* * *
– Team Leader Raon?
“Hello, Team Leader Inho.”
– Yes. What’s the matter at this hour?
Inho asked in a puzzled tone.
Fortunately, there was no sleepiness in his voice, suggesting he hadn’t gone to bed yet.
Raon smiled and began to speak.
“I apologize for the late hour. I have something to ask you, Team Leader.”
– Me?
“Yes.”
– I heard that Team Leader Raon is taking a break…
Inho seemed puzzled that Raon had contacted him.
Since they were not close personally, it was understandable.
Raon didn’t mind and continued.
“Yes. But I have some work that has come up during my break. I was hoping Team Leader Inho could help me with it.”
– Me?
“Yes.”
Tackling Apophis with just himself and Siwoo was insufficient.
Of course, Siwoo would take charge of capturing the leaders, but other Espers also needed to pretend to catch Apophis.
Only then would they be fooled.
“I originally thought this was a matter to seek cooperation from Team Leader Dojin, but I don’t think he will be cooperative with me. If you have the capacity, Team Leader Inho, I earnestly ask for your collaboration.”
– Hmm, what is it about?
Inho, who must have been troubled by Seo Dojin’s return, asked cautiously.
As expected, he didn’t evade or appear flustered when Dojin was mentioned.
“I believe you are also sharing information about Apophis, Team Leader.”
– Apophis?
“Yes.”
Apophis was a major terrorist group that the Intelligence Division kept a close watch on.
Although the Alpha Team mainly handled Gate missions, the Intelligence Division often shared information via their server when there were signs of activity from Apophis.
This was because Alpha Team Espers were sometimes mobilized for counter-terrorism missions.
In particular, Inho, a physical reinforcement-type Esper, was a talent the Intelligence Division coveted.
If Inho hadn’t been so obsessed with Gate missions due to his inferiority complex toward Dojin, he might have become the Intelligence Division Team Leader by now.
– Why them all of a sudden? Does it concern Team Leader Raon?
“Yes, I believe it soon will concern me.”
– Surely… you’re not planning to provoke Apophis, are you?
“Haha, surely not. Even I wouldn’t do something like that.”
– Hmmm.
However, Inho let out a long moan, as if he didn’t trust him.
Raon just smiled brazenly.
“I’ve also heard talk that Apophis will be making a move soon. If things go well, we might be able to achieve results on that front. Won’t you help me, Team Leader Inho?”
– Huh, Apophis after the Gate? Team Leader Raon, are you in your right mind right now?
“Of course, I’m perfectly sane.”
Raon smiled and nodded.
He had never been this sane in his life.
Raon still clearly remembered the things Apophis had done before the regression.
With numerous ability users dying due to the Irregular Gates and regular citizens trembling in fear, they further created terror by launching attacks.
Of course, these were events that had to happen for a tense plot progression in the novel, but Raon, who had to live the reality within that novel, hated the indiscriminate terror with a fierce intensity.
He had promised himself several times that he would stop it, even if he had to throw his whole body into it.
And now, Raon had the justification and the ability to do so.
He couldn’t miss this opportunity.
“I’ve already secured cooperation from Hanmyung. What will you do, Team Leader Inho?”
– From Hanmyung? Hmm.
Inho did not answer easily, seemingly deep in thought.
However, he had no choice but to accept.
Raon wasn’t the only one who felt hostility toward Dojin.
Inho also held a strong personal grudge against him, and now that Dojin had returned as the Battle Team Leader, he would be even more of an eyesore.
It was likely already confirmed that Dojin would lead the Battle Team in the next Irregular Gate, and the only way to change the military command’s stance was to produce comparable results.
If Inho successfully eliminated Apophis, which had been a headache for the government, his position within the military would be further strengthened.
– Is this really an operation that can succeed?
“Of course. Just trust me.”
Raon uttered words that sounded momentarily like a scam artist’s.
But Inho didn’t object.
The current Raon was not the Center’s troublemaker, but Han Raon, the Guide Team Leader who led the suppression of the Irregular Gate.
– But are you really not going to enter the next Irregular Gate? Team Leader Dojin will act unilaterally like before, but wouldn’t it be better to go in together?
“I will consider that a little more.”
– Yes, I look forward to a positive answer.
“Yes, please get some rest.”
Inho was also worried about suppressing the next Irregular Gate under Dojin’s command.
Raon fell into thought for a moment.
If he made an achievement by driving out Apophis, as he expected, the military would have no choice but to reconsider the usefulness of him and Siwoo.
In the novel, even Dojin mobilized the Alpha Team to capture Apophis before a new Irregular Gate appeared, but he didn’t achieve much success.
If he keeps doing what Seo Dojin failed to do, the pressure from public opinion will increase, and it’s possible the command might be handed back to Raon.
Of course, he still didn’t know if that would truly happen.
‘Well, the System might return before that.’
The thought made Raon feel wistful again. He was someone who had to leave the Guide Team anyway.
So, perhaps it was a good thing that he left at an appropriate time.
He just felt bad that he couldn’t say goodbye to the team members.
“Hyung? Why are you awake and what are you doing?”
“Ah.”
Siwoo approached and asked. Raon looked at him in surprise.
“Why are you awake and not sleeping?”
“Because Hyung wasn’t next to me.”
“Haha, that’s true. That’s my fault.”
Sometimes Siwoo had a tendency to treat him like a body pillow.
Raon burst out laughing and patted his lap.
It was an invitation for him to come and sit.
Siwoo, grumbling, rubbed his eyes sleepily and walked determinedly toward Raon.
Even though he was clearly sleepy, his steps were straight.
Raon savored Siwoo’s disgruntled face, then pulled him into a hug when he got close.
“You can’t sleep if Hyung isn’t next to you?”
“Yes.”
“This is a problem for our Siwoo. Can’t even sleep without Hyung.”
“Then take responsibility.”
“What?”
Siwoo complained in a muffled voice while being hugged by Raon.
Raon bent his head to look closely at his face, but Siwoo pulled Raon’s waist closer and buried his face in Raon’s neck.
Then he continued in a small voice.
“I can’t sleep without Hyung now. So, take responsibility. For life.”
“For life…”
“Yes.”
“…”
The weight of the words was heavy.
Raon felt a dull ache in his chest.
It wasn’t just because Siwoo’s words made him happy.
If he could, he also wanted to stay by Siwoo’s side for a long time.
Just as Siwoo said, for his entire life, he didn’t want to be separated from Siwoo for a moment as his Guide.
To him, Siwoo was a person more special than anyone else.
Guides, unlike Espers, don’t particularly feel a sense of fate.
It’s the Esper who desperately needs Guiding, not the Guide.
Yet, Raon felt a strong unpleasantness about even making contact with any Esper other than Siwoo for Guiding.
He was not much different from other Guides who refer to the Esper they love as ‘my Esper,’ even though they hadn’t Imprinted yet.
But despite that, Raon couldn’t easily promise Siwoo forever.
The System was one thing, but he might return to his original world again.
If the moment of that choice came after he had fulfilled his duty, he couldn’t be sure what choice he would make.
No, perhaps he would be forcibly sent back to his original world without even wishing for it, just like when he regressed.
Raon’s trust in the System was already at rock bottom.
So, Raon closed his mouth without being able to answer Siwoo’s words fully.
“Hyung?”
“Ah, yeah.”
Raon, who had been stiff, reacted in a daze.
Siwoo raised his head and gazed at Raon’s face, which was rigid with tension.
“It was a joke, why are you acting so serious?”
“What? A joke?”
“Yes.”
At that, Siwoo gave an embarrassed smile, as if it truly was just a joke.
Raon was taken aback by this.
“Hyung always teases me, so why can’t I do it?”
“No, well. It’s not that.”
“It’s fine. Anyway, don’t take it too seriously.”
“Hmm.”
Siwoo, who spoke as lightly as possible, briefly glanced at Raon as if checking his reaction.
However, Raon, who was confused, didn’t notice at all what he was doing, which he would have caught immediately under normal circumstances.
If Siwoo chose to treat it as a joke first, he should accept it favorably, but somehow Raon couldn’t.
He even felt a bit down, wondering if he was the only one who had taken it seriously.
“Anyway, it’s late, let’s go to bed now.”
“Oh, okay.”
Siwoo, who lightly kissed Raon’s cheek, got up first.
This time, Raon was led by Siwoo’s hand and hugged into his arms.
And they moved straight to the bedroom.
The outside, past midnight, was sinking into an increasingly deep darkness.
*
The unexpected vacation turned out to bring Raon satisfaction.
He had been busy nonstop with Irregular Gates and Guide Team training, but since he was now cooped up at home having sex just to raise Siwoo’s value, his satisfaction level couldn’t help but rise.
Of course, Raon, being a Guide, often got tired quickly compared to the physically fit Esper.
“Hmm, hmm-hmm. Hello?”
In the middle of another passionate session with Siwoo, Raon picked up the noisily ringing watch.
And as soon as he managed to answer with a hoarse voice, a loud noise echoed in Raon’s ear.
* * *
