Chapter 7 : Be my guide (5)

Jisung stared at the firmly closed door. The phantom sensation of Hyunwoo’s touch lingered on his hand. He clenched his fist. Explosions continued to roar outside. Jisung turned and looked out the window. At the terror site, black smoke and red lights flickered, appearing and disappearing.

The apartment felt too quiet. He had apparently grown accustomed to the constant, noisy bustle of the past few days. Jisung sank onto the sofa.

‘Was this sofa always this big?’

The familiar embrace was missing. The bright eyes focused on the television, the figure bustling around to get him food – they were all gone now.

Jisung clasped his hands together.

Somehow, Hyunwoo and his companions had woven themselves into the fabric of his daily life. Jisung squeezed his eyes shut.

He remembered Yuaan’s joy at his first sleepover. They were the kind of kids who were thrilled by something as simple as having their hair dried. The kind who said they liked him because he wasn’t afraid of them, because he saw them for who they truly were…

The boy who had calmly spoken of being called a monster was only twenty-two.

Denied the affection they deserved, they rejoiced in the ordinary, laughed at trivial things. And simply because they possessed abilities, they had to risk their lives fighting terrorists.

BOOM!!!

A massive explosion thundered. Buildings crumbled, sirens wailed. Jisung clenched his fists, and finally, unable to bear it any longer, he shot to his feet.

“Ah, seriously!”

Jisung flung open the closed door and stepped outside.

Once outside, the sounds of the incident, distant before, grew closer. People watched the terror site, worried that the damage might reach them. Jisung scanned his surroundings and spotted a motorcycle, its delivery halted.

“Sorry, but can I borrow this for a moment?”

“Huh? Hey, wait a minute?!”

“I’ll definitely return it! If it gets damaged, I’ll pay for it!”

It wasn’t like delivery was possible in this situation anyway. Jisung put on a helmet and started the motorcycle. He sped off in the opposite direction of the evacuating cars. The police tried to stop him, but he accelerated, weaving past them.

The harsh wind whipped against his body. Jisung bit his lip hard. He hated motorcycles. Unlike cars, they offered no protection, leaving him exposed. He hated that feeling.

‘To think I’d be riding a motorcycle by choice…!’

He was on a vehicle he’d sworn never to ride unless absolutely necessary, heading willingly into the most dangerous place imaginable.

A hollow laugh escaped Jisung’s lips.

What would his past self say if he saw him now? He’d probably scream, “Are you crazy?!” and try to strangle him, telling him to snap out of it.

“You try being in my situation! Does life ever go as planned?”

Jisung stopped the motorcycle. He saw collapsed buildings from the explosions and people bleeding, writhing in pain. The sight made him instinctively frown, and he clenched his fists.

He got off the motorcycle and was about to take off his helmet but paused. ‘Should I keep it on, just in case something flies at me? For safety.’ He secured the helmet firmly on his head and cautiously moved forward.

The closer he got to the epicenter, the more devastating the scene became. Jisung grimaced, forcing his stiffening legs to move.

“Don’t move!”

A man carrying an injured person spotted Jisung and aimed his gun at him. The ES mark was visible on his chest. Jisung quickly raised both hands.

“I’m a civilian.”

“A civilian, not evacuating, and why are you loitering in a place like this? Besides…”

The man scanned Jisung from head to toe. Jisung’s clean, unharmed appearance was suspicious. What kind of civilian would willingly walk into a terror site? The Jisung of old would only have been dragged here at knifepoint. Sighing softly, Jisung removed his helmet. His sweat-drenched face was revealed.

“I’m really a civilian… No, I’m a Guide!”

“What?”

“Park Hyunwoo’s Guide, Lee Jisung. Where is Hyunwoo?”

“Lee Jisung?”

The man slowly lowered his gun upon hearing Jisung’s name. It seemed he knew about Jisung. The man’s eyes widened as he studied Jisung’s face.

‘Just how much of my personal information has been leaked?’

Jisung smiled wryly, a mix of emotions churning within him.

“Guide, have you agreed to take on the role?”

The man’s attitude suddenly became respectful. Jisung hesitated for a moment, then nodded. The man holstered his gun and approached Jisung.

“S-Team is currently engaged with enemy terrorists. Please wait a moment. …S-Team, this is A. I’m currently with Mr. Park Hyunwoo’s Guide.”

The man spoke into his radio. Static and the sounds of the active scene crackled through. Jisung clenched his jaw, tense. Soon, a voice came through the radio.

[Guide?! Wait a minute, is Jisung-hyung there?]

A familiar voice.

“Sunwoo!”

[Jisung-hyung?!]
[You, you, why are you there?!]

Hearing Yuaan’s horrified voice as well, Jisung felt a strange sense of relief.

[Do you know where you are? It’s dangerous…!]
[Jisung-hyung, where are you right now… No, no. Don’t tell us. We’ll find you ourselves.]

“But, how will you know where I am?”

[Hyung, you have your phone, right?]

“Uh-huh.”

[Then that’s fine. We’ll be there soon. Don’t lose your phone, and hide in a safe place. Absolutely do not do anything dangerous!]

The radio clicked off. Jisung stared blankly at the man. The man smiled awkwardly and scratched his cheek.

“Well, it seems they’re considering the possibility that the enemy might be listening in on the radio.”

“Ah…”

“Esper Ha Yuaan from S-Team has an ability that will allow him to find you quickly, so don’t worry.”

“Yuaan’s ability?”

Jisung had never seen Yuaan use his powers. Hyunwoo used his abilities freely even at home, but Yuaan didn’t. In everyday life, he seemed no different from Jisung, a civilian.

‘Is it not a visible ability?’

“For now, let’s go to a safe place.”

“Ah, yes, let’s…”

KABOOM!!!

Something slammed into a building with a tremendous roar. Jisung flinched and looked up. What? Terrorists?! His body tensed. The man grabbed Jisung’s arm.

“It’s dangerous here! Quickly, to another place…”

“Huh?”

Jisung, who was about to flee with the man, froze. The dust settled, and as the figure became clear, Jisung unknowingly took a step forward.

Black hair and sharp, cat-like eyes. Hyunwoo… Jisung whispered his name like a prayer. Hyunwoo’s forehead was bleeding, and the blood trickling down prevented him from opening his left eye properly.

His eyes, devoid of light in a way Jisung had never seen, were fixed on the enemy. Hyunwoo, looking down at them with an emotionless gaze, seemed like a completely different person from the one Jisung knew. An attack launched from the ground grazed his cheek. Red blood oozed from the white skin. Jisung’s heart lurched at the sight. But Hyunwoo, as if getting injured was a daily occurrence, casually wiped away the blood with the back of his hand. Jisung’s vision blurred for a moment.

“In a place like this, such a dangerous place, you always…”

Jisung squeezed his eyes shut and then opened them. Tears that had welled up streamed down his cheeks.

He was only twenty-two. Barely an adult, yet the burden Hyunwoo carried on his shoulders was far too heavy. From an age when others were still being coddled by their parents, he had worried about assassination and been injected with poison.

“Hyunwoo, Park Hyunwoo!”

Jisung called Hyunwoo’s name. But in a place filled with all sorts of noise, his voice was as faint as an ant’s movement. Yet, Jisung continued to shout. His name.

“Mr. Lee Jisung!”

Then, he heard the man calling him. He turned at the urgent voice and tensed at the unfamiliar voice that reached his ears.

“You’re that bastard’s Guide, huh?”

It was an icy voice, devoid of any warmth. A red light glowed from the fingertips aimed at Jisung’s forehead. Jisung sucked in a breath. His body, frozen with terror, wouldn’t move.

‘Hyunwoo!’

Anticipating the imminent pain, Jisung clenched his fists. Just as the terrorist’s attack was about to hit Jisung, a black object flew from the sky. It shot through the air with a gust of wind and struck the terrorist squarely in the abdomen.

“Huh?”

A dumbfounded sound escaped the terrorist’s lips. The terrorist stared blankly at his abdomen. Blood gushed from the wound inflicted by a sharp blade.

“Ah, AAAAAARGH!!!”

A furious roar erupted from the terrorist. Bloodshot eyes turned towards Jisung. As the enemy lunged with a furious cry, a rain of blades from the sky stopped him. Jisung looked away from the helplessly falling enemy.

“Hyung!”

Hyunwoo, flying down as if falling from the sky, pulled Jisung into his arms. Jisung slowly blinked his surprised eyes.

“Park Hyunwoo?”

“Why are you here?”

Hyunwoo’s voice trembled slightly. The heartbeat thudding against him was loud and anxious. Listening to his heartbeat, Jisung slowly raised his hands and hugged Hyunwoo’s back.

“Hyung?”

Hyunwoo’s pupils dilated. Seeing his surprise, Jisung smiled in relief. He raised both hands, cupped Hyunwoo’s cheeks, and standing on his tiptoes, lightly kissed Hyunwoo’s eyelid.

“?!”

Hyunwoo’s eyes widened. The wound that had been obstructing his vision began to heal rapidly. Watching his battered body become clean, Jisung spoke.

“I’ll be your Guide, Hyunwoo.”