TS 011

Yoon Taehwa re-read the overall context and noticed Han Suryeon’s bashful expression. Finally, he grasped what he was implying.

“If that’s how you feel, Team Leader, I’ll do my best to suck it.”

With a bright smile, he uttered suggestive words, driving home his point. Instead of becoming flustered, Yoon Taehwa’s lips curled upwards. The dimples below his elongated grin were clearly visible.

“What exactly are you planning to suck?”

“Isn’t there only one thing adults typically suck on?”

He had probed Han Suryeon further just to see how far he would go, and his response effortlessly flowing from those beautiful lips left him impressed.

“Weren’t you the one who said you wouldn’t be rude?”

“I’m not trying to be rude to you, Team Leader…  I mean, if that’s not it, then what do you want me to suck?”

Han Suryeon question sounded genuinely innocent as if he truly didn’t know. Yoon Taehwa narrowed his eyes at his feigned ignorance. He knew from experience that the best response to these cheeky youngsters was to put them in their place.

He flicked his finger, signaling for Han Suryeon to bow down. Han Suryeon obediently leaned forward. His calloused hands gently grasped his white neck before extending one finger and lightly touching a specific spot.

“Hm…”

Yoon Taehwa nonchalantly wiped away the red line he had drawn earlier with his fingers. His voice flowed as relaxed as his movements. “I’m just extracting some sweet water.”

***

Despite Han Suryeon’s irritating attitude, time steadily flowed by. It had only been three days since encountering the uninvited guests from Russia, but it felt like much longer. They had spent almost every moment tracking down ants for these past three days.

“Haa…” Yoon Taehwa let out a sigh as he absentmindedly brushed aside his disheveled hair. With his menacing expression, other Espers lowered their eyes when they met him. He stepped into an empty elevator, pressed the button for the 34th floor, and stared at the doors.

The mirror reflected a face that could make even the most hardened Espers avert their gaze. It was often said that his expressionless visage naturally exuded a chilling aura, but now, it was downright glacial. The usual sharpness of his features was accentuated by the dark circles under his eyes, making his appearance even more intimidating.

He wasn’t necessarily scowling, but the way his eyebrows were knitted together in irritation naturally made others want to avoid his gaze. 

Of course, the fact that he was an S-rank Esper only amplified the effect. A rumor circulated within the Center: “Not being yelled at by Yoon Taehwa is a saintly achievement.”

With someone so infamous for his icy demeanor walking around with such low pressure, it was no wonder everyone was on edge.

「 You’ve arrived at floor 34. 」

The elevator doors opened with a chime, and Yoon Taehwa promptly stepped out.

‘I’m tired.’

It wasn’t due to lack of sleep. Espers boasted monstrous stamina, and Yoon Taehwa was no exception. Even after staying up three nights straight, he would only experience slightly gritty eyes.

‘The problem is Han Suryeon.’

His attitude was subtly irritating him. If he had tried to assert his dominance as the leader of Russia’s largest guild, he would have broken his spirit even if it meant getting physical with him. However, this passive approach was more frustrating for him.

‘Sweet water? That sounds even raunchier…’

Seeing Han Suryeon fidgeting and avoiding eye contact, seemingly embarrassed, Yoon Taehwa lost his motivation to continue the confrontation.

‘What does ‘sweet water’ mean exactly?’

‘Milk something dry.^[1]‘

He responded in English, hoping the contradiction might help clarify things, but instead, Han Suryeon blushed furiously upon hearing the phrase. This time, Yoon Taehwa truly frowned deeply.

‘If you keep talking nonsense, this won’t end here.’

‘I’m caught. But seriously, that hurt! What if you pressed on an actual wound?’

Han Suryeon instantly understood his veiled threat and fidgeted with his fingers while pouting. Yoon Taehwa chuckled as he examined how the traces of his wounds had almost completely vanished. Although each Esper’s regeneration speed varied, his was significantly faster than average.

‘Anyway, I understand now. Please feel free to suck me dry.’

His pretty face uttered words carrying a subtle double entendre. He expected Han Suryeon to blush and run away like others, but he proved him wrong. Han Suryeon continued acting this way for three days straight, and Yoon Taehwa found himself defenseless against his flirtatious nature. His heightened sensitivity lately could be attributed solely to having such a temporary partner.

As his thoughts drifted back towards him again, Yoon Taehwa rubbed his cheek. It seemed better to focus on work to calm his nerves.

“It shouldn’t be too difficult to track them down…”

Thanks to the intelligence gathered by Russia beforehand, it wasn’t hard to establish guidelines for their search. However, the high population density of Seoul posed a problem.

Yoon Taehwa identified the areas they would search today and opened the conference room door.

“Team Leader!”

Kang Jaemin, seated at the table, sprang up immediately.

“You’re here?”

Han Suryeon was present as well. For some reason, he seemed more familiar with this conference room than Kang Jaemin.

“I’ve been learning psychokinesis from hyung. Moving small objects is harder than I thought.”

Kang Jaemin had just turned twenty years old this year. Due to regulations allowing Espeers to start working from age eighteen, he had joined the Center only two years ago. Despite his short tenure, given his rank, the Center had been monitoring him closely even before then.

As such, he had been monitored for quite some time, but it was rare to see him this excited and animated.

“Suryeon hyung said that psychokinetic ability users should be able to manipulate small objects as well. There might be situations where we need to use our powers on open ground, so relying only on controlling large objects could get us killed.”

“Learn as much as possible while you’re here.”

“Huh? You’re leaving soon, hyung?” Kang Jaemin turned around with surprise written all over his face. Han Suryeon responded with his characteristic smile, eyes slightly curved upwards at the corners.

“I heard Black is moving residences soon… Can’t you stay here for as long as possible, hyung?”

Yoon Taehwa subtly furrowed his eyebrows. The mere mention of it irked him. Normally, he would have brushed off Kang Jaemin’s words since the rookie wasn’t aware of the situation. However, today, even trivial comments seemed to grate on his nerves.

“Team Leader, you’re here.”

Hae Naeun opened the door and peeked inside the conference room. She briefly acknowledged Han Suryeon with her eyes before calling out to Kang Jaemin.

“Come on, maknae^[2].”

“Why do I still get called maknae? You said it’s because I joined the team last.”

“Do you want me to call Han Suryeon-ssi ‘hyung’ instead?”

Hae Naeun’s expression remained unchanged, making it unclear if she was joking or serious.

“So, I’m actually the maknae now? Should I call you ‘Jaemin hyung’?” Han Suryeon raised an eyebrow and playfully asked Kang Jaemin.

“Hyung… Noona just made a deadpan joke. Huuu, once a maknae, always a maknae. Alright, I’ll be off.” Kang Jaemin grumbled as he got up.

Kang Jaemin grumbled as he left his seat.

“Team Leader, I’m heading out.”

It seemed Hae Naeun had found what she was looking for, indicating they were assigned a mission.

“Report back when you return. Don’t forget about today’s guidance session.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Yep. See you later if you have time, hyung!”

“Bye.”

Han Suryeon waved gently at them. Once the door closed and the noisy individuals departed, silence quickly settled in the room.

“You’re listening well to me, Team Leader.”

“How kind of you.”

“Does doing something nice not make me pretty?”

“A mere kindness doesn’t impress me much.”

Yoon Taehwa casually leaned on the table, grasping Han Suryeon’s chin and tilting his head further backward. He didn’t resist, obediently following despite his rough handling.

“What are you doing?”

“Just checking your condition.”

Yoon Taehwa stared intently into his gray eyes. The pupils often showed the first signs of impending rage during an episode.

‘Seems fine.’

Yoon Taehwa leaned back in his chair and turned towards Han Suryeon.

“I was wondering if you needed guidance? It shows here.”

Tap – On the wrist that his fingers brushed against rested a wristwatch.. This device detected the energy levels of an Esper in real-time and sent alarms when guidance was required. For Espers affiliated with the Center, wearing this watch was mandatory except for unavoidable circumstances.

“My judgment is more accurate than any machine.”

In today’s world, ability users benefited greatly from advancements in science. Thanks to remarkable technological progress, incidents of Espers going berserk had significantly decreased. However, no matter how advanced science became, it couldn’t surpass the unique intuition inherent in humans. Yoon Taehwa, due to his innate ability, excelled at gauging an Esper’s condition accurately, often checking on his team members’ states as a habit.

It was more of a habit than concern about Han Suryeon potentially going berserk.

“Well, I’m still an S-rank Esper. Just because I haven’t received guidance for a few days doesn’t mean I’ll go berserk.”

“I know. Even an A-rank Esper can last a week without issues, so you should be fine.”

Yoon Taehwa’s gaze on Han Suryeon wasn’t due to any fear of his losing control either.

‘I need to be prepared for all eventualities.’

With Espers, anything could happen at any time.

“How many days can you endure without receiving guidance?”

“…..”

The question itself held no real meaning. Yoon Taehwa frowned as he expected a straightforward answer but instead saw hesitation.

“Three months?” Han Suryeon’s response sounded embarrassed.

Three months? Ha. An involuntary snort escaped his lips.