* * *
“……Captain Seo Dojin.”
Raon called his name with an unpleasant expression.
Dojin slowly approached.
“Looks like you just came out of the director’s office.”
“Yes, but… what brings you to the center?”
Dojin didn’t like guides.
He was an Esper who found it unfair that powerful Espers had to depend on weak guides.
That’s why he hadn’t been particularly kind to Hamin either.
Because of that, his visits to the guide center were rare.
Raon eyed him warily. Dojin’s lips curled upward.
“Let’s have a little chat.”
“With me?”
“Yes.”
“……”
Raon grew more anxious.
What could Dojin possibly have to talk about with him?
Recalling what Seokhyun had said earlier, Raon shook his head.
“Sorry, but I have a prior engagement.”
“Esper Yoon Siwoo is tied up with work and will be late.”
Just as Dojin said, Siwoo had returned to work after his reward vacation.
Normally, he should’ve been back by now, but clearly Dojin had intentionally given him extra work. Raon ground his teeth.
“……Either way, I have plans too, so if you have something to say, please make it quick.”
“Let’s move somewhere else first.”
“……”
Dojin turned his head as he spoke.
Raon wanted to avoid being alone with him, but he had little choice.
Besides, with so many eyes inside the center, Dojin wouldn’t be able to act recklessly.
Raon followed him into an empty conference room.
“What is this about?”
Raon cut straight to the point, not wanting to drag out the conversation.
Dojin gazed at him steadily with calm eyes, then got to the point.
“Did you personally reject my pairing proposal?”
“…What?”
For a moment, Raon thought he misheard.
Dojin spoke as though Raon rejecting his pairing offer had been a mistake.
As if it was Director Seokhyun who had refused without Raon’s consent.
Raon couldn’t help but laugh dryly.
Dojin stared at him persistently.
“Of course I did.”
“……”
“Why would I pair up with you, Team Leader?”
Although Seokhyun had rejected Dojin’s offer before it even reached him, Raon’s response would have been no different.
After all, Dojin was the one who had pushed away and despised Han Raon when he had desperately followed him around.
Now, for him to suddenly change his mind and propose a pairing was highly suspicious.
Raon narrowed his eyes at the composed Dojin.
“You wanted this though, didn’t you? To pair with me.”
“…Ha.”
So that’s why he was so confident—because the real Han Raon had indeed chased after him.
But too bad.
Raon wasn’t that Han Raon.
And there was no forced system to bind him now.
Smiling faintly, Raon spoke.
“There’s no need. I have Siwoo now.”
“……”
“You should’ve held onto me back then if you wanted this so badly.”
He spoke as if it had nothing to do with him — and truly, it didn’t.
The one who had feelings for Dojin was the real Han Raon, and Dojin had thrown away that chance himself.
Had it been the real Han Raon, this might have been the moment he’d dreamed of.
But not for Raon.
He was sick of even seeing Dojin’s face now.
“Well then, I have something to attend to, so I’ll be going.”
“…Wait.”
Dojin quietly reached out and grabbed Raon.
As he tried to leave, Raon looked down at the large hand gripping his wrist.
“What exactly is the problem?”
“Let go.”
“What’s the problem?!”
“I said let go!”
Raon tried to shake off Dojin’s hand, but the difference in strength was too great.
Gritting his teeth as Dojin’s grip tightened painfully on his wrist, Raon felt like it might snap at any moment.
“…Fine. I admit I was indifferent all this time.”
Dojin muttered, grinding his teeth, as if he had made great concessions.
Raon twisted his lips into a bitter smile.
Dojin still didn’t understand the situation at all.
“What do you want? If not the pairing contract, is there something else you’re after?”
“Ha.”
Dojin wasn’t taking Raon’s rejection seriously at all, thinking it was just a ploy to make him more desperate.
That only made Raon angrier.
The reason Dojin could think like that was simple—because he knew better than anyone how much Han Raon had once loved him.
That confidence fueled his behavior.
But Raon wasn’t the real Han Raon.
He was merely borrowing this body and playing a role.
Still, after more than five years of pretending, seeing Dojin act like Han Raon’s love was a given infuriated him deeply.
“There’s nothing. I told you last time too. I don’t have any feelings for you, Team Leader.”
Raon repeated the words like chewing glass.
He hoped Dojin would finally listen after hearing it twice.
But unfortunately, Dojin wasn’t the type to listen, no matter how many times he was told.
He never believed Raon’s words to begin with — or perhaps he simply didn’t care what the other person felt at all.
Sweat trickled down Raon’s back.
The look in Dojin’s eyes was getting dangerous.
Raon glanced toward the conference room’s CCTV, trying to hide his growing anxiety.
The situation wasn’t serious enough for the guards to intervene yet.
Should he provoke him more?
But Dojin didn’t seem like someone who would fall for cheap tricks.
“Two years, Han Raon. Two years you lost your mind whenever I even touched another guide. And now you want me to believe you feel nothing?”
“Ugh.”
The grip on his wrist tightened further, making Raon grimace.
Believe it or not, but at least let go of his arm.
Gritting his teeth, Raon tried to summon strength into his arm.
“Let… go of—!”
Had he finished that sentence, Raon would’ve ended up cursing.
But just then, the conference room door burst open, and something transparent shot forward, slamming Dojin back.
Bang!
“Urgh.”
Dojin was flung across the room, slamming into the conference room wall after being thrown away from Raon.
Even with his abilities, he couldn’t move.
Staring straight ahead in disbelief, Dojin spoke.
“…What do you think you’re doing, Esper Yoon Siwoo?”
Siwoo’s pitch-black eyes glared at Dojin.
One arm was wrapped protectively around Raon’s shoulder, while the other held Dojin captive with the water he had used to attack him, restricting his movement.
Dojin’s face twisted.
This level of ability shouldn’t have been enough to restrain him if he really wanted to break free.
Yet, even while using his telekinesis, he couldn’t budge.
Dojin gritted his teeth.
“Attacking your superior… have you lost your mind, Esper Yoon Siwoo?”
His low voice tried to intimidate, but Siwoo didn’t budge in the slightest.
His pressure on Dojin was as though he truly intended to kill him.
Raon, only now fully grasping the situation, quickly assessed what was happening.
It was fortunate that Siwoo, who was supposed to arrive late, had shown up just in time to save him.
But this wasn’t the outcome he wanted.
Though Dojin had initiated the violence, he had only grabbed Raon’s wrist — nothing beyond that.
If Dojin decided to make an issue of it, Siwoo’s response could easily be seen as excessive.
Espers were part of the military; orders and hierarchy were absolute.
Siwoo, a lower-ranked subordinate, attacking his superior officer like this was dangerous.
Quickly sorting out his thoughts, Raon called out to Siwoo.
“Siwoo, that’s enough. I’m fine.”
Siwoo’s eyes shifted to Raon’s reddened wrist.
Inside those sunken black eyes, fury still burned fiercely.
“Siwoo.”
Raon gently grabbed Siwoo’s arm, which was still extended toward Dojin.
After a moment of resistance, Siwoo slowly lowered his hand.
Turning his head, Raon spoke to Dojin.
“Sir, you’re not exactly in a position to act innocent. My Esper happened to witness a scene that could easily be misunderstood.”
“What?”
Deliberately, Raon waved his injured wrist in front of him.
Unlike Espers, a Guide’s delicate wrist was already red and swollen.
“That much—”
“Unfortunately, I happen to be Korea’s only S-class Guide. And my father is CEO Han Myung. Do you think you can handle the fallout?”
Crushing others with power was Dojin’s specialty.
But Raon wasn’t someone easily trampled, either.
He had simply never needed to use that strength against Dojin before.
Now that the roles were reversed, Raon couldn’t help but wonder how it felt to be on the receiving end.
But his wrist hurt too much to dwell on it.
He let out a small groan without realizing it, and Siwoo, startled, rushed to support him.
“Ugh.”
“Hyung, are you okay?”
In stark contrast to how fiercely he had threatened Dojin, Siwoo now treated Raon as if he were fragile glass about to shatter.
Even while grimacing in pain, Raon couldn’t help but chuckle softly.
“Let’s get you to the infirmary.”
“Alright.”
Leaving Dojin behind, the two headed toward the infirmary.
Raon was carried in Siwoo’s arms as they moved down the hallway at a swift pace, the scenery whizzing past.
“You know… if you just blow on it, I feel like it’ll heal faster.”
“…”
“No? You’re not going to?”
Now that he was more relaxed, Raon couldn’t resist making a lighthearted joke.
But Siwoo completely ignored him, prompting Raon to pout.
* * *
Siwoo is right person for sure