Chapter 12: A Man Like a Low-Class Punk

“What, no visit.”

The rude guy, who could make a variety of expressions with his fist-sized face, frowned and showed his disgust.

I was about to argue, asking what the huge fruit basket sitting right behind him was, but stopped myself.

The basket, wrapped with a flamboyant ribbon, was filled with nothing but expensive fruits.

He just had to buy something that was just like him.

“Even if you meet him, Hyung won’t recognize you.”

“I know. Heard his head got smashed in.”

“That, mouth of yours…”

I was about to point out his continuous vulgar language, but gave up, thinking he wasn’t the type to listen.

I wondered if he was subtly picking a fight with his words, staying just within the lines of not getting a warning, but he didn’t seem smart enough for that.

“Are you going to see Hyung before you leave?”

“Why would I see that bastard’s face? I was just passing by—”

“You know what floor the rehabilitation room is on, right?”

I asked, thinking he would know since he must have been there at least once as an Esper.

I thought he would curse at me for cutting him off, but surprisingly, the rude guy just raised his voice, asking if I didn’t even know that.

“Then lead the way. And you have to be careful with your body still, so you can’t be loud in front of Hyung.”

“You shut up. You’re so f*cking noisy, chirping on and on.”

“What…!”

The rude guy suddenly came right up to me and grabbed my shoulder.

He grabbed it so hard that if he had used a little more force, I would have cried out in pain.

“Close your eyes.”

Sensing a familiar energy from the wavelength the rude guy was emitting, I obediently closed my eyes.

I didn’t forget to relax my body as much as possible.

“You’re quick on the uptake.”

“My Hyung is a teleportation ability user.”

Since he had the same ability as Hyung, it was only natural for me to recognize it instantly and act accordingly.

I wasn’t flustered at all by the sensation of my feet leaving the floor.

Thanks to the rude guy shutting his mouth after my words, we arrived at the rehabilitation room quietly.

The travel was fast.

As expected of a high-ranking team Esper, my body landed back on the floor almost at the same time it floated in the air.

Even considering the short distance, it was an incredible speed.

“Can’t even compare to your Esper, right?”

If only he would shut that mouth of his, I would have thought his ability was good.

The moment I opened my eyes after the teleportation, my desire to praise him completely vanished at the sight of the rude guy’s triumphant expression.

“You didn’t even feel like you were moving, right? Right?”

How could I not feel it when my feet had floated in the air?

He seemed to be an A-rank like Hyung, and it was ridiculous that he was even comparing himself to Hyung, who was a multi-ability user.

Even though he should know well that multi-ability users are relatively more skilled, the rude guy wanted to be acknowledged as being better.

“Yes, yes. You’re amazing.”

I nodded my head half-heartedly to avoid the rude guy who was blocking my way until I agreed.

Thanks to him, we had moved quickly, so I just played along.

Passing through the transparent automatic doors, I was about to head straight for the information desk when my feet froze for a moment.

One, two, three, four…

I rubbed my forehead as I counted the staff members inside the long desk with my eyes.

Even excluding the person who had just left, there were six of them gathered.

They seemed frantic, perhaps because the rehabilitation room was crowded with patients.

“Excuse me…. Ahem, excuse me.”

Because I was speaking from a distance from the desk, I couldn’t cut through the busy staff’s conversation.

My voice, which reflexively grew smaller in front of an unfamiliar crowd, wasn’t at a distance where it could be heard.

I repeated my words, moving my feet forward little by little.

“I’m, Esper Kim, Chul-soo’s, Guide.”

I spoke louder than the first time, but my voice was drowned out by the loud ringing of a bell.

“Someone get the phone over there.”

“I’ll get it.”

Thwack!

Just then, the rude guy strode up to the desk and slammed his palm down hard on it.

The startled staff stopped their conversation at the sound.

The rude guy, no, Esper Man-jio, drew the staff’s attention and then gestured to me with his chin.

With a look that urged me to say what I had to say quickly, I hurriedly opened my mouth.

“I-I’m the dedicated Guide for Barrier Team 3’s Esper Kim Chul-soo. I heard he’s currently in rehabilitation.”

A flustered staff member, seeing me rattling off the words I had repeated in my head, took out a chart and answered.

“Yes, just a moment. Um…. It’s room A-8. If you go up one more floor, you’ll see the sign right away.”

As soon as the staff member finished speaking, the rude guy grabbed me by the scruff of my neck.

Taking the hint, I quickly closed my eyes and was moved upstairs in an instant.

The travel distance was shorter than before, so this time I really didn’t even feel my feet leaving the ground.

“Oh…”

“You got a problem or something?”

“Excuse me?”

“You talk back to me just fine, so why can’t you speak up?”

The rude guy, who had released his hand as soon as the teleportation was over, glared at me with displeasure.

I rubbed the scruff of my neck where he had roughly grabbed me and led the way, following the signs.

“Hey, I asked if you have a problem. Social anxiety?”

“Why do you need to know?”

“See. You couldn’t even make a sound earlier, but in front of me, …are you looking down on me?”

I clicked my tongue internally at his random question.

He must be looked down on a lot because he’s a fool.

“Hey! Answer me. That bastard Team Leader Kim bad-mouthed me, right? That’s why you’re looking down on me!”

I didn’t want to converse with his mouth, which was as mannerless as his hands, so I nodded my head vigorously.

In reality, all I had heard about him from Hyung was ‘a fool with a lot of money’.

The rude guy’s face quickly flushed, and he fumed by himself.

The more I looked at him, the more it was obvious he was immature.

“He’s got nothing special himself! Just a big-bodied bastard—”

“Don’t talk bad about Chul-soo Hyung.”

I stopped dead in my tracks in the hallway and turned around.

The rude guy let out a hollow laugh, as if he had heard Hyung’s name for the first time, and cursed with his face.

“Chul-soo? Kim Chul-soo? Ha!”

“What. What’s wrong with Kim Chul-soo.”

The moment I saw that mocking expression, heat rose up the back of my neck.

I can tolerate him picking on me, but I can’t just let him laugh at my Hyung.

“What’s so wrong with Chul-soo!!”

I yelled, five steps away from the room where Hyung was.

“You dare talk bad about my Hyung, you son of a b*tch!”

“Did you just fcking call me a son of a btch!!”

“Don’t you f*cking talk down to me!!”

My voice, which had quickly become hoarse from shouting at a volume I didn’t normally use, cracked.

This made me even angrier, and I stepped right up to the rude guy.

It was the first time since I was twenty that I had charged at an Esper.

Seeing my clenched fist, the rude guy offered his cheek as if telling me to take a swing.

He had the air of someone who wouldn’t hold back if I threw the first punch.

Fine by me. I wanted to hit that handsome face of his at least once and get hit back.

So I could snap out of it.

“Why are you fighting?”

The fist I had raised towards the rude guy was blocked by Chul-soo Hyung.

Hyung, who I hadn’t even noticed approaching because I was so heated, grabbed my wrist and pulled me back.

Following the sound of rolling wheels, I looked down to see Hyung in a wheelchair.

My heart ached at the sight of Hyung, who had come all the way to the rehabilitation room in a wheelchair even though his legs still hurt.

I ignored the rude guy and moved as Hyung led me, looking only at him.

Did Hyung see me getting angry? I regretted shouting like a madman.

I had tried to only show my good side to recover from the ruined first impression.

But because of that rude guy, everything was ruined from the start.

“……”

I stuck close to Hyung’s wheelchair and glared at the rude guy.

The rude guy, who I thought would continue to shout, was surprisingly quiet.

He just looked down at Hyung’s legs, which were sprawled out in the wheelchair, with a crooked gaze.

“Excuse me.”

Chul-soo Hyung, who spoke up instead, broke the short silence.

“I’ve hurt my head right now, so I don’t know who you are, mister.”

“Ah, mister?”

“If you’re going to fight, come back later.”

My eyes widened slightly as Chul-soo Hyung’s low voice continued.

For a moment, I thought his memory had returned because of his relaxed attitude, as if he were putting on his characteristic act.

“You’re going to fight a patient?”

Hyung tapped the armrest of the wheelchair with the back of his hand and looked up at the rude guy.

Even though he was just an ordinary high school student right now, I was amazed that Hyung wasn’t scared in front of a high-ranking Esper.

As expected, my Hyung is different from the get-go.

Contrary to my worries, the rude guy didn’t raise his voice.

As if he had really just come to see Hyung’s face, he glanced at Hyung’s wheelchair with a frown and then retreated on his own.

Thanks to the rude guy who disappeared into thin air, I was left alone with Hyung in the hallway.

With one loud person gone, the atmosphere instantly settled down.

Breathing in the awkward air, I couldn’t bring myself to step away from Hyung’s side and watched him furtively.

I knew it was impossible, but at Hyung’s calm reaction, my heart pounded, wondering if his memory had returned.

Could it be that his memory has returned and he’s just acting to tease me? The playful Chul-soo Hyung was more than capable of playing dumb.

“Chul—”

“Haa.”

I was about to call out the name that was on the tip of my tongue, but my throat tightened at the sound of Hyung’s sigh.

Hyung let out a long sigh and rubbed his forehead.

It was a habit Hyung often had when he was deep in thought or in a low mood.

It had a different meaning from his constant fiddling with his chin.

“Are you cold?”

Hyung asked me as I held my anxious chest, trying to gauge his emotions.

He must have seen the coat in my hand.

“No. I brought it in case you were cold.”

Relieved that Hyung didn’t question why I had come, I draped the coat over his lap.

If I had known, I would have brought a blanket.

I hadn’t thought that Hyung would be in a wheelchair.

“Tell me if you get colder.”

“…I’m not cold.”

After his short reply, Hyung grabbed the handrims of the wheelchair and rolled the wheels.

I quickly followed Hyung, intending to push the wheelchair for him.

“Chul-soo—nim. I’ll push.”

But before my hand could reach, Hyung had already moved further ahead.

Even though it must have been his first time in a wheelchair today, I almost ran to follow Hyung, who was handling it skillfully, afraid he would get too far away.