Chapter 12 : Do you know what a leech is (4)

Jisung blinked slowly.

‘What did the Center Director just say? Yuaan’s confidential information…?’

Jisung turned his head. He met Sunwoo’s eyes. His expression was contorted. Seeing his clenched fist trembling, Jisung quietly took out his phone.

[From Ha Yuaan’s abilities to the results of all the experiments we’ve conducted so far, it’s all in here.]

Clack!

The sound of a small object being placed on the dining table was heard.

‘…A USB?’

Jisung, having roughly guessed based on the conversation and his own experience, checked his phone screen. ‘୧( ˵ ° ~ ° ˵ )୨’ A very cute emoticon had arrived in the message window. The corners of Jisung’s mouth turned up.

[Is the data reliable?]
[Goes without saying.]

The Center Director’s arrogant voice was heard. Sunwoo’s brow furrowed even more. His fiercely shining eyes looked like they were about to storm in and strangle the Center Director any moment. Jisung quietly grabbed Sunwoo’s wrist. Startled, Sunwoo’s eyes turned to Jisung.

Jisung mouthed, “It’s okay,” calming him down. His clenched fist trembled for a moment, then relaxed. He took a slow, deep breath and nodded to show he was okay. Jisung smiled faintly.

[So, about that matter…?]
[Haha, you’re in a hurry. If the information you brought is reliable, we’ll proceed with the arrangements as soon as it’s ready. We’ll prepare a place for you to stay, and provide you with everything you need, so don’t worry and just stay in contact.]
[Hahaha! America… how’s the weather there these days?]
[It’s cool and pleasant, just perfect.]
[Is that so? Hahaha!]

‘He’s selling off national secret information to another country.’

Jisung was so dumbfounded he couldn’t even speak. How could the director of a national agency do this? What did he get in return? Seeing as he was planning to emigrate, did he get promised a better position than the Center Director?

Honestly, Jisung couldn’t care less if the Center Director emigrated. He would even hope that the next Center Director would be a more reasonable person. But there was another problem. The information the Center Director sold was about none other than Yuaan.

[Well then, I’ll check it right away.]
[Yes, go ahead and check. You’ll be very surprised. Ha Yuaan’s abilities, I tell you~!]

‘You seem to be itching to tell, but unfortunately, I have no intention of letting you hand over Yuaan’s information.’

Jisung brought the phone in his hand to his mouth. And…

“Now.”

At that moment, the bright surroundings were instantly plunged into darkness.

[What?!]
[What’s going on?!]

The man and the Center Director shouted in alarm. In the darkness where not a single object could be seen, the only thing shining was the iPad the man was holding.

Ting!

At the playful alarm sound that seemed to come from a toy, the Center Director and the man’s gazes simultaneously turned to the iPad. The iPad screen, which had been on the default home screen, turned black, and then a message appeared.

‘Bzzzt!’

The Center Director and the man, not knowing what was happening, just stared blankly at the iPad at the brightly shining message. Then the letters disappeared, and another message appeared.

Ting-a-ling!

‘┌༼ σ ‸ σ ༽┐’

A vein popped on the Center Director’s face at the appearance of the cute emoticon that didn’t fit the situation.

“Ha Yuaan!!!”

An enraged voice echoed through the restaurant. The man, flustered, gestured for him to be quiet, but the Center Director, who was furious, didn’t see it.

“Do you think you can get away with using your abilities without my permission?!”

Ting!

‘¯_( ◉ 3 ◉ )_/¯’

The Center Director ground his teeth at the cute emoticon.

“Ha Yuaan!!! You’re getting punished! I’ll re-educate you thoroughly so you can’t pull this insolent stunt again!”

Ting!

‘(..) ( l: ) ( .-. ) ( :l ) (..)’

“Ha Yuaaaaan!!!”

“Why do you keep calling for Yuaan!!!”

Thwack!

Jisung, who had been watching the situation, threw the door open with all his might.

“Wh-what?!”

Jisung waved and greeted the flustered Center Director.

“I’m disappointed that you’re eating delicious sashimi without me.”

“L-Lee Jisung?!”

The Western man next to him widened his eyes at Jisung’s name. He quickly sized up Jisung and then muttered to himself.

“Park Hyunwoo’s Guide?”

“I’ve only been a Guide for a few days, but you already know. Yes, that’s right. I’m Hyunwoo’s Guide, Lee Jisung. And…”

Jisung bowed. The man, flustered by Jisung’s face coming so close, leaned back. Jisung stared into the man’s eyes and then smiled brightly. The man’s cheeks turned slightly red. Jisung took advantage of the man’s unguarded moment and snatched the USB from his hand.

“What?!”

“I’m Yuaan’s friend. This is my friend’s confidential information, right? It’s troublesome if you take someone’s information without their permission like this…”

The man’s face contorted. He gritted his teeth and looked at the Center Director. The Center Director’s face turned red and blue at his expression that clearly asked what was going on. He shot up from his seat and tried to snatch the USB from Jisung’s hand.

“That, give it here, now?!”

“I wouldn’t have taken it in the first place if I was going to give it back.”

“Lee Jisung!!!”

The Center Director roared. Thanks to that, guests and employees who were dining nearby came out and stared at them. The man frowned and stood up from his seat. He spoke to the Center Director in a cold tone.

“I’m calling off this deal. This kind of shoddy work… Tsk!”

“H-hey. Wait a minute, hey!”

The man ignored the Center Director and quickly pushed his way through the crowd and out. Jisung watched the man’s back and then turned his gaze. He met Sunwoo’s eyes, who gave a small nod.

The Center Director, who had been watching the man disappear in a daze, finally turned his head. His expression as he looked at Jisung was nothing short of ferocious. Jisung smiled, his lips curving into a crescent.

“Center Director-nim.”

“You bastard, do you think you can get away with this?! You’re fired! You think that’s all? Those S-Team brats you cherish so much, I’ll…!”

“I’ll return those words to you exactly as they are.”

“What?”

Jisung held up the phone he had been holding all along. Then he pressed the play button in the middle. A voice flowed from the phone.

[From Ha Yuaan’s abilities to the results of all the experiments we’ve conducted so far, it’s all in here.]
[Is the data reliable?]
[Goes without saying.]

“Th-this…!”

“You were trying to sell out the country, and you thought you’d get away with it?”

The Center Director’s face turned pale. He quickly reached out to snatch the phone from Jisung’s hand. But unfortunately, he was no match for Jisung, who had learned self-defense as part of his Guide training at the Center.

‘I was whining about why a Guide had to learn basic physical fitness, how to shoot a gun, and mock combat for one-on-one situations, but I guess I learned it for times like this.’

Jisung thought of his teacher, Sunwoo, and gave a thumbs-up.

“Lee Jisung!!!”

“Fix the schedule.”

“…”

“Give them a vacation too. A long one. If not, I’ll spread this everywhere~”

No matter who heard it, no matter how they heard it, it was a threat.

“If you just do as I say, I’ll keep my mouth shut. It’s a win-win, you get it?”

Jisung crinkled his eyes and smiled, the corners of his mouth turning up. At his utterly vile smile, the Center Director collapsed into his seat. Looking down at the despairing him, Jisung made a V-sign with his fingers.

‘It would have been better if you had just listened from the beginning.’

“Sir! Is there a problem….”

An employee who had rushed over upon hearing the commotion looked back and forth between Jisung and the Center Director with a bewildered expression. Jisung smiled kindly and reassured the employee.

“My boss is a bit of a heavy drinker, sorry~”

“Ah…”

At the word ‘drinker,’ the employee instantly understood and nodded.

“It’s disturbing the other guests, so please lower your voice a little.”

“Yes, I’m sorry~”

Jisung apologized to the employee and carefully closed the door. Then he turned his head to look at the Center Director and said.

“Boss, now that our business is done, shall we go back~?”

“Grr…! L-Lee, Jisung!!!”

“It’s disturbing the other guests, so please lower your voice.”

“Aaaaaargh!!!”