"Yes. It seems that he's found himself a new partner. It would seem that you are quite slow on what's happening in the Guild. And why wouldn't you be? You've been so busy with work and your day off, haven't you?""...I see." My mind went blank at the mention of the name."Ah, don't worry," she said, sensing my discomfort. "It's nothing you need to concern yourself with. No one else knows about this yet, including the higher-ups.""Yet somehow someone who's not even connected to the Guild has heard about it," I shot back."Well, we can't blame them, though. It's what interests them most.""The men of the world will love him because he's handsome and charming. His reputation precedes him. He's well-loved all over. And I'll bet he'll become a favorite among the women too. Can't wait to see which kind of girl he chooses.""Don't get ahead of yourself. You know nothing about his preferences. If he truly prefers men, then—" I cut myself off."Surely you can't believe that a man like him, wh
"Hey, hey! How about we take a chill pill and forget any of this ever happened?" I said.For some reason, the two men were still standing there, glaring at me."Don't make me repeat myself. We're not taking any orders from you. If we fail to capture this monster, that's our problem, not yours."The monster looked at me with longing, whimpering softly.I wanted to take it back to my apartment right then and there.There was no way I could leave it alone here.But I had to think about this objectively. I spoke to it telepathically, hoping I didn't need to say a word while I waited for the monster to respond.The fluffy monster nodded its head several times.Good, good, good. Let's see... I said.The monster climbed onto my back like a parrot, clinging tightly to my neck.I was surprised that it actually trusted me enough to climb on my back without hesitation. I said.With that, I jumped and grabbed hold of a streetlight above us.Using it as leverage, I swung myself up to the second
"Shut up, gutter trash." The man spat, glaring at me.My smile faded as he drew a gun and pointed it at my head.I kept my cool, though.I raised my hands in the air, as if surrendering."Please, I'm begging you... Don't shoot."It was a lie.I wanted him to.I wanted it to seem real so bad.I wanted it to feel real.And now, I found myself feeling disgusted with myself.All I needed was the right time to strike, and I could've killed him. All I needed to do was act like I was going to surrender. But I couldn't bring myself to do it the moment the one with the gun pointed it at me.I made a clenching gesture, causing the gun to implode in on itself.The man fell onto the ground, clutching his bleeding index and middle fingers in pain."Ah... Ahhhhhh!! AAAAAHHHHH!!" He screamed, rolling around on the ground."Ahaha! That hurt, huh?" I laughed, stepping forward."You little... You fucking...!" He struggled to stand up, but he was too weak."An Esper!! This person is an awakened Esper!!"
Home!I had finally gotten into my house, Quip not too far behind.[WARNING, Monster detected!] Cho alerted.Several weapons popped out of the wall, aimed at Quip, and ready to fire.If it were an intruder worthy of this sort of greeting, I would have been proud about the installation that came with C.H.O.A brief silence filled the air before Quip let out a loud bark.Its fur was standing on end as it growled."Quip, stop it," I commanded.It obeyed, but only temporarily, and began barking again.Its eyes glowed red, and I sensed a powerful aura emanating from it."Stop it," I ordered.Quip cocked its head to the side, puzzled.Damn, I forgot Quip is still considered a threat under normal circumstances."Cho, Quip here is a different kind of monster, and it's not a threat to me, so please don't activate any security measures for Quip."[Understood, Mr. Han,] Cho replied.We entered the kitchen and sat down.[Would you like something to drink, Mr. Han?] She asked."Nah, I'm good. Than
Yoona should have at least chipped in this earlier.There was no way I would have missed that info since our previous interactions.I would have prepared myself mentally."Yeah, she's going to prepare a feast for us. I was wondering what kind of food Hyung likes, so I thought I'd ask you, since Soo Min wants to make sure she gets it just right.""She's still hung up on Minseok? That girl is so obsessed with him," I said, shaking my head.I never understood why she would put herself through such torture when Minseok clearly doesn't care about her."That's the thing, though, Oppa. Soo Min said she heard that you and Hyung are in an open relationship. Is that true?" she asked, sounding disappointed."I don't know who's spreading that rumor around, but no, we're definitely not in an open relationship," I replied."Well, I guess that's something Soo Min is trying to find out," Na Ri teased. "You know how we love making you happy. And our Director really loves you too, you know that, right?
The moment Minseok and I locked eyes, his smile dropped, and the atmosphere around him changed drastically.He snapped his mouth shut and gave a curt nod as a greeting to me before turning away.I didn't know how to react, so I simply stood there.Minseok's reaction was unexpected. My heart started racing even faster.As I watched him walk past me, I felt my body tense up.A shiver ran down my spine, and my throat tightened."Wait!" I called out to Minseok. "You're not leaving yet."Fuck! Fuck!!!Did I just blurt out what I was thinking?!Minseok turned around, looking surprised and confused."Did you want something?" he asked, cocking his head."No, not really..." I replied, feeling completely awkward.Why did I say that?"Then why did you use such a commanding tone, Captain?" he asked, tilting his head again.Captain? He's actually called me by that distant title?!I bit my lip and couldn't reply.He took another step towards me, causing me to shrink back. His arm came forward and g
My heart skipped several beats at the sight of Quip smiling at me with those cute, big green eyes and fluffy fur. I should have been briefing my team on some new plans I came up with, but I couldn't concentrate.Quip—a monster—is at a building full of people who would do anything just to kill his kind. This was a freaking Guild dedicated to KILLING monsters. The very thought of it made my stomach churn. And here I am, grinning like an idiot because I was greeted by a cute little monster.I had to calm down, but I couldn't stop myself from getting excited. I couldn't believe a part of me was actually glad. I telepathically communicated with Cho. If it could only understand when I do this, I wouldn't have to shout.Quip shook his head, wagging his tail.He looked up at me with those big, innocent eyes. I tried really hard to keep my face neutral. I shouted without thinking. I didn't mean to scream, but I guess I did.Quip barked and jumped towards me. His ears perked up, and his tongu
The moment I stepped into the briefing room, Soo Min zoomed behind me, rushing over to meet the rest of our teammates sitting on swivel chairs arranged in a semi-circle around the table.I scanned the room, looking at the eight additional members, which included four from my team—Soo Min, Na Ri, Hye Jin, and Minseok...Sigh!Why did my heart break at the mention of his name? But that wasn't just all; why am I also getting hard? Why? WHY?For the second time today, I cursed myself for falling harder after I had blatantly rejected his advances.Control your thoughts!I couldn't get hard at the mere sight of him, especially not in front of everyone else."Oppa, what's with you? You've been acting strange lately," Soo Min mouthed with a pout.I had to distract myself somehow, so I shifted my gaze to who sat beside Minseok—Nikolai!His presence was enough to have my arousal subside slightly. I could feel the blood rush through my veins as he gazed back at me with a smile on his lips.For t
The moment the figure's voice echoed again, I felt an odd pull deep within me, like a thread being tugged at the core of my being. Minseok tightened his grip on my arm, his sharp gaze scanning the vast expanse of blackened earth around us. “Seojin, whatever it’s saying, don’t listen,” he said firmly, his voice unwavering. “We’ll figure this out. Together.”I nodded, though the pull was almost irresistible. The figure remained still, its featureless head tilted slightly, as if it was waiting for something. The oppressive sky above seemed to churn with energy, and for a brief moment, I wondered if this was the end. But then, a thought struck me—if this was the end, why did it feel so... familiar?Minseok's voice broke through my spiraling thoughts. “Do you recognize this place? It feels... off.”Before I could respond, the ground beneath us shifted. Minseok and I instinctively braced ourselves, but instead of another collapse, the blackened earth morphed, twisting and transforming. Wi
The air inside the hive felt heavy, saturated with the smell of rot and an unsettling sweetness. Every breath was a struggle, as if the very atmosphere wanted to choke us. The dim glow of our lanterns barely pushed back the oppressive darkness, and the whispers at the edge of my mind grew louder with every step we took."Seojin," Minseok said quietly, his voice sharp but not unkind. "Stay focused. You're zoning out again."I clenched my jaw, shaking off the haze creeping into my thoughts. "I'm fine," I replied, though my grip on my sword tightened instinctively. His gaze lingered on me for a moment, searching, before he nodded and turned his attention back to the path ahead.The walls of the hive seemed alive, pulsating with a sickly green light that traveled along vein-like patterns embedded in the structure. It wasn’t just a visual effect—there was a rhythm to it, like a heartbeat, making the entire place feel unnervingly sentient. Jiho, walking a few steps ahead, kept glancing over
His eyes widened slightly at my reply, but he didn't push further. Instead, he held my shoulders gently, looking deep into my eyes. “Look, Seojin…” I knew what he would say before he opened his mouth. “I just need to train,” I said, pulling away from him. “That’s all.” Minseok sighed, his eyes searching mine. “You don’t have to do this alone, Seojin. Whatever it is, I can help.” I shook my head, my throat tight. “Not this time.” I paused, then added quietly, "I've got to perfect this move." "Okay," Minseok murmured. He left my side, making his way over to where the other Espers and Guides were practicing. I watched him go, unable to hide the pain and loneliness I felt. It had been nine days since our last battle against the enemy, and I still hadn't been able to master the technique. My body was so heavy; my mind was numb. The others were all moving around, chanting, and practicing their moves, while I stood there like an idiot, struggling with my own thoughts. Could I real
Na Ri swiped at her neck, grimacing. "Ugh, it’s like walking into a sauna filled with mosquitos and nightmares. Why are jungle missions always the worst?" Jiho adjusted the straps of his gear, glancing at the corrupted zone ahead. "Because jungles are naturally hostile, and now they’re corrupted. Double the fun." “Cut the chatter,” Minseok said sharply, though not unkindly. His eyes scanned the dense foliage, assessing the safest route. “We don’t know how far the corruption has spread. Stay alert.” As we ventured deeper, the once-vibrant greens of the jungle gave way to muted, ashen tones. Trees twisted unnaturally, their bark blackened and oozing an eerie, viscous liquid. The ground beneath our boots was spongy, as though the earth itself was rotting. Then the whispers began. ] I flinched. The voice was faint but unmistakable, like a breeze brushing past my ear. I glanced at Minseok, but he was focused on his tracker. The others didn’t seem to notice either.
The flight back to the Korean Guild HQ was meant to be uneventful. The tension of the South American mission was still fresh in everyone’s minds, and the team was uncharacteristically quiet as the jet sliced through the skies. Na Ri sat near the front, absently scrolling through her tablet. Soo Min had taken up the rear, her head leaning against the window, earphones in but no music playing. Hye Jin, ever practical, was already drafting a post-mission report on her laptop. I sat near the middle, Minseok beside me, reviewing the corrupted structure’s schematics one last time. He didn’t say much, but his quiet presence was grounding. The whispers were blessedly silent, though I had a feeling they weren’t gone for good. They were waiting. I could feel it. --- It wasn’t until we were thirty minutes from landing that Soo Min’s voice shattered the silence. “Uh... guys?” she called out, her tone hesitant and confused. Na Ri turned, raising an eyebrow. “What now?” “There’s... so
You're telling me to stop because it makes you uncomfortable?! How could anyone find it pleasurable when they're being made to go through this?!"He shook his head and gave what I could only call a ruse smile. "It's not that I can't help. To be honest with you, I hate it. I hate this feeling. I've been through this with those in my past. I thought we were different, Seojin. But it's fine; after all, I'm the guy that's only needed when things go wrong, the one that everyone else will abandon once the problem is solved. I guess this is the price I pay for awakening as a Guide, huh? The price of becoming someone others rely on."His eyes searched mine, and for a moment, the world seemed to fade away. It was just us, standing there in the glow of the setting sun, the connection between us humming softly like a melody only we could hear."I’m glad," he said finally, his voice barely above a whisper.I reached out, brushing a strand of hair from his face. "You don’t just guide me, Minseok.
I opened my mouth to respond, but then I remembered that I was still out in the open. I took a deep breath."Hm? What is it?" Minseok asked, looking up from where he sat cross-legged."Oh. No. Nothing. Sorry."I shook my head, trying to clear away the lingering sensation from the kiss.He grinned. "Don't be sorry. Why don't we get back to work first? We can continue elsewhere.""Right."The team had scattered across the Guild when we arrived, each of us retreating to our respective spaces to decompress after the tension of the mission. The world map displayed on the wall monitor flickered as I watched the red zones of corruption pulse ominously. My mind kept racing, unable to settle on anything. The threat we faced was enormous, but what kept gnawing at me was the strange, unsettling feeling that something was off—something that hadn’t quite clicked yet.Minseok’s voice broke through my spiraling thoughts. “You’re brooding again.”I looked up to find him leaning against the doorframe
After the final session, the trainees dispersed, each saying their goodbyes. Most of them made a point to give me a friendly hug before leaving, which I didn't mind at all. Being hugged felt great, and I knew I looked forward to it every day.---The rest of the session passed quickly. By the time the trainees were dismissed, the sun was beginning to dip below the horizon, casting the training grounds in hues of orange and gold. I stood by the edge of the barrier, watching the Espers file out, their laughter and chatter filling the air.Minseok joined me, his hands tucked into his coat pockets. "You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?""Training them? Yeah, it’s not so bad. They’ve got potential." I glanced at him, my tone softening. "And it helps that you’re here."He didn’t respond immediately, but his lips curved into a small smile. "You’ve changed, Seojin. You’re...happier. It’s good to see."I turned to face him fully, leaning casually against the barrier. "That’s your doing, you know.
The compound’s alarm blared the next day, jolting me from a restless sleep. A breach. I rushed to the command center, finding Commander Moon and Dr. Yoona already there.“It’s a group of corrupted Espers,” Commander Moon said grimly. “They’ve broken through the outer defenses.”My heart sank. Corrupted Espers were rare but deadly, their minds twisted and their powers amplified by the same darkness I was fighting.The team mobilized quickly, engaging the intruders near the compound’s perimeter. The battle was chaotic, the corrupted Espers fighting with reckless abandon. I joined the fray, my energy flaring uncontrollably.“Seojin, focus!” Minseok’s voice rang out, anchoring me briefly. But the corruption was too strong. My attacks became wild, destructive, and I could see the fear in my teammates’ eyes.When the battle finally ended, the compound was in shambles. The corrupted Espers were defeated, but the damage was done. The team avoided my gaze, their unease palpable.---That night