FETCH 25

With those words as a signal, the two pairs of chopsticks busily sliced through the air. Even while Han Kang was busy stuffing his own face, he steadily placed pieces of kimchi on top of Jaechan’s bowl.

Whether they were truly starving or not, no conversation passed between the two during the meal. Since it was their established rule not to talk while eating, neither of them found the silence awkward.

“Ah, I’m full. Ah, I’m going to burst.”

Just as Jaechan, having eaten his fill, tried to sprawl out on the sofa with a thud, Han Kang’s shoulder brushed against his back. Han Kang, looking at him with a slight tilt of his head, shook his head from side to side. His gaze seemed somewhat disapproving.

“What.”

“If you lie down right after eating, you’ll get fat. Your stomach will hurt, and you won’t digest it properly.”

“Ha.”

What kind of old-fashioned nagging was this?

Since there wasn’t a single word wrong, he had no rebuttal.

“I don’t want a pot-bellied husband.”

“Who says I’m going to be your husband?”

Jaechan slammed the back of his head against Han Kang’s solid shoulder—wham. Since he didn’t hit him that hard, it shouldn’t have been painful. Han Kang collapsed his body while making groaning sounds of “Ouch, ouch.”

Letting out a low laugh, Jaechan slowly turned his head to check the time. It was now time to head to the dormitory.

He had to say they should go, but the words wouldn’t leave his throat, so he just uselessly worked his lips. Even though he thought, It’s work, so what can you do, the fact that the other was openly acting so displeased made just speaking up a burden.

Still, they had to go.

Steeling his heart, Jaechan called him softly for the first time in a while, “Kang.” At that, Han Kang let out a long sigh, “Haaa,” as if he had already lost. He looked at him while his eyes just rolled around.

“Wait a second, I need time to prepare myself mentally.”

“Why on earth do you need mental preparation?”

How absurd, really.

Jaechan glared at him slightly, feeling incredulous. Then he immediately gave Han Kang’s stomach a light poke.

“We have to go now. Get up.”

Jaechan thrust his watch forward as if there was no more time to delay. Han Kang’s expression soured instantly, but since he must have expected this from the start, he didn’t add any other complaints.

At that, Han Kang collapsed his body with an “Aaaaah.” Leaning back with his legs stretched out long, he just rolled his eyes to look at Jaechan.

“Let’s stay just a little bit longer before we go.”

“Get up, Han Kang.”

“Ah…”

Han Kang looked at him sullenly, with the four words “I don’t want to go” still practically engraved on his forehead. Watching him, Jaechan let out a sigh, “Ehu,” as if there was no helping it.

“You’re trying to make your husband sleep all alone somewhere else.”

Jaechan stood up alone, lightly mentioning the word “husband” as if there were no other choice. When he brushed off his backside and headed for the entrance as if he were ready to leave immediately, Han Kang finally sprang up from the floor with an “Ah.”

“Let’s go.”

Jaechan had said it knowing this would happen, but the way he reacted so perfectly was something else. Jaechan let his lips curve into a grin. As expected, there was no one as skillful at handling Han Kang as he was.

“That’s a foul.”

The sulky words Han Kang added only reinforced that thought.

.✦ ݁˖

The dormitory they arrived at was located near the Center. He had been aware of where the dormitory was when he first toured the Center, but this was his first time seeing the inside. Jaechan involuntarily swallowed a nervous breath—gulp.

Although they were teammates he had already exchanged greetings with, he hadn’t become close to them yet because there hadn’t been many occasions to cross paths. That was why he was nervous.

He had boldly brought Han Kang, who didn’t want to come, all the way to the front of the dormitory, but he didn’t have the courage to press the passcode. As he stood there hesitating and just looking at the front door, Han Kang started giggling weakly.

“Now that you’re actually about to go in, you hate it, right? If you want to quit even now, just say so.”

“It’s not like that.”

“Then?”

“I’m just nervous.”

Jaechan snapped at a smirking Han Kang who didn’t understand how he felt, and then let out a sigh—hah. Then, he bit his lip determinedly. With his hand, he entered the dormitory passcode he had received beforehand.

01010#

‘Zero One Zero One Zero’

When he had asked what it meant, they said it meant ‘Zero is number 1.’ It was an incredibly simple meaning.

With a beep-beep-beep, the sound of the door opening, the interior scenery of the dormitory unfolded before his eyes.

The men gathered on one side of a large living room were the Espers who formed the same team as Han Kang, and Shin Jieun, who had arrived earlier and unpacked her things. The Espers, boasting physiques just as large as Han Kang’s, offered welcoming greetings. In response, Jaechan also lowered his head slightly as he accepted the greetings.

The interior of the dormitory was indescribably luxurious. As if proving the enormous profits earned from each match, expensive furniture was placed everywhere his eyes landed.

Centering around the living room, quite a number of doors were visible in the surrounding area. As he had heard from Han Kang, it seemed they each occupied a room. Beside each handle, a name tag was attached, but among those many doors, the one right in the center had a plaque hanging on it.

‘Resident Guide’

Seeing that a white whiteboard was also hanging there, it seemed that the name of the resident Guide was meant to be written there.

He turned his eyes elsewhere. As if to prove this was a place where a bunch of guys were gathered, there were as many as six refrigerators, and each Esper’s name was written in front of them as well. The large dining table went without saying, and so did the numerous sets of tableware.

He knew Han Kang ate an enormous amount, but he wondered if they had gathered only gluttons. Or did one’s appetite naturally increase after awakening as an Esper?

However, since Han Kang was originally a guy who ate well, the idea that it was easy for gluttons to awaken as Espers seemed more credible.

“Did you eat dinner?”

At the question from Kang Bichan, who asked in a friendly manner, Jaechan smiled awkwardly and nodded his head.

“I ate at home with Kang.”

“Kang said you’re his honey; are you two dating?”

“Exactly. You have no idea how much Kang threatened us, saying ‘When my honey comes, you guys better behave yourselves.’”

Once one person started the conversation, several comments followed from all around—true, true.

The only one feeling embarrassed by it was Jaechan. It was quite funny that Han Kang, who had been throwing all sorts of fits and acting so annoyed in front of him, had been issuing warnings like that behind his back.

“We’re not dating.”

Jaechan answered while revealing his embarrassment. To the words that immediately followed—“Then?”—he just laughed awkwardly—ahaha—and added more.

“We’re just… childhood friends who have known each other since we were kids.”

“It’s not just ‘knowing each other.’”

He ignored Han Kang’s immediate contradiction. What then, should he say they became honey because they played house a hundred times?

It was a bit much to lay out such nonsensical logic with his own mouth, so Jaechan just headed toward the resident Guide room, asking, “Is this my room?”

Meanwhile, behind his back, he could hear Han Kang launching into a very detailed explanation of why they became honey, bringing up their childhood friendship. To others, it was clearly just wordplay, so he wondered why Han Kang was being so passionate about it.

“Oh, he’s worth calling honey.”

At the answer heard next, Jaechan turned around with a “Huh?”

Except for Kang Bichan, who was helping guide him by his side, the other Espers were listening very intently to Han Kang’s passionate speech. No way, they actually believe that? When he blinked in bewilderment, Kang Bichan, standing next to him, smiled embarrassedly.

“Maybe it’s because these kids have been cooped up here since they were young, but they’re a bit naive.”

Something about having a romanticized idea of friends from the outside world. Still, he wondered if it was okay to just call them naive…

A rebuttal followed immediately, but he just said, “I see.”

What he saw when he opened the door was a simple room. As if the sole purpose was guiding, there was one truly large bed, and beside it were a small wardrobe and a desk.

It was a space used in rotation every week anyway. It seemed they hadn’t bothered to put in many things.

Nonetheless, the bed was from a fairly expensive brand, and the same went for the wardrobe and desk. Even the chair was from a brand that had gone viral online as the ‘Conglomerate Chairman’s Chair,’ so that said it all.

Well, since it had everything necessary, he was about to set down his bags, thinking he could just manage.

“But Guide Shin Jieun has to use this room, so I think Guide Jaechan will have to share a room with Kang.”

“Ah.”

“They are in a relationship—Jieun and Youngwoo—but still, a co-ed room is a bit much.”

Whether it was because they had a conservative side, what he heard sounded plausible. He thought that sharing a room with Han Kang would be much better than a co-ed room, or staying in the living room, or sharing a room with someone else. Stepping out of the room with full understanding, Jaechan suddenly saw Han Kang through Kang Bichan’s shoulder, his head cocked at an angle.

“What now.”

“Why are you being so friendly with the Team Leader?”

“What?”

What kind of nonsense was this again?

When Jaechan showed a nuance of not knowing what he meant, Han Kang added sulkily.

“Come out. My room is here.”

“Oh, okay.”

Jaechan stepped forward, following Han Kang. Behind Jaechan’s back, a strange cheer followed—oooooh.