Chapter 77: The Dark Ages of Guides

“…Well. It looks like Agent Ri-hyun has no intention of being on good terms with me, so let’s speak comfortably.”

The more I look at this, the more he seems to be looking down on me.

I’m still a person who regrets living with a subdued personality in the past.

The past times were so unjust that I fall asleep almost every night regretting why I tried so hard to please people, what was I so afraid of.

I have no intention of treating others with that attitude again, even after experiencing death once.

You’ve been caught at a very good time.

I approached Ri-hyun, who was blocking the doorway.

Due to the physical difference between a Guide and an Esper, he had a slightly better build than me, but he still had a small frame for an Esper.

There’s a high probability that his trait is also Omega.

“How dare you lump me, no, Team Leader Seon Jaeyul and me into such a dirty relationship. As they say, what you see is what you are. Did you think I would be the same just because you throw your body around?”

I reached out and lightly grabbed Ri-hyun’s wrist.

Flinch.

Ri-hyun’s body stiffened, as if he was somewhat surprised by the unexpected physical contact.

He was just a prickly-mouthed, still immature young esper.

I changed my mind from twisting his mana right then and there.

“Haah… I don’t know what feelings you have for Team Leader Seon Jaeyul, but that’s no reason to treat me badly. Agent Ri-hyun, have some basic courtesy.

The most important person on this team is Team Leader Seon Jaeyul, and after that, it’s me. Don’t forget that the rest of you are, unfortunately, just replaceable personnel. Including you.”

Seeing Ri-hyun’s face flush red at just a few words, it seemed there was no need to use force.

“…You’re so confident. You think your life will change just because you were lucky enough to awaken as an SS-rank, don’t you? Let’s see how long you can be so arrogant.”

Smack.

Ri-hyun forcefully pushed my chest and left the guiding room.

I was tempted to chase after him and smack him on the back of the head, but I held back.

When a team is first formed, there’s always a period of time needed to sort out the hierarchy.

It was similar to how a wolf pack determines its leader.

Ri-hyun’s behavior seemed to be for a slightly different reason, but for now, there was no need to escalate things.

***

“Haah… I’m tired.”

“There’s no work yet, so what are you so busy with?”

“I’m refusing all official events, but there are too many people visiting unofficially. Mayors, ministers, the prime minister… it’s chaotic, pure chaos.”

“You said you wouldn’t do it, but they won’t listen?”

I had experienced it myself, so I could imagine how exhausting it would be.

I was judged as an SS-rank at 17, so from my academy days, I was called here and there, having to manage a schedule comparable to a celebrity’s.

“The Branch Director is trying his best to cut them off, but it seems he can’t turn away everyone who comes unannounced.”

“…So that’s why we’re having lunch at two….”

“Sorry. You waited a long time, right? You must be hungry.”

“I had a small snack. Let’s sit down and eat quickly.”

We had decided to pack our lunches from home.

The cafeteria’s menu was quite poor, and eating out was only for a day or two.

Besides, I didn’t have much to do at work, so I had plenty of time to prepare lunch at home at a leisurely pace.

We had been having lunch from a lunchbox for several days now.

“Still, just the thought of eating my hyung’s food gives me energy.”

“Eat a lot. I packed something for a late-night snack just in case, so let me know if you’re still hungry.”

I filled the lunchbox mainly with meat side dishes that Jaeyul likes.

We went up to the rooftop garden, away from the eyes of others, and laid out the prepared lunchboxes one by one.

But….

“…What is this.”

The side dishes, which should have been neatly packed in separate compartments, were all jumbled together.

Finely chopped as if they had been butchered with something sharp.

And the fruit I had planned to eat for dessert was mashed into a pulp, as if crushed by something heavy.

“…Ha, haah….”

There was no evidence, but a certain face flashed through my mind.

“What happened to the lunchbox? Did… something happen with the team members?”

“No, nothing. What should we do. We’ll just have to go out and eat.”

The butchered lunchbox was in a state that was difficult to even touch.

Anger welled up inside me, but I tried my best not to show it and was about to close the lunchbox lid.

“What do you mean. We can eat it like this.”

Jaeyul dumped all the butchered side dishes into the rice container and mixed it with a spoon.

As if he were making bibimbap.

“It’s easy to mix because it’s already chopped up nicely. Ah, it tastes good too, hyung.”

Jaeyul nonchalantly scooped up a large spoonful of the mixed rice and put it in his mouth.

“…Is it edible?”

“Yeah. You try it too, hyung. It’s better than you think.”

I reluctantly picked up my spoon, but a surge of irritation rose from the bottom of my heart.

It was a lunchbox I had painstakingly prepared, feeling sorry for the kid who worked so hard, just to feed him one proper meal.

But I never imagined someone would touch it.

It’s not even an elementary school fight.

It seems they were displeased with the sight of me and Jaeyul having lunch separately.

We hadn’t been forced to adhere to a strict work schedule yet, doing physical training on our own.

So I thought it would be fine since most of the team members were not in the office, but I didn’t realize they would see this in a negative light.

“Do you know I went all the way to Jeju Island by myself when I first joined the Center?”

Jaeyul, who was continuing his meal, suddenly brought up a strange story.

“…Jeju Island?”

“Yeah. They were displeased that the new guy was looking at them funny. They tricked me with a non-existent order and made me go all the way to Jeju Island by myself. Not only that, but I think I’ve been bullied in all sorts of strange ways. They called it ‘instilling discipline’ or something.”

Since it was a military-like organization, there were sometimes lowlifes like that.

It’s not that I don’t know.

I’ve even been subjected to harsher words and more terrifying threats countless times.

But having to deal with these kinds of people again at this age is just… annoying.

Especially messing with food is crossing the line, really!

“It would be nice if we could get along, but don’t force it. It’s not like you’re a colleague who will fight alongside them anyway, so just do as you please and be comfortable.”

Jaeyul had noticed.

That one of the team members was the culprit.

How could he not know?

With Ri-hyun at the forefront, his academy classmates have been openly looking at me with displeasure.

“I can’t get into a hair-pulling fight with a bunch of kids. You don’t worry about it too much either, Jaeyul. I can take care of my own business.”

“Of course you can, you’re my hyung. Let’s hurry up and eat, then grab some coffee and head back. There’s a work briefing tomorrow, so all the team members will be gathered.”

Haah… how do I educate these rascals?

This is why office life is so hard, really.

***

“Heh….”

“What did you say……?”

It’s annoying.

The sound of them whispering and laughing among themselves is very annoying.

Why do they keep glancing at me while they’re talking to each other?!

“How about you shut your mouths and laugh. It’s distracting.”

“How can we laugh with our mouths shut? Aren’t you being too sensitive, sunbae? They say male menopause is dangerous, you should go to a hospital.”

It seems the group has been divided.

Jaeyul’s academy classmates, Ri-hyun, Hwang Jiyu, and Im Chan.

They are the ones who are whispering and glancing at me.

And the one who warned them was Jaeyul’s former team colleague, Park Bomyung.

Park Bomyung and Yoo Eden haven’t shown much of a presence yet, but they too look at the team members with a somewhat displeased gaze.

Of course, I am also included in that displeased gaze.

This is a bed of thorns.

The reason I’m most reluctant to work at the Center is definitely not because of the threat to my life.

This crappy human relationship is the biggest reason.

Though it’s the same in any workplace in the world.

“Ha. Kids these days, really…. They’ll only come to their senses and know their place when they’re on the verge of dying in a gate.”

“We’ve been in gates as much as we need to, old man… I mean, sunbae-nim.”

…Should I just go home first…?

Even if they fight like this, they’ll probably work together and fight well once they’re in a gate, yet they always have these useless power struggles.

These damn espers… I’m so sick of them.

“Is everyone here.”

Just as the inside of the conference room was getting heated, Jaeyul came in and cooled the atmosphere.

But there’s something strange in his hand.

“Who left this on my desk?”

It was a sandwich with the logo of a pretty famous cafe near the Center.

It was a place that was also on my list of good restaurants, so I recognized it at once.

The line was so long that I hadn’t even had a chance to try it yet.

“Ah, that… me! No, I put it there! I was worried you might not have had lunch….”

It was Ri-hyun.

Speaking in a voice full of aegyo, having ditched the cocky voice from just a moment ago.

What the… he should have been an actor.

But to me, those words were no different from a confession.

That he was the culprit who ruined the lunchbox I had prepared.

I had expected it, so I wasn’t particularly surprised.

Bringing up the matter itself would be playing into his hands, so I didn’t show it.

“I take care of my own meals just fine, so from now on, I’d appreciate it if you just minded your own business. I have a bread allergy, so I’ll return this. And your pranks shouldn’t go too far, Agent Ri-hyun.”

Jaeyul lightly tossed the unopened sandwich.

The sandwich flew through the air and landed perfectly on Ri-hyun’s thigh.

“……”

For a moment, a chilly atmosphere filled the conference room.

It didn’t seem like he was particularly angry, but there was something that overwhelmed the space.

I wasn’t the only one who felt it, as the expressions of the espers sitting in the conference room hardened at once.

Especially Ri-hyun.

But Jaeyul-ah… since when did you have a bread allergy…?

The amount of bread you’ve eaten for breakfast alone could probably open a bakery.

“…I’m, sorry….”

Although his face turned bright red, Ri-hyun obediently apologized to Jaeyul.

For a moment, his sharp gaze turned towards me, sitting opposite him.

It felt as if his eyes were questioning me.

‘You snitched, didn’t you?’

I deliberately showed him a benevolent smile.

Containing the meaning, ‘So what if I did?’

I hope my feelings were conveyed well.

The more I look at this, the more he seems to think of me as a punching bag.