Chapter 35: The Trap Closes In

“Did you understand what I said?”

“Arf!”

“You must never leave Jaeyul’s side.”

“If you even sense danger around him… no matter who it is, kill them.”

“Arf! Arf!”

Ha… I can’t even tell if this brat understands me or not.

I’m trying to brief Ppoppi on our new security plan, but he’s too busy wagging his tail and hopping like an idiot.

The moment I promised him lots of beef behind Jaeyul’s back, he instantly stopped sulking.

“Remember this properly.”

“It’s important, idiot.”

Starting today, Ppoppi is glued to Jaeyul.

At school.

At training.

Everywhere.

I didn’t recklessly attack the Six-Pointed-Star without thinking about consequences.

I don’t care what happens to me.

But Jaeyul is different.

The only real backup I have is Ppoppi.

If he fights in his true form, even the Six-Pointed-Star won’t touch Jaeyul easily.

To be honest, I don’t know Ppoppi’s real combat power.

But from past battles, I know he’s not weak.

At the very least, he can swallow Jaeyul and run.

“What are you two talking about?”

Shit—!

Jaeyul suddenly opened the door, making me jump.

Ppoppi froze too, instantly dropping his tail and lowering his head like a scared puppy.

“O-oh? I-I was yelling at him!”

“Telling him not to destroy anything again!”

Wow…

Why are these lies coming out so easily…

Ppoppi also switched into ‘sad-dog-getting-scolded’ mode with Oscar-level acting.

Just moments ago he was happily wagging his tail about our secret security plan.

“You think that kind of scolding works?”

“Move. I’ll do it properly.”

“No! He won’t do it again!”

“Ever!”

I quickly grabbed Jaeyul to stop him.

Not for Ppoppi.

For Jaeyul’s safety.

If this monster-dog flips out…

He could eat him in one bite.

“Sigh… hyung is too soft-hearted.”

“…Soft-hearted, my ass.”

“How’s your body?”

“You okay now?”

“Yeah.”

“Weirdly, I feel a LOT lighter than normal.”

“Honestly, I feel like I could beat anyone right now.”

He wasn’t lying.

He looked strong and refreshed.

Even his voice was energized.

His eyes were bright.

And the way his arm muscles bulged when he clenched his fist… damn.

This kid is… built.

“Let’s eat first.”

“No table, but we still have the old floor table.”

I brought out the tiny table we used to use back in the rooftop room.

Our real dining table had been pulverized, so this was the only option.

“…We used to eat at this tiny thing, huh.”

“Yeah.”

“It’s only been a few years but feels like ages.”

It was full of memories.

Eating with little Jaeyul.

Talking. Laughing. Sharing food.

I brought it with us when we moved because I couldn’t throw it away.

It never felt small back then.

But now, sitting across from him…

It felt like playing pretend house.

“Just today, okay?”

“I’ll buy a new table tomorrow.”

“Let me come. I can lift heavy stuff now.”

“Nope!”

“You stay home and rest.”

“You need at least three full days of rest.”

“…That long…?”

I wasn’t lying.

But there was another reason.

It’s easier to protect him at home.

Small, tight spaces are better for defense.

“Yes!”

“Listen for once.”

“I already informed the school.”

“So stay home and rest.”

“Oh, right— Jaeyul…”

I stared at him quietly while he ate.

Something had been bothering me for a long time.

I finally asked.

“Hm?”

“You know when you were a kid and entered that gate.”

“Do you remember it?”

“Of course.”

“That’s where I met you.”

“You gave me gloves, taught me how to pick stones.”

“Hyung was SO cute back then.”

“W-what the hell are you saying?!”

…Cute?

This little brat…

“You were the cute one, idiot.”

“Anyway, why bring that up?”

“…Did you ever go deeper inside the gate?”

“The deep area?”

I couldn’t keep this question inside anymore.

That day, when I missed his match because I got trapped inside a gate—

I found a room.

A room with notebooks.

With his name written on them.

Ever since then, that mystery stuck in my chest.

“No.”

“I was too young.”

“I only wandered near the entrance.”

“Right… that makes sense.”

“But why? Something wrong?”

“No. Just curious.”

He wasn’t lying.

A child couldn’t drag supplies deep inside a gate.

So then…

What was that room?

Why were there notebooks with his name?

Impossible to answer now.

Seon Jaeyul.

‘X’.

The Gate.

What secret connects them?

“Jaeyul, I’m stepping out for a bit.”

“At this hour? Where?”

The seller messaged me right after we finished eating.

He wanted to confirm our meeting time at the nearby park entrance.

“There’s a TV for cheap.”

“Even if we don’t watch a lot, we should have one.”

“I’ll be quick.”

“We’re meeting right outside.”

“I’ll go with you.”

“Nope.”

“Stay home and rest.”

“You need absolute rest.”

“Just wait nicely, okay?”

He complained — the world is dangerous, carrying heavy things is risky, blah blah —

But this time I won.

One “You think I can’t handle a simple secondhand pickup?” and he shut up.

After confirming Ppoppi and Jaeyul were together inside, I left.

The meeting point was the park entrance.

Carrying the TV home would be annoying, but the price was too good to ignore.

“Television?”

Ah, he must be here.

“Yes, I—”

But when I turned, I froze.

The seller…

Was limp.

Bloody.

Barely recognizable.

“Damn, you must really love saving money.”

“Buying used appliances like this?”

“You’ll be rich at this rate, Jin Sehyun.”

And holding him by the neck—

Tak Younghoon.

Behind him stood a massive crowd.

Dozens upon dozens.

Weak individually.

But overwhelming as a group.

The entire Six-Pointed-Star.

“See this?”

“This is our real power.”

“You should’ve listened when we were being nice.”

“Your body seems fine now.”

“Judging by how much you’re flapping your mouth.”

“Shut up… bastard…”

“Yeah, I’ll admit it.”

“I underestimated you last time.”

“But now? You’re screwed.”

He wasn’t wrong.

I thought the organization was small.

Maybe twenty members.

But this…

This was something else.

I spread mana across my body as if preparing to fight.

But fighting now was meaningless.

The ending was the same.

The only difference was how fast I’d get caught.

So I only had one choice.

Run.

“Come on.”

“I could at least kill one of you.”

But something was off.

None of them moved.

Not Younghoon.

Not the officers.

And someone was missing.

The boss.

The polite man who acted refined.

He wasn’t here.

“Oh, shit—!”

That was the signal.

A trap.

They never planned to fight.

I turned to run—

But a massive shadow fell over me.

“Good instincts.”

“As expected.”

“Ghh—!”

A fist like iron struck my stomach.

I didn’t even see him approach.

The boss.

A physical-strength Esper.

“Grab him!”

Before I could rise, several men pinned my arms and legs.

“One on each arm.”

“Two on each leg.”

“Your ability won’t work.”

“We brought normal humans for this part.”

Of course.

That’s why my mana wasn’t affecting them.

But I wasn’t going down easy.

Normal humans were weaker than Espers.

I thrashed, punching and kicking.

“Ghk!”

“Ugh!”

I grabbed one by the hair and bit his ear.

I didn’t care how ugly it was.

I just needed to survive.

“This is why we can’t let you roam free.”

“But it ends here, Jin Sehyun.”

Then—

Suddenly, all the strength drained from my body.

“…Y-you… b-bas…tard…”

The boss held a syringe.

My vision blurred.

A sedative.

“Sleep well.”

“When you wake up…”

“You’ll be our exclusive guiding machine.”

What…?

I couldn’t process the meaning.

My thoughts were drowning.

The last thing I saw—

Tak Younghoon’s filthy smirk.

That disgusting expression burned into my fading vision.

And then everything went black.