Chapter 18: The Lunatic’s Substitute Is Also a Lunatic

“You said it yourself at Legion. You don’t hate me—you just don’t have time or emotional bandwidth for dating…”

He had said that, yes. But the point wasn’t “I don’t hate you.” It was “I have no time and no heart to spare.”

If he’d known this would happen, he would’ve corrected it to “I actually hate you too.” Too late.

“So?”

“What do you mean ‘so’? When there’s a problem, you solve it. If one side has no time, the other side matches their schedule. If one side has no emotional room, you wait until there is. That’s why I’m syncing my entire life to yours right now. Eventually you’ll have room in your heart, right?”

He said it so casually.

Lee Chae frantically searched for a logical flaw, but—regrettably—couldn’t find one.

It felt like he’d been possessed.

A huge rock sat on his chest; breathing was hard.

In times like this, the only option was to retreat one step and redraw the battle plan.

“…Got it. I’ll think about it.”

As soon as the dazed answer left his mouth, Haejin’s hand landed on his head.

He ruffled his hair twice, then smiled that trademark smile.

“Good boy. I have to go hunting for a few days—an unavoidable fight. You’ll have to walk around alone for a while.”

“Oh… perfect— I mean, fight well.”

“Eat properly, study hard, write down the names of any flies that stick to you, and always use pads for cleanup crew guiding. Those are my demands.”

Normally he would’ve snapped back, but the news that Haejin was leaving made him so happy he nodded enthusiastically.

Got it, now please disappear forever. Hope the gate never closes.

He muttered inwardly and headed to the cleanup crew.

Haejin was probably still following, but starting tomorrow he’d be free—so it barely bothered him.

Habits are terrifying.

The next morning, as Lee Chae stepped out for school, he instinctively scanned the street.

Realizing Haejin was really gone, a huge grin spread across his face.

Walking into the lecture hall before class, he checked the front row first—empty.

No one to disturb the sacred lecture time.

The weight that had been crushing his chest lifted; it felt refreshingly clear.

Too clear.

Almost… cold.

Then he noticed something strange.

His body temperature was dropping.

He remembered a Guiding Studies lesson: physical changes between imprinted esper and guide.

But they’d only done one contact guiding session—too little for imprint symptoms.

While confusion swirled, a voice cut in.

“Well, well. If it isn’t the rude-ass guide Jung Lee Chae.”

He turned.

Some thug he didn’t recognize was picking a fight with a cocky grin.

“Who are you? Do I know you?”

The guy’s face twisted in disbelief.

“Fck, that’s cold. Hanging off Cha Haejin made you think you’re hot sht now?”

Lee Chae studied him.

Actually… the face was vaguely familiar.

“Wow, I’m hurt. Remember the Guiding class a while back?”

Ah. The “fly” Haejin had mentioned.

Now that he knew, Lee Chae saw no reason to respond.

He turned back to his book.

“Wow, this bastard’s ignoring me again?”

Cursing, then a hand shot under his chin.

In an instant his collar was yanked up.

He glared.

The guy glared back harder.

“I don’t like owing debts.”

Guys who resorted to violence right away were actually easier.

Lee Chae recited calmly, eyes steady:

“Under no circumstances may an esper use violence against a guide responsible for their safety. This rule is strictly enforced outside combat. Violation results in—”

SLAP.

A huge hand flew.

Lee Chae’s cheek whipped to the side.

Burning heat spread across his face.

An esper who hit a guide while the guide was reciting their rights?

Even the worst delinquents feared headquarters.

Shocked, Lee Chae just blinked.

Then an unfamiliar voice chimed in.

“Wow, so this is why hyung told me to watch closely.”

Still grabbed by the collar, he turned.

A stranger was smiling brightly at him.

The vibe screamed “another lunatic on Haejin’s level.”

“Hello! Jung Lee Chae-ssi, I’m A-class scout esper Yoon Jae-hyung.”

Still collared, Lee Chae was stunned both by the polite greeting in this situation and by the fact that an A-class wasn’t on the front lines.

“You don’t know me, but I know you very well. So I already feel super close~”

“…Ah, yes, sure?”

Worst timing for introductions.

He wanted out of the grip, but the strength difference was too big.

“And you are?” Jae-hyung asked the thug, still smiling.

Both Lee Chae and the thug stared, baffled by the random question.

The innocent boy-face suddenly turned ice-cold.

“Hey, when someone talks, at least pretend to listen. Either let go of the collar or answer my question. Where the hell did you learn manners so sh*tty?”

“…What? You little—”

The hand on the collar trembled—not from fear, from shock.

“I’m our mom’s bastard, thanks.”

Jae-hyung forced the hand off with a twist.

Lee Chae stared, trying to process what was happening.

The guy was grinning like a mischievous kid—infuriatingly charming.

The thug fumed.

“You keep pushing and you think I’m a joke?”

Jae-hyung answered instantly.

“Yes! You’re hilarious. Kinda pathetic too? No—fck! You didn’t even answer my question, why are you asking me sht?”

The thug finally asked, scowling.

“Why do you need my name?”

“Because Haejin-hyung told me to write down the names of every fly that sticks to Lee Chae-ssi. I wanted to join the fight, but I’m stuck babysitting trash like you. So am I in a good mood? Or a bad mood? Use your brain. Is this the time to back off or bark like a horny dog?”

Polite words, razor-sharp thorns.

If Haejin spoke with a rag in his mouth, Jae-hyung spoke with a knife.

Even Lee Chae, who should’ve been sitting and reading by now, couldn’t look away.

“Oh, in case you missed it earlier—I’m A-class esper Yoon Jae-hyung. If your ears aren’t clogged, take your slapped cheek and f*ck off before it gets more embarrassing.”

SLAP.

The sound echoed.

Everyone’s mouths dropped.

Lee Chae’s heart raced—would the thug lunge and turn this into a full brawl?

“I don’t like owing debts either. I’m on watch, and Lee Chae-ssi got slapped? When Haejin-hyung comes back, I’m the one getting beaten. So I paid it forward. Now you’re embarrassed—bye.”

The thug’s friends appeared, looking ready for a gang fight—but no, they just dragged their humiliated friend away.

“Crazy bastard, you don’t mess with Cha Haejin’s people. Let’s go. Uh… sorry, you two. He’s immature. Have a good class.”

Whether they realized they were outmatched or were simply scared of an even crazier lunatic, the thug left without a word, pulled by his friends.

Lee Chae, unused to this kind of scene, gave an awkward bow.

Jae-hyung’s face instantly switched back to warm, eyes curving into crescents.

Pretty, boyish, almost innocent.

Scout esper, huh… no wonder he’s got that face that mesmerizes people.

Even someone as indifferent as Lee Chae kept staring—he rationalized it that way.

“Phew… honestly, even after hyung told me, I didn’t believe it. No matter how pretty, who clings that hard? I thought he was just whipped. If I hadn’t been watching, you’d have been in real trouble. Your cheek okay?”

He seemed genuinely kind.

Lee Chae usually snarled at unknown espers, but there was no need to be cold to someone showing pure goodwill.

“Yeah, doesn’t hurt much. Yoon Jae-hyung, right? Thank you.”

“Nah, I’m just saving my own skin.”

Saving his own skin…

Right—he’d said he’d take the beating from Haejin if anything happened to Lee Chae.

Only then did it sink in.

Everything that just happened had been orchestrated by Cha Haejin’s hands.

He was still being toyed with, even from hundreds of kilometers away.