Chapter 38: Checkmate

I took the government employee’s car and headed to the house the Association had provided for me.
Even as we moved, I could see an Association vehicle following behind.
Seeing that, I had a feeling they would keep following me.

As soon as I arrived at the apartment’s main entrance, I ran to the elevator.
I could feel a government employee chasing after me.

I got on the elevator just like that, but Jinseok quickly caught up.

“Guide-nim! Let’s talk!”

Fortunately, the government employee blocked Jinseok, but still, Jinseok struggled desperately and said.

“It’s a misunderstanding! The Association said they would follow all of your wishes.”

I didn’t answer and just watched the elevator door close.
As soon as I grabbed the contract from my house and came down to the first floor, I saw the government employee being suppressed by the Association’s Espers.
Since this was practically the Association’s territory, I had expected this situation to some extent.

Since I couldn’t leave from the first floor in this state, I went down to the basement.
But as if they had anticipated this, Association people were also waiting in the basement.

A man in a black suit and glasses who was waiting in front of the elevator approached me.
It was the Esper who had caught me at the factory before.
As soon as I saw him, my guard went up.

“I am Kim Jooho, the team leader of Security Team 1 of the Association. Where are you going now?”

“Do I have to tell you every single place I go?”

At my sharp tone, the security team leader frowned slightly.

“You can’t leave if you don’t tell me.”

“And you’ll let me go if I do?”

“That depends on where you’re going.”

The security team leader said, approaching me.
At his threatening demeanor, I reflexively took a step back.

“I’m going to the government.”

“Entry to the government is prohibited.”

“I know. But the Association was the one who didn’t fulfill the contract first.”

“Guide Lee Shinui is still a member of the Association. And the Association President wishes to speak with you.”

The smiling face of the Association President at the time of signing the contract came to mind, and I felt resentful.
He must have anticipated this situation.

“Now? It’s too late.”

I tried to walk past the security team leader, but he caught me.

“If you don’t follow, we will have to respond with force.”

A coldness flowed between me and the security team leader.
And then, the elevator door opened, and Jinseok got out.

“Guide-nim!”

He, who was hurriedly approaching me, was greatly surprised to see the security team leader.
But he soon returned to his usual expression and said to the security team leader.

“The guide has a misunderstanding, so I’ll go and talk to him for a moment.”

At Jinseok’s words, the security team leader nodded.
It was probably because he knew that Jinseok was my manager.

Jinseok grabbed my wrist and moved away from the security team leader.
He then whispered so only I could hear.

“The current situation is not good. I think it would be best to do as the Association says for now.”

As Jinseok said, it didn’t look like the Association would let me go.
After all, I had been in contact with the government, of all things.

“You were going to the government, weren’t you?”

“Yes.”

“The Association is in a state of emergency because of what happened yesterday. I’ll help you get to the government, so I think it would be best for you to stay at home for the time being.”

“For how long?”

“I will help you do as you wish within a week.”

A week was too late.
I already had a deep distrust of the Association, so I didn’t want to find a compromise with them anymore.

“That’s too late.”

“Guide-nim, please trust me.”

Jinseok pleaded with desperate eyes, but it was still difficult to trust him.
However, since I couldn’t go to the government in this situation, it seemed best to follow his words for now.

One week.
I just had to endure for one week.

“I understand. Please keep your promise.”

At my words, Jinseok finally relaxed his expression and approached the security team leader.

“He said he won’t go. I think it would be best to go to the Association when the guide has calmed down.”

“I understand. I will report to the Association President.”

The security team leader bowed to me and meekly got into the car with his subordinates.
But the car didn’t move, as if they were still watching me.

“Then let’s go up to the house.”

I nodded silently and went back up to the house with Jinseok.
Jinseok said he fully understood my situation and promised to take me to the government if my mind didn’t change even after talking to the Association President one more time.

And so, the next day, I met with the Association President.
As before, they agreed to do everything I wanted, but I still didn’t trust them.

Even though three days had passed since I had talked with the Association President, there were still many eyes on me.
The Association staff seemed to know that I had been in contact with the government.
Their gazes were like they were looking at a traitor, so I judged that it would be difficult to stay at the Association like this.
As expected, it seemed I would have to leave the Association with the government’s help.

I had been at the Center for three years.
I still knew the geography of the Center well enough to remember it.
There were many ways to leave without being seen by the Association and the Center people.

Jinseok had earnestly advised me not to wander around for the time being, but I prepared to go to the government.
I planned to pretend to be training, slip out, and use an electric car from the managers’ underground parking lot to go to the government alone.

I could feel people’s gazes on me all the way from my house to the training wing.
After arriving at the S-Class Guide exclusive training room, I started training as usual.

Soon, it was lunchtime, so I moved to have lunch with Jinseok.
I caught him as he was about to go to the S-Class exclusive restaurant and asked.

“Can’t we eat outside today?”

“Why? Is there something you want to eat?”

“I’m conscious of people’s gazes. I think Korean food would be good for lunch.”

“I understand. After about a week, the Association will stop watching you.”

And so, Jinseok and I moved to the underground parking lot.
I gradually slowed my pace to let him walk ahead and turned my gaze to the electric car.
As expected, it was there.

Since it was the first basement level, I just had to get in the car and go up to the ground floor and then to the government.

After confirming that Jinseok had moved to his car, I moved to the electric car so as not to make a sound.
And the moment I got in the car, Jinseok noticed that I was gone.

“Guide-nim!”

At his shout, I immediately recognized my guide ID card and started the car.
And with a quick speed, I passed him and went up to the ground floor.
It was an escape that was possible because I was familiar with the geography of the training wing and the Center.

Fortunately, there were no cars chasing me on the way to the government.
It was an hour’s drive to the government building, but if I sped up, I would arrive sooner.

I thought an Association Esper might appear in the middle, but it was quiet until I arrived at the building.
If it was a relief, it was a relief.

As an Association car approached the government, I could see the security guards on alert.
I stopped the car at the main gate and got out.
Before long, I saw the head of the Awakened Human Rights Protection Department, whom I had seen a few days ago, coming out.

“Guide Shinui, we were worried because we hadn’t heard from you.”

“Let’s go inside quickly.”

Until this point, I had believed that the government would fully help me.
But as I listened to their story, I felt that something was going wrong.

“On the condition that we help, we would like you to join the government, Guide Lee Shinui.”

“I have no intention of becoming an affiliated guide.”

“It will be difficult as long as you have awakened as an S-Class. We will serve you with better conditions than the Association.”

“Then are you saying you won’t help me if I say I won’t join the government?”

At my words, the head of the human rights protection department just smiled and didn’t add anything.
It was as good as getting an answer.

“I think I was mistaken.”

“It won’t be a bad condition. We can make sure that Esper Hyun Taewoon never approaches you.”

As expected, the government seemed to be aware that I was rejecting him.
It was just amazing how they had obtained such secret information.

“That’s okay.”

I didn’t want him to influence my life even after I returned to the past.
And I was tired of myself running away from him now.

I stood up just like that.
Even without the government’s help, I would be able to get out of the Association on my own.

Since I had let the Association know that I could also negotiate with the government this time, the Association would surely be watching my every move, and it wasn’t a bad situation.

As I came outside after being seen off by the government employee, Sung Yohan was standing at the main gate.
He waved lightly when he saw me come out.

“How did you know I was here?”

“From the moment you left the Center.”

I was puzzled by his actions of not catching me even though he could have if he had seen me leave the Center.

“Why did you just let me go even though you knew I was going to the government?”

“Because I thought it would be fun.”

I couldn’t help but be flustered at his words.
Fun?
I couldn’t understand his thoughts at all.

“Let’s go to the Center now.”

He said, opening the passenger door of the electric car I had come in.
I glared at him and sat in the passenger seat with a displeased expression.
He, with a completely unconcerned face, closed the door, sat in the driver’s seat, and started the car.
After about 5 minutes, he opened his mouth.

“You can’t get out of the Association, Shinui-ssi.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because I’ll stop you.”

I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye.
He had a relaxed expression with the corners of his mouth turned up.

“What’s the reason for stopping me?”

“Because I’ve never met anyone as interesting as you, and I like you. And there’s no Esper who would just watch his pair run away.”

My head throbbed as he was added to the many problems I already had to deal with.
I didn’t answer and closed my eyes deeply.

Fortunately, he didn’t say anything more.
And so, we arrived at the Center.
It was quiet, as if they didn’t know I had run away.

“No one knows you ran away. I used my ability a little. So, will you guide me? My guiding level has dropped a little.”

“I don’t want to.”

“If you guide me, I might grant you a wish.”

“Then will you let me out of here if I do it?”

“Yes. But I’ll catch you again.”

I let out a dry laugh at his words, finding them absurd.
He also laughed when he saw me.
It was a laugh that implied that I would never be able to escape.