FETCH 48

As if hearing confirmation from Han Kang was some monumental achievement, Jaechan resumed his life at the Center with a wide, beaming smile. Today, Jaechan was humming a tune to himself while pouring water from the dispenser inside the office.

Since he had enjoyed a delicious lunch, it was now time to take his medicine. He was diligently keeping the log that Kim Daeyoung had given him. He was also writing in it defensively, fearing what kind of harsh words he might hear if he failed to do so.

Following the instructions to report once a week, it was already his third time doing so. During that time, Jaechan hadn’t experienced any particular abnormalities, and Han Kang’s condition didn’t seem particularly bad either.

[Morning Guiding: Simple contact guiding, conducted for approximately 20 minutes]

Just as Jaechan, who had written the morning log while swallowing his pill, snapped the report notebook shut…

“Clinical drug?”

Startled by the voice suddenly coming from behind, Jaechan whipped around. It wasn’t a very familiar voice, so it likely wasn’t Han Kang, but his eyes flew wide just in case.

Fortunately, Choi Seokyoung was standing there with a blunt expression. The white medicine bottle that Jaechan had carelessly left on top of the water dispenser was now held in his hand.

Jaechan started to reach out with an “Uh, uh,” to take it back, but then stopped. Since they were teammates anyway, he would soon find out that Jaechan was participating in a clinical trial.

Choi Seokyoung also seemed to know that clinical trials were being conducted within the Center, as he opened the cap once. Then, he rattled the bottle and stared at him.

“I knew you were participating in the clinical trial, but you’re still taking this?”

Jaechan simply gave an embarrassed smile and nodded. When a guide asked him directly, he felt a sudden sense of intimidation.

It was an unavoidable sense of inferiority. The person before him was a naturally manifested guide, while he was a manufactured “specimen” who had barely manifested through a clinical trial.

Still, he didn’t want to show it. Even if he wasn’t perfectly honest with Han Kang, it was a kind of bravado—he wanted to be confident in himself. Jaechan forced his lips into a wider smile and replied awkwardly.

“Ah, I didn’t take it right after manifesting, but the Center Director told me to take it, so I think I have to keep going. Please keep this a secret from Kang. He’ll flip out if he finds out.”

“Yeah, I’ll keep it a secret. But this… do you know what it is before you swallow it?”

Choi Seokyoung shook the bottle slightly. The few remaining pills rolled around, making a light “rattle” sound.

What else could it be? It’s the manifestation drug for the clinical trial, right?

Jaechan tilted his head and looked at Choi Seokyoung. Taking out a single pill and turning it this way and that, Choi Seokyoung examined it intently, as if he already knew the ingredients of the medicine quite well.

His behavior was somewhat suspicious. Was it a different drug? Jaechan gauged his reaction and asked tentatively.

“Is it not just the clinical drug? Is what you know, Choi Seokyoung hyung-nim, perhaps different?”

As soon as he asked, the gaze that had been fixed on the pill snapped onto him.

He couldn’t read the intention in the gaze directed quietly at him. It was even more difficult because Choi Seokyoung was someone whose personality he couldn’t quite grasp.

Was Choi Seokyoung also a guide who manifested through a clinical trial? Did he have side effects while participating… and was that why he was asking if Jaechan knew what the medicine was?

However, the Center Director had told Jaechan, “You are the only guide who manifested through the clinical trial.” He said Jaechan was the first specimen, and hadn’t he coaxed him by saying they needed future data? Of course, half of it was a threat.

Thinking it couldn’t be, all sorts of “what ifs” began to bloom in his head. Just as Jaechan’s thoughts were deepening while his eyes darted around, Choi Seokyoung tossed the bottle back to him.

“Call me hyung.”

At the out-of-the-blue remark, Jaechan asked back, “Huh?” What do you mean, hyung?

Not just within the Center, there was no one he called hyung or noona comfortably yet. As he stared blankly, wondering why he was making such a sudden request, Choi Seokyoung flicked his eyes as if to ask if there was a problem.

Well, it wasn’t difficult. Besides, the misunderstanding about the first impression had been cleared, and as they spent time together, he seemed more than just easygoing—he seemed almost clumsy, and his personality was very good. Furthermore, Choi Seokyoung was already speaking informally to him, so did he really need to keep his distance?

“Okay, hyung.”

When he added the short words, Choi Seokyoung gave a smirk.

“Good, just like that. And about the medicine… well, if there’s no problem with your waves, then it’s fine.”

“Have you tried it?”

He asked just in case, but the only response he got was a shrug.

At any rate, he was a truly suspicious man. If he was going to tell him something, he should tell him everything, or not say anything at all. Providing only about 35 out of 100 was incredibly cryptic.

Jaechan unconsciously squinted his eyes and stared at him. Then, Choi Seokyoung lifted his chin as if to ask why he was looking like that.

“Got a problem?”

“No, but why do you always stop talking in the middle?”

“When did I?”

“Last time too, you just left while talking, and all that.”

“When?”

Jaechan said never mind, tucked the medicine bottle into his pocket, and finished the rest of his water.

Now he had to go home and pack. He didn’t know how the turn had come around so quickly, but from today, Jaechan was tasked with being the resident guide for a week.

He didn’t have high expectations like before, but he felt good knowing he could stay right next to Han Kang. Even though there were tedious tasks left, like packing for a week and throwing away perishable food before he left the house unattended, those things didn’t really matter much in the first place.

“Is entering resident guiding really that good?”

He was startled again by the voice right next to him.

He didn’t know what kind of person he was to be able to see through his thoughts so clearly. Wasn’t that right? Even so, his expressions weren’t usually that diverse, but Choi Seokyoung was reading his mind as if he knew him well.

So Jaechan turned back to him with a movement that seemed like it would make a “creak” sound.

“How did you know?”

“I saw you look at the resident guide schedule today and go ‘Yes!'”

“Ah…”

“Is it not a hassle?”

“Is it a hassle for you, hyung?”

“Yeah, it’s a hassle. I’m busy enough seeing my own Esper, but I have to take care of all the other guys too.”

Choi Seokyoung ruffled his hair as if just thinking about it was annoying. Scowling, he eventually shook his head.

I thought it was just fine.

First of all, there was a lot of food at the dormitory, and the Espers were generally kind. There was no reason to hold any ill will, and since their interests were perfectly aligned, there were no clashes to begin with.

Of course, it was a bit embarrassing when playful cheers of “Ooh!” broke out in response to Han Kang’s attitude toward him, but that was at a level that could be laughed off.

But well, everyone’s impressions can be different.

As Jaechan nodded in acceptance, a call rang from Choi Seokyoung’s watch. It seemed his assigned Esper, Hwang Jinhyung, who was also part of Team Zero, was requesting guiding.

Choi Seokyoung added one more thing: “See? It’s a hassle.” He seemed to be leaving the office, so Jaechan told him to have a safe trip, but Choi Seokyoung left one last meaningful remark.

“That medicine, you know… don’t take it too much.”

“The clinical one?”

“Yeah, just… since you’ve manifested anyway, it should be fine to reduce it bit by bit.”

Would it be being too sensitive to think his words were somehow suspicious?

He wanted to ask if he knew something more, but Choi Seokyoung left the office very quickly. For someone who said it was such a hassle, a smile bloomed on his face as he called and said, “Hwang Jinhyung, I’m coming. Don’t rush me.”

Jaechan let out a long breath, “Hmph.” Choi Seokyoung’s words were incredibly unsettling. It was even more so because no one had ever asked or commented about the medicine until now.

What could be the reason for suddenly telling him not to take the medicine?

Was there a problem he didn’t know about? No matter how much he racked his brain, he couldn’t come up with a clear deduction.

At any rate, no matter how used to the Center he had become, he was still a rookie, and there were still more things he didn’t know than things he did.

Jaechan made a “tsic” sound with his tongue and toyed with the medicine bottle. Was there a rumor circulating internally that there were severe side effects? He blinked, but once again, he couldn’t reach a conclusion.

“It’s unsettling…”

Before Jaechan realized it, the words circling inside his head slipped out. The white medicine bottle he had considered his lifeline until now had never felt as awkward as it did today.

Was it because of those idle words? A creeping discomfort began to rise regarding the medicine he had never doubted once, and regarding Choi Seokyoung’s attitude.

But even so, he couldn’t reduce the medicine. He wanted to stay by Han Kang’s side, and to guide him, his waves had to be maintained.

Unless he found some other suspicious thing and the evidence was clear, Jaechan had no intention of reducing the medicine for now.

If nothing else, he didn’t want to give up the position of “Han Kang’s Guide” to anyone.