HLSEBT - 80

A voice tinged with injustice seeped out between books and desks.

“That Kwon guy is also an agent, right?”

Woo Joo-han now knew Cheon Geon-young’s true identity. To avoid him continuing to misunderstand Cheon as merely Hwang Seong-bin’s henchman, she clarified it.

“That friend of yours is quite something.”

Woo Joo-han took issue with how Yoon Tae-ha referred to her partner.

“Friend?”

The eyes that looked up at her were rather provocative, but Yoon Tae-ha didn’t even turn her head as she answered.

“A friend.”

“Same age?”

“Yeah.”

“Really the same age? Not a fake age or anything?”

“Is there such a thing as a fake age?”

“You all came here under fake names.”

“The two girls who just passed by probably figured out our identities because of what you said. We’re getting reported.”

Woo Joo-han slammed his book and stood up. The room they were in was empty.

“...Liar.”

“But, Joo-han.”

When his name was called in her low voice, Woo Joo-han’s eyes widened. Yoon Tae-ha, who had been deeply focused on her laptop, turned her head to speak.

It was the greeting graduating students hated most.

“Are you not studying for the exams?”

“...”

“We don’t care if we come last.”

“Huh.”

“But I think you’d care.”

He blew air through his bangs before standing up abruptly, clearly irritated.

He looked slightly pitiful, like a dog whose owner canceled a walk.

“Liar.”

Yoon Tae-ha took a sip of the yuja tea Cheon Geon-young had given her that morning. He mentioned he had to give a lecture on shooting attributes to students from another class today.

What great luck those students had.

Sipping the overly sweetened yuja tea, Yoon Tae-ha pondered Woo Joo-han’s subtle reproach while savoring the tea. In a mature tone, she said,

“If you do well on your grades, I’ll write you a recommendation letter for any company you want. You know how important recommendation letters are, right?”

“...”

“Top guilds, the Protection Bureau, private mercenary companies, or even our company. Just say the word.”

Woo Joo-han, who had been poised to leave with his book hugged tightly, closed the door he had half-opened. His expression brightened.

“A recommendation letter?”

“You need good grades. I have some social reputation to uphold, even if it doesn’t seem like it.”

Surprisingly, Woo Joo-han didn’t refute this point.

Did he actually find it somewhat dignified?

Yoon Tae-ha subtly raised her eyebrows.

“So you’re famous?”

“Of course, not under the name Jeon Sung-ha.”

“What’s your real name?”

“You’d have to join our company to find out.”

“Then can I know if I join?”

“Not exactly a huge secret.”

Leaning against the glass door, he thought deeply. She gave him time. After mulling over something for a while, Woo Joo-han suspiciously asked,

“You told Hong Eun-soo the same thing, right?”

Yoon Tae-ha lightly nodded.

“Of course I did.”

“...”

“Eun-soo is the type who takes care of their own affairs without me even mentioning it.”

She glanced at Woo Joo-han. He was puffing one cheek, looking slightly dissatisfied. Did he have some grudge against Hong Eun-soo?

Yoon Tae-ha turned back to her computer screen.

“What about me?”

“I didn’t think you needed it, so I’m taking care of you now.”

Frustrated, he ruffled his hair.

Was something bothering him? Was it wrong to ask Hong Eun-soo first?

To her, it was all perplexing.

“Does it matter where? Any place I want to go?”

“I don’t know much about foreign private guilds. It’s easier to choose within Korea.”

“You’re giving me a lot of options.”

Woo Joo-han replied curtly and disappeared after saying he’d write down his preferences later.

________________________________________

Kang Jin-ho emerged from the capsule providing simulation battles, gasping roughly as blood poured from his nose. He had no choice but to stop.

Since he had monopolized capsules 1 through 3, there were no other students around. After wiping off the blood roughly, he checked his face in the mirror and walked out.

The hallway was filled with students preparing for the mock battle with their partners.

“It’s going to change this time. Just wait and see.”

“It won’t change. You’ve been saying that for two years. Until graduation, you’ll still be Kang Jin-ho.”

“If you look at underwater training, you won’t say that. That transfer student pair is crazy.”

“Gwon Hee-seong? The one gifted at shooting?”

“He’s better than Woo Joo-han.”

“He’s famous, alright. But dungeon-clearing depends more on esper abilities, right?”

The voice supporting the transfer students quieted momentarily before flaring up again.

Unaware, they continued talking as Kang Jin-ho leaned against the opposite wall, listening.

“If control is decent, they’ll win.”

“Doesn’t Vitamin have control-enhancing effects?”

“That... I think they mentioned something about that. Can’t remember.”

“How many did you buy?”

“Enough for three days. I nearly died trying to get them.”

Hearing this, Kang Jin-ho exerted a slight force.

The chairs the students were sitting on snapped in half.

“Ah!”

“Damn... feels like my tailbone popped out. What kind of psycho is this!”

Ignoring the enraged esper’s shouts, Kang Jin-ho moved on.

But whether due to bad luck or fate, unwelcome faces appeared one after another. Choi Anna was waiting outside his dorm room.

“This is the boys’ dorm.”

“No pride left? Losing to a transfer student?”

“You’re losing to her in looks.”

Her expression crumpled. Choi Anna urged,

“I hate the idea of them coming in first.”

“Go wreak havoc in the transfer students’ dorm.”

“I did!”

Choi Anna flared up defensively.

“I did! But they didn’t even blink!”

“Were you too scared to go all out?”

“No! Have you ever seen me hold back in situations like this? I messed up their bed, dunked books in water—did everything!”

Students passing by glanced at Choi Anna, but she paid no mind. Her usual nonchalant expression suggested this wasn’t unusual.

“I even hung a dead bird on the railing! What more do you want?!”

“That won’t faze them.”

“Should I kill someone?”

Kang Jin-ho sneered coldly at her words. Choi Anna, noticing his unusually suspicious gaze, hesitated and stepped back. Without answering her final question, Kang Jin-ho entered his room.

________________________________________

The first round was only a day away.

In Shelter’s bamboo grove, a gambling ring opened for G-class’s crucial match. The organizer was unknown, but participation rates were incredibly high.

Cheon Geon-young, sitting on his bed browsing his phone, asked,

“Who are you betting on?”

“Huh?”

Yoon Tae-ha, watching dungeon-clearing videos on her laptop from the sofa, looked up.

He handed her the phone. As she read the comments, her eyes grew skeptical.

“The kids don’t have an eye for this.”

Despite Yoon Tae-ha showing decent performance recently, Kang Jin-ho remained the favorite.

He had cleared three consecutive A-level training programs that only top-tier espers could handle.

This was likely the result of what was rumored to be SSS-grade enhancers.

If not for the presence of “Gwon Hee-seong,” the guide, the odds might have been 7-to-3 against her. Rumors of her having a strong combat-ready guide shifted it to 6-to-4. Of course, Yoon Tae-ha was the 4.

Wearing a loose anorak and shorts, she sat on the sofa.

“Of course we’ll win.”

Yoon Tae-ha handed the phone back to its owner.

“After the first round, they’ll probably conduct full inspections. Just hold on till tomorrow.”

“Are the kits ready?”

“All set. The research wing pulled an all-nighter. They said to celebrate together later.”

She leaned back on the sofa and stretched her arms forward.

“Best outcome is too hard.”

Cheon Geon-young, reading monster information on his tablet, glanced at her.

Yoon Tae-ha spoke in a tired voice, curling up.

“If only telepathy could show who took which enhancer how many times...”

“...”

“But it doesn’t.”

The sofa she sat on was the darkest spot in the room since the lights had been turned off for the video. Cheon Geon-young quietly asked in a low voice,

“Worried?”

Yoon Tae-ha blinked sluggishly like a drained toy and murmured a yes with slightly slurred speech.

Afterward, Yoon Tae-ha remained motionless, lost in deep thought. Sensing this, Cheon Geon-young focused on his tasks.

The white glow from electronic devices. One lamp on the desk. The faint light was insufficient to fully illuminate the room.

Closing her eyes briefly, lulled by Cheon Geon-young’s steady breathing and the soft lighting, she dozed off.

It was over three minutes later when Cheon Geon-young, organizing potential emergencies for tomorrow, noticed the sleeping woman.

How had she fallen asleep without a sound?

Moving as quietly as possible, he turned off the desk lamp. Yoon Tae-ha was curled up on the edge of the sofa, sleeping like a shrimp.

Touching her would surely wake her.

Even though she was tired and less healthy than usual, she was still an esper.

Her senses were likely sharper than others’. Cheon Geon-young stood alone, silently agonizing.

Should he carry her to the bed? She’d wake up.

This dilemma was new to him and frustrating. After precisely 30 seconds of deliberation, he made a decision.

I should move her.

From what he observed, she hadn’t been getting enough sleep lately.

Whether covering her with a blanket or carrying her—it didn’t matter. Telekinesis should stay with him.

Carefully approaching, Cheon Geon-young slid his arms under her head and calves. Lifting her felt fine at first.

The problem was how her touch and scent felt excessively pleasant the moment he lifted her.

Nine out of ten graduating students wore these clothes daily. The remaining one didn’t wear them only because they were in the laundry.

Even he wore the same outfit. So it shouldn’t feel special. Absolutely not.

Reminding himself of this, he walked with wide strides but minimized impact.

Her long, white legs dangled in the air.

He gently tucked her legs into the pre-folded blanket. With utmost care, he moved her in a manner that would’ve made anyone who knew Chairman Cheon’s grandson faint countless times.

As if stealing the world’s most precious egg about to hatch a rare bird.

Finally, he successfully laid her down.

Cheon Geon-young didn’t bother hiding his rising lips. No one awake could see it.

Was she a deeper sleeper than expected?

Sleeping peacefully, Yoon Tae-ha fascinated him.

Her dense lashes didn’t flutter, and her round, pale cheeks seemed softer than anything in the world.

Even the most devout saint might struggle to resist kissing her lips.

He couldn’t believe she found his dimples interesting.

If he were her, instead of guiltily asking if poking someone’s dimple was allowed, he wouldn’t have kept his lips and cheeks still.

Unaware of how his shadow loomed over her, perched precariously at the edge of the bed, Cheon Geon-young didn’t realize she could sense the slight tilt of the mattress and snap awake.

Observing someone this way was new to him.