Chapter 6

“Are you crazy? Why are you blocking the way?”

Cha Yugeon was blocking the way in front of Haon. Haon glared at Yugeon. Although he wanted to swing his bag at him, he still have a little bit of sense left not to confront an S-class esper physically.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m trying to leave on my own. After all, I’m an FF-class esper voluntarily leaving the Center. do you have problem with that?”

Haon recalled Cha Yugeon’s words, ‘Wouldn’t it benefit the Center if one FF-class esper disappears?’. Then Cha Yugeon grind his teeth and glared at Haon.

“Get lost. I’ll let you disappear as you wish.”

It wasn’t a futile threat. Of course, Haon didn’t want to do what Cha Yugeon wanted, but since disappearing was his goal, in the end, it meant doing what he wanted. Although he didn’t like admitting that fact, it was better than being a guide for him.

“Are you just going to leave like this?”

“Why, are you sad now that the guy you dismissed is leaving? You even said that there’s no way I’d be your guide. But what does it matter?”

“….”

“There’s no way I could be a guide for a bastard like you, but even if I were, I have no intention of guiding you. So, if you have any expectations, forget about it.”

“Hey, Park Haon.”

“What?”

“Ah, damn. You really irritate me.”

Cha Yugeon irritably messed up his hair and started swearing.

Haon felt a deep burn in his chest from that action. No, thinking again, even the expression “burning” was unpleasant, because Cha Yugeon’s ability was to manipulate fire. Anyway, unable to contain his boiling anger, Haon shoved Cha Yugeon with his shoulder and walked past him.

“Hey, Park Haon!”

He kept walking away while ignoring the annoyed voice from behind him. Cha Yugeon quickly caught up and blocked Haon’s way again.

“Why. What do you want! I already said I’d leave because you don’t want me as your guide, so why are you doing this!”

In the end, Haon couldn’t hold back and yelled loudly. Then, Cha Yugeon, not knowing what to say, pursed his lips a few times, closed his eyes tightly, and suddenly shouted.

“Th-then, what about that!”

“What?”

“T-that thing!”

Cha Yugeon’s earlobes turned crimson. Only then did Haon realize the meaning of the “that” he was talking about. He was talking about his private part that turned invisible because of his ability.

As Haon reached this realization, the anger that had reached the tip of his head momentarily subsided. Instead, the corners of his mouth curled up, and his eyebrows rose. Despite his efforts to hide the laughter, he brought his hand to his mouth.

“Don’t laugh….”

But Haon’s efforts were in vain. Cha Yugeon seemed to sense his bubbling laughter and warned in a stern voice.

Knowing that the opponent is an S-class esper, Haon was aware that he shouldn’t provoke him further. However, honestly, it was just too amusing. The fact that the mighty Cha Yugeon’s private part became transparent and he didn’t know what to do because of it.

“Cough, what about it?”

“I told you not to laugh.”

“I didn’t laugh, I coughed, okay?”

“….Haaa, whatever. Endure it. I’m barely holding back the urge to kill you.”

Cha Yugeon warned with gritted teeth. Even from Haon’s perspective, who was trying his best to hold back his laugh, it felt ridiculous. Haon closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath.

Think sad thoughts, sad thoughts… But Cha Yugeon’s private part is transparent… No, no. Sad thoughts… But the private part is transparent… No, no. Sad thoughts, sad thoughts…

“If you’re going to laugh, just laugh, damn it.”

As the corner of Haon’s mouth keep twitching, Cha Yugeon finally added as if he couldn’t stand it anymore. Taking it as a signal, Haon burst into laughter.

“Hahaha, hahaha!”

“Damn, I can’t really kill you…”

Even hearing Cha Yugeon’s words, Haon couldn’t stop laughing. No, he laughed even louder.

Moreover, reconsidering what he said, Cha Yugeon couldn’t really kill him. Of course, he couldn’t be sure, but right now he was a guide with a matching rate of 107 percent with him, which was exceptionally high even among espers. For an esper, a guide with a high matching rate is incredibly precious and important. Would Cha Yugeon really kill him?

When he think about it like that, even the slight worry in the back of his mind disappeared, and the situation turned amusing.

“Anyway, Park Haon, you can’t go anywhere. Until that’s resolved, you can’t go anywhere. Got it?”

“Isn’t that your problem, not mine? Your thing disappeared—”

“It didn’t disappear; it just can’t be seen! And lower your voice.”

“Tsk, why? Embarrassed because it’s transparent there? Well, I guess it would be embarrassing. When did you notice that? Did you wake up in bed and it was gone? Haha, that’s really funny.”

“I may not be able to kill you, but I can burn you until you’re on the verge of death, so shut up.”

Haon closed his mouth At Cha Yugeon’s heat-filled threat. They say there’s nothing as painful as being burned alive, but being burned until the brink of death was not something to look forward to.

Imagining the writhing agony that it will cause, it seemed prudent to be careful with his words. Although keeping his mouth shut in response to his threat was somewhat humiliating and hurt his pride, it was better than being burned alive.

“Anyway, I’m leaving. I have no intentions to guide you.”

“I don’t want a guide like you to guide me either.”

Cha Yugeon responded as if rejecting Haon’s words coldly. The difference in opinions between the two, which did not diminish, was as sharp as their conflicting emotions.

After staring at Cha Yugeon for a while without saying anything, Haon let out a deep sigh. Facing this guy was just a waste of time.

“All right then. Anyway, I’m just an insignificant FF-class esper, and I don’t have the ability to reverse your invisible private part. Besides, there is no way that someone like me could guide you, an S-class esper. So, I, the ‘useless bastard’ will make myself scarce”

“Hey, hey! Park Haon!”

Haon quickened his pace, ignoring Cha Yugeon’s calls from behind. The weight of the heavy bag felt insignificant compared to the urgency he felt. All he could think about was getting out of this annoying place before that guy blocked his way again.

“Hey, stop. Park Haon, stop.”

“….”

Cha Yugeon continued to call Haon, following behind him. The good news was that he didn’t block his way like before. Haon was relieved by that one fact and walked even faster.

“I’m discharged.”

Thanks to the mad dash, it didn’t take long for Haon to reach the entrance. He pulled out his ID from the pocket and tossing it on the counter.

“Are you Mr.Park Haon?”

“Yes.”

“To complete the discharge process, you need a confirmation from above but—”

“My last esper test results were FF-class. Do I need any other procedures?”

Interrupting the employee, Haon sharply questioned. Startled, the employee searched something on the computer. He glanced alternately at two monitors, then looked at Haon with a surprised expression.

“W-Well, but Mr. Park Haon is currently an S-class guide, and without permission from above, discharge is not possible—”

“I don’t know about that. I want to discharge. S-class guide or whatever. I don’t believe in such things, and even if it’s true, I have no intention of being a guide. So, I’m leaving… No, no, forget it. I won’t say anything to you. I’m leaving. Sorry.”

Despite knowing that the employee was just following procedures, Haon got angry at the fact that he couldn’t even discharge as he pleased. He unintentionally raised his voice. Even though he quickly lowered his voice and apologized.

Haon, trying to calm his boiling anger, walked past the counter and approached the fingerprint recognition device next to the door. Normally, the door would open without any issue. Even though he was an esper affiliated with the center, going outside was relatively free.

But now, for some reason, the damn door didn’t seem to open. At this point, Haon’s limited patience ran out.

“Damn it, why can’t this useless FF-level esper discharged when I want to leave voluntarily?”

Becoming furious to the point of losing his sanity, Haon shouted without even realizing it. If it was the usual Haon, it was something he would never have done, but the current Haon was not in his right mind.

Pak!

Haon kicked the door nervously. At the same time, he heard Cha Yugeon’s urgent voice behind him.

“Park Haon!”

Crackle

Sparks seemed to fly from the door, and a powerful electric current struck Haon’s body. Haon’s lost consciousness in an instant as his entire body was in pain.