The Youngest wants to be exorcised! chapter 7

Hyunsoo stepped into the large auditorium of the Basic Training Center and looked around at the unchanged interior. It had been three years since he last visited this place.

Back then, he had briefly introduced the center as a stand-in for a colleague. As one of the few S-class guides at the center and the dedicated guide for the famous D team, he had essentially been paraded as the face of the center.

Three years ago, he had been on that stage, but now he was looking up from below, feeling a bit unsettled.

The thought of completing the two-week basic training course felt overwhelming, and Hyunsoo rubbed his throbbing head.

“Hello.”

A young man standing next to him spoke. Hyunsoo smiled slightly and responded.

“Yes, hello.”

Determined not to ruin the reputation of “Lee Jaehee,” he knew he had to get along well with his peers. Although most of them were younger than Kim Yoon, he didn’t show his discomfort.

“By the way, can I ask you something?”

Hyunsoo nodded, not sure what kind of question to expect from someone in the same situation. Then, an unexpected question came.

“What’s your relationship with Esper Jung Minchan?”

“Excuse me?”

‘Why is that guy’s name coming up here?’

Momentarily flustered, Hyunsoo glanced around and noticed a few people nodding and looking at him with interest.

“The one who carried your luggage to the entrance, isn’t that Esper Jung Minchan from D team?”

Minchan had indeed carried Hyunsoo’s luggage to the entrance of the Basic Training Center.

Hyunsoo realized his mistake. He was so used to having the D team help him that he didn’t even find it odd. He resolved to be more careful in the future.

‘Just play it off for now.’

Denying it would mean lying. He couldn’t make Lee Jaehee a liar.

“That’s right. We know each other a bit personally.”

“Wow! I knew it. Ah, I’m Shin Jungmin. I’m 21 this year.”

“…I’m Lee Jaehee, 22.”

‘I never thought I’d introduce myself as Lee Jaehee.’

Hyunsoo suppressed his uneasy feelings. He felt like he was really going to live as Lee Jaehee at this rate. After chatting with a few more people who had been lingering around, the orientation started.

The center introduction and brief schedule overview were almost the same as Hyunsoo remembered. After that, they were assigned their dormitories.

The dormitory rooms were for two people. The luggage they had left before gathering in the auditorium was already placed inside the rooms.

Hyunsoo smiled slightly, trying to look sociable.

“I look forward to spending the training period with you.”

He greeted the man who would share the room with him and exchanged brief introductions. The roommate’s name was Hwang Sejoon, 20 years old, and an A-class guide.

20 years old. Even younger than the real Lee Jaehee.

“Yes, hyung. I look forward to it.”

Sejoon answered politely, bowing his head. After roughly unpacking, they ended up going to the dining hall together.

Hyunsoo, having told him to speak comfortably, listened as Sejoon, now less formal, said while eating.

“But hyung, you seem kind of indifferent about everything.”

“Hm?”

Hyunsoo paused mid-chew and tilted his head.

“Like, even if a bomb exploded next to you, you’d just go, ‘Oh, it exploded.’”

“Why would a bomb explode? Stop imagining weird things and just eat. The bulgogi is good.”

“…Okay.”

Sejoon pouted his lips and shoveled food into his mouth. The first day of the basic training course involved nothing but orientation in the auditorium and getting assigned dorms before resting.

Despite having just met, Sejoon acted like he’d known Lee Jaehee, or rather, Hyunsoo, for a year.

He seemed to have a very outgoing personality. Every time Hyunsoo saw the affectionate Sejoon, a name came to mind.

Kim Yoon.

He was a cheerful guy with a lot of aegyo, whose mere presence lifted the mood.

Thinking of him, Hyunsoo decided to remind the D team members about names and behaviors.

They were sharp enough to understand even with a brief explanation.

[If you see me at the center, call me Lee Jaehee. Don’t call me hyung. Be careful, okay?]

Shortly after sending the message, he received replies.

[Younie♡: Got it (smiling emoji)]

[Jiwon: Okay]

[Jung Minchan: How’s the dorm?]

[Younie♡: I wanted to see hyung tooㅠㅠ I’ll visit later]

[Younie♡: After the basic training, will you start the probation period, hyung?]

Hyunsoo had only told Jung Minchan that he was undergoing basic training as Lee Jaehee, but it seemed he had shared it with the others.

It was convenient not having to repeat himself.

[I suppose so.]

After Hyunsoo replied, the chat room buzzed with messages. They asked about trivial things like what he ate and if his roommate was nice.

After answering appropriately, he lay down on the bed.

Tomorrow, the actual training would begin. The real Lee Jaehee’s basic training completion grades were middle to upper range.

Not all S-class guides start off excellent at guiding. The grades were based on the total amount of resonance a person could handle.

Even if the total amount was large, the burden on the guide varied depending on how they absorbed the resonance.

Guiding shock was a frequent occurrence among trainee guides. Trainee guides who had only guided a few times during basic training often panicked when thrown into real situations.

Once assigned to a team, they would receive guidance from senior guides and learn practical tips for field guiding.

‘I had a rough time during my probation too.’

Espers, who had just returned from using their powers in monster-infested areas, were usually on edge.

Often, they couldn’t afford to consider the trainee guides assigned to their teams.

‘Well, everyone learns that way.’

The thought of taking classes with much younger juniors from tomorrow felt daunting, but he had to earn his keep at Lee Jaehee’s house. He was determined to do his best.

“Hyung, are you sleeping?”

Sejoon asked from the next bed.

“Yes, I am.”

“Who talks when they’re sleeping?”

“Someone right here. Tomorrow’s breakfast is beef seaweed soup. Let’s sleep early.”

“…Okay.”

Sejoon quieted down. Hyunsoo checked if his alarm was set correctly and closed his eyes. It was hard to sleep in a strange place. He eventually fell asleep after tossing and turning for a long time.

* * *

Hyunsoo dreamed of his days at the orphanage. He woke up just as he was being rescued from beneath a collapsed building.

“Jaehee hyung, are you okay?”

Sejoon shook him awake. Catching his breath, Hyunsoo nodded, and a glass of water appeared.

“Drink this.”

“Okay.”

Feeling parched, he gratefully accepted the water. He thought it was fortunate to have such a considerate roommate. After quickly downing the water, Sejoon took the glass and asked,

“Want another glass?”

“No, I’m fine. Thanks for waking me.”

“No problem.”

Sejoon smiled brightly. Though they had only met a day ago, Sejoon seemed like a good guy.

‘I’ll share some useful tips with you.’

Hyunsoo thought of the tips that only a ten-year veteran guide like himself could offer. He was confident they would be helpful.

“Let’s wash up and go have a meal.”

“Okay.”

After washing up in the bathroom attached to the room, they changed clothes and headed to the cafeteria. They had a hearty meal and then moved to the training room.

The first class was “History of the Awakened,” but I couldn’t remember much of the lecture. The only thing that stuck in my mind was how incredibly sleepy I felt.

“Wow. The professor’s voice was so soothing I thought I was going to lose my mind.”

When the class ended and the professor left, Sejoon grumbled quietly. Hyunsoo, who shared the sentiment, nodded slightly.

The professor’s overly gentle voice and tone caused half of the classmates to nod off.

Luckily, it was all information he already knew, so he didn’t think he would fail the upcoming quiz.

They moved to the next classroom as per the timetable.

The second class was “Guiding Practice I.” It seemed like the kind of class where they would bring in a few not-too-experienced espers to practice guiding on. Surprisingly, that was exactly what was written in the curriculum.

“Then, let’s invite the espers who will help with the practice.”

When the professor gestured, the assistant opened the door. Hyunsoo and his classmates watched as the espers walked in.

As Hyunsoo had expected, the espers introduced themselves as recent recruits who had just started their mandatory service.

“And finally, we have a special guest today.”

‘A special guest?’

When the professor mentioned this, all the trainees, including Hyunsoo, looked at him curiously. A tall man casually walked through the open door.

Hyunsoo’s eyes widened. With his curly brown hair and a beaming smile, Kim Yoon entered the practice room.

He could hear his classmates whispering as they recognized Yoon. When Yoon, who was standing among the lined-up espers, saw Hyunsoo disguised as Lee Jaehui, he smiled with his eyes.

“I’m Kim Yoon from Central Center’s Special D Team. I look forward to today’s practice!”

Amidst the new recruits who had just completed their probation, a six-year veteran was smiling brightly.