Chapter 87: A Battlefield Romance, or a Thriller?

“So, the two of you are that kind of couple?”

“No, it’s really complicated. We are that kind of couple, but we’re not dating.”

“What kind of strange talk is that now?”

As expected, upon their arrival at the lodging, Chae-jun and Kang Ah-jun were engaged in a conversation that sounded like a comedic skit. Kang Ah-jun, already aware of Sa-yoon and Han Do-hoon’s relationship, was desperately trying to explain, while Chae-jun sighed, utterly baffled by the incomprehensible words.

Incidentally, the soundproofing in this building was truly terrible. While headquarters, overflowing with Espers, boasted its own soundproofing measures, this place was nothing more than bare concrete walls.

‘What excellent material for roughing someone up and then putting them back together,’ Sa-yoon mused, before flinging the door open with a resounding bang.

“You shouldn’t be discussing such things where the people involved can hear you.”

“Team Leader!”

“Team Leader!”

Both men simultaneously called out Sa-yoon’s name, turning their heads. For people caught gossiping, their eyes were excessively bright and innocent.

“Team Leader. Since when were you and Team Leader Han Do-hoon *like that*? How could you keep it a secret even from me?”

It was Kim Chae-jun who first voiced his indignation, clinging to Sa-yoon’s pant leg. Unlike Kang Ah-jun, who had some prior knowledge, this revelation struck Chae-jun like a bolt from the blue.

“Our Team Leader, you’re coming back to headquarters with us, right? You didn’t come all the way to the battlefield because of Team Leader Han Do-hoon only to stay here, did you? You can’t abandon us.”

“…Just how far does your delusion go?”

In that brief span, Kim Chae-jun’s imagination had run wild, his eyes already glistening with unshed tears.

Sa-yoon looked at Kang Ah-jun, demanding an explanation, and Kang Ah-jun nodded.

“To be precise, I recounted the tale of Team Leader Han Do-hoon, dispatched to the battlefield by national decree, and Team Leader Sa-yoon, who followed him, embarking on a romance for the ages. I even spoke of Team Leader Sa-yoon’s future, choosing to remain on the harsh battlefield with their beloved.”

“Oh, my head.”

Sa-yoon clutched his head, genuinely troubled. Kim Chae-jun was already weaving an elaborate historical drama around their relationship.

“Chae-jun, it’s not like that, okay?”

“But Ah-jun said that you two were already *like that* when you were at headquarters, and that you fell in love after you were rescued from the Seoul terror attack…”

Sa-yoon’s sigh deepened. Now he remembered that Kang Ah-jun had witnessed their kiss right after the Seoul terror incident.

He finally understood why Chae-jun’s delusions had escalated so much after his conversation with Kang Ah-jun.

Indeed, the current situation was ripe for others to view it through a strange romantic filter. Two people who had overcome a life-threatening crisis together, falling in love and secretly continuing their affair, now appearing on a foreign battlefield—it would surely seem like an epic love story.

In reality, it was a thriller about escaping danger, not a romance drama.

“Don’t worry about such strange things. It’s true that I’m on good terms with Team Leader Han Do-hoon, but I didn’t come here for love, okay? I also received an official request for support from the Alliance and came through proper channels.”

Sa-yoon emphasized multiple times how much he hadn’t wanted to come to the battlefield. ‘How could someone like me, who loves comfort, live in this desolate wasteland?’ Only after hearing his desperate explanation did Chae-jun’s face brighten slightly.

‘It’s true, someone as lazy as our Team Leader would never be able to live in such a harsh environment,’ Chae-jun conceded, his eyes sparkling.

“That’s right. Our Team Leader could never live in a place like this. The Wi-Fi is even slow here!”

“Exactly. How could anyone live in a place where even YouTube buffers?”

It was a terrible place, made worse by the foreign settings that displayed recommended channels in bizarre, squiggly languages. Chae-jun nodded vigorously in agreement.

“So, you’re definitely coming back to Korea with us, right?”

“Uh…”

[What you seek will be on the battlefield. Go. And die there.]

Why did Go Ok-kyung’s prophecy surface precisely when Chae-jun asked that question? The words about dying on the battlefield. It was a prophecy that he wouldn’t be able to return to Korea. Sa-yoon paused, a fleeting memory passing through his mind.

“Team Leader, surely not?”

“No, no. I was just thinking about something else for a moment.”

“Waaah! You can’t abandon us!”

Misunderstanding Sa-yoon’s hesitation, Chae-jun couldn’t hold back and collapsed to the floor. He sobbed loudly, insisting he would stay here too, and Sa-yoon had to comfort him for a long time.

“Of course, I wouldn’t abandon you. I just hesitated because it was so obvious.”

“Right? I guess my emotions got the better of me for a moment.”

“Absolutely. We’ll return to Korea exactly as we came, without a single hair harmed.”

Sa-yoon soothed Chae-jun as he replied, the pace of his patting on Chae-jun’s back gradually slowing.

“I will definitely return.”

Sa-yoon spoke each word with emphasis, as if speaking to himself. It wasn’t just a simple promise; it was a future Sa-yoon absolutely had to achieve.

“Kang Ah-jun.”

Sa-yoon called out to Kang Ah-jun, who flinched and grimaced. He asked the boy, who looked like a dog caught in mischief:

“Can you use your ability right now?”

“Huh? Oh, I don’t have a registered ability right now. I can reset it anytime.”

“Alright. Then let’s go to the training ground together sometime later.”

Kang Ah-jun nodded, his face tense.

From the next day, everyone was assigned to their respective departments, and training commenced. The meeting with Airain was already public knowledge, broadcast via radio, and no member was unaware that the meeting would soon take place on the battlefield.

Initially, the members had seemed utterly unruly, but once they donned their proper uniforms and followed orders from above, they looked quite formidable. It was, after all, only natural.

There were no low-grade Espers on the battlefield whatsoever. Even those in administrative roles were C-grade Espers or higher, and the Espers participating in training were predominantly A-grade and B-grade.

Including Sa-yoon, there were a total of five S-grade Espers. Besides Han Do-hoon and Levian, there were two more. Considering that the total number of S-grade Espers worldwide was less than twenty, this was an astonishing proportion. The battlefield had become the strongest regional headquarters in existence.

An administrator handed Sa-yoon a thick stack of documents.

“S-grades are exempt from training. However, you must thoroughly familiarize yourselves with the operational plan.”

Sa-yoon swiftly flipped through the operation plan he had received, observing the others as they trained. Watching the Espers sweat in the plaza, where sandstorms blew from different directions at every moment, he truly felt that this was a world where rank reigned supreme.

Sa-yoon surveyed the aligned Espers once more, then slowly looked behind him. Standing next to the commander, who was issuing orders to the Espers from a high vantage point, was Han Do-hoon. He gazed down from the highest position, like a king of this place.

When Sa-yoon looked at him, Han Do-hoon, from his elevated position, also met Sa-yoon’s gaze. His stern eyes softened, curving into a gentle expression. Sa-yoon awkwardly returned the smile.

“You still get along well with Hayden, it seems?”

A sly voice spoke from behind him.

“Because we were colleagues.”

“That sounds as if you’re no longer colleagues.”

While other S-grades were reportedly lounging in their quarters, citing annoyance, Levian had come all the way out here just to provoke Sa-yoon.

“I meant we’re not going on missions together like we did at headquarters. Honestly, you have a knack for twisting words. You should upgrade your translator periodically.”

Sa-yoon pointed to the earbud in Levian’s ear, retorting with equal sarcasm. Levian merely chuckled, his expression still sly.

“I do think I need to check my translator. Your beautiful voice sounds a little dark, like you’re troubled by something.”

“Indeed. It must be severely broken somewhere.”

Conversations with Levian were always unpleasant. It felt as though he spoke with hidden, sharp barbs, aiming to pierce a person’s core. What made it worse was that he knew Sa-yoon’s vulnerabilities.

“You seem to have a lot of free time. I’m quite busy, so if you’ll excuse me.”

Even as Sa-yoon tried to brush past Levian, who blocked his path, Levian stood firm, smiling disagreeably.

“Did you come all this way just to pick a fight?”

“Of course not. I rather like our beautiful lady. I merely came to console you, as you seem pitifully unaware of certain things. How about it? Have I piqued your interest?”

“No, I don’t need it.”

His head was already aching from knowing too much; he had no patience for Levian. As Sa-yoon pushed past Levian’s shoulder without hesitation, Levian, left behind, was surprisingly flustered.

“Oh? You’re just leaving? You’re really not curious? Don’t you want to know what our beautiful lady is unaware of?”

“We have a proverb in our country: what you don’t know can’t hurt you.”

Sa-yoon scratched his ear with one hand, trudging down the stairs.

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