TDG Ch 24

While I was lost in thought, someone came toward us from far ahead, waving their hand energetically.

I pushed my slipped-down glasses back up and focused my eyes. That man is…

At the Center, running is prohibited except in emergencies. …Still, if someone walks at that speed, does that count as running or walking? Leaving behind such a fundamental question, the man reached us in the blink of an eye and greeted us heartily.

“You two! I’m glad to see you again. I could not stand waiting any longer, so I came out myself. Guide Seo Juwon! Are you feeling better? I am sorry I could not visit you at the hospital.”

Song Hyunho. The uncontrollable madness and reckless aggression he had shown during the Suitability Evaluation were nowhere to be seen. He had returned to being a gentle, polite, and reasonable man. However, despite his energetic demeanor, his body clearly bore damage as if it had not forgotten what happened back then.

Now I see why he could not visit.

Recovery foam was practically plastered over his skin, covering nearly all of his left cheek and extending down to his neck, immediately drawing the eye. In addition, his chest, upper arms, and every connected area were wrapped in bandages.

“More importantly, Team Leader Song, are you really okay?”

Perhaps I stared too intently, because Song Hyunho rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.

“It’s a burn, so the recovery is a bit slower than other injuries. Still, if I stay in the recovery room for about fifteen days, it should heal completely.”

Fifteen days? For an S-rank Esper whose natural recovery ability is several times that of an ordinary person, to devote a full fifteen days to treatment means it was a serious blow. That means all of that is a scar left behind by Jihyuk’s flames. It didn’t just break through the protective aura but seeped in and burned his body.

Seeing it in person, it was no laughing matter. Song Hyunho endured it because he was a veteran and also an S-rank, but the thought that he would have died if he had not used recoil-dampening aura sent a chill down my spine.

“I heard that Guide Seo Juwon’s glasses were broken, but it seems you had them fixed. Please allow me to cover the repair costs.”

“…I think about eight billion won should do.”

“Wahaha! Guide Seo Juwon, you really are good at joking!”

If he knew that even that eight billion was calculated after subtracting the skill price of forty billion, which had quadrupled in the meantime, and that it only covered the land and building, I wonder how he would react.

While we were talking, Han Jihyuk was already openly radiating displeasure. I understood why he disliked Song Hyunho, but this was a workplace, and he was a superior. I could not just stand by while he broadcast hostility in every direction. Perhaps Song Hyunho thought the same, because he extended his hand first and asked for a handshake.

“Esper Han Jihyuk. You received the notice from upper management, right? I am the team leader of Team 1, the team you will be joining starting today. I look forward to working with you.”

Jihyuk glanced at me as if to ask whether this was true, then, after seeing my awkward smile, glared back at Song Hyunho.

Ugh, so cold, damn it. This guy is a flame esper, so why does he keep dropping the surrounding temperature to freezing levels? In this vicious clash of pressure between S-rank Espers, the only one getting crushed for no reason is the ordinary Guide.

“Um, I know I am not really in a position to ask this, but I am curious. Why was Jihyuk assigned to Team 1?”

“No, this is something Guide Seo Juwon needs to know anyway. First of all, the primary reason is that Han Jihyuk-ssi is an S-rank. From Team 4 onward, excluding Teams 1, 2, and 3, there are no S-rank Espers. It is difficult for A-rank Espers to command an S-rank. It might be easier to understand if you imagine a much younger but far higher-ranked superior suddenly joining the team, right? Second, Jung Heemun, the team leader of Team 2, declared that due to internal team issues, they would not accept any new Esper recruits for the time being. And lastly, Team 3 already has Esper Im Seongjun.”

My head rang with a dull buzz.

To sum it up, Team 2 is noisy due to internal division, and Team 3 has someone who is completely incompatible. Judging by the fact that he even brought up that unrecyclable piece of trash, Im Seongjun, it seems the conflict between Han Jihyuk and Im Seongjun has spread quietly by word of mouth. Calling it a conflict is generous. That bastard picked a fight and got beaten one-sidedly. He must have been disciplined, too. I wonder if he has calmed down at all since then.

If you exclude Teams 2 and 3 like that, what remains are Teams 4 and onward, but those teams would not welcome Jihyuk’s very existence in the first place. I can fully understand how they would feel, because over there, even the team leaders are only A-rank Espers. It would not be easy for them to comfortably handle a superior S-rank rookie.

I could easily picture Jihyuk failing to blend into the team and ending up isolated.

Huh. Wait a minute… If I think about it again, this lineup was actually chosen with careful consideration for Han Jihyuk’s position.

“On top of that, in my current condition, our team needs new strength prepared for emergencies. Upper management selected Esper Han Jihyuk as someone who could fill that gap.”

‘Combat power that can replace Song Hyunho.’ It sounded casual, but the hidden meaning behind those words was tremendous.

As a novel reader, I knew that Han Jihyuk would grow into an L-rank in the mid to later part of the story, but the people here did not. It was true that Jihyuk was exceptionally outstanding, but surpassing Song Hyunho’s stronghold was no easy task. People’s perceptions themselves would have to change. Coincidentally, it seems that this recent Suitability Evaluation played that role to some extent.

Now that I think about it, despite all that chaos, no one asked questions or pressed the issue. On the contrary, they immediately put him on the cover of Esper 24. So it was not simply because he was S-rank.

“Team Leader-nim must have personally pushed for it, right?”

When I stabbed straight at the heart of the matter to confirm it, Song Hyunho smiled good-naturedly and pointed at his bandaged arm.

“It’s a fact anyone with eyes can see.”

Even after being thoroughly humbled by a greenhorn ten years younger, the fact that he did not seethe nor lash out with resentment or jealousy and instead readily acknowledged Han Jihyuk was very like Song Hyunho. Those single-minded types who worship strength tend to be pure in that way. Just look at how his eyes sparkle with anticipation, even though half of his upper body was burned. Of course, if Han Jihyuk had not shown abilities that exceeded expectations, there would have been no such generosity.

“If you truly dislike Team 1, I can send you to another team. But I really would not recommend that option. Esper Han Jihyuk, I did go a bit too far back then. I admit it. Thanks to that, look at the state I am in. How about we put the past behind us and try working together as one team?”

I never expected the most skilled and famous Esper in South Korea to be this proactive. Turning this down would be a waste.

Jihyuk, who had been silently listening, turned his gaze toward me. He was asking what I thought. I quickly opened my mouth.

“I-I also think going to Team 1 would be the best choice for you.”

Only then did Jihyuk nod. Song Hyunho, who had been watching for the right moment, quickly clasped his hand and shook it cheerfully, saying he looked forward to working together. Though his expression was clearly reluctant, Jihyuk did not pull his hand away. Watching the two of them, I felt pleased as well and smiled without realizing it.

It was a bright smile that had not appeared, no matter how hard I tried, in front of the camera.

* * *

Since all the members of Team 1 had either left for the day or were out on assignment, the formal introductions were postponed until the next day. After parting ways with Song Hyunho, I decided to give Jihyuk a ride home as we exited through the front gate of the Center.

It was that very house. The one I had received the key from Park Sangjun, but had never once set foot in, yet.

When they said they were giving him a house, I imagined something like a decent officetel, but all that did was reveal the poverty of my imagination. This was on a national scale. I should have stretched my imagination a bit more.

What awaited Jihyuk was a ninety-pyeong^[1] ultra-luxury penthouse with triple-layer security, built in the area with the most expensive land prices in Seoul.

Our plan had been to stop by the house first and then head out to buy whatever was needed, but the moment we stepped inside, that thought vanished completely.

It was already past eight in the evening, so the interior was dim, yet neither of us felt the need to turn on the lights.

Beyond the full glass wall that took up one entire side of the living room, which was as wide as a sports field, a fantastic urban nightscape blended with a Han River view and spread out like a panorama.

“Wow!”

I kicked off my shoes and ran straight into the living room.

The city’s nightscape, flowing like a cluster of stars, was so beautiful that it naturally pulled you into a sea of emotion. Coming home after work, looking out at this view, and sipping a glass of wine would make the day’s fatigue feel like it had been washed away.

That was not all. The house was fully equipped with all necessary appliances built in, and even daily necessities were neatly set up, making it a place where you could literally move in with nothing but yourself. There were many rooms, but the size of the living room was particularly overwhelming; it was so large that you could probably build another house using just that space alone. My place is pretty big and nice too, but it does not even compare to this. 

So this is the kind of treatment an S-rank receives from the nation. Looks like our country really does step up when it wants to.

According to statistics released by an American research institute, a single S-rank Esper can reduce the damage caused during a major disaster by up to one-third. No wonder the world’s great powers are desperate to attract even one more S-rank into their own country.  

As I wandered around the living room with my eyes wide open, looking for something even more amazing, I spotted three keys on a table.

Car keys?

Just looking at the key rings attached, I could guess the brands. J brand, A brand… The last one was a domestic car, which made me chuckle a little. It is still the top-of-the-line among domestic cars, but in the end, it screams civil servant.

Not just one, but three cars at that. Inside a small envelope that came with them was a kindly written note indicating the section of the underground parking lot. Good grief, the driver’s blood in me is boiling, and my heart will not stay still. 

I turned to Jihyuk and dangled the three keys in front of him.

“Want to go down and try driving one right now?”

“…I do not have a license.”

Oh no…

I completely overlooked that. He is only twenty this year.

“…Well… Let’s get your license first, quickly.”

I put the keys into a drawer, closed it, and bade them farewell. It is unfortunate, but you will be resting here for a while.

This Hyung will send down your owner within a month.

As I burned with motivation, Jihyuk came closer.

“Hyung, are you going to teach me how to drive?”

“Of course. Be prepared. I am strict.”

When I blurted out the threat, Jihyuk opened his intense dark eyes wide.

“If I am bad at it, will you scold me?”

“Of course I would… scold… No, I could not.”

How could I ever get angry at you? Even if I have to scold the car instead, that is impossible. Do you understand?

As if it were the answer he had been hoping for, Jihyuk chuckled and clung to my back. No matter how much I told him to let go, he laced his fingers together over my stomach and stuck to me like a shell, showing no intention of letting go. In the end, I had no choice but to drag this fully grown baby along as I set out to explore the rest of the house.