Chapter 108 : Together, No Matter What

“Do you even have a scenario in mind? What if we just go in without a plan and get caught?”

“If you’re that worried, wifey, why don’t you come with me?”

Hae-jin said it expecting Lee Chae to say he’d stay behind. Knowing Lee Chae’s personality—how much he cared about what others thought—Hae-jin assumed there was no way he’d follow the leader of Legion on a high-stakes negotiation. But Lee Chae’s reaction was the exact opposite of what he predicted.

“Fine. I’m coming with you.”

“You are?”

“I’m too worried to just sit here and wait. I lived every day in anxiety just watching you on the news—do I have to keep waiting even after we’ve reunited? From now on, I’m going everywhere with you.”

“…….”

Lee Chae went on for a while, listing exactly how much his heart had suffered while waiting for Hae-jin and declaring that he would never let him go alone again. Hae-jin stared blankly at his lips, wondering if Lee Chae had always been this talkative, before quickly snapping back to reality—they had to save Jin-woo first.

“Let’s go.”

Lee Chae pulled him by the hand, and Hae-jin followed. Taking down a guild like Frame was nothing, but having Lee Chae by his side made him feel even more invincible.

On the way to Frame, Lee Chae was a bundle of nerves. He had tagged along because he couldn’t trust Hae-jin—who always felt like a child left near the water’s edge—to go alone. But he worried about the consequences of barging into Frame, a guild comprised of key opposition politicians, without notice. What if Hae-jin lost his temper and acted out?

Hae-jin was driving in silence, his face set in a stern expression. Seeing that, Lee Chae’s anxiety deepened.

“Hyung, I have something to say before we get there.”

“Go ahead.”

“Actually, it’s not a statement, it’s a favor.”

Hae-jin, who had been looking straight ahead, turned his head toward Lee Chae.

“What favor?”

Lee Chae opened and closed his mouth, choosing his words carefully. Currently, Hae-jin’s public image was incomparably better than most politicians. It was a hard-won achievement, as Legion had focused more on public safety and job creation than just money.

However, Lee Chae still remembered Hae-jin’s image from the “fake news” Hae-jin had deliberately created in the past. The wounds from when the media openly insulted Hae-jin as a promiscuous Esper with a bad personality hadn’t fully healed for Lee Chae. Moreover, Frame was a place always watched by the press. If Hae-jin acted according to his temper, he might ruin the reputation he had worked so hard to build.

“Ah, I don’t know. I know it’s selfish to say this when Jin-woo might be captured, but…”

“What? You want me to keep my personality in check?”

Lee Chae’s eyes widened.

“How did you know? That that’s what I wanted to say.”

“I can read your thoughts like a book. You’re worried about my reputation and Legion’s. And it’s not selfish. My reputation is power, and I need power to get Jin-woo out. Do you think the reason they’re wary of me is just because of my abilities? There are plenty of S-rank Espers besides me.”

Lee Chae nodded vigorously. My god, how could a person change this much? He had worried that Hae-jin wouldn’t listen even if he spoke, but he never imagined Hae-jin would summarize the situation himself before being asked.

“Exactly! Your power comes from the people who trust and rely on you. Your heart, which thought of individuals first, is what moved them. Having many followers is authority, and you need authority to negotiate.”

“Heh, my Lee Chae is smart.”

Stopping briefly for a red light, Hae-jin used his free hand to stroke Lee Chae’s hair. The warm touch stabilized Lee Chae’s fluttering heart.

“Don’t worry. I’ll negotiate well and bring Jin-woo back.”

“Okay.”

The road was clear. Seeing a reliable side of Hae-jin calmed him, though he knew he wouldn’t truly be at ease until Jin-woo was found. Soon, a large building appeared before them. It had taken about 30 minutes to reach Frame.

If it was a kidnapping, they should have received a contact by now—a day later—but Hae-jin’s phone was quiet, and there were no updates from Legion.

‘Could my guess be wrong?’

Even if it was, there were no other options, so starting here was the right call.

They got out of the car and entered the building. Hae-jin’s expression looked more solemn than ever, but he didn’t seem agitated. It was a look Lee Chae rarely saw when they were alone, and he couldn’t take his eyes off him.

‘So that’s the face he wears for business.’

Hae-jin’s expression was like that of a predator—thoroughly hiding its inner thoughts and focusing only on the prey. He walked straight across the lobby to the front desk.

“How can I help you?”

“Tell them the representative of Legion is here. They’ll understand.”

At Hae-jin’s words, the desk clerk completed a brief verification via intercom and opened the security gate. Hae-jin and Lee Chae headed straight for the top floor. Hae-jin walked without hesitation, as if he had been here before.

When they reached the top floor, a man was waiting and bowed to Hae-jin.

“You’ve arrived? They are waiting for you.”

Hae-jin merely nodded. Lee Chae followed behind him, feeling a bit dazed. The scene was so different from what he had imagined it was almost shocking.

‘I thought he’d start breaking things and shouting as soon as he arrived…’

Remembering the Hae-jin who once appeared by smashing a Bureau meeting room, this composed version was hard to get used to.

They followed the employee to the end of the hallway to the Representative’s office. Because it was another guild’s territory, the atmosphere felt strangely cold. Being there felt a bit scary, and Lee Chae hesitated, wondering if he should follow him all the way inside. As if sensing this, Hae-jin grabbed Lee Chae’s wrist.

“Come with me. This is a dangerous place.”

Lee Chae swallowed hard and nodded.

The door opened, and inside was a member of the opposition party he often saw on the news. As soon as the politician saw them, he stood up slowly and put on a practiced, friendly “politician’s smile.”

“Welcome, Representative. I’ve been waiting for you.”

His gaze shifted to Lee Chae.

“And this person is?”

“My personal guide. Say hello. This is the Representative of Frame.”

At Hae-jin’s words, Lee Chae bowed.

“Now, now, let’s not stand around. Why don’t you sit? I’m sure we both have a lot to say…”

Lee Chae watched the Frame representative closely. He acted natural, but his expression and tone felt slightly off. Of course, since he’d never met the man, this could just be his personality, but Lee Chae—who had met countless Espers in the cleanup crew—couldn’t ignore his gut feeling.

As soon as they sat, Hae-jin cut to the chase.

“The election is coming up, yet you’ve made quite a risky move.”

“Don’t you know, Representative? If we don’t take power this time, it’s a disaster. We can’t leave the ruling party in charge—people who have no interest in the public’s life and only care about votes, can we? We had to step up.”

Lee Chae flinched and glanced at Hae-jin. He expected Hae-jin to grab the man by the collar and tell him to stop talking nonsense. However, Hae-jin responded surprisingly calmly.

“You must have been desperate. But Representative, no matter how desperate you are, you should look where you’re stepping before you stretch your legs out, shouldn’t you?”

Behind the polite and formal tone lay thorns as sharp as blades. The look on his face suggested he might devour the man at any second. He seemed to have realized that cold fury is scarier than overt excitement.

“I have nothing to say other than I’m sorry it came to this.”

“So, what are the conditions?”

The representative stroked his chin thoughtfully. The conditions were obvious—it would be Hae-jin’s declaration of support for the opposition. If Hae-jin declared support here, what would happen if they changed their mind once Jin-woo was released? Was it a trap? Anxious thoughts flickered in Lee Chae’s mind throughout the negotiation.

The representative pushed a folder toward Hae-jin.

“This is the application for Representative Cha Hae-jin to join the opposition party.”

Hae-jin sat calmly without a change in expression, but Lee Chae couldn’t stay composed. Not just support, but joining the party? That meant turning his back on the Bureau completely. Lee Chae subconsciously grabbed Hae-jin’s hand. He couldn’t speak, but he wanted to stop him this way. But Hae-jin didn’t seem to have any intention of listening.

“Is this all you wanted when you kidnapped an A-rank Esper and the Vice Representative of Legion?”

“Haha, kidnapping? We are simply hosting him for a while.”

Hae-jin sneered.

“Fine. Do I just sign here?”

Hae-jin opened the file and picked up a pen as if he really intended to join. Lee Chae was baffled. He thought there would be a back-and-forth negotiation to get what they wanted, not an immediate surrender to joining the opposition.

‘Did I trust Cha Hae-jin too much?’

Lee Chae pinched Hae-jin’s thigh hard under the table. However, Hae-jin nonchalantly signed the papers and handed them back. The representative took the folder with a satisfied look and reached out his hand for a shake.

‘What? Is it really ending like this? Should I act crazy and scream?’

Lee Chae imagined every crazy thing he could do. Just then, slap, Hae-jin swatted the representative’s hand away.

“You and I aren’t on hand-shaking terms. I signed, so tell me where Sung Jin-woo is.”

That’s more like it. There was no way Cha Hae-jin would just submissively follow orders. Lee Chae breathed a sigh of relief and waited for the man’s next words.

“Well… my, you are quite impatient, Representative Cha.”

It happened then.

The moment the office door opened, a loud CRASH sounded and everything went pitch black.

Zzzzt, zzzzt… In the darkness where nothing could be seen, a sickening sound echoed from all sides.

“W-what’s happening! Hyung!”

Lee Chae called out for Hae-jin desperately. Soon, he felt a large pair of hands grab his body.