TS 029

BANG! 

The sharp crack of gunfire shattered the quiet forest, sending a flock of birds scattering in panicked flight. Yoon Taehwa, reacting instinctively, had fired a shot at a monster that had been closing in on them from behind.

“SKREEEE!” 

The creature, a grotesque flower with rows upon rows of shark-like teeth, crumpled to the ground, its petals ripped apart by the bullet. The specialized rounds, designed to pierce even the toughest of monster hides, had easily blown its head off. The stench of burning flesh, the scent of singed petals, filled the air. 

‘We need to move quickly if we want to make this easy.’

With Kim Su-an’s distance increasing, the wall of flames he’d conjured was starting to falter. Yoon Taehwa, maintaining his position, scanned their surroundings, anticipating another attack. Suddenly, he felt a weight against his shoulder, a solid warmth pressing against his back. He glanced down, his gaze falling on a mop of messy ash-blond hair. 

“What are you doing?”

He was facing Han Suryeon, his body turned towards the monster he’d just neutralized. 

“Hugging you, Team Leader…” 

“Why are you hugging me?”

“Because you hugged me first…?” 

Han Suryeon’s arm wasn’t even around his waist. It was a very loose interpretation of a hug.

“Did you miss the gunshot?”

“The reason’s not important. The outcome is what matters. And the outcome is… you hugged me.” 

As if a simple nuzzle against his shoulder wasn’t enough, Han Suryeon’s arm snaked around his waist, pulling him closer. Yoon Taehwa, sensing the movement, nudged him away.

“Let go.”

“I’m scared…” 

A strange sense of déjà vu washed over him. This situation, Han Suryeon clinging to him, his voice laced with a childish fear, felt oddly… familiar. 

‘This is… unusual.’

Had Han Suryeon’s initial display of fear upon their first meeting been that memorable?  Or was it the shift in his tone, the sudden vulnerability that replaced his usual playful arrogance? Yoon Taehwa frowned, his gaze sharpening. It was a stark contrast to the playful flirtation, the casual innuendos he’d witnessed earlier, while eating that apple.

“Stop with the theatrics, Suryeon. Three months without Guiding because you ‘enjoyed the thrill’…  Thought you were fearless.”

“Hmm, not really… And besides, you told me not to use my ability. What if you just…leave me here?  I might die while trying to follow your orders. The thought of dying…it makes my hands shake…” 

His voice, as if to prove his point, trembled slightly.

‘He can’t be on the verge of rampaging, can he?’

It seemed unlikely, considering they’d just entered the dungeon, and his eyes were clear, focused. 

While Han Suryeon’s condition wasn’t alarming, a quick dungeon clear would make everyone’s lives easier. And to achieve that, he needed to detach himself from the clingy Esper currently attached to his back.

“What will make you feel safe?”

While there were dozens of ways to physically remove Han Suryeon, he didn’t want to waste energy on unnecessary force. Especially not when the other man had been injured while trying to save his life. 

His behavior was absurd, but if there was an easy solution, why not take it? 

“Hold me.” 

Han Suryeon’s eyes, peering up at him, were filled with a mock fear that was almost comical. 

With a sigh, Yoon Taehwa turned, pulling Han Suryeon into a proper hug. His hand, instinctively, started patting the other man’s back. It wasn’t a conscious decision, more of a reflex, a habit he’d developed from years of calming down frightened civilians, especially children, during chaotic missions. 

Han Suryeon’s body stiffened in surprise, clearly not expecting such a straightforward response. 

After a few pats, he pulled back, his reluctance evident. 

“Being an S-rank Esper is such a burden…  Even getting a hug from you is a challenge.”

They’d wasted precious time. With the flames dying down, plant-based monsters, emboldened, began to emerge from the shadows, their movements slow, deliberate. Yoon Taehwa raised his gun, his tone flat. 

“Perhaps you should have behaved.” 

“Hmm, I’ll behave now.”

Even with the ‘hug’ over, Han Suryeon’s arm remained around his waist, the pressure suddenly increasing. Yoon Taehwa was lifted off his feet, his vision momentarily disoriented as Han Suryeon spun him around. 

“SKREEEEEE!”

Gunfire erupted, the scent of gunpowder mixing with the acrid smell of burning vegetation. Han Suryeon, having repositioned them in the blink of an eye, had drawn his weapon, unleashing a barrage of bullets.

The moment the gunfire ceased, Yoon Taehwa shoved him back, freeing himself from the other man’s grip. Han Suryeon, compliant, stumbled back, his movements surprisingly graceful. Yoon Taehwa had witnessed his fighting skills, his mastery of psychokinesis, but this was his first time seeing him handle a firearm.

‘Clean.’

Shredded petals, ripped apart by bullets, drifted through the air. Each shot had been precise, aimed for vital points. Espers, especially those with physical abilities, often possessed excellent spatial awareness, but Han Suryeon’s marksmanship was unexpectedly impressive. 

‘Well, considering his fighting style…’ 

It made sense. A man who could move with such deadly grace wouldn’t fumble with a gun.

As Yoon Taehwa watched the petals slowly descend, a blur of movement caught his eye. Another monster, a carnivorous flower, lunged from behind a tree, its attack cut short by a sharp crack as a bullet pierced its core, exploding it into a shower of petals. Another perfect shot.

Yoon Taehwa turned, his gaze meeting Han Suryeon’s. The other man, lowering his weapon, his cheeks flushed, asked, 

“Was that good enough?”

A beautiful birdsong, the kind one would expect to hear in a fairytale forest, reached his ears. Yoon Taehwa glanced upwards, instinctively scanning the sky. With each stage of a dungeon clear, new monsters emerged. It was always best to be cautious.

A small bird, its feathers a vibrant yellow, flitted past, its flight pattern natural, unthreatening. If it had been a monster, they would have been under attack by now. 

‘The theme seems to be plant-based. All the monsters we’ve encountered so far…’

If not for the scattered remains of monsters, the dungeon’s tranquil atmosphere, the gentle rustling of leaves, the sweet scent of wildflowers, would have been almost idyllic. 

A deep rumble, like the groan of a dying giant, echoed through the forest.

Yoon Taehwa, his gun raised, effortlessly neutralized a couple more monsters that lunged at them from the undergrowth. The sound, a distinct crack, suggested a falling tree, likely further ahead. Perhaps the core monster was nearby. 

“Why send Team 1 to a dungeon like this?  It’s barely an A-rank.”

“We usually wouldn’t. As you said, not all A-ranks are created equal. Resources are stretched thin because of the terrorist attacks. And the location… well, it’s a sensitive area.” 

While not all A-rank dungeons warranted the deployment of Team 1, they were still dangerous, requiring a specialized skillset to neutralize. 

But even within the same rank, there were vast differences. The deciding factors were terrain, weather conditions, difficulty level, and, most importantly, the type of monsters, especially the core monster guarding the dungeon’s heart. Plant-based monsters, like the ones they were currently encountering, were generally considered low-risk. 

Volcanic eruptions, treacherous swamps, raging typhoons, and tsunamis – dungeons that mirrored natural disasters – those were the ones classified as high-risk, the ones usually assigned to Team 1. 

If not for the challenging terrain and the dungeon’s proximity to a high-security zone, Team 1 wouldn’t have been anywhere near this place.

“Back in Russia, the Guilds would have swarmed this place like a pack of wolves. I guess working for the government means being… expendable.”

Yoon Taehwa shrugged, unable to argue with the assessment. Even with a surplus of high-ranking Espers, they were always short-staffed. 

“Ever thought about coming to Russia? Working for us?”

The question, completely unexpected, made Yoon Taehwa stop in his tracks, his brow furrowing. 

“What’s with that look?” 

“No one’s ever tried to recruit me before.”

“I doubt that. It’s the government. They’d never let you go. An S-rank Esper defecting…it would be a huge loss for them.”

Han Suryeon’s observation was accurate. So why ask?  Was he joking?  It seemed unlikely, coming from someone in his position. Yoon Taehwa, unable to decipher the other man’s motives, replied flatly. 

“You’re well-informed. Which is precisely why S-rank Espers are practically bound to their affiliations. And I have no intention of going to Russia.”

“Why not?”

Han Suryeon’s genuine confusion at his response was… baffling. 

“Besides the whole ‘Loyal Center Esper’ thing. Give me a real reason.” 

Yoon Taehwa remained silent. Working for the Center was his destiny, a path chosen for him the moment he’d manifested his abilities. There was no need for a reason. It was his duty, and he would fulfill it. 

“I don’t understand why you’d even bring it up. Especially now, in the middle of a dungeon.” 

“Because I like you.” 

“You want me… working for you?”

“Having you under me… That’s a thought that would definitely keep me entertained.”

The double entendre, the suggestive lilt to his voice, made Yoon Taehwa smile, his lips curving upwards in amusement. It wasn’t exactly a threat, but it did make him wonder how much of it was genuine. 

“I’d have to make sure you were…well-compensated. So…” 

“So?”

“Think about it. Before I resort to kidnapping.” 

Now it was a threat. Yoon Taehwa glared at him, silently daring him to try. Han Suryeon, meeting his gaze, his smile widening, batted his eyelashes.