Ihan said it with confidence, Yushin stared at Yeoul in disbelief.

Seeing Yeoul avoid his gaze, Yushin was deeply shocked.

“Guide Han Yeoul, are you crazy? That shopping mall fire the other day, he’s the one who started it! I heard it was because of you, but you didn’t tell him to do that, did you? He just went too far on his own.”

Grabbing Yeoul’s shoulders, Yushin spoke seriously.

“Don’t ruin your life. Dump him now, while you still can. Nobody can handle this lunatic. He’s the kind of guy who should live alone forever.”

“If you don’t want to ruin your own life, take your hands off him.”

Ihan gripped Yushin’s shoulders hard enough to crush them. But even through the pain, Yushin, too far gone, didn’t stop.

“See? This is what I’m talking about! He’s violent as hell. For a public official, he’s the type who trusts his fists more than the law. You have any idea how many times he’s assaulted us? The only reason we haven’t pressed charges is because—”

“You can’t call training ‘assault,’ Yushin. Want me to show you what assault actually is?”

“Wake up. Life’s long—don’t end it like this.”

Yeoul’s lips moved faintly, and Yushin leaned in to hear.

“Hm? What did you say?”

“… handsome.”

“What?”

Thinking he must’ve misheard, Yushin asked again.

Glancing briefly at Ihan, Yeoul’s cheeks turned red as he answered.

“He’s still handsome though.”

Yushin was speechless. He realized it wasn’t just Ihan who was insane—this sweet-faced guy was crazy too.

Cursing them both, he spat out his last words.

“I hope you two never let each other go and stick together forever. Seriously—please!”

Yeoul and Ihan both took it as a blessing. Yushin felt like he might die from the frustration.

* * *

Putting off dealing with Yushin’s loose mouth at Yeoul’s request, Ihan instead went on a date with him.

Since Yeoul was the one who’d suggested it for the first time, Ihan was thrilled.

He hugged Yeoul tightly and asked.

“Where should we go?”

“I don’t care.”

“Then how about the aquarium? A big one just opened near the Zone 1 Center. I’ve been saving it for a date with you.”

Yeoul knew the place—it was somewhere they had gone often before.

When he nodded, Ihan quickly started browsing online to book tickets.

Once they had them, they headed to the aquarium.

It was crowded with people. Many stole glances at Ihan, though no one approached.

That is, until a child spotted him and shouted.

“It’s Yoo Ihan!”

“Wow! Esper Yoo Ihan!”

“He’s so handsome!”

The moment one child called out, several others flocked toward him.

Unable to just turn them away, Ihan glanced at Yeoul with a troubled smile.

When Yeoul nodded, Ihan lifted a young boy onto his shoulders.

“Hey there. Did you come with your parents?”

“Nope! I’m here with my uncle! I don’t have parents!”

Ihan paused briefly at the boy’s cheerful words, then smiled.

“Me neither. We’re the same, huh?”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Still, you’ve got a great uncle—he even brought you to the aquarium.”

“Hehe, yeah! I love my uncle! And he’s super pretty!”

“Yeah? Where is he?”

“I dunno! I think I lost him earlier when I let go of his hand. My uncle’s bad with directions. I was looking for him.”

The lost boy spoke innocently. Ihan turned to Yeoul and whispered.

“I’ll take him to the lost child center. You want to wait here?”

When Yeoul agreed, Ihan took the boy’s hand firmly and adjusted his hold to carry him on his shoulders.

“Alright, let’s go find your uncle.”

As Ihan and the boy left, someone brushed hard against Yeoul’s shoulder, knocking him to the floor.

The woman who had bumped into him reached out her hand.

“Oh my, I’m sorry. Are you hurt?”

“No, I’m fi—”

Yeoul froze mid-sentence as he looked up.

The woman’s face was smooth like an egg, without any features—no eyes, no nose—only lips above her chin.

Helping him halfway up, she whispered in his ear.

“Time I borrowed needs to be repaid. If you really don’t pay it back just because you were told you didn’t have to, it puts me, your successor, in a tough spot.”

Seeing Yeoul trembling, she grinned.

“Don’t worry. I won’t take it all. Just moving it forward a little.”

When she let go, Yeoul dropped back onto the floor.

She walked past him, and when he came to his senses and looked back, she was gone.

‘What the hell was that?’

Successor? Repay? His head was a mess. Nausea rose to his throat with fear.

Then came a loud crash from behind him, followed by people screaming and running.

“Aaaah! A g-gate!”

“We have to get out!”

“Call an Esper!”

A gate had appeared inside one of the aquarium tanks.