Chapter 74: The Cruise Party

The day of the 2-night, 3-day cruise party I had been waiting for had arrived.
After lunch, I went to the pier where the cruise was docked with Jinseok and Wonjae.

It would have taken several hours to get to the pier by car, but thanks to an Association-affiliated physical-type ability user, a passage had been created that allowed for direct travel from the Association to the pier.

When we arrived safely at the pier through the passage, I couldn’t help but be surprised by the huge cruise ship that was right in front of me.
I had expected it to be large since it was 20 stories, but seeing it in person, it was as grand as if an entire island were there.

Wonjae was also amazed by the cruise ship and was eager to get on quickly.
As he and I went to the cruise boarding entrance, a staff member who would be in charge of me was waiting.
After greeting the staff member, I also prepared to part with Jinseok for a while.
Because only the Awakened could board the cruise.

“Guide-nim, please be careful. I’ll be waiting on land.”

“Okay. See you in three days.”

We boarded with the staff member, seen off by Jinseok.
The staff member checked my and Wonjae’s guide ID cards, then explained the safety education and precautions and showed us to the rooms where we would be staying for three days.

My room was on the top floor, and Wonjae was to use a room on the floor below.
It seemed they had differentiated the room size and interior composition for each grade.
Wonjae complained about the Association, comparing my room and his.

Listening to his words, I moved to the balcony and looked at the sea.

Originally, the voyage was scheduled to last for a week, but the schedule was shortened to 2 nights and 3 days due to the frequent gate occurrences.
Because of that, they said the schedule was to go around the South Pacific and come back, instead of the usual route.

Since they said it would depart at 4 o’clock, it was in 30 minutes.

After departure, there was a gathering at 5 o’clock where the Association and government Awakened could greet each other.
Since I didn’t know any of the government Awakened except for Sehyun, I was a little looking forward to the meeting.

“Hyung, I want to look around the cruise. Let’s go together.”

“No. I’ll rest in my room a little longer.”

“Then I’ll be back quickly!”

“You can take your time.”

Despite my words, he said he would be back quickly and went out.
I watched him go and lay down on the bed.

Come to think of it, a cruise party had been held every year.
But I had never been able to go.
It was because only S and A-Classes and a few invited B-Classes could attend the cruise party.

The only way I could have attended was as Hyun Taewoon’s exclusive, but he had ignored my words that I wanted to go to the party.
He went to the party every year, but he never took me with him.

It was a place I had really wanted to come to, but now that I was here, it felt strange.
He must have also used the top floor.
He was probably staying in a room on the same floor as me right now.

Was it that hard to bring me here?
Come to think of it, it seemed he had disliked showing me to other people.
Or maybe he had disliked me, so he didn’t want to be with me.

Feeling an unavoidable bitterness, I heard the sound of the ship departing.

As I was blankly watching the ship move, cutting through the waves, an excited Wonjae came into the room.

“Hyung! There’s everything!”

“Really?”

“There’s even a pool on the deck, a movie theater, a musical performance hall, and even a casino!”

I knew what kind of convenience facilities there were because I had received a guide booklet before coming on the cruise.
But seeing his reaction made me curious about the facilities.

“Shall we go and see them one by one after the banquet?”

“Okay!”

At my words, he seemed excited.
Watching him, I started to get ready to move to the banquet hall.

He and I changed into our banquet attire and headed to the banquet hall with the guidance of the staff.
The banquet hall was larger than I had thought, and the people who had arrived early were already sitting in their seats.

Since there were separate seats for the S-Class Awakened, I ended up sitting apart from him, who was an A-Class.

The round tables could seat seven people each, and there were names written at each seat.
Four people were already sitting at my table, and they were all government-affiliated Awakened.

As I awkwardly sat in the seat with my name tag, fortunately, a female Awakened who was sitting across from me greeted me.

As I also greeted her, the people at the table became interested in me and greeted me.

Unlike me, they were all extroverted people, so they approached me without hesitation.
It was the first time I had seen the Awakened at the table, but they all seemed to know me.

They all approached me friendly, saying they wanted to meet me.
Perhaps because we were the same S-Class, there was a sense of comfort that was different from with other grades.

I was chatting with the Awakened when I heard a familiar voice from behind.

“Shinui-ssi.”

When I turned around, Sehyun was there, dressed in a black banquet suit.

“Sehyun-ssi!”

He sat right next to me.
Since I had been waiting to meet him, I greeted him warmly.

“We’re sitting next to each other?”

“Yes. I used my power this time.”

He said with a smile.
At his appearance, the table became even more lively.
Now, only one seat was empty at the table.

The moment I was about to check the name tag to see who it was, I felt his wavelength.
And the chair next to me moved.

When I looked to the side, I saw him, with his hair neatly styled, unlike usual.
He looked more impeccable than ever.
I didn’t want to admit it, but he was handsome.

I wanted to ignore him, who was all dressed up, but he spoke to me.

“You’re early?”

“Yeah.”

“You look great today.”

While he looked even better himself.
I didn’t answer anymore and looked at the host who was announcing the start of the banquet.

Originally, there was supposed to be a greeting from the Association President and the head of the government, but this time, their representatives gave the greetings, and the banquet began.

“Shinui-ssi, do you have any plans for today?”

He asked.
Since I hadn’t made any specific plans, I shook my head.

“I was going to look around and then decide.”

“Then shall I show you around the inside?”

“I think I’ll probably be looking around with my brother.”

Since I had already made a prior engagement to look around with him, I refused with a sorry face.

“I’ll show your brother around too. I know this place well.”

“I’ll ask him.”

He must have been listening to our conversation, as he chimed in.

“I can show you around.”

“I don’t need it.”

I had no desire to spend time with him here, so I said it flatly.
And since I didn’t want him to talk to me anymore, I moved my chair closer to him.

He looked at me with a disappointed face, but it was detestable to see him act like this now when he had never once brought me to a party.

I didn’t even look at him and talked to him, and then I approached him when we were moving to the party hall.

He had already made friends with people and was talking with guides without distinguishing between the Association and the government.
Relieved at that, I approached him and asked about his offer.

“Wonjae.”

“Hyung!”

At the sight of me, his expression brightened, and he took my wrist.

“An Esper from the government said he would show us around the cruise. Is that okay?”

“Which government Esper?”

He turned his head to my table.
When I also looked at the table, he and he were looking at us.

“Is the Esper who said he would show us around Cha Sehyun?”

“Yeah.”

“I don’t want to.”

As soon as he confirmed the identity of the government Esper, he said he didn’t want to flatly.
I had no choice but to ask back.

“Why?”

“I was really looking forward to spending time with you on the cruise today. I don’t want anyone else to join us.”

At his adamant refusal, I knew that he would refuse no matter what I said.

“Okay. I’ll go and refuse.”

I was also looking forward to spending time with him on the cruise, so I nodded and went back to the table.

“Sehyun-ssi, I think I’ll have to look around with my brother.”

“That’s a shame. But you’ll make time for me, right?”

“Of course.”

He also looked at him with a face as if he didn’t like him, just like him.
I ignored that and joined him, moving to the party hall.

But I couldn’t see his figure.
I knew he was coming today, but since he wasn’t here, I couldn’t help but wonder.
As I was looking around for him, he spoke to me.

“Hyung, I talked to the government guides this time, and I think they’re good people.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I think it would be good to hang out with them tomorrow.”

“If you want to, then do that.”

At my words, he drank champagne and thought about what to do.
Meanwhile, I was just holding my champagne glass.
Since strange things always happened when I drank, I decided to refrain from it while I was here.

“Hyung, all the Espers are looking at us. Or is it just you?”

No sooner had his words ended than an Esper from the government approached.
Looking at his name tag, he was an A-Class Esper.
Besides him, Espers came up to me one by one, and I was in the middle of an awkward conversation with strangers.

I felt his wavelength, which had always been hidden.
Since his wavelength was an energy wavelength that other Awakened could also feel, everyone seemed to have noticed.

“Shinui-ssi, I’m here.”

When he put his arm around my shoulder, the other Espers were already far away.

“When did you come?”

I said, swatting his hand away.
Even at my action, he looked down at me with gentle eyes.

“A little while ago. You’ve had a lot of hard things lately, so relax and have fun. But not with Espers.”

“What did you say?”

I asked back, dumbfounded at his behavior, which was like he was acting as my lover.

“I’m saying you shouldn’t cheat on me and leave me.”

He said, and then gave me a short kiss on my head and disappeared with a teleport.
He, who had been watching him, brushed my head with a disgusted face.

“So he finally came. He should have just stayed cooped up at home like usual.”

“I know. I just wish he wouldn’t approach me while I’m here.”

Hyun Taewoon and Sung Yohan.
For some reason, I had a premonition that the 2 nights and 3 days on the cruise would not pass peacefully.