IMPRINT 4

Well, it wasn’t that I didn’t understand the feelings of those who quit. In fact, I understood them ten thousand percent. It isn’t an easy task to peer into someone else’s head all day long.

Furthermore, those “others” are generally not fond of me. Consuming guiding and mental strength to dig up information I’m not even interested in while enduring that rejection response is draining; especially the heads of those who have rolled through the thick of war are a complete mess, cluttered with war trauma and hysteria.

If I had to pick the absolute shittiest part of being a mental-type Esper, it’s that the longer you look into someone else’s mind, the more you become synchronized with them.

To prevent that, most interrogators were rotated periodically, but not me. Although I’d suffered from headaches or body aches due to overexertion, I had never suffered from nightmares, sleep paralysis, hallucinations, or auditory delusions—those pathological symptoms others talked about.

In that sense, I’m called a freak at the Center, and the Director General loves me dearly.

“Ah, I want to quit…”

But regardless of the fact that I had a tremendous aptitude for this job, the fact remained that I didn’t want to do it.

I looked at Kang Juha.

Since I’d been commuting to the special treatment room for the past few days, it had become as comfortable as my office. My secretary, Juyoung, who monitors from the outside, says he gets startled every time I approach Kang Juha, but I’ve now reached a state where I can even take a nap next to him.

Actually, Kang Juha would only let his guard down if I showed a somewhat relaxed side, so taking a nap next to him wasn’t such an nonsensical choice.

Oh? It’s actually not bad.

Broadly speaking, couldn’t that be considered a type of rapport building?

“Should I just sleep here today?”

At my words, Kang Juha let out a low growl. It was a sound of negation, but since it wasn’t a hiss, I decided to take it positively.

“You should start eating soon. You can’t live forever just receiving nutrients through a needle.”

Grrrr.

“True, the Center food isn’t exactly delicious.”

Growl.

“That’s why I order delivery every day. It’s originally not allowed. Last year, during salary negotiations, I told them I didn’t care if they froze my pay as long as they opened up delivery food for me.”

I’m saying all sorts of things since he can’t understand anyway.

“The Director General allowed it but told me not to tell people… saying everyone would ask for it if they knew. It’s unlikely, but if you happen to remember what I just said, please keep it a secret.”

In fact, there was no need to even ask; I could just erase his memory. Moreover, in his current state, I would actually be grateful if Kang Juha remembered it.

Matching eyes with Kang Juha, who was keeping his nerves sharp toward me without knowing why, I brushed against his brain. Kang Juha frowned and suffered in pain, and I immediately stopped using my supernatural ability. A brief headache flickered through my head as well.

Still, his condition had definitely improved compared to a week ago. Back then, it felt like his brain would melt and flow out like liquid with just a touch, but now it’s a bit like pudding. It was still very fragile for me to wedge myself in, but it was fine for giving light stimulation.

And after receiving the stimulus, Kang Juha—though it was very brief—produced the breath of a human rather than the breath of a beast. His chest heaved significantly as he gasped.

“This won’t do. I’m really going to sleep here today. My patience is going to run out first at this rate. I’m not exactly a person with great endurance.”

After ultimately giving a unilateral notice, I opened the door, went out, and asked my secretary for a pillow and a blanket. Before long, he appeared carrying a topper in addition to the things I had requested.

“There’s no need to be this official about it.”

“It’s better than being uncomfortable. Since the security team said they’d help with monitoring, just raise your hand if you need help even in the middle of the night.”

“Yeah. And raise the temperature a bit. It’s too cold since he’s not even rampaging anymore.”

“Yes. Haa… Honestly, I want to just talk you out of it… but you won’t listen to me at all, right?”

“Yeah.”

“I thought so. Sleep well. What should I do about the lights?”

“Is the CCTV an infrared cam?”

“Of course.”

“Then turn them off. I can’t sleep if it’s bright.”

“Yes. I will turn them off.”

Darkness settled over the special treatment room along with Juyoung’s words. Once the strangely unpleasant bluish light disappeared, my eyes felt comfortable.

“Goodnight. Have sweet dreams. If you’re well-behaved tomorrow morning, I’ll give you a chocolate.”

I muttered while pulling the blanket up to my neck.

Kang Juha didn’t even make a breathing sound. He seemed quite flustered by my behavior, which was different from usual. Seeing as he was keeping guard while pressing his body right against the edge of the cage.

For ordinary people, it would be a darkness where they couldn’t see an inch ahead, but since both I and Kang Juha were S-class Espers, we could clearly look into each other’s eyes.

Not long ago, I lengthened the restraints attached to Kang Juha’s limbs. Seeing him tied to the operating table all day made me feel restless. As a side effect, Kang Juha ended up sleeping curled up on the floor, but he seemed to find that comfortable.

Perhaps because it was an unfamiliar bed, I woke up soon after feeling like I’d only closed my eyes for a moment. I had definitely raised the temperature, but maybe because of the iron cage next to me, I felt pointlessly chilly. Even for a topper, it was hard compared to a mattress I’d spent a lot of money on, so my back felt stiff.

“Ugh…”

How on earth does Kang Juha sleep on the ground? The moment I tossed and turned while thinking that.

“…Ah, you scared me.”

I met eyes with Kang Juha, who had come right up to me and was looking down at me. His pitch-black pupils were glossy in the darkness, and I almost died of shock.

I hurriedly clutched my racing heart and took a deep breath. Just how long had he been watching me? He was crouching while gripping the cage with both hands, looking at me.

“I almost bit my tongue. How does a person not even make a breathing sound?”

…Come to think of it, did they say Kang Juha’s primary mission was assassination? Seeing him approach this without a hint of a presence, I figured those who were his targets must have been wiped out without even knowing they were dying.

Fortunately, no murderous intent was felt from the current Kang Juha. Though his eyes were glistening like a snake’s, it was closer to curiosity than hostility. It was like a feeling of this guy observing something.

If he intended to use his supernatural ability, his pupils wouldn’t look like obsidian as they did now, but would have glowed bright yellow.

Every Esper shows signs in a part of their body when they use their supernatural ability, and the majority tend to have their eye color change like Kang Juha or me. Unlike Kang Juha whose eyes turn yellow, my pupils glow blue.

I sat up and faced him.

“Have you been doing that the whole time without sleeping a wink?”

Kang Juha flinched and narrowed his eyes. Then he seemed to pull his body back slightly, but soon leaned in close again.

“Looking at you up close, you’re quite handsome. You look better in person than in your profile.”

By the way, what time is it now.

Since all electronic devices are banned from the special treatment room, I naturally couldn’t bring a phone. I also handed over the Esper smartwatch I wear during normal work. So I quickly stole a wristwatch from Juyoung, my secretary…

“…It’s eight o’clock? Since it was definitely around eleven at night when I lay down… It’s not like time would have flowed backward.”

When I tilted my head, Kang Juha tilted his head following me.

“No, I thought I woke up after sleeping for a bit, but I practically passed out.”

The inside of the special treatment room was still pitch black with not a single corner for light to enter, so I was completely fooled.

If I lived in a place like this, I’d lose my sense of time altogether; how is Kang Juha enduring this?

“Do you know how many days you’ve been here?”

Kang Juha tilted his head to the other side this time.

“Let’s turn on the lights first.”

When I opened the door and went outside, I saw Juyoung arriving, having just come to work.

“Team Leader, hello. Did you sleep well?”

“Uh, yeah.”

“It looks like you just woke up.”

Quick-witted fellow.

“Turn on the lights inside there. I can’t gauge the time…”

“Yes sir. Lights are on. How is Esper Kang Juha’s condition? Is it effective?”

“Yeah. He was well-behaved? But it seems he was watching only me all night. Play back the stuff recorded with the infrared.”

“Yes sir.”

I yawned deeply while watching Juyoung move briskly to download the data. Perhaps because I wasn’t used to the suddenly bright environment, my eyelids kept closing heavily.

Before I knew it, the video must have finished downloading, as Juyoung, who was looking into the monitor, let out an exclamation.

“Wow… truly amazing.”

“Right? He was watching only me the whole time, wasn’t he?”

“No. It’s you, Team Leader. How do you sleep without waking up even once?”

Ahem, hem… A person can be like that when they’re tired.

“Look at Esper Kang Juha, not me.”

“There’s nothing to see. Just as you said, Team Leader, as soon as you fell asleep, he came right to the front and watched you. Seeing him staying like this without moving, it makes me think, ‘This is why he was a combat weapon.’ His patience is incredible. Doesn’t he get cramps in his legs?”

“Because he’s an S-class Esper.”

At my indifferent words, Juyoung looked at me with a mysterious gaze.

“Why?”

“You’re an S-class Esper too, Team Leader.”

“…If you keep doing that, I’m really going to sue you.”

“For what? For defamation by stating the truth?”

Ugh, he’s my secretary, but he’s really obnoxious.

If it were a normal subordinate, I would have made them bow their head immediately, but Juyoung was a capable person and the only one who had endured under me for over five years. And honestly, it was a bit fun seeing him constantly trying to climb over me with talk when he isn’t even a match for me.

“Juyoung.”

“Yes.”

“I am Seong Yihyeon. Fabricating a non-existent crime to send someone to prison? That’s a piece of cake for me. Well, should I make you commit a crime on your way home today? Being in the Information Security Department… I think a leak of classified information would have you rotting in prison for life.”

“…I am sorry.”

“Let’s do well.”

I chuckled and tapped Juyoung on the shoulder. Although he lowered his head and put on a frightened face, I knew that was also a type of acting. Because I knew a truly frightened person doesn’t make that kind of expression.

Sometimes, I was actually grateful for Juyoung, who said what he wanted to say to me openly like this. He was a hundred times, a thousand times better than those guys who went around whispering gloomily behind my back.