HLSEBT - 34

34. Good cop, Bad cop 2

What if Jeon Sung-ha became Woo Joo-han’s partner in Group 〈Na〉? What if her telekinetic abilities improved to the point of mastering precision? What if he failed to secure first place? 

The fear of an unfamiliar competitor mercilessly scraped at Kang Jin-ho’s nerves. 

Until Kim Su-chan woke up after class ended, Kang Jin-ho was too preoccupied glaring at the transfer student to notice anything else. The transfer student seemed utterly oblivious to his blatant hostility. 

The bell signaling the end of class rang. 

Kim Su-chan, still rubbing his half-open eyes, turned around. Seeing Kang Jin-ho’s expression, he asked in a groggy voice: 

“When did you die?” 

After reclaiming his tablet, Kim Su-chan hummed a cheerful tune and started a new game. Amid the noisy chatter of break time, the transfer student was already reading ahead in the textbook for the next class. 

While furiously tapping away at the screen, Kim Su-chan noticed his friend’s rising tension and remarked: 

“Have you been glaring daggers at her since earlier?” 

Only then did Kang Jin-ho tear his unrelenting gaze away. Kim Su-chan, who had cleverly cornered his opponent in the game and demolished them, chuckled mischievously. 

“Why are you so tense? Just do what you always do.” 

“…” 

“How could you possibly lose to someone like that?” 

It was the kind of comment other classmates might dismiss as Kim Su-chan sucking up to Kang Jin-ho again. Kang Jin-ho swallowed hard. Kim Su-chan finally led the game to victory. 

After unleashing a devastating area-of-effect attack on his defeated opponent, he looked up with an innocent smile. 

“Smile, you little bugger.” 

Kang Jin-ho forced a grimace-like smile. 

---

A day at the shelter begins like this: 

At 6 a.m., the entire school wakes up to a loud wake-up song. By 7 a.m., everyone has their personal grooming time. 

Though there was plenty of time to eat breakfast by 8 a.m., many students skipped the cafeteria and instead grabbed quick bites like bread or cereal in the dormitory lounge. 

After a light meal, most students headed to their favorite sports facilities to exercise. 

Unlike the Northern Shelter, where schedules were tailored to each esper’s biological rhythm, life at the Western and Southern Shelters emphasized group living. 

Same timetable, same food, same clothes. 

Yoon Tae-ha had no choice but to participate. 

When she woke up in the morning, she splashed cold water on her face to shake off sleepiness. After changing into her gym clothes, she took two banana milks she’d bought from the store the previous day out of the fridge. Then, someone knocked on her door. 

“Transfer student! Time to exercise!” 

It was Hong Eun-soo from G-class. Since her first day at the school, Hong Eun-soo had shown interest in Yoon Tae-ha and had become her new morning workout partner—though not by Yoon Tae-ha’s choice. 

With a badminton racket slung over her shoulder, Hong Eun-soo pushed Yoon Tae-ha, who was holding her banana milk, toward the indoor gym. 

“What does basic physical fitness equal?” 

“…Increased survival probability.” 

“Don’t be lazy and let’s hurry up, okay?” 

Ironically, even if a gate opened inside the shelter right now, the person with the highest chance of survival would be Yoon Tae-ha, despite her frail appearance. 

Hong Eun-soo had no idea. She genuinely enjoyed pushing Yoon Tae-ha to exercise. 

Though Yoon Tae-ha really didn’t want to go, it was a useful time to gather hints. 

So far, she had learned that “Shawn Wang” meant “Potion King”—likely referring to the broker. 

The kids’ slang was rather cute... 

Various vitamins referred to amplifiers, with the numbers appended indicating the strength of the effect—and, naturally, the price varied accordingly. 

Even though the school provided top-tier equipment and supplies, she had noticed a few students exchanging cash discreetly in hidden corners. 

As she was being pushed along, Yoon Tae-ha thought again: I hope this ends soon. 

“What kind of bet should we make today?” 

Unaware of her thoughts, Hong Eun-soo linked arms with her naturally and asked. 

“How many more banana milks can I snatch from you?” 

“Are you that stingy about some milk?” 

Hong Eun-soo was incredibly friendly. 

As an intelligence-type esper, she had a knack for approaching people with her sweet, gentle voice. Since her ability had no connection to physical attacks, people tended to lower their guard around her easily. 

She had many guide friends because of this. Most of the information Yoon Tae-ha had gathered about the guide-class students came from Hong Eun-soo. 

Upon arriving at one of the indoor gyms with Hong Eun-soo, Yoon Tae-ha pretended to search for an empty spot while scanning the students who had arrived earlier. 

“Sung-ha, over here!” 

Hong Eun-soo quickly ran to an empty spot on the far right and called her over. After confirming there were no surveillance targets nearby, Yoon Tae-ha headed to the badminton court where Hong Eun-soo waited. 

“The first to win three rounds gets…” 

“Banana milk.”

“Tomorrow, I’ll add chocolate on top of the banana.” 

Yoon Tae-ha took out her badminton racket and lightly tapped the handle against her opponent’s as a gesture of fair play. 

---

Hong Eun-soo, who had lived in shelters since childhood, moved with impressive agility, a testament to her consistent daily exercise routine. 

As the shuttlecock flew back and forth, the score reached 2-1, with Hong Eun-soo in the lead. 

With a cheerful voice, she teased: 

“One more round left, right?” 

“You don’t have to do this for me to buy you milk. I prepare three flavors every morning—strawberry included.” 

“Don’t feel like playing?” 

The transfer student, picking up a shuttlecock she’d missed, nodded. 

“Nope. Victory tastes sweeter when it’s earned.” 

Hong Eun-soo found her morning workouts with the transfer student quite enjoyable. It was amusing how she showed up looking uninterested but then played with such seriousness. 

At first, seeing her hanging around Kang Jin-ho, Hong Eun-soo assumed the transfer student was one of those types. 

But after partnering with her in class, she realized that the girl didn’t engage in anything harmful. 

Sure, she had spectacularly broken a few training tools—but honestly, that was almost endearing. 

“Hurry up and serve.” 

The transfer student, wearing an expression of resignation, approached the net to send the shuttlecock over. Her slightly sulky face looked rather cute, though she probably didn’t realize it. 

Did she even know what people were saying about her on the student forums? 

Aside from Kang Jin-ho’s group, Hong Eun-soo was the one who interacted with the transfer student most often. She felt a strange satisfaction knowing a side of the transfer student that others didn’t. 

Just then, a shuttlecock from somewhere farther away flew into their court. 

“Huh? Whose is this?” 

Without a word, the transfer student picked up the shuttlecock that had crossed the boundary line. 

Footsteps approached, and a tall, handsome boy in black gym clothes appeared. He spoke to Jeon Sung-ha: 

“It’s ours.” 

Jeon Sung-ha examined the slightly worn shuttlecock, then looked at the approaching boy. Neither broke eye contact. 

“Ho...” 

Hong Eun-soo let out a short exclamation as she immediately recognized the boy. After all, someone like him would stand out no matter how big the crowd. 

Taller than Woo Joo-han, who already had the best build among the guides, with more defined arm muscles and an icy demeanor even when smiling—it was another transfer student. 

Gwon Hee-seong, if she remembered correctly. 

“Not giving it back?” 

He addressed Jeon Sung-ha, who was spinning the shuttlecock between her thumb and index finger. His tone was sharp, as if accusing her of trespassing into his court to steal it. 

Jeon Sung-ha responded just as pointedly: 

“Looks like you’re terrible. The shuttlecock flew all the way here.” 

“Seems like you’ve got time to pick fights this early in the morning.” 

Jeon Sung-ha flicked the shuttlecock toward him. Difficult to throw straight, it arced beautifully through the air. Gwon Hee-seong caught it effortlessly in one motion. 

The tension in their exchange made Hong Eun-soo blink rapidly from behind the pole holding up the badminton net. 

Hadn’t they just met today? 

According to Hong Eun-soo, who knew everyone, these two newcomers had never crossed paths before. 

The students were too busy focusing on each new arrival individually. 

Even Hong Eun-soo hadn’t thought to connect the two transfer students in her mind—after all, multiple students could transfer in a single day depending on the season. 

But seeing them standing side by side now, despite never imagining them together, made her swallow nervously. 

Was it because they both carried themselves so distinctly, even in identical gym uniforms? 

“Gwon! If you’re 30 seconds later, I win, right?” 

Hong Eun-soo turned her head. Woo Joo-han was shouting from where Gwon Hee-seong had come from. 

Were those two already close? Come to think of it, there seemed to be an unusual number of esper girls in the gym today. 

They weren’t the type to work out in the mornings, yet here they were. 

Rare faces sat clustered on the stairs, waiting for Woo Joo-han’s partner to return. 

Having achieved his purpose, Gwon Hee-seong walked off without looking back, heading toward his friend’s call. 

Hong Eun-soo’s eyes followed his broad back until the opposing player lightly tapped the net with their racket, snapping her out of her daze.

The beautiful girl showed zero interest in the handsome newcomer, her expression as indifferent as if she were holding a mere teaspoon of concern. 

“Are you forfeiting?” 

“No way! How brazen, acting like that while losing!” 

Her indignant tone made the opponent smirk faintly. For some reason, his demeanor reminded Hong Eun-soo of the boy who had just left. She tilted her head curiously. 

---

“What did you say?” 

Cheon Geon-young, returning to his spot, shrugged at Woo Joo-han, who was sprawled over the net like a blanket. 

Ever since his friend had gone to retrieve the shuttlecock, Woo Joo-han had been staring intently at Yoon Tae-ha’s side of the court. 

Cheon Geon-young feigned ignorance, asking as if he were hearing about the transfer student for the first time: 

“Is she famous?” 

“She probably transferred on the same day as you. Didn’t you see her in the faculty office?” 

“Nope.” 

“Really?” Woo Joo-han shot back briefly, then fell silent. He didn’t seem interested in resuming the game. Instead, he appeared to have something on his mind to say. 

Cheon Geon-young waited patiently, idly spinning a shuttlecock on his finger—just as Yoon Tae-ha had done moments ago in front of him. 

She told me not to interfere, and now she’s acting like a complete stranger. Her natural, unaffected demeanor was so convincing it even left him momentarily confused. 

Do S-class espers also need to be great actors? 

He recalled Yoon Tae-ha’s remark about having used enough fake names to fill a truck. 

She didn’t seem to be putting in any particular effort. Yet, her unreadable gaze and her ability to effortlessly adapt to those around her made her a challenging opponent. 

Woo Joo-han, who had been watching Yoon Tae-ha and her partner, finally stepped away from the net once their match concluded.