Chapter 13: The Weight of a Troubling Premonition

Chapter 13

“To be honest, there’s actually one thing that’s been troubling me.”

I had only meant to offer a casual heads-up, a mere precaution against any unforeseen incidents. Yet, Park Hyeon-seo and Han Seon-ho’s faces were already etched with palpable tension.

“Worried? About what? Don’t tell me it’s because of that bastard… no, because of your pair?”

“Y-yes… Sogum. Just tell us anything!”

It was as if the unease I harbored had become contagious. Park Hyeon-seo fretted, pacing anxiously, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had burdened them with unwarranted concern.

‘How much should I reveal?’

Though I deliberated, the gravity of the situation precluded any circumlocution.

Deciding to cut straight to the chase, I gestured towards the new taser gun clutched in Park Hyeon-seo’s hand and began.

“It’s nothing major, but this taser gun is a new model, only recently distributed, isn’t it?”

“Right?”

“Even if they conduct thorough inspections before shipment, given that it’s a new model, wouldn’t the probability of defects be higher? For instance, an accident caused by a faulty product… something along those lines?”

“Hmm… Now that you bring it up, Sogum, you might be right about the danger. Moreover, the versions we’ll be using for the practical training are modified to forcibly reduce their power, making them even less reliable.”

Even issues initially overlooked often become glaringly obvious once someone takes the initiative to point them out. Han Seon-ho assented without a word when I voiced my concerns regarding safety.

Furthermore, Park Hyeon-seo had a past record of being issued defective equipment, so my words weren’t entirely unfounded. Beyond the issue of their inexperience, wasn’t the root cause of the accident fundamentally linked to a faulty taser gun?

“In that case, Han Seon-ho, could you perhaps speak to the teachers? Ask them to conduct a thorough inspection before the practical session commences.”

“Yes, I’ll convey the message. It sounds like a necessary precaution.”

As Han Seon-ho’s affirmative reply settled, I glanced toward the raised platform where the instructors stood. The Guide teacher was engrossed in a phone call, while the Esper teacher was diligently overseeing the practical training grounds.

‘Alright, Han Seon-ho will undoubtedly handle it well. But as for Kang Yun… I wonder how that turned out.’

I hadn’t held much hope for the medical trainees being dispatched to the shooting range, as such an arrangement was notoriously difficult to secure. However, the momentary audacity to ask Kang Yun for such a favor stemmed from his mother’s position as one of the SAA’s board members.

If even a sliver of influence could be leveraged, it would be a boon; if not, then so be it.

‘I hope something comes of it.’

As the practical training was poised to commence in earnest, lingering anxieties persisted. Nevertheless, armed with knowledge of the past, I was doing my utmost to prepare for any eventualities, thus deeming the current situation an improvement over what had transpired before.

Moreover, this time, two instructors were overseeing the session.

“Han Seon-ho, then, I appreciate your efforts. Park Hyeon-seo, you come with me.”

Cradling the new taser gun and practice goggles that Han Seon-ho had handed me, I immediately sought out Yoon Geon-woo. As expected, having concluded his affairs with the Esper class, Yoon Geon-woo appeared to be silently relocating.

‘That guy. Alone again…’

Just as the thought to follow him immediately crossed my mind, Han Seon-ho’s sudden, urgent voice halted my steps.

“Sogum.”

“Huh?”

“Earlier… I thought you were just speaking casually, but it seems your ominous dream was real after all.”

“Oh, no. That was…”

“Because it’s quite rare for you, Sogum, to take such initiative.”

Han Seon-ho fidgeted nervously, his face clouded with worry, much like someone watching a child left unsupervised by the water’s edge.

I had merely blurted out a casual remark… yet, his earnest concern pricked at my conscience. To allay his fears, I spoke with an air of nonchalance.

“It’s fine. Anyway, that’s precisely why I’ll be sticking close to Park Hyeon-seo today. I told you, they’re my lucky charm.”

I linked arms with Park Hyeon-seo, who stood beside me, and offered a bright smile, as if to convey that nothing was amiss. In response, Park Hyeon-seo stammered, “O-okay! I’ll do my best. After all, I am today’s lucky charm…”

Perhaps finding some measure of reassurance in our lighthearted antics, Han Seon-ho also managed a faint smile. His lips parted as if he had a multitude of words to utter, but he ultimately merely nodded, acknowledging his understanding.

“Well then, have a good practical session, and I’ll see you later. I’ll certainly relay your concerns to the teachers, Sogum.”

With those final words, Han Seon-ho departed to attend to his duties as interim class president. Naturally, Park Hyeon-seo and I also made our way toward the Esper with whom we were paired.

“Yoon Geon-woo! Let’s go!”

“Haa… S-Sogum… Just a little slower…”

Yoon Geon-woo continued his brisk pace, utterly oblivious to us. Having rushed pell-mell to keep up with him, my breath grew ragged, and Park Hyeon-seo, who was clinging to my side, found their legs trembling like those of a newborn giraffe.

With no one pursuing us from behind, I couldn’t fathom why he strode so purposefully ahead.

‘Surely not. Is he doing this *because* I’m trying to catch up?’

The thought fleetingly crossed my mind, but I dismissed it with a shake of my head, reasoning that his aversion to my company couldn’t possibly be *that* profound. Having finally caught up, I struggled to compose my ragged breathing before speaking.

“From now on, whenever you’re going somewhere, please… tell me first.”

“Why would I?”

“Your pace is far too quick. It’s exhausting to keep up…”

He had been the same way when we first entered the practical training grounds; Yoon Geon-woo evidently had a predilection for secluded spots. Otherwise, there was no conceivable reason for him to deliberately position himself at the far periphery of this expansive area.

“You could simply cease paying attention to me, couldn’t you?”

“I keep telling you it’s not that simple. For one, we’re a team, and as I mentioned earlier, I’ve been thinking about you a lot lately… Ugh.”

“Haa… Shut up.”

“Oomph?”

“Alright, just please, for once, keep your mouth shut.”

As if fearing someone might overhear, Yoon Geon-woo abruptly clapped his enormous, pot-lid-sized hand over my mouth. At his sudden, impulsive action, I heard Park Hyeon-seo, who had been clinging to my side, gasp and audibly swallow their breath.

However, what truly startled me in that moment was neither Yoon Geon-woo’s hand clamped over my face nor Park Hyeon-seo’s flustered reaction.

‘It’s hot.’

The temperature of his skin, where it made contact with mine, was identical to that day when his fever had raged like molten lava. I instantly realized that Yoon Geon-woo’s body temperature, currently muffling my mouth, remained abnormally high.

Had he not fully recovered yet?

That question lingered for only a fleeting moment before the realization struck me: this was an opportune moment to re-assess his contamination level. I promptly activated my ability.

[Contamination Level 77%]

Confronted with a contamination level higher than anticipated, I strove to conceal my alarm, subtly averting my gaze.

Only two days prior, it had unequivocally stood at 68%. Despite having painstakingly lowered it through contact guiding, why had it reverted to such a state? Had he perhaps been secretly using his abilities, defying the order to restrain them? Or was this an unstable reading, a repercussion of the Helper Killer?

Whatever the underlying cause, the contamination level had escalated by over 10% since that fateful day. Consequently, my gaze, wide with unfeigned astonishment, gravitated towards Yoon Geon-woo.

The instant our blue eyes met, Yoon Geon-woo swiftly withdrew the hand that had been covering my mouth.

“Yoon Geon-woo, are you feeling unwell? Why does your face look like that…”

“It’s because you keep saying such strange things.”

“No… I wasn’t trying to scold you or anything…”

It seemed to be a habit of his to have his ears flush red when flustered, for his earlobes, peeking out from beneath his hair, were entirely crimson. Yoon Geon-woo himself, seemingly surprised by his own impulsive act of covering my mouth, even stammered in a rare display of awkwardness.

‘More troublesome than Bok-sil.’

If I had my way, I would have immediately asked him everything, from the reason for the increased contamination level to whether I could guide him right then and there. But there was no way he would answer me straightforwardly. I was just thinking that I would have to find another way to get the information when, as if the process of distributing firearms to the students had concluded, the Esper teacher’s voice resonated.

“Alright, before we begin the practical session in earnest, I will explain how to use the new taser guns, so listen carefully and don’t miss anything.”

The teacher systematically detailed the dangers and proper usage of the taser guns, then continued.

“First, since a suggestion regarding the safety of the new taser guns has been submitted, we will take this opportunity to conduct a double-check of the issued equipment before proceeding.”

Nice, Han Seon-ho.

It must not have been easy to request a re-inspection of firearms already certified by the institution. Yet, Han Seon-ho had readily granted that difficult favor. Truly, it was the efficient work of a capable class president.

“As I’ve repeatedly stated, the taser guns used for practical training only differ from those used in the field in terms of their power. Pay particular attention to safety.”

The Esper teacher then proceeded to explain the differences between the new and old models. He added that actual taser guns, not the practice-issued ones, were powerful enough for even a single Guide to take down a B-grade demon beast.

“Yoon Geon-woo, I want to check yours for you. Can I?”

“You’ve been quite obsessed with the guns since earlier. Is there someone you want to shoot?”

“Of course not. It’s because it’s *you* that I want to do it.”

“Haa… Why are you always…”

Perhaps surrendering to my relentless persistence, Yoon Geon-woo reluctantly nodded.

Indeed, there’s no tree that won’t fall after ten… no, a hundred swings. I couldn’t help but feel moved that the formidable Yoon Geon-woo, whom I thought I could never fell, had finally extended a branch.

‘Should I try to be a little more friendly?’

When I first befriended Bok-sil, I gave a cute name to what was then merely an nameless black dog behind the dormitory.

So, I wondered, wouldn’t it be nice to address him, who always wore such a sullen expression, by a warm name, just as I had done with Bok-sil?

‘Not a bad idea.’

Things couldn’t get any worse, so what was there to lose? After a brief moment of contemplation, I snatched his taser gun and flashed him a bright smile.

“Just trust me. I’ll check it thoroughly and give it back, Geon-woo.”

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