Chapter 39: The Center Knocks First

“Visit your nearest center right now!
You too might be a Special Ability User!
The Korea Special Ability Support Agency is here for you!”

In the end, we bought a new TV.

Neither Jaeyul nor I watched TV often, but today and yesterday, we spent time together watching new movies and dramas.

The excuse was to monitor his health.

But in truth, we were quietly checking the outside situation.

The explosion Jaeyul caused had a much bigger aftermath than expected, and we were waiting for things to calm down.

Then a strange commercial came on.

A popular idol group cheerfully advertised the Special Ability Support Agency.

“Hyung, should I go there too?”

“…What…?”

Maybe because of that commercial — Jaeyul suddenly said something absurd.

That place…?

Media influence is terrifying.

Naive people watch ads and start thinking that as soon as they enter the Agency — the Center — their lives will become luxurious.

“Well… I don’t really think you should go. They say thirty percent of the people who enter die within a year, and about fifty percent die within three years. It’s too dangerous.”

“That many…?”

Actually, that information is confidential.

If people knew that half of the ability users who completed the academy and entered field duty died within three years, no one would sign up.

Not even for a high salary.

“I heard it from someone who used to work there, so it’s reliable. But why did you suddenly think about this?”

“Well… I heard the salary is huge as long as you get in. Then you wouldn’t have to work so hard because of money anymore.”

“Ah…”

I never talked about money in front of him.

Complaining wouldn’t magically create more money.

It’s not like we were starving, either.

But poverty can’t be hidden forever.

And honestly, it’d be strange if he didn’t notice.

“And even if you don’t join the Center, you still have to report it… right?”

That’s right.

You have to register with the Support Agency.

After getting a rank assigned and being officially acknowledged as an ability user, you can refuse to join the Center, but if your rank is high enough, they’ll drag you in one way or another.

Most people want to join anyway.

“Let’s think about that later. First we should make sure you’re healthy. And never choose something like that because of money, okay? Your grades, body, and now your awakening — you can do anything you want later.”

I hated this topic.

But I couldn’t just forbid him from joining the Center either.

My dislike for that place is purely personal.

It’s not a feeling I have the right to force on Jaeyul.

Besides — ‘X’ fighting for peace in the Special Ability Center?

Impossible.

The resentment he holds toward the world is too large.

No matter what anyone says, Jaeyul would never join the Center.

“Well… yeah. As long as I have you, I don’t care where I go. Still, wait a little. I’ll make a lot of money and retire you before you turn thirty.”

What a dreamlike thing to say.

Thirty years old…

By then, more than half the world might already be in ruins.

Because of your hands.

But sometimes I wondered…

Would he still become ‘X’ this time?

Just as my life changed, perhaps his did too.

Maybe this time, things could unfold differently.

Maybe my presence changed his path.

But seeing him casually annihilate the entire Six-Point Star, that hope disappeared.

People don’t change at their core.

He may look cute and young in my eyes, but fundamentally, Jaeyul is ‘X’.

“I’m not joking, hyung.”

Honestly, it still didn’t feel real that this gentle kid was the same ‘X’ I knew.

It was hard to connect him to the world’s destruction.

“Really? Then I’ll look forward to it.”

Well, he only just awakened.

He was still immature.

‘X’ had walked out of the Gate years later than this.

In this garbage world, there’s plenty of time for a person to change a dozen times.

“Watch the house with Ppoppi. I’ll just check on the shop.”

“I should go with you, just in case.”

“I told you I’m fine. Are you going to treat me like a kid forever? You oversized brat, acting all cheeky.”

I reached out and pinched his cheek.

It was just teasing.

Looking at his body, Jaeyul was nowhere near “small.”

His arms, hands, height — all much bigger than mine.

It was just me joking to ease the mood.

“Haa… You packed your phone, right? Call immediately if something happens.”

“I packed it. I’ll be back soon. Just eat the snacks I left in the kitchen and relax.”

I left the house, tone deliberately light.

When I was with him, I always raised my voice half a tone, acting cheerful.

All of it was for Jaeyul.

The moment the door closed, the smile fell off my face.

“…Haa.”

Things were worse than I liked.

The news was full of explosion coverage.

Some said it was a Gate Breaker.

Others claimed it was a foreign attack.

Days passed, and the chaos didn’t quiet at all.

The Light Bomb Jaeyul used had blasted hundreds of meters into a crater.

Like a meteor strike.

But the strangest part:

Despite countless witnesses, not a single interview appeared in the media.

Also, the Support Agency — which oversaw both the Center and the Academy — only released a generic “we’re investigating all possibilities” statement.

Frustrated, I stepped outside.

I needed to inspect the store, and collect rumors.

First, I needed to talk to someone who knew these things well.

With my destination in mind, I hurried.

“Hey, uncle. How have you been?”

“Oh! Why haven’t you come by lately? Must be making lots of money these days, huh?”

The local antique dealer — a man who knew every rumor in the neighborhood.

He always tried to scam customers, so his shop was always empty, but he greeted me warmly.

Just that greeting gave me several answers.

“Money? I’m about to starve to death.”

It seemed rumors about me and Jaeyul hadn’t spread much.

If they had, this straightforward uncle wouldn’t be smiling like that.

I relaxed slightly and continued chatting as usual.

“Oh! You saw that explosion nearby, right? It’s been chaos. Outsiders keep coming and going, so everyone is scared and keeping their shops closed.”

“Ah… so that’s why the neighborhood is so quiet.”

“Don’t even talk about it. Those Agency bastards swarmed the streets this morning too.”

“…So did you hear anything? I’ve been curious.”

“I told the Agency I didn’t know anything, but… I did hear a rumor.”

“A rumor?”

He lowered his voice and leaned in dramatically, even though no one else was around.

“They say the Six-Point Star got wiped out in the explosion. Turns out all of them were gathered in their office at the time, so not a single one survived.”

“…Why did the explosion even happen?”

I skipped everything I already knew, keeping my acting on point.

“That’s the important part…”

The uncle looked around again, leaned even closer.

His paranoia made my chest tighten a little.

“People who were there said… it was an Esper. They said they saw someone walking out from the center of the explosion! But all the witnesses were criminals, so the Agency doesn’t seem to be paying attention.”

Of course…

I had expected this.

Too many people had rushed out after the noise.

Someone seeing Jaeyul walking out unharmed wasn’t surprising.

And wiping out not only a city block but an entire mercenary group?

Rumors were inevitable.

I forced myself to stay calm.

“So who do they think it was?”

“No clue. Everyone’s saying different things. Some idiot said it was a monster. But at least it wasn’t someone from this neighborhood. They said it was someone they’d never seen before.”

…That was good.

Ppoppi’s appearance must have confused them.

Some said it was a monster’s doing, some said it was a person.

That would make the investigation harder.

I just needed to keep Jaeyul away from the area for a while.

I bought the uncle a coffee and left the shop.

We exchanged wishes to “stay safe,” given the grim atmosphere.

I didn’t even check on my own store — I didn’t want to linger outside longer than necessary.

All things considered, this was better than I feared.

As long as Jaeyul’s identity remained hidden, that was enough.

But my relief was premature.

The moment I walked inside my house, I saw unfamiliar shoes.

And unfamiliar voices.

“Wow, you said you did judo for years? No wonder your build is amazing! And you manifested as a dominant Alpha too?”

A somewhat obnoxious voice chattered loudly.

“…Yes, well…”

Two people in all-black uniforms — a man and a woman.

Opposite them sat Jaeyul, face stiff and unimpressed.

Even without seeing their faces, I knew exactly who they were.

Agents from the Special Ability Support Agency.