The white fluff wiggled, its face buried snugly against Suhyeon’s stomach. Suhyeon blinked.
“……This?”
“Yeah. It’s a lifeform made entirely of Gate energy. Of course, I’ve never seen or heard of a monster in this form, but there’s no other explanation. If this gets out, it’ll be a sensation. To think I’d be its first researcher—Ack!”
As Yihan’s explanation began to veer into a tangent, a water cup from the table flew through the air and struck his forehead with a sharp clack.
“Hey!!!”
“As I thought, it’s dangerous. Give it here, Suhyeon. I’ll go dispose of it.”
It was a scene of violence Suhyeon hadn’t witnessed in quite a while.
Ignoring Yihan, who was clutching his head and yelping, Hajin reached out toward the fluff-ball burrowed in Suhyeon’s lap.
“Kyu, kyuu! Kyu! Kyuuuu!”
The fluff-ball, which had been peacefully swaying its soft fur, jumped in fright.
It bounced and rolled around, narrowly dodging Hajin’s grasping hands.
It seemed to instinctively realize that Hajin meant it harm.
“Kyuuuuuuuuu!”
But no matter how much it rolled, it was no use.
It took less than thirty seconds for Hajin’s hand to snatch up the white thing as it tumbled across the bed.
“Kyuu, kyuu…….”
Dangling from Hajin’s grip, the fluff-ball shot a pitiful look toward Suhyeon as if pleading for help.
Its black, bead-like eyes sparkled as if it were about to burst into tears at any moment.
‘Hmm,’ Suhyeon swallowed a groan.
‘That’s really a monster?’
It looked nothing like the giant, horrific things that crawled out of Gates swinging tentacles.
“Shi- Shin Hajin, seriously? You’re just going to get rid of it like that? My research data!”
“Shut up.”
While Suhyeon hesitated, Hajin stood up from the bed, still holding the fluff-ball by the scruff of its neck.
Yihan clung to Hajin’s leg, wailing and begging him not to go.
To an outsider, it would look like he was the long-lost mother—no, father—of the creature.
“Kyu, kyuuuuuu…….”
The fluff-ball flailed in the air, struggling to break free from Hajin’s grasp.
Even while being carried away, it kept its eyes fixed solely on Suhyeon.
The initial shock of its identity being a “monster” was brief; it was impossible not to feel moved by such a sorrowful gaze.
“Um, Hajin.”
Suhyeon finally reached out and grabbed the hem of Hajin’s shirt.
Hajin, who had been lifting his foot to kick Yihan away with an expression of pure annoyance, flinched and looked back at Suhyeon.
The fluff-ball dangled, frozen in mid-air.
“Suhyeon?”
“Kyuu, kyuu! Kyuuuuu!”
“Umm……,”
Believing firmly that Suhyeon would save it, the fluff-ball began to cry loudly like a newborn kitten.
Suhyeon let out a deep sigh.
He didn’t know why, but he didn’t feel like this thing would harm him, even if it was a monster.
This wasn’t just because of its cute appearance or the way it acted tamed; it was an intuition similar to what he felt when he first learned to handle guiding waves.
This gut feeling had never been wrong.
‘Wouldn’t it be okay? Am I being too naive?’
“Suhyeon. It might be dangerous.”
Before he could even speak, Hajin narrowed his eyes as if he knew exactly what Suhyeon was thinking.
“Kyuu!!”
In that moment, Hajin’s grip must have loosened slightly.
The white fluff-ball dropped to the floor with a thump-thump and scurried back into Suhyeon’s lap, nuzzling his face.
The scales in Suhyeon’s heart tipped further. He offered an awkward smile.
“For now, can’t we just keep it for a little while?”
“Great! Excellent decision!”
Whenever Suhyeon spoke like this, Hajin always gave in.
Yihan, who had anticipated the outcome, cheered from behind.
“It’s dangerous.”
However, Hajin still refused firmly.
“Kyuuuuuuuu…….”
The moment Hajin spoke, the fluff-ball cried out, almost as if contradicting him.
Hajin’s brow furrowed deeper.
He stared at the creature with a gaze of pure displeasure.
Truthfully, Hajin’s concern was entirely valid.
Suhyeon had only just escaped a life-threatening situation.
Knowing he was being somewhat complacent, Suhyeon didn’t push further but looked up at Hajin as if to say he would follow his decision.
Blue eyes wavered for a moment before narrowing again.
“……Sigh.”
In the end, even to Hajin, the fluff-ball didn’t look immediately threatening.
Exhaling a long breath, he pressed his fingers against his temples and spoke.
“The second it looks like it’s causing even the slightest harm, I’m getting rid of it.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Holding the fluff-ball, Suhyeon beamed.
Yihan started cackling, only to be promptly punished by Hajin.
“Kyuuuuuu!”
Whether it knew it had just escaped death or not, the fluff-ball chirped happily, its fur swaying.
And so, the household at Hajin’s place gained one more unexpected member.
Ding.
The day seemed to be passing peacefully, but as the sun began to set, the loud ringing of Suhyeon’s phone shattered the quiet.
Hajin reacted to the ringtone even faster than Suhyeon.
Before the caller ID could even be checked, Hajin snatched the phone away like a swift predator.
“I’ll take this.”
Suhyeon nodded obediently.
Since he woke up, annoying calls had been flooding in—he had no idea how they even got his number.
Most of the callers were reporters.
He had been ignoring them, but after the phone rang more than thirty times in a single day, Hajin had clearly reached his limit.
Hajin headed out of the room with a terrifying expression, leaving Suhyeon alone with a blinking Yihan.
Only the fluff-ball chirped peacefully, swaying its fur.
“……What……?”
Hajin, who Suhyeon thought would return quickly, stayed on the call longer than expected.
‘Was it not a reporter?’
When Suhyeon heard Hajin’s angry voice drifting in from outside, he blinked in confusion.
“Suhyeon.”
The door swung open, and Hajin leaned halfway into the room.
A cold rage that hadn’t been there before was now swirling across his face.
“……Did something happen?”
“I need to head to the Association for a moment.”
As soon as Suhyeon asked, Hajin announced his departure as if something were extremely grating.
“Ryu Yihan, watch the house. Stay with Suhyeon.”
“What? Hey, I’m busy—”
“No, never mind. I shouldn’t leave you in charge. Suhyeon, wait just a moment.”
Slam!
The door swung shut with a violent crash.
“……?”
“What’s up with him?”
Suhyeon tilted his head, and Yihan blinked.
Given the timing, he must have been angered by that phone call.
“O-oh, Suhyeon! Are you feeling alright?!”
When the door burst open again, an Esper from Team 1 that Suhyeon recognized rushed in.
Behind him, Esper Lee Jeonghyeon followed, his face ghostly pale.
The quick-witted fluff-ball had already vanished under the bed.
“……Huh?”
Yihan gaped at the sudden influx of people.
Suhyeon also felt a question mark pop up over his head.
Hajin slowly re-entered the room behind them.
“Suhyeon. I’ll be back shortly. Please stay inside the house and don’t go out if you can help it.”
His voice was unusually stiff for a comment directed at Suhyeon.
Considering Hajin hadn’t left his side recently due to his separation anxiety, something serious must have happened for him to leave so abruptly.
Suhyeon nodded submissively.
Hajin looked ready to leave immediately but hesitated, then strode back to Suhyeon.
Smooch.
He left a soft kiss on Suhyeon’s forehead, pressed his lips repeatedly to Suhyeon’s left hand where the ring was, and lingered at the nape of his neck for a moment before finally turning toward Lee Jeonghyeon.
“I’m going to go… clear out some distractions.”
With a pop, Hajin and Lee Jeonghyeon vanished, and the room fell into a sudden, heavy silence. Suhyeon felt himself flush under the stunned gazes of the Esper and Yihan.
Arriving in front of a large set of doors, Hajin cracked his stiff neck from side to side.
The sound of bones popping echoed eerily.
—Guide Chae Suhyeon. This is a summons from the Association. You are ordered to report to the Association by 18:00 today……
Recalling the voice that had recited the command in a monotone without even checking who answered or offering a greeting, he let out a sharp laugh.
It was pathetic treatment, clearly targeting the fact that Suhyeon was a “newbie” who had just entered the Association.
A summons command for an S-rank Guide?
Normally, a summons was reserved for gifted individuals who had committed a crime or something equivalent.
It seemed the higher-ups at the Association had decided to play a ridiculous game.
Hajin raised his leg. The doors to the Association’s top floor burst open with a resounding crash.
The noisy hall fell into instant silence.
“……Esper Shin Hajin?”
Someone whispered.
Blue eyes, which were cold to everyone except Suhyeon, scanned the people seated on the high dais surrounding a central seat.
The hall was crawling with the people who held the actual power in the Association.
Bewildered gazes fell upon Hajin, as they had clearly expected Suhyeon to appear obediently.
They must have known Hajin was with Suhyeon—or was this a move they made because they didn’t know?
Regardless, the fact that they had made a stupid move remained unchanged.
“Director Lee Nahyeon!”
At that moment, another commotion arose.
The doors at the top of the dais burst open, revealing familiar faces.
The Association President and Director Chae Yihan.
They looked frantic as they rushed in.
Chae Yihan, whose eyes mirrored Suhyeon’s, looked down toward Hajin and let out a small sigh of relief.
The door opened once more, and this time, Asher Delveron appeared with an unreadable expression.
He also looked down, meeting Hajin’s gaze, and raised an eyebrow.
‘Now that my lover is awake, there’s a whole pile of annoyances.’
It felt as if God, in an attempt to balance the scales of Hajin’s luck after giving him such an undeserved gift, had arranged for all these pests to gather.
A few more people entered, everyone looking at Hajin below with shock and alarm. Hajin scanned their faces and then slowly waved his hand.
Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.
Every single door leading into the hall slammed shut and locked.
Blue flames danced over the door handles.
Hajin tilted his head.
“Let’s hear it. I’d like to know what kind of nonsense you were planning to spout.”
Gaze after gaze flinched like startled insects.
A chilling silence settled over the room.
