TS 023

“I know,” Yoon Taehwa replied casually, the words barely leaving his lips before a faint vibration emanated from his wristwatch. 

The signal marked the start of their operation. Smoothly, he slipped a hand into his pocket, retrieving a pair of leather gloves. In this weather, they wouldn’t look out of place.

“If you know, then show some interest! Want to talk about my family? My father’s an S-rank Esper.” 

Yoon Taehwa froze, his fingers pausing mid-glove.

“…I thought he was Korean.” 

“He is. My mother’s the one from Russia.” 

Something about that didn’t sit right with Yoon Taehwa.

‘How did an S-rank Esper end up in Russia?’

While most Espers were affiliated with Guilds, their abilities were considered national assets. B-rank and above Espers required special permission to even travel abroad. The idea of an S-rank Esper not only relocating to Russia but also marrying and starting a family there was… unusual. Espers were subject to various restrictions, one of them being the difficulty of renouncing citizenship. 

Perhaps his father wasn’t Korean, but of Korean descent? Otherwise, it simply didn’t make sense. Yoon Taehwa prided himself on knowing the profiles of every single S-rank Esper hailing from South Korea. And to his recollection, none had ever defected.

“You have a brother?”

“I’m an only child. What’s the Korean word for that? Ah, ‘oe-dong’ (외동).” 

That explained the air of entitlement that clung to Han Suryeon like a second skin.

Born with a silver spoon, the heir to one of Russia’s most powerful Guilds, he’d undoubtedly enjoyed a privileged upbringing, free from the anxieties that plagued less fortunate Espers. And judging by his skills, he had honed his abilities to a razor-sharp edge. 

But there was something more to Han Suryeon, an aura of… spoiled affection that transcended his pedigree and his abilities.

‘It’s hard to describe…’ 

It was in the way he spoke, the casual arrogance laced with a disarming playfulness, in his mannerisms, the subtle flirtation that bordered on insubordination. 

“We’re here.”

They’d reached their destination. Yoon Taehwa gestured towards a narrow alley that branched off to the left, leading them away from the bustling main street. While not as congested, it was still populated with pedestrians. 

Mostly couples. 

“This feels like a date, walking with you like this, hyung, just the two of us.”

“We’re not alone.”

Kim Su-an was trailing behind them, while Hae Na-eun and Kang Jaemin were stationed nearby.

The plan was simple:  Hae Na-eun would use her illusions to herd their target into a secluded area, where he and Han Suryeon would apprehend him. Kim Su-an was on standby should they need his firepower, but the narrow confines of the alleyways made that unlikely. With so many civilians around, caution was paramount. 

“Who cares about them?” 

Han Suryeon’s voice was a low murmur, smooth and seductive, like a serpent’s hiss. 

“There you go again with that nonsense.”

“Don’t you like dates? How about a blind date then?”

Where had he even learned that term? Yoon Taehwa stared at him, incredulous, as Han Suryeon, his eyes twinkling with mischief, continued his nonsensical ramblings.

“You know, on blind dates, you usually get to know each other’s families. Am I moving too fast? What about a matchmaking session then? Does Kasatka do matchmaking?” 

“One of the first things we do is investigate the target’s family background. Perhaps Kasatka doesn’t do their due diligence.” 

“There you go again, making me feel all unwanted.”

“I’m simply separating business from pleasure.” 

“Which means I need to weasel my way into your personal life? Noted.” 

A nearby street lamp flickered, its light momentarily extinguished. As if triggered by the brief descent into darkness, the couples strolling through the alleyway seemed to vanish, drawn towards the main street as if in a trance. Hae Na-eun had activated her illusions, herding the civilians to safety. 

“Get ready.”

Yoon Taehwa finally activated his earpiece.

“Civilians cleared?”

—Five hundred meter radius, all clear. The Center’s mobilized, and all nearby streets are on lockdown.

“Any sign of the target’s associates?” 

—Nothing unusual so far.

Hae Na-eun’s calm, steady voice was reassuring.

“He’s a telepath, so handle him carefully. He might sense your illusions. And keep a close eye on that gas leak. Kang Jaemin’s with you, right?”

—Yes, Team Leader. Kang Jaemin here.

“You’re in charge of containing the explosion. Neutralize it with your psychokinesis, understood?” 

—Yes, sir. He doesn’t seem to have noticed us yet. He just got back and he’s heading inside.

“Okay.”

Maintaining his pace, Yoon Taehwa continued walking, his movements deliberate, unhurried. They were now within the radius of Hae Na-eun’s illusions, which meant their target, a man named Pavel, wouldn’t even notice them passing by.

“I don’t see any difference. I thought Hae Na-eun’s ability was illusions.” 

“She’s targeting the bastard specifically.”

“The entire space, or just one person? S-rank Espers are something else…”

Telepathic S-rank Espers were particularly dangerous. Yoon Taehwa, agreeing silently with Han Suryeon’s hushed observation, scanned the deserted alleyway. The silence, broken only by their footsteps, was unsettling.

“Su-an is on support? You two are usually partners, right?” 

“That’s right. This is a residential area, not really suitable for his abilities. He would have been on support even if you were here.” 

“How’s your teamwork?”

“We’ve been working together for a long time.”

They were about to pass by a small convenience store when a series of crashes and panicked shouts broke the silence. 

“Ahhh! Get away from me!”

A man, his face pale and sweat-drenched, stumbled out of the store, terror etched into every feature. He looked as if he were being pursued by a murderer, his eyes wide with fear. Without a second glance, he sprinted down the alley, as if his life depended on it. 

“Is that him?” 

“Hmm, hard to tell in this light. Might be him.” 

Han Suryeon’s reaction was almost nonchalant, considering they’d finally located the man they’d crossed continents to find.

“Hae Na-eun, did you verify his identity?”

Yoon Taehwa called out, double-checking. It was highly unlikely that Hae Na-eun had targeted the wrong individual, or that the Center would have allowed a civilian to remain within the designated operation zone. Still, caution was always a good thing. 

—Yes, Team Leader. Is there a problem?

“No, just making sure. Someone said it’s too dark to see clearly.” 

The herding was a success. Pavel had run straight towards a dead end, a tall brick wall blocking his path. With the power cut off as a precautionary measure, the entire area was shrouded in darkness, the only source of light being the streetlamps, their dim glow casting long, ominous shadows.

『W-Why are you doing this? You promised you’d let me live!』

The man, his voice thick with terror, began to speak in Russian. 

“What kind of illusion did you show him? He seems terrified.” 

—I’m showing him the person he fears most. Humans are far more terrifying than ghosts these days.

Yoon Taehwa couldn’t help but glance at Han Suryeon, who simply smiled, tilting his head slightly, as if confused by the question. 

“We’re about to move in, so get ready to restrain him.” 

—Understood.

Hae Na-eun’s voice faded as Yoon Taehwa locked eyes with Pavel. The man was still babbling incoherently, his words lost on Yoon Taehwa. 

“Translate.”

“Excuse me?” 

“Tell me what he’s saying.” 

“Hmm…” 

Han Suryeon paused, as if listening intently, before answering.

“He’s begging for his life. Your Guide picked a pretty scary person for him to see.”

It was only then that it dawned on Yoon Taehwa that his question had been unnecessary. If the illusion was based on the man’s greatest fear, it stood to reason that he would be pleading for mercy. 

“Well, let’s go find out.”

Yoon Taehwa started walking, his eyes scanning the area for potential hazards. Thankfully, there was nothing that looked remotely explosive. 

‘To use my ability effectively, I need to get closer and choke him out quickly.’ 

While his ability had a wide enough range to cover the entire alleyway, there was a chance it could interfere with Hae Na-eun’s illusions. 

“Heugh, heugh, go away!”

Pavel, who had been cowering on the ground, suddenly scrambled to his feet, his body trembling. 

『I said stay away!』

His voice, thick with fear, a mixture of Russian and broken Korean, suggested he was losing his grip on reality.

‘Something’s not right…’

Hae Na-eun’s control was impeccable. There was no way she would have pushed their target this far. 

“Team Leader, something’s wrong with him.”

Han Suryeon’s voice, a low whisper against his ear, was oddly urgent. 

‘Don’t tell me…’ Yoon Taehwa frowned, a sense of dread creeping up on him.

“I think he’s about to lose it. Don’t you think so, Team Leader?”

The pieces clicked into place. Yoon Taehwa understood the unsettling familiarity of the situation.

‘This is bad.’

Thankfully, they had evacuated the civilians, minimizing the risk of casualties. However, an Esper losing control in a densely populated area like this, with buildings practically stacked on top of each other, could result in catastrophic property damage. 

And while they had two psychokinetic Espers on hand, Han Suryeon and Kang Jaemin, their abilities were limited to manipulating physical objects. Controlling the abilities unleashed by a berserk Esper was a different story. 

The only way to prevent a full-blown rampage was to subdue Pavel and suppress his abilities. 

“Stay here.” 

“Wait.” 

Yoon Taehwa was about to charge forward, planning to neutralize their target with a swift blow to the head before binding him with his ability, when a hand shot out, grabbing him around the waist and pulling him back. 

“Aren’t you going to let go?”

Once an Esper went berserk, it was a race against time. Yoon Taehwa turned to glare at Han Suryeon, expecting to see his usual playful smirk. Instead, he found the other man staring straight ahead, his gaze unwavering, his eyes wide and strangely serious. 

“You can’t engage him like this.” 

“We need to neutralize him. Now.”

He tried to pry Han Suryeon’s arm off, to break free, but the grip tightened. A muttered curse escaped his lips as he grasped Han Suryeon’s wrist, about to wrench it free, when a deafening roar ripped through the air.

BOOM!  CRASH!

A blinding flash of light engulfed the alleyway, followed by a wave of scorching heat. It wasn’t an Esper’s ability, nor was it the telltale energy surge of someone losing control. It was an explosion, raw and brutal. 

Hot wind whipped past them, carrying burning embers that danced in the darkness. Even an Esper, caught in the blast’s epicenter, would sustain severe, possibly fatal, injuries.

Staggering from the shockwave, Yoon Taehwa opened his eyes, his vision blurry. Han Suryeon, who had somehow shifted positions, shielding him with his own body, was smiling. 

“I told you to wait, Team Leader.”