Chapter 67:
Unlike Seo Jae-yi, who was distracted by drying Baek Joo-won’s hair, Baek Joo-won clearly sensed Gong Ju-hyun’s anger. But he found it amusing and couldn’t help but smirk.
As Gong Ju-hyun was about to retort, Baek Joo-won spoke to Seo Jae-yi.
“Let’s go. Today’s bribe is an apology for that incident, right?”
“Right! That’s right. So you’ll forget about it completely once you get your suit fitted.”
“…”
“Baek Joo-won? Why aren’t you answering? Baek Joo-won?”
Seo Jae-yi hurried after Baek Joo-won, who walked away without answering.
Gong Ju-hyun, flustered, grabbed her arm.
“Wait, Noona!”
“Huh? Ah, right. You were here too. What was it you said? You were assigned to the Central Center? Yes, good luck. Fighting!”
She gave him a half-hearted fist pump and ran back to Baek Joo-won. Her face, as she looked up at him and chattered, was completely different from when she had been talking to Gong Ju-hyun.
Gong Ju-hyun watched her go, his hand dropping limply to his side.
“You were here too?”
He was so happy just being near her, but she didn’t even care?
Of course, it couldn’t compare to his eight years of unrequited love, but the difference between him and Baek Joo-won, whom she had only known for a month, was too stark.
Gong Ju-hyun bit his lip and clenched his fists.
No, it’s okay. A dying Esper desperately needs a Guide with a 93% Matching Rate. It can’t be the same as me.
‘So if our Matching Rate increases, maybe she’ll look at me, even for a moment.’
He needed Park Jung-soo’s help for that.
He bit his nails and dialed his number.
—Yes, I was waiting. You still need my help.
That gloomy voice was his only hope now.
***
“Noona?”
Baek Joo-won asked as they drove to the tailor shop. He must have heard Gong Ju-hyun calling her “Noona.”
“He’s the same age as Won-yeong. He said he wanted to call me Noona, so I told him to call me whatever he’s comfortable with.”
“But why do you speak formally to him? I heard older people in Korea speak informally.”
“It’s not a rule, and I don’t want to become close to him.”
“Wouldn’t it be good to be close to someone with a 48% Matching Rate?”
“I’m worried you might abandon me and run off with him.”
Seo Jae-yi grinned at Baek Joo-won.
It meant she wasn’t even considering other Guides.
Baek Joo-won was silent for a moment and then asked,
“Do you like being called Noona?”
“Is there a right or wrong answer to that?”
“I saw somewhere that some people like being called Noona by younger people.”
“Not really. Ah, I heard a lot of men like being called Oppa. Do you like it, Baek Joo-won?”
Seo Jae-yi was 24, and Baek Joo-won was 25.
She wasn’t sure if those were their real ages, but she could call him Oppa if he wanted.
“…Oppa? You, calling me, Oppa? …That’s horrifying.”
You, who can incinerate anything, calling me Oppa?
Baek Joo-won shuddered, his voice serious, and Seo Jae-yi felt a bit hurt.
“What did I do to deserve that?”
“Honestly, it’s… Let’s stop talking about this. I might actually hear it if we continue.”
He really seemed to dislike it.
What had she done wrong? Seo Jae-yi drove safely, her mood dampened.
The tailor shop, which she hadn’t visited in a while, still exuded a luxurious atmosphere.
“Oh, you’re finally here!”
Jeong Hoon, the shop manager, greeted them enthusiastically, saying he had been eagerly waiting for them.
“But Seo Jae-yi, your timing is impeccable.”
“Huh?”
“The Center Head is here.”
Kwon Yi-soo?
Seo Jae-yi instinctively stopped walking at Jeong Hoon’s words.
It wasn’t strange for him to be here, as she had learned about this place through him, but she hadn’t expected to run into him again.
She turned towards the source of the presence and locked eyes with Kwon Yi-soo, who was emerging from the changing room.
Kwon Yi-soo’s eyes widened in surprise. Then he saw Baek Joo-won standing next to her and returned to his usual expression.
He seemed somewhat displeased.
“…”
“…”
Jeong Hoon, sensing the awkward tension, quickly led Baek Joo-won to an empty changing room.
Only after they were gone did Kwon Yi-soo speak.
“I heard you ruined Baek Joo-won’s clothes by splashing water on him. You must be here to buy him new ones.”
“Huh? How did you know, Center Head?”
“Did you forget you told me yourself the day I found out Baek Joo-won was a Guide? Has your memory deteriorated along with your health?”
Ah, the day Kwon Yi-soo found out about Baek Joo-won. She vaguely remembered mentioning it.
“You still remember that after a month?”
“Wouldn’t it be stranger not to remember something that happened only a month ago?”
What was with him? He hadn’t been like this when they first met eleven years ago. Why was he becoming increasingly rude?
‘Is it because he’s always meeting annoying people?’
Like government officials, government officials, and government officials.
She would probably become grumpy too if she had to deal with those people every day. She felt sorry for Kwon Yi-soo.
“What’s with that look?”
“It’s the look of someone who’s even more determined to never hold a high position.”
“…Whatever you’re thinking, you’re certainly not suited for this high position.”
“I know.”
“So stay there.”
Seo Jae-yi’s eyes widened at his unexpected words.
“Don’t even think about returning to the Association or the Center.”
“…”
She couldn’t believe the Center Head himself was saying this.
The government wanted S-rank Awakened individuals to be affiliated with the pro-government Center or Association for easier control.
That was why they had obstructed her when she decided to join Haeil Guild immediately after turning twenty and leaving the Center.
They had even pressured Haeil and threatened to reduce the benefits given to Guilds.
Kim Yoo-sung had taken all those risks to get her out, but it had only been possible because Kwon Yi-soo had allowed it.
He had argued that Seo Jae-yi would be bound to the Center anyway, as he was the most compatible Guide for her in Korea.
The government had reluctantly agreed, fearing a conflict with Kwon Yi-soo over a single young S-rank.
But even after four years, they were still desperate to control her…
‘And yet, he’s telling me not to come back, knowing that.’
What was he thinking?
“Don’t be suspicious; I’m not lying. I won’t stab you in the back later.”
“How did you know what I was thinking?”
“I know you all too well.”
Kwon Yi-soo muttered.
“Don’t give Gong Ju-hyun any hope if you don’t want to return to the Center.”
“Of course not. But can’t you just reject him yourself, Center Head?”
The government didn’t want to antagonize Kwon Yi-soo, so they would probably listen to him to some extent.
“I can’t act without justification. And they have justification. Even this position doesn’t give me as much freedom as you think.”
“What? You’re useless.”
“Yes, I am.”
Truly useless.
Kwon Yi-soo muttered and stared at the changing room where Baek Joo-won had entered.
His eyes, hidden behind his glasses, were unreadable. But he seemed unhappy, so Seo Jae-yi quickly changed the subject.
“I have a favor to ask. My overload level has been stable lately, even though it’s a bit precarious. Can I go into a dungeon occasionally?”
“What’s your current level?”
Fortunately, Kwon Yi-soo turned back to her.
“Exactly 30.”
Seo Jae-yi showed him her receiver. Kwon Yi-soo checked the number, his brows furrowing slightly.
…He seemed even more unhappy now. Had she said something wrong?
“…You must be receiving Guiding from Baek Joo-won.”
He was probably scolding her for ignoring the rule against receiving Guiding from a trainee Guide. Seo Jae-yi quickly defended herself.
“I-I didn’t force him. It was consensual.”
Kwon Yi-soo’s expression darkened even further, his grip on her wrist tightening.
Seo Jae-yi couldn’t understand what she had done wrong.
“…Sigh, so why the dungeon? You’re not suicidal, are you?”
He finally released her wrist after a long pause. A faint red mark remained on her wrist before disappearing.
Seo Jae-yi, ignoring Kwon Yi-soo, who was clicking his tongue in disapproval, declared confidently,
“I have a new business idea.”
“…From a dungeon?”
“It’s not from a dungeon, but it’s related. It’s not dangerous at all. I swear. So please.”
Seo Jae-yi clasped her hands together and looked at him with pleading eyes.
Kwon Yi-soo stared at her intensely sparkling eyes for a long moment and then finally nodded.
Yi-soo is pathetically coward. I dunno what else to label him. So it’s hinted that he like Jae-yi but didn’t even treat her kindly. So he’s basically the type of ‘Sorry I acted coldy but because I must protect you’ sorta thing? I dunno if it’s because he desired to be the highest authority, he gained what he wanted but still treating her coldly while he does let her do whatever she wants is still no excuse, pathetic. He’s still confident he’s the only Guide compatible for her that’s why he didn’t think much until someone appeared ready to take her away.