SOFTIE 2

It felt like feeling the morning sunlight with his entire body, like a gentle breeze brushing against his cheeks, and like being held in his mother’s warm embrace. Even though the magic beast was clinging to his face so tightly he couldn’t breathe, Yeonwoo was breathing more comfortably than ever before. The currents that had been crackling in his hands vanished without a trace.

Instinct screamed at him. To grab it. His hands moved before his reason could judge.

Yeonwoo reached out and pulled at the thing stuck to his face. It stretched out like glutinous rice cake and held on tight, refusing to let go, but eventually, the magic beast was pulled away.

His eyes, which looked as if they were submerged in fog, wandered through the air before focusing on the magic beast held in his hand.

The magic beast cried out as if it found Yeonwoo’s gaze delightful.

“Kkyuu!!”

It was a cry that clearly expressed its joy.

“Oh, they’re coming out!”

Human figures appeared beyond the shimmering Gate. Esper Seo Yeonwoo. He was an S-class Esper and the one currently called the strongest in South Korea.

Known as an S-class Esper since childhood, he was familiar to the public. Some viewed him proudly as if he were their own child, while others supported and cheered for him like a brother. Most people worshipped him, calling him a hero.

During the era when Gates were becoming chronic, he was the first S-class Esper to suddenly appear in Korea. Since people knew the influence an S-class Esper held, the degree of that feverish enthusiasm was beyond words. And at a young age, Yeonwoo proved himself through his own skills.

It was a natural result. Current South Korea was a place where one might not remember the President’s name or face, but everyone knew him.

“Look! Everyone has returned safely! Once again, Esper Seo Yeonwoo has rewritten history!”

A-class Gates had occurred simultaneously across Seoul. Seoul is the most densely populated area, making every single Gate lethal. However, the people were relieved. In the Seoul branch, there was Team 1, led by Yeonwoo as the team leader.

Team 1 was a team composed of elite Espers, including Seo Yeonwoo, and the Gates that threatened the people vanished through their swift response.

People cheered and shouted his name at the sight of him returning proudly after clearing the Gate in a situation that could have easily turned dangerous.

As if the blood on Yeonwoo’s clothes wasn’t bothersome at all, reporters leaned forward, thrusting microphones toward him with eyes sparkling with respect.

They competed with each other to interview Yeonwoo. Fatigue that couldn’t be hidden was etched around his eyes, but the people didn’t know. His complexion had been that way for years.

Yeonwoo indifferently rejected the flooding requests. It was a scene that hadn’t changed for years.

“Hey, Mister Hero, you could at least wave your hand.”

Kang Hana, the only woman among the team members, tossed a playful joke, but Yeonwoo crumpled his face.

It was fine since he came out looking unscathed even without doing an interview. People would be relieved on their own. That was enough.

Yeonwoo glanced down at the measuring device. It was glowing orange, indicating the contamination level.

It hadn’t turned red.

Orange and red are just a hair’s breadth apart. And when it turns red, there is a high possibility of a rampage. Every day felt like his limits were being tested.

“Forget it. I’m going to go sleep.”

He was tired. He was exhausted. He wanted to sleep as if collapsing.

“Want a hand?”

“…It’s okay.”

Kang Hana spoke softly. Yeonwoo knew that was her own way of being considerate.

“Park Geonwoo. Take the Captain to his room. One person is fine, right?”

“…I can do it!”

Park Geonwoo, who had been trudging along behind them, replied instantly with stiff military discipline. Yeonwoo let out a sigh at the sight of Kang Hana using him as a means of transportation and said:

“If it’s hard, say it’s hard.”

“I am fine!”

“See, he says he’s fine. He joined the team to be used for things like this.”

“That is correct!”

“…You aren’t a means of transportation. You’re our vanguard. Don’t forget that.”

“Yes! Captain, would you like to move right now? I will escort you comfortably!”

“…”

I don’t think he understood at all.

Park Geonwoo, who had just awakened as an A-class Esper, was a new team member who recently joined Team 1.

He possessed the ability of teleportation and the ability to make his skin as hard as steel; he was in charge of the vanguard for the Seoul branch’s Team 1, which focused on explosive firepower.

Though, the team members preferred his teleportation—which let them get home quickly after work—over him taking hits in the front.

“Yeonwoo hyung, I’ll give you some guiding before you go. The contamination level is… dangerous.”

A man with a small face suddenly popped out from behind. Min Haeyoon, the Guide of Team 1. As an A-class Guide, his matching rate with Yeonwoo barely exceeded 60%, and he was a being capable of guiding Yeonwoo with his vast guiding energy. However, because his guiding also induced nausea in Yeonwoo, he didn’t receive it often.

As Yeonwoo frowned and deliberated, Choi Minjae spoke from the side. Since he was the only senior in Team 1 and had watched over Yeonwoo since he was a child, Yeonwoo tended to listen to him.

“The contamination level is high. It would be better to receive it.”

“I feel like I’ll throw up if I receive it here.”

“Are you okay?”

“It was always like this.”

Yeonwoo shrugged at Shin Yusung’s words. He spoke bluntly, but his words contained a worry that couldn’t be hidden.

He was an S-class Esper like Yeonwoo, but he was always being compared and talked about by the public.

At first, he regarded Yeonwoo as a rival and sought to step over him to climb higher, but at some point, he began to follow him well. Knowing the reason he maintained such an attitude, Yeonwoo couldn’t dislike him.

Because Shin Yusung was an S-class, people hoped he would become a pillar of the country like Yeonwoo, but their experience and the strength of their abilities were different. So, he couldn’t help but fall short of expectations.

Yeonwoo had also gone through many hardships and adversities to reach this position.

The pressure must have worsened recently. Since he was the only S-class besides me. His father is also someone who holds a high-ranking position.

“Receive it later then. Don’t just try to sleep because you’re tired.”

“That’s right! It would be a disaster if something happened to the Captain!”

As Shin Yusung and even the fledgling Park Geonwoo, who just joined Team 1, kept mentioning it, Yeonwoo had no choice but to nod.

He tried to endure as much as possible because there were still those who needed looking after, but he wondered how much longer he could do it…

Instances of hitting 90% and turning red had become frequent.

“…Just do it for a bit later.”

“Yes! I’ll do yours first.”

“Do the others first.”

They had used their abilities just as much as Yeonwoo had. It was better for them to receive guiding than for himself, whom guiding didn’t even work on.

Yeonwoo felt that his remaining time was gradually getting shorter. I’ll probably be finished soon.

Swallowing the words he couldn’t bring himself to say, his empty pupils looked up at the air. The blue sky seemed only heartless.

He didn’t regret it. Because he was able to see the blue sky again thanks to this power.

Yeonwoo climbed into the vehicle sent by the Association and closed his eyes. They said it was a modified vehicle that minimized noise as much as possible, but it was incredibly noisy. It wasn’t just the car.

The world was far too noisy for him.

He stubbornly closed his eyes tight, saying he was going to sleep, but his furrowed brow revealed that he hadn’t fallen asleep. He intended to get some shut-eye as soon as he arrived at the Association.

However, he was caught by his team members, swallowed a handful of medicine, and tried to receive guiding to rest even a little bit more comfortably, but the contamination level only dropped slightly.

Time was wasted pointlessly.

Only gastric juices came up from his empty stomach. Rubbing his aching stomach, Yeonwoo headed to his home located on the top floor of the Association, prepared for him.

He lay on the bed and covered himself with the duvet, but the noise still disturbed his sleep. Even the Association building, made of walls boasting extraordinary soundproofing, couldn’t block the noise.

Among his abilities was the power to manipulate air, and sound was a sound wave transmitted as air vibrates.

In other words, every sound existing in the world was amplified and heard by Yeonwoo, becoming noise.

I’d rather sleep. Forever.

It had been years since he stopped looking for the Guide they said would eventually appear. There is no Guide for me in this world.

Muttering that to himself, he barely managed to fall asleep.

˖°𓇼🌊⋆🐚🫧

Beeeeep—!

The large building standing in the heart of Seoul glowed red as an alarm sounded incessantly.