Chapter 23: A Tentative Morning

Having shed a slight burden from his heart, and having spent the entire weekend languidly intertwined with his bed, Jung Hanseol set out for work with a noticeably lighter spirit. He glanced up at the exceptionally clear and bright sky, adjusted his backpack, and began his walk at a leisurely pace.

Even walking slowly, he could reach the office in about fifteen minutes. The house the company provided him upon his employment was spacious enough for three generations to live in without feeling cramped, and its proximity to the office meant he never had to rush, even if he occasionally overslept. It was a perfect fit.

He also appreciated the convenience of nearby facilities like convenience stores, cafes, and pharmacies. It was an environment incomparably more pleasant than the orphanage where he had to share a single, narrow room with many others.

Reflecting on the complete transformation of his living situation since joining the company solidified his resolve to stay there for a long, long time. Yet, when he recalled the precarious tightrope walk of the previous week, after being reassigned to Team 1, a pang of unease would prick at his nose, and his confidence would waver.

‘Will I be able to eat a proper lunch today?’ Jung Hanseol wondered, entering the familiar convenience store on his commute to pick out a triangle kimbap. Last week, by sheer luck and perfect timing, he had enjoyed a meal worthy of the name for the first time in ages, but there was no guarantee he would be so fortunate again today. He couldn’t keep tiptoeing around Ryu Yishin forever.

‘Then, inevitably…’

‘I’ll have no choice but to ask the team leader, will I? It’s a little… no, a lot scary, but…’

Even if he was a cold-blooded man with no trace of pity, he surely wouldn’t be so cruel as to prevent someone from eating. Forcing himself to think positively, Jung Hanseol made a difficult resolution after much deliberation. He would choose the right moment to ask Ryu Yishin if he could go to lunch. Perhaps right before a guiding session, or when the team leader actually had a faint smile on his face…

“…Phew.”

Still, just in case, Jung Hanseol haphazardly stuffed the triangle kimbap and banana milk he had bought into his bag, then quickened his steps. He had felt light-hearted when he left home, but the thought of questioning Ryu Yishin quickly made his chest feel heavy and uncomfortable, as if a stone had settled there. Pressing down on his heart, he walked until he arrived at the company building.

Jung Hanseol passed through the main gate, the first hurdle, crossed the lobby, ascended the elevator, and arrived directly in front of Team 1’s entrance. He took a light, deep breath. Hoping this week would be a bit more peaceful than the last, he scanned his employee ID and fingerprint in turn. Jung Hanseol usually arrived early, so the office was often empty, but today, the air spilling from the open door felt strangely buoyant, unlike previous days, making him tilt his head in curiosity.

“Oh, Hanseol! Do you usually come in at this time?”

“Ah, hello.”

As he stepped inside, cautiously looking around to gauge the atmosphere, a cheerful greeting echoed through the office, directed at Jung Hanseol. He turned his head to see Yoo Gyeongjun standing by the water cooler, holding a paper cup. Judging by his unreserved greeting and relaxed expression, it seemed Ryu Yishin, the team’s public enemy number one, had not yet arrived.

“Huh… Senior, are we allowed to greet him…?”

Jung Hanseol glanced at Ryu Yishin’s firmly closed door, then finally noticed a man mixing instant coffee. The man, who spoke cautiously to Yoo Gyeongjun with a terrified expression, seemed oddly out of place; despite his tough-looking demeanor, he was hunched over, shrinking into himself.

“The team leader isn’t here yet, so what?”

“Even so… if the team leader finds out…”

The man conversing with Yoo Gyeongjun, maintaining a dark, worried expression, was Choi Jiho, an Esper whose desk was quite close to Ryu Yishin’s office. He was always stiff and tense in the office, making even those who watched him swallow dryly in sympathy. Yoo Gyeongjun encouraged him, patting Choi Jiho’s shoulder a couple of times before nudging him closer to Jung Hanseol.

“Stop mumbling and just say hello, kid. Hanseol, this is Choi Jiho, the youngest on our team. Ah, wait, is Hanseol the youngest now?”

“Hello! My name is Choi Jiho!”

“Ah… yes. Hello. My name is Jung Hanseol…”

Jung Hanseol hadn’t known their exact ages, and it was notoriously difficult to guess the ages of people on this team based solely on appearance, so he had given up trying to speculate. However, hearing that Choi Jiho was the youngest suggested he was the youngest in the team.

‘Perhaps he’s around my age or slightly older,’ Jung Hanseol thought, accepting Choi Jiho’s greeting with a gentle smile. It seemed Choi Jiho, like the other team members, had only pretended not to know him because of Ryu Yishin, not out of any malice.

“Why are you greeting him so timidly? Hanseol, he might look fierce, but he’s the most innocent guy. You two are probably closest in age, so try to get along. Oh, only when the team leader isn’t around, of course.”

“Senior, fierce? What about me is fierce…?”

Yoo Gyeongjun, seemingly displeased with Choi Jiho’s tone, playfully chided him and slapped his arm. Choi Jiho winced as if the spot Yoo Gyeongjun hit hurt, grumbling his complaints. The immediate sense that their senior-junior relationship, despite its hierarchy, wasn’t overly strict brought a small smile to Jung Hanseol’s lips. He had noticed it the first time he spoke with the team members, but it seemed their camaraderie was quite good, excluding Ryu Yishin.

“It’s a bit late, but thank you for guiding me that day. I really thought I was going to die.”

“Ah… no, it was nothing…”

“Nothing?! The effect was incredible!”

As Choi Jiho, rubbing his arm, offered his belated thanks and gave a thumbs-up, Jung Hanseol awkwardly scratched his cheek. He had guided him on a whim, but knowing it had helped made his heart feel much lighter. Jung Hanseol let out a breath of relief, and as he subtly curved his lips into a smile, the office door opened, and an urgent voice burst in first. Everyone’s gaze instantly darted in that direction.

“The team leader’s here, the team leader!”

The person who then appeared and rushed inside was Gwon Jiwook, one of Team 1’s A-rank Guides. As soon as the words were heard, Yoo Gyeongjun and Choi Jiho’s expressions instantly stiffened, and Gwon Jiwook, pale, quickly scurried to his seat.

Choi Jiho swallowed his still steaming instant coffee in one gulp and rushed to his desk. Yoo Gyeongjun nodded at Jung Hanseol as if to tell him to sit down quickly, then sat at his own desk. Jung Hanseol, quickly sensing the atmosphere, swiftly hung his bag on his chair and sat down, straightening his posture.

Amidst the strange tension that permeated the office, everyone was on edge, casting wary glances, when Ryu Yishin, his striking and handsome features evident despite his obvious fatigue, finally appeared.

“Good morning, Team Leader.”

As if on cue, the three of them simultaneously sprang to their feet and bowed towards Ryu Yishin. He waved a hand dismissively in the air, then stopped mid-stride and directed his gaze towards Jung Hanseol’s seat. Jung Hanseol, having also risen awkwardly from his chair to greet him, following the other team members, couldn’t help but meet Ryu Yishin’s eyes the moment he lifted his head.

Ryu Yishin merely gave a slight nod toward Jung Hanseol, who was frozen by the oppressive tension, then walked straight into his office. Of course, he offered no further explanation, leaving Jung Hanseol to infer the meaning of the nod on his own.

“…”

Fortunately, he wasn’t entirely oblivious. Jung Hanseol sarcastically thought that the perceptiveness he had cultivated while growing up in the orphanage since his hazy childhood memories would be put to use here, then strode towards Ryu Yishin’s room. His nod likely meant for him to enter his office. No, his instincts already confirmed that meaning and had brought Jung Hanseol’s body right to Ryu Yishin’s door.

“Team Leader…”

Unaware of the three pairs of sympathetic eyes on his back, Jung Hanseol gently knocked on the door with a lightly clenched fist, then subtly stepped inside. Taking a deep breath, he inadvertently glanced at the black leather sofa, swallowing hard as familiar memories resurfaced.

‘Focus properly.’

It was just a high-end leather sofa that looked expensive, neither flashy nor unusual, yet his eyes kept drifting to it. Naturally, the memory of sitting beside Ryu Yishin on that very sofa and kissing him was the first to surface, and even the sound of his voice grew vividly clear. Jung Hanseol’s heart, oblivious to his discomfort, began to pound rapidly, reverberating throughout his body.

A tickling sensation seemed to spread somewhere unreachable within him. His feet, still confined in sneakers as he hadn’t yet changed into slippers, twitched in an attempt to shake off that subtle feeling. Chewing hard on the inside of his cheek, Jung Hanseol pushed the persistent memories of the past aside, then, feigning nonchalance, fully entered the office and closed the door.

“Is there something you need me to do…?”

Jung Hanseol, feeling awkward because Ryu Yishin had summoned him with a glance but remained silent, bravely spoke first. Ryu Yishin was sitting in what was clearly an expensive and comfortable executive chair, pressing his temples. He merely gestured with his chin, not even looking at Jung Hanseol.

‘What? Does he want me to leave again? If so, why call me in?’

This time, Jung Hanseol hesitated, unable to immediately grasp the meaning of the nod, prompting Ryu Yishin to finally speak, his voice tinged with slight annoyance.

“Sit there.”

“Ah… yes.”

It seemed understanding Ryu Yishin’s preference for non-verbal communication would be the top priority for adapting to this place. Jung Hanseol sat on the sofa as gently as possible, ensuring the leather didn’t creak in a way that would displease him, keeping his knees together and his hands carefully placed on his thighs.

The team leader continued to press his temples without clearly stating his purpose, fueling the questions that arose in Jung Hanseol’s mind. However, Jung Hanseol decided not to try and discern his inner thoughts. His suspicion that Ryu Yishin might possess the ability to read minds and thoughts was still very much valid.