SOFTIE 52

“The recent situation was what was strange. This is the Esper Association; does it make sense for there to be no Espers?”

“The Association President pulled some strings.”

“He should have done that a long time ago. Thinking about how much we’ve suffered in the meantime…”

“So you received plenty of money for it, why are you acting like you’re doing us a favor?”

“Compared to the hardship, the money is way too little! Of course, a rich young master like you wouldn’t know.”

Yeonwoo looked down out the window without a word, listening to Kang Hana and Shin Yoosung bickering. The Espers had returned. It hadn’t made sense in the first place—that half of the Espers who were supposed to protect Seoul and the Association were enjoying a vacation. At the very least, a minimum amount of personnel should have been on standby.

Fortunately, Ma Seongtae handled it. So, what Yeonwoo needed to focus on was the Esper observation class Shin Yoosung had mentioned.

When he stated he would no longer send Softy to the classes, an official notice flew in saying that as part of compulsory education, he must attend the Esper observation classes. He had argued that basic education had been completed, there were safety issues, and that Softy guided him well enough so it wasn’t necessary, but they flatly replied that no exceptions could be made.

Their ulterior motive was obvious.

They even went as far as threatening that if he ignored it, they would have no choice but to take him by force. Since their schemes weren’t working, they were resorting to coercion.

The person capable of causing trouble on the day of the Esper observation is an Esper. It was certain those two had joined hands. What could they have offered each other to form an alliance?

‘They are people who never do anything that results in a loss. Given the time they’ve spent growling at each other, they wouldn’t move for just anything…’

He couldn’t hear the talk happening within the Guide Association from here. What kind of proposal did they make? At the very least, he knew everything about what they planned to do tomorrow.

‘It was worth keeping an eye on the movements within the Association. Since I found out about the status of the Esper observation class in advance.’

They had even told Shin Yoosung it was in four days, but strictly speaking, that was wrong. It wasn’t four days, but five days later. Four days was tomorrow. To think they would leak false information to Yoosung. A one-day difference. Are they planning to tie me down during that one day?

The person they are most wary of is Yeonwoo. They must be trying to separate him from Softy, whom he is constantly moving with.

Yeonwoo quietly picked up the official notice that had arrived this morning. Even though the date was falsely recorded, he read it through to the end regardless. An official notice to send Softy, his pair Guide, to the class. Would it be better to play along? Or would it be better to ignore it entirely?

Yeonwoo looked over the schedule. As if mockingly asking when he was ever free, the schedule was packed. The gates that have been occurring suddenly lately. Of course, there were those gate cases, but there were also quite a few gates that other teams had given up on. They had even assigned levels that didn’t match those teams to drag out the time sluggishly, and it just so happened that Yeonwoo’s team was put in charge of them tomorrow.

He had thought there weren’t many gate cases, but it seemed they had saved them up for this day. Basically, if it’s a gate a previous team failed, it’s natural to give information to the next team attempting it—but no one knew anything. The intention was so clear it only made him laugh.

‘I’ve already given Mister a heads-up, too.’

No matter how much the Supernatural Affairs Department can exercise power over Association matters and even if Shin Witaek’s people are hidden everywhere, the Association President is Ma Seongtae. And searching for gates and assigning them to each team is the Association’s job.

Ma Seongtae, who now had a mountain of work, clutched his head but noticed the strange points with uncanny precision. And Yeonwoo had heard all of it. The reason he didn’t tell his team members was that he didn’t want to reveal that he had grasped everything.

‘If so, it seems they plan to hold my feet tomorrow… the full-scale class is tomorrow. Just where do they think they have a corner to keep me pinned for a whole day?’

The schedule was certainly tight, but it was strange that they were confident that alone could stop him. Besides, it was one day. One day. He might work overtime, but he could see the end of it before the sun rose tomorrow.

Why did they specifically lie about the Esper observation class schedule? Carelessness? Or did they think I would collapse from exhaustion while clearing those gates? From just that level of gates? It’s already different because Softy is here.

“Tomorrow is the observation class day. I recommend not sending him.”

Shin Yoosung, who had been staying quiet, suddenly threw out a word. Shin Yoosung’s gaze landed on Yeonwoo.

“I told you.”

“What? Told us what?”

The clueless Kang Hana raised a question. At that, Shin Yoosung glanced at Yeonwoo. Yeonwoo shrugged. As if it didn’t matter if he spoke.

“My father’s people came by recently.”

“I thought you cut ties!”

“They said it’s not something that’s cut just because you want it to be. As his son, they told me to stop Seo Yeonwoo.”

“There’s no way you’d listen, right?”

“Well… there were some words added afterward, but I’ll handle that myself. They told me to stop him. What would be the reason for that? They’re planning to do something to that little guy on the day of the Esper observation.”

Softy tilted his head at the gazes that suddenly gathered on him. Yeonwoo also stared only at Softy without a word. As if he knew nothing of the threat approaching him, Softy looked up at Yeonwoo with incredibly gentle eyes. There was no such thing as fear in Softy.

“The day of the Esper observation class… Yeonwoo hyung, what are you going to do? I have work that day too. I think I can return if it ends early… but I did think it was a bit strange. Unlike recently. It seems tomorrow’s schedule is incredibly busy, too.”

“Haeyoon, too? Yeonwoo, the situation seems a bit serious?”

“But is there anything to worry about? Just don’t send him, and that’s that.”

“They might take him by force. When we’ve left our spots.”

Shin Yoosung answered Kang Hana’s question. Min Haeyoon, who was thinking deeply, spoke up.

“Should I take him with me instead?”

“They’ll be tracking your movements too. It’d be better if Yeonwoo…”

“Then they’ll just say your Guide has a schedule today, so they’ll take him. If Yeonwoo shows up carrying that guy, they’ll be grateful.”

“We can just enter a gate before then!”

Park Gunwoo said confidently. Kang Hana scoffed at Park Gunwoo’s naive thought.

“Do you think they’ll give up just because they failed once? They’ll do that every time you come out of a gate. You can’t use teleportation inside a gate.”

“That’s…”

“It’s a perfect setup for rumors. The Association brings up the class to take Softy away, and we look great refusing and running away because we don’t want to. It’s not like Yeonwoo is in bad condition either. Besides, it’s that man. He’ll take him no matter what he has to do. Seo Yeonwoo, what are you going to do? You have to say something so we can take action.”

Shin Witaek would never give up. Killing Softy wasn’t the objective, but he could kill him if necessary. He brings Espers in under those conditions. The reason he would kill Softy is simple.

Because I shouldn’t be fine. What would happen to me if Softy died? I’d break down just like before. That doesn’t mean my value drops, but I would eventually become an Esper whose end is fixed as a rampage. Or did he think I would obediently follow orders like before? Like my younger self who clung to him, begging him to find a Guide because I couldn’t let go of the Guiding I had tasted once.

Whatever he’s thinking, it’s a massive delusion.

If Softy ends up dying at someone’s hands, I will end up killing that person. Everything I’ve held back for the sake of the country and the people would explode in an instant. I know that no matter how angry I am, killing a person is a bad thing. But I wouldn’t be able to make such a rational judgment.

[If Yeonwoo says don’t go, I won’t go. I told you. I hate those people too.]

Yeonwoo stroked Softy without a word. If it can’t be avoided, then he just has to face it. He will uncover their aim head-on and overcome it.

“Softy, what do you want to do?”

[Umm. I don’t know. So I’ll do what Yeonwoo says!]

“Gosh, so simple. Just completely carefree.”

Since the target whose life was being aimed at was so carefree, Kang Hana shook her head.

“Right, if that’s what Softy wants, let’s stay together. Protecting the Guide is an Esper’s job. I’ll protect Softy.”

[I can protect Yeonwoo too.]

“Geez, I’m sure you can.”

Seeing the two of them acting all lovey-dovey, Kang Hana withdrew her interest. Yeonwoo knows Shin Witaek well. He knows he isn’t someone who will just take a hit quietly.

“There might be a tough fight tomorrow, so make sure you receive plenty of Guiding.”

At Yeonwoo’s words, Softy clung to Yeonwoo, asking if his time to step forward had come.

[Shall we do some Guiding?]