SOG Ch 200

“What’s with that expression?”

While it’s good to learn from a respected senior, copying their expressions might be taking it too far. As Jae-chan inserted coins into the vending machine with some concern, Se-in moved aside and whispered.

“Sunbae, you’ve been super famous lately.”

“I didn’t know you were such a show-off.”

Nam Hae-sol added in a low voice. Her stern gaze while sipping barley tea was quite sharp. Jae-chan dismissed it indifferently and selected his coffee. The vending machine was making loud noises preparing his drink.

“There’s a lot of talk about you, sunbae.”

Se-in provided a hint about the ‘rumor.’

At that moment, the rumor Chang-hyun mentioned yesterday afternoon crossed Jae-chan’s mind.

Just as he was about to ask what rumor, a Team 2 senior guide he knew called for the juniors. “See you later, sunbae!” Song Se-in waved enthusiastically, and Nam Hae-sol gave a quick bow before hurriedly leaving the vending machine area.

Back at the office, Jae-chan immediately messaged Chang-hyun.

[What was that rumor you mentioned yesterday

8:46 AM]

Before receiving a reply, he got a comment from Guide Team 1’s new leader, Choi Geon-woo.

“Guide Seon, didn’t you say you live in the Center’s Guide dormitory?”

The team leader’s seat, which had only held a briefcase when Jae-chan arrived, had somehow regained its owner.

Despite not being a personnel transfer period, the District 1 Center had recently undergone another change. After the somewhat timid former Team 1 leader was swept away by hearings related to District 5, Choi Geon-woo took the position.

Since the Team 1 leader hadn’t changed before the regression, he wasn’t very familiar with him. He became another team’s leader after Jae-chan transferred to the Intelligence Bureau. The one thing he knew about him was that he was someone who strictly adhered to principles.

‘I absolutely detest people who mix romance with work to fulfill their personal interests.’

Indeed, the team leader had issued such a warning on his first day.

‘I also hate people with connections. Can’t stand seeing people getting special treatment because of their family background, so watch yourselves.’

And coincidentally, Jae-chan appeared to fit both categories on the surface.

The team leader continued.

“It’s not like the dorm is so far that you can’t walk here, so were you that busy this morning?”

Choi asked while slowly turning newspaper pages.

“‘Someone’ dropped you off?”

Jae-chan suddenly recalled this morning.

He had stopped Woo-jin from dropping him at the dormitory and got off near the center’s back entrance. After waving goodbye to Woo-jin, he noticed someone’s gaze.

It was Team Leader Choi passing by with his briefcase, presumably on his way to work.

He had bowed in greeting but was ignored. Afterward, he had taken a different route to briefly stop by the dormitory.

Jae-chan shook off the ominously rising discomfort and answered.

“Yes. I jog every morning.”

Though he wanted to proudly say he stayed at his lover’s place, he expressed it this way since he refused to let Woo-jin become the subject of gossip. The team leader, still focused on his newspaper, continued asking.

“I hear Esper Go Woo-jin’s training intensity is quite high these days. Guide Seon isn’t guiding his paired Esper?”

An even more subtle silence descended on the already quiet Team 1 office.

Jae-chan lowered his gaze. It was an open secret in the center that Woo-jin had been handling intense training without rest since returning from his mission.

With the District 5 incident highlighting the Windless Zone as a real threat rather than an abstract concept, high-rank Espers were recently training to prepare for it. This included the E-SOF unit that Woo-jin belonged to.

Training using only physical strength while artificially suppressing abilities consumed enormous energy. Yet in this situation, Go Woo-jin’s condition was better than ever.

With no official guiding records, it was obvious how this would look to others.

“Because we’re bonded.”

Seon Jae-chan said without hesitation.

“Guiding happens naturally just by breathing.”

He spoke as if for everyone in the office listening intently to hear.

Actually, Woo-jin had wanted to maintain consistent guiding records with Jae-chan due to concerns about rumors, but Jae-chan had opposed it.

Since he was constantly with Woo-jin every night whenever possible, guiding wasn’t necessary. Though Jae-chan knew what rumors would circulate having experienced everything before, he wanted to live conscientiously even if it meant some discomfort.

‘During work hours, it’s right to guide Espers who need help. Let them talk if they want. It’ll die down if we don’t respond.’

When Jae-chan said this much, Woo-jin agreed with his intention. As expected, unpleasant rumors spread for a while but eventually fizzled out.

So it was unclear why the team leader was deliberately bringing this up now.

“You’re saying that’s possible with an S-class Esper.”

The team leader muttered. Jae-chan wanted to proudly affirm it but stayed silent, not wanting to fall further out of favor like Chang-hyun.

“…So Guide Seon, with your outstanding ability to perfectly guide an S-class Esper just by breathing.”

Flip, another newspaper page turned in Team Leader Choi’s hands. Jae-chan looked up and answered shortly with a “Yes.”

“The Emergency Guiding Center requested support. From now on, you’ll handle their requests to our team alone. Get the list of Espers requesting drvg guiding from the desk. Complete resolution reports today, and request Esper Ahn Harin’s spectrum examination from the research institute.”

“- Understood.”

“Ah, and don’t forget to turn those inexperienced kids into proper Guides as soon as possible.”

Shortly after, Team Leader Choi, who had been fixated on the newspaper, folded it irritably. He turned around with a sharp and strict attitude.

“Got gum stuck to your feet? Why aren’t you moving—”

The team leader’s eyes narrowed upon discovering the empty seat. The seemingly tactless (or perhaps very tactful) Triangle Feet apprentices cheerfully called out, “Seon Jae-chan Sunbae left right after you finished speaking, sir!”

*

Having been rushed around the Center handling tasks as ordered by the team leader, Seon Jae-chan finally learned the full story late into his lunch break.

“They say you two kissed.”

Pulling Jae-chan into the emergency stairwell, Gyeong Chang-hyun hesitated before blurting it out.

“In the emergency exit, no less. During work hours. The rumor spread like wildfire.”

“Me?”

Jae-chan, who was having his late lunch with a half-melted chocolate bar while leaning on the stair railing, frowned. He stuffed the remaining piece in his mouth and protested.

“I absolutely never did during work hours.”

“Whoa, so you did do something with him in the emergency exit?”

Chang-hyun retorted with a face like he’d tasted something sour.

Jae-chan felt wronged. While there were times he couldn’t resist desire and holed up with Woo-jin in the Center’s emergency exit, it could be counted on one hand.

Looking back specifically, their first emergency exit skinship this year happened the day they heard about the bonding. Since he was on sick leave, it definitely wasn’t during work hours.

‘The most recent time was then.’

That night when he was working overtime voluntarily, not even on duty, dealing with Team 1 apprentices’ curriculum.

Woo-jin had come to pick him up at the office. Things had heated up on their way down after turning off the lights. Jae-chan’s lips loosened as he vaguely recalled that moment.

It was really good. He had touched Woo-jin’s prominent nose bridge, thick eyelashes, and strong handsome jawline. A smile spread across Jae-chan’s face remembering Woo-jin’s small smile with lips pressed against his palm.

“Ah, damn, what are you thinking about?”

Chang-hyun stepped back with a disgusted expression. Seon Jae-chan waved his hand.

“Whatever you’re imagining, it’s probably more than that. Anyway, it wasn’t during work hours.”

Jae-chan started to add something but stopped. Thinking about it, regardless of his innocence, there was room for misunderstanding from others’ perspective.

Chang-hyun muttered suspiciously.

“What’s this? From your look, it seems like there is something you feel guilty about?”

When Jae-chan sighed, he received mockery that in the past might have constituted insulting the president: “What are you, some old uncle or a conservative politician? Why so defensive?” Jae-chan awkwardly began while stuffing the empty chocolate bar wrapper in his pocket.

“You know those photos. Woo-jin’s photos uploaded to the Center’s official account. The ones I said I took in the emergency exit.”

“…Ah.”

Chang-hyun’s eyes blinked.

“Don’t tell me something happened while taking that photo?”

As much as Jae-chan felt wronged, he had to admit the situation was ripe for misunderstanding. There had been a time during work hours when he and Woo-jin were in the emergency exit together—but it wasn’t for personal reasons. It had been strictly work-related.

And it was all Han Tae-hoon’s fault.

It was probably about a month ago. Jae-chan was suddenly summoned to the Guide Bureau Director’s office.

And he unexpectedly received this mission from Han Tae-hoon, who was once Seon Jae-chan’s role model and synonymous with high-ranking personnel.

‘Take photos of Esper Go Woo-jin.’

Han Tae-hoon showed him the center’s official account on the SNS platform that had recently launched through a marketing partnership. That was when Jae-chan remembered that Han Tae-hoon, being one of the younger higher-ups, had been saddled with managing the account.

‘I’m telling you to take photos to upload here. As you know, your Esper is uncooperative while appearing cooperative.’