HLSEBT - 42

42. Unofficial Work 2

Perfectly round, flawlessly smooth rice balls began to pile up in front of Cheon Geonyoung. They looked as if they had been sculpted by a machine—inhumanly perfect.  

“Jealous? Why do you keep staring?”  

“Not jealous at all. Mine are prettier.”  

Her competitor inspected her rice balls. She didn’t want to feel tense in this setting, but she couldn’t help but feel slightly intimidated. He gave a concise evaluation.  

“The taste is what matters.”  

“That’s subtly irritating.”  

“Effort matters too.”  

She wasn’t sure what exactly he was making, but after glancing at Hong Eunsoo and Woo Joo Han’s cooking station, where steam was rising vigorously, she whispered to Cheon Geonyoung.  

“Is this all an act?”  

Cheon Geonyoung made an adorable, innocent expression as if he didn’t understand what she meant. With his gloved hand, he pointed toward the other team’s fiery tteokbokki station.  

“That’s the real act.”  

“You’re making puns now?”  

“Try tasting this.”  

Before she could react, a roughly shaped ball of rice was popped into her unsuspecting mouth.  

“Good?”  

It was quite good. As she nodded, Cheon Geonyoung gathered the remaining rice and formed two large rice balls before removing his gloves.  

---

Half of the cooking area was occupied by massive countertops that looked like they belonged in a cooking competition.  

On the opposite side of the evenly spaced countertops were tables and chairs of various sizes, ranging from two-person to ten-person settings, scattered here and there.  

Since it wasn’t dinner time, the four of them claimed a spacious and comfortable six-person table.  

With Espers and Guides gathered together, the conversation naturally drifted toward the upcoming evaluations.  

Yoon Taeha and Cheon Geonyoung, seated across from each other, didn’t miss a word of the students’ chatter.  

Hong Eunsoo glanced around to check for any unwanted eavesdroppers before speaking.  

“For you guys, the evaluations aren’t that important, right?”  

Woo Joo Han, who had been sipping soda through a straw, replied.  

“The weight it carries for our grades is lower than for Espers.”  

“I’m jealous. I messed up last year, so I need to do well this year.”  

“Choose your partner wisely. Pick someone who can give you a free ride.”  

After finishing his sentence, Woo Joo Han glanced briefly at Yoon Taeha. To avoid his gaze, she distracted herself by rolling a rice ball over a plate of seaweed flakes. Cheon Geonyoung’s eyes followed hers.  

After a moment of hesitation, Hong Eunsoo spoke.  

“I already have a partner. I formed one a while ago.”  

Despite spending days together, Yoon Taeha hadn’t heard anything about Hong Eunsoo’s Guide. Curious, she looked at her.  

Hong Eunsoo seemed slightly embarrassed. The gazes of three pairs of eyes converged on her—eyes that weren’t ordinary but belonged to exceptionally handsome faces.  

“...What? Is something weird?”  

“You’re in G Class, right? So you’ll have to pick someone from our class this time. A T Class student?”  

When Woo Joo Han asked, Hong Eunsoo nodded. Unable to contain her curiosity, Yoon Taeha asked.  

“Who is it?”  

After a brief pause, Hong Eunsoo revealed the name.  

“Sungbin. Hwang Sungbin.”  

Yoon Taeha’s fork slipped off the rice ball. Cheon Geonyoung quickly lowered his cup, muffling the sound of the fork scraping against the plate. Fortunately, the others didn’t notice their suspicious actions.  

At the mention of Hwang Sungbin’s name, Woo Joo Han immediately frowned.  

“Hwang Sungbin? The vice-president?”  

“Yeah. He’s one of the top performers in the ‘Me’ category. His grades were great last year and the year before. He’s a high-ranking Cracks Breaker and part of the shooting club.”  

Though these were clearly her partner’s strengths, she listed them almost apologetically.  

Whether Woo Joo Han noticed or not, Yoon Taeha certainly did. When she glanced at Cheon Geonyoung, his eyes reflected the same suspicion.  

Something’s off. This feels suspicious.  

To draw out Woo Joo Han’s reaction, Cheon Geonyoung deliberately asked.  

“He’s skilled. It’s not a bad choice.”  

“Really? I’m glad you think so. I figured classmates would know better than me. That’s actually what I was most curious about.”  

Hong Eunsoo smiled and shifted the topic. Woo Joo Han, who had been actively participating in the conversation, suddenly became quieter, crossing his arms. Cheon Geonyoung filled the conversational gap.  

Pretending to be distracted, Yoon Taeha sent a text message—naturally, to the man sitting across from her.  

[Yoon Taeha] [5:32PM] What’s the reason for their bad blood? I’ll keep an eye on the kid next to us.  

Just before they finished cleaning up and parted ways, he caught her gaze after checking the message. A subtle nod, barely noticeable to others.  

Having confirmed it, she moved on.  

---

Cheon Geonyoung and Woo Joo Han’s dormitories weren’t far apart. They walked in silence. Woo Joo Han appeared deep in thought.  

What was the reason for his negative reaction to Hwang Sungbin?  

Even among Guides, internal competition existed.  

College admissions depended heavily on graduation grades, and companies required access to Shelter records during recruitment.  

But the competition among Guides wasn’t as fierce as it was for Espers.  

Unlike Espers, whose potential earnings were capped once they received their final grade, Guides still had opportunities.  

Even with lower Shelter grades, becoming the partner of a higher-ranked Esper could lead to better treatment and generous compensation.  

In the Guide community, this was referred to as being “chosen.”  

It was a term laced with both self-deprecation about their circumstances and disdain for certain Espers who disregarded their opinions.  

Ultimately, that was why Guides didn’t stake their lives on Shelter grades.  

A life that could be overturned by sheer luck.  

If you could just tighten the leash on a mad S-rank Esper, school grades were laughable.  

Keep a pistol close to your chest, ready to blow your partner’s head off in case of an emergency.  

That was the gist of the situation.  

“Hey.”  

Before reaching the dormitory, Woo Joo Han stopped him with a serious expression. Cadets sometimes wore that look before committing impulsive acts.  

When something became unbearable to endure but stepping outside the rules felt frightening.  

“Give me some space.”  

“That’s random.”  

“Hwang Sungbin…”  

Woo Joo Han hesitated, then said, “He’s… kind of complicated.”  

It didn’t seem like internal conflict. Cheon Geonyoung waited silently. Sometimes, patience yielded more than words ever could.

“He seems to be getting along with everyone right after transferring. I’m telling you this because he doesn’t seem as crazy as you might think—he’s not someone worth sticking around for.”  

“Is his life so dirty that I need to back off?”  

Woo Joo Han snapped, raising his voice unnecessarily before disappearing into the dormitory, muttering something about how she wouldn’t understand.  

Two broker candidates remained. It seemed likely that the suspect pool could be narrowed down to one soon.  

---

With the start of a new week, the two began moving even more busily than before.  

By the time they finished both their official duties and unofficial tasks, it was usually between 10 and 11 PM.  

Around 11:30, Yoon Taeha would appear, her face resembling someone who had just endured a three-hour interrogation by a long-lost younger cousin. Cheon Geonyoung would have the door open in advance, waiting for her arrival.  

At the appointed time, she would materialize on the balcony like someone dropped from the sky.  

“Time for the report.”  

“You’re precise with timing.”  

“Expectations are pretty low, huh? This is basic…”  

When she extended her hand, signaling him to take it, they would find themselves atop a location overlooking the buildings frequently visited by students.  

The spot Yoon Taeha chose was on a hill, offering a clear view of the library roof—a prime vantage point for observing student movement patterns.  

It was also where she had discreetly installed tiny surveillance cameras to monitor the surroundings.  

“Hmm?”  

As soon as they arrived, Yoon Taeha tried to release the Guide’s hand, but he tightened his grip, preventing her from doing so.  

Normally, after teleporting and arriving at the destination, she would let go of his hand first and step aside, so this unexpected hold left her flustered.  

The tips of their awkwardly entwined fingers felt unusually warm.  

“Why? Do you want to go somewhere else instead?”  

She asked hurriedly. Instead of answering, Cheon Geonyoung carefully adjusted the loosely interlocked fingers, making them firmer.  

Though summer’s heat had waned slightly, the night was still far from cool.  

Yoon Taeha, who tended to run warmer than average, worried that the heat emanating from her palm might bother him.  

Just as she was about to scrunch up her nose, Cheon Geonyoung lifted their clasped hands to his eye level. Inadvertently, she ended up mimicking the posture of a mischievous kindergartener crossing the street with one hand half-raised. Bewildered, she asked,  

“What kind of ritual is this?”  

“Don’t you feel anything?”  

“What am I supposed to feel?”  

He stared intently at their intertwined fingers.  

When she peeled one finger off the back of his hand, he frowned. Was he getting upset? Sensing his irritation, Yoon Taeha cautiously pressed each finger back onto his hand.  

Cheon Geonyoung spoke in a dissatisfied tone.  

“Why isn’t it working?”  

“……”  

“I’m trying, though.”  

Only then did the Esper’s confusion lift.  

“Guiding?”  

“……”  

“Were you trying to guide every time we teleported?”  

This time, it was the Guide who fell silent.  

She forced her lips upward, fighting against gravity.  

So he had actually been paying attention to that every time they teleported?  

It didn’t seem like a lie, which made it all the more surprising. He had never mentioned it before.  

“Suddenly interested in Guiding?”  

“It’s my job.”  

“You were paying attention to it? I had no idea.”  

He glared at her with the face of a sensitive child who monopolized the affection of both adults and children in the neighborhood. Though prickly, his expression didn’t come across as unpleasant.  

After blatantly complimenting his striking features, she said,  

“Did you attend some class like ‘Understanding Communication’ today?”  

“Advanced.”  

Cheon Geonyoung corrected her, emphasizing the course title.  

“Advanced Understanding of Communication.”  

Yoon Taeha teased him with an exaggerated “Advanced!” to acknowledge his efforts. Cheon Geonyoung realized she was joking.  

His lack of response stemmed not from disinterest but from frustration that his Guiding wasn’t working properly.  

In a much gentler tone than usual, Yoon Taeha said,  

“Doesn’t it seem strange? If you take Advanced Understanding of Communication, does it make you closer to your partner?”  

He appeared to understand what she was implying, though his expression didn’t soften.  

“Do students who’ve taken the lower-level courses have worse Guiding abilities than those who take the advanced ones?”  

“Didn’t they teach you that in the North?”  

“They do. It’s a common subject.”  

“Then I guess you understand why I’m acting this way.”  

“The examples they use in those classes are extreme cases.”  

She sighed deeply and finally released his hand. As soon as he let go, she stepped back more than three paces, prompting Cheon Geonyoung to wear a sullen expression once again.